James Spates - Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Professor: James Spates

Department: TBD

College: Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I'll NEVER take another class with him. Hes an extremely harsh grader, and no matter how hard you work its not good enough. His opinion is the only one that matters. Im an A student, he dropped my GPA big time; strenuous amounts of reading. He is interesting but not much is learned. You have to come to own conclusions, which he always deems wrong.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I rated this professor earlier giving him a terrible rating. But after sticking with his class I have understood it better, and now have an appreciation for what he is doing. He will make you work harder for a good grade than you ever have before, but it's worth it! Stick with it and give him a chance, and you will be amazed!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• 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:

kiss your GPA goodbye. I have never worked harder for a class in my entire life and he still failed me. also told me before the pass/fail deadline NOT to pass/fail, that i would "do better" on the test he was grading, then gave me an F. STAY AWAY. Undeniably brilliant professor, but someone needs to remind him its an INTRO class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

DisFUNctional. The man is a g-d! He will put color into your eyes and smell into your nose. Food will finally have taste and life will finally have meanings.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Greatest teacher I have ever had! Nothing else is needed to be said. If you want to open your world to learning.... take his courses! He is absolutely brilliant but is extremely kind and caring and calm as well.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Intro Soc. opened my eyes--and heart. Extremely hard, in that much is demanded of you, but the reflexivity required to look at oneself within culture is most challenging. Many text analogs, including Sunday movies (required); a rare double-feature was a comparison of Boyz in the Hood and Clueless. Demanding breadth of readings. Best professor!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: SOC345
• 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: N/A

Comment:

Professor Spates is fabulous and the best professor I've ever had the pleasure of being taught by. His lectures are inspiring and fascinating. If he sees a clear effort and interest in the material, you'll easily get a decent grade. He really makes you work for those A's though :)

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

VERY HARSH GRADER!!! what he has to say is very interesting but do not expect an A. sociology is his life and trys to make it yours.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: INTROSOCI
• 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: N/A

Comment:

dude stinks. too hard on grading anything and his lectures are very off the wall and have nothing to do with anything on test. he is the worst grader and put me on probation sindle handedly like i said...he stinks

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• 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:

Not deserving of tenure. Hardest grader ever, unfair to the max. I had a 3.77 before taking his class. I now have a 3.02. Unfair, impossible to contact, impossible to pass. DO NOT TAKE

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• 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:

impossible grader. spent 2 full days the weekend before the test, made notecards, etc. got an F. impossibly hard class

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hardest but BEST professor I've ever had. He is unbelievably intelligent. Take good notes, do ALL the reading, and go to office hours. Even if you don't do well at first, he loves to see progress and he'll recognize your effort. I've never been more proud of a B+ in my life, and I learned more from him than any other professor.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Spates is a great professor who challenges students. GPA's? Who are these people who go to college and still believe that teachers give grades instead of you earning them? If you immerse yourself in the class you will do well. Office hours, work hard, make changes on your papers. . don't just coast. .that is the entire point people.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Spates is a good lecturer but his exams are killer

Rating # 15

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

My favorite professor ever. Spates is inspiring! I have become a teacher myself because of his influence. I want to encourage others to become agents of social change, which I believe is Spates' mission as well.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I've taken two of Spates' courses. You work hard but I have learned more from this man than in most of my other classes combined. I'm ashamed to say I go to school with those of you who bash spates because your GPA dropped. Grow up and try to remember that you're here to learn not get A's and then live off your trust fund at the yacht club.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SOC104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the best classes/professors I've ever had. Spates is so smart and passionate about Sociology and his teaching made me want to major in Sociology. Changed my life.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

please, this class is a joke. not hard at all, although he does waste your time with all the movies and asking stupid details on the tests. he's also really liberal and tries to push it on you all the time.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Ready to work? Don't take this class if you are overconcerned with your GPA. Take it to learn real life and society lessons. Spates word is not gospel, but the thinking skill set you learn with him is helpful throughout college and after. Lots of homework, lots of time and lots of love if you are ready to embrace a classical professor.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Spates teaches about real education, obviously people complaining about GPAs being ruined are not the type of people who are going to make any impact on the world except to take up a lot of valuable resources to people who use their brains for something useful--like learning. Spates is a life changer.