2.0
Quality4.6
Difficulty5%
Would Retake150
Reviews5%
Would Retake
150
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
11
4
12
3
28
2
37
1
62
What Students Say
“Don't take this class”
HIST1 - 1.0 rating“No assignments- grade based on a midterm, extra credit paper, and final”
HIST1 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
98%
Textbook Required
86%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.70 avg changeRatings by Course
USHISTORY17
5.0
(1)HISTORY1
5.0
(1)WOMENSTUDIES
4.0
(1)HISTB
4.0
(1)HST
3.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
70541
5.0
HISTORY
5.0
HIST12A17B
5.0
HIST
5.0
HIST17A
5.0
Reviews (150)
She's and average joe professor probably the only thing good about her is that she gives the exam questions or whatever weeks early for us to study
No Comments
This teacher has a chip on her shoulder. She expects grad student level work at a community college level. I think she is very unrealistic about what she expects from her students and her constant condescending attitude is downright insulting. -B student
Very unfair grading.
I really enjoyed this class. Dr. Nickliss likes for people to be completely engaged in the class, so asking questions if you aren't clear is good. She's very friendly and tries to put her self out there to her students to assist them
Come on guys! She is the best experience any student could have at this level of education. She is clear and fair; however,if you think you are a good student but don't have Eng 1A and a consistent study routine you're likely to spoil your GPA.
Not very friendly but clear about how frustrated she is with students at CCSF. I don't learn well when a teacher is hostile toward students. Her class is stressful and she likes it that way. There are better teachers for this subject.
She costantly patronizes students and has a belief that everyone should have a college experience exactly like hers
Ehhh, she's OK. Must keep up with readings and lectures. This is definitely NOT an easy class, that's for sure. If you do pretty well in school and have good study habits and such you'll do fine. If not, pick another class.
Dr. Nickliss is quite an intense person. You must make sure to come to class every day. The books are also very important. Almost everyone got D's on their first exams, and C's on their finals. You must try hard in this class. She is quite fair; just make sure to quote all books in your exams.
ANGRY SERBIAN BEAST WITH BUSHY EYEBROWS! Dr. Nickliss is very anal about essay exams. Make sure you go into specific detail about everything. Also DO THE EXTRA CREDIT, even if u think that your grade is fine. Attendence is crucial as well. She thinks we are all idiots.
i feel everyone on this page..i had her for two classes and saw her everyday.she is so evil. but she did something to me and yea i snitched n so i heard from my counselor that they told her to shape up. but im so glad that i dont have that she devil anymore
definately she set a very high standard for both herself & her students. While sick for weeks, she has never been absent, didn't waste lecture time except for running for next class video preparation. She is eager to help, listen, and most of all, her lecture with questions are quite interesting.
EXTREMELY HORRIBLE>>>!!!!!!!!!!!! DONT EVER TAKE THIS WOMAN!!!
i love history but this lady is just way too hard. The whole class would do really bad on her tests and it was just not a good exp.
I am A student but hated her!!!! The worse professor ever!!!!
Dr. Nickliss believes in "grade inflation," which means that every A that a student receives today, should actually be a B, and so on. Therefore, an A in her course is impossible. Be prepared to work your butt off for a B, if you're lucky.
Do not take her. Do NOT take her. In the beginning of the semester there were over 40 students in the class, at the end of the semester, there were 7 of us. She assigns a major research project thats due near the end of the semester...She gave almost everyone an F and made us redo them all. She's a nice person, just way to difficult and anal.
i hate her
No Comments
I am a B student I have never been so insulted by her grading system. She is a stickler w/ grading.Her grading system is close to impossible she doesn't give descent grades. Thanks to her I can't make the deans list. Please do not take her, she won't pass you if you can't write a detailed very detailed essay. I wouldn't recommend her.She is to anal
Her lectures are very, very interesting. I have never been interested in History but thanks to her I am now... I agree that she is an enourmously hard grader- Usually I am an A student but I received my first B in College from her. If you are eager to work really hard- take her class and you will learn a lot!
If there is any way you can possibly avoid it, DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS FROM Dr. NICKLISS. Her lectures often include her unhelpful "study skills" like "hone in on the text like a laser beam"... I liked the material in the textbook, but the class itself was pretty bad. If you somehow get stuck in this class, your only hope is the extra credit-do it.
