James E. Van Kley - Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX

Professor: James E. Van Kley

Department: Biology

College: Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Van Kley is an interesting dude. Pay attention and take good notes, and you will pass. Go to the S.I. or tutoring at the AARC, you will do very well. Botany just takes a little extra effort to grasp sometimes. This class is helpful if you take Dendrology or Local Flora later on.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO121
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's a nice guy but don't take his class if you struggle with science. I told him that I would be needing a lot of help in the class and all he said was to attend his SI which he cancelled and never had. Your grade is based solely off the tests but does give a few bonus points. He his very awkward when speaking and mumbles while holding himself.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Van Kley is lecture heavy, but has all his lecture power points online. I found it very beneficial to study the power points, than studying the textgbook. His test were pretty easy with them only consisting of matching and multiple choice. If you want to do good, go to SI.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You only need the book for lab. I highly recommend going to SI, because he will add some extra credit. I also recommend going to quizlet for Bio131 vocab words for his exams, as his reviews are extremely broad. for the final, you're actually taking 2 exams. one is Exam 4, and only consists of that material. and the other is cumulative

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He's very enthusiastic about the subject but lectures can feel really long at times. Go to SI, it REALLY helps. Very straightforward with information and grading criteria, just go to class and pay attention.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO403
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Unorganized, mumbles, says "uh-um" in nearly every sentence sometimes more than once. Not good with tech! Grades: not many assignments, but they too are unorganized. He isn't clear on instructions and throws in things that aren't relevant to the assignment at all.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO121
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had a difficult time taking this course because he was very unorganized and had a hard time presenting a lecture. He is a cool and interesting professor but he has a rough time going over the material clearly

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO121
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He's good, Fun. Tests are ridiculously easy. Literally just read through and know the review and you'll get 100.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Tests are easy, straight from lecture PowerPoints. Easy to work with for honors credit. Easy to get an A in the class as long as you study for tests. Loved this class

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO121004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Take notes and listen to his lectures in class, yes the notes are online but he points out important things during class, the tests are easy as long as you study and go to each lecture. All in all a great teacher, class was really fun!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO121
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Easy to pass as long as you pay attention in class. He does posts slides online, but unless you have thorough biology background, paying attention in class will save you. Review slides for exams. Go to office hours - he will help you and he wants you to make a good grade. I barely made a C because I didn't care until the end of the semester.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: 131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The tests are pretty hard but he grades on curves and provides quizzes that add extra-credit to your test grade. He's also unintentionally funny.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 127
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He posts his powerpoint online which is a bonus and negative. Lots of material to cover makes it difficult to study for his 4 exams, but its bio. Keep diligent notes, attend class for retention purposes, and attend SI's and you should come out with at least a B. Don't let his long hair scare you. He is incredibly passionate about his subjects.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO121
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Van Kley is a guy who knows his stuff. He is really nice but I have a hard time paying attention in class. All of his notes are online to print off and I haven't used the book so I returned it. If he doesn't mention it in lecture it won't be on the test. GO TO SI. That's the main reason I am doing well in that class. Study the notes and go to SI.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO133
• 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:

I LOVED him as a teacher. If you have an problems he will gladly help you in any way he can. He goes off powerpoints which you can print and follow along. He is very interested in what he is teaching. I'm taking another one of his classes. GREAT teacher!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He talks WAY to fast. He clearly knows his stuff but talks loudly off topic, then mumbles the important stuff. The SI is great. He makes class much more bearable.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• Grade Received: P
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He definitely knows his science, and he is very excited about teaching it. Make sure your phone is put away during tests or reviewing over a test. His tests are pretty straight-forward, and you can almost find the answers to a problematic question by reading ahead. I never used my book. He takes directly from the powerpoint notes.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO131002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Really cool and nice as a person and as a teacher he is fairly easy. The textbook is almost not necessary. Study power points which are on his website and pay attention in class and you will have the material to make an A

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• 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:

He was an... okay instructor. Very monotonous. The test were super specific. You basically have to know everything. But he is passable. You just have to work for it quite a bit.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO131
• 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:

Pretty boring lectures but I definitely reccomend going, although he puts his notes online he will mention things in lecture that arent on the power points. Tests arent the easitest but GO TO SI!!!! SI was my best friend for this course. And actually try, its not hard to pull off a B in this course.