Mark Vitha - Drake University, Des Moines, IA

Professor: Mark Vitha

Department: Chemistry

College: Drake University, Des Moines, IA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM001
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Uses analogies a lot to get points across, which is helpful. You have to work in his class, but it pays off. Exams are based heavily on online homework and textbook problems, so doing those problems will help a LOT on exams.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Vitha is a really good teacher who knows a lot about chemistry. He honestly wants you to have a thorough understanding of the content and will work with you outside of class to reach that. He is sarcastic and funny but can come off a little intimidating, but nice. The textbook will help you survive this class, do the readings and BOOK PROBLEMS!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is an amazing professor, however, you definitely have put in the work as well. He can also be intimidating. He knows this topic very well, but his exams are difficult. There was also no partial credit on the exams, which was a real bummer.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM003
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Don't be fooled by the rating for his actual teaching. Its true, he does teach the material very well, but it really doesn't matter if you can't pass the class. He is very nice and pretty funny but his exams are beyond hard. I studied HARD for 2 weeks and still got D's. If you already know lots of chemistry coming in you're probably okay.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM001
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Vitha does an amazing job of explaining material in an accessible way, but he also expects that you're putting the work in outside of class. If you do book problems and keep up with the textbook you'll do well.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's really good at explaining the material and I feel like I totally understood everything, but then the tests are so incredibly hard. You can understand everything, but still do poorly on the tests. I would ONLY recommend if you thoroughly understand chemistry before taking his classes.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Although his tests were on the tougher side, he taught the material well. He was very approachable in his office hours and going to his SI sessions were helpful. There was extra credit on his tests but it was usually something small he said in class or based off an event he promoted. There's a good deal of math involved so do the practice problems.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM001
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Vitha cares about students. He makes it clear that book problems and Sapling will be on the exam. The tests are hard, but after the first one you learn his style. Half the questions are multiple choice and half are math or short answer for naming. He does not give extra credit. Although he is tough you definitely learn the material.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Vitha was the best chemistry professor I could have asked for. He's very willing to work with any student and will take the time out of his day to make sure that you understand the material. He taught me how to work hard for my grade which is paying off now. Overall, great guy, he's like the dad that just wants you to be successful.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Vitha is the WORST professor. He is full of himself, even made us clap for two students who were the only ones who got a test question right. Lectured us about how we didn't put in any effort when his tests are very difficult. Would show us books he has written to "prove that you never know when you are going to use chem" except chem is his job

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Vitha is an amazing teacher who makes an effort to get to know his students. While his tests are difficult, they are exactly what you would expect if you paid attention in lecture and did problems in the book. He wants you to think logically and gives you everything you need to be successful.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His notes and lectures make perfect sense and he can explain at a level that it doesn't go over your head. But the course is graded heavily on the four tests and the final exam. Uses easy examples in class, but very hard problems on the tests. If you want to pass you HAVE to work outside of class a lot to get a good grade on the test.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM081
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I enjoyed quant much more than I thought I would. While the tests (even/especially take home tests) were incredible difficult, the effort was well worth it. The practice problems were often similar to test questions. I learned so much in lecture and in labs, which seemed long and frustrating but were so crucial to improving basic lab techniques.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM002
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

While Vitha is a very tough guy altogether, he is definitely a dad-who-wants-you-to-succeed kind of tough, rather than a you-shall-not-pass type of guy. Keep up in lecture, it goes fast. There is not many points outside of tests, so if you are poor at taking a test, beware. Overall one of the best chemistry teachers at Drake.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM81
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Vitha is a really good teacher. He gives you everything you need to succeed including lecture notes, homework, and suggested problems. However, his expectations are outrageous. He expects you to be a chemistry machine: he wants you to crank out problems with little thought. You also will need to memorize all equations and sometimes constants.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Vitha is a fair professor. You will grade will be based on the amount of effort you put into the class, and how passionate you are about learning chem. The exams (especially the written portions) are insanely difficult, but he teaches the material well and expects A LOT of out of class work, especially on memorization. Will help you if you ask.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM0022
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Vitha was my favorite teacher at Drake. He listened to your questions and was more than willing to work with you until you completely understood what you were trying to figure out. He is intimidating but GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Amazing professor! My favorite professor ever!!! He's a great guy and really wants his student to succeed! It may be a tough class but if you put in the work and take advantage of the resources he offers you, it's not bad.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM081
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Vitha is a clear and pretty engaging teacher - he loves teaching and really tries hard to be there for his students and help them out, in class, lab, or via email. I had to work pretty hard for my A in Quant, but if you're at all interested in chemistry, you should take the class. I'm in grad school now, and it's been immeasurably helpful.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

My favorite teacher, he is a genius, but he can also help others learn very well. Very clear on his teaching and very though rough. Go to his help sessions!!