Stephen Schanuel - University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)

Professor: Stephen Schanuel

Department: TBD

College: University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MATH420
• 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:

I signed up for a second course in linear algebra and sat through lectures on category theory. I don't see how this will help with my understanding of theoretical physics. His explanations are unclear. He assigned a 5 page paper and gave us 2 days to do it. I paid for linear algebra. I feel ripped off.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MTH309
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Schanuel is a very intelligent man, but a very poor teacher. His lectures are long and do not follow the textbook nor do they cover what he puts on his exams. He has no office hours. His syllabus doesnt even tell how final grades are determined and he only announces exams one week beforehand. He focuses far too much on theory than application.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MTH142
• 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:

If you need to know the material at all DON'T take his class. He is incomprehensible in both his writing and speech. No social skills at all and I think he avoids encounters because if people stayed after class for questions he would just get up and leave. I dropped his class because I need to know the material.Take Kim Javor, one of the great ones

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MTH241
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Class is pretty easy. He gives a short 3 question test every other week and that's the entire grade. He assigns homework, but doesn't collect them. In lecture he just talks to the chalkboard and is impossible to hear. His class is easy, but you can't rely on lecture to learn the material. Go to recitation and do the homework and you'll do well.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MTH241
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I recommend taking this teacher. He doesn't teach well but his grade is solely dependent on an exam every other week, and that's it. This means you can keep it in short term memory then forget it after. No attendance or homework policy. Really easy class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MTH241
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Basically, Schanuel, as well as the majority of other Math Professors at UB, are Math geniuses. That's exactly the problem; they are geniuses, meaning they don't think like normal math students. If you read the book and take the tests, you will probably get a good grade. No final, which is nice, just 7 short mini tests given once every two weeks.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MTH241
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prior to signing up for this class, I read all the comments and here and though "Come on, he can't be that bad". 10 minutes into the first lecture i was proved wrong. If you have any love math, this guy will destroy it. Everything you read on here is true. DO NOT TAKE HIM FOR THIS CLASS!!!!!!!!!!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MATH142
• 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:

TERRIBLE!!!!!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MTH141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

If you have already taken calc 1 and know what you are doing take him. He has no homework and tests every 2 weeks so it only covers a little material at a time making it easy to stay on top of things not to mention they are easy tests. Also not having a final is sweet.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MTH142
• 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:

take this class if you prefer a teacher who speaks to the chalkboard while taking notes so that you cant understand a word he is saying. your grade is based solely on tests so if you like that kind of thing, go for it. the class pretty much sucks overall and hes terrible at reviewing for the tests. have fun with this guy.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MTH142
• 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:

Horrible. Don't bother with lecture, you won't hear him or understand him. Just read your book and hope for a TA who knows how to teach.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MTH309
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Worse than horrible. Does not follow the book at all, notes are chicken scratch scattered all over the board. Has tests on subjects not even mentioned in the book. No applications, rarely even uses numbers. You are guaranteed to learn nothing. If he is your only option take the course another semester. I have 3.95GPA, am not a slacker. Beware

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MTH309
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

HAAA good luck, my dear friend. I was so lost and confused the whole time and I managed a B and I'm a straight A student. If you live through it, you'll get a better grade then you think. I don't think I passed one test.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MTH141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This man makes it hos business to be as confusing as possible. Homework is not mandatory, however his test may be extremely easy or confusing, depending on your level of mathematical comprehension. The way he teaches is dry and boring. I would have more fun watching grass grow, or paint dry. Oh yea, tests are no more than 5 problems,Go Luck ;)

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MTH141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took his class over a year ago and find it amusing hearing the same complaints that we had! Find a tutor to help you through the book and you'll do alright. No final and I got a B+ working hard every night. Not worth it when you consider other professors out there. Don't bother with class you won't learn. Take that time to read the book.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MTH141
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took this class in high school senior year. This man untaught everything I had learned from that year, I wanted to commit suicide. His trademark move is to write something on the chalkboard, walk to his desk, forget what he was writing, wipe chalk in his hair, then remember. He knows everything about math, nothing about teaching...

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MTH141
• 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:

Rambles on and on during class, makes no sense at all. Tests every other week that are possibly the most difficult examples he could think of. Lecture is useless, you have to teach yourself from the book, even then it;s still very difficult. Avoid him at all costs for calc 1.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MATH309
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Schanuel is probably a genius but he has no idea how to teach.We didn't have a text book no mandatory homeworks.Lectures are vague and disorganized he often spends them thinking of examples then correcting his mistakes.Tests are easy and straightforward if you go to recitation, because you're going to learn everything from the TA.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MTH419
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

No tests, no quizzes, no labs, no projects, no papers. Class began interesting but became quite boring. Dr Schanuel is extremely knowledgeable however too smart to teach. Homework is optional at end of class. He handed out A's for all because a few people were interested. A okay.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MTH142
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Horrrrrible professor, completely unclear. Learned everything from the TA. Actually teaches things incorrectly sometimes. Book MANDATORY; teaches right from it which is convenient. Quiz every other Friday, no final.