Vladimir Filkov - University of California Davis, Davis, CA

Professor: Vladimir Filkov

Department: Computer Science

College: University of California Davis, Davis, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ECS122A
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The expectations for what you should know in the class is not made clear, so even though I studied a lot I found the one midterm and final to be very confusing. The only reason the class is not impossible is because the material is fairly simple and a lot of the other students struggled. Overall, the class is not the worst, but it is not optimal.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ECS122A
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His exam is crazy difficult. I will never take his class again.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ECS122A
• 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:

Took his ECS 20 first and got a C. Taking his ECS 122A rn. Have Absolutely Zero Clue what hes teaching most of the time. Proof heavy. Very demanding. I guess Im just not smart enough.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ECS122A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a pretty demanding professor. He is clearly very educated, but his course is super demanding and exams are really difficult. To pass, you have to develop a thorough understanding of all of the material, not just memorize it. He's really proof heavy, so beware. Go to OH in the beginning and don't take hard classes with 122a.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• 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:

I like his lecture style and he does give fair grades in quizzes and tests. I'll take his ECS 122A in the future.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He is strict but fair. Lecture notes are more helpful than practice problems.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His homeworks do not prepare you for the exams. His lectures consist mostly of over-complicated concepts. This class was a lot harder than it could have been. If you have the choice, avoid him for a different professor.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class starts off really easy but picks up later, so make sure you maximize your grades in the beginning to be safe. If you don't attend class, you will probably have no idea what the lecture notes mean so make sure to go to class. Exams are pretty reasonable, easier than hw and practice problems.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Things can get a bit confusing with lecture so sit up front if possible, and be ready to re-format notes afterwards into a more digestible version. He's good with questions out of class. Tests are clearly related to class material/homework. Do the homework, study what you need and you can easily get an A in this class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof Filkov makes the material seem very easy. I feel smarter by taking this class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Filkov is a cool and caring person; however, I really did not feel like learning anything from this course. The ideas are all very basic and he could have made the material better by discussing deeper, like what the book does. The midterms were insanely easy and the average is super high.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Isn't clear and doesn't explain well in lecture. Go ahead and try to ask a question, he will cut you off half way through and give a response that isn't helpful. My TA discusses extremely old and basic concepts. I never felt prepared for a quiz or test even though I read the text book and attended every lecture and discussion. Good luck

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I have been in his class for about 3 weeks now. We have had two quizzes and are on our third homework assignment, and we have a midterm in four days that he never mentioned. I would not take Filkov if given a choice. He goes fast and teaches to a very specific group of students in the class. His lectures are not accessible, and the class is hard.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a challenging professor, but the material is very interesting. Homework can be ridiculously difficult sometimes, but the upshot is that the exams don't seem quite so hard. If you have the time to put in, Filkov's great.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is not accessible outside class(never response your email). The lecture is fairly easy. However, the exam and homework are very challenging.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He does not seem to want help his students. He is not helpful during the office hour. In the class, he said he wants us to learn. Actually, he did not teach us efficiently. There are only 1 midterms(35%) and 1 final(40%). so do the math. Anyway, take him at your own risk.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ECS69782
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

he's really not a very good professor. He would repeatedly cut me off when I asked questions and they way he speaks can be condescending. It's an "easy" class for very few people; if you have like 3 other GE's and have excessive amount of time to devote to the subject, then maybe yeah. But if you're taking other difficult classes, i wouldn't rec.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

cool guy but not that great of a professor, to me at least. I sometimes don't understand what he's saying and he could be a little fast at times.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The textbook is useless, and lectures cannot help prepare for exam and homework.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ECS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Vlad's a good professor. He explains concepts clearly and assigns challenging homework that aids in understanding the lecture material. Tests require knowledge of the material but are not tricky or insanely difficult. He is from Macedonia, and he has a pleasant accent to show for it. Vlad's a good professor.