3.3
Quality3.1
Difficulty55%
Would Retake856
Reviews55%
Would Retake
856
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
856 total ratings5
217
4
239
3
195
2
112
1
93
What Students Say
“This man has transcended into a divine philosophical god”
CHE002A - 3.0 rating“I have never taken chemistry before and received an A+”
CHE002A - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
5%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
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Stable
+0.08 avg changeRatings by Course
CHE002
5.0
(1)CHE02A
5.0
(1)CHEM2B
4.6
(5)CHEM2C
4.1
(8)35843
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
CHE002C
4.0
CHEM2AB
4.0
CHEM2BC
4.0
2A
3.6
CHE2B
3.6
Reviews (298)
I had him for 2A and 2C. His reader is good for 2A but doesn't do much for you in 2C. Lectures don't really help too much since all he ever talks about is life, how messed up the world/education system is, why you shouldn't care about your grades, and happiness/success. Would be a great philosophy professor, but not a great chem professor.
one of the worst professors i've ever had.. lectures are pointless, read the reader instead
Terrible lecturer, excellent person and excellent curve by the end of the class. READ HIS READER! Exams are random and difficult... but study his reader and do LOTS of practice tests. Only take him if you're a self-learner. Go to his office hours if you have questions.
Toupadakis is a great professor who cares a lot about his students. Recommended! If you use his reader, do ALL the practice problems in the reader, and take the practice exams, the class should be cake for you.
took his class for both chem 2A and 2B..He is a nice guy but his lecture is SUPER boring and not helpful..Just read his reader,it is important to buy his book!GOOD curve! but his prob are sometimes not clear and he also explains not clear..Likes to talk about life and encourages you to go to his garden..
I love Toup, I took him for the entire series, chem 2A, 2B, and 2C. Went to lecture maybe 5 times total besides midterm days, got two A's and an A+. As long as you read the reader, his class is really easy. Tests are based off the reader. Not much need to go to lecture because he only talks about life.
Strongly disliked this professor. He spends way too much time lecturing about why his students will never be happy. His lectures are unclear and he speaks too quickly. Went to his office hours where he continued to lecture me, but wouldn't actually help me with chemistry. my apologies to anyone who has to take his class.
Easiness is medium since subject is difficult but curve is easy Clarity is crystal since he always explains why, never taking anything as given Helpfulns great since he offers many more office hours than usual profs and he goes above and beyond Its really a shame ppl underrate him just because he seems eccentric. He cares about his students A LOT
He spends his time telling you to respect teachers and to be creative then tests you on how many meters a piston can move downwards when external pressure is 300atm. He also uses someone else's final and doesn't even bother to teach like other professors who are ahead.
The Professor is full of wisdom. He is passionate in his area of specialty and he love his students. I currently do not have the best grade in the class however, I never lose interest in his lecture. When he speaks, his words are like a double edge sword that really pierces through and makes you ponder. Do not become beggars of this world.
I've had him for entire CHE 2 series, and honestly, he's not that bad. His reader is essential for the class, so BUY IT! What really helped me throughout the series was the chem workshops at Dutton Hall. Without their help, especially Alicia Hart, I would be failing the class. Just study the reader and go to workshops! Simple as that.
Went to lecture two times the entire quarter and got an A. Besides the one midterm that was crazy hard, the class was easy as there was no homework and the lectures/discussions are optional. You have to be a good self studier though because his lectures aren't very useful.
Average lecturer but a really inspirational and motivating person. He really wants his students to succeed not just in classes, but life in general. The class is mostly self-learning.If you just read the reader twice or thrice,you can't get anything below an A on the midterms.They are really easy.If you actualy follow his advice,you can love life.
Lectures about life and happiness - tests about silicon refinement and organometal complexes...curve was very low! Just read the reader and you'll do fine
Class is hard but he challenges you to really think and learn about the material and applies it to real life. Reader is essential. My interest in chemistry is much greater after taking this class and I would recommend him but don't expect to get an easy A- tests are hard and require you to apply your knowledge and understand 2A and 2B series.
