Samuel Otterstrom - Brigham Young University

Professor: Samuel Otterstrom

Department: TBD

College: Brigham Young University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HONS226
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I loved having Professor Otterstrom as a teacher! He is such a nice guy and really makes an effort to know everyone by name in the class. You can tell that he is really passionate about geography, and his lecture are interesting. Also, he's pretty funny and great about meeting outside of class if you need help.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HONRS226
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you pay attention and take notes while reading, you will do fine. There is a simple research project, but if you put in the work, it is pretty easy.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GEOG255
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class was 100% quantity over quality. Dr. Otterstrom gives way, way too much work. Multiple papers, long atlas assignments, pop quizzes, and his exams all took me 3 hours. He is very unorganized and lectures are horribly boring. Absolutely take this class from someone else. Definitely one of my least favorite classes I've taken at BYU.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GEO255
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Otterstrom is a great guy. Super nice, friendly and encouraging. He learns everyone's names even in a large class. He is helpful and wants students to succeed. The tests are extensive and each question is like 3-4 questions in and of itself. There are a lot of assignments and papers. Overall, it was enjoyable and informative.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GEO255
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He gives lectures hoping to will the predetermined answer in his head out of your mouth. He talks a lot, and doesn't encourage valuable dialogue with his students. Hard to decipher expectations of what he wants.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 255
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You learn a lot, but he gives a lot of assignments and tests are hard. Not an easy A for sure.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GEOG120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Otterstrom really cares about his students and geography as a whole. His lectures can be long and slightly disorganized, but you will learn from them. Attendance is imperative because his lectures cover exam materials. The class is easy if you turn everything in and go to class. Really good for freshmen adjusting to a college workload.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GEO255
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Otterstrom is a great guy but the class is very unorganized and spontaneous. Expect tough grading, lots of quizes, papers, projects, and busy work with no break in the semester.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GEOG255
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Otterstrom is a super cool guy. He is very willing to help his students. Tests were pretty tough but when he did reviews it was really helpful. If you focus on the key terms in the book then you'll do great on tests. Tells you when you have quizzes. I didn't think the class was too tough, but you have to do the work!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GEOG120
• 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:

you pretty much have to go to his class, because he has quizzes during them. The quizzes themselves are super easy, but the lecture is kind of pointless, although he is super funny and passionate about geography. The tests are easy, . overall, I would take it again, pretty easy (also, i used old edition of book and I was fine, it saved me a 100$

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GEOG120
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Pretty good class for a general. The lectures are very long and very boring. You have to know the terms in the chapter for quizzes and are often on the tests too. You have to write a one page paper on a region of your choosing each week and they aren't too difficult just busy work.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GEOG120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Otterstrom is very passionate about what he teaches but he doesn't do the best job with actually teaching it to his students. I learned more from skimming over the textbook than I ever did in class. I only attended because of the quizzes he gave every once in a while. I wouldn't take his class unless you were prepared to teach yourself.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GEO120
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are boring a lot of times, but the homework isn't bad and if you prep before the tests you'll be fine.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GEOG120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Otterstrom is a great guy and really funny. However, Lectures are super confusing and he is all over the place. It's hard to know what to take notes on because there is zero structure to his class. There is so much reading. Too much busy work that is time consuming. Way too hard for a 100 level GE class, take it from someone else if you can.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GEOG255
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. O is a great guy. Class was fun but lecture was hard to follow and take notes on sometimes. Attendance to class is mandatory because he doesn't post the detailed version of his lecture outline online. Two 3-4pg concept papers, two exams, presentation, and a few other small assignments. Overall, a great class, learned a lot.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GEOG260
• 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:

Arguably the nicest professor I've had, and probably the second best I've had in the department. Very willing to help. Likes to get to know students.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GEOG260
• 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: N/A

Comment:

Otterstrom is a great teacher. None of the assignments are busy work, instead they help you understand what you are learning. He is always willing to help you out if you need it. He makes class fun and you want to visit every European country after taking this class. Tests are long. I got 70% on the multiple choice part and 96% on essay questions.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GEOG120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His class was easy. The study guides basically covered everything so the tests were very simple. He makes you do a lot of pointless homework, and his lectures are just as useless. He wasted a lot of class time just showing his boring vacation pics. I would have done just as well in this class if I only showed up for quizzes and read the textbook.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GEOG120
• 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:

He is a really nice teacher, but his homework is stupid. I feel like I'm in high school again. I don't learn much in his class, but you have to go to class because usually there is some kind of quiz or assignment due. It's really annoying.His exams are very hard, I studyied for hours but still did bad.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GEOG260
• 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:

I hated every minute of his pointless, convoluted, mind numbing lectures. I could have learned more about Europe by sticking my head in a block of Swiss cheese. Go ahead and sign up for this class if you want to waste your money, and 4 months of your life that you?ll never get back.