3.0
Quality4.0
Difficulty32%
Would Retake176
Reviews32%
Would Retake
176
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
59
4
31
3
13
2
18
1
55
What Students Say
“Hes rude, annoying, thinks highly of himself, and could care less about your grade or outside life”
MATH1710 - 1.0 rating“The worst teacher I have had”
1310 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
74%
Textbook Required
28%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.54 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH181
5.0
(3)MATH162
5.0
(2)MATH264
5.0
(1)MATH2200
5.0
(1)MATHMATH
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
1710
5.0
TRIG1410
5.0
CALC101
5.0
MATCH1710
5.0
ODE2200
5.0
Reviews (176)
Avoid this teacher if you can. He's the least helpful teacher I've ever had! He makes the students look dumb when they ask questions and he rushes through the lessons. His grading is way too strict also!
The best
Alejandro is extremely helpful after class and at his office when you need help. He's got a great sense of humor!
The best teacher I ever had
Mr Acuna's teaching method is to enter class and race through the assigned homework on the board. He is easily annoyed with questions and needs to slow down and throughly explain the concepts. Expect to devote a lot of outside time to mastering the concepts. Also, his grading policies are very rigid and quite unfair.
Instructor went way too fast. When people would ask questions, he comment back with: "What...you learned this in Math 121?" Available during office hours, but would explain things too fast and got impatient if students didn't understand!
He is a very helpful instructor, but you have to study a lot, fair in the evaluation
The best instructor I ever had
Pretty good, and helpful. Takes assignments one at a time.
The WORST instructor I've ever had! I ended up with a B. At the beginning of the class there were 30 students, by the end only 8. You're better off taking Epler. Acuna goes way too fast and gets impatient when students ask questions.
Starts class 5 minutes early. Does not teach, just writes problems from book on the board (very fast.) Don't ask questions unless you are a math savant, all others will regret it. No homework assigned, but you'd better study hard - allocate lots of hours til you know him. If you must take him, use your phone to take digital pix of the problems.
This teacher does not teach, just shows you what he knows. He asks if you understand, but if you say you don't, be prepared to be imbaraassed cause he will make you look dumb. I would never take this teacher again for math.
Mr. Acuna takes assignments one at a time, using one day of the week to assign work and the other day to answer questions. Great way to go through the work. I just cannot give him an A+ because he makes his own tests by hand and his handwriting is hard to read. He is a good teacher nonetheless.
He explain to everybody, but you have to study very hard in the classes, very helpfull
Get you ready for other higher math classes, very good and helpfull
I took Mr. Acuna for both Math 180 and 181. He was the most amazing math teacher I have ever had. I tell all of my friends who have to take Calculus to take it with him :)
Mr. Acuna is an instructor who cares about the material he teaches to his students & their understanding of the material. I took him for Math 180 & 181: he is getting better with each semester. If you take his class, do the problems in the book, study your notes from class & remember that the exam & quiz problems are similar (study both).
He has been the best instructor that I have had so far at CNM. He is really helpful and cares about his students. If you say your problem to him, for sure he will help you. I took math 180 and 123 with him and I ended up with A and I wish I had more math class to take with him. I highly recommend him... in one word, the best math teacher at CNM.
The Professor is very useful and will answer your questions very clearly. His tests are relatively easy if you pay attention because he puts questions on the practice test on the real test. He teaches Elements of Calc I and II, and College Algebra.
Overall very fair. Be prepared to study a lot. Reviews for the test are very helpful and very simliar to what's on the exam. Needs to work on his people skills and not embarrasing students in class for asking questions.
Very strict but just, he explains very clearly all the material, you have to practice a lot
This Professor is one of the best at cnm. If you are going to take a math class try to take it with him.
Alejandro is a good teacher. Only thing is, I felt some sort of tension when I would ask him for help. He is a very picky grader and you need to do EVERYTHING his way. His problems on the tests come from the quizes(which you have everyday) and sample exam. On the first day of class he gave us a sample of all three exams. You need to study A LOT!
This teacher was very nice. But to me there was so much pressure in his class given that most of the time i was unaware of what he was saying. He had a very strong accent and was way to fast to comprehend what he was teaching. I would not take him if you are not very good in math given how fast pace he made the class feel.
This man is very nice, but i had trouble understanding what he was saying. He was way to fast for me and had a very strong accent. I think that i was overwhelmed when on the second day of class we were already taking quiz's. He seemed to be not very approachable if you needed help or weren't getting it.