He seems like a good person who cares for his students but there is a time and place for preaching about philosophy and a chem lecture is NOT it. Going to workshop can basically replace going the Toup's lecture. I would definitely recommend getting his reader because he likes to take test questions similar to those in his reader.
finally got in the "how to succeed in life" seminar!but was disappointed at how little we did for 2hrs each week:meditate 10 min, play music (marachas) for the remainder to indi music,listen to life talks and sometimes watch movies, he will give u an A+ for attendance and journals tho ;)he always keeps u past the time were suppose to get out
He is class is not easy. just make sure you read the reader and do the practice test. He lectures are really pointless because he only talk about life and philosophy, but his review sections before midterms and final are really helpful. Overall, he is a nice professor and I really like his class.
I had him for 2A and 2C and I strongly disliked this professor. I used to like chem before I had him. He can't go a lecture preaching about life or using his reader. Worst teacher for chem, I recommend STAFF if given a choice between the two. Toup should be teaching philosophy instead of chemistry.
I currently have him and regret it. He is a waste of time. Half of my class failed the first midterm. He talks about life, and occasionally criticizes his students. Take someone competent. Make sure you read his reader.
I don't even bother going to lecture anymore. He's wise, yes, but I'd rather spend the hour I'm supposed to be learning Chemistry doing just that - learning Chemistry. If I wanted a life coach I would get one. Thank goodness for his reader, though. So helpful.
Don't waste your time going to lecture because it is pointless. He is very proud of his reader, which isn't great, and I would recommend buying Enderle's reader in addition to his. His practice problems in the reader are easier than the one on the test so look at practice problems in the Chem textbook. Don't take his class if you weren't in AP Chem
Terrible lecturer. Most of the time spent during lectures was either spent going off on tangents about life, rather than actually going over chemistry material. His reader was really helpful, but the man, himself, is not. Review sessions were spent going over 3-4 problems. He uses the document camera, but doesn't give students much time to write.
Terrible lecturer. I learned more in 2b about 2a than I did in his 2a class. He's a pain. Avoid taking a class from him if you want to learn chemistry.
Pros: Uses a reader instead of the textbook, tests are a fairly low curve. Cons: Lectures follow the reader EXACTLY so going isn't useful.
Doesn't stay on topic, and comes off as condescending. Throws things at his students. Lectures directly out of his reader (which is very well written) so there's no point in going to lecture. His tests tend to be a couple of problems each worth a HUGE point value. Not the end of the world, but not that great.
He is an alright professor. His lectures are pointless because he preaches about philosophy but what he says is sometimes eye opening. Just read the reader and study the practice tests
Good man. Lectures are not helpful at all. Doesn't talk about chemistry that much. He cares to make a perfect human being out of you, but not a good chemistry student. Average exams. No homework. Very boring lectures.
Toupadakis is a terrible teacher. DO NOT TAKE HIM! Sure he has a good reader and a nice cruve, but he is a awful lecturer. Expect to learn nothing from him!
Do not take this class! He is a horrible professor who does not even lecture about chemistry. I studied for every test by reading, taking notes, and doing the practice exams. The midterms were random and impossible to prepare for. The curve is good, but if you actually want to learn chemistry not take this class. It will make you miserable!
First chem class that i got an A curve is really generous like a whole lot! go to the chem workshops and you should be fine, lectures may help but sometimes you walk out of lecture more confused Philosophical man, great talks but not much teaching on chemistry, good person, easy class because you just have to understand subj better than the average
Eccentric professor that talks a lot about life. Very clear lectures and his reader is good enough to make the textbook unnecessary.
Toupadakis spent the majority of his time in lecture talking about philosophical views on the modern world rather than teach chemistry. I had a hard time keeping up and when I asked for help he was off topic or did not ask the initial question. I strongly suggest that everyone avoid taking his class.
Spends more time talking about the world and whats wrong with it than actual chemistry. Thankfully his reader is pretty good. Relative to other chem professors, he has easier exams. Doesn't curve until the very end!
For Chem2A, I thought for sure I'd fail, but the curve was ridiculous. I passed with a low D as my RAW score. Also...I noticed for Chem2B, he is not sticking as close to his reader.
Terrible teacher, lectures are straight out of the reader, and he takes about 1/2 of the class preaching about philosophy. This class is 99% self taught, my TA's office hours once a week were better than Toupadakis. For S2013 CHE 2C MT2, he preached that we should "understand chemistry" and not memorize, yet the test was basically memorization.
