Joan Varnum - New York University

Professor: Joan Varnum

Department: TBD

College: New York University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Varnum is a sweetheart, if you show up and you participate in class even just a little bit, she is relaxed and rewarding in terms of your participation grade. There were quite a few papers over the semester, including a few that required visiting museums, but she is a fair grader and you get from the class what you put into it.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Varnum is a great professor. Lectures are interesting. Content and readings are not too heavy. She gives possibilities to improve grades on certain papers. Her classes are sometimes based entirely on participation, sometimes you'll have a Theatre Day or in-class debates based on role play. They're fun but not if you don't want to talk.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She's a tough grader, especially on essays.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CFII1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

An absolute sweetheart who cares so much about the class material and her students. Assignments are super fun and there's a lot of freedom with them as well. One of the best classes I have taken thus far.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Disclaimer: The class is hard not because of the material but because of who the professor is. She is a very nice; she is very hard-headed and only believes in one narrow interpretation of the readings she assigns. She will punish you for having a different opinion or perspective than hers. So naturally, her directions are unclear. HAVE FUN

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• 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:

You don't need to read the books to understand what she's saying and most of the people in class use Sparknotes anyway. Just pay attention to her lectures, however, she is an extremely hard grader and isn't specific on what she expects. If she doesn't believe with your interpretation, she declares that you're wrong and will receive a bad grade.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Varnum grades strictly off numbers, so you truly get what you get on tests/essays. That being said every assignment is worth 15-20% of the final grade so if you mess up on one thing you can recover. Most of her test questions come from her lectures so paying attention and taking notes is important. she always accommodates people for office hours

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CFII1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Her lectures are very boring and incoherent. It is clear that she has memorized every lecture and if any student asks a question that is not clearly answered in her notes then she does not know the answer and tells students to look it up on their own. Her midterms and finals for CFII are very hard compared to CFI. I would not take her again.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Varnum was a complete sweetheart. She gives so much feedback on essays and loves answering questions during her passionate lectures. Her office hours are there for a reason, use them! She loves helping her students and loves the subject she teaches. Pay attention when she speaks and take good notes during her lectures, it won't be hard to pass.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CFII1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She's such a sweetheart who tries her best to help her students. She assigns readings, but you don't really have to read them all since she explains everything in detail in class. She places more emphasis on Art History though. Her grading criteria is clear. Her CFII "Reacting To The Past" Game was really enjoyable! Tests are fair.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CF1CF2
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I took Professor Varnum for CF 1 and I liked her CF1 class so much I was able to take her for CF2 as well! So happy I got to take her for the whole year. The second semester was super chill and clear cut because I already knew her/what she was expecting from essays/how her tests were etc. The amount of work is reasonable/doable.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CFII1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Not too hard but extremely boring classes. Barely any interactions between the professor and students.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She's a sweetheart. She's really sweet and helpful. Even though there's a lot of reading, she goes over the readings in the class and clearly explains them. Tests aren't hard as she will tell you the format and what she expects. She tries to make the material interesting. This is my second time taking her and I'm glad. Highly recommend her.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Varnum was a good professor and was very clear with what she expected. The course requires a lot of reading but you don't have to participate (it might help with the grade though). I really liked her teaching style but she wasn't always available for help and didn't go out of her way to make time. I would definitely take her again!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Joan is a good professor, really inspires u , but her lecture could be a bit boring when it comes to art history part. Since tests include much detail about note and art history stuff, it's not easy to get A. So get ready for long text of art history. Take notes as much as u can during class. If you are not that into art history, don't take her.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Don't take her!!!!!!!! There is so much work and she is not helpful at all!!!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CFI
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Varnum is the ultimate teaching machine. I went into the semester knowing nothing and I came out feeling like an expert on the material. She is a passionate and organized teacher, very professional and well-spoken. Her expectations are clear and her assignments are such that you feel challenged but not overwhelmed. She makes old art seem so human.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CF1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Most incredible professor I've ever had the privilege of encountering! I absolutely love her and it kills me to know I can't take her class again next semester. She's wonderfully passionate about what she teaches and will do anything to ensure the best performance from her students. Hands down, one of the best professors at NYU :D

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CFI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely loved her; she made cultural foundations great. Passionate about what she teaches too! Really wants her students to do well, and will reach out to someone if she thinks you are struggling in her class. Really bummed I can't take her again next semester :(

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Okay so I actually love Varnum so much that I'm willing to take her class next semester at 8am. If that's not a clear sign of how good of a teacher she is, I don't know what is. Varnum is so incredibly sweet, organized and attentive that she really makes it easy to go to class. Her class is very well-structured and not too hard at all. TAKE HER!