Jennifer Polack - University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA

Professor: Jennifer Polack

Department: Computer Science

College: University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CPSC220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

To do well in her class, just listen to her lectures (don't get sidetracked by phone, comp, etc). Do the HW and Projects early (there is usually plenty of time, but there is a lot due every week so you need to keep on top of it). And ask questions relevant to your code on projects.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CPSC220
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is an amazing person, however the class is extremely challenging. She is not the best at explaining the material if you don't know much, its really hard because she is not easy to understand. The test require you to write out the code which is not fun. Good Luck!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CPSC220
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She made so many mistakes in class (lab aid had to constantly correct her), which is SUPER great when learning programming. Takes forever to respond to emails; blames students for not understanding the material; gives confusing/unclear directions and just rambles on nonsensically during lectures.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CPSC340
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Polack is funny, but the class was haphazard and completely unorganized. She rarely replies to requests for help, and when she does, it's usually one-word replies that don't help. Not to say you won't learn anything in the class. Her labs/assignments were fun once she clarified the instructions. Felt like I learned C++ well.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CPSC110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I did well in the class but only because I already have a background in comp sci. She takes forever to reply to emails and does not really give feedback. There was one incident where I emailed her because I had a question on my code and she only answers, "You'll get the point". She is very unclear in her lectures. Do not take her.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CPSC110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT take this course if you don't have to. Took this course because it was offered online but ended up being the worst class I have taken. The assignments (labs & projects) are no joke hard. I know nothing about computer science or coding but she threw the assignments at us like we are experts. Online lectures are terrible. Exams are the worst!!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CPSC310
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I had Dr. Polack fro CIS 310 and enjoyed the class. It was a good break from the fast paced course load I was taking. She does a lot of group activities which are great for practicing for the real world and really creates and independent learning environment.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CPSC220230
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Polack is awesome. She is a very genuine person and wants you to do your best. That said, you have to put in the work. Read the textbook, please. Computer Science isn't easy, yes you will have to do some math, if you hate math this subject isn't for you. Suck it up. Try your hardest, and you will do very well. You might even grow as a person.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: DS106
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Yes, most of these opinions are negative. But I loved her! She was straight forward about the work and gave feedback. She also was willing to help out with any hiccups I ran into. I would take her again. Just do the work.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CPSC470
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I took animation with Polack during the summer of 2012. She was okay. She wasn't very good at answering questions. Most days, she would show us a program in the classroom, then she would try to show us how it worked and break her program, then tell us that we'd figure it out. If you're a good programmer and you understand the ideas, you'll be okay.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CPSC220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Makes many mistakes in class, to the point where it becomes extremely frustrating. Takes off points on tests arbitrarily, and refuses to consider that she might be wrong - you can't even ask her about it until 24 hours after the test. Gives zeros for work that was completed for no reason. Terrible teacher.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CPSC310
• 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:

Literally made this entire class up as she taught it; nothing was planned or prepared. Expected way more from her students than anything she showed herself capable of. Lectures were incoherent and all over the place. Exams required a very thorough reading of the chapters and contained almost nothing from actual class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CPSC310
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

It is mind boggling to me that this woman still holds a position teaching cpsc. She is absolutely clueless about the topics, unresponsive to emails, and takes months to grade assignments.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CPSC220
• 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:

Polack is a very nice woman and I really like her as a person. As a professor, I found her confusing. Concepts are poorly explained and heavily tested in the lab work. I think the whole class would be better if it was taught solely in the lab. I wish I had nicer things to say :/

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CPSCMANY
• 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:

Do the work and you'll be fine. Dr. Polack is awesome. Go get help if you need it, I promise she wants to see you succeed.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CPSCMANY
• 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:

First off, her first name is Jennifer! I've had her for 3 classes including summer sessions and she's a great professor. Gives clear assignments with clear grading criteria. If you don't understand something she is there to help you. If you do your labs and homework, there's no way you should fail this class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CPSC230A
• 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:

Absolutely hate this woman. She makes so many mistakes on the board that I ended up just taking my computer to class and googling everything she said instead of listening to her. Hard to understand. She also has a very odd coding style for C++ that I'd never seen outside of her class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CPSC110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Not bad, but not great either. I got great grades on my labs and not so great grades on the exams. Both exams we didn't use the computer so even though I knew what I was doing it didn't matter. The teacher was very helpful though and did a pretty good job explaning everything. Sometimes though it was just us watching her type for a bit.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CPSC330
• 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:

This professor has the uncannny need to change the conditions of a graded assignment without any form of input from the students during the time in which the project is being worked on. This leads to much confusion with the work in general and with her being little to no help inside of our out of class (try finding her outside of class time).

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CPSC230
• 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:

Go to class, do the labs, do the homework, and start the programs when u get them, will save you alot of stress. Just do ask she asks and don't deviate unless you keep what she asks for. Study for the exams, there are only 2 and they make up 50% of ur grade. 4 big programs 28% of grade, labs 15% and hw 7%. Labs can be resubmitted 4 a better grade.