Loved her class. She is very "by the book" and teaches with the use of power point slides during each lecture. Offers extra credit on each test. Attendance is mandatory! But worth it! You will head into Anatomy with such a great jump start!! :)

Great teacher. I love her. Test are difficult but if you study you will pass.

She seems harsh in the begining of class, but she is NOT at all. Very helpful teacher and will help with anything! Study a LOT and you'll get an A

I liked this class very much. It was a challenge but I learned a lot. If you take this class, don't blow off the quizzes or do poorly on the labs because they are a big part of your grade. Prof. is proficient in grading and is very clear in her lectures.

Hard class. Great teacher. The key to success is to use the online tools, & practice quizzes. The one's online are much harder than hers and you will be better prepared. Use office hours, she was always willing to talk things out again.

If you attend class & labs and study you will pass. This is not an easy class! She explains this from day 1. Exams & Quizzes force you to learn material she expects you to learn everything even things not covered in class. Over all I am glad I took this class I really learned a lot.

Use the online resources as they are way more comprehensive than her tests. You will be prepared for her tests. Lectures tend to be somewhat boring and it is easy to get her off subject. If you show up and prepare with online material, you will have no problem with this class.

Hard class but if you use the online material and the quizzes you'll be fine and well prepared for her tests. Can be very rude and her lectures tend to be boring. Grades on attendance and drops the lowest test. Overall, you will get the grade you deserve for the work you put in .. I would recommend her if you have taken bio before

LOVED HER CLASS but had to work hard to get an A. She is helpful only if you ask, but her lectures are full of information TAKE NOTES! (she provides the power points online) Dont flake on anything everything counts. But in all she prepares you for college level Biology classes. Only take though if you are serious about the class.

Class was hard, but I promise you that you will do good if you take your own notes, straight from the book. Also, do EVERY SINGLE QUESTIONS on MyBiology. Do the PreTest, Post Test, Cummulative Test, watch the BioFlix videos! Everything available online, take it! That's how I got an A on Bio :)

Class was alright. You've got to put the time in. She lectures fast, so halfway through the course I stopped taking notes. Did my studying by reading entire chapters from the book, and using the supplemental online material. There is a good amount of extra credit. If you take the course be prepared to study. If I can get an A, its not THAT hard.

Bio is a hard class so it won't be an easy A no matter what professor you have. So just listen in class, read the book, do all the mybiology pre/post test and you will get an A in this class. I struggled with bio in high school and got an A with her because i TRIED. Simple as that. She is a good prof.

I am definitely not a biology person but I was able to get a B in the class even after forgetting to do a few hw assignments & not studying that much for the tests. She uses powerpoints to lecture & is very nice & willing to help those who need it. Pay attention & you should do fine. Online help is also really useful

This is a very straight shooter. You get exactly what you put in. Most students want to cruise through College, but it isn't her intention for you to just get a grade in her class, she really wants you to understand the material. Study all the online info and you will succeed in her class. She is fair, but firm. Do the work, get an A, I did.

This is by no means an easy class. , but work hard and you can get an A. I don't know where the person below is getting the 33% average because our class average was a C. She is more than willing to help if you ask for it, but e-mail her to make sure she'll be in her office. Recommend online tools and really learning the chapters as you go.

class is dificult Ifyou pay atention and review everything in each chapter on the test and study hard you can pass. she is very understanding and if you come to her with a problem she is more than willing to help. i came to her because i had missed the deadline for a few online assignments and really to pass the class and she re-opened them for me.

Class is hard but she is no harder than the textbook. Material is tough. She explains it in a way that makes it pretty easy to understand. She is really helpful if you go to her for help. I would recommend her but be prepared to study.

She tells you what the essay questions will be before the test(free 25 pts so look them up). She gives you a couple extra credit Q's on each test. She tells you what to study and know. She's very helpful, tests are out of lec and study guides. Granted it's a lot to know but people this is MICRO BIO!! Did you expect to coast through it and get an A?

i dont see what the complaining is about. my friends in other Bio20 classes have the same amt of work. she is clear about what she expects and the tests are on exactly what she said they would be. i actually learned alot and might even take more bio classes because of this one.

