Richard Symanski - University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Professor: Richard Symanski

Department: Science

College: University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO1A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He tells a lot of interesting stories that were unrelated to the class but made the lectures interesting. I normally don't like teachers that go on tangents but the class material is pretty straightforward so he can afford to get off topic. He curves the tests and most of the test material comes out of his lectures.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI55
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I don't think Symanski gets the appreciation he deserves. He is very passionate. I thought ecology would be boring but he makes his lectures interesting. (He does go on tangents tho) I've really been able to reflect on important issues in ecology that I was unaware of. Take advantage of extra credit questions! Don't be afraid to go up and answer.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI55
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Symanski is a very boring professor, he often goes on irrelevant tangents during his lectures that you don't care about. Read the textbook summaries & you can get by. You take 2 multiple choice midterms and a multiple choice final. I never studied for long, and I got a B or C+ on the tests. STUDY LECTURE NOTES. Wouldn't take again unless I had to.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI55
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I went to every single lecture and was never really able to understand what exactly he was teaching. He went off task a lot and would rarely relate what he is talking about with the slides he provided. His grading is based upon 3 tests: two midterms and a final. Honestly, did not understand anything he said because he always stated his opinions.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO55
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Going to lecture is ESSENTIAL to passing the class because 90% of the material on the 2 midterms and final are from the lecture, and also does not post his slides online. Each exam counts for 33% of the grade, all multiple choice, but with answers such as "A and B", or "A and C", etc. Symanski is an OK professor, but not an easy GE by any means.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO55
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

If you attend class and focus your notes on what he's saying rather than what's on the board, you'll do well. If you think you can skip class or just memorize, you're going to do bad. Goes off topic alot, but if any of the material is unclear he is happy to answer questions. Really broad material in the class, so definitely ask questions.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 1A
• 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:

The exams are hard. I went to every single lecture, but still did bad in exam. The professor also did not post anything on website.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO55
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Pretty much everything on his tests are based on his lecture, so getting the textbook isn't necessary. He tells funny stories a lot and goes off topic all the time. The exams themselves aren't extremely difficult but they're tough nevertheless, especially because you don't really know what will be on them. Not an easy GE at all.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO55
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

he is a terrible professor. He definitely goes off topic way too often. Teaches you unrelated topics and ideas. His questions are vague and interpretive because the way he asks questions is so unclear. His tests do not reflect most of what he "teaches". I don't recommend you take him at all.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a funny guy. i went to every lecture, but still did very bad at exams. It is not a easy GE class. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI55
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's an okay professor. He says exams are lecture heavy but he asks weird questions that are not really in the lecture. Does curve though. Not an easy GE as i thought it would be. He's a great person with great intentions and he truly does care about his students. Had to buy a $100 book and only takes out like 2 questions for the reading for exam.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO55
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Symanski seems like a cool teacher but don't take a class with him unless you HAVE to... He says he wants us to get things out of what he teaches but he teaches useless things. He makes you read a lot and go to lecture, yet even if you study your butt off, his tests are so difficult, he makes it hard to achieve a good grade. terrible professor.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI55
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Goes really fast during the second half of the lecture after he gives you a 5 minute phone break. No phones allowed at all times. Skipping class, you'll miss a lot of information (unless you got a friend). Lecture is heavy and sometimes goes off topic. Though he is bad at teaching in this particular class, he is all-around a decent guy.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 1A
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Personally didn't enjoy the class or the lectures by the professor. He can be rude to the students and very biased in what he teaches. He gives you an idea of what the midterm/final will be like, but when actually taking the exams its barely like what he actually says. The exams are tricky and overall wouldn't recommend this class for an easy GE.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO1A
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You absolutely need to show up to every lecture or you will be behind. There is no class website and the lectures are not posted so you need to take lots of notes during class. The tests are based entirely on lecture, and extra credit is offered if you are willing to go in front of the class to answer a question. Went off topic at times.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIOSC1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Made Bio Sci 1A one of the worst GE classes. Grades are based on 3 exams (extremely tricky). Notes don't help even though majority of questions are supposed to come from them. Does not post notes online. Only explains, but doesn't show you how your final grade is calculated overall. Only reveals first two exam scores and your final overall grade.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Horrible lecturer ever. No words can describe him. Very lazy, off-topic very regularly. Tests are crazy. Even though I passed, would not recommend for GE

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI55
• Grade Received: Audit/No Grade
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Attend all lectures since 75% of the tests are from lecture and he doesnt post online. There are two midterms and the final which is the ONLY graded assignments all quarter so study well (33% worth for each). However, he is very passionate about it and he makes you love it. Curves fairly and gives extra credit for days!! You'll love him

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI1A
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor often fails to stick to the subject at hand. Class was based solely on lectures and he does not post the slides. I would highly recommend taking the class with someone else, not a good professor at all!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIOSCI1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This is a good professor, he was clear and specific and taught in a way that made complicated issues easy to understand, however he does move fast so keeping up might be an issue. Now I know that there are a lot of rates that say he is pushing an agenda, he doesn't, it was a lapse of judgement and shouldn't reflect on the class he is teaching.