If you want to actually learn Calculus, take this teacher. He may go fast, but he is willing to help you learn. He prepares you well if you have to go onto higher math. He does all even problems from the textbook on the board, and leaves you to do the odd ones. His exams are made up of homework and quiz problems. Do the homework, and you'll do fine
Great teacher. If you attend class every day, you will learn what you need to know to pass the tests. The book is almost an afterthought.
love him, he really cares about his students
You have a quiz every week and he just goes way to fast.He teaches the whole time there's no time to ask him or others for help. I'm usually an A student, but I ended up dropping this class.
Acuna is a great teacher. Quiz almost everyday, yes, hard exams, yes, learn the material, hell yeah. Always available for office hours to offer extra help. Be prepared to work for your grade, and it'll be given. What comes off as hard, produces a better student. He makes a hard subject matter seem easy.
Good teacher. Be prepared to do all homework and handouts. Genuinely wants everyone to be experts by the end of his class. Quizzes are really hard but the test are fairly basic w/ curve. Would take again.
This teacher is horrible. This is the only class I have ever failed in my entire life and I dedicate it to his unapproachability, very harsh grading, and mumbling while teaching. Avoid at all costs.
He is very helpful and always want students to understand what he teaches.He is easy to follow when he teaches.
The Diff. Eq. class taught by Alejandro was difficult, but very manageable. If you do not do the homework, you will have a very hard time. He did not ask for homework to be turned in, only a quiz each class period. More than half of the class had dropped by the end, however, Mr. Acuna was very nice, and has a sense of humor.
I had this teacher for Calc I and Calc III. Very hard teacher, however, you will learn a lot. You have to earn your grade. If you love math this is the teacher for you. If you are not scared to work hard, take him. He is a one the best math teachers i ever had.
Quizzes (almost) every class; can be difficult if you're not careful. Tests aren't so hard, and often use old quiz questions. Helpful during office hours.
Professor Acuna is an excellent instructor. Classes are clear and extreamly thorough. If you are a math major definitely take his class! He's a great guy and a fun teacher.
Tough class; HW assigned daily, but not collected. A quiz nearly every class based on HW. Do The Work!! Use supplements (Schaums, etc.) He has lots of office hours, use them! He's hard in the beginning, weeding out the sick and lazy, so hang in there. Don't panic - ask for test averages (1st is hardest). He's fair, knowledgeable, and helpful!
Do not bother waitlisting this class. He will not let you in. If you're not in by the first day,get into another class!!!! My life is put on hold for another half a year because of his inability to tell people on the first day of class that he will not add others.
He teaches at light speed, and takes so much time reesplaining what he taught to students, that class takes a lot longer then it needs to.
He is an excellent teacher who covers everything that will be on the test. Very straight forward. He gives you a guide for every chapter with problems and answer study this and you will receive an A!
He is by far not a easy instructor. He will challenge you. He cares about his students and will do everything within reason to help the student succeed. If you are planning to do advance math courses he is your man. I would say he is the second best math instructor at CNM, Judy Lalani is the best one.
Elegant format for a math class. Each day begins with short quiz over previous lecture. Questions usually come from the text. Gives a worked-out solution immediately, and exams resemble these quizzes. If you show up, work text problems before quizzes, and figure out what you missed before the exams, you will learn the material and get a good grade.
He is very demanding.If you're late to class for even one minute, he'll roll his eyes at you and humiliate you in front of everyone. mandatory attendance no matter what . The way he talks is really annoying and tries to be funny but he is NOT. Also his grading is unfair and takes off points even if you have the right answer.Avoid at all costs
If you want to learn take Mr. Acuna. Great teacher!!!
I learned a lot from this class. Never had an A in a math class in my life but with him I got one finally! Yes he quizes you every class over the previous lecture BUT he gives you worked out solutions and I personally learned from my mistakes on the quizes and aced the exams! he throws out the lowest 4 anyway. So don't sweat it he's GREAT!
Even though his accent can be a little thick, he is amazingly helpful, and knows what he is talking about.
This is by far the worst professor I have ever taken. The way he grades is completely unfair. When I addressed this issue with him he put me down and treated me with very little respect. When I asked him not to be rude he shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the room. Stay away from this pompous man.
I took calc 1, with Acuna and he is probably the best professor I have had. At the start of every class we had a quiz, which I learned to find very useful. He would give you the solution right after and had a test review before each test. His problems are hard, but if you take notes, then you will be fine.
This teacher has a great personality and easy to talk to when you have a question. very enjoyable class and I looked forward to going every class.
Not a good person or teacher...someone is flagging(probably him) is flagging all of his negative comments. Two days ago when the semester ended there was 20 or 30 comments saying he was the worst prof ever. Hmmm?
