Sylvia Pedraza - University of Michigan

Professor: Sylvia Pedraza

Department: TBD

College: University of Michigan

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I was originally excited to learn more about the topic but I am not sure this professor can leave the bias of such sensitive topic. For the first half of the semester, she talked about some races by their stereotypes. She would continuously get off topic during lecture. During the pandemic, she was not understanding to the difficulties.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Awful lecturer, frequently rambles about random stuff, I remember one time listening to her talk about gardening for twenty minutes. She doesn't present information concisely, almost everyone I talked to said they felt confused most of the time. She'll call you out for using your phone. Also only talked about Europeans for 3/4 months.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Kind and passionate. Going in for office hours is extremely rewarding. Amazing professor.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Pedraza is an amazing person. That being said, her lectures aren't super important for the exams. The only issue I have with this class is that their is very little clarity about expectations for the final paper. It is also extremely long (20-25 pages). The exams are very straight-forward and if you do the readings, you'll do well!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I agree with some others. Sylvia is well-meaning, but often gets distracted by off-topic stories and it is not clear what is expected during the test or the 20 page paper. doesn't communicate well with GSI. could have been an interesting topic (soc of immigration) but was not taught well.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: AMCULT100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She is very passionate about her Cuban history so she relates a lot of the class materials back to it. She often gets distracted during lecture with other topics. The GSI does most of the work. 2 Blue-Book exams and a final paper that only your GSI grades. She seems to care about the lives of her students. Easy course for race & ethnicity credit.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: AMCULT100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Pedraza wasn't that bad. Her class, AMCULT 100-What is an American, was easy as long as you read the book and go to discussion. The GSI did all of the grading so having a good relationship with them is esential. Tests are pretty straightforward and if the class the poorly, she applies a curve. She also gives a lot of EC. Easy A.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: AMCULT100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Pedraza means well and is enjoyable to listen to, but the class had no organization or structure. The material was interesting at times and the reading was easy, but there was no communication between Pedraza and the GSI. While the class thought this was going to be an easy A, many were taken aback when exams were graded harshly.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Easy material, smart professor and super helpful GSI. Exams were pretty easy as well, and all the info on the lecture slides will guarantee you an A on the exam. Extra Credit assignments are a huge help on exams as well. 20-25 page paper is more of busy work than anything. Not difficult to do at all but she should've kept it at 15-20pages instead.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SOC105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Nice professor and a great class. Yes, she talked about her life and Cuba, but it was relevant and relatable to a class about immigration. Genuinely cares about her students, and you can really pick and choose what readings you do to have material to write about on the two exams, which are essay exams. Definitely recommend this prof and class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: AC100
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are extremely monotonous and do not reflect what is tested at all. Lectures always end up being personal stories about Cuba. Discussion was the only thing that was relevant or remotely interesting in this class. Easy A but extremely dull and boring presentation.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Pedraza is a really nice person in general, and I liked her outside of being the instructor. She is very interested in her students and their immigration history, and immigration in general. She kind of got off topic in lecture sometimes because of this. The exams are pretty easy: study guides, and you can get like 15% extra credit per exam.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AMCUL304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Easy class! Just read the textbook, study the power point slides, and take excellent notes on all of the key concepts! Nice Lady too. Very soft spoken. Her GSI, Atef, is a real class act too.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Professor Predraza is very nice and very clear. However, after attending every lecture during the semester, I now realize going was absolutely unnecessary. To get an A in the class you really only need to look at lecture slides and do some of the readings. However, the 15 to 20 page research paper was not fun! The exams were essay.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• 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:

The class is easy, but they graded it as though it was hard. Many students were mad at how the tests were graded. one student did get an A and just read the lecture slide,didn't go to class or lecture. So that was fishy. Its a complete waste of time & $. The 15-20 page paper was fun but that's it. GSI is terrible and useless. I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: AC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Also listed as SOC304. Some of the things she says are a bit ignorant and made some feel uncomfortable. Don't need to come to lecture, but she does tell some interesting stories.. that gets annoying after a while. She's very nice, and very cute/fashionable for her age! Interesting topic and I like the way the class is laid out. Need a good GSI!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SOC503
• 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:

Slyvia was very passionate about the subject and did a great job keeping you interested. The class was rather long at 3 hours and the load of reading was very large. But, with that said she is very patient with students and professional

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Two essay/ID exams, one term paper on your own family history, one disc. presentation (awful GSIs, be warned). While she has great knowledge, does gravitate back to personal accounts (CUBAAAA) and lectures move slowly. If I had to, though, I would gladly take this course again. Also, I love the way she says the word 'immigration'... you'll see.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Don't take this class. The professors lectures are useless, all she does is name drop her "colleagues" and tell personal stories that are not on the exams. My GSI was hard to understand. The professor is rude and not willing to meet or discuss exams. The class is unorganized, many misunderstandings between GSI and professor.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOC304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

CUBAAAAAAAA all cuba all the time CUBAAAAAAA