I really like this class! I was surprised to see so many negative comments on this teacher! I feel she is very helpful. It is a really hard class but I felt she prepared me for everything. I had plenty of time to do my research paper and can use 3 flash cards for notes on my midterm. If your lazy this is not the class for you!
I found her lectures to be wonderful, and a lot about her is great, but she has no ability to have a human relationship, and she needs to try treating her students like people and giving breaks here and there. Overall she is smart, and educated, but also mean, and strict. I still have not decided if the good outways the bad or vice versa
I liked her lectures, she is a very Knowledgeable teacher, but she won't give you an A. period. no matter how hard you work in this class. She likes to humiliate students. I got my first B in college, and I was lucky. I do not recommend this teacher.
Okay, I am an A student and write pretty well but the bottom line is if you do not write a Ph.D type essay and quote from each book you are not going to do well. Her material is interesting and clear but its almost impossible to pull it all together for midterms and finals. She grades way to hard and ended up discouraging me from even trying by t
She's extremely organized and motivates you to get the most out of your lecture notes, readings, and videos. She gives you plenty of tips and papers and examples for you to succeed. The bad part is that if you don't use it, you won't get a good grade. She grades pretty hard. Her class is very interesting though. She knows her stuff.
Do not take this teacher. If you like to read all the time, and listen to boring lectures, then take her class. she only talks about SKILLS and being a "devil's advocate". Any ways, on one of my papers I surprisingle got a B+, but you could totally tell that she wrote an A- first. Its like she refuses to give anyone an A.
I do not know why i took this class with this teacher after all the postings saying how hard she was. I figured "ILL get an A!" not so, she does not give A's. i think she believes because she had it so hard she wants to prove to students how hard it is. This just dashes hopes and ruins GPA's. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE HER!YOU WILL NOT GET AN A!!
She is very hard ut she knows her stuff. She doesn't not give you a "A' no matter how hard you work on your assignments. She lectures most of the times, but their is sometimes you will watch video's. She was kinda of boring.
She's an amazing teacher, and the topics she covered were extremely interesting. The thing is, she grades like you're working for a PhD. And your grade is based on just a couple essays (with very little chance for extra credit) so if you choose poorly what you're going to write about....she has no problem giving you a bad grade.
DONT TAKE THIS TEACHER! she'll mess up your GPA! you have to read a lot of books and write well thought out essays for your midterm and final. she doesn't give homework but you have to attend class every assigned day and pay attention to everything. =(
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TAKE ANY OF HER CLASSES!! You will NEVER get a A or B. She plays the victim and martyr role at the same time. She definately has a personality disorder and will spend 99% of the class talking about herself. She's egocentric and a witch with a capitol B.
She definately teaches you and tests you on you're organizational, listening, and your basic college skills. You have to go to all your classes and read from the books to actually get a good grade, but still that doesn't guarantee you a good grade..arg..it's a bit frustrating she definately teaches you a lot
All that needs to be said about this extremely insecure, hypocritical victim/martyr is: DO NOT TAKE ANY OF HER CLASSES. You will be angry, you will want to stangle her and your GPA will drop!
This is the worst teacher I have encountered at CCSF, I am an A student and found her course useless and deceptive. You will not get an A in this class and you probably won't learn much more than one sided history. Avoid at all costs!!! Mr. Moreno is an excellent alternative history professor.
This was a really difficult class. I am an A student and received a C, thank god I still got accepted to Berkeley, but why chance it? Don't take her course, she is the worst teacher I have ever had, you won't get an A.
Dr. Nickliss is brilliant, but is very difficult and has poor counseling skills. Only take her if you are passionate about history.
This teacher is very good in lecture, she kept and open discussion in class, and answered questions when asked. BUT this class had only TWO TESTS on which your grade is based! I would say you should not take this class unless you are a very good test taker, very diligent and studious, and a whiz at essay tests. I am and A student and got a C.
Speaks to the class as though they've all had frontal lobotomies, her tests are written so poorly that it is damn near impossible to understand the questions AND she ill prepares you for the tests. Wht's worse, in class she is ALWAYS thrusting her opinion on you and constantly saying things that are NOT FACTUAL!!! Worst teacher I have EVER had.