Very thorough instructor. As long as you keep up with the homework, you'll do fine. Quizzes every class helped keep us on track with our work (since he doesn't collect homework).
He runs through lectures at a rapid pace and is difficult to understand, but it is math and you either know it or you don't. He is more helpful if you go to office hours and make a genuine effort.
I found him very helpful. Such a difficult subject to explain, but he did an amazing job making it clear. Fair grading system ? he always gives you partial credit even if you got the final answer wrong. He makes you work. If you want to learn the subject (not just pass it) ? take his course!
Interesting, I posted a review a few months ago that is now gone. Be very familiar with math if you are going to take this class. If you struggle at math at all you will struggle with this teacher.
Great teacher. He was very understanding of my work schedule. I would tell him ahead of time if I was going to miss or be late for class and had no problems. Just do all your homework, respect him, and you will go far.
Great instructor. Accessible during office hrs. Stays on topic during class. Covers many examples highlighting ea concept in different ways. Moves a bit fast; slows down to answer any question. If you want to learn, don?t mind putting in the time, or being held to a high standard, sign up!
Don't take a class with this teacher!!!!! Unless you want to feel completely embarrassed when asking anything. He makes sure to add comments when handing your quizzes or tests and lets everyone know when you bomb a test. It seems like he wants you to feel as low as possible. It is hard to every get a perfect grade. Almost like he wants you to fail.
I found that I didn't learn well from Alex. I had to supplement his lectures with online videos about 1/2 the time. The other half of the time, I was able to read and re-read the chapter until it made sense enough. I took quality notes from class but ended up feeling lost when I started doing homework problems.
Alejandro is a very srict teacher, however he knows his material and explains it very well. If you are intrested in learniing then take his class, but if you expect an easy grade go elsewhere. He makes himself available and is very helpful during office hr.
Best teacher I have ever had. If you want to learn he is the teacher for you. He is hard but you will know what you are doing by the time the class is over.
He is by far the best instructor I had for math. If you are going into engineering take this professor because he will make you learn the material. If you want an easy A don't bother taking him. I've taken calculus 1,2,3 and differential equations with this professor. he deserves five stars for me!
Very strict and lots of quizzes. Best quality math prof I've ever had. IF you put in the work and respect him, you will do well.
i took him for calc 3. great teacher gives great examples. hes very nice and is always available during office hours. homework not mandatory but helpful, he gives a quiz every class. hes a very nice man and a great teacher. i definitely recommend him. i wish i would have taken his classes sooner.
Mr Acuna was a good teacher. He could have come down really hard on us with advanced stuff, but kept all the quizzes and tests easy. Quizzes are almost every day, so students dont slack off. His accent is a little tough, and sometimes he's kinda hard to hear, but overall im glad I had him for a teacher. Just pay attention and show up on time!
Do not take him. He makes the class way harder than it should be, loves to give you quizzes and tests. If you want to fail math, take him, if you dont, find a new instructor. Stay away from all his classes.
Good teacher, niceish guy (he can be a bit short with people at times but I don't think he means to be...). I found him fairly easy to understand, however he gives daily quizzes on what was taught from the previous class and I found it hard to grasp concepts that quickly. He's a good fit if math comes easily to you.
For me, he explained very well. He shows you the easiest way possible to do everything. He has daily quizzes to insure you're caught up. As long as you go to every class an do every example he gives on the board, then you should be able to understand everything well. To study for tests, just redo all his example problems.
BEST CALC TEACHER EVER. So I took his class over the summer and now I'm in Calc 2 at NMSU. I'm three weeks ahead of the class already and use the notes I took in his class instead of the text book for Calc 2. Super good at explaining things and really nice. Keep his handouts. I'm happy that I'm well prepared for Calc 2!!!
If your future will require you to use calculus effectively as a tool, Professor Acuna is your man. Energetic and hardworking in class, he provides a ton of worked examples. Utilize his office hours; he will go out of his way to help you succeed. Pay attention, take good notes and practice, practice, practice and you'll do fine. The best.
Good teacher. He knows his stuff. The class is kind of hard. He gives quizzes every class, which forces you to stay on top of the topics. His tests aren't extremely hard; he uses very basic problems to test if you know the topic. He is very short and rough in the way he talks, but you get used to it. Very organized. Very professional.
Great teacher made it easy to undertand, you must do work but it is well worth it!
Great teacher, explains things very well. Gives daily quizzes that are problems straight from the book and drops the three lowest quiz grades.
