3.0
Quality3.5
Difficulty33%
Would Retake173
Reviews33%
Would Retake
173
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
55
4
27
3
18
2
38
1
35
What Students Say
“I love computer science, but this professor turned my passion from coding away so quickly”
CS108 - 1.0 rating“He DOES NOT care about students grade at all”
CS108CS10 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
85%
Textbook Required
65%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.13 avg changeRatings by Course
ECON171
5.0
(1)CASCS
4.0
(1)CS111
3.7
(42)SM132
3.7
(3)CS101
3.3
(49)Difficulty by Course
FE429
5.0
101
4.5
FE459
4.4
CS108
4.1
COMP101
4.0
Reviews (173)
Stevens is a great professor, as far as comp sci goes-- he's incredibly helpful when you need homework assistance or general explanations. Very available outside of class, and an all-around nice guy. Tells corny jokes and shows vacation photos. Definitely recommended.
Horrible teacher. Gives bad grades, admits assignments he gives out were too hard and should not have been given out but still keeps the bad grades kids get. Does not teach what needs to be known for assignments. Has a student from last semester grade the assignments. Do not take this class.
Excellent teacher and nice person. Very helpful outide classroom.
Awesome teacher!! Really clear and funny!! Yankee fans shouldn't take this course but SOX fans will enjoy. He gives lots of homework hints in class and will always help...even if it's two hours before the assignment is due. He teachers like he really enjoys both the subject and the fact that he gets to teach it to someone. Wicked Awesome!!!!!!!!!
If you dont mind a little homework, definitely take this class. Aron is great!!!
Possibly the nicest professor I've ever had - His lectures are straight-forward and he makes sure you are prepared for assignments and exams. Workload is a little heavy and very time consuming, but worth it - I learned a lot in this class - Really nice/helpful TA too
No Comments
what an awesome guy. he is just the best, no doubt...
NO DOUBT THE BEST CLASS POSSIBLE. Aaron is VERY helpful, accessible, and fair. His lectures are clear and organized; HWs are very clear and fun. The final project is also really great. I'm not a CS major but LOVE this class. I wish I could take more programming classes.
Nicest professor I've encountered at BU thus far. Will strive to make sure you understand the material -- if the grader unfairly ****s you out of points on quizzes - go see Aaron!!
Although I liked the class, the professor was terrible. He expected us to study CS for 15 hours a week and the assignments were really hard and time consuming. Visiting him was just a waste of time and also, I begged for (and eventually got) points lost unfairly on 3 quizzes!! Make sure that you ask for points on every quiz. Good luck!
Aaron is an amazing prof. HW takes a lot of time, but if you are willing to put time into this class you can get a good grade and learn a lot. take this class if you have the time!
He's a very nice guy, and a good teacher. Nevertheless, CS 111 is not an easy class. Trying to finish the homework (which is due at midnight every sunday) ruined my weekends this semester. Expect to spend at least 10 hours a week on homework. The subject matter is not that exciting, the exam and quizzes aren't easy, and he's kind of a picky grader
Excellent course, but not easy. Expect to spend 10-15 hours a week working on HW, but they're excellent reinforcements of class material. Quizzes every two weeks are tricky but helpful. Excellent way to start Comp Sci, Aaron is a teacher who really wants to see his students learn. Helpful in office hours and by email. Good class overall.
I would not recommend this class to anyone who DOESN'T have a strong interest in programming. I took AP Computer Science in high school, and still struggled with this class. It is definitely not an easy way to get rid of a requirement. Such ridiculous amounts of hw, and he isn't very helpful.
CS108 is NOT for the weak. It may be an intro level class, but it is a lot of work. Be ready to spend 5-10 hours each week on homework. Not a good idea if you want to take this to get rid of Math/CS requirement. Aaron provides great examples and is very clear, but not very helpful. Homeworks are a "figure it out for yourself" kind of deal.
Unfair grader!!! Don't take his class. He expects you to work a LOT. Curves down. Really bias with jewish students. If you want to succeed in this class, you better befriend him and hear him talk for hours about his family. Sometimes funny during lectures. Worst teacher for cs111. Fool of himself as a java programmer. Go to his office hours.
stevens is the kind of teacher who likes to fail students at no cost. he gives insufferable homework. lectures are really useful dont skip them, he WILL notice. go to his office hours even if you know the material. read the book. he thinks he is funny but he makes the lectures boring. he usually befriends students who sit in the front
one of the worst classes ive ever taken at bu. you dont get the grade you actually deserve in the class and you are required to put hours upon hours of work into this class (yes i know its a programming class) but seriously, its a 100 level class. chill the f out with the weekly hw assignments. some of us have real classes to worry about.
Desperately wants to be liked by his students, so he can come off a little like the kid who never got picked first in gym class. Sometimes he doesn't really answer your questions, you may have to persist. Very reasonable workload!
