Jose Vidal - University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

Professor: Jose Vidal

Department: Computer Science

College: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CSCE242
• 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 professor. CSCE242 was not an easy class. Nonetheless, he was always available to help, even out of office hours. On Fridays, we had one-on-one classes, the perfect time to show him our work, which had to be submitted on Mondays, to the GitHub repository he gave us. I recommend this class; take it and learn technologies used in the real-world

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CSCE211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Doesn't really teach but he is an nice guy. Interesting course but take only if you are willing to learn on your own.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CSCE242
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

In 242 your grade is comprised of 13 homeworks, which would be just fine. However, Vidal goes over very basic documentation in class and then throws you in the deep end regarding the assignments. Most of which are far more difficult than the classroom examples and come with the stipulation that libraries can't be used despite his poor teaching.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Vidal was difficult. I learned more from the labs than the lectures, which were all example problems. Taught almost no theory or the "why does it work like that?" which screwed me up royally. Tests were so hard that he had to grade on a curve of (your grade)/2 +50. Prior experience with java STRONGLY advised.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CSCE146
• 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:

This class is hard, but you are learning a new language, and that takes lots of consistent practice. Vidal isn't particularly helpful one on one, but he provides many resources and bonus opportunities. The assignments are creative and you have to master them to do well, so you may as well go ahead and try to have fun with it.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

For a 100 level class, CSCE 145 with Vidal is very difficult. If you want any chance of doing well on Vidal's tests (the hardest part of this class), you will definitely need to practice. Additionally, it's helpful to look at the past tests he has on his website. Watch the videos too. In conclusion, do not enter this class expecting an easy A.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• 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:

Great professor. Granted, his class is difficult, but he offers many sources of help, from his office time to online lectures recorded by himself. I believe many people have difficulty with this class because they don't practice or take advantage of his resources. Programming takes practice, period. Leaving this class with an A is easy.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• 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:

Run for the hills! Unless you've taken Java Programming in high school, completely understood and are able to teach this stuff to you self, pass this guy up! I repeat, do NOT take this course with him. Ex-Marine here, was highly motivated and ready to learn. This class was so hard, I had to drop chem 111 to focus on it. Still ended up with a D.Run!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Pretty difficult if you haven't had experience in java, or any programming language before. USE THE BOOK! You WILL fall behind if you don't keep up with the reading. It is also very helpful during lab. Vidal wasn't the worst professor, but wasn't the greatest either; somewhere in between. A very nice guy though and very fair in his grading.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• 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:

You WILL have to put in A LOT of time w/ this professor. Don't bother attending lectures but study & practice DAILY. HW in tears is about right & tests are difficult. Check out old tests & grade distributions on csce145.com before enrolling in his class. You have been warned.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He didn't cover much in the lectures, but had videos on his website that covered pretty much everything. The labs were always ahead of the lectures. The homework was meant to keeping you in tears for most of the semester, but the tests were much easier. Overall, the class wasn't all that bad.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• 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:

Tests were hard- application of material, and not curved like Huhns. Instructor was virtually useless in helping to explain things, and what he did explain well was not on the tests. Lab TA was incomprehensible, spoke little to no English, so all around a horrible experience. TAKE HUHNS!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• 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:

If you have not taken a programming class before then prepare to put in some major work. Vidal was not a good teacher because he only did programs in class, he didn't actually show how to program. He doesn't curve grades like the other CSCE 145 Professor Huhns.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CSCE242
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Awesome guy. It takes practice to be a programmer. If you have a passion to become a programmer you will do fine.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CSCE204
• 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:

Vidal is a horrible professor for undergraduate classes. He does not care to help you, is not willing to curve any grades even if the whole class fails. His class was so bad, that we were begging for a final for something else to factor into our grade. He refused to give us one. His advice is to try harder. By far the worst professor.Avoid him.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• 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:

Very hard class, especially if you havent ever had a programing classes before. All he does is lecture, doesn't explain clearly about how to do the programing. When you ask a question he doesnt know how to answer the question. His test reviews cover nothing thats on the actual test so its pointless to study the review. Overall hes a bad teacher.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I anticipated this class to be well explained so that I was able to understand it since I had never taken a programming class before, but I was wrong. Vidal told me to ask the TA for help when I asked him and his approach to the class was purely lecture based...no hands on material. I don't think anyone should take him unless you have already taken

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is an upper level teacher that was teaching a 100 level class. He is probably OK for 500 and up, not 145. SUggestion, dont take him for 145 unless u have had computer programming before and know what u are doing now. I asked for help and he said "Read the book" The book is greek. Test were horrible. Look at his website.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CSCE145
• 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:

This guy is cool, but he is a upper division & graduate level professor. He should not have been teaching a 100 level class. For example, on the second test, out of 60 people the class average was a 47, but did not curve. 48 people failed, and his response was "do better". If you do not want to hurt your GPA, I suggest not taking Vidal.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: 883590N
• 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:

He is a very good professor giving out the grades the very next day. He has a course schedule on the web for us to prepare in advance and his projects are mind blowing. It usually takes a great deal of programming and planning to do his projects.