James Gilkeson - University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

Professor: James Gilkeson

Department: Business

College: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: FIN3930H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Easiest class ever! Great opportunity to learn from experience.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FIN4514
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Not an easy class. Reading the book is crucial to getting participation points in class. The workbook helps with taking the exam. Exam is open book/notes, but the average on exams was a 75% curved. Take another teacher if possible

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FIN6406
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This is hands down the worse teacher at UCF. I was in his graduate class this semester. He was rude to students, constantly had an attitude, and was very vague about the assignments he gave. DO NOT TAKE JIM GILKESON, Any teacher is better than this guy.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: FIN4514
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You may take Fin 4514 cause you were told that it was 1 easy fin. elective of the 5. This applies to Chen. If you take Gilkeson, you are facing a class more difficult than derivatives. Tests are open book/notes, and are open answer format (not multiple choice) in class. I'm a 3.8 GPA, majoring in fin. & acc., last semester. Trust me, take Chen.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: FIN4514
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class is hard. Tests are open book open note, but most people will still fail. He gives homework, but you have all the answers in the textbook. He grades on attendance and participation, and doesn't actually teach just had kids answer questions (which means they just read out of the book). The project was easy but long. I'd avoid this class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Makes you memorize all the formulas for tests, book is not necessary, however he makes exams more difficult by having to memorize terms.He expects you to be a pro at excel.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: FIN3514
• 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:

Class is moderately difficult. If it's too difficult, you've probably picked the wrong major. As others have said, the analytical sections on the exams are pretty easy...the conceptual aren't very difficult either.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Proff is tough, but willing to help anytime needed. Class is difficult, a lot of material. If you can take it with someone else do it, prof isn't all that special, have to memorize a lot of formulas which isnt too bad, do the modules and attend class he gives extra credit at random times. have a sep ntbk for mudules and write the formulas as you go

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• 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:

must memorize tons of difficult equations for exams. 9 quizzes. 2 projects. very tough grader with no leniency. this is the class that will give you trouble for graduation. boring, arrogant, all-knowing (so he thinks). wouldnt recommend him. good luck getting a good grade, HA! worst class ive taken so far coming from an average student

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are given with a hint of bitterness and arrogance. I am not sure why he makes you memorize formulas other than making the tests a little more unnecessarily difficult. In the real world there is no need to memorize formulas, because everything is done in excel. Not really a big fan of this teacher, but he is very smart in his field.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I chose this professor last semester over Hurst and was pleasantly surprised. Dr. Gilkeson is a great teacher, extremely helpful and incredibly nice. Go to class, do the work and you will get a good grade. Formula memorization isn't as bad as people make it out to be. If you do the modules, you will remember the formulas quite easily.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The modules are your best friend study the modules and make a formula sheet as you go through them that you can memorize for the test. Basically have to ace the math part. Not hard, just memorize and apply formulas. When you get to the conceptual question really think it out before you answer. Go to class for pop extra credit quizzes really help

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Attending class is VERY important for this class to understand the concepts that are 40% the exam. Trust me you won't understand if you skip class & try to make up by reading the book. ATTEND CLASS & ask questions. Basically he gives u everything u need ONLY if u always attend class & write notes and if you do & PRACTICE the modules. No surprises.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Awful grading scheme, watch out on projects- you could spend 20 hours on project, ace it, and then he'll deduct 10% for each bad posting you made at the beginning. I lost 20% of a 120 point project that I aced for 2 bad postings. His syllabus and directions are unclear, and filled with errors. He obviously hates students and his job. Lectures Awful

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Difficult class. Didn't buy the book and did at least 10% better than class average on tests. Don't need to go to class, everything he teaches is in the Modules on webcourses. For exams study modules and read through all of it to help with conceptual Q's. This class helped me get an internship with Lockheed Martin. Prof helps you if needed

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The students that wrote that the lectures are useless and a waste of time are the ones that had a difficult time comprehending the material and failed the conceptual exams. This class is hard but it's a great class because you learn A LOT and can be seen as the basis for finance classes after this. The casual/lazy student may dislike this class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• 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:

Very hard class. Conceptual tests are basically definitions from books. Analytical is straight from the modules and super easy if you know what you're doing. He's nice if you go to his office hours.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• 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:

Most crystal clear Finance class at UCF he lays out exactly whats on tests and there are no surprises. I think the people complaining about this prof are so used to other FIN classes at UCF where the teachers hold your hand the whole way.5-8 hours of work per exam A on each one, very good professor!!!!!if you cant cut it here; gl in the realworld

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Lectures=a waste of time. Tests=2 part: concepts & computational. Some conceptual test stuff is nonsensical. Read book chptrs min. of twice. Lots of pointless formula memorization for computational; do modules several times for test prep. 2 Excel projects=time consuming and are graded harshly. A TEACH YOURSELF CLASS; REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: FIN3504
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Don't go to class, the lectures are boring and have no relevance to test material. Two portion tests: conceptual portion is extremely difficult and vague, analytical portion isn't too bad but you have to memorize ALL the formulas. Have to teach yourself everything and the projects are tedious. Must work hard for a B, good luck getting an A.