No Comments
He's a good guy and the lectures are interesting, but the labs are useless. The homework ranges from quick and easy to impossible and time-consuming. Quizzes are extremely easy, but it seems like all the different components of the class are disconnected...it was only his second time teaching the class so that's probably it.
Aaron's a good guy, and the class seems reasonably easy if you do what you have to (I am rating pre-final exam...). He put all his slides up on the 'net, which made it easy to study what he wanted us to know. Homework DID range widely, so start early, and labs WERE completely useless.
Stevens is fun in class and you have to attend all of his lectures and labs because he counts attendance in the final grade. Instead of a midterm he gives 6 quizzes of which 1 can be dropped. They are quite easy if his lecture notes are studied well. It is difficult to get an A because he does not curve the quizzes and you have to get a 95%.
Stevens is a great professor. He 's very organized, works hard to make homework interesting and comprehensible, and genuinely seems to enjoy his job. I can only complain about his frequent disregard for spellchecking.
Aaron always pretends to be a nice guy by asking you stupid questions and telling a extremely boring joke at class. However, what really matters is the horrible work load and unfair grading, which will keep you worrying about your final letter grade throughout the semester. As a reward to your hard work, you will still get a grade you dont deserve
disaster teacher for intro CS course. No lecture notes available after class. You get judged as a first time programmer and because you are not perfect in every aspects, you will get a lower grade than you expected in his grading though you have worded hard to get almost everything right. Skip this class and go to next level CS class will be better
i got an A with no previous comp sci expeience. aaron is a nice guy who actually seems to care about his students. visit him in office hours and he will help, but you will have to work to get a good grade
Homeworks are incomprehensible and riddled with errors; the class is irrelevant to SHA. Everything is graded by TFs and is not very good at responding to emails.
Homeworks will destroy what little time you have on the weekend. Aaron is a pretty decent teacher, and has very good slides, but I sometimes wasn't sure if there was enough space in the room for the students AND his ego. Final project is****ty because he actually grades that one...your TA will make or break most of your grade in this class.
Good class. Homework is time consuming but not overwhelming. Aaron picks favorites. I compared my project to some of the "favorites" and they received a much higher grade for a weaker project. I missed 3 classes, two were interviews that i told him about, yet i had one of the lowest attendance grades. Get to know him or you will be very disappointe
He loves to go on political rants and interrupt class with his comments. His second to last lecture was completely about US health care and what he thinks should be done with it. When he actually teaches, he teaches from his slides and presents like a freshman would. Ask him a question and he looks clueless. Learned more from our Awesome TF
Course isn't great, but not because of Aaron:if u dont have an interest, u just wont like it.HW is hard, but help is easy to come by, cause he really cares about his students;lecture slides are good to review for finals and quizes;go to class even though the slides are online, he gives good examples!if u are willing to work hard, u will do well.
This class is terrible in the sense that the homework take hours, the labs are utterly useless, and the quizzes are difficult because they're graded 1-10. My grade in this class was the lowest I ever received at BU. The professor is nice and somewhat entertaining, but the poor grades are just not worth it. Take a math class instead, way easier!!
He's a nice enough guy, his jokes may be a little corny, but the class isn't great. It's not really because of him, it's just boring. It's not extremely difficult until you get to programming, which will kick your ass. Labs are a waste and I couldn't understand one word my TF said. Not a terrible course, I actually thought making a webpage was fun.
Homeworks were awful, took soo much time to complete and grading was very specific. Classes were boring, and stevens trying to wayy to hard to get us to like him was annoying. I spent more time doing work for this class than any other this semester and am failing. Take a stats class instead!
Never teaches whatever is going to be in the HW. The HW is very hard and is very time consuming. He thinks he's funny but really is an ****. Awful teacher, can't teach... harsh grader
In this day in age it is all too often that Computer Science teachers are often regarded as easy. Aaron is undeniably not the case. He is an utterly useless lecturer, a niggard quiz grader, and diabolical person in general. He thrives on murder the dreams and aspirations of youthful, energetic CS students who only wish to further their knowledge.
Aaron provides a great intro to CS & programming for those w/little or no experience. He teaches both parts ? the language of programming and how to think logically. He is always available (email, IM, office hours), and he recognizes and rewards hard work. The time commitment is considerable, but you?ll learn real applicable skills. Book not needed
Great professor who will challenge you but will ultimately bring out your best. Very caring and helpful. Accessible, and replies to e-mails fast. Work hard and show him that you care and you will be rewarded. Would highly recommend this professor and the course. My advice- if you are taking CS108 take it in conjunction with easier classes.
Great prof- likes and helps his students. If you pay attention and do all the assignments it's pretty easy to do well, and a great class to take for your mcs req!
CS 108 is great intro to programming class - both the course and Stevens ability to teach the course. Yes, homeworks can be somewhat long and challenging - but, you have plenty of time to ask questions and Stevens and the TA always give helpful, timely responses Quizzes and Tests are very straightfoward (just study the slides). I loved this class!
