Beth Parks - Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

Professor: Beth Parks

Department: Physics

College: Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHY131
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A lot of kids don't like her because of the way she talk (condescending and stuff), it's true that she sometimes treat students like kindergartners, but if you don't know basic concepts or ask stupid questions then Duh! Very accessible, helpful, and full of energy. She tried to make jokes all the time so you know she put a lot of effort in class

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHY131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Parks is very unclear and often gives impractically hard assignments cause she seems to be so afraid of giving you the answer that she often fails to give you a method for getting an answer. The book is not helpful in figuring out problems and I can't find any explanations anywhere else, even online. Made me to change majors. Don't take this class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FSEM130
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I felt more confused about the material at the end of the semester than I did coming in to the class. Her lectures are boring and confusing and she assigns a ton of projects with really unclear grading criteria. Her tests were open book, open note, open laptop, which one would thunk would be easy, but they were the hardest tests I have ever taken.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: FSEM
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not the worst professor in the world, but she can be very condescending. Talks most of class, then drops hints about low participation. Lots of vague assignments. She might never teach this course again because it was an FSEM, but still not a very likable professor.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Extremely condescending and very unwilling to give any flexibility.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHY131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very confusing. She often assumes you know what shes doing when you don't. Her test problems are ridiculous. Also she tries to make her lectures interesting in a way that makes you feel like shes forcing you to enjoy them. If you go to her for help she will belittle you and make you feel dumb.

Rating # 7

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Her lectures and the problems done in recitation are completely different than the test. Complete oblivious to the confusion of the students. Even wrote the textbook so you can't learn without her. And you still need to go to the lectures because they are completely different than her confusing book. Will make you hate physics.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120
• 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:

Parks is a good teacher. The topics of her class are difficult to understand. She's always willing to help a student in class or lab. Really nice. Work load is tough though. Even so, she is a nice grader. She understands the class is difficult and cares for students. TAKE if you want to do physics. Really encouraging!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Hated her as a lecturer, listening to her was a waste of my time for two classes a week. She throws candy at people. I thought I was in college? Known to act condescendingly towards students. Totally rubs me the wrong way. Luckily didn;t have her for lab or recitation, only lecture.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS121
• 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:

I had Parks for Physics 121, a very tough course. Her lectures are moderately interesting. The tests are very hard but Parks will help you. Go to office hours as much as possible and your chances of surviving go up rapidly. I wish I would have started going to office hours sooner. Very nice professor, but very challenging.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Not stand out as fantastic, but neither deserving of the rough treatment given here. You can live through this first physics class and still love physics. Unfortunate ability to sometimes make me feel stupid even when I think this is unintentional.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

So I'm actually kind of surprised that she is trashed this much on rate my professors. The way she talks is a little strange and annoys me sometimes. Especially the way she says the word "measured". But anyway, I actually think shes a really really good teacher. She explains everything really well whenever you ask about it.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She makes one want to question the committee that appointed her. It is absolutely scandalous the way she teaches. First, she has poor communication, so often can't carry concepts through. Second, she likes to treat students condescendingly. Third, she has no idea of how to plan a lesson or lab to stay withing time limits. Productivity = low.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

So far I haven't seen too much to complain about, however I was stuck doing her job for the majority of the night. Tutored three peopled today for the Physics homework, and another comming tomorrow. I'd like to get paid please.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The worst professor I've had at Colgate...the primary reason I changed majors. Very poor at conveying concepts to students; far too much work for a fractional credit class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHY120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is very helpful when you go to ask questions

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof Parks is the worst professor I have had at Colgate. She feels that an introductory physics class should be simple and teaches in that manner. Unfortunately this means lecture is almost useless, but you need to attend for the mandatory quizzes. Learn to love your textbook. Also, she has no idea of how to plan a lab to stay within a lab period.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS202
• 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:

Has no understanding of a reasonable workload for a fractional credit course. She read directly from notes during class and often resorted to claiming that "intuition" and "clever guesses" were the way to solve problems we had never seen before. She appears to have trouble connecting to students.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Horrifying. Completely turned me off to physics. Avoid at all costs. Lectures are useless, I stopped going after the first month or so because she is incomprehensible. The textbook is also very terrible so if you can get a different one in addition to the assigned one. Expect a lot of homework, and a lot of learning by yourself.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS112
• 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:

Not helpful. A terrible teaCHER