Anthony L. Riley - American University, Washington, DC

Professor: Anthony L. Riley

Department: Psychology

College: American University, Washington, DC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Riley is a really good and engaging lecturer, but PSYCH 115 is a difficult class. Your grade is entirely based on four difficult exams. The class is fun and I feel like I learned a lot, but I was hoping for a higher grade. You have to do the readings to succeed on the tests, but they're interesting and narrative based.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

There are four test total in this class. You have to read one book for each exam. He is really funny in class. I wouldn't recommend for a gen ed class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You need to go to the lectures to take notes bc the powerpoints don't make sense without his lecture. Adds a ton of useless info to powerpoints and makes you stress a lot more about exams than you should. 4 exams all open ended short answer. Doesn't give study guides. Gives lots of extra credit. Knows his stuff and helps during office hours.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Riley is an animated lecturer, who's obviously very knowledgable. The problem is he has extremely high expectations for a level 100 gen ed. If you are not a psych major, don't torment yourself with this course.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very knowledgeable and passionate about lectures, but gives 4 tests that are all open ended that ask both broad questions and specifics. if you want to do well on the tests you must devote a significant amount of time to studying. however, to make up for the tests he offers a ton of extra credit that can boost you a full letter grade.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the best professors in AU. Teaches with a lot of passion and is very engaging. I learned a lot in his class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Riley is very interesting and a hilarious professor. However, his class is difficult and requires a lot of attention and note taking. If you like psychology and are willing to put in the time, you'll do well. May not be the best choice for an easy gen ed

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

What is the point of a class if you are having a mental breakdown every time you have an exam? 10 pages of multi paragraph short answer question for each exam. I never hated college until I took his class.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Honestly, for a Gen Ed he was insane. I didn't get much out of the class at all, what I studied for wasn't even on his exams. The entire class is just four exams. You better be a good test taker in order to pass. He is very off topic, isn't super helpful, and if you don't have his books he asks you to read, good luck.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

just don't do it. It unreasonable difficult and the workload is insane. six books for 14 weeks of school??

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Drop this class RIGHT NOW if you aren't a psychology major. I'm a CAS student with a job + own business on the side of school. Unless you have the passion/countless hours to read, study, and MEMORIZE the LOADS of useless (but interesting) information he piles on you, you will FAIL. NO multiple choice on exams and tests on like 9 books/semester.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I feel like if you don't like Riley, its probably because psychology isn't interesting to you. Aside from a huge amount of reading, theres relatively little work and its clear what is expected on the tests. Hes generally pretty laid back and he has a weird sense of humor but overall pretty good.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The lectures are terribly boring and hard to understand. I don't know how he can make a class that could have been so interesting this awful. Honestly, take bio of something.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The absolute Worst! Taking this for FA5? DON'T! RUN AWAY FROM HIM AND HIS TAs! He is awful to talk to and his lectures are extremely long mainly because he wants to make it difficult to understand the main points. Never worked with a professor like this and would go back in time just to drop this class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSYC240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Based on Anthony Riley's limited medical vocabulary preventing his understanding what I explained, he spread undermining falsities against my morality causing me to withdraw from the program.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSYC497
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Tony is one of the best professors at AU. He's been there for decades now and sets the standard for a leading psychopharmacologist. If you are lucky to take one of his classes, do so!! Be ready to read a lot (sometimes a book a week), but it's totally worth it. His character and passion adds liveliness to his lectures. 10/10 would take again!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I love Riley. He's a very funny and engaging professor. He's very accessible outside of class and really nice in general. His class is very interesting, but it's a lot of work. The tests (4) are long and difficult, you have to read 2 books for each test. You also have to really pay attention to the lectures.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Riley is super renowned at AU but is an incredibly hard teacher. His lectures are extremlely long, detailed, and hard to keep up with. There is way too much information to study, but you have to study all of it for his tests because they are so specific. I am a psychology major and found this class to be so difficult. DO NOT TAKE AS YOUR FA5.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSYC115
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you're looking to take Riley's Psych class for an easy gen-ed credit, seriously just drop the class now. This is my second time taking it and I'm an A/B student. Our entire grade is based on 4 all-short answer exams and his lectures are 75+ slides long and confusing. Save yourself. I have never had to unnecessarily work so hard for a class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH115
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Toughtest 100 level class ever. He's a funny energetic old man. He's also serious and does some cool work with addiction. Tests were a mix of powerpoint, lectures and online assigns so you really have to pay attention and put a lot of work in. You learn a lot and he's thorough on the assigns. Make friends with a TA for extra help.