I loved this class - I found Dr. Nickliss SO inspiring! there is no doubt that she's tough and she doesnt take crap from anyone, but her lectures changed my whole perspective on women's roles throughout history and still today. I loved this class and Dr. Nickliss
Like Everyone Else, This was my worst teacher ever! She is an unfair, cruel, heartless coward. She gave me an incomplete for missing one class and told me that if I wrote this essay she would give me my grade, so I spent ALL weekend slaving over my paper and she still gave me an F! She should not be allowed to teach!
Dr. Nickliss is one of the best professors city college has. If you don't want to go to college and learn, or even learn how to prepare for upper level classes, then take another course and waste your time. Dr. Nickliss is not going to hand you an A, she's going to make you work really hard to learn what is very valuable material.
Extremely difficult and her expectations are intense. Two test essay based don't expect to pass the test, the extra credit paper, attendance and participation that will be your final grade. I'm straight A student who struggled to pull out a B. I highly recommend you find a better option for History.
She almost ruined my 4.0 GPA, but I was wise enough to withdraw her class after getting D+ for the midterm. After all I ended up being accepted to a BS nursing program with 4.0! Advice: find another history professor unless you seriously plan to go into history! :)
I thought it was an interesting class and she is extreamly organized. Make sure you read the books and THINK about them bc you need to for the 2 tests. overall, just show up and pay attention and you'll do fine.
She is honestly and indescribably the most difficult and insensative teacher I've ever had. I study SO hard for her class and I've yet to recieve a fair grade. I am still in it and I'm working so hard that I can't believe this is at a Junior College level - it damn well shouldn't be. I am a 4.0 STUDENT, and I'm having an extremely difficult time.
I used to love History until i took this class! Every comment posted on this web is so true, I'm in her class right now but this is the only class I'm struggling with. She is a tough grader and inconsiderate of how much her students really try to pass her class! I think she expects us Junior college students to be these high level Gradate students
Dr. Nickliss is a wealth of knowledge, if you are trying to take the easy road through college don't bother. This class will be the single most useful class you've taken once you move on to gain your BA or higher. Most classes In LA are based upon your ability to dissect and research information. This is what Dr. Nickliss teaches you.
Do not take her class! You will not get an A, you will not even get a B. In both her classes right now, not one person is passing. She has unrealistic standards that no one can live up too. She plays the victim constantly (talked for the first two days about how horrible her life was) and doesn't respect other opinions. She is a horrible teacher!
This data from her HIST 17B classes from last semester should give you an idea of what to expect: 0% A, 9% B, 34% C, 21% D, 37% F. But do not fret! It is not impossible to earn an A from her! In fact, a whopping 3% of her HIST 12B students earned an A! (Ignore the fact that 44% earned a D or F lol.)
Dr. Nickliss is a very organized and enthusiastic historian. It is unfortunate that she's not a better teacher. She has very high standards; Graduate level for a JC. which isridiculous. However, you do learn a lot about Women's history. The reading and detailed lecture notes are crucial. You cannot afford to miss a day and it is virtually impossibl
Dr. N is a very organized, knowledgeable & enthusiastic historian, but unfortunately, not a good teacher. She has ridiculously high, exacting standards. (Grad level @ a JC) You learn a lot though. The reading, your detailed notes & the paper are crucial. It's virtually impossible to get an A on her exams or in her class. She'll wreck your GPA.
Is a good teacher. prepares students for college life by requiring that each student reads assigned material and self studies and prioritizes.
Very passionate but unreachable standards for a JC class. If you are looking to take a class for personal gain this class is for you. If you are reaching for a high GPA or going for a major class, maybe not for you because an A in her class requires inhuman speed to write down enough information to satisfy her.
unreachable expectations little chance to change grade. there is only the mid term, the extra credit (ps the extra credit is handed back out to be redone but only if you turn it in the first time, this is not told on the syllabus) and the final to effect grade. All 3 are ridiculous must prepare to fullest extent!!!!!
she is a terrible teacher. Not only is her class boring but all she does is talk, and if any of the student ever think to contradict her she shoots back with so many reasons why shes right. I advise anyone who is trying to stay awake in class to NOT take any of her classes.
