Tom Smythe - Furman University, Greenville, SC

Professor: Tom Smythe

Department: Business

College: Furman University, Greenville, SC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: FYS1154
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely great professor. Very passionate and the FYS was very interesting, which made it easy to come to class. Dr. Smythe really cares about his students

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FYS1154
• Grade Received: 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:

Awesome professor. He seemed very arrogant and intimidating at first but in reality he is very helpful and responsive. We barely read textbooks but I felt like I have learned so much from our discussions. He knows how to make his class entertaining. He also wants to know a lot about your background and treats you like an individual.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FYS1154
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lots of writing essays outside of class, lots of discussion within class for FYS1154 (Management Literacy). You can get him sidetracked in class, but don't do it because you will end up with more work at the end of the semester. Extremely helpful in office hours. Don't wait until the last minute to write his papers. Overall, good class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: FYS1145
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

While I was very interested in the subject matter, this class is a must for any freshman that are thinking of becoming an accounting/business/economics major. Dr. Smythe cares deeply about his students and their success, and will do anything to help you out. I would say it is fairly easy to make an A, just put in the work.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: FYW1256
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great rofessor, really interesting FYW (management literacy) which really focussed on 2008 finical crisis and crises in general. Wasn't to hard for people who didn't know much about econ but an interest in it definitely helps. Smythe goes really out of his way to help you and really cares

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BUS340
• 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:

Best professor at Furman! Easy to follow if you do your hw. Always helpful when I went to see him in office hours. Speaks clearly and knows how to keep the attention of the class. He doesn't like bs - get your game straight and you'll excell.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BUS340
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You will learn A LOT, but it's not an easy class. Pay attention, or you will get behind fast. It helps to read the book.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BUS340
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Tough teacher, makes class seem much harder than it really is. Tests are difficult but his class is helpful for the future.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BUS440
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I like him. He's conservative. He's opinionated. And he talks at the same time flipping the slides which makes it hard sometimes to jot down the slides and what he says at the same time. But he knows his stuff and he makes his expectation clear. So you know what you are doing and what to expect on the test.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BUS340
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He's a little unclear in class and his test questions aren't that similar to what is discussed in class. Luckily, he is extremely lazy and reuses old test questions. Plus, he tells you he wants you to study the old test answer keys--making it SO easy.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BA51
• 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 loved him. He's arrogant but he knows it. He likes to push buttons but he's really chill and likes to get to know the class. I thought the project was interesting and he gives you old tests to practice on. I had no finance background and although class was often hard to follow, it's not impossible to do well if you study the right stuff.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BA51
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Tom makes this class way too hard for an intro to finance. This is like an upper level grad class. The project was meaningless and the tests are designed to trip you up. Besides anything Patterson teaches, worse class in the BA department.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BA51
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hey, thanks for sharing your arrogance with us, we appreciate it. Apparently you have to be a finance master to succeed in the real world, that's good to know.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BA51
• 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:

For all who says you need a strong financial background for this class - I had NONE and got an A- without much of a struggle. Tests are long, but by no means overwhelming. He does a great job of making sure you're prepared for his tests, and even better, for life after Furman. For anyone who complains about Tom's class, good luck in the real world.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BA53
• 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:

Without a doubt Tom can powerlift, bench and squat more weight then any single person that walks this planet. Very rarely do you find such an astute mind inside of such a powerful man.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BA81
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Tom might be the greatest professor in the history of academia. His knowledge of "The Longest Day" is unmatched. He downs Belgian beer by the pitcher, and is King of packing. If Chuck Norris was a professor, he would be Tom Smythe. His tears cure cancer. Unfortunately, he never cries. Like E.F. Hutton, when he talks, you listen.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: FINANCE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Best teacher in business department. His tests challenge you but he does more to prepare his students for tests then any teacher Ive had at Furman. You will feel like you accomplished something after this course. Plus, hes the best dressed teacher at Furman and whatever ever you do, call him Dr. Smythe :)

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BA51
• 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:

Phenomenal professor. Great sense of humor. The kind of teacher that makes you want to do better. Very fair.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BA51
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Wow, rough class, very intense. If you don't have much financial background, good luck. Project is a pain and he seems to show favorites. He got angry with our class when we didn't do as well on tests as other classes he's taught. Tests are obscenely long and rather hard.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Tom was amazing. Very enthusiastic and helpful. Very long tests though. I barely pulled out a C, but he was my favorite EBA teacher. My one complaint is that he assumed everyone had a strong background in finance. I had NONE.