Simon Capstick - Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Professor: Simon Capstick

Department: Science

College: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHY2054C
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great guy, but a bit disorganized. Lectures are sometimes posted weeks after the quiz about that topic has happened. Group projects are a nightmare, very chaotic. While the tests are fair, they are by no means easy.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHY2054C
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Capstick is extremely enthusiastic, and really enjoys physics and his students, but sometimes he makes it unclear what is going to be on exams and quizzes, and he doesn't always upload the lecture notes in a timely fashion.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Capstick is a very good professor. He is very clear and understanding. He is also very understanding. He rewards those who puts in effort. I would highly suggest him.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHY2053C
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Disorganized is an understatement. Great person outside of teaching, but bad teacher. Online textbook is awful. Would not recommend this class unless you have to take it.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHY2053C
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great guy, and super caring about his students. Truly, wants them to learn. However, this class is by the far the most unorganized class I have ever taken. There is a total disconnect between the profesor and the TA's. Furthermore there is no textbook, but an online wiki book from the University of Maryland. Readings often unrelated to class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048CSTUDIO
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Hes an awesome teacher! My favorite one here at FSU! Hes easy to talk too, gives good feed back. Makes learning about physics, fun! Its a hard class but he makes bearable with all of the real demonstrations! labs are always fun as well.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I never felt valued in the class and he never really listened to my opinions. Very set in his ways. I'll be looking for a different professor in my other courses.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very good person, very good instructer. Puts a lot of time into teaching and his students very good choice.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048C
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's one of the better physics professors at FSU. He gives clear examples in class and actually takes time to explain concepts to students who are struggling. If I had to take another physics class, Capstick would definitely be my first choice.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048CSTUDIO
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I am seeing a lot of reviews here so I just felt I should share my positive experience. Group work was helpful and the class participation level encouraged real learning, and interaction with the prof. Not an easy A but a great way to learn the material well if Physics is a major component for you moving forward.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHY2053C
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Capstick himself is very kind, and if you go to him in office hours, he is very helpful. But the studio class is the worst thing in the world. The homework is difficult and irrelevant to the quizzes and tests. What's going to be on the quiz every Friday is anyone's guess. Tests are very hard. No one (including TAs) have any clue what's going on.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHY2053C
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Capstick is wonderful, his class not so much. From what I gathered, most people in the class had little clue what was actually going on. There's no textbook to provide practice. One of the TA's was consistently rude. Quizzes often had concepts we'd seen maybe once or not at all. HW was overcomplicated and unhelpful. The class was miserable.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHY2053C
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Capstick is a nice guy, however this class is a disaster. The structure is made that you teach yourself everything in groups but he never tells you if you're right. No textbook. Lots of hw. Hw rarely coincided and was impossible unless you went to O.H. Barely any lectures, or sample questions given. Exams and quizzes are hard. 3 hour classes 2xweek

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHY2053C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Capstick is a really nice dude and his lectures are entertaining. HOWEVER, I took the class as the studio version and no one in my class has any idea what is going on and the class exam average is a 60. Can't skip class. Do not fall behind. Get a tutor. and pray. Hardest class I've ever taken and I'm a bio major. (Also he doesn't assign a textbook)

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHY2053C
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is by far the best teacher I have had at FSU. He cares about his student and as long as you put in the effort and KEEP your notes, and read what he has instructed to read, you should do wonderful.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the best professors I have had. Dr. Capstick played a large role in encouraging me to pursue physics

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I didn't personally care for the format of the class (studio), but Dr. Capstick is approachable and extremely intelligent. Quizzes will be difficult if you don't read the book because lectures last only ten minutes and class time is spent on activities or labs. You'll only get so much out of them. Only with a lot of hard work did I get an A.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048CSTUDIO
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

So nice and so helpful. If you have a question he explains it from beginning to end walking you through it. One of the best professors I've ever had. Tough grader but a lot of assignments and group work that prepares you well for the quizzes. Really nice and is really there to help you. If you can take him 100% do. Studio is great and way easier.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I came into Physics 1 ready to hate it, but Capstick made me fall in love with it. I cannot say enough good about this professor. He makes every effort to help students fully grasp the material, and he never throws any curve balls. The class is very straightfoward, and if you work hard and try to understand, you will succeed.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHY2048C
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you want to do well in this class you have to get a 100 on every homework, lab, and group activity you can. The Tests seem easy early on then get really hard towards the middle and end of the semester and the teacher doesn't teach the material in class. You have to learn it on your own apparently or go to office hours, which I did not do.