James Lin - University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

Professor: James Lin

Department: Mathematics

College: University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• 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:

Hands down, the worst professor I've had at UCSD. Required attendance at office hours as part of the grade, was not a compelling lecturer, had a ridiculous grading system for homeworks (that involved assigning groups of three to complete homeworks and giving them all the same grade on one master homework sheet to be turned in by the group).

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MATH20D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Overall an OK professor; I thought the curve was nice and the final can really save your butt if you sucked on the midterms. If there is a better professor to take, take that one. If not, Prof. Lin isn't a bad second.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He is a nice professor. Just do more practices exams by yourself. In the class, about 25% people got As. Also, if you only want to pass his class, take it. There is no way for you to fail unless you are really ........ TAKE his class, if you study hard, at least you will get a B

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• 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:

Have to do good on midterms or else you'll be forced to take the final exam. Hard professor, lectures are not easy to follow and he is really rude. Makes you not want to go to office hours.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Didn't like him. He writes small on the board. A TA had to fill on for him one day and I understood everything, as opposed to the professor who often goes too quickly (a week ahead other classes). Got an A+ on the first midterm, F on the next. Used his system of taking final to replace midterms, and his final was much harder than the midterms.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• 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:

He is so unhelpful and its super hard to raise your grade if you screw up either of the midterms, meaning you'll have to take the final. Do not recommend this professor.On top of everything, he is rude to students.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Make sure to do well on the first two midterms, 'cause you don't want to take the final in the end. Read text before lectures, helps a bunch. The curve might be generous, depending on how well the class does.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MATH20F
• 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:

One of the best professors I have ever had. He taught the class at a very trivial level which most professor's do not do. He really cares about his student's success. The class was not that easy, as most university level courses are not,but his teaching methods helped make this course easier. I would recommend this professor to any student.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Pretty easy professor! If you study the practice exam he give, you will do fine in the exam. I have 93% and i thought i wasnt going to get an A since I heard 95% or above is the limit to get an A. However, I got an A after all. Very easy material and exams are just like practice exams, so why not take this professor!?

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• 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:

Easy class and easy tests--I get 99.8% and so who care about the curve?

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Do the homework and the practice midterms, and you'll do fine on the actual midterms. Material is easy enough. Make sure you keep up in the beginning so you don't have to work later (you don't want to have to take the final). Don't be surprised if he curves against you (94.6% was the threshold for an A).

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

for god's sake dont take this class. 95%=A. good friggin luck

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MATH6603
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class is challenging but Professor Lin provided plenty of opportunities to master the material. I recommend this professor. This mid-term curve was odd but he allows students to have the option of taking the final or not depending on your grade. So if you do poorly on the midterms you can have a second chance and take the final. Good class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• 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:

At the beginning of the year, he acted extraordinarily kind; he said he was on our side and he was lazy, so the curve would help us on his tests. He's a decent teacher, but on the second midterm, he slaughtered most of the class's grades with his curving, changing it so that only 40 students got A's in his class. I don't recommend this teacher.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

In what world is 130 points the cutoff for an A on a 135 point midterm? Such is the case in Professor Lin's world. Ridiculously unhelpful curve on grades and exams, although exams are not all that difficult. Class is still taught relatively well. Practice midterms are helpful.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ok, the comments posted before are right. The curve is completely ridiculous.basically to get a C you need 157/300 points to 257/300 points, which is unfair for the people who should've earned solid B's (just about everyone). Make sure to SIGN OFF with teacher/TA for participation points. Every bit counts. Cuz the +/- system sucks too

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CALC20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

It is extremely hard to get an A in the class. An A(-) was 94.67%, and even a 93 was a B. The tests aren't hard if you study and do the homework, sometimes he goes on talking about proofs that you don't need to know about. It is pretty easy to manage a B, but if you want an A, you need to get nearly perfect scores throughout the whole quarter

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This professor does a poor job of explaining concepts and the material. midterms were very similar to pratice exams and homework. Curve killed students rather than help them. Take class with someone else. T.A.'s are very helpful.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor, learned a lot in this class. Clear in lecture and answers questions thoroughly. Only problem was the curve. Hurt possibly more than half the class rather than helped. Most people would have probably gotten a better grade if there was no curve at all.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• 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:

This professor is ridiculous. his curves work against you! you could get a real "A" in the class, but end up with a "B" because of his curve. his policy of doing well on the midterms and not taking the finals is very misleading, especially since he curves the midterms against you. do not take this professor