Although I did well in this class and did not find the workload overwhelming, I did not find Aaron helpful or engaging. I often felt that his lectures were fairly useless and even in office hours he would often either choose to not answer my questions or would not know the answer. Would recommend the course, but not the professor.
Great teacher. His lectures are always clear and informative and his examples help the students further understand the material. Be prepared for a lot of work in cs111 but a great class overall.
Kind of a challenging class but a very good instructor. He is very knowledgeable about Java, can answer any questions you have no matter how specific, and he does a good job of explaining difficult concepts through metaphors or through drawings on the board. Overall a very stimulating class.
Really funny, makes class fun to go to. If you like working with programs like Flash, Photoshop, html, then you'll love this class. The quizzes are manageable and I didn't use the book once. I recommend you take this class, it's not much work at all, and that work you do have to complete is enjoyable.
Lectures were disorganized and not engaging at all. He mumbles a lot and is not very approachable. Homework and projects are reasonable but he expects a lot more. He usually favorites one or two students in the class. Book is very useful. Avoid office hours, he only talks about his personal life and his career.
I love Aaron. Clear slides and awesome teaching, always there to help. Homeworks were demanding, but really helps in learning and grade boosting. Use easier assignments at the beginning to build a strong grade. Rushed my last homework in 4 hours and final project 3 days, and I still got my A. <3 Aaron forever
This class is not to be taken as a joke. It is a difficult class with a heavy course-load, which is especially challenging if you don't love computer programming. However, I will say this: I have learned skills in this class that will apply to many other areas in my life. Aaron Stevens is an amazing professor who truly cares about his students.
The class is hard. You have to study for his quizzes but they definitely help prepare you for the final. Homework assignments are worth the effort, a great grade booster. Honestly, if you put in the time and do the work, you'll be fine. I don't like the subject but Stevens tries to make it as fun as possible. Plus his office hours definitely help.
Wholly Shitzu, I hated this class. I paid no attention at all. Labs are completely pointless. IF you pay attention, you will do well in the class. Hard to pay attention though. Tests are random. Overall, it is ok, but boring as Shitzu.
I hated this class. It was completely useless. The quizzes were really hard. I tried studying for them but it was useless. Plus, he was not that approachable and did not make the lectures as interesting as I thought.
This course is alright--a good way to fill the math req without taking a math course. lots of work involved, but relatively easy if you put the time in. not a particularly interesting course, but not terribly difficult. had to seek help elsewhere.
DO NOT BUY THE BOOKS FOR THIS CLASS.you literally never need them and it's a waste of money. A lot of people really hated aaron but this class is just BORING and he's passionate about it. just memorize the slides (i know REALLY boring)& you'll do fine. do your homework and ask the TAs to help. beware: more work than expected to fulfill div. req.tho
By far the worst professor I have had at BU. He may be better at a higher level where the topics are more focused, but for the introductory course he was all over the place. He makes no sense, expects a ton of background knowledge, and he is tricky on his exams. He also tries very hard to be cool instead of putting more effort into making sense.
Stay away from this guy!Computers are my world and this dude almost killed it for me. The class was easy for me, but for many it was very hard. The problem is that he expects you to know almost everything and is a terrible instructor. Not approachable and is very full of himself. Also, he's hired graders that grade ridicuously (and he knows it!).
Aaron is the the clearest, most organized, and most engaging professor I have had the chance to study under at BU. Add to that a great sense of humor, and CS101 is definitely a class you DON'T want to miss!
Aaron is a great instructor. He is dissiplined, clear in his lectures and assingments. However, Aaron expects the same quality of work from you. A lot of people do not like him mostly because the course work is really hard (you always have to meet deadlines) or prep for quizes. I did not mind the work, cause it was fun. Adivce: get to know him. gl
aaron is not a very good lecturer goes off topic and his tests/quizes do ask alot of you. Also, of his two sections he gave 4 kids an A in the first class out of 45 ... what a joke. anyway lieku was a horrible TA so watch out but vinita is nice and helpful! goodluck
Lectures were interesting (make sure you go to them). Covered a large variety of topics, most of which were interesting. Quizzes every other week were fair and weekly homeworks weren't bad either. Labs were kind of pointless though and they just confused me. Entertaining and a good professor overall. Also you don't need the textbook.
I took this over the summer so it was intense but thats expected. Stevens is entertaining, has a sense of humor, and is very approachable. He uses good metaphors to help you understand the material. His quizzes are pretty easy if you study. The homeworks can be challenging but it is easy to get help. I highly recommend a class with Stevens.
I really enjoyed this class. CS111 is definitely rigorous and requires a lot of logic but Stevens is a great professor who does a great job explaining things. What impressed me most is he actually takes the time to notice who is putting in effort. Quizzes are easy, hw is time consuming but doable
Professor Stevens is very funny and entertaining in class, but while there is no prior knowledge required, he really teaches very little, leaves a lot up to TAs who either don't speak english or do not know how to help you, and most of it up to your Googling ability. Huge gap between class and what you are expected to know for homeworks and tests.
