Jim Agler - University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

Professor: Jim Agler

Department: Mathematics

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

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MATH31AH
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Agler's lectures are always fast- paced, and mostly repetitive with the textbook, but his explanations are helpful towards understanding the material. He is funny, has patience in explaining stuff, and gives generous curves. Homework based on correctness, hard quizzes; midterm and final are not as hard.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MATH142A
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He is pretty laid back, but he is really messy with his use of the board. I liked his attitude but sometimes he seemed too informal. In overall a good teacher.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MATH109
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I recommend him very much. Provided his own mini-"textbook" for the class which only cost $30 at the student reserves center. So even if you missed a concept in lecture, the textbook is all in his own writing. He's a pretty good lecturer too, and very helpful and approachable in office hours. Exams were very reflective of the material.

Rating # 4

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I thought his midterms were a bit hard since it was all concept based. Though the curve was crazy which I guessed helped everyone. I never attended his lectures cause as long as you did the hw and understood the material you're fine. Final was very similar to the midterms and practice final so that was an easy A.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His class was super hard and the midterms were hard. The averages were not great but he is not a bad professor. His teaching style is very different and he tries to make examples but ends up failing at it. His class is curved but if I were you, take another prof. Also use the book extensively!

Rating # 6

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:

Professor Agler understands the material, but does not always present it in the clearest way. Midterms were REALLY hard because the level of difficulty was unexpected but the final was easy. Maybe the curve helps. If you're not interested in math or learning most everything on your own, I'd go with another professor.

Rating # 7

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:

He's not a good lecturer at all so I never went to class. Though his sample midterms and final are generally easier than his actual ones. This quarter, the average for his midterms were 40% and 56% ish which is pretty low even though the tests weren't hard but he ends up curving the grades at the end. His final looked exactly like the sample one.

Rating # 8

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:

Agler likes to describe the power behind the formulas, but does not always teach them well. Usually late to class and wastes some time going off on tangents. Practice midterms are not representative of actual midterms. Midterms were hard. 40% was the average score on the first one. No cheat sheets on the midterms. Nice guy, though.

Rating # 9

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:

Had him in Winter 2009. His lectures were boring, couldn't stay awake in any of his lectures, probably because it was at 8am. He is very disorganized too and if you sit near the back of the lecture hall, you can barely hear him. However, his midterms and final were easy. I got an B on first midterm, A+ on the second one, and an A- on the final.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MATH109
• 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:

Great professor, take him if you get a chance.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: C20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

TAKE HIM; your grade will thank you. His midterms and finals were completely straightforward; his final was almost exactly like his midterm problems. Yes, he mumbles, but his lectures/review sessions help narrow down what will be tested on. He also has a generous curve..

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MATH20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Math 20C. Always so hard to hear so sit in the front. Avoid taking if possible.

Rating # 13

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:

was hard to hear in center 101 so sit within the first couple rows... his final was hard and more complex than any of his midterms! also he ditched the last day of class and showed up an hour late to the final review session. overall ok teacher but would recommend a more thorough math professor if you suck at math

Rating # 14

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:

Professor Agler is the best math teacher I have ever had. He not only makes the mechanics behind concepts completely clear, he explains the power of the ideas being taught. Midterms and Final were completely straight forward and fair, but test concepts not just computations. Highly recommend.

Rating # 15

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:

Agler is really into his math business, but he mumbles and is disorganized. We didn't get a class syllabus until about week 4. The one time I asked him for help, he spoke to me in a condescending manner. I found his class difficult; Study, read the book, do all your homework, and you should be okay.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MATH20C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Do not take this class. Unorganized, hard to hear, does not do example problems in class, and assigns homework problems that do not show up on midterms nor the final. Take a different class!

Rating # 17

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's awesome! He makes lame jokes that makes funny...(if that makes sense) He explains things well and gives reasonable exams. Check out his outfit ;)

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Difficult to understand and take notes with. Disorganized and does not have a website. Could be a bit condescending. Not sure if he stayed for the entire final exam. Exams were fair. Does not drop a midterm (as most of the math dept does).

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MATH20B
• 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:

he's good

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MATH142A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

When I took this professor for the first time in 142A, I honestly didn't think much of him. But after that quarter, I decided to take him again for 142B. And then, 120B as well.Why?He's probably the best math professor I've ever had (this speaking from a math major). Yes, he's extmly unorganized, but he teaches well, and gives you a C for effort