Joel Piperberg - Millersville University, Millersville, PA

Professor: Joel Piperberg

Department: Science

College: Millersville University, Millersville, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO207
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Joel is such a nice man. He really wants his students to pass. I am not a bio major, I took this class as a writing course and he has been very patient and accommodating. Make sure while you're taking this class that you do not let the work pile up on you! He is always there if you have questions or need help.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIOL100
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Piperberg's a great guy, but a really tough professor. The tests are unbelievably hard but can contain 20-40 extra credit points that will allow you to salvage a respectable grade (I often found the bonus easier than the actual exam questions). He is a great professor to have for lab.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO362
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Piperberg is a GREAT guy, I love him. But Cell and Developmental Biology with him was VERY difficult. It's a writing course and he is extremely critical of your writing. His exams are also difficult. He asks very detailed questions and you MUST understand the material to pass. Hard work is necessary.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO362
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Awful teacher. He rants during lecture and goes off topic and then runs out of time to teach everything and speeds through it. His powerpoint slides don't have words on them, only pictures so buy the lecture notes!! His prelab quizzes and tests are incredibly hard so don't feel bad if you fail everything, it's normal. Confusing and unorganized.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO101LAB
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great guy, willing to help you even if he isn't your adviser. Highly recommend for labs. He gives tons of bonus questions on the quizzes but be prepared to read carefully and study for all of them.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO362
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is hilarious and adorable. That being said his exams are tough tough tough. BUY the notes!!! They are the only way I survived that class. Didn't use the book but those notes were necessary. The exams are on those notes plus extras that he talks about in lecture He asks very specific questions not just main ideas. Know everything.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOL362
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

If you read the book, go to all of the lectures and take good notes, you'll be fine. Read the book, it'll really help you understand the material. Also, he posts exams from past years on D2L for practice. Take them. His tests can be hard, but he gives a huge amount of fairly easy extra credit questions on them, so that makes up for it. Very funny.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIOL101LAB
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had him for lab. He is a good teacher and is fair with his quizzes. If you put the work into the class you will be fine. Overall enjoyable professor.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO207
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Overall, fair class. He was unclear of his expectations on assigned papers. Barely opened the textbook. Studied his notes the day off the exam, and got a B+.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO101LAB
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great guy and great teacher. His labs are fun and he helps you through them. It's a piece of cake if you try hard enough!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOL100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Piperberg is a lovely and passionate educator. This class however, is insane. It is IN NO WAY an intro level course. It is for science majors alone and is far more in depth than an intro class should be. Avoid at all costs if you are a non-science major attempting to fulfill a core requirement. You will struggle and your GPA will suffer.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CELLBIO
• 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:

Very difficult! He explains things really basically in the class, but asks very technical and detailed questions on tests. He gave us a back test before one of the exams and that was a lifesaver! Really tough grader and lots of misleading questions. Take lab with him too if possible!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CELLBIOLOGY
• 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:

Hands down one of the worst professors I have had in terms of organization. His grading is a joke; grades such as 30.8/50 are the "norm" for him, and you will most likely never understand how he comes up with the number. He's a nice guy, but the lack of organization and his lack of concern for due dates is very unprofessional.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO101LAB
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Piperberg graded the course very harshly, not like a Bio 101 class should be graded.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: 362CELLBIO
• 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:

Lecture style was horrible, you have to write pretty much what he says which is almost impossible. WARNING Exams are hard and very misleading, avoid if you can but I do think you can if you are a biology major. The only was to pass the class is if you can final the test from previous years.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIOL101LAB
• 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:

He was so difficult in his grading! Not clear in class. Even admits to being a "hard ass". I really didnt have much respect for him, and was completely stressed out from his class all semester. Don't take him for Biology!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Everything about the class was great, except for the exams. The lectures were good and he offered a lot of extra credit. The only thing that brought me down in the class, were the exams. The exams are worded tough and the questions will through you off with all of the different options (a, ab, or abc, etc.). Study hard, I can't stress it enough.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO204
• 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:

This was a great class! He is a very helpful professor and will take the time to help you out if you ask for help. He went off topic in class sometimes, and I never found it boring. The tests have extra credit and you will do good if you study the notes.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO362
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

i found the class difficult. im not the biggest fan of his teaching style. doesnt make the subject matter interesting. you have the option of buying notes-which help. test were hard, but i didnt study enough for them. you cant cram. there is no option around him. only one that teaches this class. my recommendation-STUDY

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIOL263
• 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:

Dr. Piperberg is the peanut-butter to my jelly. This prof cares a lot about the students and is willing to help whenever possible. His tests are absolutely brutal but not impossible, especially if you read the book and take really, REALLY good notes, that, and he offers at least 30 pts extra credit at the end of every test :)