The lectures are straight forward but the tests are sort of hard because she wants to make sure that you understand the material. Reading assignments are actually interesting and dont take too much time. You will have to study a lot to get an A but I would expect that from a college bio class.

Maybe my favorite teacher! I learned so much from this class and I did NOT like bio much before, maybe because my high school teacher SUCKED. She does NOT let you off easy and totally expects you to learn the material to get a good grade. But if you put in the time (and it is alot of time for me0 then you can get an A AND learn to like bio too!

Class was a lot of reading and quizzing yourself, but if you stay on top of the lectures and text chapters then it's not so hard to get an A. I am glad that I took this class.

Ok, so I thought that the class was hard when I took it last year. And there were times when i thought that the prof's expectations were too high. But then I took Anat. and Micro. (I'm taking Phys. now) and I can say from experience that you WANT her expectations to be high or else you will pay in the next classes. She's a good prof.

I so loved this class! Prof. makes you work for your grade, but if you put in the time then you can get an A. I learned so much and I'm really glad that I took her.

She comes off as bland and personality-less at first, but she starts to grow on you by the end. This class was in no way easy, but I must say I learned ALOT by the end of it! Good course overall, she gives extra credit too!

Liked the class. A lot to learn but doable.

Loved the field trip. Yes it was a lot of driving but I learned so much on the trip and inever would have gone there without the class. Labs are funand really help with the lecture lessons. She gives xtra credit too.

VERY interesting class! Good teacher. Study guides are very helpful and tests you on all material she went over.It also helps that she curves the lecture exams. I would def. recommend this professor for BIO 20

Prof. Sirulnik is an awesome professor! Her lectures are packed with all the info. you need to know - I took lots of notes and never needed to use the book. Two mandatory field trips, labs cannot be made up - she doesn't cut a lot of slack or take a lot of crap. Work hard and you'll learn a lot!

It's a lot of material to know but the tests are right out of the lectures. you hav eto give a lot of time to studying but the info is interesting and not too hard. she is really helpful if you go to her for studying tips.

You dont really need to read the textbook bc she tests you right from lecture. She's very understanding if you have a problem and she gives extra credit.

She doesnt let you off easy but you will learn a lot if you put in the time. She tells you what you need to do to get an A and if you put in the time and effort then its possible. I'm getting a B and I don't work that hard.

Awesome teacher!

Love this class!

This class was really interesting. I had already known some of the stuff from Bio 20 but the review was much needed. I already knew that I wanted to learn more about plants and this class definitely served.

It's not really a hard class but it is a lot of information. The class is easier than at a UC where the profs give even less info about what's on the tests. You don't need study guides because she gives you the lecture powerpoints to print.

Her class is hard, but fair. Hard in the sense that you'll actually have to know the material very well in order to get an A.. She gives extra credit and tests from her lectures, which are from the textbook. Only lab attendance is mandatory.

Horrible teacher!!

Sure, she is not an easy A. You definitely have to understand the info to get an A. She's really just the kind of prof you'd get at a 4 year. I respect her high standards.

She is a great professor and I respect her high standards for the class. Bio 20 is pretty difficult to understand. Needs lots of time studying to really get it. She cares as much as you care, although she does want the best for everyone. Take her class only if your a hard working student.

I like the way she teaches, she is so clear, and tells you pretty much everything that will be on the test and study guide that you might not even need the book cause I sure didn't. This is not an easy bio class like everyone thinks it will be. You gotta work hard for your grade. Labs are so much fun! I would take another class with her!

Super nice and helpful. Gives lots of helpful study tips and studyguides. Tough subject but she explains it clearly. I'm glad to take it with her.

She clearly cares about whether or not students understand biology. I am tkaing this only because I need the lab but you have to take lecture and lab together.I'm actually learning so much more than I learned in my 4-yr bio class.