The homework is like having a huge term project every week. It's ridiculous. Aaron is a nice man and attempts to make lectures interesting. However, it's just a tough class. Be prepared to devote 5 hours a week outside of class to the homework. On top of this, it's very hard to also keep up with the reading AND study for quizzes, which are killer.
This class was interesting and had a lot of useful personal finance info. Although some topics can be dry, Aaron tries to make the lectures interesting. He is a nice professor with a sense of humor. The HW only takes about an hour each week and quizzes aren't bad if you study a little. I recommend this class, especially for SMG students
The class is a great introduction to computer science. Aspects are challenging but Stevens is always ready to help when it's needed. Homeworks can take a long time but they're not very difficult if you go to class and are familiar with the material. Overall, a pretty good class.
Many think this will be an easy intro class. No, its tough but its worth taking. Stevens is a fair and clear professor and his powerpoints drive home his major points. The quizzes are based on these. I had no prior comp. knowledge and did great. The TF's will help with HW and by end you have a personal website and ability to use many programs!
This class is extremely useful. It requires hardly any math skills, and although homework assignments seem hard, if you go for extra help you're almost guaranteed to do well. Stevens grades extremely fairly. As long as you keep up with your work, the class will be engaging and easy for anyone.
Great professor. 1-2 hours a week of HW. This class is only "hard" if you don't know how to open files on a computer, but if you hate computers, don't take it. Don't buy the books, he'll tell you everything for quizzes. There are 6 small quizzes instead of a midterm. Check out the course website to see the syllabus and schedule (google BU CS101).
Took Aaron's CS108 class. Fantastic teacher. One of the best I've had at BU. Very helpful outside of class, knows the material cold, has a gift with conveying technical information in a digestible format. The class isn't easy, but if you put the work in, you'll not only receive a great grade, but find it to be one of the most rewarding experiences.
Because I took the summer course, it was a little intense with a lot of work to do at home, but Aaron is a great teacher. Very much enjoys what he does. If you do what's required and you have good logic skills, there is no reason why you shouldn't get a good grade. He's very good with giving you extra points if you talk to him about quizzes and hws
This is a perfect class for those who love programming. Aaron is very nice and the lectures are clear and helpful for quizzes and hws. Workload is a little heavy but worth it. You'll absolutely get a good grade if you really put in effort. Better to sit in front!
wonderful class and go for it!
Fantastic teacher and a really really good course. I would definitely take it if i had a free elective. He makes things easy to understand and he's quite funny as well. Definitely my favorite class.
This guy was unbelievable. Tells you the class is really easy at the beginning of the year and that it isn't too time consuming and then continues to assign work that is impossible unless you have a background in programming or whatever program he is using. There is no guideline to go back to. Homework is worth 35% of your grade and is impossible.
Lectures can be a little dry, I didn't take any notes and just sat there listening most of the time since all his power points are online. Stevens is a pretty nice guy and answers emails right away. You always know where you stand academically since he posts every grade. HWs are time consuming but can be fun and creative if you want them to be.
I took this class to learn useful financial information but I did not learn ANYTHING. It's all hypothetical unrealistic situations that do not apply to the real world. If you want an easy A don't take this course. He's condescending and thinks student's do not know anything about life outside of college. Definitely disappointed by this course.
You really have to put in the work. The material isn't difficult and he does a good job of explaining it but you have to do the homework, go to labs, and study for the quizzes all of which can be pretty time consuming. The graders were a little harsh if you left out information. The homework could be confusing but the TF was very helpful.
Quite honestly one of the worst classes at BU. I took it because I thought I would learn something but really ended up spending hours and hours doing homework that wash graded extremely harshly. Its a 100 level class, but don't be fooled, it'll take up as much time as a 400 level one. Prof. Stevens is very condescending. STAY AWAY FROM EC 171
This professor is funny, albeit corny, entertaining, and really wants you to get interested in the course. I took the summer course, so the class was crunched into a month, but it was a great experience. Lots of HW, but totally doable if you're in a normal semester. I did around 1-2 hours per day, which wasn't bad at all for a summer course.
Great guy who greats very easily. Gets back to emails incredibly fast with useful information. Homeworks can usually be completed in less than an hour and are due weekly. If you do the homework and show up for class, there's no reason not to get an A
Stevens is a really great professor. He has ample amounts of patience, is excellent at explaining concepts, and is a genuinely nice person. Assignments were sometimes complex, but nothing too difficult or time consuming, and Stevens always makes himself available for assistance. All in all, I would highly recommend taking one of his courses.
Stevens is GREAT. really nuturing like a dad, and the class is an easy A. Quizzes require you to study, but homeworks and lab are a breeze. If you need some GPA padding, take this class
Anyone who's criticized Stevens is crazy. EC 171 is the best class that I've ever taken in my entire educational life. If you're interested in knowing enough to feel confident with your own finances, then take this course! I recommend it to everyone. Homework was easy and fun, and the quizzes were fair. With some effort you'll get an A!
