Students who have a tough time choosing general education classes may soon have an easier time deciding, as completion of a course selector nears.

The course selector, created by the Undergraduate Student Government and USG Academic Assembly, will be available to students by the end of February, said Academic Assembly President Erich May.

It is a combination of a guide to the best professors at the University and descriptions of various general education classes, May said. The course information is geared toward freshmen, sophomores and Commonwealth Campus students transferring to University Park. The best professors guide is more for juniors and seniors, he added.

"I think I would use it," said Rei Takeda (freshman-division of undergraduate studies). "If I had something like that, I'd like to schedule my classes according to the professors." She pointed out that it would be helpful because it contains the input of students who have already taken the course.

The course selector will be available in bookstores next to the fall schedules and will cost between 25 and 50 cents, May said.

Academic Assembly received about 40 responses to the 150 requests they sent to the faculty asking for a brief description of the course they teach. Although the course selector will be small at first, May said he hopes it will grow each semester. "This is a modest beginning," he said, attributing the small number of responses to faculty apathy.

The course selector gives the class title, professor, class size, percentage of students who drop or fail the course, types of exams or grading policies, cost of materials, student comments and instructor remarks.

Although the course selector is designed to help students make an informed decision about selecting a class, it is not intended to point out the easiest courses, May said.

"This isn't looking to show everyone where the easy 'A' is," he said.

The guide to the best professors will contain three to four instructors from each college, said USG President Chris Saunders. Professors gave USG permission to evaluate the class, and USG chose the best professors from the responses and Academic Assembly's knowledge about University Faculty Senate.

"It helps students pick their classes and it recognizes excellence in teaching at the University," he said. "It provides a dual purpose -- it benefits students and faculty."

Next fall, professors will be evaluated for the course selector on a one-to-five scale, Saunders said.

The course selector offers positive assessments of model courses and instructors, May said.

"I hope that when faculty see this guide they will understand that we are not taking cheap shots at professors we do not like," he said. "An entry in the course selector should be appreciated as an honor and should be sought by faculty who care about their students."