Good guy but lectures are kinda pointless. He relates everything to history and philosophy which is actually a good strategy, but not so much when lectures are only 50 mins and the tests are still entirely chemistry. If you end up with him, study on your own and be careful! Some of his tests are really easy, but others are ridiculously hard.
He is pretty awful. Avoid getting him as a professor. His tests are not too hard and he curves well, but you do not learn anything in the class and he leaves you woefully underprepared for any other chemistry classes. You also have to listen to his awful hypocritical speeches.
Do not take. He made this class miserable even though the topics aren't that hard. Always goes off tangent. I actually did better on the second midterm and the final when I stopped going to class. Do not recommend at all.
Super easy class. MEMORIZE THE READER! He pulls questions from the reader to put on midterms. This makes it easier in that you can kind of expect what will be on exams. Personally, I liked his philosophical stuff... Finished my last chem class with him (before switching majors) and earned an A-. I recommend if you want to know what to expect.
Dr. Toupadakis is a wonderful professor! I read comments on this website, and must say - he DOES like to relate things to history, philosophy and other things. HOWEVER, if you have a deep understanding of chemistry, you realize that these are not tangents at all! A lot of pre-med kids don't care for this insight because they just want a grade
He's not as bad as everyone says. His personality is actually pretty neat, and even though he goes on tangent (very interesting ones), he still manages to cover everything in his lecture pretty concisely. He follows his reader word-by-word so even if you miss lecture you know exactly whats covered. Just study and you'll do fine.
Ugh just horrible, if possible avoid, a lot of self- teaching has to be done.
Honestly, he's not bad as everyone says. The class is based off his reader, so memorize that & you're good to go for his lectures and his midterms. Midterm questions are pulled right from the reader. I've even had friends get 80s, 90s, and even a 100 on the midterm! Memorize the reader, do the practice problems & u'll get an A! Easy as that!
This was most definitely one of the worst classes I have taken at UC Davis. No, the material itself was not difficult, and with sufficient help from tutors/TA's, was able to get a B. But, I probably went to lecture about 6 times. All he does is ask esoteric questions and expect us to know as much as he does. Very disorganized, random teacher.
I don't know why a philosophy class should have a chemistry final. He lectures about his life philosophy all the time, which is basically middle class selfish worldly values.
Great man and great class. Despite Everything everyone says about him, they are wrong. Sort of funny guy too
Toupadakis a very genuinely nice teacher and willing to help his students in any way. Readers are amazing and help you learn chemistry better than the book. Nice curve because the tests are hard. He wants you to succeed and office hours do help!
Born on the island of Crete,Toup battled many Greek gods and Titans before settling in Davis to teach Chem instead of flinging thunderbolts at enemies. His enthusiasm and clarity made the class easy. Just memorize the reader and you too will crush his tests like how he crushed the titans and other Greek gods.
Bottom Line: If you're aiming for an A, you better score higher than the Average +Standard Deviation by at least 5 points (i.e. Ave=63, Dev=19, 63+19+5= 87)-Thats an A. His lectures are more philosophical and tends to move fast, so Self-Study! Tests are easy if you do practice, Curves based on class, basically hope everyone fails and you do good!
I don;t see why people don't like his class, i mean, he doesnt even go off on philosophical tangents in class (during review sessions yes, but only for like 5 min max). Tests are pretty straightforward; questions are pulled out from the reader. Was a pretty neat and easy class.
There really was no point to going to lectures at all. He only covered what was in his Reader, nothing beyond that. Don't even bother going to lecture. His midterms are okay...He gets a lot of his problems from the reader. The final had too many problems for only 2 hours. The curve wasn't that great. Head TA is nice.
Don't take this class unless you're really good at teaching yourself. He just expects you to to read his reader. I feel so rushed on tests bc theres never enough time. if you miss 2 or 3 mc on test its already like a b or c on the test. No homework or quizzes to help u raise grad. Curve not as great as everyone says its.
Overall, he's not as bad as people say he is. He genuinely cares for his students and is really passionate about chem. However, he isn't the best lecturer. Midterms are basically practice problems pulled from the reader. You will want to actually study for the final though. Curve depends on your class.
Overall, he wasn't too bad. Just do all the problems in his reader and you'll pass the class with a fairly high grade! I didn't know that he pulls questions directly from his reader so I did so poorly on the first midterm, then my test grades started to improve from there. Went from an F to a B- in his class! Thank god for that amazing curve too.