By "flipping the classroom" he basically does zero work. It's a genius idea for himself because he can just stand there and answer questions and then require his students to go home, do homework at home, then come to come to do in-class assignments, and then assign a quiz every 2 weeks. Hardest 100 level class. Do not take. Terrible.
Prof. Stevens is nice, but will make you hate computers. His assignments are unneccessarily difficult and takes hours to finish every week... even if you work your ass off. This class was so draining and it's super difficult to get any help from him unless you can make an appointment a week or two ahead of time
Very easy class and definitely GPA booster. Stevens is very clear on concepts and makes passing the class easy with quizzes every other week covering material from 2 weeks. If you do well on all the quizzes + homeworks, you don't have to do the final. Quizzes + homeworks are easy. Easy grader. Very helpful outside class.
One of the worst professors I had at BU. I had an A, broke my ankle on the way to class, and he would not let me make it up. He gave me a 0 flat our and dropped by grade to a B+. Completely condescending and unwilling to discuss the circumstances of my grade. Otherwise, class is bland, workload is average - relatively easy and boring.
Professor Stevens is great! He genuinely cares about his students. He's so nice and helpful, especialy if you show effort and go to office hours! His homeworks are a drag, but go to office hours! Study for quizzes with classmates and his questions are based on the objectives on the powerpoint. I hear 101 isnt real compsci though.
Is a crook. Textbook is a draft. Gets in trouble for grades being too high, has a quota to follow. Got at least an 89.5 didn't round up. Final project option is to edit his book. Can easily get a B, but an A is hard because of his grade deflation. Gave me a 95% on final paper worth %20, with no negative comments to prevent me from getting an A-.
Stevens is unhelpful and condescending. His homeworks are purposefully overly time-consuming, and his quizzes have little to nothing to do with them or the labs.
Stevens is surprisingly interesting and really cares about what he teaches. You will work hard, but there is a lot of help available. Bottom line, I'm taking CS 108 with him next semester and I'm totally not a math/science person. Take it!
This class is so unreasonable. The professor and assistants are quite unhelpful. Also, the Alice assignments are impossible as the skills necessary for completion are not fully taught. To top it off, the graders are very harsh.
Stevens was a great at doing absolutely nothing for his class and having zero responsibilities! He uses a "flipped classroom" model, so you teach yourself everything at home, and then come in to class and do all the work on your own. So yeah, he does nothing! Except awkwardly stand in front of class and wonder why nobody respects him.
The grading is ridiculous. He literally is the least helpful professor at BU and he takes all his personal problems out on the class. He seems like a nice guy at first but by the ens of the semester you will be wondering why you didn't switch out. Honestlt I had to teach nyself everything in that course. He and the textbook are useless.
Worst class I've taken at BU. Prof Stevens does nothing but make smart ass remarks and talk about his kids, yet he takes roll in massive lecture hall. Alice is the worst java program ever and the skills learned in this class are 100% outdated and inapplicable. Find another course to fill you MCS requirement--or at least another professor.
It's pretty tough for an introductory class but I loved it! You gotta put in the work for an A. Workload is insane and I spent a lot of time at the TA's office hours. BUT, I learnt so much and I found the class to be really interesting. When you get that code to work, it's the most rewarding feeling ever. Go to his office hours! Helps so much!
Taking this class (especially as a Senior) to fulfill a math/cs requirement WILL BE THE WORST DECISION OF YOUR COLLEGE LIFE. The homework will take you longer than your graduate level seminars in your major. It will teach you how to use the most terrible and outdated program called Alice that will have no application in the real world. Don't do it!
Stevens seems like a nice enough guy and does try to help you understand concepts, but the workload is ridiculous and the grading is harsh. Definitely not an easy class. I spent most of my free time in office hours, as concepts that were explained in class were not necessarily applicable to the homework assignments.
The work load is crazy but how do you expect to learn coding if you don't code? He has an optional final. TAKE THE FINAL, he recycles past quiz questions so you will do fine. Go to his office hours if you have a problem with your assignment! If he sees that you have tried he will help you out. I learned a lot from this class :)
No reading. No papers. No essays. Homework are long but easy, basic logic in this class will get you an A. For the exams and quizzes just memorize definitions and understand the logic behind each lesson. Recommended if you're avoiding workload and reading. Easy A.
I'm sure Prof. Stevens is a nice guy outside the classroom, but as a professor I found him to be harsh and judgemental. I was going through some family problems at the time, and I tried to communicate this to him as I had to do some unforeseen travel, but he wouldn't hear it. Every other professor for my classes was fine except him. Downer IMHO.
