Dorn Peterson - James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Professor: Dorn Peterson

Department: Science

College: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class was much harder than expected. If you are looking for an easy Gened do not take Dorn. He covers topics that are way beyond a 100 level class and is not very clear when explaining certain topics. I ended up with a B and I actually went to class and tried.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Do not take this guy. I had him because of a professor replacement that was out of my control, and he ruined my semester. He is unclear, harsh, and just plain mean. The class was difficult, and he seemed to hate all of us from the start.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GSCI122
• 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:

at first i thought he was really hard, but if you ask questions he will really go into it and answer anything you have to ask.. i really liked him and think hes a good teacher. but he is definitly too smart for a gened!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• 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:

STAY AWAY! this class is supposed to be a gen-ed and an easy A, but ended up being the total opposite. dont buy the textbook- you use the first chapter out of it and then never look at it again (and the bookstore wont even buy it back!) the guy is a psycho, taught a different topic every class and doesnt explain a thing. if you want to fail, take i

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Don't take him if you don't want to take incredibly difficult tests and quizzes. I have never been so confounded in a science class in my life. I just took his final, and was like, "WTF." Avoid him at all costs.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GSCI104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I'll give it to the man--he knows his stuff. But for those of us who were taking this as a GenEd and had no idea what we were doing, we were out of luck. He left us sitting there with our hands raised ALL the time (I think the record was 20 minutes..and there were only 12 people in the class). Worst class I've ever taken at JMU. Hands down.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• 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:

Dorn has way too much knowledge to teach a GenEd. There's a quiz once a week on the homework,three exams including the final, and two writing assignments which are really easy. Read the text because you will not learn anything from going to class. His examples usually have nothing to do with what he's teaching.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• 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 has quizzes once a week, and you have to make an invention each week as well. Most useless class ever and he wouldn't know how to grade if it bit him. Terrible teacher in all sense of the word, don't take him if you don't have to.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is an awesome teacher. Really helps you understand the material. Because the material is very difficult, so is the class. However, he offers two help sessions during the week and then before test a help session on Saturday. Tests are on Sunday, but no class Monday. EXTREMELY HARD. But, he curves like no other. I recommend him. very cool.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS240
• 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:

The man himself is quite entertaining and his demonstrations in clas are good, his hmwk and quizzes are doable. HOWEVER! the man is a lunatic when it comes to his ridiculously hard tests your better off waiting for a different professor. Its not worth the effort and now matter how prepared you are the tests are always crazy

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr Peterson is a good teacher who explains things well and has good demonstrations. However this is a pretty hard class you have to turn in HW every day you have class with him and his tests are very hard and on sunday nights. If you can stay in the average of the class and do relatively well you will do fine he curves tests (class avg is a C)

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PH240
• 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:

No Comments

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

the hardest class i have ever taken. as a chem major i spent more time trying to get a decent grade in this class than my major classes. GO TO THE PROBLEM SESSIONS. it helps a lot and some problems are similar for the tests. peterson knows his stuff, but not good at teaching it. wants his students to succeed and will help as much as possible

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PYHS240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

eccentric as hell!!! I loved it. I had a really hard time with this class because my math was not up to snuff (not calculus just algebra). I earned an A, but it was time consuming... Homeworks took days not hours, and you will think you are going crazy when you can only think about physics.There is no way around it, so man up you can do it!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This guy would be hilarious if he didn't influence your GPA. There is no "101" about this class. He knows a LOT about science, but simply doesn't have teaching skills. I have a 3.7 GPA and got a very stressful (and possibly lucky) B if that is any indicator of difficulty.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS240
• 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:

This guy is incredibly eccentric and you may have a hard time learning from him. That being said, physics sucks no matter who your teacher is.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

this may be the worst gened class of all time. hes a horrible teacher and makes it as hard as he possibly can its the only gsci that doesnt have MC tests. avoid him

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• 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:

Has a hard time explaining simple concepts because of his intelligence. But the class overall isn't bad, and he's always willing to go over any questions you have.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS240
• 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:

Great professor! Extremely helpful in recitation. Makes sure you really learn physics and how to think analytically. If you like math and physics this guy is for you, also he has a whip.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GSCI101
• 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:

Too bright to be teaching GenEd science, but he does the best he can. Very interested in making sure that we understand everything, and always willing to give help outside class. He's a very nice man. This class is the first time I've understood some physics and chem concepts in my life.