Donnie Cotter - Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA

Professor: Donnie Cotter

Department: Science

College: Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I agree with another students feedback about this Professor Cotter. He will go to just about any lengths to ruin your enthusiasm for chemistry and deposits his miserable excuse for a curriculum into your mind, and not care whatsoever about your well being and health. However, if you have subpar standards, then Cotter is for you.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM331
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Cotter is one of the finest professors of chemistry in my opinion. Any chemistry class that is taught by professor Cotter, I would take. :)

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are unpredictable and disorganized, and while you're sitting in class being sucked dry with confusing assignments, no textbook and about a million handouts. Heavily chastises being questioned during lecture and goes overboard with chemistry vernacular (I mean really gets upset if you use a different wording). Horrifying experience.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM302
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Cotter was a fantastic Organic Chemistry teacher; if you have the chance to take him for orgo I would highly recommend it. He goes into a lot of detail when he teaches but this only serves to help you on tests and make concepts clearer. He was always enthusiastic about the material and if you talk to him is very kind and supportive.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM201
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you dedicate yourself to the class, you'll be fine. He can tell if you are not putting in the effort and will call you out for it, especially if you do not prepare for lectures beforehand. If you worked hard for the class and still do not understand the concepts, he is happy to help you: otherwise, don't bother asking him.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Not sure why recent comments are so negative. Professor Cotter was one of my best professors and allowed me access to chemistry and science. He was dedicated and literally spent hours outside the classroom in office hours with a group of us so we could understand. He is awesome!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 160AND200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I was going to be a chemistry major .... not anymore. Cotter was a horrible first impression of mhc chemistry department. In 160 cotter was really bad but not horrible in gen chem 2 he was absolutely the worst professor ever. DO NOT TAKE COTTER'S CLASS if you value your grades and sanity, if not well cotters the professor for you.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM160
• 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:

The worst professor I have ever had, rude and unhelpful.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GENCHEM201
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Cotter was the absolute worst chemistry professor I have ever had. If possible avoid him! He does not provide ANY equations on tests, and often times skips steps when teaching. Maybe he's okay for a higher level course, but for an intro course he absolutely pushed me away from pursuing Chemistry.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: INTROCHEM
• 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:

The worst professor I had at Mount Holyoke, very demotivating and unhelpful. Thoroughly disappointed after a traumatizing first semester!! Stay far far far away!!!!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM201
• 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:

Cotter is not good at teaching intro classes. He is condescending and unhelpful. He is never available in office hours and makes you feel guilty for asking questions. Take a class with someone else!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM201
• 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:

Sorry, correction for the rating below: I meant Fall Gen Chem, thats the one you want to watch out for. Its for students who are placing out of Gen Chem I for some reason and is harder than the Spring one.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEMS201
• 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:

WARNING: Spring Chem 201 at MHC is DIFFERENT from the Fall, it has a different syllabus and is held to a higher standard. With Prof Cotter teaching it, its terrible. He goes too fast, is unavailable, condescending and rude. He is very intelligent but should NOT be teaching Gen chem. I was going be a chem major before this class ruined it for me.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM201
• 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:

He definitely knows his material. If you're really interested in Chemistry be sure not miss him out. You won't be dissapointed.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM201
• 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:

Be prepared to put in more time into this class outside of class time than any of your other classes. The textbook will become your bible and your pillow. He would be a wonderful teacher for the higher levels, I'm sure, but the main problem with him in the general course is that he goes into too much detail during the lectures.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM201
• 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:

I was going to be a Chemistry major before taking this class - and he made me hate the subject. He knows a lot, is extremely intelligent and would do great teaching a grad level class probably. For 200 level chem, he is too fast, expects too much and doesn't ask for/accept feedback at all. Do NOT take his class if you're a beginner.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM101
• 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:

terrible professor.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM101
• 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:

He is one of the best professors at Mount Holyoke.I took his course for my distribution requirement and was hesitated to take his class because his rating is so bad. He gives out a lot of homework but he is very passionate and I genuinely developed interest in chemistry. If you want to do well in his class, go to plum sessions and workshops. They really help a lot.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM101
• 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 is the absolute worst professor I have ever had at Mt. Holyoke. Stay away.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I loved Cotter. I was very intimidated by chemistry going into the semester, but halfway though the first class he had me captivated. He truly wants you to succeed, and he makes that possible for anyone.