Professor: Kris Ballal
Department: Biology
College: Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN
Rating # 1
Overview:
- Course: BIO3140
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Your final grade consists of the Midterm, Final, and Lab. Gave 3 points of extra credit for students that showed up to class before Thanksgiving break. Study the old Midterms and Finals that he puts in the lib because he reused a lot of old questions. You may not get much out of lectures for the exams but was a cool guy. Would take him again.
Rating # 2
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: F
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
He gets off topic a lot.
Rating # 3
Overview:
- Course: BIOL3140
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Dr Ballal is one of the worst professors I have ever taken. I attended every class except 2 and we did not cover a majority of whats on the exams. He usually goes off on a tangent about something pointless and spends all his lecture time on it. He grades you off two tests and a lab. He basically reuses old exam questions.
Rating # 4
Overview:
- Course: BIOL1010
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
You only get 2 test grades, but you have to get a good grade in your lab to at least pull out a C. His exams are super difficult, and if you skip class you will miss questions on the exams. He incorporates things he discusses in class that you don't read, even though attendance isn't checked.
Rating # 5
Overview:
- Course: BIO3140
- Grade Received: B+
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Without old tests/midterms I would not pass this class. He gave us a midterm over 6 chapters when we had only gone over 3 chapters in class. However, just study the old exams and you will get a B.
Rating # 6
Overview:
- Course: BIO101
- Grade Received: B
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
If you want to go to med school (or nursing, or PA, or...) get a good rec from him. Go to class, don't text.
Rating # 7
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: C
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Ballal was honestly the worst teacher I have ever had. He stated that attendance was mandatory at the beginning of the course to pass the class, however he never takes attendance. He spends the whole class time talking about the latest issues with the world and never actually goes over the slides.
Rating # 8
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: C
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Dr. Ballal is a pretty horrible teacher. He is incredibly difficult to get a hold of out of class. His lectures are pointless. Expect to read the book and teach yourself.
Rating # 9
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
This professor takes this time to basically rant about whats going on in the world. He will actually talk about the power point slides for a total of 10 minutes of the hour and a half long class. He does not make biology easy to understand, and coming to class feels pointless because I will learn just as much not coming to class.
Rating # 10
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: C+
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
You'll have to teach yourself and ready your book and study a lot. Going to class helps a little. He says attendance is mandatory but he doesn't take attendance. Sometimes he will call on a random name from the list to answer a question though. good luck!
Rating # 11
Overview:
- Course: BIOL1010
- Grade Received: Not sure yet
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Ballal switched it up on everyone this semester and didn't give a midterm identical to the study guide, half of the things on the test were things not on the study guide and not discussed in class. Almost the entire class made less than a 70 on the midterm, be ready to read the textbook cover to cover.
Rating # 12
Overview:
- Course: BIO1020
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Awful teacher. He does not lecture on biology when he is teaching class. He gives study guides with page numbers to look up answers and half the time the page numbers are wrong. He does not have a set basis for the class and talks about whatever he feels like.
Rating # 13
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: D
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Not the greatest teacher in the world... It was my fault I got a D, but he's still a pretty bad teacher overall. Going to class matters as far as a grade goes, but not necessarily for learning anything.
Rating # 14
Overview:
- Course: BIO1020
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 1.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Listen.. Ballal is not that bad. Now I had him back in 2016 but I suck at Biology!! He knows that most are business majors just taking it to get the credit. THE TESTS ARE THE STUDY GUIDES. All you have to do is go to class. If you like biology and want to learn more, dont take this professor. If you want an easy A and have fun doing it take Ballal.
Rating # 15
Overview:
- Course: BIOL3140
- Grade Received: B
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Dr. Ballal is hilarious to listen to and very knowledgable. You will learn in his class, just not much about what's going to be on the test. He says basically know everything. There were 3 grades; midterm, final, and lab grade. He randomly offered extra credit for those who attended class two times, so go to class. He did not give us a study guide.
Rating # 16
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: B
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Dr. Ballal is hilarious. He gives you study guides that are word for word the tests. He has 2 grades, mid term & final. You have to show up for class. A lot of the questions on the tests are straight from his head, so you need to pay attention and take notes. He responds to emails fairly quickly. He will call you out in class so pay attention.
Rating # 17
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: C
- Overall Rating: 2.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Only had 2 grades; the midterm and the final. Few things he covered in class were on either of the exams. He gave study guides and power points. The powerpoints have nothing to do with his lecture or the study guides. The study guides really helped. You'll need the book to help with the study guides.
Rating # 18
Overview:
- Course: BIOL3140
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Ballal is a great teacher. He is extremely knowledgeable, absolutely hilarious, and opinionated, but he doesn't cover much of the test material in class. The only way to pass this class is read the textbook cover-cover and use study guides from past years. The tests are INSANELY specific, I could not imagine taking one without an old study guide.
Rating # 19
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: Not sure yet
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Dr. Ballal is a professor who only takes 3 grades: Midterm, Final, & Lab grade. He gives study guides that match the test but his answers on the exam are not always right. He does not admit to making mistakes and he words questions in a way he can confuse you. He is not very understandable but his study guides help with the exam.
Rating # 20
Overview:
- Course: BIO1010
- Grade Received: D
- Overall Rating: 1.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Terrible.... Better do good on Mid-Term and Final, because it's your only grades.
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