Harold Hoops - SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, NY

Professor: Harold Hoops

Department: Biology

College: SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Need to do the homework and write down the top hat questions from class to study from since about 1/2 of the test will be those exact questions. He also curves the test which is helpful. Go to the SI sessions if you're confused though since he will most likely not be helpful. Redo the MMB the night before the test. Put in work and you'll be fine.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Would totally take him again. If you pay attention, tophat questions are very easy. do the online homework because 1/3 of the exams are questions directly from the online homework. Tests are easy but you won't do good unless you put time into the material. He also curves the tests to your advantage. you will only do badly if you really don't care.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO116
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Hoops is terrible. Bio105 is supposed to be an easy gen ed taken to fulfill the basic requirements for NON BIO MAJOR students, but hoops teaches it unnecessarily specific. tophats are hard unpredictable and even when everyone gets them wrong, he counts them for your grade. The tests are hard and he is horrible at explaining. I HATE HOOPS

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Extremely intense class for being a gen ed. Hard grader, uses TopHat for attendance, exams are VERY hard, no direction or help on what is on them - puts old exams up but they're NO USE whatsoever. Lots of long homework assignments. When you ask questions he just rambles on and on about nothing.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIOL105
• 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:

Teaches the class like it's a 200 level and everyone is a bio major, goes through the lecture slides extremely fast and won't go back to let you write something down, exams are hard, gives you exams from previous years to study from but won't give you any of the answers, good luck trying to get him to explain anything to you

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO300
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Harold Hoops is by far one of the best professors I've ever had. Super organized w/ his expectations & due dates. His exams are difficult but doable if you stay on top of the material because weekly quizzes force u to consistently study. His exams are lecture based so missing class puts you far behind. Do the HWs and put in time and u will be fine.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOL300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

They way he teaches make me want to learn. He made an impossible topic like Cell Biology interesting and thought provoking. I can't lie, the exams made my brain hurt but it was worth it. Take it with Hoops!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIOL105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Overall, a very nice guy and a decent professor who knows his material. However, the tests are a lot harder than the class material seems to be. Make sure you go to the SI sessions but if you really want to do well you will have to study a lot due to the high level of difficulty of the tests. Lectures aren't too helpful but not terrible.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIOL105
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hoops primarily has worked with Biology majors so it felt like this class was too hard for non-majors. The tests are ridiculously hard, so go to the SI. There are long homework assignments due for each chapter. In class there is also TopHat which is a grade booster. I wish I did not take this class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Hoops seems to live for Science. Which is a good thing, but as a student in a class of 150 kids his class was nothing special. It usually gets boring so be prepared to pay attention. Topics discussed were interesting and the TopHat questions give you a break from taking notes. Tests are hard, I'd recommend going to the SI.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO101
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Hoops is one of a kind, He cares a huge amount of biology and tries to make the class interesting and fun. theres a homework due basically every week and the test are pretty hard. all material is posted online and its easy to keep track of what to do. all im saying is you can skip the class, you make the choice.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hoops treats this class as if it is your only one. Weekly homeworks that take hours, weekly quizzes, 3 tests and a final. His tests have multiple multiple choice. Do the homeworks and put 40 hours into studying for tests and you'll do well. Any prof at geneseo will suck for cell bio

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO300
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This is the hardest prof. to ever take anything with. This felt like a 5 credit class. Weekly Quizzes. His questions have many typos which sway your answers, and if swayed enough, you'll get it wrong. Every piece of info is important to answering his Q's. Don't ask for clarification because "you should know that". Read slides religiously + do book.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIOL105
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Class material is easy but tests are pretty difficult. Definitely do and study from the Mastering Biology assignments. TopHat questions annoyingly have a big impact on your grade. Hoops is a nice guy but teaching was fast and all over the place. As a non-bio major, class isn't too bad as long as you are willing to put the effort in

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIOL105
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Pay attention in class and to the Mastering Biology Assignments. These are extremely helpful. Hoops responds quickly to emails and I found him to be extremely helpful though quite blunt. I would recommend for general science credit

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO300
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I have mixed feelings about the class. It is useful to learn the way he wants you to, but he is not clear in answering questions at all or in his expectations on tests and homework. We had weekly group HW assignments. Reviewing old exams for format and difficulty is useful. Your textbook will be your best friend. BE ABLE TO DRAW THE DIAGRAMS.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIOL301
• 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:

Everyone told me to avoid this lab but I ended up LOVING cell bio because of it. It's tough and he teaches in a way that really makes you think, but I learned so much this way. He never gave an assignment without a purpose and he's willing to adapt. Hoops can be intimidating, but he actually always puts his students first.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO300
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Although toughest professor ive ever encountered and i only received a B-, Dr. Hoops is the only professor i would take cell with. I have never learned more about studying and test taking than in his class. Focus on homeworks!!!!!! They will be on your exams. Most students are more prepared in upper levels when they have taken Hoops

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIOL301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This was the hardest lab I've ever taken in college. When you go to office hours he's not really that helpful, but he is helpful in lab. He knows what he's talking about but cell is a very difficult subject so take at your own risk.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO300
• 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:

Dr. Hoops is definitely a difficult professor, but college (especially science in college) is not supposed to be easy. He never wastes your time with busywork. He is the only professor I've had that cared so much and worked so hard to set me up for success. He will only match your effort though, not do it for you. This is the best way to learn.