While online teacher ratings sites are nothing new - RateMyProfessors, the most widely known of these sites, is more than ten years old - they may be contributing to grade inflation. A new Kaplan Test Prep survey of 1,229 college students and recent college graduates* showed that of those who have visited professor rating sites, nearly half (45%) were influenced to take courses based on the "easy grading reputation of a professor." This supports previous research conducted by Cornell University which found that students shop for classes where the median grade is higher. In fact, a 2009 analysis on grade inflation by a retired Duke University professor that found the average college GPA rose from 2.93 in 1991 to 3.11 in 2006.

"Our research shows that many of today's college students are looking at multiple factors when picking out courses: overall teacher quality that will result in a good learning experience, but also instructors who don't like to award a lot of C's and D's," said Jeff Olson, vice president of research at Kaplan Test Prep. "While it makes sense that students would opt for more lenient graders, it also helps explain the recent prevalence of grade inflation."

Although grading leniency is a consideration for many, within the RateMyProfessors category options, peer opinion seemed to be the greatest influencer, with "Prior student comments about the professor" as the element most often cited by Kaplan survey respondents (76%) as the factor they most consider in choosing classes. "Overall quality of a professor" was the second most considered factor (70%), and "engaging teaching style of professor" was third (66%), followed by "easy grading reputation."