Alan Foster - Millersville University, Millersville, PA

Professor: Alan Foster

Department: English

College: Millersville University, Millersville, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGL315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Foster is definitely knowledgeable about what he's teaching, but he's such an awful teacher that the knowledge gets lost. He seems to randomly assign things on a whim, gets upset when people can't keep up, and expects far too much for how little he actually teaches. He wants his students to do well, but he doesn't exactly make it easy to do so.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENGL313
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Cool professor. He's pretty laid back when comes to papers. If you are not that great of a writer, he will give you good feedback on what he wants. He also starts the class with basic papers so everyone could have an idea. Put in the work and you should be fine. He's a little forgetful sometimes, but he still tries his best to be accommodating.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

First half of the semester he just pretty much straight up reads out of the textbook for 50 mins. Only fun thing is when he tells you an event happened and you have to ask questions like a reporter. Morgue assignments are pointless and he takes a month or more to grade them. Expect to watch a lot of movies.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Foster tries hard to be relatable. Really, he's just lulling you into a false sense of security. He grades papers sporadically, won't tell you what you did wrong, and docks grades at the drop of a hat. I think I managed to pull out an A because of my final exam, paper, and presentation. He says you need newest version of text, but YOU DON'T.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG317
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Don't under any circumstance EVER take a class with him as the professor. His grading policy is arbitrary and he takes weeks to grade things with meaningless feedback that doesn't matter by the time he grades it. He had us google info he was supposed to teach us and had me teach InDesign to other students. He's the worst professor I've had.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG317
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Foster is a good professor who cares about how the students are doing and wants to help you be successful. His assignments can be a little unclear and the list of what is due may look intimidating but he is often flexible with due dates and if you need clarification, just ask. He's always willing to help you understand. I'd take him again.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL317
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Foster barely ever had real due date but was very helpful on most assignments and if the lab was kept up to date, we might have been better off. You'll become very good at InDesign and you should have some writing ability because you will be doing a lot of it!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL317
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Foster can be a nice guy, occasionally rude but the real stressor with him is he gives NO direction on projects and RARELY sets a due date. The entire class is you trying to guide yourself through senseless projects that will never help me in my career, avoid if possible!!!!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENGL313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Learned next to nothing about improving writing. His comments on writing assignments were sparse and largely unhelpful. Took a long time to return grades. Unclear in general. Do not take him.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL317
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Class was easy, but focused primarily on the design of a news page/magazine rather than grammar. The grammar-based final exam was out of the blue. He has no idea how to operate InDesign and is vague when handing out instructions. Was rude sometimes. Books required. Won't take again.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Cons - Professor Foster lacks clarity on assignments. Gave me a really crummy grade once because there was a conflict with the assignment in the book versus how he remembered it being written there. Pros - He was more than understanding and gave me an opportunity to redo the paper. He also has a wicked sense of humor and is quite understanding.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENGL313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prof Foster is great! He grades fairly to those who do the work. The complainers on here haven't done the work to earn the grade. That explains the negative comments. Prof Foster makes the course both fun and educational. He patiently reviews writing basics, which is helpful to students. This is a great intro journalism course! I learned a lot.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENG317
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I had Foster for about 5 classes and everyone of them I have learned something. He is the only professor that has really kept in contact with me after graduation and is concerned about helping to find his students jobs. He wants his students to be successful. He isn't there just to give lectures he is there to push students to be the best they can

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL317
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This class is easy as long as you put some effort into your work. His various experiences as a reporter are helpful to understanding how print journalism works. His lectures are pretty standard for an English class; nothing out of the ordinary with him. I honestly believe the people who don't do well or don't rate him well are ones who don't try.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENG317
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He was an unfair grader. I turned in a article and the only thing wrong with he that he wrote was "too many capital letters" and I got an 80. Someone else in my class he wrote "not enough detail, should be longer" and she got a 90. That was bull, he has favorites and shows it. Thats how he grades. Plus he is just annoying.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG317
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

awful.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Doesn't put assignments in the sllyabus but makes them up as the semester goes along. Strange teaching and grading methods.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Useful class, completely USLESS PROFESSOR! Very, very unorganized! I would never take another class with him again!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

One of the worst professors at MU! Is very unclear about his assignments and can be somewhat rude to students. Assigned the final paper to be due on December 1st, then randomly changed it to be due a couple weeks sooner! This guy is asanine! He always thinks he's right even it he's not. STAY AWAY FROM HIM!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENGL313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

While he is a good guy, he is not the best professor. He likes things to be his way, or no way. Heaven forbid you disagree cuz he'll just brush you off and tell you you're wrong, even if you're right. A lot of the work is busy work, but some of the assignments can be helpful. The fake news stories are fun, but the lectures are SO boring.