Richard Sundberg - University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Professor: Richard Sundberg

Department: Science

College: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM18202810
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Wonderful professor! Organic chemistry can be a hard subject but Professor Sundberg does his best to explain everything. He is very helpful and always answeres questions. The course does incorporate a large amount of material and does go fast but overall if you study hard and pay attention in class, you can at least do well if not enjoy it too

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2420
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Demanding class, but it is Orgo. Class was difficult and fair, except for the final, which was extreme.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1820
• 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:

He often becomes confused, and is impossible to follow at times in lecture.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Sundberg's class is hard. However, if you put in the time to read before lecture, what he says during lecture will make sense. ORGO is about memorizing mechanisms for most part. Try to find patterns in memorizing the mechanisms. I think he explains complicated materials in a very simple way. I recommend going to his OH and ask questions.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Good Professor, but very hard class. No curve and final is extremely difficult. Plan on lowering your grade just on final.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Orgo is not easy, and Sundberg is sometimes hard to follow. But he's very helpful outside of the classroom. Orgo takes a lot of effort outside of lecture and you have to make a pretty concerted effort for any Orgo lecture here. Anyway, its Orgo lab that you should be worried about. Second test average was a 60%.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM281
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's awesome. No denying his classes aren't easy, but his teaching style--of helping you teach yourself really helps you learn the material. He's got a great sense of humor too--although he's not aware of that, or anything besides chemistry. GREAT PROFESSOR!!!!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM281
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Sundberg is not nearly as bad as these people are making him out to be. His exams are fair, and you have to keep in mind that it's all curved in the end. If you read the book and pay attention in class you'll do fine. He lectures straight from the book. It REALLY helps if you get a good group to study with!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2810
• 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:

It depends on people, but I didn't really like Sundberg's style. He is very unorganized and to be on top of things you actually have to study 3 times more than what he covers in class. I wanted to major in chemistry but taking 182 and 281 made me change my mind. I thought 80s had better grade distribution but I just found out 40s had 60% A. waste!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEMCHEM
• 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:

If you're reading these reviews keep in mind that the 40s and 80s are different TA and test wise. Tests are hard but with the grade distribution of the 80s you wont leave without a B if you try. HW can be a pain but he will help. Some HW questions show up on tests others are a huge waster of time. If you like chem then you should be in the 80s

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM182
• 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:

He should focus on administrative duties (i.e. chair of the chemistry department) and leave the teaching to Burnett and Harman. Those who can, teach; those who can't, supervise everyone else.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM182
• 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:

Advice to all prospective/ fellow chemistry majors: DROP THE 80s FOR ORGO AND COME BACK FOR 281 WITH HARMAN IN THE SPRING OF SECOND YEAR.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM232
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Sundberg is a very nice guy who is clearly a smart person, but who is difficult to follow if chemistry is not a student's natural strength.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM242
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Obviously a brilliant man who knows his stuff. You can tell he loves chemistry, but sometimes he's not so good about relaying the info. He's very approachable outside of class and wants everyone to learn. T.A.'s could stand to be nicer. An overall really hard class, but required for pre-med.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM182
• 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:

Most days he lists reaction after reaction and doesn't specify why there are important. Many times he has given the wrong information in class. Some of the information on the exams isn't in the texts books. Sundberg never reviews so it's hard to know what to expect on the exams. sheer volume is overwhelming. Doesn't given answers to practice exams

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM201
• 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:

Great professor. He does move rather quickly, but he covers what you will need to know for tests. He's extremely approachable even outside of office hours and will help you with what you need to know. Overall, he is a wonderful teacher and covers the material in a way that makes you pay attention and learn.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM281
• 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:

Goes really fast in lectures, but likes to take stuff directly from the book. Read it as you go and the course will be much easier. Problem sets are free points if you take advantage of study sessions and office hours. Gives a fairly generous curve.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM281
• 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:

Even better the second time around. There is a heavy tilt towards the biological applications of carbonyl chemistry, rather than the usual synthetic emphasis. I, however, found this approach to be fascinating. Very approachable in the office, (rather) straightforward exams; Sundberg basically becomes like Grandpa once you're through.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM241
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Liked the guy. He's a good lecturer with a wide range of knowledge about science in general. His tests are pretty tough, and require you to really know almost everything in the textbook, including factoids like pKa of compounds. End-of-chapter problems really help. Problem sets take awhile, but buffer your grade if you have a hard time on a test.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM242
• 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:

He is a very nice guy but his lectures are incredibly boring! His lectures were always about 2 chapters ahead of the reading, so it was hard to follow. The problem sets were a lot of work for not too much credit, and tests were in a difficult "choose all that apply" format. The good thing is that old tests are available format is usually the same.