Sherwood Harrington - De Anza College, Cupertino, CA

Professor: Sherwood Harrington

Department: Astronomy

College: De Anza College, Cupertino, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: AST4
• 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:

Professor Harrington is very organized and has a clear grading criteria: 3 Midterms and a Final. He'll drop your lowest midterm score. He won't hesitate to call out the students who are chatting during his lectures. Otherwise, my favorite class to fall asleep in.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

If you have any interest in space then you will absolutely love this class. Harrington is strict but a good choice. The planetarium on campus is the coolest classroom, I really enjoyed the demos. The grading is simple three tests all quarter (drops lowest score) plus the mandatory final exam. The tests are cumulative and reuse the same questions.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTR004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A good professor to take for Solar Astronomy. He knows a lot about the field and he has a straight forward approach to class. If you take show up, take notes and do his study guides for the textbook, it's very easy to pass.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Harrington is such a nice person, don't be disrespectful in his class. Do not eat or drink in the planetarium, do not talk when he is talking, do not go on your phone when the planetarium light are off, he will call you out for all these things. Be respectful to him, he's generous and really cares about his students.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Would recommend taking for your science GE. Astronomy 4 is a good and simple class for those who have any interest in space. The planetarium makes a cool classroom at times even though it's difficult to take notes. Class size is typically very large (100+) and there is little room for student participation, but the tests are easy if you show up.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Harringtons class is simple: 3 tests (lowest score dropped) and a final. The tests questions are recycled, so as long as you get the corrections from all the previous exams you will pass the final. I enjoyed his class, but you have to do the reading and show up to do well. It is an Easy B or C but you need to work for an A.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTR004
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He has a calm voice & talks a lot so you will get sleepy. Take this class with a friend so you can get notes from each other when you fall asleep. All info will be in the free textbook or videos posted on his website so just do pre-questions and study guides on his website and you'll be fine. Don't use your phone or talk cuz he will call you out.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Harrington is a good professor even though he is strict. Do NOT try to sneak in food or drinks. He is strict on phones too. Oh, and you have to do the reading. Exams are easy if you show up every day for lecture and actually complete the reading. The textbook was free this quarter which was awesome. He drops the lowest exam score, too. Easy to pass

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Harrington is a solid choice. If you need your science GE requirement, I would recommend taking solar astronomy 4. The class is not an easy A, you have to show up every class to do well on the exams. There are three exams (he drops the lowest score) and one final. He is strict but his lectures and demos are cool. The videos are boring though.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: AST4
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The class is very easy, grades based on the best of two exams and a final. Most of the information seems to come from the lecture & video, with the lecture mostly being there to give context to help understand the videos. Easily my favorite class this quarter.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

First hour of class lecture, and the second hour videos. Final grades are all based on midterms and finals, and they are not that difficult. Read the text book and know the answers to the questions he has given in class and you should be fine on tests. It is easy to fall asleep in the comfy planetarium, but you'll be fascinated by the solar system.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ASTR004
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Good for general education credits. Took the class over summer and it doesn't make it any harder I'd assume. Take this class if you want to learn something new without boring studying or homework. He's a bit boring so you'll be tempted to be on your phone or fall asleep but very worth it!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AST10
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He's a great professor and a really nice man. Sometimes, I want to just stay behind and hang out with him. He's awesome. And the class is easy too.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: AST10
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Only take this class if you have a superhuman attention span. For an hour, you listen to a monotone lecture, and for the second hour, you watch a really boring video. The tests come directly from this material, and it's not super complex, but you will be very tempted to leave.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: AST10
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He bores you to sleep in lecture (first hour) and then makes you watch a BORING video (second hour). His tests are meh... he gives you a practice test, but no test answers. Only take him if you're ready to get bored for 2 hours. Honestly the most boring class I have ever taken.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTR004
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

If anything this class is too easy. Classes consist of pretty boring videos and most students tend to leave before it even begins. The test questions are recycled so if you have a basic understanding of the review packets, you're good to go.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ASTR004
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class is quite easy for a GE class. The planetarium is amazing but sometimes dizzy for some people. Mr. Harrington is respectful, inspirational and sometimes hilarious. His teaching style is kinda classic but helpful. Accessible outside class. Few tests r full T-F and simple. Text book is not needed. It won't take much of ur time.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ASTR4
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class is simple. 300 points, 3 total tests at 100 points each in which consist of 2 midterms (the lowest of 3 is dropped), and the final. The final is the same format as midterms. I recommend to be in class when midterms are returned. He goes over the answers and the same questions show up on the next tests and on the final.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ASTR004
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Very rude professor, but knows what he is teaching. Clear grading. Easy class, but if you have any questions better off keeping them to yourself, is not really responsive or helpful when answering questions.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: AST4
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

you're only graded on 3 midterms and the final, so be prepared to teach yourself with the textbook. there are planetarium shows and videos, but he links the videos on his website. the planetarium shows made me nauseous and sick, if you get dizzy easily then skip those days . i went through a lot of Dramamine this quarter, wish i knew beforehand.