Okay ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER if History will not be your major. Professor Nickliss teaches her class as though everyone in her class makes her class their only priority. I didn't check reatmyprofessor before taking this teacher but I sure wish I had. On our midterm only 2 PEOPLE PASSED,the rest failed. AND for the FINAL she refuses to g
She is not helpful at all. Refuses to answer students question about class by telling them to look at the syllabus. She is very condescending. I DO NOT recommend taking this teacher.
one of the worst teachers i've ever had. she is of no help and has unclear and unobtainable expectations. she doesn't give the midterm until after the drop out date, and it's impossible to pass. her lectures are straight forward, but she never references the readings. the tests require much more than she gives. she sets the class up to fail.
terrible teacher. she gave the final a week before finals week so she could be done for the semester. she answers questions by telling you to look at the syllabus, but it says there's class on the day of the final b/c she goes over the exam. but she didn't show up.
Do NOT, under any circumstances take her class. I tell you this for your own good.
Dr. Nicklis is a very tough professor. However she is extremely fair and consistent. She expects a lot of the students, and demands that you adhere to the rules of the class. If you just want an easy A, don't take this class. However if you enjoy history, and want a genuinely interesting and enlightening experience, this is the class to take.
i took 18 units along with her class, not an easy A! Tests more on your essay-writing skills than your knowledge of the course. Did not like how she sets up the class, if u are not that interested, do not take the class, needs a lot of dedication. Got a C
Not a single A in our class. I'd say roughly 60% of our class received D's or F's. Ridiculous. History shouldn't be this tough of a subject. Keep in mind that a tough class doesn't necessarily mean you'll learn a lot or be satisfied when it's over.
Instead of asking you for an achievable understanding of her subject, Dr. Nickliss requires that you write a flawless (in-class) essay illustrating infinite, detailed evidence on one thing you learned in over 100 years of U.S. history. You might think you're cruising along, understanding her lectures, headed for an A, and then BAM! D!!!
I used to like history before taking her class. Dr. Nickliss killed any interest in this subject by her unfair grading. I regret taking her class and definitely don't recommend anybody to take her class.
Nickliss is a horrible teacher that has no regard for others. She is condescending and does not ever respect the views of her students. Many of us who stuck it out for the class tried to tell her that her tests were a little ridiculous for a realistic standard and she laughed at us saying that we don't know anything because we're not the teacher.
Ridiculously unfair grading. Graduate standards for a junior college. I withdrew so she couldn't ruin my GPA; I'll take the class next semester from a different professor instead. She is taking her own emotional baggage out on students. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you're a good student and it will be different for you - it won't be!
We take notes in class,hmwk is reading outside of class in the textbook/other bk 2.She is boring,has dry humor,gives attitude if asked a ?.She says one thing & does another.For ex.she gave us an outline 4 the midterm but i think it was useless bc if you think you had the important pts think again.Do not take her.I wish i would have looked her up.
If you enjoy being talked down to by a teacher that has PHD expectations for an entry level history class, by all means, this is the class for you. She seems to take pride in the fact that most everyone in her class is failing. Save yourself the trouble, this class will make you hate women AND history.
GOD help you... get out of her class as fast a you can. I went to her class every day, took the best notes, recorded her lectures and still I got a bad grade. The first test more then 3/4 of the class got a D or lower. Please please don?t take this class. If you do you can kiss your GPA good bye!
This instructor is incompetent. She tells different students different requirements and then points to the Syllabus for proof. The Syllabus lacks such "additional" details. Beyond that, she has forgotten to write down grades and then blames the student and suggests they Withdraw. She's written the wrong grade into mine. I went in with high hopes.
Continuation of Comment: Nickliss is KNOWN by the administrative faculty (and admin have repeatedly stated this to multiple students) that she purposefully scares away students with D's and Fs on the first midterm, then gives the "proper distribution" of A's, B's and C's at the end of the class. If you take her, stick it out, but if you can, AVOID.
Never in my entire college life had I recieved bad grades on my essays,but Nickliss found a way to make it a possibility.I recieved a D in her class,then I went to speak to a counselor about her and the counselor informed me that Nickliss is the only professor she advises students to STAY AWAY FROM.I think that pretty much says it all.
NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, TAKE THIS TEACHER. HORRIBLE!!
In the name of preparing you, she grades down. This is an attempt to make you work harder. Love the enthuiasm and material- hate this method. Too bad..
