Robert Jacobs - University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

Professor: Robert Jacobs

Department: Science

College: University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BCS229
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Jacobs is very nice and passionate about the material. Perception and cognitive modeling are his field so he is very knowledgeable in the field. No tests, 6 coding homeworks, and short final paper. Perfect class if you don't want to stress about exams and don't mind coding.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BCS229
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This course is Prof. Jacobs specialty. If you are interested in computational methods and Bayesianism, take this from him. All the readings are recent publications in the field so it's a great way to get exposed to the research going on. There are no exams, just some tricky homework coding assignments and a final essay.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BCS229
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Jacobs is really interested in the subject and you can tell he's just a big nerd about the material. There is a lot of readings to do, but the lectures cover a lot of the readings. There are no exams, but the homeworks can be quite difficult. I think his lectures are fairly interesting, but sometimes they are heavy on the math.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Helpful and competent, but unfortunately a very dry lecturer and confusing test-writer.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

So amazingly boring. If you need to take this class do not take it with him as a professor. The only grades are all multiple choice tests-all of which are super confusing. He is also confusing during class. The only reason to truly go to class is for the review questions.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Boring boring boring. Probably can do without attending the lectures. The things that he says are often confusing. The review sessions were helpful though and he often told you things to focus on while studying at them.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He's a wonderful professor! Very clear in what he expects of you. His exam questions all come directly from lectures, there is no textbook. He is so helpful during office hours, and the class before a midterm is always a review session. Great professor! Midterms are fairly easy if you study, the material is interesting/ fun to study.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• 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:

Really clear and used great examples to relate the material to every day things. Also, extremely nice and kind to students. Tests are difficult, but he normalizes grades, so all you have to do is score higher than average (average is usually ~70%), and you'll get a good grade! Also, no textbook and no hw. No outside work... just learn the material.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• 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:

His commentary on lectures really don't help, you could probably skip class and get the same grade. For instance, I hardly studied for the first test, got a grade I was not satisfied. I must have spent about 15 hours or so studying for the second test and got about 5 percent higher. I'm not a bad student, I've made the Dean's List.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

HORRIBLE! Just reads from Powerpoints which are full of jargon and don't clarify anything. He might add an example here or there, but it's usually vague and doesn't help. His exam questions are obscure, and hard to study for. Wasn't even around to take questions for reading period and finals! Take this with someone else.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He seems to love what he's teaching, but he reads right off his slides. You can skip class, read his slides, and you'll get the same education. His exams are impossible though!!!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The teacher no longer uses a real textbook - instead, articles from various books accompany the powerpoints. He isn't a great professor, but he isn't horrible, either.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Teaches strictly from powerpoints that are dull and incomplete. Requires two expensive books, neither of which are helpful since he uses terms aren't listed. Tests are 11 questions that cover a months worth of material, and grading is heavily subjective. The TA knew more than him...

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Not a good teacher. Do not take 111 with him. His grading is subjective, and lectures are boring.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class was awful!!! The worst I've taken here. His exam grading is purely subjective. Lecture was horribly boring. The book he chose was USELESS. And his powerpoint slides aren't helpful either. Don't take BCS 111 with him. Take it with Achtman or anyone else. He is terrible.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

the material itself has the potential to make a great class, but he's reduced it to a monotone run-through of powerpoint slides

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's really great and very helpful, esp. if you go and talk to him during office hours. I love him!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BCS111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

what a horrid professor. pointless slides, tests are hard because he picks obscure things to question. i don't even think he does research, he is just unhelpful and dumb sometimes.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: 111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

ugh...so inconsiderate