Mark Brunell - University of the Pacific

Professor: Mark Brunell

Department: TBD

College: University of the Pacific

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Great prof for freshmen; his class really teaches you how to STUDY for college. He doesn't use PowerPoint, but has really good lectures. Participation and root words are easy points on the exams. Don't skip lectue because the diagrams he draws are guaranteed to be on the exams as well. I loved his class :)

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Brunell is awesome! Although he adds a lot of additional material in addition to the textbook, the content is very interesting and useful for pre-dents and pre-pharms. Rootwords and participation are easy points on exams. His FRQ's are pretty tough but all test content is based off his lectures. The DEFINITION of quality over quantity.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Has the reputation of being the most difficult Bio 61 professor at UOP, but don't get deterred because Brunell is solid choice. He goes very in-depth with his lectures at a level beyond the rest of the Bio 61 professors, so expect a lot of specifics as opposed to general ideas. Just grind hard, listen well, and you'll definitely pass the class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

8 AM with him is a bit tough to stay awake in but loved his lectures! No powerpoints. Goes into very specific detail but tests are more general, but it's good to know everything just in case. DON'T PROCRASTINATE, obv! Really cool professor, lots of people say don't take him but if you do end up having his class, you'll be def fine if you just study

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Brunell is a fantastic professor. His lectures are really interesting since he goes deep into detail on each process and anything he talks about. I thought his tests were decent, not deathly hard and not too easy. You definitely need to start studying your notes the week of the test.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIOL061
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This was my first science class at college level, and it definitely prepared me for other science classes. Dr. Brunell really knows his stuff, but the material builds up really quick if you don't stay on top of it. He is very detailed and sometimes it sounds like he is going on a tangent, but the tangent is actually a free response question.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOL051
• Grade Received: D+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

An amazing and hilarious man with great lectures. Unfortunately all of the content in lectures are a complete waste if you plan on taking the MCAT or DAT because he focuses on all the wrong things. Class was the hardest course i've taken at UOP. Got A's on the first two exams but ended up with a D+, no idea what happened. NOT RECCOMMENDED

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Brunell's tests are completely based upon lectures. He curves at the end of the semester and is very generous, so don't be too worried about your grade. Be prepared to memorize all drawings/diagrams and numbers. Examples given in lecture are almost always in the exams. Word roots are basically free points if you review over them.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO051
• Grade Received: D+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Brunell is great because he doesn't use powerpoint, so he puts things into more understandable terms since he teaches verbally. He has a great sense of humor and can be intimidating but is really kind and reasonable. Tests are not too difficult but there is a lot of memorization involved. If you actually study you shouldn't have any trouble.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO061
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I love Dr. Brunell <3

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO79
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Wouldn't recommend him. He has to change the way he teaches the class. No passion, no wanting the students to actually know the material, and his exams are ridiculous. Had I known the class was like this, I wouldn't have taken it. Stay away, seriously.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Brunell's lectures were really interesting, but make sure you're paying attention the whole time. Record lectures b/c he doesn't give you notes/powerpoints. He goes into a LOT of detail, but you learn a lot. His exams were VERY difficult and specific, but as long as you memorize every word he says and actually understand it, you'll be fine.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO79
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Cal Flora is a DIFFICULT class, but Dr. B made it incredibly fun. The tests were hard, but the field trips and the three day camping trip was worth it. You MUST study once he starts handing out class materials because there are a lot of memorizing. Very passionate about botany and I do recommend the class, but just be wary of the workload!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO051
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Exams are difficult but doable. It is mainly based on lecture but he follows the books pretty so don't abandon it completely. He cares a lot if he sees you put in the time and effort. Don't ever skip lecture because he gives examples and diagrams puts them on the test. Make sure to memorize the images he draws. He is a great professor.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO51
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Exams based only on lectures. Should bring recorder since he talks kind of fast and MC portion goes into detail. Write down examples since they are usually on FRQ. Has Greek/Latin root words you need to memorize for each exam, but it's there to buffer the MC and FRQ. Final exam average grade: 55% (had to memorize 136 roots, only 50ish on exam).

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Exams based solely on lectures so you won't have to study from PPTs/textbook for every exam. But on rare occasions, he assigns reading from the textbook and that will be on the exam. Lots of drawings during lecture that end up being on the FRQ, so don't skip class. He's a beekeeper and often goes off topic talking about them, but it's on the exam.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO051
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You must memorize every word of his lecture to succeed. Also he LOVES greek/latin roots and makes you memorize hundreds of them. He's a great professor and a great person but his exams are killer if you aren't used to him. Also no practice exams nor powerpoint.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Do not skip class. Take notes on basically everything he says, as he likes giving out examples that will appear on his test. As long as you take good notes, you should be fine. He's well-respected in the bio department. Remember, don't skip class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Be ready to draw because his lectures include many diagrams. He doesn't have any powerpoints and goes through a lot of detail so attendance is a must. He's obsessed about bees and can get off topic with them. His exams are very detailed and sometimes his FRQ's can get very confusing. Average test grade was about a 63%

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO 061
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is pretty easy going, and very clear in his lectures. His test are based solely what he goes over in lecture and anything that he tells you to read. He doesn't use powerpoints, so if that's what you want, probably shouldn't take him... But I found this class extremely enjoyable. Would take again