Gregory Ferrence - Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Professor: Gregory Ferrence

Department: Chemistry

College: Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Easy A. Show up to class with other homework to do. When you get stuck on ALEKS(homework) pay attention when he goes over it in class. Once you understand go back and do other homework for other classes. His practice exams are the same as exams but different numbers. The final is almost all questions from the previous exams. Offers plenty of EC.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Over explains everything in the most difficult way possible. I've taken chemistry in the past and gotten an A. He does not build on basics, just throws you in. I am learning more not going to lectures at all.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM110
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Really cares about his students, comes into class with a smile on his face everyday! Gives practice exams before every test which is extremely helpful, as long as you keep up with your work outside of his class you will find this class not so challenging.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO. NOT. CHOOSE. HIM. If you had a good chemistry teacher in high school, you will get by. But if you have no experience in chemistry, and you depend on a professor to learn, run far away from this one. It's all online work, and the teaching system doesn't work for most people. And the lectures are off topic. They don't help. 0/10

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

the worst teacher for the sciences, never on topic. If you have half a brain, do yourself a favor and choose any teacher, but him.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Literally one of the most caring professors I have ever had. He is so nice and you can tell he really cares about his students. Lecture is mainly examples of how to complete online homework (ALEKS) but he is very good at explaining and answers everyone's questions.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHE140
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Ferrence is a very intelligent guy even though you teach yourself most of the work. He uses ALEKS for homework and my best advice is to always do it. With out ALEKS I would not have done as well as I did. Lecture isn't required although I always went because his notes were examples for the homework. I had him for Chem 140 and 141.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHE141
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class ends up being an online class, other than the exams and labs. Attendance is not mandatory, and everything he says in lecture is a part of the ALEKS homework online. You will learn everything from that program. Practice exams are almost exactly the same as the real exam, so if you can do those you will do fine. I got an A with some effort

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHE140
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I had him for chem 140 and he teaches slow but he used an online system Called Aleks that did a lot of the teaching. He offered a lot of extra credit and was lenient with grading. I went to a lot of his office hours and he was always willing to explain anything to me. His test weren't hard and I did not purchase the book!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHE140
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had Ferrence for che140 and he taught the material slower than he should've. There was a lot of material to learn and there were a lot of times I had to teach myself the material before the test. Besides that he gives easy extra credit and is really understanding.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM140
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I had him for both 140 and 141. If you are good at chemistry and/or took AP these classes are a breeze. No reason to come to class because he only lectures about the (required) online program ALEKS which will teach you the topics itself. His tests are multiple choice laid out just like ALEKS. Do ALEKS and take notes from it and you will be fine.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHE140
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Ferrence's class was one of the most miserable classes I have ever taken. He is extremely off topic in lecture and doesn't teach material till you have already spent hours learning it through an online computer program called ALEKS (which you will be spending at least 10+ on this program per week). AVOID AT ALL COSTS. You have been warned.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM140
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Unless you enjoy having to do 264 assignements(3+ questions each depending on how you do) on 264 different topics, avoid him at all costs. Puts up powerpoints online with 0 notes attached so its just a bunch of blank templates with vague instructions(and no answers). Nice guy, bad professor in terms of work required for a gen ed

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHE140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very nice man but sometimes rambles. He is helpful when explaining any questions a student may have. However, ALEKS becomes your best friend/significant other. It is extremely time confusing but if you understand that material, you are guaranteed a B (at lowest) in this course.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Homework is online and requires a ridiculous amount of time to complete. Lectures are always off topic. I taught myself more on my own than he did when going through the problems but realized going to lectures was necessary, but dreadful. He gives a SG that has the EXACT problems from the homework so you can't even back-track to understand problems

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He likes to get off topic during lecture. This contributes to the unclear lessons. He uses a program named Aleks and when he goes through the notes in class, he more often than not does not get through all of the topics due to his off topic conversations.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

You never have to go to class. He puts everything you need to know online. Always willing to help and work around you. He always tells jokes that are so corny they keep you interested. Just study the study guide and do Aleks and its an easy A. Would not take a chemistry class with anyone else! Also gave a free textbook book so you dont need one.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Over 250 topics in the online ALEKS HW (cumulative final).. Not a typical 100 level class-spent most weekends doing HW Tests are heavy (600 out of 800 points), not like HW (some is), Tests are reallyambiguous (class avg 64% on one exam) ALEKS is a poor substitute for quality education Lecturewasted time talking about ALEKS Don't

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

this teacher was by far the worst teacher ive ever had. He is so confusing in class and he gives so much work to do outside of class my anxiety and stress was through the roof solely because of his class. He was hardly prepared, he would do problems in class and students always corrected him. horrible. i regret taking him and advice you to not.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHE110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I only went to lecture once a week because his lectures simply confused me. Instead I went through all of the ALEKS objectives and textbook and took notes off of that. It was basically self-taught. However, I did do well on the tests because Dr. Ferrence gives a SG which is almost word for word as the exam. Be prepared to work hard outside of class