Karen Greif - Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA

Professor: Karen Greif

Department: Biology

College: Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She's not a very good teacher and most of what she says during lecture isn't on the slides, so you definitely have to take good notes. She's a very harsh grader and answers on her exams are more about mind reading than the material. If you're struggling, do the analysis questions in the textbook, those are pretty similar.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Avoid her if you can. She's honestly both a terrible professor and person. She lectures the bare minimum and just reads off of her ppt. Her exam questions seem pretty broad, but she will only accept a specific type of answer, and she gives little to no feedback. She's the reason I'm no longer a bio/biochem major.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Greif does read mostly from her powerpoints, but her powerpoints are very informative and directly correlate to the test. She is good at answering questions, and very kind -- though a tough grader.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She writes very vague test questions, it is difficult to tell what she wants from students. She cares more about how you articulate the answer to a question than what you actually say. She is a very strict and picky grader, but is vague about how she wants questions to be answered.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIOB210
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

The WORST teacher I have ever had. So boring, is not intellectually challenging, and relies on her slideshow for every class. My dean told me not to take her class and that many students had filed complaints about this teacher and her policies. Would NOT recommend.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Greif's course was one of the most challenging courses I have ever taken. Her class is basically ppt slides every single day, a worksheet every now and then. Then two in class exam which are so broad and short answered and she's so tough on the grading. She's the reason I'm not a bio major anymore.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

While it is true that she lectures from slides, Dr. Greif was a great lecturer, and very thorough. Her tests were not too hard, but get ready to study and do the reading! I also found her friendly and approachable when answering questions outside of class. She also made her topic, cancer, really cool. The perfect class for intro biology.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PUBL210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Avoid like the plague.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Greif's class has a basic format. She lectures straight off of ppt slides and then gives tests that are about 10 short answer questions. Some people found the tests very challenging because they are ALL short answer, so you have to pull info straight from your head. All I can say is MEMORIZE THOSE PPT SLIDES, and you will be fine.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

not really a fan. Dr. Greif is nice but as a prof, she just reads off slides for an hour.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She is an incredibly hard grader. However, if you meet with her before your exams and ask her what she expects of you and you do it...I guarantee you will do well. She comes off as incredibly intelligent and intimidating, but in one on one encounters she is sweet and helpful. Meet with her!!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I really like her, but you definitely have to put in time and effort. The test questions are pretty open-ended, but if you are more of a conceptual learner instead of someone who is able to memorize minutia then you will do well. She's super nice if you reach out to her and is understanding.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Her lectures are not interesting and she is monotonous, so it is often very difficult to pay attention. She claims her tests are based off of her powerpoints, which often lead to the "I'm not going to class" attitude. Her tests are not "normal" bio exams, they are unclear& open ended. Not very encouraging either. Turned me away from the bio major.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIOL202
• 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:

Greif is really smart and crystal clear in lecture. Only problem is u don't get any practice or hint before exam. If u don't review lecture material or work on ur own, the exam will make u die. Average is about 50-60%. But if u work hard enough, u'll easily be the top5-10%.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIOL110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is extremely helpful and inspirational if you approach her during office hours, though she is not very good at lecturing. Her exam questions is well-developed and really require a deep understanding of the course material, which is kind of challenging but beneficial in the long term. Also, she is not a gpa killer as rumoured.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIOB210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

It's so easy to fall asleep in her class because she turns the light off while reading off a her slides. I don't think she know how to teach, yet she grades very harshly. She insisted that attendance is important because this is a discussion class, yet no one really talks in her class because there is just not much to say.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PUBL210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

At first I did not like this class and did not like this professor at all. However, after a talk with the professor, this class went much more smoothly, and I understood a lot more. Yes, she reads from slides, but she also has interesting segways as well. She grades hard, but it means you earn your grade, and it's not just a fluff class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO210
• 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:

Her biology and public policy class sucks! Her takes attendance, reads off her slide shows in a monotone, and grades the paper very harshly even though she can barely teach at all. I regret taking this class with her!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: UPPERLVLBIO
• 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:

Dr. Greif is inspirational, and has influenced the direction of my life to become a physician as an English major. Her classes taught me how to think critically about journal articles and research, and her encouragement helped me feel confident changing the direction of my education to Biology.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIOPUBL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

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