John Applen - University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

Professor: John Applen

Department: English

College: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENC3241
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

For nearly every writing assignment I thought for sure I was misunderstanding what he was looking for, but ended up with an A every time. He's a tough grader, but also gives you everything he wants answered in the assignment. Be sure to do that while having a firm grasp of grammar and punctuation and you'll do fine.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENC3241
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very specific in communications. Desires professionalism from all students. Relatively light workload, even with the required reading from the textbook.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENC3241
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Took this class for the summer. Relatively easy class. I would say it was an easy A but there were a couple things that I missed with wording or didn't give enough information about a subject. You do get feedback on your papers and see where exactly. Though I must warn that there are only a few assignments in the course. Otherwise good easy class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: LIT4433
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

For this class you read three books throughout the semester. You have discussion posts and quizzes based off the reading to work on. You also have to write a paper off one of the books, at least 10 pages. Dr. Applen is a good professor and gives short but good feedback. I would take this class again.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENC4414
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

John Applen is a different one. He comes off as a jerk at first, but he really does mean well. Don't take anything he says personally. His class is an EASY A so long as you simply follow instruction and do your assigned readings. He wants your success, but he won't filter himself. I respected this about him, but a lot of people are put off by it.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENC4414
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

At first I thought this professor was going to be decent but that quickly changed. He says he gives grades for what the student deserves but that is bs. For some reason he had an issue with me. He only gives good grades if he likes you. Take another class and save the hassle of dealing with such a bigheaded individual. Probably worse teacher taken.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: LIT4433
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One 10+ page paper. 3 novels. Novels make you think outside of the box. Gives short but important feedback.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: 4433
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

BAD experience. BAD books, BAD comments from Prof. Only 3 novels which you get dragged through in excruciating detail til you are sick of them. Critical condescending remarks . He forbids outside research (which can sound like a blessing), hammers on you to express you OWN ideas, then tells you your own ideas are lame or wrong. Detested the class.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: LIT4433
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Various discussion posts, one 10 page paper on one of the three books you read during the semester. Very strict, but also very clear. The books are mandatory but you can find all three of them as PDFs online if you look hard enough. Sparknotes is your friend but you'll want the PDFs for the quizzes.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: LIT4433
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Applen was my favorite professor this semester, but not because he was easy. He grades out of ten point scale and the highest grade I could get all semester was 9.6. He will leave feedback to EVERY assignment you submit. If you suck, he will tell you. Be careful not to question his authority. 8 quizzes, one 10 page paper, three novels to read

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENC4293
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Applen is very nice. If you follow his instructions and make an honest effort in all assignments you won't do badly with him. However, I will say he is a little bit like a spaceman. He doesn't have good people skills and talks in circles. If you think you might be confused by this, don't take. Personally though, I enjoyed his class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENC4293
• 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:

Dr. Applen is one of my favorite professors employed at UCF, he makes the students work hard for whatever grade they receive, but he gives everybody equal opportunity to do well.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: LIT4433
• 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:

He has no people skills and is impatient. In his online course, he requires you to address everyone in your post, sign your name, and include your word count. As easy as it may seem, two weeks into the course you may not remember everything-he will delete your post and make you repost. His messages are condescending and unfriendly. Class is ok.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENC3241
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Online class over the summer. Pace is a little aggressive, but all expectations are clearly set. The quiz's are easy points, the writing is a bit more challenging. He provides good feedback though.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENC4293
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Applen is extremely intelligent but is somewhat unapproachable. He has somewhat low tolerance for students but can be very helpful with his feedback, no matter how condescending it may be. I have made great grades on all assignments though and have actually learned a lot about collaboration and rhetoric.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: LIT3313
• 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:

Arrogant and elitist, as well as difficult to work with. His teaching method ranges from obscure to nonexistent. I will never again take his classes, and my experience with him almost made me change my major because I was afraid I might end up like him.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENCALL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very challenging...take him only if you want to actually learn. Easy A-seekers and slackers will have a tough time.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENC3241
• 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:

Tech Writing. I took Summer B semester. This class was not hard...but not easy A. Lotta work. Quizzes & papers due every week & a bit of reading to complete the 2. You have a bit of time to complete work but if you work at it, you can get an A or B no problem. Didn't teach. Only made us read and graded with comments. Used +/- grading system. I got A-

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENC4293
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I really liked this professor. He does play "favorites"...however, these are people who actually do the work and show interest in the material (funny how that works). If this is you, he will bend over backwards to help you succeed. If you turn in a paper you wrote 5 minutes before it was due, he'll KNOW you half-assed it and he will NOT be pleased.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENC4414
• 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:

Not a good professor. He shows a preference toward women and plays favorites. He clearly has very little grasp on the real work world and is unnecessarily picky about ridiculous things like citing a word count (on a 75 word response). It is frustrating to play an ego game instead of actually learning and this is what you should expect.