David Van Baak - Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI

Professor: David Van Baak

Department: Science

College: Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS133
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I found Professor Van Baak to be a genius. With out fail if you caught him after class you could get him to talk about his projects. I learned this month that he is no longer at Calvin College, 5 years retired. They shall miss him.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's pretty bad. Lectures would be him doing some problem that barely related. HW was from the book luckily. The tests were impossible. Most of the class failed or got d's. Very abstract. You have to know the material super well to do well on the tests. I somehow got a B in the class, probably from my lab grade and hw grades. Smart guy, can't teach

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Assigns homework to be turned in BEFORE he starts lecturing on it. Lectures are hard to follow; he writes and talks very fast and often doesn't use the same format as the textbook. He has a lot of enthusiasm but it's hard to learn much.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: 133AND235
• 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:

Hands down worst prof I've had. He knows his stuff, but CANNOT convey or relate to the students. Not helpful outside of class either. I went to his office to ask him a question on the homework only to have him yell at me. Not any better in lab either. He would come to my table, pull apart my experiment and tell me to "do it again and do it right"

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS133
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Not good at all! He will give homework BEFORE he teaches the subject. I went to lecture every day to show him I was trying, but I did not learn a single thing in lecture. I learned all of it through my book and high school. Do not take VanBaak!!!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS133
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

By far the worst professor I have ever had; high school included. He teaches material for the homework 3 class periods after the homework is due. Grades the tests with no regard to previously taught logic in physics... DO NOT take this professor for Physics 133! Professor Harper is who you want.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS133
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Van Baak will assign homework before you learn it and will answer questions by saying "Wrong", which wasn't very helpful to me. He is very interested and excited by the subject matter, but honestly is one of the worst professors I have had. He assigns homework covering a topic (assuming we cover it the next day) and then doesn't even talk about it.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS133
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The biggest issue I have with him is that he assigns homework BEFORE teaching the material that it is on. His method of teaching just doesn't work, and he grades extremely tough on the test. try to avoid this prof....

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• 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:

One of the best professor's I've had so far. Has an interest in making you actually learn and understand the material, as opposed to just learning how to use equations to pass tests. Learn the concepts for the tests instead of specific examples. Generous with partial credit if you show good thought. Brilliant prof, great class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• 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:

Slow grader. I took the final exam and only had 80% of the homework problem sets back. How do you study without 20% of the feedback? Don't take him. His tests are difficult and he tries to trick you and its real easy to lose points (only 46 possible).

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Don't take Van Baak at all costs. Why? 1. Tests have 46 points and he grades very picky. 2. He doesn't explain how to use equations and never explains the homework until after it's due. Because you don't understand the concepts, the homework takes hours. 3. Concepts are never explained well. Van Baak can't teach. No students take notes by the end.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He can't talk down to the students level. His lectures are pointless and students leave learning nothing. He grades horribly and more than half the class fails every test. He is ridiculous and the course is easier with a different professor.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• 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:

I had him 4 times. Van Baak loves what he teaches, and loves teaching. He talks a mile a minute and can be hard to follow at times, but I love his lectures and get a ton from them. Go talk to him, with smart questions/problems. He loves to help, and as long as you are interested in his response, you'll be in his good books. And that is important.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS306
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Van Baak is not the easiest prof to learn from, but he knows the material and enjoys teaching it. He writes and talks at an uncanny rate and very early in the morning. Homework overall is not that difficult and he grades exams more by what you have learned than how you do.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Hard, but more than competent.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Brilliant man.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 235ANDADVANCE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

A great professor, but be ready for a challenge. I had Van Baak in four classes. He is a genius. He can be difficult to follow, and you will have to decipher his notes after class. His tests can be tough too, but he is fair. If yo apply yourself, you can really learn a lot. If you're not serious about physics, he may not be the professor for you.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He can certainly promote interest. But, if you want to get there, show an interest yourself. He goes pretty fast with his notes, but it's concise. Most of the course is pretty straightforward--ya get it or ya don't! I'm guessing those who dissed Van Baak weren't interested in Physics to begin with. He is quirky; I think this makes him interesting.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

AMAZING professor. quirky, but it's because of his genious. none of the physicists i know have ill thoughts toward the man- he's passionate about physics and gets his students (at least upper level ones) passionate, too.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS322
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

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