Professor: J.C. Poutsma
Department: Chemistry
College: College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
Rating # 1
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: B-
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Poutsma seems to have a hard time teaching instrumental analysis despite being at WM for a while. What should be a relatively easy class for Junior chemistry majors becomes a nightmare equal to P. Chem. Heavy detail covered in lecture that he insists is not tested, but it sometimes shows up on the quizzes. Humor in lectures cant teach you chem..
Rating # 2
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Professor Poutsma covers a huge amount of information in lectures, and he says wants the big picture information yet tests on the nitty details which is so unnecessary since there is so much information that he could test on instead. Professor Poutsma gave 5 quizzes, homework grades (go to the review sessions!), and a final. Final is reasonable...
Rating # 3
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: Not sure yet
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
I hated this class. We had a ton of quizzes that took place weeks after we finished the material. Questions on quizzes and the final were ambiguous, nit-picky, and confusing. The homework was impossible to do without him doing it for us during the review sessions. He never worked out problems we would have to do on tests. Lectures were okay.
Rating # 4
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 4.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Poutsma's class was a blast. He guides you through the sometimes dense material without losing your attention. Tests are definitely fair (at least the year I took it) because they mirrored the notes very accurately, but boy there are a lot of them. Put in the time and effort, and you'll be rewarded. Also, go to Thursday night review sessions!
Rating # 5
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: C+
- Overall Rating: 3.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
J.C. has high expectations, but they are attainable. He tries to avoid multiple choice, or so he claims but he often uses it anyways. He explains with detail in class, in particular when going over Mass Spec, then claims that he wants general knowledge, not "what's in the weeds" and yet the tests still require detailed answers. Do your homework!!
Rating # 6
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: A-
- Overall Rating: 4.5
- Course Difficulty: 2.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Tests weren't that tough... Just a little trying. Loved his lectures, even if they were a bit disorganized, and as a person he's awesome. Loved IA.
Rating # 7
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: B
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I took Poutsma's CHEM 103 class during the summer, expecting it to be unbearable and extremely difficult. I'm really not a chem person, and yet, he presented everything in a manner in which I could genuinely understand things. Great lecturer in my opinion, very knowledgeable and excited about the subject - and funny in his own way!
Rating # 8
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- 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:
Terrible lecturer. Everything was presented in the most confusing manner possible. It is an inherently difficult subject, but it didn't need to be that difficult. Tests were IMPOSSIBLE. Final exam was 18 pages and took me 4 hours.
Rating # 9
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- 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:
Did not test on what he lectured. Lectures were disorganized. He is a hilarious person and I thought I understood what he was talking about. When tested on it my knowledge was either wrong or not enough no matter how much I studied. I even put down exactly what the notes said once and I had points taken off. Would not take a class from him again.
Rating # 10
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Poutsma got a lot of flak for being a tough professor. He's not. I found his lectures to be super interesting, and while his tests were not always the most representative, they were fairly graded and made you think about the material rather than regurgitate facts. The people who complained the most were more worried about grades than learning.
Rating # 11
Overview:
- Course: CHEM309
- Grade Received: C+
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Poutsma fails at lecturing. His office hours are helpful, but he doesn't stay congruent with what he says in office hours and what he does as a professor. He made IA, which is supposed to be the easy class for chemistry juniors, into something more difficult than P Chem. 4.5 hour long final with 18 pages of work... it's hell.
Rating # 12
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 4.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Poutsma is slightly undersized for his position, but he compensates with guile and skill on the low post. He can score at the rim and in traffic and has a solid outside jump shot. He's guaranteed for a minimum of 20 points and 10 rebounds and always shows up for the fourth quarter in a big way. An excellent addition to any chemistry staff.
Rating # 13
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- 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:
Poutsma is such a good teacher. Everything you need to know is in his notes, which are very clear and helpful. If you have any decent chem background (not necessarily AP) you'll be fine
Rating # 14
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.5
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I wasn't a huge fan. I had a weak science background and though I went to every class, I couldn't learn from him. The book is excellent though and I taught it all to myself from the book. I found the tests pretty decent after reading, doing practice problems, hw, and studying all my notes. Lot's of work though, def easy if you've taken it before.
Rating # 15
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 2.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
AWESOME PROFESSOR. His classes are engaging, he covers material at a fair pace, he is extremely helpful in office hours and his exams are somewhat fun to take as the practice exams he gives are quite similar and are great study guides. I wish he taught all my classes. Seriously.
Rating # 16
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 2.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Poutsma is awesome! So enthusiastic and really straightforward. Not as difficult as everyone makes it seem. I took this class for the GER and had little chem experience, but his notes are so clear that I never had to read the book to get an A. Do the hw online and all extra practice and you'll be fine. Doesn't try to trick you on tests either.
Rating # 17
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- 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:
Had him for Gen Chem. He always makes the class amusing and interesting, which is not always easy in a chem course. His tests are very hard, but if you do a lot of practice problems you should be fine. Attendance not mandatory, but it definitely helps.
Rating # 18
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 3.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Good class, I had a weak chemistry background in hs so that hurt me some. Don't expect his exams to be like his past ones they aren't. Also if you're a in the "box" kind of thinker it's hard to adjust to his exams, I started to do well later in the semester but it should be easy if you have a strong science background.
Rating # 19
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 3.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Great at helping out one on one, when you ask for it. Not the most streamline lectures, sometimes all of the place, but definitely gets the information across. Really funny and engaging and the demos are excellent.
Rating # 20
Overview:
- Course: CHEM103
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 3.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He's a great teacher and very funny. He doesn't make his own test though. Easy to approach and talk to if you are having issues with the class. What you put into the class will not always result in what you get out of it, but with practice (DO THE HOMEWORK PROBLEMS AND PRACTICE EXAMS!!!) you should be able to pass with a good grade
No comments:
Post a Comment