Web sites like RateMyProfessors.com may lead students to choose classes based on how easy a professor may be, which could be the cause of grade inflation, according to a study.

Nearly half of students in a Kaplan Test Prep and Admission survey said they pick classes and teachers based on ease ratings found on professor rating sites.

The survey was given to 1,229 students — 804 of these students took the LSAT in December and 425 students took the MCAT in January. Every student surveyed was a Kaplan student who is currently attending or had recently graduated from a four-year college or university.

Knowledge about how classes are taught and who is teaching them could be a reason students are achieving better grades on average.

“The reality is that the use of student evaluations of professors can easily lead to grade inflation since instructors may teach to the evaluations and students select courses based upon being able to get higher grades,” said Jeff Olson, vice president of research at Kaplan.

Olson noted a Duke University study that found students’ average GPA rose from 2.93 to 3.11 over the course of 15 years.

“Our survey shows that there certainly are a lot of students who are looking for a competitive edge when trying to raise that GPA, which may make or break their chances at getting into grad school or getting a job,” Olson said. “A high GPA may be one of the key things prospective employers judge you on.”

More than half of students surveyed said they use rating sites to learn about a professor’s teaching style. Of pre-law students, 73 percent found that factor most important. Only 57 percent of pre-med students found teaching style to be as crucial when choosing a class.

Jeff Pugh, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, said he uses RateMyProfessors to discover how teachers structure their classes, more than anything else.

“It’s helpful to see what they are doing in class as far as papers and exams go,” he said.

Sarah Hofman, a junior in the College of Communication, said she thinks these sites — for the most part — are accurate in evaluating teachers. In fact, she said she thinks it would be even more helpful if the university had its own system online.

However, Pugh thinks a system at Marquette would not work.

“It would be biased,” he said. “I think a national site is good because if Marquette did it, I think it would not be as accurate.”

Sites like RateMyProfessors are not just influencing students’ decisions to take a class. They may also be influencing teacher behavior in the classroom.

According to Olson, studies have been conducted that show professors who give better grades receive better reviews. In 2003, a study by two professors at the University of Texas found that a professor’s physical attractiveness also results in better reviews.

However, only 3 percent of students in the Kaplan survey said a professor’s “hotness” was something they considered when choosing a class.