John Swenton - The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Professor: John Swenton

Department: Chemistry

College: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM151
• 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:

Great teacher. Super organized and clear. Very helpful.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Swenton is a smart man who knows his chemistry. He gives real world information. He'll tell you the EPA will bust you for using chromium so you need to find another way. Stuff like that. It was difficult to figure out what was FYI vs what was testable material. Gave lots of industrial synthesis examples that were useful but not relevant. He's tough

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM253
• 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:

It takes some getting used to the way he does notes (gives you a handout), but he is very knowledgable and tries to relate chemistry to your life. His exams are very fair and very doable although not necessarily easy. Other than Callam this was my favorite Ochem prof

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Department pulled this guy out of retirement to teach this quarter because they were apparently short. I can imagine he was a great teacher back in the day, but unfortunately he truly is senile now. Very scattered and all-over-the-place, has trouble understanding what you're saying to him, loses track of structures mid-reaction, etc. Long exams.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM652
• 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:

He is probably the best teacher I have known. That's not surprised the Dept of Chem has a teaching award named after him. Chem 652 is an upper level/graduate course, his approach on spectroscopy and explanations are extremely helpful for students who are doing research.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great professor!! Might take time getting used to his teaching style, but he really is very good at communicating the material. Really funny too

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• 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:

His tests aren't bad,half fill in and half mc. I personally thought his way of explaining mechanisms and reactions was unorganized, but there is always the book as a back up. I put a lot less time into this class than I had to to get an A in Callam's 251 class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• 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:

This guy loves to use the slides all the time, he does not write on the wall which is so confusing since you the reaction mechanism does not make any sense. His test are brutal and his grading system is biased. This guy is ol'skool and will do anything to make ya life miserable (and then tell you there is nothing to write home to mom about)

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: OCHEM252
• 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:

Great ochem prof. exams were very fair, as were quizzes. tells great stories in lecture actually a really amusing old man. expect to study 12-20 hours per exam depending on comprehension level. don't study heavily out of the book, rely on his lecture notes, they can stand alone. MAKE FLASHCARDS! 252 has 100+ rxns you MUST KNOW for the final.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Swenton is one of the best professors I have ever had. He's kind of old school, but extremely helpful and knows what he's talking about. He also has some pretty interesting stories that relate perfectly to the chemistry we're learning. I learned a lot in this class and am glad that I took him for it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Let's face it, its OChem. He's a pretty good teacher, his tests are hard but pretty fair. Definitely look at the old quizzes and exams. He reuses problems, sometimes verbatim. He is pretty old school, but he's funny and makes a boring subject more bearable.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• 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:

Swenton is old school. If you like teacher who write on the board, dont' take him. You have to reread all the text in the notes after class. You must read the text book to understand anything. His tests are part MC and fill in. He doesn't hold office hours, but his TA's are helpful. They say he's the best for 252, but I would sayhe's just averag

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• 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:

THis guy was one of the best professors I ever had at Ohio State. I believe he retired several years ago, but I just wanted to comment on the excellent education I received in his class. Hardest class I ever took and I worked my butt off for my A, but it was well worth it.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He's one of the best O-Chem professors at OSU!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Loved his class. It was an hour and a half twice a week, but the time seemed to fly by! Very well organized, well-spoken. Loved that he used current scientific articles to illustrate the usefulness of OChem.

Rating # 16

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Extremely well-organized, intelligent, and helpful. One of the best professors I've had.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEMISTRY252
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of the Best

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very organized notes. He gives practice exams that are very similar to the actual exams. He really stresses the things he thinks are important in class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM252
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

great teacher, great notes, makes o-chem not as bad.