Mark Berg - University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

Professor: Mark Berg

Department: Chemistry

College: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM541
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Berg is a solid choice for a pchem prof at USC. Pchem is hard regardless of who your prof is so if you have a choice i would take Berg. His tests are difficult but i found that studying the homework and the sample exams was really helpful. Problems on the tests are not going to be exactly the same as ones you have seen before

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM541
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Berg is funny, and borderline condescending. PChem is a difficult subject, no matter who you take. I wouldn't say Dr. Berg's class was absolutely impossible, but it's definitely challenging. You'll have to do a lot of textbook reading to understand the concepts and do the homework. Buy the solutions manual.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM542
• 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:

His exams are hard. You have to really study on your own and teach yourself the material in order to do well. He only covered theory in class and not specific problems that we would be tested on or how to even apply the material we needed to learn. Overall, not the best professor and awkward 1 on 1. Would not recommend if you can take someone else.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Berg's class is pointless to attend. He doesn't make sense. It's obvious that he's very smart and very passionate, but as a non-chem major it's difficult for me to learn from him. On each exam there was at least one question I had never seen before, in class or recitation or on the sample exam. He only gives one practice example. Good luck.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I really enjoyed my time with Prof. Berg. The jokes he threw into his lectures weren't your average dad-joke caliber joke, they actually made me laugh. Seemed very friendly and helpful, explained everything clearly. He's also a fairly easy test giver, do the homework and practice exams (a god-send) and you will be fine.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Berg is a genius, but has some trouble expressing what he means sometimes. Makes a few mistakes on the board. As far as I know, he's willing to help if you go to his office, and there are plenty of SI opportunities. OWL homework is due every Sunday. Doesn't take attendance. Recitation is required but that's what helped me learn best.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM541
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

P. chem is hard no matter where or who you take it with. Dr. Berg does his best to teach it, but it is difficult no matter what. The best way to prepare for exams is the same method you would use in a math course--practice. Seriously, practice as many problems as you can possibly do. The exams are not like homework. They are application based.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He was decent, but I had already taken the class so I knew the material. I could imagine the class being pretty hard if I had not known the material.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

attendance isnt mandatory, but you wont do well if you dont go to class. exams are short and a little tough, but if you are willing to put in the work, you will be fine. si and recitation are extremely helpful, and exam questions are 99% from lecture notes

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Berg's heart is in the right place, but the man is simple not that great of a teacher for such a large class. Enormous amount of OWLs and the only time I learned the material was in SI. If you're a chemistry wiz, you should be fine in this class. Anyone else should look elsewhere.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Do NOT take him. He speeds through his lectures and refuses to answer questions. The only way you learn anything in the class is through recitation and SI. Assigns an unnecessary amount of OWLs. You WILL spend at least 10 hours a week on them. He gives practice exams that have nothing to do with the exams and completely mislead you for the exam

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Do NOT take Berg for chem 112. He relies on SI sessions and OWL problems to make up for his lack of teaching skills. He takes joy in writing an impossible exam and then watching students fail. I had a 4.0 for three semesters and I'm fighting for a C in this class. You will spend 10+ hoursweek on owls. TAKE ANYONE ELSE.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM541
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Very good lecturer, as he makes material easy to understand. People often get bothered by the use of simple vector calculus and partial differentiation, but if you've satisfied the pre-requisite courses, it's really not anything that's beyond your understanding. Very personable in front of the class, but somehow very awkward one-on-one.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Extremely hard. Doesn't explain well and tests are ridiculous and nothing like the practice tests. Final is mandatory. Avoid if you want to pass Chem 112!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

One of the smartest people I've ever been around. His tests are very difficult, but if you put in the time, you will get results. I cannot stress enough how important it is to read the textbook. It will help you so much. And do the OWL. I don't think people realize that it is 20% of your final grade.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Berg is a pretty good teacher but his tests are VERY HARD. There are only about 5-6 questions on his tests and most of the time each question is worth 20 point. He tests mostly on comprehision so make sure you know your stuff and not just memorize problems. Also do all of your OWL and do great in recitation and labs.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

CHEM 112 is not CHEM 111. Its 5 times harder. I didnt study in 111. i made a b+. i studied for 10 hours before each test in chem 112 and made 17, 37, 62 on my test grades. I somehow came out with a C on my final grade. i attended almost everything i possibly could. I think Berg was a great teacher. Just extremely hard tests. Very nice though.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Berg is a somewhat odd man. He is very nice but he spends most of the class drawing pictures and rushes through the actual work. His test are somewhat hard but nothing unmanageable. Chem 112 is nothing like 111. Thats the biggest adjustment.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• 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:

DON'T TAKE HIM!! I warn you. Only 5~6 problems on each exam and they are really hard. On final, there were 16 questions and it was horrible. He gives us practice exams but they are NOT helpful. To understand the concept, I had to read textbook. His lecture just confused me. When I asked him question, he made me feel stupid. I heard Dukes is easy..

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM112
• 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:

I have to agree with the comment below. Class time was useless. He doesnt want people brining lap tops to class but doesnt care if people talk and disrupt others learning in class. I spent a min. of 20 hrs studying for final and still didnt do good. Do NOT take professor Berg, he doesnt care if students do well or not!!