Great class! She is really clear and explains all of the material really well. You have to actually try and study to get an A but it is doable if you apply yourself. The labs are fun and she is very easygoing as long as everyone stays on task. The online hw was easy and I found the online study guides to be much more helpful on tests than the book.

by far one of the hardest classes i have ever taken. She is fair and very helpful if you need it. there is just a lot you are tested on, and additionally a lot of work that you have to turn in. would not suggest taking this class if you have a lot of other things going on. an A is doable, just stay on top of study guides and DON'T FALL BEHIND.

Yes, it's a hard class. But I doubt it's any harder than Micro with anyone else. She let's you know exactly what's needed to do well. Just be sure to attend lectures and labs.

Not sure who the other students are talking to, but i'm pretty sure that the other profs give papers on the unknown too. Its def not an easy A, but you get back what you put in. She's helpful and explains the material well.

I only have her for lab so I don't know how hard her exams would be. But she gives a study guide for the lab quizzes and if you study then it's hard to get anything but an A. She explains the labs well and helps us learn the material that we need to know for lecture. Overall I think that she is a good teacher.

I loved this class! Even though the tests are tough, there are lots of ways to get points and get a good grade - even if your test scores are not the best. I learned a LOT - which is the best part of the class.

By far the BEST professor yet! She is an amazing professor, and is very passionate about biology. No, this is not an easy A class. She expects you to try your hardest. It was challenging, but i learned a ton. You get what you put in. She's also funny, and explains things really well. You'll have a lot of fun in the labs especially. I received an A!

Such a great teacher! She has clear, concise lectures. She gives a thorough study guide for exams so make sure you study every single thing on the list. She's very nice and offers a ton of extra credit. Complete the study guide while she is lecturing in order to get an A, trust me! She will go over nearly everything and ensure you a good exam grade

She is really good at explaining the concepts. Weekly homework helped me study for tests and it makes is so that you can't fall behind (as long as your doing your homework and not flaking). She's understanding if you have problems but she's not a pushover either. Expect to study hard and learn a lot.

Professor Sirulnik is a great teacher. If you go to class & truly listen & understand her lectures, you shouldn't get anything below an A. She cares about her students. She asks questions the class checkpoint questions after every section she teaches to make sure everyone is on track. Don't know many teachers like that. Very intelligent as well.

I learned a ton from this class. She won't be your first choice if you want an easy A but if you put in the effort to understand and do the extra credit then an A is totally doable. She expects a lot from the class and she's fair.

Great teacher! Was intimidated by her at first then realized she just likes to make you truly think and can also be sarcastic. I learned so much from this course, I never thought I would like Micro until taking it with her. Do study guides while she lectures you'll finish it with the right answers. Barley used the book. Do the lab study guides!

Prof Sirulnik is my favorite Professor out of them all! She cares very much about her students success. She gives very clear grading criteria, study exams for tests (4 lab, 4 lecture), extra credit available. There's a lot of material in this class. If you do the study guides, keep up with your lab manual & study you can definitely get an A.

She's super helpful if you go to office hours. She pretty much sticks to the text and it's helpful to pay attention in lecture to make sure you know what she wants you to know. Lab's are fun. I would take her again.

I enjoyed the class and I'm really glad that I took it with her. Lectures were clear and she made the lessons easy to understand. Labs were fun too.

I thought that she explained things really clearly but being a summer class, it was very fast-paced. Labs were fun and I liked how she made sure that we understand how the labs connected to lecture.

PROF. SIRULNIK is one of the toughest teacher but wants you to learn a lot. She is approachable and helps you if you just ask.

Very helpful if you go to her office hours. Lectures are well-organized and she covers everything on the test. Tests are hard so be sure to answer all study guide questions and read the book too.

Really hard! She makes you WORK for your grade but I've learned a ton. She's has high standards but is a fair grader. Pay attention to details b/c she marks off for small mistakes.

Helpful and understanding. I like that she looks at her notes during lectures because she makes sure that she covers everything on the study guide (bring your study class ). Labs are a ton of work during the first part of the semester but chill out after.

