Ernie Nolen - Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

Professor: Ernie Nolen

Department: Chemistry

College: Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Nolen is an amazing professor and makes organic chemistry as manageable as possible. His lectures are clear and engaging, but his exams are beyond difficult.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is super nice and makes class interesting but his exams can be very difficult. Also, he is hot.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very clear and helpful during office hours. Really have to spend time going over the textbook. Fair tests, can't go wrong with him.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Tough course. Requires lots of work, but prof makes it manageable with clear and engaging lectures. Very helpful in office and with groups. He loves this stuff.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

Make lectures interesting through personal stories. While he is always available during office hours for questions, Nolen sticks to his policy of "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer"-- in other words, he doesn't go the extra mile (like some professors at Colgate do) to help the students struggling.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM468
• 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:

Pretty constant effort, but never unmanageable. Interesting class and took a lot of concepts that I had already learned and showed vry practical real world applications. Gave context to previous classes. Good teacher who always tried to keep things as engaging as possible. I really enjoyed the occasional pun and never felt too overwhelmed.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• 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:

Just finished and have to say the semester was much more interesting/fun than expected. Exams were challenging, but I felt prepared after doing homeworks and book problems. Lectures kept me awake and he clarified the key concepts very well. Excellent course--excellent prof.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: FSEM137
• 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:

Class was alot of fun. We seemed to different things all the time. Demonstrations, oral presentations, designed a board game, ... The workload was spread out nicely over the semester.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FSEM137
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is wicked smart. He knows everything to do with his field. Unfortunately he cannot convey that to a class, especially about a combination of chemistry and history. He shouldnt teach it. He is the worst grader I have ever had, and his tests focused on irrelevant material that doesnt make you learn anything. Avoid this FSEM if he teaches it.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• 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:

lectures are actually fun. he seems to understand that I don't always understand and explains things again.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

enthusiastic, great stories, makes me like organic chemistry

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

A good guy and good prof., injects humor into his lectures to keep you awake, lecture material is often comprehensive and relatively clear. Gives tough exams, and always throws curve-ball questions to make things difficult. Was helpful outside of class, although he is pretty blunt about telling you you're wrong/dumb. Didn't phase me though.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• 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:

Nolen may be funny in class but he is a poor grader. Its as if he get lazy while grading and gives partial credit haphazardly. He is unhelpful in office hours and very awkward. Hes a different person outside of class. Stick to the textbook.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263264L
• 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:

I had both Nolen and Geier, and both are very intelligent, thorough profs who genuinely care about their students. Nolen's the kind of prof that makes you WANT to learn the material and go to class (even at 8:20). Although more fun than Geier, his tests are much harder, often applying your understanding of organic concepts to biological examples.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Definitely made 820 orgo worth it. took the 820 two semesters in a row just so I could take his class again. keeps it interesting and human with some jokes and stuff during lecture. you cant really go wrong with either Nolen or Geier tho

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: 263
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

he's hot.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

An amazing lecturer. Makes the very complex and confusing topic of organic chemistry understandable. Outside of class is a different story. He is arrogant, condescending and distant. Plays favorites. His tests are difficult but if you pay attention and make the huge effort this class demands he does not throw up any unfair roadblocks to doing well.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263
• 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:

Awesome prof, makes an 8:20 worth going to. Helpful, intelligent, funny, clear, an all around great guy. I won't lie though, the class is really tough. Impossible exams.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

alright...both semesters of orgo were extremely hard...so the class will not be fun...it's not the material btw..it's the tests that are impossible. Nolen is really nice though, and he really wants you to do well, but chances are..you may have to redo your goals, plans, dreams.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM263264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I thought he was a great lecturer, he makes the information very clear and tries to make sure people understand. The tests are hard, but if you concentrate on studying class notes he emphasizes what he really wants you to know. He is really helpful if you aske intelligent questions.