Great person to learn from! He does seem to teach better when his students are fast learners. He administers daily quizzes, which I loved because it really helped you see if you grasped the material or not. He also provides practice exams with solutions for each exam given. Some questions come directly from these, so be sure to study them.
Remember when grade school teacher's would encourage you to ask questions? They never took Acuna's class. He "jokingly" asks people what's wrong with them if they don't know an answer or are confused. Very unclear and moves much too quickly. Does not assign homework, which I found harmful. Openly discusses your scores. All around terrible teacher.
If you're planning on pursuing a technical field, science, or mathematics, you're going to want to take his classes. If not, settle for something easier to get the better grade. Alex's class is difficult, but he thoroughly prepares you for what's to come in future courses. Great professor overall
Alex works very hard to provide you with every opportunity to succeed. He works out so many examples of the material that he ends up covered in chalk by the end of class. There is a quiz every class except for test day, so stay on top of the material. After taking Alex's class, I am confident in my Calculus II skills. Take Alex, work hard, profit!
Alex has a genuine enthusiasm for math that is infectious and pleasant. However, he is much harder on the women in his class than the men. He is not malicious, but there is a definite double standard. If this gap did not exist, he would be a great professor. Very disappointing.
I took Calculus 2, Calculus 3, and Differential Equations with Acuna. Have to admit the first two weeks of Calculus 2 I did not like him, but he turned out to be the best math teacher I have ever had! He is only for those who want to learn. To this day I still use his notes, also share them with other students at UNM. Great Teacher!!!
Alex really cares about his students and wants them to succeed. He works out a lot of problems in class and gives quizzes at the beginning of each class to make sure everyone is learning. If you do the homework and study the quizzes you should do well on the tests. Make sure to write everything out because you lose points if you don't.
I wasn't used to his style of teaching at first but it grew on me. He is by far the best and most helpful instructor ever, and again he is tough but very fair he will make you work for an A but worth it in the end if you really want to learn, if you just want an easy teacher take someone else, other than that I him recommend as teacher. 10/10.
Brilliant instructor. Does everything he can and then some to help students succeed, especially if you're struggling. It's not easy, though. Think math boot camp. But if you make it, you will know your stuff and want to take his class again.
Very hard teacher! He goes through his lecture really fast, often doing some math in his head. Was also rude to his students, a lot of them eventually dropped. If you are good at math it shouldn't be that bad but if you struggle take someone else. He also does weekly daily quizzes.
Class consisted of watching Alex do several examples really fast on the board. if you're like me & your short term memory is not your strong suit then his lectures are useless. He was consistently rude to students who asked questions that he didn't like, and has NO patience for anyone who has a different learning style than his.
The worst teacher I have had. He's rude and he goes through the material really fast. . He also had favorites in the class (the quick learners) as for the rest he didn't care and was rude. I attended every class and when I missed one (sent him an email saying would miss) he threated to drop me in front of the whole class. And he wont do office hrs.
Acuna's style of teaching is not for everyone. However, he is procedural, direct, and fast paced. The pace of the class can be a little overwhelming but he does this to keep the class engaged and alert. He works through multiple examples of the problems and the different scenarios you will encounter. This class will prepare you for advanced math.
He came across as hard, rude, mean but as the class thins out he really lightens up. But the point is you take his class and work at it, you will come out really knowing the material.
Worst teacher I have ever had. He only helps those he has favored and leaves the rest to dry. Consistently threatens to drop students as if its a joke. He's rude and malevolent to those that do not get the material within 5 seconds after writing it on the bored. DO NOT ask questions or he will put you on blast in front of the whole class.
He is a great teacher who wants you to succeed. Always offers to help, makes sure you know material, quizzes every class period. Maximum of 10 questions on an exam. Very friendly and personable. I would take him again.
It's really sad when you encounter a teacher that has no compassion for their students and this teacher is the epitome of that. Hes rude, annoying, thinks highly of himself, and could care less about your grade or outside life. So, if you don't have a job, other classes, children, or countless other responsibilities you should be fine.
In addition to my previous review: After not passing Alex's class I took the test-out exam for the same subject at the University where I am enrolled and passed it. This exam included information that was never mentioned in class despite all of my notes. This proves to me that the fault lies with him and not with the students in some cases.
Lectures are clear and very detailed (explains techniques through example problems). Difficult tests, but not bad if you've done the homework. This class used the graded online homework. Can be rude in class, but likes students who work hard. Quizzes most classes, but 3-5 are dropped (the rest are averaged).