Just keep on top of the lab assignments and your grade will boosted by all of the lab points. It is a lot of work but it's doable. Labs can be fun and lectures are clear.

Love her class. Tests are pretty easy and she's very laid back.

Great teacher. She can be sarcastic, but she makes it clear that she cares. Go to her when you need help and she'll make time for you.

Professor Sirulnik made class fun/interesting. I learned a lot about plants while having a good time. She is clear on assignments/class material. Her class is straightforward and it isn't harder than it needs to be. The quizzes/exams are doable. If you are interested in plants than you'll have a good time. Take her if u can! Study the lecture info.

Such a sweet teacher. Definitely would take a class of hers again!

The labs take a long time, however, they are all group assignments so delegate. I HIGHLY recommend to utilize the online study tool 'Mastering Biology' that comes with the book to study for exams. Also, her study guides go into more detail then the questions do on the test, so spend the time to complete them! If available, use a laptop for notes.

If you haven't taken biology in awhile this probably isn't the professor for you. She is very detailed in power points and explained everything. For her tests you need to study otherwise you won't do well. I had her for lab as well and she explained what we had to do and used up the whole time are rarely let out early.

It's a hard class because you have to put in effort to understand the stuff. She doesn't let you off easy on tests or homework. She gives a lot of detail in lecture and lab. It seems as if she actually wants you to learn - whoa! mind blowing!

She is very good teacher if you are willing to put in the time and effort to learn the material. I went to her office and she was very helpful with study advice.

I never thought I'd like biology but now I do! She is very clear in her explanations and labs are fun too. Tests are hard if you are not prepared but read the book and do the Mastering self-tests and you'll do fine.

I have to say that I like the class. Yes, it is difficult but I think that Prof. Sirulnik's class is what we should expect of college-level science. Be sure to stay on top of studying though because it is a lot to learn and cramming won't work for this class.

Very helpful. Taught us how to make study guides for ourselves - actually the most helpful lesson I've had in college. Her class is college-level and some students are not ready for that (as shown in the reviews below). In a nutshell, I had a great semester and I'm a biology major now because of her class.

Very interesting class. Go to her office for help but don't expect her to spoon feed you answers. She makes you work for your grade but an A is possible if you put in the effort.

Not so difficult if you pay attention during lecture AND read the text. Prof. is nice and cares about students.

very tough class, you need to figure out how you best learn & study by the first test. lectures are vague, so make sure you have the textbook right by your side in class. homework and labs are super easy, exams is where it can make or break people. take the time to learn and understand the content; learned that very late

Really great professor but not for the reluctant student. Pay attention, take her advice on studying, and put in effort - that's the recipe for success in her class.

It's kind of ironic that students who rant about being treated like kids are complaining just like kids - tells you something about the students writing the screechers. She is a good prof. and is willing to teach if you're willing to learn. Recommended for the serious student.

This is a chance to learn from someone who really knows her subject: her specialty. She takes charge of the class. Hands on, you will plant seeds and observe them grow. Grading criteria is clear. You will work. She is fair. Do not take if you are looking for something easy, or can skip. Will teach you as much as you want to learn.

Excellent prof! Makes a tough subject easy to understand. Definitely recommend.

Professor Sirulnik is awesome. Her tests are thorough. DO THE STUDY GUIDE. She is a great lecturer. She breaks down the big concepts really well and makes it easy to understand. But it is your job to go home and read the book to memorize the information. If you do the study guide and study it you will have an A in the class.

Bio is a tough subject but she gives you all of the tools you need to succeed. Do the study guides, ask questions, and read the textbook.

Very interesting subject and passionate teacher. Not too difficult but definitely college level.

The class isnt too hard as long as you take notes, ask questions, and definitely read the chapters. She doesnt give much in the way free points but labs are easy points and she does give you everything you need to prepare yourself for the tests. Overall a good prof.

