James Halavin - Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

Professor: James Halavin

Department: Mathematics

College: Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PRBST345
• 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 PROFESSOR. This class was terrible. Ridiculous amounts of HW. Halavin rambles on and on about nothing, writes all over the board (starts on the left, moves to the right, rights across and in between stuff he has already written) making it impossible to take notes. If there is any way to avoid his classes, do it.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PROB345
• 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:

Completely Incompetent. By far the worst professor I've encountered at RIT, and I've been through the University Physics sequence. Homework assignments are lengthy and will do next to nothing to prepare you for his exams. His lectures are disorganized and weeks ahead of exam material. AVOID! HE SHOULD BE FIRED!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGST01
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Easy class. No homework or quizzes and only one easy exam and final. Only class need to attend is day before exam. He gives out list of all problems on exam. Then went to see him and told me how to do all the problems. Easy A.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MATH351
• 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:

Professor Halavin's lectures were weeks ahead of exams and homework which made them unhelpful; I taught myself the material by reading the book. Homework was ridiculously difficult and long. Tests were easy in comparison to the homework.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PROB101
• 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:

Like many of the other raters have said, Halavin's lectures are useless and he is cold and hard to contact. He gives hours and hours of homework, doesn't explain things well, and puts down students. I taught myself the material in this course through the textbook alone.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: STAT309
• 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:

Halavin is almost impossible to contact outside of his office hours. He does not respond to emails, and when you do show up for his office hours, it seems like he just wants you to leave. The notes to gives in lectures are virtually useless and if you don't buy the book you're screwed. Makes students feel like their dumb when they make mistakes.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: STATS345
• 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:

Engineering Stats (1016-345). Was one of the worst professors I've had at RIT. Did not give enough time on the exams. His "lectures" cover material weeks ahead of when the homework is due. His "lectures" are also useless, learn to use the book as your sole reference. You will do well in this course if you've already taught it for 25 years like him.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIOSTAT
• 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:

Dr. Halavin is thoroughly incomprehensible. Illegible handwriting, and confusing lectures.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIOSTAT
• 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:

Knows statistics extremely well, but an abysmally bad teacher. Writes illegibly, and rambles without getting to the point. Assumes students know symbols without explanation. Has refused to provide students with original literature when asked. Textbook not very helpful.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MTH559
• 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:

Useless lectures, I learned everything from the book. I guess he expects you to teach yourself this whole course. Exams are open book/open note, but if you do not know the material off the back of your hand you will never finish in time.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENGST0
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is very hard to follow during lecture. Tends to write all over the board which makes it hard to take notes. Gives good handouts though some are hard to read due to his hand writing. Exams you pick 4 out 6 problems to solve. Homeworks are important to understanding the material.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: DATA15
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He is not very good at conveying information. His tests are easy

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MATH314
• 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 too good of a professor. His lectures are not helpful at all. If you want to learn the material for the class, you will have to rely on the book and his handouts.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGST314
• 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:

Halavin was terrible. He taught math using PowerPoint. He had a lot of handouts, which was good when you got stuck with homework (which was inevitable) and studying for his exams. The exams were open-book, open-note, and do-4-of-6-problems, and I still only got about 75% on them. And I'm a straight-A student going for a Masters in Math!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BSTATT
• 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:

I will definately give him -F for his teaching performance. In fact I wud like to penalize him for choosing teaching profession. Because he got no teaching skill and absolutely no respect for anyone. No more questions, answers or doubts....

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: STATSECT
• 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:

Halavin is mean, insulting, unwelcoming, unhelpful, hard to contact, confusing, stuck-up and much much more. I haven't spoken to one person this quarter that likes him. I have no idea who these other raters could possibly be talking about. He teaches a million miles an hour and talks as if you already know everything. I'll never take him again.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Had him for Actuarial Mathematics, pretty hard class, but I think everyone got an A on account of effort.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Great guy

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: DA320
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Knowledgable, but doesn't know how to teach. He runs through the chapters showing examples, but does not explain anything or methodically describe the steps.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: STAT
• 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:

Class not too hard, alright teacher, guess you could take his class.