Alex is a great math teacher. He really pushed me to study hard and understand the material. I hated his daily quizzes, and he could have a bit of an attitude. However, he will make sure you learn and his lectures are very informative. Alex really broke down problems to make them easier to understand. During office hours he was really helpful!
Expect to teach yourself. Seemed to hate to teach his subject. Made faces and unnecessary reaction to student when asked a question. There are better instructors but good luck.
He's kind of rude at first, but if you show him effort and your will to learn he will start respecting you as a student. Be ready for his usual daily quizzes and that should prep you for his exams since you studied for the quizzes up to the exam so not much studying to do. He does have his bad days at times but overall he is efficient at teaching.
Mr. Acuna is an intimidating instructor, but overall, he wants to see his students putting in effort. His tests are difficult, so keep up on your homework and quiz grades as much as possible! Lastly, do not be afraid to visit him during his office hours.
His class can be challenging sometimes, but he is a very good instructor. There isn't enough homework given for you to master the material, so study additional problems from the book. Make sure you know the properties of the arctan(x) function (it's his favorite). Office hours can really help if you have questions. Don't laugh in his lecture.
Alex is an incredibly tough grader, there is no room for mistakes. His tests are insanely hard, and with his proclivity for taking off points, good test grades are hard to come by. Doesn't offer extra credit or make up material, so do your best on every part- quizzes, homework and exams; attempt to rack up as many points in all possible areas.
His class is very tough. There is quizzes every time you meet. Be prepared to teach yourself. The lectures are not detailed and it consists of random problems he gets from the book to show as examples. His exams are nothing like the study reviews.
If you already know a lot of knowledge with math, then his class is perfect for you but otherwise, be prepared to fail. I had to drop his class before the semester was even over because thats how bad it was. Very unclear of lectures, quizzes every time you walk into class. He doesn't even give points for at least tying. It's hard to pass anything.
After reading the reviews I was nervous about taking Alex. However, he was one of the BEST math instructors. You are going to have to put in the work to pass. There is daily quizzes, weekly online homework, and 3 tests. Quizzes aren't easy and the tests are hard but put in the time working problems and you should be fine.
He is an amazing instructor and I had learned a lot from his class but he is a really really tough grader. And (don't be late to class).
Tough teacher but you will learn. Daily quizzes and the weekly online homework can be hard to handle at first. If you do well in the quizzes and the homework, the exams won't be too hard. You will need to study hard for this class. Don't miss class or be late, he likes to drop students. Be careful about notation, that can be a lot of missed points.
Alex is a great professor. He is open to any questions and very approachable. He is a very tough grader and wants to see that you understand the material so the higher up classes will be much easier for you. This is not an easy class. If you get a C, let it be known that it was a well earned. No grades are given in this class, you have to work.
More of a 3.5. I'd already taken calculus when I took this class so it was very easy. If you are unfamiliar with the material this is not a good prof to take. No trig. He's friendly and happy to see you in class; he learns your names. Open to questions. Quizzes daily, online HW. Tests are not super hard, but it's math. Early dismissals.
Alex is funny and open to meeting outside of class. The issue lies in his inability to relate to students. He is unforgiving and goes through material very quickly. He gives quizzes everyday and is a tough grader. This class is not easy, you have to put all of your effort in to every point earned. Extra help is necessary if you dont excel in math.
Alex is a wonderful mathematician and is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the subject. But as an instructor he fails to provide study guides or prepare for you for the upcoming exams. You will have a quiz everyday so be prepared. Beware this teacher I had to retake this course with an instructor that didn't rush me throughout the semester.
Alex is an extremely nice guy. He definitely cares about his students succeeding. He makes himself available frequently if you need extra help. He can be strict and a tough grader, but moreso if you are lazy and not trying. If he can see that you are putting in effort he is very easy-going.
Awesome teacher, this is a Calculus class so don't think it'll be an easy A. He is the best at going over everything. Quizzes every class. Uses a lot of trig functions, but it's good because you will become accustom to using them if you continue into Calculus-based Physics and other Calculus/Engineering classes. Definitely will try to take again
Daily quizzes. But quiz questions are on exams.
I took Mr Acuna for Calc 1 and I dropped the class. He called out students for being late, ridiculed students in front of the class. When a student asked a question, he laughed at them and said they shouldn't be in the class. I felt very uncomfortable and scared to ask questions. I would recommend other professors.
By far the worst professor I have ever had. If you look at any Calc 1 review for this man you will notice right off the bat the only people that like this guy are engineers. He teaches this class just like an engineering calculus class. Small details are more important to him than the actual math. Plz heed my warning and do not take 1460 w/ him.
