Jeffrey Pence - Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH

Professor: Jeffrey Pence

Department: English

College: Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGL238
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Pence is incredibly intelligent and draws insightful connections, but sometimes treads over students. He's anti-trigger warnings and his privilege peeks out from time to time, though the class had a very diverse curriculum. He has fascinating thoughts on the purpose of literature and I really liked his taste in books.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENGL381
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Mixed Media: Hopeful Monsters was an interesting class, to say the least. Pence is a strange bird, often times showing up to lecture without much planned. That being said, he is brilliant and was able to facilitate discussions very well despite his apparent lack of preparation. highly recommend this course to anyone who is interested in expanding..

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FYSP128
• 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:

Extremely inspiring. He pushes you to think about memory in a new way. Overall assignments are easy, but some sound impossible-- then I do it and feel extremely enlightened. Made things I thought would be boring fascinating (i.e. monuments, difficult readings). He can be pretentious/arrogant, but he's usually right. THE FILMS YOU WATCH ARE WEIRD.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL238
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Pence was one of the main reasons I decided to come to Oberlin. He will bring up really interesting viewpoints and methodologies that you never thought about before. In my essays I've learned to think through issues and present out of the box ideas. However, he is at times overly pretentious and/or lets babbling students take over discussions.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENGL381
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Terrific.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENGL322
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A brilliant professor. One of our best.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGENG
• 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:

This guy is a fantastic teacher. He's great at engaging the class and spurring discussion. He's open to comments by students and is really funny.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL322
• 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:

Pence is a true Obie prof: Articulate and tasteful lecturer. Candid and profoundly insightful on the material; not arrogant in the least, though not afraid to defend his opinions. Great discussion leader -- will actually discuss. Makes exceptionally interesting material even more so.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENG238
• 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:

i was really inspired by pence. he definitely challenged me and caused me to think in new ways, make new connections etc. always a fun time. and he was also really supportive and helpful during office hrs. i wish i could take the class over again with a different set of books.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL238
• 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:

Has a reputation that is completely inaccurate. Can seem intimidating before you take the class, but he's a smart, passionate guy who really wants everyone to enjoy the material and succeed in their work. One of the best professors at Oberlin.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CINE365
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

doesn't seem care about teaching which is truly disappointing because he is obviously well versed in the subject matter. comes across as arrogant, disinvested and often quite depressed. not recommended/would be better at a lecture university.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Amazing, amazing professor. WILL, repeat, WILL, blow your mind. A special teacher and one of the most brilliant and creative at that school, no doubt.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENG340
• 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:

The best teacher I've had at Oberlin, no question.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CINE100
• 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:

Super cute, very smart.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENG
• 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:

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Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: FYSP128
• 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:

really changed the way I thought about pretty basic stuff (memory, art, Canada...) and served as a good introduction to the way college professors can be. relatively stubborn, so it helps to get on his good side early. also, was always hard/awkward to approach outside of class. overall, however, really interesting.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENG340
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The guy is brilliant. Is the guy arrogant? Yes. Is that a bad thing? Depends. He doesn't go out of his way to make things clear for those who don't get it. It's up to you to figure things out, and if you do it'll be one of the most intellectually stimulating classes you've ever had.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG999
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Pence is controversial, he attracts a crowd who take all of his classes and speak his language. This is only the case because he teaches like no one else, period. I've never encountered a professor so commited to constantly trying to shake up people's ways of thinking, to teach them something new. Either you get him, or he doesn't do it for you.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: FYSP128
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Not that attractive. (If you only take classes with hot profs, you shouldn't be in college.) Incredibly intelligent but long-winded. Runs his seminar like a large lecture. Has a need for complete control, biased towards male authors/issues. Interesting material. Easier to talk to outside of class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENGCINE
• 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:

super hot, yes. but i'm glad i'm not the only one who finds him to be an arrogant, pompous man who adores the sound of nonsense coming out of his mouth. "blahblah post-modern blahblah the text blahblah structuralism blah blah"... whatever.