Do NOT take this class! She is a ridiculous grader, which is extremely inconvenient considering there are only 2 grades in the entire class (mid term and final). She is unfair and has absolutely no sympathy. She relies on her syllabus to provide instructions, but her syllabus is vague and unclear. All she does is lecture and it's always boring
Despite the comments here, I took her class. Unfortunately after buying and reading the 4/5 books, I had to drop because she has clearly gotten lost in the past. She claims giving As is a crime, thus giving only Cs,Ds,Fs on the Midterm. This she says is to make up for our "loss of education." So much for empowering women Dr. Nickliss.
This is the worst professor I've ever had. I'm a great writer, I did the readings, I showed up to class. I received a D on the midterm and a D+ on the extra credit paper that was supposed to replace the midterm grade. I've taking the final next week. All my classmates have similar grades in this course, do NOT take.
Every negative comment on this professor I agree with. What a waste of my time it was taking her class.
This teacher expects way too much of every person. She grades hard and it is hard to get anything with a decent grade. She is boring and need to change her teaching style.
I actually liked her & had more of an intrest in history because of her. Then started to fear her because my midterm was horriable & i really needed this class. Other students in other classes "knew of her", no one had anything nice to say. I passed with a C. i feel sorry for her b/c she really believes she is right & everyone hates her for it.
All other comments are absolutely correct. Do not come into class thinking that her condescension does not apply to you, the sedulous student. It does. Other posters have said they were great writers. Me too! But it doesn't matter. Her objective is to teach high school composition in addition to history. Nuanced writing is actually a handicap.
This teacher is horrible, the only thing I wanna add besides what most have said is she has a huge ego and she is hard of hearing and like alot of others have said she is very condescending, don't even take history if your only option is her cause that's happened to me
What kind of teacher seems to get giddy over the fact that their coursework is so hard she discourages her students from ever wanting to take another class again.....nickliss that's who.
Firstly, I passed this class. I tried to like her. But she's an emotionally crippled nutter who takes out her problems on her students. Very unhelpful. Spiteful to her students. Lousy teacher and honestly a mediocre historian. Knows very little aside from the life of the Hearst family. Resents teaching @ a City College with a Ph D. l
I took her my first semester at CCSF. She is a very tough and the grades are based on the midterm and final exams. She makes the tests ridiculously hard, though you can write a long research paper to boost your grade if you're not doing too well. I got a D on my midterm, but did well in my final, so my grade averaged out to a C. Avoid if possible.
This class was hard?
If you can,try to avoid this Professor.I had taken her class in Fall09 and she simply was inadequate both as a teacher and as a Historian. I'm not mad that she flunked me, but more upset with the fact that she denied my late withdraw.Despite explaining to her how my mother passed away, she still denied it.Interpret this as you may, but be advised!
I took her class spring 2008 and was blown away at how difficult the class was. Grades were based off of the midterm and final exams, as well as an optional research paper. I bombed the midterm, did well on the final and managed to get a C. That grade hit my GPA hard, but I still managed to transfer to UCI later on.
Horrible teacher, knows little of substance about history. Very spiteful/rude towards students. If you think I have a chip on my shoulder for a bad grade, check this out: I graduated from SFSU last year (now in SFSU masters program in History) with 44 A's and 1 B-. Guess where I got the B-? She squawks about lower standards but obviously not here.
Don't get me wrong Nickliss is a great teacher, you learn a lot in this class, but you need to study and I mean really study. She grades hard, the highest grade for the first midterm in our class was a C- I got straight A's in all my other classes and in her class I'm ending up with a C+. take the class ONLY if you plan on devoting all your time
Not a bad teacher, is nice but grades extremly hard on her tests. her tests are an essay question she gives you before hand, and then you have to study everything because you have to write 3 short essays on random things. even when you think you do good, she grades hard and youll get a D
Dr. Nickliss isa great teacher. She tends to get off topic sometime, but not alot. She has igh standards for her students, making her Mid-Term and Final pretty hard. In order to pass her class, you HAVE to study. Her mi-term and final are 3 essay questions and ou have to study all of them because she randomly picks one.
All the classmates with whom I talked to about this agreed on this: we were given essay questions which would take an hour and fifteen minutes to answer thoroughly and correctly (minimum) and were given only fifty minutes to do it in (in her one-hour class). Even if you study, it's extremely difficult to finish on time without racing through it.
