Verna Foster - Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

Professor: Verna Foster

Department: English

College: Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HONR102
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Her class is heavily based in participation but it is very hard to participate unless you share similar views to hers. She is a tough grader and is VERY liberal. She has an obvious bias to certain students even though she won't openly admit it. Mandatory office hours are nice; however, it is very difficult to schedule with her if you commute.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HONR102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She comes across as mean in her office hours but she's British that's just how she is. She cares about her students but she doesn't know about anything other than the honors English books. If you miss a few discussion classes she still gives you 100% participation. Nice choice for the honors program but doesn't have much to say.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG390
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Don't. Just don't. Lecture discussion was like pulling teeth I would have rather mowed someones lawn for 2 and half hours straight. No clear grading rubric. Your grade literally consists of 2 papers. So if you are thinking about it- just don't. Save yourself

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HONR102
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Foster is difficult but will help you become a better writer. She required mandatory office hours for all of her students to go over their papers. She may come across as harsh and cross (especially during office hours) but she genuinely cares for students to succeed and enhance their writing skills. Don't get discouraged!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG272
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is such an adorable woman who is truly passionate about literature. Such a sweet lady. However, she is very boring. It's so difficult to stay engaged and her grading criteria is confusing and unclear. She's a hard grader, she has a very specific style she's looking for. She's a tough grader and very boring, but a sweet lady.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HONR102
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Foster was a great honors professor! Her discussion was very upfront and full of a lot of good information. I did well on her essays and thought she was a reasonable grader. I recommend going to her office hours with an outline and consulting her on your essays. She gave good feed back and was willing to help.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HONR102
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Foster is a wonderful human being. That being said, her efforts to engage the class in discussion sometimes fall short, and she gets caught up in long, unhelpful activities. Her discussion is mostly a recap of lecture, which is not very helpful. However, she is very good at giving textual examples, something many Honors profs don't do.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL272
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Foster is excellent if you really want to improve your dramatic writing style. Her writing style is very specific but for anyone who wants to really dive into the basics of writing and get a profound understanding of your own writing, take her. She's not the easiest person in the world but she's one of the best writers.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: UCLR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are long and boring. Not clear in writing style. Received an A in UCWR and never got higher than a B- on her essays. Take her at your own risk

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 100
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I liked Professor Foster, she is very passionate about literature and teaches the readings very clearly. She gives pop quizzes and grades papers quite hard, but other than that her class is a breeze. Just read the spark notes for everything and participate, you should be fine!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: UCLR100
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is very passionate about literature and expects that from every student. I am taking this course because I'm REQUIRED to. I do not enjoy literature and have zero passioninterest for it. Very difficult grader if you don't participate every class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: UCLR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

It's obvious that she knows her stuff but she takes herself way too seriously for a core class. If you're looking for an easy A, do not take her class. She is a very difficult essay grader and its nearly impossible to figure out what shes looking for. I would avoid her at all costs.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HONR102
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

Foster is an intelligent and amiable professor and it is clear that she knows a lot about literature. Unfortunately she's not an expert in other areas. That's okay. I'm sure she's a great English professor but she doesn't have the breadth of knowledge required to teach an interdisciplinary course

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL272
• 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:

The plays were fairly interesting and short, but you can really just read online summaries as you go over them I'm class..3 papers, a midterm and final are not hard for a writing intensive core class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: UCLR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

AA Dr. Foster is really helpful and she is very interested in her subject. However, you don't really know what to do to get an A. Overall, an easy B, a very difficult A.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: UCLR100
• 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:

Dr. Foster's personality can cause a bit of intimidation but she is very willing to help. Essay grading is difficult, whereas test grading is easy. The class consists of 3 essays (50% of total grade), 2 exams, a final and participation.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENGL272
• 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:

It was a ok class. The plays are easy to read. Most can be read in about 30 minutes. Foster is a tough grader. She will talk about paper requirements after the first paper. She encourages going in for help. (this will help your grade a lot). Midterm+ final+ 3 4 page papers and a final in class performance make up your grade. have to come to class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HONOR101
• 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:

I don't think her teaching style was suited to the way I learn. Personally, I enjoy connecting with a professor, while she's a bit aloof. Grading papers, she was very thorough and detailed, but I thought the discussion could have been more guided. She is extremely knowledgeable in her field, which is drama.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENGL272
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Foster was an amazing teacher! Very engaging and nice and super enthusiastic about what she's teaching, which is definitely inspiring. I absolutely loved her class (I had her for Intro to Drama) and would live to take another class of hers!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENGL326
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Making Shakespeare interesting for 2.5 hours at a time is hard. Foster does this expertly, engaging the class as best she can. Her tests are hard, but they count for a tiny percentage, and she does offer extra credit at the end of the semester. The essays require a lot of thought, but she grades them kindly and is very easy to talk to.