Sirulnik is by far the best professor I have had at Saddleback. Study guides and lecture cover everything on the tests. Labs are fun. Definitely recommend.

She clearly cares that we learn Bio. Not much in the way free points. Class averages on tests were solid C. Fair grader, clearly explains what you need to do for the tests but she doesnt spoonfeed test answers.

Very organized - you know exactly what to expect on the tests and quizzes. Bio. is tough subject so be sure to listed carefully, take notes AND read the text. Pay attention and you can get an A.

A good prof. She gives you the tools you need to succeed but you have to do the work. It's what I expect from a college bio course.

Her online class is not easy, but it is doable. It takes slightly more work than your average online class, but much less than perhaps an online English class. Your work consists of a quiz every week, and a test every three weeks. Along with weekly discussion posts Quizzes get no timer, but tests get a 2 minute per question timer. lectures are vids

Took her spring 2019. She gave us a study guide for each exam in which there are 3 and 1 final. (used to not give study guides before spring of 2019) I used all study guides to study for the exams and would get A's on all of them. I only ever read the book to fill out the study guides and that is it. Tests were generally based off the study guide.

I loved her class! Her lecture exams had in-depth study guides that prepared you for it if done correctly (start during the lecture and clean up with the textbook). Her lab practica were EASY if you actually took your time with your visual study guide. Her instructions for them were clear and easy to understand. She's also really nice!

I loved her class! I took her in spring 2019, so I saw her both online (before the pandemic) and offline. Her exams and lab practica are exactly what she goes over in lab and lecture. If you pay the slightest attention in class, and go home and revise notes, its a super easy A. The people who failed her class were the ones who goofed off in lab.

Not normally an online class but both lecture and lab were online. Probably the most organized covid era class I had. Schedule was predictable and reliable. Zoom sessions were not exactly exciting but made learning easier than some other classes I had. Material was hard but not more than I'd expect. Best part was individual field trip assignments.

I took this class last summer and it was the best online class. Responds to emails quickly. Clear schedule. Very interesting fun facts that I can't stop sharing with my family (they might be tired of hearing about it by now). Not really hard but a lot of information.

Sirulnik's online BIO20 was really well organized. Lecture videos and study guides gave you all you need for quizzes and exams. Online labs were fun and helpful with understanding the lectures.

Taking her hybrid class. Vido lectures are clear and explain everything carefully. Kind of slow watching but need to watch them to learn. Don't just read the slides because you'll miss important info. Labs are fun. She reviews lecture during lab sometimes, which helps a lot.

She is a great teacher thats passionate about what she does. I took her fall 2021, online only. Her quizzes are open notes, and exams are not. There are about 2 quizzes each week with a DB and online lab. lectures have fill in notes you can use for the quizzes.

Not difficult but definitely learned a lot. Loved the neighborhood field trip assignments. She had us go outside and document living things in our area which was so refreshing compared to being online so much for school. Tests are not very difficult. Lots of easy assignments that buffer your grade too.

She teaches a lot of material, as expected for an introductory biology class. She grades very fair, and there's plenty of extra credit. As long as you do the study guides and all the other assignments, you will get a good grade.

Seriously LOVED her class! She loves bio and it shows. She has assignments that make us go outside and notice bio in real life. Now I notice living things so much more than I ever did before. Gives study guides and grades fairly. A lot of material to learn, but doable.

Online lecture cover everything you need to know for quizzes and exams but be sure to watch the videos instead of just looking at the slides. Once I started doing that my exam grades improved. Lab really helps you understand the lecture. Exams were in-person and no notes allowed but quizzes were open notes and online. Great prof. for a hard subject

This class was organized & straight forward. I did online lecture with an in-person lab. Watch the lectures to fill out the study guides & you will have more than enough material to study for tests. In-person labs: she will use the entire scheduled time, at times the class moved slow but the labs are extremely easy. Lots of extra credit as well.

Really straight forward and organized. You know what to expect and what to learn. Lots of easy assignments that help your grade. Material is not tough but there is a lot to learn. Loved labs. Really loved the independent "field trips". Take Sirulnik for 4B and you'll be glad that you did.

