Cynthia Baer - San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Professor: Cynthia Baer

Department: English

College: San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGL259
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

IF you want an easy class, take something else. Feedback was hard to follow. Was very free-flowing in class, but strict with grading. Take ENGL 259 with Skinnel.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HA96
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is really caring and gives good feedback but she is a tough grader.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you struggle with writing and want to pass don't take the class! Almost everyone received C,D & F's.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HA96
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Cindy is the BEST english professor at SJSU! TAKE HER CLASS! She allows you to fall involve with writing and is very fair with her students. If you don't put the effort she still doesn't give up on you! Go in with an open mind and take advantage of her office hours! TRUST ME! I struggled with writing but I got so much better !

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: 100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The "hardest thing I've ever done" easiness rating is hardly an understatement. However, that does not mean that does mean that you cannot get the grade you want; you just have to work VERY, VERY hard to get it and know how to write well. It does GREATLY help if you've had her for a class before to get use to her style of teaching and grading.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 100W
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I actually had her for three different classes, so believe me when I say that she's a tough grader. She gives you all the tools and information you need, and unlike some other profs she expects you to use them. If you pay attention, you'll improve; there's no way around it. She's tough, but fair. For the love of God make sure to do the workshops!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

My writing improved more under Baer than any other professor ever. She is hard, quite hard, but if you keep trying to improve you'll get a good grade in the class. I started off with C- papers and ended up with A papers and got an A- in the end.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: 100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class is demanding, but you should expect to write a lot in a writing workshop. Just me aware of your course load when signing up for this class. Her feedback is very specific and helpful. This class will improve your writing skills. She seems intimidating at first, but actually has a good attitude and wants to help you improve.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENGL100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very hard grader! Basically, there's an essay/draft due every week. Most of my classmates received C's & D's on papers. Her way of teaching just was not working for me. She is very intimidating. Uses essays and puts them on the overhead without blocking your name. I'd choose a different professor if you could!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

HORRIBLE Class! To say she grades extremely hard is an understatement. I was one of those students who came to every class & and really participated in discussion. I got bad grades on most of the essays. When I went to office hours, she was very unclear. I barley got a C, Avoid!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENGL100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She is so confusing and inconsistent. She's not able to clearly state what she expects in the papers and shows preference for English majors. I wrote papers following the guidelines she specified and still gave me a bad grade when other students who wrote similar to me got better grades. Don't take this class

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENGL129
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is crazy and never considers her students schedules when issuing deadlines, asking for rewrites just 2 days after making massive edits on your paper. In her workshops, she allows unsavvy students to critique other people's ideas, not writing! She rarely steps in to take control during workshops, allowing other students to gang up on the writer.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENG007
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This professor was interesting at first until she broke into this bad habit of confusing students about what was and was not going to be on tests and quizzes. She was insensitive to the students that were confused and showed favoritism to certain students. Hard grader!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL7
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This is the hardest class I have had thus far. I was confused from day 1 and it was all downhill from there. It's never clear what she expects or how to study. I sat through every lecture having no idea what was being discussed. Professor always makes time to be available but I didn't find the office hours helpful. I'm so happy to be done.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGL7
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you're an english major, you'll probably like her. If not, then not so much. Grades hard. Can be a bit elitist at times always saying that she's from "Academia" as if she was better than everyone. If you ask a "bad question" be prepared to be shot down in front of the class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENGL007
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The course itself is very challenging but she does a good job. She definitely has a passion for teaching and is very approachable if you need help. She does make it easy for you though and gives you the material that will be on the exams. Two-part term paper.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENG100W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Awesome, just awesome! She scared the hell out of me most of the time; she's very big on grammar, and she's as tough as they come on grading. She'll rip your papers apart and expose every flaw (yes, every one) because she cares. Professors like her make it a pleasure to be an English major. I learned more from her than from all the rest combined.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG1B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

get to class on time and make sure to read what she assigns. it took me a little while to get used to her style but i realized she's actually pretty nice and helpful.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENGL101
• 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:

Baer truely knows the industry and has developed a great way to help students become exposed to real-world successful writers, learn to identify what is successful, and apply it to their own writing. She's a real sweetheart and geniuinely cares about all of her students. You'll work hard, but you'll absolutely love her for it.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENGL139
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Excellent professor. Very helpful. Will make you work hard, but she is willing to put in the time to help you do well.