Laurie Smith - University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

Professor: Laurie Smith

Department: Biology

College: University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIMM100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I love Dr. Smith! Yes, she talks fast but her podcasts are there and they were EXTREMELY helpful. Everything she tests you on is RELATED to the material covered in the class. Obviously her exam questions are going to be derivations of what she lectures about, as any class should. So to say her tests are not like what she teaches is not true.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

One of the easiest classes I've taken at UCSD in that if you take the time to go to class and study, you will get the A. Everything on the tests is in the lecture notes and weekly quizzes force you to stay on top of things. Some hard-to-grasp topics in the course material but she explains them in lecture, which you should go to anyway for clicker.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Smith is a fast talker, so it helps to review her podcasts if you spaced out during lecture, or couldn't catch everything she said. I felt the final was fair as well, with heavy emphasis on problem solving and the material taught after the midterm. I reviewed all the problem sets and the previous final and did really well. She is passionate!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIBC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Podcast all her lectures to help. Everything she says might be on the exam. 50point clicker-EASY. 50 point Quizes EASY--str8 from hw and you only have to take 57 of them. 20 point discussion attendance EASY. Exams are fair to hard-lots of MC questions that asks: choose none, some or all the following. Midterm is given on week 6.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I would not recommend this professor at all. Her review sessions are extremely unhelpful. Her midterms have nothing to do with what she gives us to review. I would not take her and I would wait for another professor.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She provided us last years exam, which was super easy compared to the miderm which was at least twice as hard and tricky. I was really bummed because it was so misleading. go to every lecture for clicker questions, discussion quizzes, and do the problem sets. Lecture material is pretty boring, and there is no curve. If possible, avoid.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Honestly, I was pretty scared about taking this class since my first upper division bio class. Dr. Smith is a really good teacher, though, and I learned a lot. I also found that I had no reason to be scared! Just pay attention in lecture, do the problem sets, and go to discussion. BTW - don't read the book. It doesn't really help that much.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Really great prof. Lectures flow smoothly; includes real-world application. Very knowledgeable about the subject. Podcasts, provides slides and gives plenty of practice problems so book isn't needed to learn well. Also pretty helpful during OH. Cons are she uses clicker pts (but only need 40 out of >60 possible) and discussion is more/less required

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Took this upper division class as a freshman. Lectures slow if you did the reading, fast if you didn't. Exams "based on lecture" which means expands heavily on the material lightly touch on in lecture. Clicker questions are annoying. Smith is very intelligent and has her occasional golden nerd-joke. Reminds me of Amy from the big bang theory. TAKE

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

If you do her problem set multiple times and review lecture slides you will be fine for her exams. Lecture is pretty much mandatory because of clickers. Section is "optional", but not really since there are pop quizzes, but those aren't bad either, since some TAs will use questions straight off the problem sets. Overall not a bad class or prof

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor smith is passionate about genetics but she isn't the best lecturer. Going to lecture is mandatory in a way because of clicker points. Do the problem sets over and over and make sure not to fall behind or you'l be screwed for the midterm/final

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are fairly clear and keep you alert due to clicker questions. To do well on exams and section quizzes, you *MUST* do the problem sets **multiple times**, review lectures, and do the practice exams (textbook is not needed at all). Dr. Smith teaches concepts, but you must put the time into learning problem sets. You get what you put in!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Her lectures are video podcast so its a nice resource if you miss lecture but like others mentioned there are points given during lecture for answering clicker questions. As for her speaking she can sometimes lose me with all the filler words, like "umm" or "ah" making the lecture hard to follow at times.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She's an okay lecturer; her voice can get kind of monotone but she's decent. She's really passionate about genetics which is good. Can get impatient if you ask a question and she wants to move on. Lectures are podcasted but there are clicker points so it's up to you if you want to go. Do the problem sets and and the class really isn't too bad.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• 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:

Great Lecturer, very clear and concise. Posts VIDEO podcasts, and iclicker points are a free grade booster. Just do the problem sets, rewatch the lectures via podcast, and you will do fine. One of the best Bio professors in my opinion

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lecture based class. However, lectures are boring and cover very little of what needs to be learned to solve the HW or even do well on tests. Exams are hard and change every year. Clicker questions help your grade in addition to pop quizzes in Dis. There is no curve. She spends a lot of time talking about random examples that are not helpful.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

This class is really easy. If you've taken a basic stats class before this is a cakewalk. I think a lot of people try to learn the material when they should be learning how to take the test. That's why the problem sets are important. There's less memorizing in genetics and more problem solving. Btw don't buy the book. Worst $60 I've ever spent.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• 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:

Good. The problem sets are optional but you pretty much HAVE to do them to do well in the class

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Class was hard but doable. She is a great lecturer very easy to understand. She gives the opportunity for extra credit, and was really helpful after the hard midterm. She really does set people up to do well, but for some (like me) it can be a really tough subject to master by test time. Study hard, do ALL the problem sets, twice.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BICD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hard class, tests are hard. Lectures are interesting. Requires attendance as she asks clicker questions. Only one midterm and a final. Study for those. A lot of calculations. Do your review problems and youll do fine.