Christopher Gould - University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Professor: Christopher Gould

Department: Physics

College: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Condescending and overall aggressive towards students when they don't know something. Runs on tangents while explaining in an attempt to make himself seem smarter, leading to us learning in obscure, ambiguous ways. He claims he doesn't even get 100s on the exams he writes, which is honestly sad considering they're not too bad if we learned somethin

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS153
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Its not as bad as these reviews will all make it seem. PHYS 153 is just a difficult class to begin with. He is one of those guys that expects a lot from his students even if he isn't communicating the concepts in the best way. He's helpful during office hours, somewhat. The tests are hard but the final was COMPLETELY made of problems from midterms

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Gould is knowledgeable, but that knowledge often doesn't trickle down to students. He goes through things very quickly and expects us to completely follow complicated steps in his derivations.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Gould is very mean, the worst type to be a professor. Don't understand his psyche, so don't take the class unless you want to be humiliated.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Passive-aggressive, low key discriminatory, patronizing, conservative old man who literally slammed a student's laptop down for typing in class. Didn't even give him a warning. As a prof: he's intelligent (but condescending), goes on tangents, rambles on to show off knowledge, purposely tries to screw students over, doesn't explain concepts well.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Has attendance policies like it is grade school - attendance, pop quizzes etc. Made us buy access to an online portal for homework and gave points for discussion in the forum. Textbook and online portal is expensive. He is regularly condescending and an average lecturer. Took 151 two years ago yet I feel strongly enough to review.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHY153
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His exams are easy but he is super condescending coz I feel he believe he is always right and gentle. When his class ends and some professor came in he shouted at him saying it is not your time until 10 mins later the next class started. In fact, his useless group works just trapped people 90 mins when we can actually learn that in 30 mins...

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

It has been 3 years since I was in this guys and the fact that 3 years on I'm still pissed at this dude should tell you enough. Don't bother going to office hours because he won't help you. I'm no idiot but if you don't get a concept right off the bat you're screwed. That being said the dude is undeniably smart, but arrogant also.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHY151
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is a horrible teacher. His lectures are insanely boring but you are forced to pay attention because he makes you sign in and take several random pop quizzes/questions every class period. I didn't learn anything in class, all self taught. Oh and he is super condescending when you go to his office hours. Worst professor, Not even being dramatic.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

People hate him but honestly he's the lesser of many evils because there are far worst professors. Participation in the class really matters and so does homework. People see homework as a hassle but I see them as easy points. Midterms and finals are easy because they are basically the same questions from years past. Could've gotten B if I tried.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Exams are curved by a lot, so that helps out tremendously. However, you should walk in to class more than prepared with some background on the material. Lectures are essential, and there are weekly quizzes each Friday. Tons of hw. Epitome when it comes to truly studying for a USC class. Do hw with peers who understand the material!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151L
• 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:

Worst class I've taken so far. He taught me basically nothing and the only reason I did decent was because I reviewed old exams to know what to do. Lectures were awful and he rarely discussed anything helpful. Homework and quizzes were completely on your own because he never did anything like them in class. Look for a different prof. if possible.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151L
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Class seems like it's taught as if everyone knows what's going on. HIs tests are fair but I didn't learn a single thing from him. Not a bad person at all but he definitely could learn to explain what's going on and approach teaching differently. The curve will save your grade but I would not take him if you want to learn anything

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Although the other reviews may dissuade you from choosing him, Dr. Gould actually explains concepts very well and in great detail, a skill which I assume comes from his 20+ years of experience teaching. It can be quite boring to listen to him drone on about unrelated topics. He makes the tests, so going to his class will probably benefit you.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHY151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His explanations are extremely confusing. I would tune out halfway through because little to nothing he was saying was important. He gives many useless facts and his analogies usually make things worse. I often resorted to simply teaching myself from the homework and textbook. Only reason to attend lecture was for in-class questions and quizzes.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Probably the worst professor I have ever had. He explains simple concepts for so long that he leaves only one day to explain actual problems before the midterm, he asked me to come back later every time (4) I came into his scheduled office hours, he specifically tries to trick students in class which is confusing and annoying. AVOID.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Extremely unwilling to answer questions (in class or during office hours), gives tons of homework weekly, and gives written hw that even TAs can't understand. If you want to learn physics and don't have much prior experience in the subject, do not take his class! Daily clicker questions are also a pain and are graded for correctness.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The most condescending teacher I have ever had. He creates a classroom environment where students are afraid to ask questions because he will belittle them without fail, no matter how valid the question is. He spends all of class time going over semantic-based examples that don't matter. I essentially taught the course to myself.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PY202
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great teacher, isn't always clear or easy to understand, but hes a great guy and wants to help you to learn.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

very knowledgeable and approachable professor. learnt mechanics and thermodynamics in the class. exams are not hard but require bunch of practice.