James Somers - Moorpark College

Professor: James Somers

Department: TBD

College: Moorpark College

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: AST101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This professor is great. To pass you MUST attend his lectures and pay attention. He records all his zoom meetings, so I recommended to relistening to them before each weekly quiz. He's very passionate about astronomy, and is always nice to students. He drops the lowest quiz, and most people got As in my class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is a great guy. All you are graded on is the tests. Just pay attention in the lectures.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01L
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Somers class was a mixture of indoor assignments and outdoor projects. I enjoyed the outdoor stuff best, but learned more in the class. Prof. Somers class was not a hard one. Being in class was the key to it all. He surprised almost everyone by raising our grades by one at the end of the semester, a nice surprise. A good teacher.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01L55831
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Somers loved the subject, and you can tell he is very passionate when it comes to learning. I now have a better picture of what I would like to major in, Astronomy and minor in Physics that is. Thank you Prof.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01L
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hypocritical. Enough said

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01L
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Took him for lab and he was alright. I got a B and I'm still not really sure how. Sometimes is super chill and will tell you the answers on tests and other times nitpicks points on the smallest things. Definitely loves astronomy and is very knowledgable.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01L
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Clearly knew the subject very well, but seemed like he didn't want to be there. Both he and his assistant, who was just one of his friends, expected us to know everything and talked down to us when we asked questions. On a particularly hard quiz, the assistant lectured us on how appalled he was that we did poorly. Wouldn't take again, very rude.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Somers is a great professor who is very knowledgeable and passionate about Astronomy. Take notes and pay attention and you will do ok. Recommend him for the Lab class also.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ASTLMO1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Somers covers the Universe in layman's terms, He wants everyone in the class to understands astronomy and his passion of the topic in his lectures. If you take notes, and study, his tests are not difficult at all! I enjoyed this class and I felt I learned a lot about the astronomy too! Thanks!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Nice guy. The Star Party was lots of fun. On two occasions he actually did the tests with the class. Very helpful.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ASTLAB01
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He makes everything more difficult than necessary. He specifically told the class we do not need to be artists when drawing the moon sketches. Which was really odd because he marked points off for not drawing an elaborate picture. Tests were confusing and he would yell at the class for not knowing something he knew. Terrible at teaching.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01L
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Took his lab and lecture over summer. Tough grader and marks you down for the slightest things like putting the wrong date. Talks fast so be ready to write! he likes to trick you on the test but allows cheat sheet for every test. mostly graded on tests in the lecture so do good!! lab is a bit easier for me but attendance is crucial for good grade.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AST101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Somers is very knowledgeable, and, he is always helpful when needed. The wife baked good cookies for us.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ASTLAB01
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Nice, average teacher, really cares about astronomy and is good at it but because it comes to them so easily they assume the class also easily understands, take during rainy season so you don't have to go out as much

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01M01L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Somers is very passionate about astronomy. He actually works for NASA. His tests in the lecture class are a bit tricky with the T/F questions, and he talks like an auctioneer.. so be prepared to write!! Loved his lab class, he's very helpful and he doesn't want his students to fail.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTLAB01
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

An amazing astronomy laboratory! You learn the constellations and use telescopes under the stars! The class is easy if you show up, take notes a few tests and exercises. Prof Somers is one of the few instructors who has a passion in what he teaches. Take his course, you will not regret it.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: AST101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Somers is a passionate teacher. The idea is to take really good notes, by that I mean try and write down every single word he says. Get a coffee to make you write faster. It pays off.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ASTMO1
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Professor Somers was a great professor who was very knowledgable about Astronomy. No book is necessary as long as you write great notes in class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Terrible. He gives notes orally, open note quizzes but they are tough, some stuff not even on notes. Textbook not required, i tried using it to better my understanding and grade but turned out to be useless! I'm a 4.0 GPA student and just couldn't get an A so I had to drop, now I have a W on my transcript. but if ur ok with a "C" take him

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ASTM01
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

ONLY take this class if you are a GREAT test taker. The no hw is nice but doesn't give the class a lot of points. The info from tests isn't always reproduced. There is one assignment of extra credit in Castaic. This class is not about constellations and life in the galaxy. It's primarily the chemicals in the main planets. Not what I was expecting