CS108 is the hardest thing I've ever taken. Aaron talks a lot in class, but never gets to the point. Workload is insane. 6 written quizzes during semester, that are really hard. Take the class only if you know computer science well, otherwise this is gonna be a nightmare. I spent 5 hours in TA's office every week. I wish I dropped the class earlier
For the quizzes you have to know exactly what the grader wants to hear word by word. So if you miss lectures you are screwed and will not pass . Sevens is really helpful . The LAB hours by the TF's will save your life and the class is very time consuming.... The graders are super tough so be prepared for that , The final exam will save your life
Easily the worst teacher Ive ever come across in my life, he doesn't even teach. If you want to learn about a subject don't take it with him, he's really good at looking at his phone and talking about himself. WORST PROFESSOR IN HISTORY
Professor Stevens might be a good guy, but he is just genuinely lazy. The flipped classroom schedule ensures that he hardly ever does anything. His quizzes are difficult and if you don't say exactly what the graders want to hear you lose points. Just an unclear and unhelpful class which is a shame because it is very interesting material.
I love computer science, but this professor turned my passion from coding away so quickly. His assignments were unclear most of the time and I worked very hard to try to understand them. I did not get the help I received at all from this class. He was even rude to me in office hours, as if asking questions is bad.
Be prepared to teach yourself everything. He does not lecture at all in class. His flipped classroom model is really bad. The quizzes do not test anything to do with math, but rather how well you memorize his book. Although the class title is Applied Math, there was absolutely no math involved in the class. It just involved memorizing definitions.
I love this guy. So nice, and is always willing to slow down and answer questions. The actual coursework is the same as with the CS111 sections taught by Prof. Sullivan, FYI. Overall I found the course pretty easy. I can't speak for Aaron's (yes, first name basis) handling of CS101/CS108/MAxxx that he also may teach, however.
This professor is LAZY. All of his lecture videos are in Python 2, then he expects you to "learn the difference" & write in Python 3 (which is like teaching Spanish but asking you to write the papers in French) He messes up his own starter code. Even worse, he is condescending when you ask for help. Do not take this class.
I really enjoyed taking class with him.
Too bad this is the only option for CS 108. Mr. Stevens does not seem to understand that non-cs major are just taking this class as an elective. His assignments are a lot more difficult than the hw and extremely time consuming. It's a 70 people class with only 2 TAs, so you will always have to wait to get help
In Fall 2015 they completely changed the course in response to student feedback, and the new course outline is good for people with no previous CS experience. That said, I think this new outline fits to his teaching style better, and he does try to make lectures more survivable. He is also good at explaining and the course is armed with TFs and TAs
You are expected to spend 10 hours every week to work on 2 homeworks and 2 preassignments. This guy is so lazy and he doesn't care about his students at all. His quizzes are impossible. The most time consuming class I took here and it's very easy to get a C
He doesn't do anything in class, all his lectures are in the videos. I'm fine with video, but he doesn't explain well in the videos. The quiz and lab exam is way off the chart. Even tho you get the correct answers he will deduct from procedures. THAT'S RIDICULOUS!!! He explains really fast just like you know everything before class. BAD BAD BAD
Coming from a student that's not mathematically inclined I was really worried about this class, but it's probably the most clearcut class at BU. Read the book, take the pre-class quizzes and study for a couple hours before the quizzes and there's no reason why you shouldn't an A. Stevens also gives you an extra overal grade point if you go to class
He talks about abs nothing in class because he expects students to understand everything by watching the videos he makes for the course. Generally, he just does clicker questions in class and he can make a long lecture short bc he talks about nothing. He's funny tho.
I honestly don't get why he doesn't have a good score on this website because he doesn't have any particular cons. You have to watch videos for pre-lecture assignment, but it usually takes like 30 minutes or so. He goes step by side, so, in terms of the Introduction to Computer Science, he is well-suited professor for this class.
He makes you watch a 5-10 minute lecture online before class and do a quick example. In class, you work on the assignment and have him and a couple TAs help you. I honestly liked this method and got really interested in CS. However, the TAs grade your work, and some of them are really helpful while others could care less for you and your grade.
Nice dude, teaches well. Don't see his overall average rating on this site. Most of the Business/Non CS people who took Cs111 or Cs108 with him are rating him average. To be honest, he is the best professor I had at BU.
He is one of the most efficient, data-driven, and organized professors at BU. His MA120 class is great for people who aren't that good at math but need a math credit. His flipped-classroom model forces students to be prepared, and you will not do well if you don't put in effort. If you put in some work, the class is straightforward and simple.
The best
There are lots of work with problem sets, labs, readings/quizzes before each class, 2 midterms, a final exam, and a final project. That being said, the grading criteria is extremely explicit, and thus it was my easiest A of the semester. You learn a ton, and it's honestly a super fun class, but Stevens himself is pretty dry and tells bad jokes.
You don't have to go to lecture, just watch videos and you should be all set. Tests are not reflective of Hws. I got 90s for all hws (with help of tutors), but get 80 for all exams! There were too many questions asking you to go through codes (which was what I am very bad at). Exams should associate more with homeworks!
He's really, really genuine and does want the best for his students. He's patient and really treats CS like a puzzle, which is a lot of fun. The only con is the workload within such a limited time frame, which he has apologized for and blamed on the school's scheduling. It's one of the few classes where I am actually really learning.
