Karen Hicks - Kenyon College, Gambier, OH

Professor: Karen Hicks

Department: Biology

College: Kenyon College, Gambier, OH

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIOL116
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Hicks is a good professor, but she definitely expects you to give 100% effort all the time. Her class was tough, but I didnt ever feel like it was too tough, or that she was expecting too much out of us.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Avoid!!!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She seems tough but actually cares a lot about all of her students. She expects a lot from her students but will reward you if you show signs of improvement over the year. She also loves it when you show as much interest in the course as she does, so go to her office hours and put in the work.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very intimidating, but really cares about her students as people. Wants to make sure you are doing okay, physically and mentally. Gives very difficult exams and expects reciprocal effort during office hours. Fair, and facilitates collaborative environment but be ready to be going at 90% minimum all the time.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIOL116
• 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:

I really enjoyed BIO 116 with Professor Hicks. She is a good and intelligent lecturer. I found her to be very accessible in office hours and genuinely cared about my doing well in her class. I understand why some may not like her but if you listen in class, read the textbook, and study with the material she gives before the tests you'll do fine.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIOL233
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took Plant Biology the first year she was at Kenyon, and she treated us like graduate students. Her course was very hard and she seemed like an intimidating MIT PhD grad that she was. I definitely cried in her class. She also insulted me in front of my mom when my mom attended class with me during Parents Weekend.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very intimidating woman, but despite her tough exterior, she's really caring and is very willing to help students who need her or are struggling in general. Expects you to put in your best effort. Willing to give you her best if you reciprocate. Don't expect to do well unless you put in the time.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO114
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very abrasive and untrusting. Assumes everyone is trying to get one past her. Any transgression toward her is inviolable but if she makes you cry she likely won't even apologize. She's very intelligent but I wish her intelligence didn't have to come at the expense of goodwill, kindness, and social skills.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hicks is inappropriately abrasive, unapproachable, and just plain rude (directly insulting students during lectures). While material is interesting, her lectures are impossible to follow. She lacks clarity and basic teaching strategies. She definitely does NOT adequately prepare students for her challenging tests and quizzes. Please, stay away!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

When I visited her in office hours she essentially insulted my intelligence and told me I wasn't putting forth any effort. If you want a completely intimidating and unapproachable teacher, hicks is for you. Literally makes students cry. Avoid avoid avoid

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOL116
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is an OK professor at best. Her lectures are fine, she will help you out if you seek it, but she also cannot answer questions she doesn't expect, and does not seem to understand that people learn in different ways. If you love science, love working in groups, you'll do fine. If not then you'll be in a constant state of annoyed frustration.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIOL116
• 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:

With Professor Hicks, it's her way or the high way. She loves students working together in groups, and she constantly seeks validation for her (questionably effective)method. Far from brilliant, she is definitely competent and a fair lecturer. If you can get past the smug arrogance, annoying sense of humor, and difficult quizzes/tests, you'll be ok

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIOL321
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Hicks definitely has a little bit of a "learning is pain" mentality but if you work hard you will get a lot out of her classes. She is very helpful and available outside of class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIOL116
• 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:

Great professor. Easy to listen to in class and understand her easily as well. Very helpful.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIOL255
• 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:

Professor Hicks makes her classes very challenging and has high expectations over her students. However, if you are willing to put in the effort she will meet you halfway. She is extremely helpful and truly wants her students to learn. Her classes take dedication but you can learn a lot from them.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• 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:

Hicks is the MOST egotistical prof I've had at Kenyon. She's all about stroking her ego. Her lectures are so hard to follow, she doesn't accurately go over the material and doesn't explain the information with any sort of clarity. You're better off not going to class except that she freaks if you miss her class at all. Needs a personality change

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIOL255
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I'm a Biology major and have been here for over 4 semesters. She is not only my least favorite prof in the dept but at the college. Plain and simple, don't take her. Lectures yield nothing but frustration and assigned problems are exponentially harder than in-class problems. She's incredibly rude. I'm surprised Kenyon has a prof like this!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIOL114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

plain and simple: DO NOT TAKE A CLASS WITH HER. SERIOUSLY.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO114
• 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:

Terrible teacher. Continuously expresses her desire for students to "think outside the box" and to problem solve rather than regurgitate information (which is all fine and good), yet continues to teach as one would a large lecture class, the result being tests and quizzes that depart from what she teaches entirely.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIOL255
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She is perhaps the worst professor I have had a Kenyon yet. She's teaching a new course (Genetic Analysis Lecture) and I have yet to learn anything 5 weeks in. We do problems in class and for homework without actually learning anything about Genetics or gene interaction. Plus she's snyde, rude, and condescending Overall, it's completely unsatisfyin