Dr. Toupadakis really cares about his students' success and well-being. I did average on my first mid-term because I didn't study the materials in the reader very carefully. however, my grades gradually improved after that. I recommend you to read and do the practice problems in his reader, watch his review videos online, and go to office hour.
Dr. Toup isn't bad at all. No, he isn't the best but he can teach you chemistry if you don't go in feeling bummed about being in his class. His philosophy takes up 5 mins once in a while and they are WORTH paying attention to. He cares about his students and recognizes that gaining knowledge and good grade takes cooperation of student and teacher.
I like Toupadakis because everything he teaches in the class are in the reader. You can study by yourself. Even though he talks a lot about philosophy, he is still helpful because the study guides and review session he provides to us are very helpful. He also makes really good curve. study hard and you will do fine in his class
Had not taken chem since sophomore year in high school. I definitely should have studied more. I got a tutor when it was too late. On tests you can eliminate a lot of the answer choices which comes in handy. I had a hard time learning from the reader. Lectures didn't help me. Toupa is a special guy, he is amazing. Lab is fun! I passed that! Haha
worst professor EVER! Attending his lecture is pointless. However, he gives huge curve, I didnt learn a shiit in his lecture, and I ended up with a C. NO TEXTBOOK REQUIRED
Fantastic reader. Tangents actually useful and kept to a minimum. I had not taken AP Chem in high school so this course was challenging and I was busy so I fell behind a bit but if you read the reader before each lecture and pay attention during lecture everything should be ok. He's not a bad lecturer. My was C+ curved to a B.
Curve Sucks. Unless you have an F or a D. Basically you cannot fail in his class, his curves seem to be 85%-100%=A, 65%-84%=B (Exceptionally Large range for a B) 50-65% =C and so forth. HARD to receive an A, you must be MUCH higher than the Standard Deviation!
Memorize his reader and you will ace the class.
Toupadakis is definitely not as bad as everyone makes him out to be. He lectures straight out of his reader, so there's nothing that should come as a surprise. He did deviant sometimes but it was to prove a point. Memorize the reader questions because his test questions come straight from them. His curve is usually very generous. Enjoyed each class
His class was not that hard but lectures are not mandatory. His whole lecture comes from his reader so there really is no need to attend lectures. It was sometimes hard to understand him due to his accent.
Read the reader every night. DO NOT fall behind, and if you don't read, do the problems in the back. And read Enderle's reader and attend his lectures as a supplement, because honestly, Enderle has a way of creeping under your soul and lifting you up and you understand chemistry along the way.
One of the few professors that I have that will explain to you the importance of the material you learn. His tests are off the reader. Although, his tests are challenging they are very doable. His talks about life were a good break from chemistry. Highly recommend going and talking to him, it will make you appreciate what he does a lot more.
Very confusing, teaches out of his own 'reader' which is often incorrect. Explains things way too fast, almost purposefully making us students feel stupid because we can't follow. HIGHLY encourage you to NOT take classes from Toupadakis.
Useless lectures unrelated to the course (ie, philosophy). His reader has errors and it was useless when it came to actually learning the material wholly. Read the textbook and be prepared to learn on your own.
There is not much point in going to lectures. He is a pretty awful teacher. Try and get someone else if possible.
He is one of the best professor I have ever had. His midterms are hard, but if you read his reader you will be fine. He will teach you many thing about life in lecture.I found his class interesting.
Honestly, Toupy is not as bad as everyone says. I went into this class expecting to only learn about philosophy, but that was not the case at all. He is a very smart man and knows his chemistry well. His reader is your best friend. If you read that and can do the questions in it, you're set for the tests. Overall, I would recommend him!
horrible professor. Avoid at all costs. can't teach at all. worse professor I've encountered so far. Self taught myself. Only people who are naturally good at chemistry say he's great. everyone i know goes to enderle's lectures. Plus he's not even remotely helpful.
His class is extremely boring. All he does is just repeat the content on his reader. His midterm is fine, but it is very tricky. He usually put some stuff he never mentions on the test. Sometimes I feel the discussion is more helpful than his lecture. His lecture is useless and time-wasting.
This class is labeled as world music or something but has nothing to do with anything. He just rambles about life and can come across as offensive at times. Once he's done doing this, everyone just plays music. The two portions of the class are completely uncorrelated. Overall the class was useless, but easy and requires no brain effort.
