Ken Gurganus - University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC

Professor: Ken Gurganus

Department: Mathematics

College: University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MAT162
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Gurganus is a very smart man, and he clearly is a master of the content, but he's a horrible lecturer. He never explains any of his work, he just writes on the board and narrates what he's writing. The one good thing is that he has plenty of practice tests on his website, and his actual tests are of the same format, so use those to study.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MAT162
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Gurganus goes over a million things at once in class. His lectures are heavy, fast and all over the place. He doesn't explain anything well in class. His tests are usually 6-9 short answer problems that are pretty much identical to the practice exams. He just chances the numbers. Basically had to teach myself all the material.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MAT162
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Nice man, though disorganized. Lectures are all over the place. His handwriting is sloppy. None of his homework is required, but to actually understand the lesson it's a good idea to do the problems he assigns. Practice tests are posted online and the actual tests are in the same order with the same concepts as the practice tests, which is nice.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ken Gurganus is by far better than his wife Linda just because he is genuinely nice; however, the sweet old man doesn't teach well. I was at the math lab constantly. He understands the material too well to break it down to basics. If your strong suit is not calculus, don't take him; otherwise, he's super sweet.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. G was one of the best professors I have had so far because of how great he is explaining things 1 on 1. You have a problem, go ask him in his office. He will make sure you get it. Study the practice tests and review the old tests on his website because format is the almost exactly the same, just with different numbers.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Over all I liked his class, Some times you do have to watch what he is doing because he will make mistakes in his work. He does alot of practice in class which is very nice. He does not give a lot of homework though. He doesnt explain things to well, but if you goto his office hours he is great for one on one practice. I would take him again.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• Grade Received: D+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Sometimes I felt like he was making up things as he went along. His basic math (addition, multiplication) was wrong on the board many times. It could've been his vision problems, but then again he would argue that he was right at times. Tough class had to take it again because I just didn't know what was going on with his class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He doesn't always write the correct numbers or words on the board, but when you work it out like him on tests or homework he counts off if you do it like him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MAT162
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His teaching style is rather boring but example problems are identical to test questions. Old practice tests make the exams pretty easy but you are going to need the book or good notes. Skipped class a lot but still got an A. You need to have ambition to do alot by yourself if your going to skip because the material isn't easy.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MAT162
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is really smart but a terrible teacher. About 90% of the time he is facing the board writing problems, super unorganized. He is very nice and the practice tests are very similar to the test he gives you. But you will be spending ALOT of time teaching your self.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MAT162
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

At first I thought this class was going to be terrible, but it's really not that bad. Dr. Gurganus is disorganized but if you always come to class you can learn a lot. Also the tests are basically the exact same as the one's on his website so making a good grade it easy. I would take him again for sure.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: 162
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

terrible board technique. does not explain how things work. expects you to know how to do everything

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• 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:

I took his class in the summer after withdrawing from Dr. Guo in the spring. He is good because there is no language barrier and he works directly with the book. I suggest getting the study guide to the book as well. It is awesome.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Terrible experience. Unhelpful and uninvolved lectures. I have never had a professor that spends more time looking at the wall and talking to himself. He is knowledgable but expects all students to understand exactly what he is talking about. If you are not a math genius, stay away.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• 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:

Beyond awful. Stay away.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• 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:

Ken is a very knowledgeable man, however he cannot teach all that well. He is always ready to help though so if you have questions just ask. Tests are identical to the study guide he gives out the week before so making an A is simple.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Only works through problems from the book while explaining hardly anything. Kahn academy and Youtube are proving better teachers. If you are not a math major or calculus whiz, I would highly, definitely, and without a second though take Math 161 with another professor.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MAT311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Discussion of limits, continuity, sequences, and series was quite thorough. I was not terribly fond of his development of integration, however - our entire exam was based on Darboux sums/integrals, which is treated as an afterthought in the textbook - they are entirely developed in the exercises rather than in the text.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MAT151
• 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:

Does not teach. He does problems on the board without explaining anything. Says he will meet for extra help, but doesn't show up. Had to work really hard independently to keep up. If you have not taken Calculus previously I would strongly avoid him.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MAT161
• 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:

Worst teacher I've had at UNCW. Doesn't explain anything, starts class before time so when you get there on time he's already started on a problem. Makes mistakes all the time. Tests are hard but gives a previous test so I teach myself from that.. Way too much time invested in this class and not learning anything.