Gary Wren - University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Professor: Gary Wren

Department: Interdisciplinary Studies

College: University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• 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:

His lectures are rambles, quizzes are unnecessarily difficult, his course grading is unclear and is intended to be more difficult than needed to be. He prides himself that he his class average grades are on the lower end compared to other instructors who teach the same class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The professor is a bit rude when asking about material during office hours. He will not respond to emails and does not give a reason why behind grading. His grading criteria is extremely unclear. Just take class with another professor. There are many other reputable ISF professors who care for you and your work unlike Wren who is cynical and crude.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• 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:

Class is heavily based off few quizzes and some optional essays. This can be bad given if you perform poorly on one quiz it can negatively impact your grade significantly. The prof can be a bit rude and sarcastic at time - just be aware of that. I wish would have taken this course with a diff prof since he makes class more difficult than needs tobe

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took Wren's classes as an ISF major nearly 20 years. He's one of the few professors I still think of often. Over the years, I've wondered what his thoughts on current events would be, especially now as the Trump administration develops. If you want to be challenged and expand your critical thinking skills, takes his classes and participate.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: 100A
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The professor lacks a clear grading criteria and gives poor constructive feedback or any feedback at all. Unaware of the grading criteria I did not know what prof wren wants and received poor grades on the essays. quizzes also weight alot & lectures are extremely elusive and are entirely based off watching videos and rambling on about the system.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ISF100H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Wren hasn't responded to my emails when asking for help and hasn't been in his office when I've gone to visit his office hours. I don't get the sense that he particularly like students - he seems cynical. His lecture material is very interesting and I learned a lot but don't feel that the work you're asked to do in the class allows you to prove it.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ISF100H
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Loved the material. Let down by the lack of opportunity to show you know what's going on. No midterm, few quizzes (Wren never emphasizesexplicitly cites reading terms he wants you to know for quizzes - you must read and retain everything) and 1 page papers. Claims to grade participation. Doesn't note names of speakers. No discussion section.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I loved all of the material but also got the feeling that Wren was holding back and wish he hadn't. Those who say it was too hard might be one of the many who did not read or go to class. Covering Marx, Weber, and Foucault in the context of current events is obviously going to require some thinking. All exams are clear & extra credit opportunities.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Wren did a great job teaching social theory and cultural analysis. I was able to apply all of the lecture concepts to my own life. I left every lecture feeling more knowledgable and aware of the world around me. Students must keep up on all readings in order to do fairly well on quizzes/exams. GSIs are great for help and clarification.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

So enthusiastic about the material! However, he expects us to know this stuff at his level (30 years of experience). Why such high expectations Gary? Quizzes are tricky and lectures are just rants/rambles. Gary likes to talk about the evils of big business and money, but made over 90k in 2012 teaching only 2 classes. Hypocrisy at its finest.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Stupidly hard class. Wren makes this class unnecessarily difficult, and makes Marx, Weber, etc. all boring. He's equally not helpful in office hours, and likes to ramble a lot.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ISF100H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Wren is awesome. Knows his topic, is interested in current events and always gives relevant information. Very insightful and incredibly amicable. My only qualm is that his lectures at time are not well organized and do not fully fill the powerpoint format that many professors use. Just pay attention in class, do readings. Take the class

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ISF100H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I found his lectures interesting and engaging. One book to read (that I actually enjoyed) and a few articles that were relevant and not too theoretical. Most of our grade was based on multiple choice quizzes, graded on a curve. Important to take detailed notes during lecture. Plenty of opportunity for extra credit. Final was multiple choice.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ISF100D
• 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:

The WORST professor I have ever had. Class is unorganized. Readings are dense and worthless. Avoid this professor and avoid this class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• 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:

Wren made an impression in my brain that has lasted 10 years. I still remember all of Marx, Weber, Foucault...and so I consider his teaching style and method of using real-life examples in our essays to be superbly thought-out. One of my most memorable Berkeley lecturers. (Suggestion: discussion sections by his GSIs were not as helpful)

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Gary's class was tough -- there was a lot of dense reading and tricky quizzes. It was my first semester, though and I got the hang of it. Intimidating at first, but he definitely became a great advisor with excellent advice -- really goes the distance. Eloquent, interesting, funny and extremely well-read. Glad I didn't miss out on his lectures.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ISF100B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Wren, if you're reading this--You changed my life. That whole identity crisis lecture really helped with my anxiety about the future. You are a great professor and I'm glad you didn't become a monk!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ISF100B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This guy knows what's up. I wish I had recorded his lectures because the were eloquently-strung and spontaneous quotables, one-after-another, about the material, which is basically 'human life'. Seriously. He translates the essence of Frued, Erikson, Jameson, Marcuse, and many others into profoundly on-point lectures. Take this.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Not a very engaging prof. Some animosity towards students, but tries to patch it up with saccharine statements. Not enough analysis of material, instead comics, clippings from newspapers and TV shows. Discussion in class not promoted enough. No discussion sections so discussion better than movies during lecture.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ISF100A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Wren is amazing. He is funny and incredibly astute. GO TO LECTURE! QUIZZES ARE IMPORTANT! He is nice and approachable in office hours.