Aaron Fogel - Boston University

Professor: Aaron Fogel

Department: TBD

College: Boston University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENG536
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

By far the best teacher or professor I've ever had (and I've attended a MA program at a different university subsequently). While others have responded that his lectures were confusing; I would hazard a guess they weren't paying attention. He does jump around topics, but it's because he's making connections. He's brilliant, and he changed my life.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: EN125
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Worst professor I have ever had. Lectures jump from topic to topic, it's hard to follow his train of thought. Type of professor that somehow is convinced that the shape of the letter G has to do with some deep meaning in the text and the author definitely meant to do that... no. Sitting in class right now with him ridiculously annoyed.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: EN221
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His lectures were very confusing. He pretty much talked and occasionally wrote words on the board. You can get by without doing much of the reading and it was an easy B+.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: EN221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great Professor. Essays and tests are straight forward. Good class for people who do not want to participate because it does not count.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: EN221
• 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:

Professor Fogel is a very nice and smart man, but he is extremely confusing as a lecturer. We constantly skipped around in every book we read, which made it very difficult to understand what was going on. He is available for help, but his explanations or answers to questions are often confusing. Grading is pretty fair.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GRS744
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Fogel is simply the greatest. He is so incredibly knowledgeable, but not intimidating at all. He is super-helpful during office hours and in e-mails and is always willing to meet with students even if it means coming outside his office hours. He is tough, but so open to hearing other students' ideas. So glad I took his class!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HU221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Fogel is my favorite! He's so interesting and funny. He's also sort of an old hipster prof, which is kind of funny. At first I was thinking about switching out of his class because he mumbled so much and acted so nervous on the first day, but I'm glad I did it. His grading isn't too hard, and the reading is pretty light. Take his class!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: EN483
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Such an insightful, hilarious man! At first I was put off my his mumbling ways, but trust me, once you get to know him, all his interests, manners, tastes, asides, and honest skill as a professor become entirely endearing. Helped me to look at poetry in a new way.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: EN222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had Fogel back in the mid 80's, and he sounds like he's still the same guy: funny, encouraging, remarkably insightful, and sparks insights into lit that I never had from any other prof before or since. Run, don't walk, to be in one of his classes.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: EN545
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ive taken Fogel twice-- you gotta love him. He'll get so excited about lines or words in poems and tell us his theory about them that will take up a third of the class. Always makes jokes about having read things over and over for 30 years. Come up with an interesting new idea about a poem or book and if he gets it in any way he'll appreciate it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HU221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Has been teaching English for 30 years. Loves lit; constantly talks about the "beauty" of a passage--or how "this one line is worth studying the entire semester for--seriously." Compared to other lit courses, the reading is fairly light--about 2-4 chapters per class. But my first paper grade was a vague B+/A-, which you should expect a lot of.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HU221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Staggeringly intelligent, very funny and kind, Professor Fogel is wonderful, albeit very scatterbrained. His grading varies from fair to hard; don't expect an A on either of the papers he assigns. Sometimes it's hard to understand what questions you should be asking, and his answers don't always make things any clearer, but he is a great professor.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: EN496
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Words cannot describe the love that I have for this man-he is MY hobby-horse. But seriously- his methods of teaching are extremely sophisticated and innovative, and I recommend him to anyone who seeks alternative teaching methods, especially in English.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HU221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This man is a genius. Plain and simple.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HU221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I wish that I could have only him as a professor for the rest of my life. He is so wonderful and encouraging, and he doesn't force you to speak if you don't want to. Incredibly intelligent and nice, and he deserves some sort of award (or at least a raise!)

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HU221
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

asks relevant questions about the text

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENA1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Took him for HU221 and EN536 American Poetry. Hands down my favorite English Professor at BU. Basically a genius and such a kind, humble, and funny person. Take his courses if you love to close read. He really gives you the freedom to offer interesting, off-the-wall readings. Basically, can't say enough. Take his classes.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: EN544
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's an incredible professor. Modern British Novel was my favorite part of Tuesdays and Thursdays. The material is difficult, but Prof. Fogel is very encouraging and helpful. In addition he's probably the funniest professor I've encountered. His mind seems to work at lightspeed.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: EN496
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Passionate, funny, and very clear in advice on how to improve both writing and comprehension!