Alex Filippenko - University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Professor: Alex Filippenko

Department: Astronomy

College: University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ASTRONC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

By far the best professor I have had at Cal! He's such an amazing man, and has so much passion for teaching and for his students. Going to his lectures was the highlight of my day, and he was always willing to take questions and stay extra time during office hours to help his students. Take his class before you leave Cal - he is incredible!!!!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

TAKE HIS CLASS; HE'S THE BEST PROFESSOR I HAVE AND YOU WILL APPRECIATE THE COSMOS EVEN MORE!!! AND GO TO LICK OBSERVATORY WITH HIM IF YOU CAN.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

One of my favorite professors and I love his lectures

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He is probably one of best professors here at Berkeley. His lectures are very inspirational. Pretty easy course regardless of your intended major, as long as you keep up and memorize important points in his lecture slides. This course opened up my mind to a world far greater than the humdrum daily life, and made me want to major in astrophysics.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His Astro C10 course is one everyone at Berkeley should try to take before they graduate. Very engaging, entertaining, caring, has a good sense of humor and inspiring and respected. Made me strongly consider majoring in a field I had no prior interest in. The class is webcast if you ever need to miss one. The BEST breadth class you can ask for.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: C10
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

HE IS A GOD. Seriously, I don't think anyone cares about students with as much as passion as Alex. Astro C10 is a must take class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

One of the best lecturers at Berkeley, period. Professor Filipenko presents everything you need to know for the class in lecture very clearly while making lectures fun. I'd highly recommend attending in person as opposed to watching the webcasts. Also, this man holds office hours AFTER EVERY LECTURE talk about accessible!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

The class covers a lot of material and you should be prepared to do a lot of work (labs, weekly HW, quizzes, and 2 midterms). But the class is definitely worth taking and Filippenko is super chill and incredibly passionate about astronomy so the lectures were absolutely AMAZING!!!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Dont underestimate this class, because its not an easy A. Lectures are awesome and GSIs are caring though, but make sure you either put in the effort or P/NP

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Prof. Filippenko is a fantastic professor with a very open, accessible method of lecturing. Even though the material is quite dense, he brings a sense of levity to class. If you are not a science person or are taking this for the Phys Sci Breadth, Pass/No Pass it, give it your all until after the second midterm, and then you shouldn't have to worry

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ASTRONC10
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Alex is funny, warm, and brilliant beyond all bounds. Whether you actually go to class or just watch a sped-up webcast, the material covered is often mind-boggling and really makes you question all the whys and hows of the Universe. I loved this class, definitely take it during your time at Cal!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Probably the best prof/teacher I have ever had. Super enthusiastic, engaging, and interactive guy who also happens to be one of the smartest astronomers in the world. The way he runs the class (in terms of grading, hw, etc.) is awesome, and he knows how to make the most abstract concepts understandable and entertaining. Best prof at Cal hands down

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Lectures can be a bit boring, so watch on webcast at 1.5 or 2x speed. Other than that clear grading criteria and m/c tests. Very fair in terms of workload (HW and labs) and very interesting, knowledgeable, and down to Earth. Definitely take this class with him even if you have to P/NP it.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Amazing lectures, super inspiring.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

AWESOME!!!!!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Hands down, the best professor I have ever had. His professional accomplishments alone made me so intimidated, I mean we are talking about the only person who was in both teams that discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe!! He is very approachable, gives amazing inspirational lectures, very passionate about his area, me switch minors.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Filippenko is an incredible lecturer! The class was really engaging and it felt like an amazing science documentary, taking us on a journey through space. Easy midterms and final, all MC. Definitely take this class to get your physical science breadth out of the way!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ASTC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class and this professor is something every student should experience. It is manageable regardless of your science skills and Professor Filippenko makes every topic absolutely fascinating. His office hours are also more like mini lectures that will blow your mind.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Amazing subject, professor, GSIs, and class. It was harder than expected but Alex is so inspirational that it was well worth it. Reviewer below me said that he throws shade at people who fail his midterms; you literally have to put in zero effort and/or never watch lectures to fail the exams.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ASTROC10
• Grade Received: Audit/No Grade
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

It was super hard for me since I'm not a science major. Really makes you work for it.