Aaron is probably one of the best teachers at BU. He takes time to help you with assignments & really cares about his students. He saw that I discovered my passion in his class and even got me interview as a software engineer and helped into grad school. Just be ready to work hard & don't fear going to his office hours he likes it
He DOES NOT care about students grade at all. Lack of feedback. Super tough grader. Heavy workload. Grades will not reflect ur efforts.
very bad professor who does not care about his students and does not teach at all
He makes you watch his videos he's made as examples before coming to class. Then you go to class where he just repeats what was already covered in the video with 'clicker' questions from an out-of-pocket paid-subscription $27 app (Top-Hat) to get "participation". He won't shut up about running but if you ask for help with CS, he doesn't help you.
CS108 with Stevens is the worst class I have even taken in my 4 years at BU. As a Senior who is concentrating in MIS, I am required to take this class. As excited as I was to learn to code, I have been extremely disappointed by the difficultly of the course design. The lack of compassion and understanding from Stevens is disgusting and frustrating
By far the worst class at BU. 'Flipped Classroom Model' insures that the professor doesn't do any work. Doesn't even show up to his own office hours. Came in twice to his posted office hours and wasn't even there.
Office hours are a must. Lectures as useless Professor Stevens doesn't teach. If I could change one thing about Professor Stevens teaching style I would say patience. Covers the material way to quickly especially considering all the students are not Computer Science majors. Workload is insane.
If you want to meet the worst professor at BU. Please take him :)
Rough- Steven's flipped classroom means you watch a video of what he does, and show up to class just for him to briefly go over what he said in the video. For me- this is extremely ineffective style of learning. Stevens is snarky and rude to students who ask questions, and has no regard for how students feel/life. Please don't take this class.
it is so hard.
Flipped classroom model does not work well. Having to learn the material for homework without it being taught in class at best makes it an independent study course.
This class IS BAD for your mental health. Huge workload. Unnecessarily difficult hw. Minimal teaching. Just horrible all the way through. This is the Fyre Festival of BU classes. As a class required for many non-CS majors, this class is simply ludicrous. BU, please redesign the course or change the coordinator. People's lives are being ruined.
Worst class at BU by far. There is no comparison. There are over 20 assignments during the semester, each due the day after it is assigned. The quizzes are very hard and unrepresentative of the assignments. Stevens is a horrible teacher, just leaves everything on videos. Class will make your life hell, multiple panic attacks due to this class
CS108 has an awful class structure, it felt like I've taught myself the entire time. Because of this Professor Stevens doesn't really do much in terms of helping you learn the material but as a person is really, really nice. If he knows you and you make the effort, he's SUPER helpful, but if you don't reach out you'll feel like you're on your own.
Great professor!
Hes a great professor definitely recommend going to his office hours and talking to him. Hes teaching style might be difficult to get used to at first but once you do its a great class to combine both Finance and CS knowledge.
CS111 should have been an easy and fun class for me as I already knew and understood most of the concepts. But Aaron made it way harder than it needed to be. The lectures are redundant and over simplistic compared to the difficulty of the problem sets. There is no partial credit if your code doesn't run so beware of that.
His lectures don't make sense and have a lot of mistakes, he gives homework on things we haven't gone over yet and then just goes over it once. His exams are impossible containing things we barely did and he gives little partial credit if any.
This class has a steep learning curve but is super rewarding if you can push through when you get stuck. Stevens isn't a warm and fuzzy guy but is super helpful if you go to office hours and talk with him after class. Start the homework before class, bring questions to ask, and go to office hours.
Worst professor I've ever had at Boston University. Does not care about students. Does not care about teaching. Only cares about his guitar. Class has amazing potential for students to get into quantitative research but he wastes it on meaningless projects without any teaching or further explanation for application in real life. Hope he sees this.
Homework was due the day after it was assigned, Prof. Stevens was unhelpful (when I asked questions he told me to figure it out myself) and the only reason I passed was because of the TAs. This class was so unnecessarily stressful for a 100-level course for non-majors. I had to structure my entire life around these assignments. Terrible, awful, bad
Honestly these reviews are too harsh-he's a decent guy that cares about his students, although the class is a lot of work if you don't have CS experience. If you go to office hours he's always willing to help and is fair with extensions. I asked a lot of dumb questions and he was always patient and never condescending which I really appreciated.
(FE459 - Computational Techniques for Finance) Brutally difficult - linear algebra is not a prerequisite for 459, but it should be. Stevens would consistently be writing and updating assignments mere days before they were due, leading to confusion and inconsistencies throughout instructions. Little Python was actually taught, so good luck
This is the only rating I've ever bothered leaving for a professor. Exams were stupid, focusing on random syntax and all the code hand written. In addition, he literally changed the autograder for the final hw hours before it was due and many people who submitted the day before got screwed since their score changed (he still hasn't acknowledged it)
I can tell this professor is the kind of person who can live without solve a CS problem every minute. He assigns unbelievable amount of homework the day before turning them in. He wants you to enjoy study too. So he makes your life full of CS problems and you cant do anything else. I just hope I don't take his class again.
