Varun Begley - College of William and Mary

Professor: Varun Begley

Department: TBD

College: College of William and Mary

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGL358
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Begley has a distinct style. His lectures are abstract and they often overlap, but every now and then, he will give the most refined thought that is awe-inspiring. Modernism is weird, and it works against his favor in this class, but give him a chance. If anything, I think I can understand my dad a lot better because I took his class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FILM251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

It really doesn't seem like he ever has a plan for the class, he just makes it up as he goes which usually leads to incoherent tangents, but he still expects you to come to class. He's always looking for a specific answer in his writing assignments and won't like it if you disagree with him. He seems to have a god complex so appeal to his ego.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGL211
• 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:

I feel like I would have done better on the essays for this class had I not attended the lectures, which were quite convoluted and tangential. Dr. Begley exposed me to some great films and novels, but I did not care for most. Look over the syllabus and listen to him before you consider sticking with this class--he's definitely an acquired taste.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL211
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I feel like I just don't understand Prof. Begley. He assigns vague essay questions like "Does Venice exist?" and has us bring personal items to class so he can try to tell us about ourselves. Also everything he writes on the board during his lectures is absolutely unintelligible. Take his class if you like black & white postmodern arthouse films.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENGL211
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is one of the smartest people you'll ever meet. He changed the way I view literature/the world. Go into his class with an open mind, his teaching style is loose and strange and not everyone's style but give it a chance. He can give you some amazing insight into modernist lit and his perspective on modern culture/life is so entertaining and smart

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENGL359
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's an acquired taste. Lectures are fun and pull no punches, but they wind and sometimes repeat themselves. Regular but not pop quizzes. Easy grader if you write well, try a little and, uh, happen to agree with him frequently. Otherwise, I can't say. If you're cool with some self-indulgence, you'll love him.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL380
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Begley is clearly one of the most intelligent people on campus, which can sometimes hurt him as he often gets lost inside his own head. Class lectures are fun/fascinating, but it's difficult to get anything concrete out of them to use on papers. Papers are hard, and he's not an easy grader, but he overstates how hard he is. Quizzes boost grades.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG380
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Begley's lectures are fantastic. He mixes his fascinating world view with truly witty asides. It is immediately evident that he knows an ungodly amount about Modernism. However, I found him hypocritically pedantic, giving tendentious analysis while rejecting any student who offers a similar style that doesn't conform to his views.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENG380
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I LOVED THIS COURSE! Professor Begley is a phenomenal and brilliant professor. This class has opened my mind to ideas that I have never considered before. His love for the subject is evident in every class; he truly invests himself in modernism and teaching this class. He is truly an inspiration and has caused me to change the way I view the world.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL380
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Look: Professor Begley is far and away the best professor I have ever had, & I would recommend his classes even to people who are not English majors. He will make you think about the world in a way you never have before (& laugh - a lot). If you do the readings, you'll do well, & even a bad grade would be worth it. Can't overstate his awesomeness

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: FMST302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The lectures are very random and all over the place. I found myself very confused as to what I was learning and he seemed to find meaning in everything, and then a completely different meaning for the same thing. The readings are the same way and quizzes are very specific. Other people seemed to do well, so it may be a style that some enjoy.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: FILM251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The lectures are random and sporadic. Hard to engage with it because of the lack of focus. Quizzes are rote memorization and do not facilitate critical thinking or expression of one's own perspectives and reasonings.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENG344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You could get this guy's just general reflections about life tattooed. I would be satisfied being guaranteed no higher than a B from him, just being able to hear him talk. Absolutely brilliant, but not in the obnoxious way. HILARIOUS. Plus he took us all to the Green Leafe the last day of class and bought everyone nachos and wings so. TAKE HIM!!!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL358
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Begley is really intelligent, and the funnest part of the class is just the observations about the world he occasionally starts class with. (Ex. "What are these 5 Hour Energy things at Wawa?") The downsides are some of the texts you read are quite surreal and he doesn't give As on papers. Still, I would recommend his class for English majors

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: LCST150W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Begley is awesome!!!! knows material and his extreme interest rubs off on you. You will not get A's on papers, though but his feed back if very insightful and helpful. Class is very fair and enjoyable most days. Will go over your head with psychoanalysis info but he will dumb it down to a level that your understand. Quizzes are extremely easy.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: LCST150W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Begley is the man! His lectures will go way over your head unless you're into psychoanalysis, but still exciting to listen to his intellectual rants. His quizzes are so simple, like middle school style. He is a hard grader on papers, but I managed to get an A after revisions (he lets you revise every paper). Take him, hands down

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: LCST150W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof Begley is THE best teacher I've had! His classes are interesting, engaging, and inevitably entertaining. He does a good blend of lecture/discussion, and the only real homeworks are weekly readings (to be quizzed on the next day) and papers (which he is VERY lenient on). It does take good insight to get an A on his papers. A class worth taking!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: LCST150W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's definitely hard and it's impossible to get an A on his papers, but he's funny and his lectures are really REALLY interesting. He's very flexible when it comes to dates for tests and due dates for papers, and he tries to make things easy for everyone.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENGL344
• 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:

You will NOT get A's on your papers. But if you do the reading and attend class, you can get an A for your final grade. Begley's class will push you to your intellectual limits without screwing your GPA. AWESOME professor. Funny, brilliant, and helpful. Take a class with him before you leave WM.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENG411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He may be good looking and smart,but these traits will not help YOU! Assignments had broad guidelines, but grading did not. His lectures left me cruising the internet because it was way out of my league. Asking questions and taking part in the discussion is a MUST, of you will be lost. Had weekly quizzes. Really? Are we back in high school?