David Olson - Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR

Professor: David Olson

Department: Computer Science

College: Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CS162
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Sat in on class a few times, wanted a refresher since I already knew material. Couldn't understand what the heck he was trying to explain. After about 4-6 classes I figured that I was actually understanding the material less with every lecture, so I stopped going. I have heard that he is the only prof for a mandatory 300-level class; not pleased.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CS365
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Didn't really have a good experience with this professor. He doesn't really seem to care about the students. I would have expected more from the head of the CS department. If you have a class with this professor prepare to work excessively. You will only pass if you do the work and reading.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CS260
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Fifteen years have passed since I graduated with a BS in CS from WOU. A career change and two graduate degrees later (now in academia myself) the trauma caused by this rude, unprofessional, sad excuse for a teacher is still vivid. Shame on WOU! It angers me that generation after generation he is allowed to continue his abuse of students. Criminal.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CS123
• 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:

Olson should not be a professor. I cannot understand why he still has a job! Of my three years in college he is by far the WORST professor I have ever had. He doesn't even know the material that he's trying to 'teach'. Whenever I asked him questions, he was rude and condescending. The only time I learned anything was from reading the text or google

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CS123
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very boring lectures. Takes him about a half hour to start class. Usually and doesn't care.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CS121
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

By far the least helpful professor I have had the chance to work with. Expectations are broad and unclear, feedback is non existent, help is wishful thinking, and fair grading is out of the question. I passed his class with a great grade, not because of his teaching, but rather I achieved a decent grade in spite of it. 10/10 would not take again

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CS121
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Assignments are rejected for mistakes on minor criteria, you have to fix and re-submit to move on to more assignments. Feedback was often unclear, and given in a rude manner. Professor only responds via moodle, and does not seem to care much about student concerns/problems. Refer to the internet for things that the professor assigns w/o teaching

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CS121
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Most of his online lectures only covered part of what he wanted you to learn then we were told to google it if we did not understand the material. The book was not at all helpful. No feedback was given and it if was it was not clear and did not state what we needed to fix. Awful teacher. Made it known that he had no time for us. HORRIBLE. AWFUL.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CS262
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

We spent most class periods trying to get a Sudoku puzzle solver solution to work in Lisp. I built a library of matrix functions and data structures that abstracted the problem quite well with an easy to use API, showed him it and he said, "So that's how you decided to spend your weekend huh?" and proceeds to laugh. He crushes student's spirits.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CS262
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He doesn't teach. He plays on his cell phone. He is rude if people ask him questions. He doesn't know the material he is teaching. He assigns hard quizzes every week. You're playing with fire taking a class with him. It was one of the worst experiences I have ever had. If he does bother to teach, it is mostly spent trying to get his code to compile

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CS161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A really hard grader. Gave me an F on my final project after working on it for 5 days. I feel like I don't learn anything in his lectures.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: IS483
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is just not a good professor. I sincerely think he knew almost nothing about the class. The tests were full of errors, the book is awful just like the class. He is totally unprepared. I would not recommend any classes with him.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CS485
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Stop adding his classes ,you just helping him !!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CS262
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you care about computer science, transfer to another school.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CS162
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

As an adviser, David Olsen is the last person on earth you would want assisting you. Not only is he of bad temperament, irritable and superior, but as completely discourteous as a person can be. Do not take this proff. Literally any other professor will be better for your academic career.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CS470
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are a waste of time, but that doesn't matter because you should be able to teach yourself this stuff. Don't get worked up about his shenanigans. Focus on programming. If you need help, don't understand something, and can't find it on by searching the internet, ask other professors to tutor you. Dave notwithstanding, they care.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 425
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Senior project is a joke. I understand that we are supposed to be doing the work on our own, but when feedback consists of 'this is terrible' it's not exactly helpful. Never knows what to do for his classes, never gives information out and seems to never understand his own demands and changes them on a dime. Can't avoid him.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 425
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I can't tell if he's ever used Visual Studio. Directions are unclear and occasionally contradictory. He's definitely tough on the students.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CS425
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Horrible teacher. You will not learn system and analysis. He is the reason I do not care to complete my degree at this school. I am going elsewhere. This guy is not worth going into debt for. Go to OSU or University of Pheonix.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CS425470372
• 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:

Horrible. Does not teach the class, other students teach it. No way to know exactly what he wants, assignments change frequently, tests are ridiculous, heavy workloads. He's very unhelpful.