LOVE HER CLASS!! I seriously look forward to her class. She's chill and easy to talk to. Tests are easy if you do you study guides and pay attention to the open-notes quizzes. Lot's to remember for lab tests but they are not too bad. Neighborhood field trip assignments are awesome.

I loved Sirulnik! She appeared somewhat cold, but was actually warm and nice. The lectures were long and monotone but functional! She was very generous in her grading. She dropped the lowest test grade and there was no cumulative final. Make quizlets, watch the additional videos, do the extra credit labs, and just put in the work and you'll be set!

If you want to succeed: do the lectures and the study guide at the same time,preferably b4 class so you can engage in the lecture conversation. All the info yntk is on there.The quizzes are open note,the exams have same questions from the quizzes.She's pretty easy going, doesn't care if you take breaks (snacks/walks) as long as you know the stuff.

Im an older student and dropped out of HS in my teens. I got an A in the class! Who wouldve thought?! If I can do it, so can you. She is not a hard proffessor. Easy Grader and 2 extra credit opportunities. Study the homework quizzes, i

She's a very nice professor and is very helpful if you have any questions during the labs. My only critique is that the labs can be very long sometimes and the same with the lectures.

I last took a bio class 6 years prior to taking this class and am not a bio student but the material was still accessible and started where I could understand and built up from there. I understand that anyone who took AP bio may dislike this, and the course is slower pace than other professors, but if you're weak in bio then its a good fit

Professor Sirulnik's BIO20 class was well-organized and manageable. The lectures were thorough, and the grading was fair with plenty of extra credit opportunities. Using Unstuck ai, along with the provided study guides, helped me excel in this class.

Professor Sirulnik is incredible. She grades fairly and she isnt too hardcore. For bio4a, one lab, one online quiz, one in person quiz, and one exam is dropped. She gives you study guides that are EXACTLY like the exams. If you study a decent amount, itll be impossible not to get an A in the class. Take. this. professor.

nice professor, bio 20 is amazing, she have extra credits, and study guide also easy to understand and helpful,

She drops one of each thing, including labs. She's funny and kind, but not a "performer" type of prof who makes lectures engaging. Lectures r very boring. It's important to come for Lab which isn't always at a specific time. Getting an A is doable if you score 80-85 on all assessments and then 67-70ish on final (there's extra credit for final).

Writing a 2nd review since I forgot to mention that she doesn't always grade on time.

Coming from someone who failed bio in high school, Sirulnik made things easy enough to genuinely interest me. Her online lecture videos kinda sucked but the provided study guides were comprehensive and helpful. Exams aren't too bad, during the week there was an in-class quiz, two open note online quizzes, and a lab. Easy if you put in the work.

The exams are straightforward and resemble the practice quizzes, so studying those is essential. The class is manageable but be aware that the last half of the semester covers 3 units while the first half covered just 1, so you will have quizzes almost every day. Attendance is important as she's not very accommodating for missed classes.

She's a good professor, her 4a class is manageable but know that you have online and in person quizzes almost every week. 4b is a heavy course, visual study guides can take forever to make so start early and study for lab practicals. There will be individual neighborhood field trips that might feel confusing at first but you'll get used to it.

Exams are easy as long as you study the online quizzes. There's a 10 point extra credit opportunity at the end of the semester.

I took her hybrid course w online lectures and lab in-person. Video lectures are clear and easy to understand but you HAVE to pay attention (it's not easy). I actually learned a lot and I'm glad that I took the course. Labs can be fun.

Honestly a great prof. True that you HAVE to watch the lectures videos to be able to do well on in-person quizzes and exams. She told us this an I wish that I listened from the start. I learned a ton and even found that I actually like bio.

She's a chill prof. Study guides for all lectures. Exams are pretty much straight from the study guides. Labs are mostly group labs. Lectures can be long but worth paying attention to answer study guide questions. Moves sort of slowly but a good prof. for people to struggle with Bio.