He needs to be more organized and BU needs to invest more to find better Computer Science/Finance professors. Please he doesn't teach you, it's all self learned and his ego is killing the class and he grades so unfairly with very unclear and unreasonable grading criteria.
I took this class due to the potential benefit that it could provide me in my future career, but it was near worthless because of Stevens. He provides basically no instruction on finance nor cs, he is lazy, and if you cant read his mind, you will not get a good score on the exam. He does not care about students education, mental health, nor grade.
Prepare to spend 8 hours per week & learn numpy, pandas, linear algebra by yourself, or you won't survive. Aaron's classes are absolutely useless on learning Python, but helpful on how to keep fit & raise children. Lectures are unorganized, he always needs his note to teach. Assignments are lack of instructions. DDLs are right after the Q&A class.
Took this course because learning to code would help me in the future. Professor grades problem sets on minute details such as syntax, which should NOT take precedence. Overall, had a stressful summer because of this one course.
There are coding assignments due the following day at 9pm which is annoying since it's auto graded and later reviewed by TA's. Class is basically a workshop, you watch videos the professor made on the content and do example codes prior to class and during class work on assignments. Stevens is willing to help and is generous with extension.
Professor Stevens was a good lecturer for 132. Having it be his first semester teaching the class, it did take some extra effort to follow along with the course content. He was very accessible outside of class and a very, very nice guy. Would recommend.
Prof. Stevens was great for my first CS class. He was always enthusiastic even though it was an online course. He was very accessible outside class, understood us, and cooperated with any issues we had. Overall a great professor and definitely would recommend.
I thought he was alright. Definitely could've been better, but I don't know I felt like he would always decide which students to give grades to almost randomly. Luckily I was able to pass with a good grade but many of my peers who showed the same level of competency in his class(es) have received varying results. Overall just inconsistent.
Idk why his CS ratings are bad, but take him if you're taking SM132. The course (esp exams) are structured by questrom and it is heavily focused on problem solving. He does really good job explaining concepts and helping you to solve problems. Just don't miss lectures, I mean it's only once a week so you should be fine. PLUS go to TA sessions!!
I have no idea why his ratings are kind of bad, but take him if you're taking CS111! His lectures are super helpful and engaging. He explained a lot of difficult concepts in a very easy and accessible way, and was very easy to communicate with. CS111 itself isn't very hard, and I found taking this class with him to be worthwhile.
Lots of homework assigned, certainly give student a stressful summer. The difficulty of the homework does not match with the lecture. Will never take this class again !!!
Professor Stevens is great for CS111. His engaging lectures and helpful explanations make the class worthwhile, even if the assignments can be tricky. Unstuck AI is a lifesaver for study prep. Overall, a solid professor and class.
He was lowkey rude when I went to his office hours one time so I never went again. What annoyed me is that he would use excel to solve the problems in class BUT WE WERENT ALLOWED TO USE EXCEL. It made me so confused. You will prob go to TA's office hours alot more than his.
Absolute cornball who plays by the book.
Bummer that 412 was given to this guy. Class isn't hard at all but Aaron Stevens teaches under the assumption that we're all trying to pull a fast one on him. He treats students like we're all trying to freeload, and he treats those who arrive late as if they're more of a burden to him than those who don't show up at all. Not a fan :/
This bald dude is such a tough grader and gives quizzes with the most specific questions. This class is no longer an easy course with this professor. His jokes are not funny and constantly brags and talks about how he is a pacer at marathons (he will be absent for classes to do his little marathon events). Overall this dude is unbearable.
He doesn't enjoy teaching.
LOL bruh. He gaves out a "on-paper test" at the end of the semester and its all about the defination he didnt talk about, good luck if you are taking his class.
Great professor, cares about his students, office hours are super helpful with the TA's. Learned a lot more than with Donham in CS411.
First of all, it's absolutely crazy that 40% of your grade is determined from 3 5-8 question quizzes. Not to mention those quizzes are nothing similar to the "reviews" that he claimed. This man neither teaches. He rather have us working on hw in class than getting up there and lecture us. Yes he provided videos but that doesn't justify his laziness
If you are taking this course as a requirement I would look for other professors/classes. I found him to be quite awful and rude. He is not great at teaching and I found that I had to look outside of the class to grasp the content. The final was quite tricky and attendance is mandatory (he takes your coordinate location...).
He never teaches in class. He asks us to do lots of prep and homework.
Probably the most painful hub course at bu
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
85%
Textbook Required
65%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.13 avg changeRatings by Course
ECON171
5.0
(1)CASCS
4.0
(1)CS111
3.7
(42)SM132
3.7
(3)CS101
3.3
(49)Difficulty by Course
FE429
5.0
101
4.5
FE459
4.4
CS108
4.1
COMP101
4.0