Michael Meighan - University of California Berkeley

Professor: Michael Meighan

Department: TBD

College: University of California Berkeley

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Meighan is a very rude man and TERRIBLE course coordinator. Not only does his grading for Bio 1A make no sense (89.9% does not round to an A-), but the lab is insanely difficult for a 2 unit class. The manual is poorly written, labs are disorganized, and the exams, which he writes, are purposefully tricky (52% averages?!) luckily the curve saves

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO01AL
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

While he does respond quickly to his emails, many liken him to Lucifer as he regards himself as God's other son. Exams were far harder than they needed to be and the class didn't test to see if you knew the important stuff. It was just to stratify grades, which can be done while testing us fairly. Protip: call him Dr. Meighan; he'll be nicer to ya

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO01AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Mike is now the course coordinator, not lecturer, but as far as I know he still writes exams. His exams are HORRIBLE. Each question requires 3-4 leaps in logic, so if you understand 3/4 concepts, you still miss the points for that question. Trick questions abound; the hardest part of the exam is figuring out what each question is asking.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO01AL
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Was too easy tbh, need real challenge

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prior to taking Bio 1AL, had heard many sharp criticisms of Mike - he was mean, etc. Maybe my experience is different b/c he isn't the lecturer for 1AL now, but honestly he's amazing in office hours/really nice guy, clearly cares about student learning. Just posting this for future students who are struggling w/material, highly recommend go to OH!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO 1AL
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Lectures were nearly always hard to follow and required repeated viewings to catch any minutiae he mumbled (which absolutely would show up on midterms). The class has an insanely large amount of work and will kick your ass if you fall behind. Practice exams were helpful but not enough to make the midterms any easier.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are very scattered and disjointed. He talks very fast, speeding past important topics. He spends too long on minutiae. He lectures as if assuming you already know everything. He provides lots of practice exams for the first lab exam, which is very helpful. Really have to learn on your own.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

very unorganized and unclear. assume you know everything. All the lectures are in a rushed style without really emphasized points.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Mike is the sole reason I disliked Bio 1AL. He's unclear, scatter-brained, disorganized. He spends a lot of time on really simple concepts, and moves past materials we've never been exposed to quickly, assuming you can follow him. He makes the tests and quizzes unnecessarily difficult - be prepared to learn EVERYTHING on your own.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 1AL
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Best way to study for the first midterm is go over practice exams. Memorize structures and functions for EVERYTHING for the second midterm. Lecture isn't helpful, except for *maybe* some of the genetics questions. It's not a well-structured class, and the curve isn't that generous, but put in the time and effort, and you'll be fine.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's very clear on what you need to know and difficulty of all exams. He provides many past exams that you can kind of expect what to see on your test. The amount of effort he puts into the course is apparent. If you can recite the lab manual in your sleep, have a firm understanding of the lecture slides, and pay attention in lecture, you'll get A.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

People hate on him for some reason probably because they already have this preconceived notion of him due to his reputation. He's tough, but the class is straight forward if you work hard and take the practice tests. He's a pretty funny dude and seemed like he would've been a cool guy to get to know.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Meighan for me was very straightforward. Really hard midterms but aren't all midterms hard in Berkeley??? Besides he taught everything we needed to know. Maybe I heard too many bad things about him that somehow immunized me to his grading methods and tests.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Goes entirely by his own rules, so make sure you pay attention to what Meighan says even if it might not be correct. Basically a professor that treats his own beliefs and techniques as the word of the bible.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Cares too much about ploidy.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Terrible professor. The class is unnecessarily difficult, especially considering the first exam. He seems scatterbrained and talks at way-too-fast a pace. This 2-unit class has an amount of work likable to 6-7 units, and it's all thanks to Mike. Add on top of all this that he seems to recruit awful GSIs and specifically puts them in the night labs.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• 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:

Meighan is the worst lecturer I've had at Berkeley - he teaches as if you already know the material. Terrible at explaining processes clearly. Takes his class far too seriously. Read the manual, watch lectures online, get help from the GSIs. And don't worry too much; you just need to pass.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Meighan is a miserable self righteous man. He doesn't care about the students and is a staunch believer in the old, dry, Gradgrindesque "what I care about are facts" method of teaching. But he isn't even able to do that. Prepare to endure hours of random fact spewing, impatience, and unpleasantness.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The first lab exam was very difficult, but the second lab exam was more straightforward if you studied hard for it. He gives you a lot of old exams to practice with, and if you do all of it, it helps you tremendously on the Meighan's lectures were not as bad as people said, and we're helpful. Not sure why people are saying that he talks too fast.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO1AL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Mike expects a lot from his students. Go to Lab Lecture, otherwise you will not succeed. The lab portion is a lot harder than the lecture (Bio 1A) you are going to have to start early and study.... His exams are decently similar to his past exams, and he gives you 2-3 copies of his old exams. If you know his style of questioning you should be fine