Kris Adams - Berklee College of Music

Professor: Kris Adams

Department: TBD

College: Berklee College of Music

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HR212
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I don't know why Kris has so many bad ratings, I thoroughly enjoyed her class. I've always struggled with jazz harmony, but Kris explains it in a way that makes sense to me. We do fun little exercises in class too that keep the class engaged. She can be a little bit strict, but overall she's a total sweetheart. Highly recommend her!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HARM4
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Kris Adams is by far the worst teacher I have ever had in my 2 years at Berklee. I am usually an A student, I'm taking Pass so she doesn't drop my GPA. She grades way too harsh. My friend had a family pass and was out for a month, & to be told she had 1 week to get her missed work in. to think some of our tuition is wasted on this woman is a shame

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HARM212
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

At first I was intimidated by the fast pace, but then realized that she explains things so clearly that the fast pace actually helps us pay attention and learn more. Sometimes she reviews topics I already learned but in a much more organized and clear way that it makes the same topics that were previously confusing seem so simple.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HR112
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She rushes through lessons to the point where she makes mistakes often and brings in answer keys with multiple wrong answers. She teaches to the test, so I did well in the class but feel I don't know how to apply the concepts when writing/analyzing music. Wouldn't recommend for harmony 2.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HR112
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Kris is a kind person, her energy is nice. Her lessons are oriented towards marking and assuring that you did the homework and that you understand the concepts ON PAPER. There is almost none application of the contents of the class in real life music, and classes can become boring because you only attend to watch her mark papers. Not reccomended

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HR112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Terrible experience, Everything in her class is based on how accurately you can do your HW's and on the tests and every HW is graded, it doesn't really matter if you really understood the material or not all she wants you to do is the homework, her explanations are vague and not organized. Wouldn't recommend taking her if you want to learn.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HR211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I love Kris. I took her for Harmony 2 and 3 and she's simply amazing. She makes the class fun and explains the material extremely well. I would take whatever course she teaches. Highly recommended.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENVC141
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Her class is unorganized and many times during vocal exercises she makes basic interval mistakes and then looks to a student who gets it right every time to correct her. Spent so much time doing pointless exercises that got us nowhere. Homework was weird, random, and useless.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HR211
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very nice teacher, takes time to explain any questions regardless of the question. Usually a worksheet or two of homework for each class but not difficult if you know what you're doing.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HR212
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I don't even like harmony and I had a great time in this class. Kris is funny, answers questions succinctly, and gives good feedback on projects and assignments.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HR-211-008
• 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:

gives in class assignments that eat up class time. seems disorganized.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HR212
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

One of the best Berklee teachers. I wish I had taken her for all the harmony classes. Even if you don't know the most basic thing she takes the time and explain it to you. She goes over every single homework in the class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HARM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Honestly, if you drop your paper and have to take time to pick it up in class, you'll miss something and be behind. That's how fast she goes. I think she forgets that we all have so many other classes because she drowns you in homework, and only goes over some of it in class. She's kinda funny though, I guess.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HR212
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A very helpful teacher, I usually understood the material and if I didn't, her office hours were very helpful. A lot of homework that's graded and not an easy marker, but if you are interested in the subject, she's a great teacher.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HR12
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Don't take her! She's mean, confusing, and unreasonable. I'm a good student, not a hater, so heed my warning: avoid her like the plague!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENJZ231
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Kris will have us play new tunes each week so we aren't running the same 6 all semester. She introduces different concepts throughout the semester rather than just running through songs over and over, and gives everyone opportunities to solo. My favorite ensemble teacher so far at Berklee.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HR112
• 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:

She was extremely rude the entire class. She would laugh at students for asking questions and would get frustrated if you asked more than one or two. She gives at least two pages of homework each class. She would contradict herself and then when you put answers on a test about stuff she said she will say "I thought you'd forget that"

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HR212
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Kris was all charm until it was too late to withdraw from her class then it's like something snapped She turned a quarterly quiz, worth 10% of grade, into a pop quiz,gave it a week early,without teaching us everything that was on it, and taunted us about it after Impatient and unfriendly at office hours Disorganized & erratic Harsh grader AVOID!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HR212
• 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:

I loved Kris so much that I took her for 3 semesters straight. Such a lovely woman. She is great at explaining things clearly to students and students never hesitate to ask questions. Her sense of humor always brightens up the room.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Straight up this class is not hard. I had her for MAT and she's funny, nice and super easy to understand. She walks around when we're doing an assignment in class and checks to see if people are doing to correctly and if they don't she sits and helps them. She's always offering her office hours incase people need extra help. She's a good teacher.