Michael Smith - University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Professor: Michael Smith

Department: Chemistry

College: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: 2443AND2444
• 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:

Had to retake orgo and took it with Smith. Wished I had taken him the first time round, his teaching style seriously makes the material understandable and manageable. Also very nice and helpful during office hours. Took both orgo's with him and had never felt so honored until the day he handed me my exam without having to ask my name. He's a legend

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2243
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Loved Smith, he's a funny old man. He's clear with his expectations and grading criteria. You should read the book when you don't understand something, go over lecture slides for the weekly quizzes, and take advantage of the supplemental instruction! I don't think he's teaching anymore but I'm very happy to have taken Organic Chemistry with him :)

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2443
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I'll make this clear right away: Organic chemistry is a very difficult class. Smith is VERY good at explaining things so the hardest part is setting aside (a lot of) time to ready and study. He emphasizes that orgo is mostly intuition and not memorization. I'm not sure how much longer he'll be around, so if you have the chance, TAKE HIS CLASS!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2443
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Smith is a godsend! The only teacher you should have for orgo. He is retiring at the end of the year, so try to get into his orgo 1 class in the summer (online) so you can do both orgos with him. Clear in what he wants. The notes take long to do, but the homework does not. Just keep on top of it! He is a funny man!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2444
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The man is a legend. Not sure what the kid below is complaining about. If you're on top of the notes and give yourself a reasonable amount of time to study, you'll do well. He provides old exams and quizzes that are often times carbon copies of what you'll see on the exam. In addition, he has recorded lectures on his site #SmithForPresident

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2444
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Pros: He gives access to his own online website which gives tons of old quizzes and exams which are super helpful to study from Cons: He does not care about his students. He's made a point of saying that he's here to do research and teaching is just a minimal part of his job. Exams expect a lot of application of material.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2244
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Smith is the best professor I have ever had in my college experience period. He is so great at explaining things and helping you when you're confused - he can explain one concept in a million different ways. He's the sweetest man who is funny and loves to joke around. Don't take orgo with anyone else - I will miss him & his class dearly.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2444
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

First, let's get this out of the way: Smith is an amazing professor. He is that rare combination of excellent researcher and great teacher. In order to do well: attend all the lectures, read the book and take a look at previous years exams and quizzes, which are posted on his website. While no orgo class is easy, he makes concepts clear

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2444
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Smith is the best orgo professor at UConn. He takes a super hard class and makes it understandable! He has a ton of material on his website to help you and know what to expect on the exams. Study hard for the quizzes! It makes the exams a lot easier. Drops your 2 lowest quizzes and 1 exam if you do better on the final. Go to class, he's hilarious!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2443
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Smith is probably the best professor I've ever had. He provides all the material you'll need to get a good grade (taped lectures, lecture notes, exams from years past, etc.). Great guy and really cares about the students. Wouldn't take organic chem with anyone else.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 2443
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Mr. Smith is easily one of the best Orgo professors at UConn. Incredibly helpful and available to students during office hours. He is seriously the man. He teaches orgo 2443 and 2444 in the off semesters (Spring and fall respectively) so if you have the chance to take with him, by all means do so. Orgo is hard - Smith makes it easy.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2443
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Smith is a great prof. The material is obviously hard, but he makes it managable. He wrote the textbook you use, so he obviously knows it well, the only issue is on powerpoints hell sometimes just copypaste a whole block of text from the book. Smith Is overall a really great guy and I actually learned a lot. Taking him for 2444 as well.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2443
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Orgo is hard, but he is the BEST orgo prof UConn has. If you have the option, take it with Smith. He uploads all his past exams, finals, and quizzes since the 1980's. All his exams follow the same general format and questions. The online quizzes are easy, the in-class quizzes are pretty hard. DO NOT FALL BEHIND.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ORGANICCHEM
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He will help you with anything you need in his office hours. Organic Chem is hard no matter what but this professor makes it fun.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2444
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's by far the best organic chemistry professor I have had. The material is difficult, but he makes it very manageable. He also has supplemental material online and it correlates with the book. If you MUST take organic chemistry, definitely take it with Prof. Smith.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: 2443AND2444
• 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:

By far the best professor I ever had at UConn. Orgo is very hard but Smith makes it manageable. He is ALWAYS available and teaches in a clear way. Very helpful and approachable in office hours, if you have any trouble you have to go see him. He will explain it 10 different ways until you understand it and would never make you feel stupid for asking

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2443
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I was so scared to take Orgo and now it's become one of my favorite classes thanks to him. His class is still difficult and requires a lot of time but he is extremely fair on all quizzes and exams, and posts all the old material online. Study off those and you will be fine! Maybe one of the best professors at UConn

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2443
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Study the old exams/quizzes and you'll do fine! Also, do hw problems for exam prep. He wants you to learn the info, so he gives you a ton of different resources.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2444
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Straightforward class, very fair. Everything he tests you on are based of his lecture slides and there will always be one explanation question based of the homework problems he gives you. I didn't go to lecture at all, I studied from the book and I managed an A.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM2444
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Had him for 2443. What can go wrong with an old Irish man that has a genetic defect of telling silly jokes? Smart person and knows how to teach. Definitely not cram for this class tho. Past exams are online. Tells lot of fun facts, including that UConn had students eat benzoic acid for orgo lab 100yrs ago(of course they dont do it in 2445 anymore)