Mary Winstead - St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Professor: Mary Winstead

Department: English

College: St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: FYW112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

It is funny that people are still commenting on Winstead...since she hasn't worked at Olaf for 2 years. Winstead was one of a kind - the worst kind, though. Do you know why she no longer works here anymore? She was let go because of the high volume of complaints! You should all buy her book on amazon.com for $0.01 - we learned from the best.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FYW111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took Winstead 3 yrs ago. Yes, it was tough. Yes, you will read & write more than in HS. You'll be challenged. It does what a FYW class should: prepare you for college level writing. Take her if you want your writing to improve(think multiple drafts). If your satisfied with where you're at, stay away. Satisfactory doesn't cut it with Winstead.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FYW111
• 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:

People come to realize that the profs who had the greatest impact on them were those who were the most demanding. It's a tough semester but it doesn't require kissing her ass - just long hours of the rewriting process. Efforts equivalent to what you did in HS don't cut it in college (most FYs' problem). Ask yourself if you really want to improve.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She is easily the worst teacher that I have ever had. My writing in no way improved. She gives massive amounts of work, with unbelievable expectations. She turned a very interesting class into feminism 101. Her grading/preferred writing style didn't make any sense and was completely biased and unprofessional. Sucking up makes the grade.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: FYW111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took her class two years ago and I can still vividly remember the torture I went through all semester. I did more work for her 100 level class than I have for any other 200 level class I have taken yet. We wrote 20 discussion papers and 4 "major" papers! If you don't suck up and pretend to agree with her you have no hope of getting an A, period.

Rating # 6

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

this woman was rediculous. i am now a senior and i can remember this class as being the worst one i've taken to date at st. olaf college. she forms prejudices against EVERYONE and favors boys. She should NOT be a teacher, she provides NO helpful feedback and completely crushes your spirit. She always has a patronizing tone in her voice--EVIL!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Winstead is a great teacher- I learned so much in her class. She is in no way comparable to Satan. If you really want to learn a lot from a very smart woman, take from Winstead.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

It was shocking at first when I was told this class took place in hell, but with every passing day I am beginning to think I would actually rather spend my tuesdays and thursdays with satan...I really dont know how high the person below me was when he wrote that but please do yourself a favor and avoid this class!!!!!!!!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GE111FYW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Before taking this class I worked really hard to drop it, but I'm SO happy that I stayed. Professor Winstead, although a difficult grader and professor has helped me so much. The class is INCREDIBLE! The in-class discussions are very interesting, and the assignments are do-able. I used to be a very weak writer and I'm getting an A. TAKE THIS CLASS!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Mary V. Winstead is without a doubt the WORST teacher I have ever encountered. She grades extremely harshly. Though I get A's on my papers in other classes, she thinks my writing sucks and gives me C's. The class is long, uninteresting and she is an evil person. Pray to God you never, ever have to take this class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

if you want to get f'd in the A, class after class. then this is a good choice. i would rather pick satan as my prof.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GE111TRAVEL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She really isn't that bad. At first she'll seem tough and strict, but she seems to warm up to you after awhile. Plus, the material is almost always interesting and enjoyable. This class ended up being one of my favorites!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you're a masochist this class is for you. She grades harshly. She doesn't help you develop your overall writing style; you learn how to copy HER writing style. Sure you learn a lot - but so do the other GE111 classes. Take another class. Learn just as much. Get a fair grade.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GEN111TRAVEL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The amount of work is sometimes extreme, but it gives us room for improvement. She grades really really hard (sometimes unfairly), but if you finish your work, class discussions can be interesting and sometimes (GASP) fun.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The meanest prof alive. She is not liberal, but she is not conservative either. She is a moral relativist. She is one crazy ****. Since I am a woman, I am not anti-feminist, but she takes it waaaaaay too far. She likes to ruthlessly make fun of the men in the class then give us all horrible grades on our papers. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE HER CLASS

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GENED111J
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Don't take this class unless you really want to be challenged! Winstead is hard, but the whole point in taking a writing course is to learn how to write well. Her comments on papers are not always helpful, but she is willing to discuss any and all questions in class. She also marks off if you turn stuff in that goes over the page limit. Yuck

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

****. Pure ****. AVOID THIS CLASS AT ALL COSTS!!!!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG111K
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Incredibly difficult prof. Very demanding of students, be prepared for a verbal lashing if you don't like to participate in class. The workload is offset only by the interesting subject matter. If you are unused to thinking critically about western society her classes probably aren't for you.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GE111K
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Do anything you can to avoid this class!!! It's pure torture and it consumes all your time. Plus, she does not give helpful feedback about your writing. It's actually all about politics and she does her best to brainwash.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GE111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Winstead (the Boob as we call her) is evil. She spent the whole semester brainwashing us with info about how some ppl have privilege over others even though they shouldn't.she took full advantage of her privilege as a prof. get on her bad side and forget about A's.Shes not specific in what she wants