Crystal Martin - University of California Santa Barbara

Professor: Crystal Martin

Department: TBD

College: University of California Santa Barbara

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Great class to take if you like a challenge. Came in having never taken a physics class before (and yes, this is a physics class) and managed to grind through it. Martin is very knowledgeable about the subject and is always willing to help you understand the dense material. Not easy, but very rewarding.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: Audit/No Grade
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very interesting subject matter but lots of material. 2-3 chapters a week. Heavy reading 60 pages/week minimum. Tests included minor details from the textbook like the preciseness of a specific telescope to the degree. Take this class pass/no pass, read AT LEAST the summaries of the chapters before lecture. Quizlet has good flashcards for tests.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Class is curved, but even with the curve passing can be hard. Homework is completely physics while the tests are conceptual. Need to go to office hours, but it depends on the TA available. Would not recommend, there are easier science GAs

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Homework is pretty much all math, but tests are mostly conceptual (based on the textbook). Reading can get pretty dense & the lectures get kind of boring but the material itself isn't hard to grasp. Went in with previous physics knowledge and had an easier time with homework/reading, but tests were still really hard and detail oriented.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Most people complain because they weren't expecting physics, but it's literally a physics class. That being said, it's impossible to pay attention for the whole lecture because she speaks in monotone. Homework is easy but irrelevant to tests. Easy to pass if you have some physics/astro background. Class is curved. Material is interesting; she isn't

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• 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:

Come in expecting to do math, chemistry, and physics. The textbook is easy to read, but very dense. The lectures almost never help with comprehension of the reading, and my TA was even worse. Sections mostly covered the math problems, no concepts, but the tests were heavily focused on conceptual ideas. Difficult GE class unless you're into physics.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very passionate about the subject, however the lectures weren't helpful for me as it explains as if you already learned the material (similar to the textbook). My TA was also awful and straight up wouldn't answer questions in section. I would not take this class as an introductory course unless you're a Physics/STEM major.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

A very tough professor for 75 minute lectures. Covers 1 30 page chapter PER LECTURE of a dense, chaotic textbook. Midterm seemed to be taken from the text - problems tough. She admitted we cover a lot of material + there is a disconnect between homework and exams... yet didn't really do anything about those things. HW graded intensely for accuracy.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Definitely lecture heavy, but she is passionate about the material which makes you interested in it. A tricky class with tricky midterm/final, but if you put in the work, it is definitely worth it and you will find yourself dropping astronomy fun facts all of the time after taking this course.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She's a great lecturer. You can tell she is super passionate about the material and she's very helpful during office hours. It was an easy A mainly because she gives you the formulas on the test and all you had to do was plug and chug for the problems. The rest just comes from reading the book and memorizing it. Love astronomy and loved this class!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Astro 1 seems like a really hardA class, but the course is HEAVILY curved. I got a 75% in the course and that ended up being an A. A lot of people think the class is hard, but if you actually study deeply and not just look at the question and answer online, you will learn it. I recommend doing all the chapter problems at the end.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Yes, the material is difficult. And the homework is nothing like the test. However, the professor is passionate and willing to help in office hours, and if you do the reading before lecture it helps everything come together. Read the book, understand the concepts and you will be fine.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I thought taking an introductory course to astronomy would be fun, but it was the most stressful thing ever. I was genuinely interested in learning astrophysics and knew it would be a lot of math going into it, but the homework is all math and tests were ALL concepts.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very smart but very boring professor. Difficult concepts and somewhat confusing lectures

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• 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:

She is a terrible teacher. Take only pass not pass because it's easy to get a C and impossible to get anything higher unless you are an astronomy wiz.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class is EXTREMELY difficult. The lectures are boring and the sections don't help to clarify. The professor clearly knows what she is talking about, but she acts like she is talking to a group of astronomy or pics majors, not an intro course. The tests are very difficult. AVOID unless you are an astronomy or physics major/minor.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• 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:

Didn't know coming into the class that it was all math and physics. Tests are 70% of the grade and the lectures are the boringest things. To stay caught up you must read 2 chapters a week and teach yourself mostly everything. I do not recommend at all

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The class was an extremely large amount of reading considering it covers a math and science requirement. The tests were insanely hard and the material was almost all physics, chemistry, and some memorization. Martin is clearly very knowledgeable in the subject, but this makes the tests tougher since she can't decipher which questions are harder.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS132
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Wonderful class, especially if you already have interest in astrophysics. She's very straightforward/no-nonsense, and really knows her stuff. Lectures are fun to listen to (although there can be boring derivations). However, the material is still very difficult. (phys 132 and 133)

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS133
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

avoid. takes life away from stuff which is supposedly cool. very boring lecturer.