Marek Kapicka - University of California Santa Barbara

Professor: Marek Kapicka

Department: TBD

College: University of California Santa Barbara

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• 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:

Kapicka is overall a good prof even he has a big accent, he is doing the best he can to teach well.ECON 101 is easy if you read the text. I got A in the class.Grading is split into 4 parts,clicker 10%,4 hw 20%, 1 midterm 25%, final 45%.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class was so boring I slept through over half of it. Then I would wake up to answer an I-Clicker question and go back to sleep. Do the homework, it's not very hard and then look over the lecture notes and textbook the night before the tests. The questions are multiple choice and are pretty common sense with a few little facts and figures.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• 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:

Damn this dude got a nasty accent. lol. Sometimes it's hard to keep my focus because of it. Kapicka's kind of weird, the homework's are problems with some analysis but his exams are nothing like it. They're MC and the information is found in the textbook. Read the textbook or you're going to have a hard time in this class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Class was somewhat slow, and he seemed to only want to focus on the chapters that were applicable to the current state of the economy (which isnt necessarily a bad thing). Overall, skipped a few important macro-topics. Extremely friendly Prof. READ THE BOOK and be sure to study lecture slides. DO THE HOMEWORK PROPERLY! (20% of grade so talk to TAs)

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I got an A in this class and I know nothing about macroeconomic theory. Just study the practice tests. Don't go to class unless you need a nap.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Econ 101 is a very boring class no matter who teaches it. Kapicka is no exception. Virtually pointless to go to lecture unless you have about 3 energy drinks before or else you will be asleep the whole time. Read the book outside of class, do practice midterms, and you'll do fine. Huge curve.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

nice guy, but i found it personally pointless to go to lecture. go to his and ta's office hours and ABSOLUTELY DO THE HOMEWORKS. he uses the book extensively, so carefully read the chapters b/c that's where all the multiple choice questions come from. class requires a lot of time, but it's definitely not impossible to do well.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

nice guy, but i found it personally pointless to go to lecture. go to his and ta's office hours and ABSOLUTELY DO THE HOMEWORKS. he uses the book extensively, so carefully read the chapters b/c that's where all the multiple choice questions come from. class requires a lot of time, but it's definitely not impossible to do well.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• 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:

DO THE HOMEWORKS, GO TO SECTION AND APPROACH HIM ON OFFICE HOURS IF THINGS ARE NOT CLEAR. GREAT PROF. IF U ASK QUESTIONS SADLY HE EXPECTS YOU TO READ ALL CHAPTERS COVERED AND REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE DETAIL ON THE READINGS...

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He seems to have lightened up from prior quarters in term of difficulty. Hard to understand because his accent, but really he means well. Go to his offfice hour and he will try to help you. Also pretty nice on regrades.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I rarely go to class, it's not very helpful but the slides were...Best advise is to form a study group. Study the prob sets, i think this quarter was easier than prior.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's hopeful during his office hours if you go find him. He's nice and willing to help. However, his accent made him kindna difficult to understand often times. He's trying his best to help his students, so I think he's a pretty responsible prof

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

After failing this class with a different professor, I know the difference between a good and bad professor. Any bad experiences with Prof. Kapicka should be considered strictly student induced. He is an excellent professor; very intelligent, clear, organized, and personable. I would higly recommend him for ANY class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is the most organized teacher I know of and enjoys it when people ask questions. He paces the lectures slowly so that everyone has time to soak it in. The material takes some thinking but if you have made it into this school it should not be too hard.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• 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:

He has been the most organized teacher this year. His material takes some work to understand but he will help if you ask him questions during class or office hours. His accent only matters if you sit in the back row and cannot hear him. Worth taking again!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

just like any other 101 class, very difficult, nothing to do with the professor. however, Huge curve and so you do better than expected. problem sets were NOT impossible, with a lot of work can be done. out of all econ 101 professor, the BESTTTT

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

101 is really not as hard as ppl describe. If you don't know how to do the problem sets, can always go ask TA. So the 25% is free. If you study/memorize the stuff he tells you to study, you'll do well on exams.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Kapicka is horrible at lecturing, so hard to understand his accent. His problem sets are impossible and so are his tests! Don't stress too much, the midterm avg was about a 36%! You end up not doing that bad, since everyone else is doing terribly. Get a tutor! TAs are generally unhelpful.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hardest class I've ever taken. The Problem sets are ridiculous and completely unsolvable even with the book, notes, and help from my TA (who was awesome and really did try to help). The exam questions were even harder than homework problems, and so much harder than the practice exam that doing the practice is useless. I averaged 50% and got an A.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ECON101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He doesn't speak English very well, but he is really smart. His test is so hard, but it was similar to the practice test. If you like calculus, you could get pretty good score. Overall, he is not that hard if you study hard and try to do Problem Set(Homework) by yourself.