Beth Powell - Smith College, Northampton, MA

Professor: Beth Powell

Department: Psychology

College: Smith College, Northampton, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I really liked taking Clinical Neuro with Powell. She can be a bit loopy/disorganised at times but is altogether sweet. You can tell she cares about the material and lectures were never boring. I loved the formatquiz every week and no finalsince it kept me from slacking but wasn't too stressful.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSY202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Beth is awesome! She truly wants you to succeed and do well in her class. A very thorough teacher, her approach is a hands on one with group work. She also offers lots of extra credit opportunities which are really helpful. As a person she's super kind and easy to talk to. Would highly recommend taking research methods with her.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

It wasn't love at first sight for me, but I learned to appreciate the value of her personal stories in remembering key concepts and how invested she is in both her teaching and wellbeing of her students. The reading load may seem intimidating, but she will always clarify what's on the test previous to the quiz date. I definitely recommend her!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Beth is amazing, anyone who says different clearly has never met her. Take an intro with her, and if you like it, take another! I found out I love Neurosciences, all because of Beth.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: NSC230
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Beth is one word AWESOME! She is funny, relatable and understanding. I feel like she never ever sticks to the syllabus. She just gets excited about what she is teaching and talks too much :). This class is quite annoying in terms of group work, but in life you have to work with other people. Vital skill in life. Deal with it! Would TAKE AGAIN!!!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Amazing professor. She made what seemed like a really daunting subject, super fun and interesting. The handouts and readings should cover everything, but try to take notes on things she says in lectures that may be missing from the handouts. There are quizzes every week but they're usually very easy. Definite 'easy A' and my favorite course so far.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I wasn't sure how a professor would manage to make a 100-person lecture with constant tests fun, but I was always so engaged! Hilarious teacher. I only wish we had been able to cover more subjects... I would have taken this class for another whole semester. My experience was very positive.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Took clinical neuroscience and didn't know what to expect. There are quizzes almost every week which are very detail oriented- literally memorize everything she says. It's not impossible to do well. You don't have to come to class but if you don't you aren't going to do well on the tests.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: NSC400
• 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:

She is an amazing professor and is willign to help in which ever way she can. She is great supervisor, because she does n't hover over your work, but still expects you to pull your own weight.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Her clinical neuroscience class was great. Even though it had 100 students, it felt like she connected. Lots of quizzes instead of a few tests so you have the opportunity to get and keep your grade up. Big extra credit assignment at the end, too. She tells lots of stories and the PowerPoints are fun.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSY130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Beth is a fabulous professor. Take a class with her while at Smith, it will be worth your time!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CLINICALNEURO
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You can't miss out on her lectures. Overall, her quizzes are straightforward but you can't procrastinate. A lot of materials with weekly quizzes. Worth taking it though.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSYPHAR
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

she is awesomeness personified. not too helpful outside the classroom (she has way too many fans/ advisees) but she literally exudes amazingness. And she's a harry potter fan-- what could be better?

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSY222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Interesting material, boring class. She has often teaches her own opinion as opposed to straight facts, although she does tell you when she's inserting her own opinion. Tests are easy. Short paper at the end of the semester.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSY221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great class, and lecture is never boring. The format (10 short quizzes, no midterm/final) maximizes your chances to do well, but it also means that you spend a lot of time studying. Still, I highly recommend-she is funny, helpful, and I learned a lot.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSY221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I don't understand why everyone raves about this professor. Her lectures and topics covered are interesting but she rushes through them. It's not as amazing as everyone puts it out to be. It's an ok class, pretty easy and don't bother buying the book.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PSY221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I've taken Physiology of Behavior and I'm currently taking Psychopharmacology. Beth's lectures are informative and interesting, and I enjoy her personal insights that she incorporates in her teaching. She really owns up to her teaching award.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSY221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Super interesting class. Absolutely loved it. Could not have designed a more perfect and interesting class. Every lecture is like watching a discovery channel special, and she's super nice, super fair, really funny, and really invested. I'm a Beth Powell fan!! And I'm not even a neuroscience major.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSY221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Beth Powell is amazing! Absolutely attend her lectures. You can get by with out a textbook if you just go to class and take good notes. All quiz questions are straight from what is talked about in the lectures. If you don't go for the information...at least go for the entertainment value...Beth Powell is funny as hell!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSY221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You'll get a lot of info from her class. The reserve readings she gives actually are useful. WARNING: YOU MUST ATTEND LECTURES. The information you are quizzed on is largely from the lectures. If you try to only read the book, you'll be lost. She's a very nice professor who wants the best from her students. Still, her class is somewhat difficult.