Jim Sadd - Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA

Professor: Jim Sadd

Department: Science

College: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GEO106
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof Sadd is very knowledgeable and always tried to relate the class to what matters to students. I learned to be careful with facts vs. interpretations and he always reminded us about uncertainty, error and bias. Not the most likable prof to some but is friendly and easier to talk with one on one. I appreciate his seriousness

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GEO150
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Sadd's lectures are informative and clear. He's formal but friendly and extremely helpful outside of class and knows a lot about GIS and problem solving. I enjoyed and learned a lot in this class, but worked harder than I expected to.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GEO150
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Best class I have taken at Oxy and wish I knew about it sooner. Sadd makes you figure things out yourself but guides you so you dont go off the deep end. He really cares about students, but not trying to be popular to feed his ego like so many Oxy profs. Reasonable but demanding.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GEO150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Incredibly valuable class taught in a way that forces you to learn by making mistakes, and correcting your own mistakes. It was not a fun class, but very worthwhile. Worst thing was the crybabies that would notcould not work independently or hard enough to do well. Best part is one-on-one if you ask for it.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GEO255
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Finally, a class at Oxy that taught job skills, was current with what professionals actually do, and was both demanding and encouraging. Sadd is direct and not trying to win you over, he just knows and does his stuff and tries to help you learn by doing it yourself. Says "does that make sense" alot, but I think because he really wants us to learn

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GEO150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Terrible class. Imagine taking a "how to swim" class. If Sadd was your instructor, he would lecture on the chemical and physical properties of water and scare you with drowning statistics. He would then throw you in the deep end and walk away. All you learn is that he is a miserable jerk who gets off watching students fail. Worst class ever.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Clearly very intelligent, but also so condescending, smug, and obnoxious that it was impossible to enjoy the class. Never in his office and rarely emailed me back when I tried to seek help. Avoid him if you can!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• 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:

Prof made a boring and abstract subject interesting by constantly relating it to people, society, and practical aspects of real life. It is a hard class, and I think I did well because I worked hard. He is great one-on-one, better than in lecture. Well organized lectures. I hated the labs, but he did not teach them.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GEOLOGY105
• 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: N/A

Comment:

Talks down to students. Not helpful during office hours. Tests are extremely hard and he does not adjust, even when out of a class of 45 students, only 7 get above a 70%...

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lengthy powerpoints that he rushes through in class. He posts them online so the physical class doesn't really add much. Talks to us like highs schoolers. Don't end up with a strong understanding of concepts.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GEOL105
• 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:

Survey class for non-majors. Covered many topics generally. Sadd really knows a lot about most subjects (admits when he does not) and teaches pragmatically. He is formal and not chill as a lecturer, but very clear and well organized. Really interesting and engaging one on one. Good class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GEO150
• 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:

First class I have had at Oxy where prof was not trying to win a popularity contest. He didnt car if I liked him, just that I learned. Was also god in that he made you figure things out, which made some ppl mad because they want everything spoon-fed. Lot of work in this class, but you are treated as an adult.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• 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:

By far the worst instructor I've had at Oxy. Lousy instruction and oddly passive-aggressive toward students. You honestly have NO idea how you're doing in the class until the semester's over. Great skill to learn; shame it's only offered through Sadd.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GEO150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I really enjoyed this class, particularly being challenged and treated like an adult. The class is not for everyone and Sadd does not hold your hand, but if you are serious he can really teach you a lot.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GEO150
• 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:

This is the most painful class I had at Occidental. Prof Sadd does not run the class in a logical fashion. If you are the type that likes to learn by lecture and teacher interaction, this class is not for you. GIS is useful. The professor is not. However, he does have interesting stories to tell.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• 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:

I do not recommend this professor. Has very length, wordy powerpoints that he rushes through and have superfluous information. Is not clear at all about what material is important for midterms. Can be patronizing and rude to students.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GEOL150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I still cannot quite believe it, but taking this course got a job after I graduated, and I am working in a field and on problems I really care about. 150 was one of the most demanding classes I took at Oxy, but I really like the payoff. Sadd taught with real world, applied examples and not a lot of theory or stuff I did not use.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• 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:

A fun teacher, manages to balance lectures and short, fun anecdotes. Will try not to spell things out for you, so you have to work at his classes. Hard tests, but he wants you to succeed.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• 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:

His tests are hard, but he's reasonable when he grades. He expects a lot from you and there are a lot of times where we don't know when to turn in something. He's actually a funny guy. You find yourself laughing a lot in his class, but I don't think he knows he's being funny because he'll just look at you.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GEO145
• 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:

Very hard class but excellent training in technical field. Sadd is clear in explaining how to use a GIS but this is a really difficult subject for me. I missed some classes and it really screwed me.