James Campanella - Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ

Professor: James Campanella

Department: Biology

College: Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The worst!! Don't take him if you want to learn anything about the chemistry behind the processes. Does not teach well, criticizes you for asking questions, and is very rude to students. Your grade consists of 4 tests, a vaguely explained video project, and the lab. Does not give clear directions on anything, AVOID HIM!!!!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Campanella is only for students that actually study and take school seriously. He is an awkward guy and he's not good at talking to students in class but he is smart and knows what he is talking about. You have to show up to class every time to pass or get a good grade in his class. Record lectures, chill at the lib for an hour, and study slides

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIOL475
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The most uncompassionate professor at MSU. He is discouraging and rude. If you take him be ready for a paper which he makes the most meanest comments on. Don't take him. He also talks to you like you're stupid if you ask questions. He makes you feel as if you are not smart enough to be in his class. Avoid at all costs.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Avoid him at all costs. He definitely knows the material but doesnt know how to communicate it effectively. Rude, undermines any question asked, and youre screwed if he ends up disliking you. Says you dont need the book for the class but get the book because his PowerPoints are unclear otherwise. Take Petrof over him if you can!!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is the absolute worst. I never studied so hard, only to fail. After the second test, more than half of the class dropped. I wish I could have taken this class next year or in the summer but I really had no choice. He expects you to know so much. The worst part was that the other class (with the other prof) had much better grades, lucky them.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I would not recommend taking this class with Campanella. You're better off waiting for the summer and take it with a different professor if he is your only option during the semester. The amount of information he expects you to know in terms of how detailed it is is just impractical. Not to mention, he spends the whole class blandly lecturing.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Campanella is not as bad as people on here say he is. He is a tough teacher and the tests are challenging, but if you study your notes everyday for about 20-30 minutes and look at the power-point slides a few days before the exam, like I did, then you will do fine.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! After the second exam, exactly 70% of the class dropped (yes, we calculated). he is IMPOSSIBLE!! DO NOT RUIN YOUR GPA FOR NOTHING, there are plenty of better professors that teach this class.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIOL547
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You will learn a lot from his class because he goes into detail with every topic. Tests are a bit tough because there's so much information you have to learn for the exam. But as long as you record the lecture, you should be fine. Research paper is not bad at all, as long as you have correct molec bio methods.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO434MOLECBIO
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Okay thing about this professor is you got to learn and understand all of the ppts plus his exams are basically from the ppts . record his lectures also that will help. As long as you know everything from his ppts you will do great on the exams I could have gotten an A but I always made stupid mistakes on exams and do your best on research paper!!!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOL434
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is not nice and definitely a tough grader, so don't expect any leniency. His tests are hard b/c he wants you to learn all the material, but he would only hand pick them. About 25 multiple choice Q's + 15 T/F (w/ modification, if false) + 5-10 short answers + 4 essays (all application, & worth 10-15 pts each). His research paper is impossible.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took cell and molec during this spring semester. More than 66% of the class had dropped by the second exam (yes, we calculated it). I dropped the class and thank god I did. And from almost everyone I'm talking to who did not drop the class, they failed. So STAY AWAY IF YOU ARE AN UNDERGRAD!!!!!!!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Basically he knows his stuff. The class was about 100 students and by the time we received our 2 exam grades, there was about 30 students left in the class. Very picky. Took 2 points off one of my open ended responses because I explained more then needed. He is very contradicting. DON'T TAKE HIM!!!!!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIOL230
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

You will have to work! But the class is not impossible. A lot of people don't do well on the first exam & its probably the easiest of them all. So make sure you do well on the first exam! It will help your grade tremendously. Overall, he's a tough cookie. But you will learn a lot!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is not helpful at all. He is rude in the emails when you try to ask him question. He is also not approachable and clear enough. He tend to be more confused himself. FYI TRY TO AVOID TAKING HIM IF POSSIBLE. cause anyways at the end you will end up dropping it, both wasting your money and time.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

first off he knows his topic, and knows it very well but if you only just taking this class to take it, DO NOT TAKE HIM!! If you want to learn and challenge yourself go for it. He's a tough grader, chopped words, and his exams are not easy. It's like if you miss a class its like missing an entire exam.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIOL434
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE HIM. Not a fair grader. 3 exams+ final, research proposal and peer editing. lowest exam gets dropped. class is mandatory. Very very tough grader. His exams are multiple choice, truefalse(must explain why) and 3 essay questions that are impossible and about 10 open-ended questions. He cannot teach does not know how to explain things

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIOL486
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's knowledgeable but he has no idea how to teach. He is extremely boring and often bores himself when he lectures. Jams thousands of words onto each slide. He is one of those professors who seems to get joy out of failing people, either that or he just does not care about anyone except his research.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO380
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Well...I got a decent grade for my standards. I love molecular biology but I dont really care much for his attitude. He can answer almost any question which is really refreshing for montclair. He can be VERY hard to follow even with a recording..very choppy thought process. He can get nasty with grading. Get excellent lab partners

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO380
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Well...I got a decent grade for my standards. I love molecular biology but I dont really care much for his attitude. He can answer almost any question which is really refreshing for montclair. He can be VERY hard to follow even with a recording..very choppy thought process. He can get nasty with grading. Get excellent lab partners