Scott Rychnovsky - University of California Irvine

Professor: Scott Rychnovsky

Department: Chemistry

College: University of California Irvine

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Rychnovsky is a really good professor! His midterms are exactly like his practice exams and he's very thorough in what he expects you to know. He prepares you really well for the exams and go to discussions. Do the practice problems in the back of the textbook! He's really funny and caring too. Definitely take him, you won't regret it!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I was really scared for Organic Chemistry based on my slightly mediocre performance in Gen Chem, but I feel like I Rychnovsky gave his students the opportunity to succeed if they took the necessary steps. If you do the reading before class, his lectures will make more sense as he gives an overview of what's important to know from the book.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Pretty solid choice. Fair exams and his notes make sense if you go to lecture and listen. Take him if he is open.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: 51A
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Rychnovksy isn't an amazing professor as far as lectures go, but he does assign the proper HW from the textbook (optional) that will give you what you need to succeed. Sapling HW is mandatory though, as far as exams, no tricks, if you studied you'll be fine, no unnecessary information, would 100% take him again

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Rychnovsky was the best chem professor I've had so far! His exams are straightforward and he relies heavily on the textbook. They can be a bit challenging but fair overall. Practice midterms & final are very similar to the actual tests (same structure/topic of each question). He made the class exciting and he is really funny! TAKE HIM!!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He really is clear in what he expects of his students. Makes lectures and the subject itself very interesting especially for an 8 am O-chem class and his tests are very fair.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a pretty solid choice overall. He writes his notes by hand during lectures and posts them online. Very nice guy with a somewhat cynical sense of humor but pretty funny! CHEM51A is a class that's generally tough since it's new so definitely study a lot. The curve must've been godly since I got B's on all my tests and somehow ended up with an A.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ochem is just hard, period. You need to read the book yourself and do the review problems because his lectures are all over the place. If you don't pay 110% attention to what he's saying, you're screwed b/c he doesn't write the important stuff down. E-mail TAs for clarification on homework problems. Challenging but reasonable test. Don't slack off.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM51A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof Rych is one of the best teachers ive had at UCI hands down. He's what a teacher should be. His test are very fair, I would say on the easier side. You will have to read the book outside of class, but thats fair. His lectures are concise and clear, people who didnt like them didnt keep up with the material. def take him if hes teaching!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

standard professor, tests are OK. very entertaining professor; he dressed up as heisenberg for halloween (the resemblance is uncanny). enjoyed his class, but i'm not sure if i would take him again. his final was difficult in my opinion: focused on the very last topic of the class (learned it within the last 5-10 minutes of class) but youll be fine

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I really liked him for chem 1A! He is kind of a goofball and makes the class entertaining. He uses and posts powerpoints which is helpful. He gives studyguides for each test which are almost exactly the same format as the test itself. Good class and good professor :)

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Overall, a decent gen chem teacher, fairly challenging, but not too hard. His lectures slides are rather basic and generalized, so make sure to do the online homework and discussion worksheets to prepare for his tests. The first 2 midterms are not that hard but the final exam is significantly harder, so don't let your guard down toward the end.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are good or clarity-book can be a good source also. Do not necessarily need to attend lectures. Go to discussion since TA's write exams, very helpful. Buy the book since you ned Mastering Code; provides good summaries. Exams increase in difficulty as you go on. DO THE PRACTICE EXAMS. OH can be helpful if you have questions.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Rychnovsky was a good professor in a sense that he made sure to thoroughly go over everything you needed to know. He goes through plenty of practice problems during lectures. Both midterms were very similar to the practice midterms that he releases, but the only down side to it is that he doesn't post the key to the practice. Final was difficult.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: 40000
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He has been the best chemistry professor I've ever had. He is very clear cut with his expectations on tests and grading. Presentations get right to the point and reflect the homework. Tests model the practice exams given, but prepare for the final because it's much more difficult. This class is easy to get a good grade in if you put in real effort.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is a super nice guy, one of the friendliest and funny too. Kinda hard to predict grade until the very end, class is curved. The final is way harder in proportion to the midterms (1 final 2MT). 24% each MT, 40% Final, 12% online hw. Not the easiest, not the hardest, but just a nice guy overall. It's college, study and you'll be fine in his class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Midterms are very fair. Do the homework, do the practice midterms, not difficult to get an A. Class are no mandatory, you can skip them and get the materials from his powerpoint. The book is almost useless, DONT BUY THE BOOK.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 40000
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

A great professor.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 40070
• 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:

He's funny. Kinda cool. Go to discussion or you wont pass. Tests are straightforward. you HAVE to study or you definitely will not pass. This is one of those classes were in order to pass you need to actually study, read, and go to discussion and lecture.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

This class is not too difficult. It is definitely manageable. Lectures are not needed since ppts posted online. Go to discussions though since T.A's write the tests. 2 midterms +final+hw. You WILL make lots of silly mistakes so be careful! I used clutchtutoring to help me since lectures went too fast and was sometimes not as clear.