Kris Schindler - University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo), Buffalo, NY

Professor: Kris Schindler

Department: Computer Science

College: University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo), Buffalo, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CSE341
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The difficulty of this class was super overstated. The first test, quiz and especially project are the hardest, mainly because of how new assembly is to the usual cs kid. There's a pretty nice curve too since the class averages are usually so low. The material isn't even hard, it's just a very dense amount of knowledge for a one semester time span

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CSE111
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class was really hard however Kris was helpful and will 100% pass you if you make it a point to introduce yourself and try in the class. The TA's for the class are the WORST !!!!!! I used an outside tutor and I was way less stressed out with projects. LAB isn't helpful unless you hook on to a good TA.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CSE490
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great class that goes into depth in computer architecture topics down to the transistor level. Leaves a bit to be desired though as projects are a large % of your grade and you're thrown into the deep-end with them with no help, but they are manageable. Great guy, always good jokes, knows his stuff.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CSE379
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I have paid a lot of time for this class which more than my other classes. When I checked the grade, I got my lowest grade in UB(My other classes got more than B+). If you want to keep your GPA, you need to avoid him.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CSE379
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Depending on how good you are at reading documentation you will spend up to 50 hours a week and still be close to an F. Lab partners are a hit or miss depending on your luck unless you have a friend you KNOW that will do SOMETHING. If you don't get above a 65 for lab tests you get an F automatically.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CSE379
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you are familiar with assembly, you are good. Otherwise you will spend 10+ hours in lab for this class per week(If you do not want fail). TAs were not helpful, the most sentence they said was "Read the documentation" . And documentations were not clear enough. You will lose points for somethings they do not say in documentations.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CSE379
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You have to spend 30 to 50 hours/week on this course.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CSE379
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Pretty brutal projects. A solid lab partner is a must, otherwise, get ready to work. Exams are straight from the textbook/homework problems. Pop(-ish) quizzes during lecture. TAs are very helpful in lab. Requires lots of effort, but you learn a ton. Expect to put in 20-40 hours/week alone for this course, especially if you're new to assembly.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CSE341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You will stay up all night working on projects, it wont matter. You will receive tests on material that you have not been presented and they will dwarf the projects. But if you skip the projects you will still fail.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CSE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Schindler gives interesting and clear lectures. He's also very funny and kind, if a bit unorganized. He's always helpful and willing to hear you out, but the TAs do the grading and can be very critical. I highly recommend going to office hours because you'll probably need help on the homework projects

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CSE341
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Schindler is an extremely tough teacher who will make you work for your grade. His projects are extremely hard in the beginning (15 - 20 hours of work) but get easier as the semester goes on. His lectures tend to be very broad and his slides don't go into enough detail. Take Schindler if you're a CE major but avoid him if you're in CS.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CSE341
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Kris will make you work for your grade, but you will learn the material being presented to you. Expect 15-20 hrs of work on the projects. Be sure to look over the homeworks he puts out, even though they are optional. Definitely take Kris if you are a CE as it will help prepare you for CSE379.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CSE341
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Worst class I have taken here at UB. Projects will skin you alive and are overkill and the lectures do not help you with them at all. Grading rubrics are brutal too. If you are CS and not CE I would avoid him at all costs as you will spend more time for his class than any other class and you will probably never need to know mips, hardware, etc..

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CSE111
• 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:

Very strict grader, he obviously cares, but exams and quizzes are on the most menial things

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CSE111
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's an okay professor but really unclear about how he wants things done. Points are easily docked on projects and quizzes because of that. Grades take forever to get returned. Exams and quizzes aren't too bad, I was able to study 20 min before and do okay. Projects get increasingly harder. Get ready to look up how to do things outside of class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CSE111
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a cool professor and he's easily approachable. Projects aren't too bad. But be aware of the wording of the tests. If it's a python program and the question asks for the output remember to put whatever is after the print line along with the answer. If it's a multiple choice question, read carefully because some ask for multiple answers.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CSE111
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor, if you really need help go to office hours or any of the TAs office hours and they will gladly help. This is a challenging course, but once you know the stuff and really work for it, you'll do fine.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CSE111
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You WILL have to work for your grade in this class. If you don't have experience with Python or Karel then this WILL to be challenging. For the projects that are based in Karel, make sure you read the text. His lectures don't prepare you well for what you are expected of in the projects. DONT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO DO THE PROJECTS!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CSE341
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Schindler is a tough professor and with difficult projects, but all the content is doable if you actually spend time on it. Is it easy? No. College isn't supposed to be easy. The people who complain are obviously not utilizing the resources available to them or taking the time necessary to learn the content.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CSE341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

projects extremely difficult which his incredibly basic teaching does not help. you're left to flounder around, spending hours and days only to end up way below needed grades to pass. (70 is a C-) quizzes and tests hard as well. lecture slides are walls of text (plain, boring, repetitive, nonsensical)