Doran Larson - Hamilton College, Clinton, NY

Professor: Doran Larson

Department: English

College: Hamilton College, Clinton, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENG218
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Super nice guy who will do anything to help you succeed. Made my writing better because he helped me make my points more concise. In general super sweet and super interested in the work he is doing, he is a great choice for a lit professor.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: 244
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Larson is passionate about what he does and more than happy to work with students who want a good grade. His lectures are thought-provoking and his comments on papers are clear and helpful. Yes, he's a tough grader, but he'll make you a better thinker and a better writer.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG218
• 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:

While Professor Larson undoubtably has the best of intentions, his lectures are nothing short of lackluster, boring, and repetitive. I do not recommend taking this course, as it needs much improvement. His grading is harsh and he commits the same errors he accuses his students of (e.g. vagueness, word choice issues, etc.).

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENG205
• 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:

He's definitely one of the most intelligent people I've ever come across, but sometimes seems to forget his students are undergrads. His lectures are interesting and he's a friendly guy who'll make the time to talk with you. But he's a harsh grader. And often I didn't feel like his essay topics gave us a lot to work with - they were repetitive.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CR1
• 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:

Dr Larson taught me about creativity all right. The impact he's had on my life is incalculable.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG129
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Larson is a tough grader, yes- but that only makes his students better writers. He taches like a true liberal arts professor- engaging his students in a conversation where he is involved only to nurture conversation and debate. You can tell he really enjoys his job, and I enjoyed having him as a professor.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CW215
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A fine guy outside of class and for critique of fiction, but not the right teacher for Intro CW. Admitted early that he knows jack about poetry and doesn't care. I would consider something else with him, but wait for another professor for Intro.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL129
• 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've never taken a creative writing course with Professor Larson, but his Lit. course is fantastic. Very passionate about the assigned readings, the in class conversations are great.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENGL315
• 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:

Lit. theory with Prof. Larson changed my entire approach to literature and influenced my writing more than any other course at Hamilton. Clearly one of the brightest minds in the department.

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I hate Doran Larson. He was egotistical and graded students' work on how much he liked it, which is unfair in a creative writing class. He barely taught at all and never made writing assignments clear. He is the worst professor I have had at Hamilton.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: STUDYOFNOVEL
• 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:

Makes you work for your grade - but willing to give as much extra credit as you'll work for. AMAZING professor - I learned so much and he challenged me more than any other professor I've had at Hamilton. Very personable ... if a little dray and/or sketchy at times. I LOVED his class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

one of the funnest classes i ever took at hamilton. larson was so on top of his game and taught me so much about the hollywood genre. plus our final was to write and film our own movie!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENCWR305
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Boring and pretentious, here here. Do yourself a favor and don't look for his book.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENG205
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Doran is a likeable guy, but a terrible professor. He was so boring I would rather watch paint dry than listen to him. Also a so-so advisor, but you have to appreciate the fact that he knows what he's talking about. BTW, he's not hot, he's yellow. . .

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG205
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Good professor, likable guy. His classes arent as hard as other posts make them out to be.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: NOVEL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CRW215
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very hard grader on papers, but otherwise he rocks, especially for creative writing classes. He was a little unhelpful when I tried to get help from him on my next paper, but overall he's a good teacher.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENG215
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's boring and pretentious.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: AFEW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A good teacher, but aloof. Was helpful to me in a few binds, but also can be extremely discouraging to writers who have their own (differing) ideas. Quite authoritative.