Valeri Petkov - Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI

Professor: Valeri Petkov

Department: Physics

College: Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHY176
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Petkov was the coordinator for my physics lab. The class was challenging at times and the exams were difficult (although they were open note) but the grading scale is set up so that mostly everyone passes. Dr. Petkov made it a point to stop in to our lab a few times during the semester and was always helpful during office hours.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHY130QR
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Thick thick Russian accent. Jokes around and likes to talk during lectures. You are going to have to teach yourself the class. But that being said he gives tons of extra credit. The exams are just like the homework, and the homework has solutions. With the extra credit I ended the semester with a 106% in physics. Forsure would take him again.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I only showed up for exams and if there was an extra credit quiz. Homework is an easy A with his HW help and exams are easy, right from the homework and examples. Easy A. Wish I had him for physics II

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is tough to understand because of a thick accent, but is willing to work you if you ask. The homework help that he provides is a great aid. Extra credit is given if people complain about test grades.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHY130QR
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Hes willing to work with you in forms of extra credit. If the class does bad bring up bonus points and hes willing to help. Other than that he is the definition of useless. No one goes to class cause you wont learn anything if you do. His "HW help" often doesn't show enough work making it entirely useless at key times.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This is not an easy class, but Petkov will give extra credit quizzes if everyone complains about the grades enough. His examples are not particularly helpful or clear, but they are often on the exam. It is a hard class but with dedication, success is possible.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Physics is a tough class, but he doesn't make it any easier. His examples and explanations aren't clear and the homework and tests have so few points that if you get one problem wrong it will mess up your grade a lot. Also, if you have a difficult time with accents, he has a think Eastern European accent. He knows physics, but he cannot teach it.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• 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:

Dr. Petkov is very willing to work with what students request, he started doing weekly extra credit quizzes after people complained about not having points. he also posts hw help online that walks you through all the hw. Very excited about physics, not bad

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Basically reads the book to you, no point in going to lectures since you have to teach yourself anyway. Only ten homework problems per chapter so not a lot of practice. Exams are hard. Do not take him if you have never had physics before.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Pretty much have to teach yourself the material since he does a horrible job at explaining it. He does give out extra credit so his class isn't really hard. Don't take if you actually want to learn physics.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Just NO GOOD. You are paying for the book to be read to you basically. He lets the computer assign the homework and he does not post grades. Try your best not to have him

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHY130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

HORRIBLE! he cant teach he doesn't know how to write and he NEVER posts grades!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHY145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Handwriting is awful but, he has typed notes, gives out homework help and extra credit during class so you should definitely go, exams are essentially the homework too and you get to make an equation card for the exams

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHY176
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

he was the lab coordinator for university physics lab II. the labs were much easier to understand then the first lab. he always comes to our class to visit to see how the experiment is going and asks us if there is any way he can make it better. he definitely cares about what he does. and he has an AWESOME russian accent :D

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHY145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Funny, nice guy, but lectures are boring, but if you go you can get homework help which was very useful and there are sometimes pop quizzes for extra credit.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHY101
• 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:

Guy is a total effin badass. Complete rager who's job is to rage 24/7. He chain smokes like a mofo and has a rad Russian accent. So like I said... he's the ultimate.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHY146
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Awesome professor! He is very relaxed and understanding. Late work is not accepted, but the homework is so easy and he offers a "homework help," so there is no reason to turn in late work. It can be a hard class, but he makes it fun.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHY146
• 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:

Dr. Petkov was a really good professor. He has an Eastern European accent, but I had no problem understanding him. He was funny in class, and he tried to keep you alert since the class was early in the morning. He was really helpful when I had questions and was willing to give partial credit on the homeworks. The tests were hard but manageable.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHY146
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you expect to get an easy A in Physics, then you need to bust your ass. Professor Petkov is one of the best professors I have ever met because he is always willing to help you. As long as he does his job, you should do your job too --- study! Don't simply rely on your professor to give you easy A's!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHY145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This guy is really compassionate about physics and you can tell that he really wants everyone to succeed. the exams are really tough, but it's physics, come on. He has a VERY thick like Russian accent, and you'll spend most of lecture just trying to make out sentences, but he's a very cool guy, and funny. There's a lot of extra credit too.