David Pretty - Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC

Professor: David Pretty

Department: History

College: Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Out of all History classes Ive taken, this professor is the worst. He is always late coming into class unprepared. His lectures dont have any visuals/ppts, and he always goes off track of whats said or gives painfully long pauses to the point I dont even know what to take note on. The only way I can describe everything overall is disorganized.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST113
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Overall an okay experience. Probably would avoid other classes if he was the teacher. He is very lecture heavy and uses no notes to go off of so he would lose track of what he was talking about a lot. There are quizzes every week on the reading which generally consists of 30-60 pages. Tests are pretty difficult. Journals have very specific criteria

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST345
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is my advisor and Ive had him for 3 classes now. He has stepped in on my behalf when Ive needed a petition for a class. Hes funny, caring, and knowledgable. I dont get why people complain. Read the textbook and youll pass. Best thing I can suggest for intro classes is get a tutor at the ASC. Go to office hours if you have questions.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty's classes are NOT for anyone who learns best visually or hands on. Everything is a lecture, and they're disorganized. No visual aides, no first hand experience for the students. Honestly, you don't even need to read the assigned reading to pass. HIST111 is just 6th grade social studies.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST113
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Worst instructor within the history department at Winthrop University. He assigns an extremely excessive amount of pages to read in the textbook for weekly quizzes which consists of only 10 multiple choice questions. His lectures and study guides don't contribute to any exams. His grading makes no sense. Very unorganized. late to class most times.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST547
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is a old fashioned, lecture heavy, professor, and I enjoy every class I take with him. He does not handout grades students do not deserve, and expects his students to work hard. Everyone complaining about him being too difficult needs to consider whether or not college is right for them. Show up, take notes, read, and you will do fine.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST560
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures were sooooo boring! If you have an interest in Russian History then you'll enjoy it. The readings were extremely boring and dry. Assigned copious amounts of reading daily and asked obscure questions on quizzes. Got sidetracked often. Essays were the most important part of the class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is the most disorganized professor I've ever had. . One of the assignments is to produce an outline for 2 of his lectures. This was an extremely difficult assignment, since his lectures are like watching a ping-pong match. Grading on the essays is fairly tough. Having said all that; if you attend class and participate, you can pass.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is one of the worst professors at Winthrop. His grading criteria - which he will explain repeatedly at the beginning of almost every class - makes absolutely no sense. His lectures are complete train wrecks and are somehow still more organized than everything else about him.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is incredibly disorganized and unprofessional. He conducts discussion assignments on Facebook rather than on Blackboard and he is always late to these discussions.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HMXP102
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Doctor Pretty... oh where do I begin? He is the worst professor I have yet to encounter. He doesn't give A's on the papers you are assigned, and the topics are very hard and confusing. He is inconsistent with what he wants in your papers, and snarky and rude when asked for clarity. He took TWO MONTHS to grade any of our papers. He's awful.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HMXP102
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is an awful teacher do not recommend. Graded papers very harshly and gives no good feedback

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST113
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is the definition of unorganized. Never arrives on time. He grades with a check system so you never know your grade in the class until its too late to drop. Very unclear on grades and information in class. I don't mind studying but this class was terrible. Weekly quizzes. He only lectures with no PP so class is boring. I do not recommend

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST344
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is one of those professors who you will ether click with right away or dread having to see him. He has a personality that just does not fit well with everyone. That being said, he knows what he is teaching and if you pay attention, do the readings, and show up to class you'll have no trouble passing. Master the 5 paragraph style essay!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Pretty is a tough professor. But he is incredibly knowledgeable about everything he teaches. Lectures: well they're old fashioned. He doesn't do Powerpoint so if that's a deal breaker, drop his class now. At the end of the day, his classes are passable if you don't ditch class, do the readings (quizzes EVERY monday), and participate even if wrong.

Rating # 16

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Dont take him!!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is not the easiest professor to have, but if you like history, and enjoy a professor who can be quirkyweird (in a good way) then he is your man. He knows what he is teaching and he loves it. His classes are challenging, but if you do the reading, show up, and participate then you will have no trouble getting a B in the class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST550
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty if you read this, here are some tips for effective teaching. 1. Know where your notes are and get to class on time. 2. Grade papers. Not two months later. No one knows what their grades are because you never grade anything in a reasonable amount of time. 3. Give instructions of what you want for papers. Not the night before they're due.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST550
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Pretty is very intelligent and definitely knows his stuff. My only complaint is that he is extremely unorganized. He is difficult, so don't expect to put forth minimum effort and get an A.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst professor ever. He's a jerk and he is very boring. I would avoid his class at all cost. It is the struggle trying to stay awake in his class. the weekly quizzes aren't that difficult if you read the bold and slanted words in the book. Hardest history class i've ever taken.