A difficult teacher who teaches difficult classes. Takes notation very seriously. Would really only recommend to people who are interested/good at math. Feels like a boot camp math teacher. Prepares you for future math intensive classes. Hard to get an A.
Tough class but he is very good at explaining things if you don't understand. Daily quizzes but they will help on exams. Office hours are great and he will try to explain until you get the topic. He is a tough grader and notation is very important. If you go to class and ask questions if you don't understand, you will be fine. Definitely recommend!
The daily quizzes, while annoying, really help with understanding the material. His accent is a little hard at first, but you get used to it. This class is hard no matter who you take it with, but I appreciated the way he formatted his lectures. The homework, while pointless to me, did help in bringing up my grade. This class is not an easy A.
Excellent teacher, Im terrible at math and he made me understand everything for the final test.
He gives quizzes at the beginning of every class. Does not give partial credit. If you have to miss class, be ready for rude comments when you get back. He does not like questions and is rude if you ask him any. I was limited as to what classes I could take or else I would have taken something else. Math is not difficult if you have a good teacher.
Dr. Acuña is a very sweet lovable man with a real passion for teaching mathematics. Hes bilingual and is ready to assist in all situations. He recognizes hard work and has great relationships with students, it was a privilege to be in his classroom.
DO NOT TAKE MATH WITH ALEX ACUNA!!! He practically makes fun of you whenever you ask a question during his lectures which is very discouraging. When he hands back grades for tests and quizzes, if you do poorly he will loudly make it known to everyone. There are quizzes every class which sucks because you only learn the material once. AWFUL prof.
Doesn't explain anything, will not answer emails or offer help. If you ask questions he seems bothered and rude. Will not take again and will not let my friends or family take him.
I see lots of people talking about him being rude, it seems to me that it was a cultural thing when I took his classes. He is very direct, but more than willing to help if you have questions and show effort. When I took it it was quizzes and exams for credit only, which was fine if you took good notes and were sure to study them. Great professor!
Very unorganized. Provides very few resources to help students. Makes online schooling extremely confusing and hard to navigate.
Doesn't like explaining anything. Very hard to learn from. The only time he helped the class was when half the class failed the first exam. Daily quizzes are graded very harshly and seem impossible to pass. Exams are based on quizzes. Honestly wished for a car to hit me while walking to this class so I wouldn't have to go. 100% do not recommend.
Mr. Acuña is a nice guy. I've seen reviews which complain that he's judgmental or has a strong of an accent, but this isn't true. His accent is barley noticeable and he is very knowledgeable when it comes to Calculus. Rarely did I see him stumped with a question and any time he made a mistake he would gladly correct it. Will take Calc II with him.
He knows his calc, but is terrible at teaching. Quizzes at the beginning of every single class which almost no one passes because they are nothing like the easy examples in the lecture. He speeds through his class, finishes early, and rushes out without accepting any questions. He seems to be a nice guy, but I could never recommend taking him.
If you have anything else going on in life, I do not recommend this class. I had to take my dad to the hospital due to medical emergency. I informed Alex ahead of time that I would be gone, and asked for the quizzes and work ahead of time, or if I would be able to do it when I get back. He did not allow me to do anything, and Instead Gave me zeros.
He is very rude, and gave the least effort to help his students. Not recommended!
Be prepared to teach yourself, especially if you take this class online. Most of the lectures and material Mr.Acuna gives are from the book and a list of random youtube videos. The homework given also felt very pointless. I found better examples on youtube. lastly, don't expect a study guide for tests.
He definitely didn't do anything to accommodate any students. When he was asked questions about his work he got defensive as well as rude to the student that asked. Bad at teaching as a whole, the daily tests are stressful to students and create a negative environment when failed. His accent is difficult to understand on occasion.
The course is tough if you didn't study math a lot in high school, but Mr Acuna goes over concepts in such a way that you'll understand something new by the end of class, given you pay attention. He talks and writes fast but if you copy the problems with him, you'll be alright. Overall a good course.
The tests were very difficult, and only 10 questions long. The homework would be lengthy, but it was very thorough, so if you could get through the homework, then you would be well prepared for the quizzes.
Mr. Acuna has to be one of the laziest professors I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He refuses to help you, gives out tons of homework, and rather than give lectures provides a list of random Youtube videos. Quizzes and homework provide 30% of your total grade, whereas exams provide the remaining 70% of your grade. Do not take him.
Head the warnings on this page I thought it was just slackers complaining, and I'd take my chances, I was wrong if you want to spend hours reading a book with no guidance, or not have your bright space updated until week 5, this is the class for you.
