Many students like to know if the school at which they want to study will have good instructors. However, the definition of "good" varies from student to student. Here is my definition and some ideas to think about regarding instructors in my newest article:
Choosing a School �Will I have Good Instructors?

Do you think that it is worthwhile getting opinions from other students about a professor? Have you ever taken the advice of other students? If so were you glad that you did?

A great article, Elizabeth.

A key reason I went with Northeastern and not some of the other school options was that I wanted access to talented instructors. I was impressed with the background of the instructors that worked with Northeastern.

Now that I've been there a year, I've been extremely impressed with how skilled many of them are.

Still, even a school with a good reputation is going to have its ups and downs. After an experience with an instructor who I felt was quite average, I began researching my instructors before signing up for a class. I look them up both with Northeastern's internal review system and also a web-based public review system. This has helped me to avoid one or two instructors who other students said were just not up to the high standards I'd want.

Since I'm taking these classes to really learn the material - not just to "get the credits and move on" - it's important to me that the teacher is exceptional and engaged.

That is a great point. A school that was wonderful 10 years ago may have lost the teachers which built them that reputation.

I have to say I'm still quite impressed with Northeastern's teachers. I just took a psychology course with a man who worked with the CIA for many years doing psychology there. He was amazing.

Right that is definitely true. It's unfair to judge a teacher based on things completely outside of her control.