Tom LoFaro - Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN

Professor: Tom LoFaro

Department: Mathematics

College: Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MCS222
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Tom LoFaro is an interesting and friendly guy all around. He's fair with grading and is very enthusiastic about the subject, which helps his students become interested as well. The subject itself is hard, but Tom makes it relatively manageable. A solid choice for a professor.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MCS121
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This was a pretty good class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MCS121
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I wasn't too impressed with TLo. His class was relatively enjoyable because he is a nice guy, but I don't like his teaching methods. We would get lectures for example on sections 1.1 through 2.4 and THEN we would take a test on 1.1-1.9. We also did the simplest problems on the board in class but had ridiculous homework problems in comparison.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MCS118
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Clearly, Tom loves what he teaches, but he is a TERRIBLE teacher. Unless you're gorgeous, play hockey, or are from St. Peter, I wouldn't bother taking his class. If you don't understand something, he tells you to look in the book; he does NOT care to help. Do not take a course with him!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MCS222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took Diff EQ and DDS with TLo, and he was a good professor. He was tough, but he was also fair. Once I started speaking up in class, my grades started improving. He gave me the benefit of the doubt if it looked like I knew what I was doing. A word of caution: he gives take-home exams often. Don't get caught cheating.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MCS118
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Crazy, funny guy, extremely passionate about math. Pay attention when he talks otherwise he will single you out in class. But he later apologizes. He's a good guy that is a college professor. Not a high school teacher.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MCS118
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Tom made the class really hard, and played A LOT of favorites! The class is easy if you are a hockey player otherwise you are doomed! Try to stay away from him if you can! I can't believe he got tenured!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MCS118
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

T lo is the man... i love this guy

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MCS122
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's unfair. I failed a test because he told us to show our work for partial credit. To me, this meant that I could receive some credit for a question despite having an incorrect answer. Some problems were easy, so I didn't show work for them. I received 2 out of 10 points for these questions which I answered CORRECTLY. Had to retake the course.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MATHS1000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

very hard, plays favorites, study a lot for his class, know your stuff.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MCS121
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took two years of AP Calculus in high school but didn't do too well, so I went into Calculus I with a lot of previous knowledge. The second half of the semester was when we got to material that I didn't have a good grasp on, and he was extremely helpful in clarifying exactly what things meant and showing me new ways to see problems - great prof.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Can be quite rude and explosive. Be very careful not to get caught dozing in class. He knows his stuff though.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MCS253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great Prof, very helpful and always there for help. All the tests were take-home except for the final exam. Homework was not overwhelming

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MCS222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Makes tangents to St. Louis sports and is pretty entertaining. He'll often go over homework problems (upon request) before they're due, but his exams make you use what you've been taught and take it to the next level.

Rating # 15

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

All I can say is that it's too bad Thomas got Tenure!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: LINALG
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

enjoyed the class

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MCS121
• 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:

Bad overall teacher

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MCS253
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a stud!!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MCS121
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very helpful, fun.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHY240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

bad teacher who just got tenured