Derek Gates - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Professor: Derek Gates

Department: Chemistry

College: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I know you love phosphorus, but we are not here for your love toward phosphorus. I took ap chemistry before coming here but it still seems difficult to me for the last 2 chapters in chirp. He is just an awful prof and do not teach useful stuffs. Highly recommend watching ap chem series in khan before taking this class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Extremely willing to help you succeed, but the course is still really hard and he could probably do better to set his students up for success rather than letting F's be his norm. Lectures aren't too clear more often than not and you're better off self-learning from the CHIRP.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Gates has made many of my friends suffer to the point of emotional breakdowns while in his office hours. Seemingly this is normal for him as he commented "I ran out of tissues this morning". Makes you feel stupid for asking questions and much of the content will have to be self taught. I failed on my first attempt.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Gates made it clear from the start that it's our own fault we were stuck in this class and he was above teaching it. He was incredibly passive and snarky although it almost became funny by the end of the term. Tests were hard and you NEED to study to do well. He isn't great at teaching so use Khan to save yourself. Our class average was 60%.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This course and professor made me wish that I did Chem 12 in high school. Personally I found all of the Grade 12 material very difficult, and there were a lot of quizzes to do. If you are gonna take this course be prepared to work really hard.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: D-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I feel like he just was not teaching at all. He spent all the time telling you what you should learn on yourself. And loves to torture his students with the hardest exams.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Please for the love of GOD do not take chem 111 with Derek Gates at UBC. I passed with a 51 percent (class average was 60). However that being said I spent average of 6-8 hours on each quiz he assigned and this class almost ruined my relationship because I was " always doing chem." Gates is unhelpful and talks down to the class. good luck!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Get credit for Chem 12 outside of UBC (I recommend looking at VLN (Vancouver Learning Network) which offers Chem 12 online for graduated students for free.) Gates wasn't helpful at all in lectures and made me despise Chemistry by the end of the semester. He covered an entire chapter of tough material, in two lectures, the week before finals.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• 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:

I had strep throat and I missed a couple lectures, when I asked him about a specific question regarding the a concept in the CHIRP he refused to answer and told me that he already went over this. Super inconsiderate, what a guy...

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• 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:

You know it's bad when over 50% of class consistently gets 0% on the quizzes. Tried to convince us to drop out of the course and take Chemistry 12 outside of UBC. I get a feeling that he hates teaching this course. Tests are extremely difficult, it'll be a miracle if I pass. Lectures are mostly a waste of time, if there were no iclickers...

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Plan to spend 4 hours a week doing online hwk and quizzes, worth 7.5 % of the final grade. The Petrucci textbook was difficult to understand, and had errors in it. While the ChIRP focused on "read for interest"material. This course will be hard to pass for those who without a genuine interest in Chemistry. NOT A RESPECTABLE NOR HELPFUL PROF.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very intelligent and nice guy who is passionate about chemistry, but his lecture skills are sub-par, and the tests covered material that was much more difficult than the in-class topics and assigned homework.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

very rude and going to class is a waste of time. Worst prof.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM121
• Grade Received: F
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Doctor Gates seems to have good intentions but doesn't understand the level of the 111 class who are beginners. He assumes everyone is at his level and thus makes the evaluations and the content covered way too extensive and hard for the students.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Unbelievably awful professor. Covers only the basics in lectures but tests on the hardest material in the textbooks. First midterm average was 41% and he did not scale. Failed a third of his class last year. The fact that he is still allowed to teach this course honestly blows my mind. UBC, give your head a shake

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Probably the worst prof I've had. Not clear at all, wastes too much time talking about things that aren't relevant, expects you to know the "basics" when its a course for people who have never taken Chemistry before. Doesn't care for students. To the future students taking CHEM 111 next year and he is teaching... good luck.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's passionate about Chemistry, that's the only positive thing I can say about him. Uninteresting lectures, insanely difficult exams compared to the material, expects you to know much more than what he taught in class. I had to drop out of the class because it was bringing my GPA down so much.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: F
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Seems nice enough and is FAIR, but he goes on tangents a LOT -- as a result we don't have enough time to finish a topic. Some topics are easy, some are very difficult. I had a ton of extra help, but even so I still failed the class. Exams are TOUGH. Passed the 2nd MT, failed the final. Go to his office hours: he does want his students to succeed.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Gives engaging lectures, clearly very passionate about chemistry. Seems like a nice guy, definitely takes his job seriously. I think he truly cares how well his students do. That said, it's tough material (esp. if you have no background in chemistry) and he kinda teaches like he expects us to know it already. Also goes on unrelated tangents often.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM111
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Failed 59 students (out of 200). The course was actually pretty easy; he was just bad at teaching it. Basically spent most lectures talking about irrelevant things (or talking about what hes going to talk about -.-). Do your self a favour and read the book at home. Should you choose to attend his lecture, I really hope you like phosphorous!