Athos Petrou - University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)

Professor: Athos Petrou

Department: TBD

College: University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I don't even know where to start sometimes with these D grade rent-a-scientists, this man undoubted has no real idea of the works of the Niels Bohr. He expects us to understand quantum theory and atomic structure, without educating himself on his efforts during the 1900s, where he had actually won a Nobel Prize in physics unlike you-know-who.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Go to office hours after a test to go over it! The TAs are grading so many papers at once, they often skip over partial credit and give 0 points as a default. Athos is very willing to give partial credit if you write something comprehensible on the paper. Raise your hand during the test and wait for Athos himself because he will give you hints

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Athos is by far the best physics professor for 107. Yes, he has a thick accent. Yes, his lectures can get boring, but all of them are the same. Available out of the classroom, and always willing to entertain questions. Best of all: He will answer any questions you have during the test, yes any questions. Class isnt mandatory, but definitely helps

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

do not recommend taking. Thick accent, fast with slides, and if you have no prior knowledge then your going to teach yourself the subject materials (on your own time as well) while he reads off the slides

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Athos is not a good professor. To a big lecture he speaks very quietly and has a difficult-to-understand accent so most of the time you don't know what he's saying. He does lots of examples in class, but solves them in an over-complicated way that made me more confused. You don't have to attend lecture except for the quiz friday.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Petrou is a terrible Physics professor. He juz read off his slides on lectures. One thing that is good about him is that he does walk around to answer questions. Physics 107 is easy, you can totally teach yourself by reading textbooks. Just do the homework and you can pass the class easily.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hard to understand. T H I C C Accent. i swear at one point this guy was speaking french. Terrible Lectures. Everyone dips right after the quiz.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's very funny and gives TONS of example problems in class, which a lot of profs don't do anymore. Exams were very fair and graded generously, but the final was a little difficult. The grading system could be improved (based on performance of whole class, not average), but he's a solid choice. Attendance only mandatory for clicker quiz on Fridays.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Petrou is by far the best choice for PHY107. Plenty of class examples, and he writes the tests (other profs use the test he makes). He doesn't try to trick you on exams and doesn't give overcomplicated problems. Homework is time-consuming, 6 hours per week. Don't talk in his class, but enjoy when he gets upset with others who do!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Excellent lectures and lots of examples in class. The material is not much more complicated than NYS Regents Physics. 12 homework questions per week (10% course grade) on WileyPlus, clicker question every Friday (5%), weekly recitation quizzes (10%). Allows for higher scoring of two midterms to be weighted higher than the other (30% vs 25%).

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHY107
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Better than most of the other physics professors. Often skips steps but doesn't explain it so his methods can be confusing. Will tear you apart if you talk in his class! Makes himself available for extra help but isn't all that great at explaining the why and how, just does the problem for you. Be prepared to do a lot of work on your own.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Total brofessor. Always submit tests for regrades and study hard, try not to use the solution manual. Petrou is not good with computers and that's a good thing. Since he's not good with computers Petrou likes to do good old fashioned hand written problems, more than any other teacher for PHY 108. He's the best for 107108.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

It was a tough class. Rarely anyone shows up to lectures. If you are a mechanical person this is gonna be hell. He is not very clear because of his accent. However, I have been told that if you meet him after class he is extremely helpful. Lectures are torture.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The way the Physics department teaches the gen ed courses is incredibly boring. You could learn everything from reading the book. Petrou is a good teacher, but hard to understand. Only gives one clicker question once a week at the beginning of class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Petrou is a cool guy. Talks straight to you, no sugar coating. He may seem annoyed at times or rude but he's just busy or something, he doesn't mean anything, and he's super nice and helpful in office hours. If you're doing computer or electrical engineering take this course at the same time as EE 202, the courses overlap like 50%, makes it easier.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Petrou is so boring. Has a heavy accent which can be confusing. Best part of class is when he pretends like he is going to kick someone out for talking. That or his strange demos. Only have to go to lecture for clicker quizzes. Exams are not that hard if you do practice questions. Lectures are a special form of hell to sit through.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His accent makes what he is saying very hard to understand, and he essentially reads off of the powerpoint slides. The homework is hard and time consuming, but the tests are fair. He calls out people who aren't paying attention in class (even though it is a 200+ lecture hall).

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• 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 accent made it hard to pay attention in lecture. I stopped going to class and taught myself from the book and homework. His quizzes are easier than other 107/108 professors. Tests are fair, much easier than the homework. Understand the homework and you will get an A.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHY108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Took him for PHY107 and PHY108 and it does take a little while getting used to him. Although he appears intimidating (as a small, Greek man) in class when he occasionally rants, he's actually extremely understandable and friendly. You can tell he's passionate in physics and more than willing to answer questions. He will give you hints during exams.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: FALLFALL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He is the best professor I have ever been taught by! I do recommend taking phy108 with him! he gives a lot of examples that come in the test in its same concept and focus on previous exams as well, which makes it easy to study and save time ! GOODLUCK!