John Costello - New York University, New York, NY

Professor: John Costello

Department: Linguistics

College: New York University, New York, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: LINGUA33
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Costello isn't for everyone. He rambles and goes off on weird tangents. If you can stick with his train of thought, though, you will learn a tremendous amount. He is NOT an easy A, despite appearances and open book exams. That said, the biggest reason people get Cs in his classes is complacency. Take notes and pay attention.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ETYMOLOGY
• 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:

Do not recommend. Attended every lecture, stayed after to ask questions, studied like crazy, and still got a C. Brought my whole GPA down and right before graduation. I took him because I was interested in the subject, had a blast in each lecture and learned a lot, so I was really blindsided when I got my scores back. Not an easy A.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ETYMOLOGY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Ah, Etymology with Professor Costello: In just 75 minutes you get everything you need to know about the study of words over time....and 71 minutes.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ETYM001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Costello's a really nice guy and knows his stuff, but he's not a good teacher. He rambles on... and on... and on... and never really gets anywhere or accomplishes anything. I love linguistics, but I felt like I was wasting my time in his class. I didn't learn anything I couldn't have read in a book on my own time.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ETYM001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Costello is so knowledgeable in his area and really tries to help you. Make sure to do all hw assignments. His midterms and finals are open notes and open books! This means you have to take really good notes and SHOW UP TO CLASS! He tends to digress during lectures but other than that, you should be fine.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: IEF101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Took Indo-European Family with him. Very easy, you only really have to show up on days when he goes over the translations, midterm, and final. Nice guy, but he just rambles on and on and on...

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ETYM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He is one of my favorite professors at NYU. His knowledge and passion on the subject shines through. I learned so much about words and I consider my time in his class invaluable.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ETY101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

his etymology class is very easy. the midterm and final can be passed if you buy an american heritage dictionary and bring it to the test. it is open book open notes. i didnt really learn anything

Rating # 9

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Easy A. Costello's a really nice guy and his off-topic lectures were at times highly entertaining, but I couldn't help feel like I was wasting my tuition money by being in this class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ETYM100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Though Costello appears cheerful and interested in his subject matter and students, he merely repeats word-for-word the same information. He is unprofessional in returning work and giving constructive feedback when asked for it. Clearly getting too old to really care about teaching his students, obviously more interested in hearing himself speak.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ETYMOLOGY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Extremely knowledgeable. Wants you to learn. One of the kindest, unoffensive people I know.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: LINGV61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very good lecturer. Little to no work, just two exams (midterm and final). Kind man who is interested in students. Only complaint: midterm is extremely easy and simple misleading students to believe that the final will be similar. However, the final exam is completely different with a much more detailed approach.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: LING101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Writing Systems of the World: Lectures seem - at first - scattered, but sort themselves out. Minimal homework, engaging discussions, straightforward exams, and, most importantly, a great class

Rating # 14

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

amazing professor- most individual attention I've ever gotten at NYU. knows his stuff inside and out, and just an all-around great person!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• 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:

10 years later, C still pulling the same crap and getting away with it. (I quote the first comment4/5/03Re[eats the same material in all his courses..so you get nothing new although you've signed up for what you think is a new course... (W)astes lots of time creating visualls during class sessions, instead of makign them ahead) Tenure is an incredi

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: WRITISYST
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great class! Really interesting material. I learned a ton.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ETYMOLOGY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

This was my favorite class thi semester. I absolutely LOVE prof Costello. I would recommend this class to anyone, no matter what they're interests are. He makes the most amazing connections, insights, etc. I loved it so much I'm taking his Writing Systems class next semester.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: LINGSECT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Awesome teacher. Really knows his stuff. And very friendly and personable.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Smart, nice, thorough, wonderful, fair, interesting, knows etym and linguistics inside and out. A+ for him all around!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ETYMOLOGY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I'm a word geek, but the man rocks. Sure, he gets off topic a lot, but it's at least still related to linguistics in some capacity. He's sooo nice, too, and will stick around after class as long as you want him to. You get out what you put in.