This woman should not be a teacher. She grades way too hard!! I studied for weeks and did a study group and she gave 90 percent of the class a D. She expects you to be at a doctorate level. She will continuously lecture on how the education system is flawed and students aren't learning and then grade you poorly because of it.Don't take her class!!
seems like shes gonna be a cool teacher at first. grades extremly hard and gives the whole class D's (which is only like 4 people, because everyone drops, she starts with like 25 students finishes with 4)dont take
The hardest teacher I have come across in college. Am currently finishing out the semester and am dreading the final. I am a good student who got the highest grade of a D- on the midterm. Withdraw before its too late!
Please do not take her. There is a reason that her class which starts off with about 20 students in the beginning of the semester diminishes down to about 5 students. You can study for weeks preparing for her midterm and final and still fail the class. By far the hardest teacher I have ever had
Why is this "person" teaching? Jeez! Or even alive. She is the worst teacher I have ever had. I do not wish to hurt her feelings, but, then, she seems to have no regard for the feelings or academic aspirations of students. Prior to her class I had a 4.0. I "earned" my first C in her class. Subject matter interesting, demands ridiculous. AVOID!
If the entire class is passing with a D each time the class is taught then there is something terribly wrong with the professor! the class began with like 25 students....it dropped to 8 students! I seriously thought I would pass. I love history, i read the entire text book and studied hard! wtf! i am still angry.
This teacher SUCKS! She didn't pass anyone when i took the class. Her test are harder then essays for English 1a. She started off with like 25 students and it went down to like 10. Impossible to pass.
Run for the hills! You will not pass,it is her greatest joy to fail her students.I was getting straight A's until I took her class,I really should have checked her ratings first,lesson learned!
She is tough for some students. However, she is the most understanding teacher. She knows when you are lazy or hard working student. I love her lecture. I learn so much from her. Especially, she understand if you have situations or problems. Please do not take advantage of her.
Her standards are unrealistically high. Your grade: 2 tests (in class essay + 3 terms) and an extra credit paper to make up for the 1st test grade (no one got higher than a C- so trust me it's mandatory). No study guide for the terms which are completely random, so get ready to study everything. Best tip: entire essay (5 pt font) on notecard.
I feel like I'm a pretty good student (mostly A's and B's) but I got a C in this class!! I failed the midterm because it was so hard and the study guide doesn't help at all. I did the extra credit and got an A but got a D on the final because she doesn't tell you what question or terms you're going to need to know until the day of. Super stressful
I don't want to be rude and say she's a horrible teacher but I will say her grading was irrational. Its like she expected you to be a history teacher yourself if you saw how the tests were like smh. We had no homework & no assignments other than a midterm and a final which made it impossible to even get your grades up. Everyone failed or got a D.
I don't believe that this professor knows how to grade fairly and equally amongst her students. Her expectations for her class is beyond ridiculous as well as her requirements for her essay tests. If you're looking to pass a History class don't choose her. Advice given by a fellow ccsf student.
THOU SHALL NOT PASS is pretty much her motto. Best grade I have ever gotten with her was a C+. No matter how hard you work and how much time you study, she will never give you a good grade and she won't even tell you what's wrong with your papers. Every counsellor at CCSF knows her and will tell you not to take her.
- Entire grade is on two tests, which is already a big red flag (think about how much material will be on 1 test) and extra credit paper (DO THIS IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE HER) - To clarify what everyone means by tough grader, you need to know details - Class is memorize or die, just list the facts and events SUMMARY: GREAT HISTORIAN, TERRIBLE TEACHER
- Entire grade is on two tests, which is already a big red flag (think about how much material will be on 1 test) and extra credit paper (DO IT, IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE HER) - To clarify what everyone means by tough grader, you need to know details - Class is memorize or die, just list the facts and events SUMMARY: GREAT HISTORIAN, TERRIBLE TEACHER
- Entire grade is on two tests, which is already a big red flag (think about how much material will be on 1 test) and extra credit paper (DO IT, IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE HER) - Makes history not fun, making her part of the problem of the education system that she hates - Still have no idea how anyone can memorize all the material, she had 10+ years
Dr. Nickliss is an amazing professor that is friendly and knowledgeable about her topic (U.S. History). The reading is tedious and boring, but her lectures are fun and topical. The mid-term + the final are 70% of your grade, and she is notoriously strict. By the grace of god, I got a B in the class. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT. TRUST ME.