Never teaches for his online class, just assigns reading in the textbook and homework. If you want to take this class with him, make sure you have nothing planned that will remove your ability to get online to do assignments, otherwise your grade will suffer for it. In short, don't take the online class with him.
Get ready to teach yourself calculus. Especially if this is an online course. Also no formula/reference sheet is available on the tests. Get ready to memorize everything
Mr. Acuna is by far the worst teacher I have ever had. I took his online calc2 course. He does not teach anything, each week he just assigns khan academy lessons and youtube videos. Many times the videos only barely cover the topics on the homework. He didn't update the grades until 3 weeks before the course ended. Typically took 8+ days to respond
Not sure if Acuna can even be called a teacher. in calc2 only assigns youtube videos to watch each week instead of actually teaching lectures, they vaguely overlap and don't properly teach the material being covered. Didn't submit any grades until the week of the final. Takes 1-2 weeks to respond by email, and usually doesn't answer your question.
This class was really hard. But if you work hard and do your assignments you can pass. I'm not sure how he is online but in person he's always willing to help you. The one thing I didnt like was that the final was worth 30%. I am not the best test taker, but if you study and work hard you can pass!
bad..............
Alex Acuna is BY FAR the most heartless and cruel teacher I have ever dealt with. When my grandfather was dying from cancer, Alex Acuna refused to give me an extension on an assignment, despite me having no access to a computer. When I asked if there was anything I could do to make up the missed assignment, he rudely responded "no."
Tough grader, didn't teach anything
Horrendous experience
Worthless item Rubbish Trash Garbage Junk Deplorable object Inferior product
Acuna's approach to teaching Calc 2 is questionable. He relies solely on YouTube videos weekly and lacks proper lectures. These videos don't align well with the course material. Grade submissions were delayed until the final week, and email responses take 1-2 weeks, often not addressing the queries.
Acuna's Calc 2 class is a letdown. He just assigns YouTube videos that barely touch the course topics. His grading is ridiculously late, and he's practically non-responsive to emails, hardly ever providing useful answers.
Acuna's approach to Calc 2 is shockingly poor. He leans on YouTube for teaching, which fails miserably at covering the syllabus. His email responses are as good as none, often irrelevant and delayed.
Acuna's handling of Calc 2 is alarmingly inadequate. His reliance on YouTube videos is a poor substitute for actual teaching, and these videos hardly cover the required material. His grading is not just delayed but seems an afterthought, and getting a coherent response via email is a rare occurrence.
Alex Acuna's Calc 3 class is a complete joke. He lazily throws YouTube videos at us that have nothing to do with the curriculum. His grading system is a mystery until the final hour, and trying to get a straight answer via email is like talking to a brick wall.
Acuna's attempt at teaching Calc 2 is a complete disaster. He lazily throws random YouTube videos at us that are utterly useless for learning anything relevant. His grading is a joke, done at the eleventh hour, and getting a response from him via email is like waiting for a miracle.
Teaching Calc 2, Acuna is a disaster on legs. His reliance on YouTube for teaching is as effective as a chocolate teapot. His grading pace is snail-like, and his email communication is about as useful as a broken pencil.
The worst professor I have ever had. Alex is incredibly unreasonable, extremely rude, and has a very uncomfortable demeanor. Several times students asked a question and he humiliated the students in front of the whole class and told them that they should have already known that and that he would drop them right there.
He is not much of an instructor. There are no helpful tools from him to learn. It was just me teaching myself with the textbook. His PowerPoints were only full of practice questions and no instruction. The grading system was a set up for failure. I dropped the class after the first infuriating quiz and the reviews of him I found here.
Be prepared for no less than 40 hours of work a week. Expect no less than 100 homework questions a week. Two quizzes per week, proctored. Expect on weeks where you have an exam to have the same amount of homework (100 questions), plus two quizzes and then an exam. It's demoralizing, given it's only a 3 credit class. It's a crushing amount of work
I took the class over the summer. He just isn't very compassionate. My sister who is 17 had a baby and I missed a practice exam, her and baby ended up in the ICU. Despite being on time with everything else the entire semester didn't let me make it up or even look at it. Usually reasonable people are understanding.
Calc II class was a nightmare. His lecture videos did nothing to prepare for the more complex problems in the homework. Each homework assignment included a quiz, and despite feeling like I had somewhat grasped the material, the quiz questions frequently blindsided me with content that wasn't covered in the homework. Avoid This Teacher
Test heavy class, not accommodating at all! Barely passed with a B because I had to teach myself the whole class. Homework and practice exams were nothing like the actual exams. Almost crashed my car because he didn't let me reschedule my exam after a huge snowstorm. Avoid this teacher if you can...
