Bill Ferguson - Grinnell College

Professor: Bill Ferguson

Department: TBD

College: Grinnell College

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ECN220
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I loved Professor Ferguson. He makes you work hard for you grade but is easily one of my favorite professors at Grinnell. If you get the chance, please take his class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ECN220
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Okay, so Prof F. has me super conflicted. He's an AMAZING lecturer and lets students play around with new concepts in class discussions, but his grading is so harsh (and sometimes arbitrary) that I don't think my GPA could stand to take another one of his classes again. I value what I learned in his class and may audit his game theory class later.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ECN370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

only interested in hearing his theory parroted back, will ramble nonstop about ideas that are simple but he's obviously proud of, very vague grading criteria. won't cover empirical methodology ostensibly because you should already know how to do research, but more probably because he's bad at it. uses his own book which is laden with math "typos."

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: TUT110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Handwriting is absolutely awful on the board. Goes off on tangents that don't relate to material. Papers have very vague guidelines and the grading is extremely punitive. Takes off unnecessary points for things he doesn't clarify on assignments.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ECN225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

It doesn't make much sense to me that an econ prof has such terrible math skills (and logic in general)... His lectures are repetitive and boring (well this could be personal) as well. He's nice and helpful though

Rating # 6

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

His lectures were all over the place and it was often difficult to follow. Class always ran late too. But he was an interesting lecturer, means well, and is very nice. His office hours were helpful.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ECN215
• 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:

Professor Ferguson is an enthusiastic lecturer. The main textbook is good, but the supplemental readings are not very interesting. The tests and problem sets are not terribly difficult, but his grading on papers can seem somewhat arbitrary.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ECN215
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Vwey tough grader, problem sets are nearly impossible to get an A on. He is very helpful one on one and would like to see his students succeed. However, it is tough to succeed with his nit-picky grading.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ECN215
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Awesome guy. He understands what econ is all about--getting your hands dirty and making clear concise arguments. I had a blast in Wild Bill Ferguson's Economic Roundup.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ECN300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

lectures make no sense. can't do math. not good for Game Theory. Tough homework.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MACRO
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Fergie knows his stuff, but his exams are very difficult. Never have I worked so hard for such a low grade.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MACRO
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I totally agree that he's a nice person.. but he's definitely not a good teacher.He doesn't seem to know much outside the material he's been teaching for yrs,and HE IS HORRIBLE AT MATH!!!I have never seen someone embarass himself so much in front of a class.. And econ grad programs supposedly care abt math courses a lot... bs apparently!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

His exams are never easy. You are, however, promised to get a good grade if you work hard enough. He is a fair professor. In other words, the more effort you put into the class, the better grade you will get.

Rating # 14

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I just wanna do justice to professor Ferguson. He's an awesome guy: a very enthusiastic lecturer, a fair grader (his handwriting is difficult to read sometimes), and a nice human being. I like him a lot. His class makes me interested in Economics and want to major in it. I feel like this is my best class this semester.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ECN370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ferg is a tough grader, but is very accessible and helpful if you seek help. He runs great discussions in the seminar and makes sure you know the material. He has little to no grade inflation so you really have to work for an 'A'. If you're up for working hard you WILL learn a lot and enjoy it. He's funny and really energetic. Great prof

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ECON111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Generally very straight-forward and clear.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ECO101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Oh my God, he's awesome. He's energetic, clear, persuasive and inspiring. He changed me from a prospective History major into an economics major.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: STATS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MACRO
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

not terribly clear in class, but will take whatever time required out of class. always tries to give another chance to really learn material

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

not so clear, but very repetetive...not impressed.