No assignments- grade based on a midterm, extra credit paper, and final. She is strict but she lets you use a note card for the midterm and exam. I wrote an essay for all 3 possible exam questions which I can say saved me for the finals. Doing the extra credit probably save me also considering my midterm grade was a D.
Loved the in class portion: enthusiastic and loves her job. No homework given, just reading. Her testing is REALLY hard and she holds a ridiculously high standard. A's and B's are rare in this class. Make sure you make flash cards for events and people, and make sure you study and make notes AS SOON AS you start new chapters.
I thought I was doing decent in the class considering how I was present every single day, but those few tardies add up and caused me to fail that class despite having 5 As in all my other classes. I definitely took a massive hit in my gpa and don't recommend this professor.
Don't take this class. She is super tough on grading and her expectations for her students is crazy ridiculous.
Comments are pretty true but a lot of them are exagerating. The trick is to take really good notes, particapate(to get on her good side), DONT DO all of the reading assignments, which is what evryone does,wait for the essay prompt and THEN READ what the essay is on. I got F Midterm, A extra Credit(KEY TO PASSING), and C 2nd test.
You think you are doing great in class, but nope you are probably failing by then, she expects too much and she does NOT give As, don't take her class if you are aiming for an A
I have never had a class like this. I came here to learn about US History, not listen to her ramble about Donald Trump. It's rare for her to not talk about Trump. No homework, only tests and lectures. Tests consist of an essay and 5 random undisclosed questions requiring the who, what, when, where, why, how. She offers an extra credit paper.
Shes a very knowledgeable person when it comes to history. She is literally like an open book when you ask her a question about history. All exams are essay format, no multiple choice. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT Bc she is a very hard grader!! Her grading is very hardcore. just how up to class and do the extra credit Itll really save you at end.
Not sure if she used to work for CNN or not, because she complains about Donald Trump in all of the class sections. If you want to pass the class you need to do your reading in depth. She has no homework or classwork so only midterm and final to worry about. She is a very hard grader, and her exam problems are random(except for the essay part).
Professor grades using only 2 midterms, and an extra credit paper on the side. Midterms are worth 70% of your grade and there's no final.
Dr. Nickliss grades consists of the midterm and final essays. There is an extra credit paper opportunity that will replace the lower of the two. There is no homework and essays are based off topics she chooses that day. They need to be things covered in class or in the book. Be as specific as possible for a good grade. Gave no As for my class.
Prof will lecture and then for the midterm and final, you need to use material that wasn't in lecture. You are tested on material she does not present. I should have listened to the reviews here, so I lost my 4.00 because of her. Do NOT take her class.
This professor is by far the WORST instructor I have taken in my 3 years in CCSF. The grade is determined by 2 exams and 1 extra-credit (replaces the grade of first exam). Turned in the extra-credit, receives the paper back days after the last day of dropout, if I knew I did bad on the exam I would've dropped. But now I'm forced stay to for Finals.
Received Midterm Grade late and because of me and someone else who wrote a review too, could not drop out of the class. There are better worst professors to take other than her. The extra credit: I answer all the questions in the criteria and received a D+. GE Req? DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!! This a warning for those lookin. PICK A DIFFERENT CLASS!!!
Proffessor Nickliss is probably one of the worst professors I've had. I don't usually mind long lectures & I LOVE History (It's my major), but she makes it difficult & boring. Her 2 midterms are worth a HUGE portion of the grade and were harshly graded. Worst part is she teaches a ton of the history GE requirements so it's hard to avoid her.
Study and take decent notes during lectures. She lectures verbally only. Dr. Nickliss is a tough grader, but is very candid & works very hard to have you succeed. She isn't the kind of teacher to just give out unearned good grades, so if that's what you're looking for, maybe take someone else. It's a challenging course, but I think its worth it.
Confusing course materials. Laughably bad use of Canvas and its discussions. Super harsh grading. Gave us book review assignment but she sent us info for the wrong book and didn't even bother fixing it. Students didn't know how to submit assignment (oddly was in syllabus tab LOL) and she refused to help claiming they were lying. No zoom lectures.
As most of the other reviews have said, I recommend not taking this Professor. Not only is their online course confusing, their use of canvas, and their teaching style is a mess. I am a straight A student and received a C on my first paper, and an F on my first exam. their expectations are unclear, and asking questions seems to go nowhere.