I like the guy, I thought he was funny, he seemed accessible even though I might have been too scared to even try, but damn that was a hard class. Don't be a loser like me and try to race through the homework with crap like "derivative calculators," I think that's what caught up to me more than anything else.
Took for an online summer class. I have never struggled in a math class before this class. The content of calculus 3 most agree isn't that hard if you have a decent enough instructor. Except I don't even know what this guy looks like. All online no recorded lectures just slides and YouTube videos. Most of the content you basically teach yourself.
Most unprofessional professor I have seen. His emails are barely a sentence long and has "Get Outlook for iOS" written on most of it. Most hard to deal professor. How do professors not realize they were a student once in their life. Communicating to him is like communicating with a bot of Amazon customer care.
Expects you to get concepts as he hurries through examples with minimal explanation. Daily quizzes SHOULD gauge understanding, not demoralize with curveballs nothing like what he shows in class. Inconsistent, petty grading. Unaccommodating; mocks those who ask questions or arrive 1min late. I love math; went from F to A just by changing instructors
Acuna's Calc 2 class is a mess. He relies heavily on unhelpful YouTube videos, takes ages to grade, and is unresponsive by email. Use Unstuck study and the free textbook to succeed.
He should not be a professor, he doesn't understand when you have to miss class at all. He berates students when they miss classes in front of everyone, and is very rude unless you are a perfect student. He doesn't give any extensions and you cannot retake any quizzes. Find another professor.
At best, a stressful waste of time. If he's your ONLY option, wait for next semester(especially if you are on financial aid) Not understanding in the slightest,"jokingly" responded to questions with This is so basic/I should drop you/etc. 8 people showed up for the final. The next semester, with a new teacher, I passed calculus with flying colours.
Alex is completely unhelpful. I've taken two of his online classes, and often find questions with no answer (common on his quizzes, I've encountered this several times where the verifiably correct answer is not an option), and you email him about it because that question was the difference between a C and an A, you will receive no compensation.
Don't be late for this class! Acuna is tough, so I get why people don't like him all that much, but I found him to be very helpful! I went to office hours and asked questions in class, and got the grade I deserved But seriously, don't be late in this class!
People either love or hate Alex: he has 55 five-star ratings (56 now) and 54 one-star ratings. If you are a STEM major, I would highly recommend his class: you need to know math and know how to learn it / problem solve, otherwise you will fail. If you are someone who loves math but is not a STEM major, I would strongly recommend another professor.
Very good class -- Any Calculus class is difficult, especially Calculus II... I would strongly recommend coming to office hours with questions about the trigonometric identities and trigonometric integrals -- that's where most people struggle (if you haven't taken trigonometry since high school, I'm talking to you). Alex is easily the best!
So much work! Calculus III is literally Calculus I and II, but you do 3 times the work because you're working in 3 dimensions. Big shout out to Alex Acuna for giving us extra practice exams in Brightspace to help us prepare for testing center exams. He told us he wasn't going to do that, but then he did it anyways - how can you not love this guy!?
Have fun learning Calculus by yourself if you take this guy.
Alex is a very poor teacher; no baseline theory, just jumps into examples and tries to explain as he goes along. He also allows no notes in proctored exams, which is just cruel in a subject with so many formulas/identities to memorize, and only allows one specific, borderline useless calculator. Exams are nothing like homework so prepare for that.
DONT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR he wasn't helpful at all didn't even teach anything you basically had to learn yourself and when you do email him he responded in a way that makes you feel horrible about yourself he thinks he is above everyone else I tried to drop the class and he literally emailed me saying THATS IMPOSSIBLE
Mr. Acuna has been a great help on my academic journey. I took C.Algebra with him & felt he provided helpful practice problems for tests. He is also very patient and attentive when answering student's questions. If you're someone that does not favor math like myself, I recommend him. If given the space on here, I'd say more about the classstructure
if you pass this class you can do anything in life, its so tough from just the syllabus.
nice guy but uses aleks (which we all know is garbage) and the tests are worth a lot.
Alex either bribes or gives himself five star ratings because every other student I've talked to that has taken his class notes his raging ego and poor teaching style. To him, no emergency can ever be important enough to miss his online class that he can barely teach. I'm sure other universities turned him down and this was his last option.
i would email him to ask questions and he'd just tell me to reread better, he was absolutely no help didn't teach you teach yourself. definitely not fair at all . don't take a class with him i wish schools didn't allow professors like this honestly
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
74%
Textbook Required
28%
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