Professor: Michael Topper
Department: Mathematics
College: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, AZ
Rating # 1
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: A+
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Dr. Topper is beyond his prime days of teaching. He cannot remember where he was, he grades extremely inconsistently, and he fails to teach the necessary parts of Calculus II. For instance, he never taught us parametric equations and polar coordinates (Ch. 10 of Stewart's Textbook).
Rating # 2
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
He is the actual worst. He has these journals and he won't tell you until the night before around 9:30 or 10 the night before an exam. Makes it almost impossible to study for an exam. Would take him for an easy grade, but not to actually learn anything. Only went to class because it was graded. Never actually learned anything in lecture.
Rating # 3
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Topper has a strict grading policy when it comes to his math journals. He doesn't tell you what is due for the journal, they day before it is due, which is usually also the day before an exam. While teaching he also can sometimes loose track of what he is doing or is talking about; however, he does know his stuff and can be reasonable to talk to.
Rating # 4
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: INC
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Best Calculus teacher I've had so far. He gets distracted sometimes, but for me it was in the same way as I do, so he was the right choice for me. He's very step-by-step when showing examples, which I found to be very helpful. Also, make sure to detail your homework and make it neat as he has journal assignments and looks for clarity.
Rating # 5
Overview:
- Course: MA441
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 2.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I took him over Thomas because I wanted the HW to keep me on track. It did to an extent, however the lectures of this class were pointless. He provided PPTs with example problems that he "solves" on the board. Unfortunately, there are too many mistakes and you cant use any of it. So you have only a problem and a solution, no viable work to study...
Rating # 6
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: A-
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Don't take him. Worst teacher I have ever seen in my entire school career.
Rating # 7
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
He gets problems wrong ALOT while he's writing on the board, or his mind is a question ahead while his work isn't... not very clear way of teaching. Also, he begins the course with 3 classfulls of mythology... Why? Anyway, he does at least try to teach.
Rating # 8
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: B
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Constantly Screws up problems. If you have to take him. I apologize.
Rating # 9
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.5
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Worst professor I've ever had. Doesn't know basic calculus. His lectures are less useful than youtube videos.
Rating # 10
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: A+
- Overall Rating: 1.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Probably the worst professor. Gets basic calculus questions wrong in class. not acceptable
Rating # 11
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 2.5
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
He has a lot of experience, but he really needs to retire! He seems to be the only professor that can talk about trains for 40 minutes and have it relate nothing to the material. Expect to do 10 biography assignments as useless work too. He grades with an iron fist, so show as much work as possible on the tests!
Rating # 12
Overview:
- Course: 242
- Grade Received: Not sure yet
- Overall Rating: 1.5
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Very dry and boring lectures, would recommend taking a different professor.
Rating # 13
Overview:
- Course: MA441
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Good professor. Easy to understand and the class is well paced. The homework assignments are super long and tedious. But the exams are quite easy. Fun class! Learned quite alot!
Rating # 14
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: B
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Pretty clear on explanation. There will be journal and writing homework, just do it and will get full credit (Does not worth much, many students just ignore them). Quiz and test are ok, he will review almost exact as the test, you will know what to expect. He is one of the Math instructor in ERAU that will give formula sheet for the test and final.
Rating # 15
Overview:
- Course: MATH
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Very dry, long winded, reads math from a powerpoint, and all the work is on the powerpoint. You can do just about anything in class and he wont care, but god forbid you use pen on an assignment-automatic zero! And in the lower level courses, expect discussion boards on mathematicians.
Rating # 16
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.5
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Topper is an awful mathematics professor. Unfortunately he was literally the only person available that fit into my schedule. He messes up on his examples repeatedly. He also gives pop quizzes all the time. He shows examples and expects that you know howwhy he does what he does. Worst part: POWERPOINT LECTURES. AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Rating # 17
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- 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:
Prof. Topper's intentions and methods are not always clear, and you'll learn a lot of seemingly useless information, but he is legitimately invested in each of his student's education and if you want to learn, and are willing to work with him he will teach you and you'll end up with a strong understanding of the subject.
Rating # 18
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- 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:
Okay Professor. Knows what he's teaching, but not too strong on how to teach it. If you are taking Topper, go to his office hours to get the tips and tricks because he wont give them to you in class. Boring enough that you are easily distracted if you have a phone or anything. MAKE SURE YOU DO HOMEWORK, BIOGRAPHY, and get at least 70 on every test
Rating # 19
Overview:
- Course: MA242
- 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:
He knows the material well, he just doesn't know how to teach it .
Rating # 20
Overview:
- Course: MA320
- 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:
Professor Topper was a an amazing mathematics teacher. I owe him all my gratitude for my mathimatical success and my career.
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