Thomas Zona - Illinois State University

Professor: Thomas Zona

Department: TBD

College: Illinois State University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

You have to buy an access code to do some of the assignments. Also, you'll have to print a fair bit of stuff off for the labs. However, each exam is curved AT LEAST 10% and I found them all extremely easy because the problems are all from the homework and you can bring a sheet of notes for each exam. I just wrote a ton of examples on mine.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Zona is a great professor and it's clear he is passionate about Chemistry. I struggled with this class because I had no chemistry background whatsoever and his lectures can be long, which made it difficult to stay focused. If I had a dollar for every time I said "I have no clue what's going on" I could pay off my student loans.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He actually made chemistry enjoyable. Very funny and easy going. Beware he does call out on people for questions.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Show up to lectures and take notes and it is an easy A. Great professor, super funny and very knowledgeable. He lets you have a cheat sheet (front and back) for every test. He does quizzes online and you get 3 attempts for every quiz. Literally cannot get easier than this.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He cold calls people in class which made me anxious (I managed to never get called on the whole semester). He curves the tests and the final which was really helpful, he also lets you have a reference sheet for these. All of the answers to the homework and lecture quizzes are online. Go to the review sessions because they are extremely helpful.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM102
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Just look online for all the answers every homework assignment and lecture quiz is online ! But he dont respond to email at all ! Going to lectures wont help you unless you go to office hours

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: C102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He randomly calls on people in and often makes fun of students if they give a poor answer to what he's asking. Some girl cried when he roasted her the first week of class. The tests are pretty difficult, so go to the review sessions all semester if you want to pass. Don't skip any homework or labs. Would recommend taking another prof if possible.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you aren't good with science I would recommend going to class.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's such a funny and nice guy, but it's hard to understand his lectures sometimes. He tends to sometimes gets off topic, and calls on people randomly. If you don't know the answer he tries explaining it in different ways until you get it. His test are a little hard, so be careful.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He always calls on people and sometimes makes fun of them. He doesn't explain problems clearly. You will only get good grades on the online quizzes answers are online. Take another teacher who will actually help you.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Zona is a good guy and he's pretty funny but his lectures are hard to follow and I don't learn much. The homework and quizzes are super easy but the test are hard!!! You get a cheat sheet but even with that I did awful on the test! The labs are super easy and are counted for participation. Go to his review sessions they help a lot.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Go to lecture (he randomly calls on people, so beware) and lab, actually understand the online assignments, and create a thorough cheat sheet and this is an easy A. He drops some grades and curves the tests by at least 10%. People make this class way harder than it needs to be.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Personally, I didn't like him as a teacher, but thats because I have social anxiety and he randomly calls on people to answer during lecture, which I don't like. So I never went to class. I googled all the answers to homeworks/quizzes, then studied hard for the exams and passed with a B. Join the FB group, they post sample exams which are similar.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you have anxiety being called on in class, DO NOT take him. He will call on people randomly, and if you have the wrong answer, he will not let you off the hook and will gradually spoon feed you the correct answer, which can be embarrassing. Alot of stuff is online. Get 100 on labs and homework (easy) and you're almost guaranteed at least a B.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHE231
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Kind of a goofy guy but he has a good heart. He is completely unreachable outside of lab so that sucked. His TA was the most unhelpful person, not really Zona's fault.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Use your resources to your advantage. This class for me was very easy. All homework assignments are online but make sure you know how to do them for tests. Zona is a funny guy but picks students at random to answer questions in class so beware.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM102
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A very funny cool guy but when it came down to lectures... he just rambles which makes you not want to come. when you dont come you do bad on test. You are allowed cheat sheets but they barely help. Take it only if you are good at science and math.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Hes funny and he knows what hes talking about. Attendance isnt required in lectures but if you dont go you definitely wont know whats going on. Although its kinda hard to follow him in lectures, go to the review sessions he holds because things will make more sense. Sometimes he doesnt reply to emails if it regards your grade.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHE102
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Dont waste time in lecture. Show up to labs and join the facebook group. You'll be fine as long as you have four braincells

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM102
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Overall terrible class. He's bad at teaching and gives way too many homework assignments and quizzes. One of the worst experiences I've had. I have never regretted taking a class more in my life.