Margaret Algren - Towson University, Towson, MD

Professor: Margaret Algren

Department: Communication

College: Towson University, Towson, MD

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MCOM253
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Algren was a tough professor, but the class was straight forward. You had 3 tests, a paper, and a final, that's it. She doesn't do review sessions, but if you take good notes on her lectures then you'll be totally fine. These notes are incredibly important. The class gave me a great introduction to PR, and I am glad that I had her to explain it

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Lots of people see how tough Dr Algren can be and they drop the class right away, but it's just because they're afraid of hard work. She knows her stuff and you'll learn a lot about writing, but she grades hard and you'll have to put in a lot of effort. But that's what college is for and her "shadowing" project helps build real world connections.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

EXTREMELY tough grader. Entire grade is based on very few things. Doesn't use BlackBoard or keep any track of your grade, so you won't be able to keep track of how well you're doing. Would not recommend her.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MCOM253
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I loved Professor Algren! She has amazing experience in the field, so she knows what she's talking about. Classes are lecture style & your grade is 4 exams + a paper. I didn't think the tests were difficult, she spells out everything you need to know in a review session the class prior. Pay attention, read your textbook, take notes- you'll be fine.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MCOM253
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR for this class!! She will ruin your GPA! I am an A and B student and this is the worst I've ever done in a class. Doesn't hand out rubrics for papers so basically writing blind and she tears your papers to shreds when she's grading. Very hard to get and A on a paper.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MCOM253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER. Your only grades are a few tests (which are full of trick questions) and a few papers (she will find any reason to fail your paper.) Good luck if you decide to take this teacher. She is an extremely unfair grader and will rip your writing apart for no reason. Teaches the class like its 1990 and loves to watch you fail.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MCOM253
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Don't get too scared from the comments from people who withdrew lol. This class can seem scary at first, but it's not as long as you do your work and get help when needed. Be prepared to have a lot of papers towards the end of the semester, she's pretty flexible with the length of them. You need the books. The writing center helped me tonssss

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS . HORRID IS THE ONLY WORD FOR IT.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She is hands down the worst professor I have had at Towson. If you are forced to take Writing for the Media, good luck. She ripped all of my writing to shreds. She is a tough grader. When I say tough, I mean very tough. I am a Journalism and New Media and PR major and she basically hated everything I wrote. I withdrew from the class and the track.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT PUT YOURSELF THROUGH THE MISERY! This will be the worst class you will ever take!!! She really is an unfair teacher. She gets pleasure in failing students.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I am a Junior at Towson and out of all the classes I have taken, this one was by far the worst. I've never struggled with writing, and she ripped everything I wrote to shreds. She is cruel and looks down on you if you say anything wrong or ask for help. I don't know how this woman hasn't gotten fired. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The first about 23 of the semester was practice So, there are like 8 papers, 5 exams, and 7 pop quizzes squeeze in the last about 5-6 weeks of the semester. She is a tough grader, not consistent on her critiques, if you want your paper reviewed by her you have to have it done 2 wks before it is due. Expects you to know things she did not teach.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE HER!!!!!! such a rude woman and her voice is so irritating. this is a pre rec and she grades so hard. it is all journalistic style when some people are not interested in that. all she cares about is herself. attendance isnt "mandatory" but if you dont go you wont understand anything. shes the worst teacher at Towson.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE HER NO MATTER WHAT. such a rude woman and her voice is so irritating. this is a pre rec and she grades so hard. it is all journalistic style when some people are not interested in that. all she cares about is herself. attendance isnt "mandatory" but if you dont go you wont understand anything. shes the worst teacher at Towson.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MCOM256
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Algren isn't as bad as everyone is making her out to be. You definitely have to have decent writing skills to succeed but my writing improved so much in her class. Participate and show that you're making an effort to improve. She'll respect you for it. The tests are difficult but you have to listen during class and read read read.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MCOM214
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Barely uses textbook, says we don't need to know certain things in text book and then they are on the test. She puts random questions and things she says in class on the tests. In lectures she talks the entire time using no visual aids or boards to follow along with. Just don't.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MCOM253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She doesn't use powerpointsblackboard, so you must go to class to get notes! Her tests are hard and you really must study, she doesn't mess around. She did offer some extra credit as well. Went to her office hours multiple times but does not really help unless you have very specific questions.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 7466
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

this professor never gives clear lectures. she makes you read these long chapters which is fine, but then doesn't clarify what's in the chapters at all. the book that she assigns is very fluffy and takes forever to get to the point. the exams and quizzes that she gives are hard because she says she goes over the things not them when she doesn't.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 101
• 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:

I have had a terrible experience in this class. She doesn't tell you what she wants to see in any of the papers and ends up failing you because you do not include what she wanted to see. She doesn't teach the chapter until after you take (and fail) the test. She is very negative and does not want her class to do well. AVOID HER

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MCOM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Algren is extremely negative, puts her students down and makes comments about how we will never be successful. She is very unclear about assignments and gives no feedback. She is a tough grader and gives little to no partial credit. After reading these reviews I was going to suck it up and be prepared to work hard but avoid taking her!