Phil Graves - University of Colorado - Boulder, Boulder, CO

Professor: Phil Graves

Department: Economics

College: University of Colorado - Boulder, Boulder, CO

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Graves was the boy. If you got above a 95 (WITH THE CURVE) on both midterms you didn't have to take the final. Curves on each midterm were heavy (10-12%). If you go to class and do the online homework this class is a breeze. Only graded items in the class were the midterms and the final.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His hour and a half long lectures are about how he would run the world and only teaches you to learn about graphs. He doesn't slow down to explain simple concepts and expects you to know everything. If you have a bad T.A expect to do poorly unless you get outside help. The homework has nothing to do with lectures or recitation. Pass this Professor.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are long and he makes simple concepts confusing through bad examples. The online portion is messed up, I did practice questions and ones I left blank ended up going against my grade. His grading is ridiculous, I was .2 away from an A, and the online factors I didn't know about and wasn't on the syllabus made me get a B. DO NOT TAKE HIM

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: F
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Lectures and are really long and boring. Test are hard.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• 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'm about to finish up microecon with Graves and so far it's been fairly easy. I went to a total of four lectures (2 of which were the midterms) and I have an A in the course. As long as you read the book and go to recitation, you will be fine. Tests can be tricky for a lot of people but he curves the hell out of them.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I may be biased because this material comes to me fairly easy but I thought he did a great job teaching the course. My advice would be to not miss class. Lots of anecdotes that I thought kept the class from becoming monotonous. Think I'll try and minor in Econ because of the course.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Most people are probably gonna rate him poorly but I think his class was great. At the very least he is entertaining. His lectures weren't great but you will learn if you can pay attention unlike 95% of the class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

NOT a good professor, super boring not my best choice at all. Tests are super tough so read your little heart out.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Fantastic teacher. Logical as hell. Great grading system. Rambles in class about sometimes off topic material, but very interesting guy without a doubt. Highly recommend this teacher to anyone wanting to pass Microeconomics. You do not have to attend, DON'T so everyone who does gets better grades. Very competitive curve, 75 avg.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Graves tests are quite difficult as they are littered with trick questions. He does curve it based on the overall class average, but you will find it hard to pass if you blow off his class. READ THE BOOK it will save your grade.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• 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:

Grave's lectures are incredibly long and make you want to fall asleep. He over complicates simple concepts with a ton of useless, drawn out examples. His tests are very tricky too; The second midterm has a class average of a 53 but he curves like a madman. Reading your textbook will save your semester, STAY CLEAR OF THIS PROF.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Horrible lectures including topics completely non-related. Tests are ridiculous. None of the homework correlates with the midterms. Terrible teaching. Midterms are multiple choice meaning that if you miss five you get an 80, and lets face it no one can miss just five. Every average ends up a failed grade so why does Graves continue with this???

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Good teachers. Tests just like the practice ones;

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

First off, I would definitely not recommend taking any course with Graves. Online homework has no correlation to tests so studying is very tough. He makes his own presentations which are not related to the homework, textbook or tests so good luck doing even "decent" with this confusing teacher.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The textbook he uses is very difficult to follow and is completely different than the Aplia homework but it is easier to follow than his lectures. Graves loves economics and knows it very well that he assumes that an intro class should be easy. Midterms are ridiculously hard, probably 10x the hw. Average midterm grade was a 53%, take a diff prof

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Phil is a legend. His lectures are all on point and he keeps you engaged the whole class. He is often behind and gets distracted easily, but he is hilarious. Also its an entry level econ class, you could have a monkey teach it and learn the same thing from a professor that has been teaching their entire career. Phil Graves is a definite must take.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Gets off track way too easily, in addition to having very long winded and monotonous presentation of topics

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Graves loves what he does and you can tell, but it was hard for him to explain something simple, he tends to get very off track to the point you don't want to go to lecture and think you can teach yourself (you can't). His tests are difficult because they have nothing to do with the homework. Be careful of TAs, hit or miss.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Graves was behind on his lectures the whole semester. Our TAs would assign online homework each week but the things that the homework covered were not even close to what he was lecturing us on that week. Make sure to read the textbook too because the book won't try to make stupid jokes and actually make you understand the material.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ECON2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He takes forever to explain something simple. He gets off track sometimes.