Straight A student yet I can't even get a B in her class. She seems to delight in making students quit. I think her whole reason for being a teacher is to demoralize students and get them to leave college. She demoralized me to the point that I don't even want to work on the work anymore even though I was working hard in her class.
By far the most unfair professor I had ever taken. I normally love history and every history class I have taken I have gotten at least a B in, but with in this class I have gotten D's because of how unfair she grades the work. She barely knows how to use canvas and the assignment instructions are vague. Definitely skip out on this prof if you can.
Probably the toughest Professor I've had so far. Grades solely on quizzes and participation so if you mess up one assignment, your grade will suffer. She knows her stuff but when it comes to grading she's relentless and her expectations are very high. If you care about your GPA, reconsider not taking this class.
Seems to get a kick out of seeing students have a hard time. Encourages you to contribute to discussions only to belittle your thoughts. Had over half the class fail the midterm which led to her opening up surprise retakes which few people actually improved on. Avoid if possible, look for alternative professor
this is a terrible professor, unfair grade, and has an unrealistic expectation for her students. her class is even hard to pass!
One of the worst classes I have ever taken in my life. Makes history insufferable, and is extremely condescending and not encouraging. Sucks the fun out of the subject. Have taken the course three times and barely got a C on my last attempt. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She's an unfair grader; she answers questions very passive aggressively. Doesn't make subject enjoyable to learn. Doesn't hav the best interest in her students which is very disappointing. I had to drop her class the second I could because even though I attended all the virtual discussions & did the work she gave me a D+. So I dropped 2 save my gpa
the worst class I've ever experienced. The teacher does not care about your grade or you as the student. Aviod this teacher at all cost. Worst class in history.
When every other HIST1 class is filled or nearly filled and this instructors classes has approx. 80% of their spots still available, that should tell you everything about the quality of this class. Expectations are unclear. Feels like the instructor expects PHD level research on essays for JC students. Avoid this instructor at all costs.
Years ago, I tried taking her class, but I dropped her class because she wasn't giving appropriate lecture besides her egoism and tenured entitlement. Wow, I don't understand why people are still taking her class; I contacted to the department chair, yet she couldn't help handling student complaint from this instructor. Take her if you want to Fail
Do not take her as a professor! Her class is very disorganized and her guidelines are not clear. She gives out very few graded assignments making it difficult to catch up on a bad grade. Also when she does give out an assignment, the instructions are either unclear or not given at all.
History is my fav sub. But she made me hate this class. her feedback is overly harsh and borders on demeaning. It’s a far cry from constructive criticism. In open discussions, she said Great! To one person, then criticizes another with the same response. Her grading is ridiculous. 4.0 student with A+ in English 1 & 2 and she failed all my papers.
Im schizoaffective and I havent been in a psychotic episode for 2 YEARS and she is SO bad that she almost made me relapse. 3.8 student and she destroyed my GPA. She literally says she doesn't ever give A+ improbable to get an A and only top 10% of class can get A- but she basically randomizes grades anyways. I want write more but 350 cap Good Luck!
You may be wondering, are the reviews true? Should I risk it? Is the class as bad as these reviews say? Unfortunately they are. She might even try to convince you that the reviews are false but trust me, just take another History professor to save your GPA.
It is not worth taking her class if you need US History requirement for GE. Totally showing her entitlement and disrespectful manner to students in extremely rude manner. If you want to maintain 4.0, this class will end your record for sure. Glad I dropped before end of the term.
Literally run. Do not bring your egotism like I did in being able to do well in this class. I was accused of plagiarism even though the information was directly from the textbook. Forever ruined my 4.0 gpa- from everyone else who took this class, do not suffer for no reason. Her grading standards are incredibly high and will never give an A+.
She knows about history, but she makes this class impossible to pass and even to enjoy. The essays she ask for are the hardest ever, she wants you write like a Harvard student. She don't take in consideration any work that you do. There is no assignments, only the tests, the whole class basically fail
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
98%
Textbook Required
86%
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C
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USHISTORY17
5.0
(1)HISTORY1
5.0
(1)WOMENSTUDIES
4.0
(1)HISTB
4.0
(1)HST
3.0
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70541
5.0
HISTORY
5.0
HIST12A17B
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HIST
5.0
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5.0