Dr. Toupadakis is a great professor. He truly cares about his students and constantly makes efforts to help them. He teaches out of his own reader so tests are fairly straightforward. His class sometimes seems to go beyond the scope of the course, but overall his philosophical teaching style is helpful for understanding concepts.
He's not as bad as everyone says he is. You just have to put the work you're supposed to put in. He does his job, and the students have to do theirs. And his reader is super helpful.
He is completely useless as a professor. His class time is a lot of crazy rambling. His reader is extremely helpful. My lab partner didn't go to class, read the whole reader and got an A.
As a person, "Toup-soup" is a fantastic person. He just wants his students to be sane, and offers certain office hours just for life advice. The class isn't very interesting though. The reader goes over everything. His tests are just questions from the reader. He also fails to go over a lot of material that should be emphasized more.
Dr. Toupadakis is seriously the best. Whether you realize it or not while you take the class, he gives you everything. He has practice exams posted, his reader says it all, and he has midterm review sessions. If you take notes on the reader before lecture, go to lecture, and do practice problems -- I'd smell an A for you.
His class was probably my favorite of all the classes I've taken here so far. He's a bit wacky and can get unclear at times, but his reader is very well written and helps a lot. He genuinely cares about his students, and tries to help them as best as he can. It's an easy class as long as you go to lecture. I plan to take one of his classes again.
Toupadakis genuinely cares about his students, which is why most of his midterm questions are straight from his reader. Everyone who says Toupadakis gives a philosophy lecture during the whole class are completely saying BS. He gives good life advice for maybe 5 minutes then goes straight to teaching chem. Read the reader before each lecture!
Best professor. Reader is the best and test very easy.
Toup is the worst teacher ever, I hate chemistry and he follows the reader precisely, it is too much reading to do every lecture so if you cannot understand the reader by itself he will not help you to in lecture. I hate chemistry and I am so glad a passed. Memorize the past exams and you will be fine! Do the practice in the reader!!!
Follows the reader, he has an accent, but it's understandable. Lecture isn't mandatory, but attend if you don't really want to read the reader. Do all the practice exams, read before going to lecture. Second exam is pure memorization, and the other half is math based. Unexpected questions, be prepared
Toup was not that great of a lecturer. The class was very boring and he isn't very helpful. He also goes over way too much material in one quarter. His tests weren't too hard though. His reader is extremely helpful though, and his exam contains some questions from his reader. Word for word.
never went to lecture (too early for me lol), got an A+, super easy, just read his reader and go to lab, don't waste your time with the rest...
Dr. Toupadakis is an amazing philosopher, but a horrible teacher. If you want to get an A in his class (which is completely achievable) know his reader backwards and forwards, but do not rely on his lectures to learn. Only attended the first class and the review sessions, went to a different teacher for lecture, and got a B- in 2B. A- in 2A
if you memorize the reader, literally everything he writes, how to do every question, and memorize every multiple choice question, getting an A is soooooo easy
He cares about his students a lot and wants everyone to understand the concepts. Just make sure you read the reader and go through all practice problems
Just read the reader. Do the problems. That is all.
Some students say Toup talks about nonsense during class - not true! He simply takes 2 or 3 minutes before class to give you some heart-felt advice such as, "You'll learn more from each other than you will reading alone..." It's not bad at all. He's a good professor - just read the reader, do the practice exams, and the class will be easy for you!
I honestly don't understand why Toup gets so much hate. He talks about philosophy for maybe a minute at the beginning of class, and it's hardly nonsense. His tests aren't terribly difficult and a lot of the questions come word for word from the reader. I got an A before the curve as a result. Take him!!
His class is easy for people who can self-learn. Buy the reader memorize it literally and you will get A''s. 2 midterms are easy if you do ALL practice probs in reader but final was hard because of the Ochem requires understanding. I would take him again just because it''s easy to do well in this class. He talks philosophy which I enjoy.
Digresses a lot about life views and advice which drove me crazy since only one of 15 was helpful. Nice guy and tests are about what you expect.
He is a good guy with a sincere desire to teach. He knows his stuff, and if you take his class you need to read the reader and do the practice problems. His tests are very fair - practically identical to his practice tests.
he's an interesting fella. I'd say just really read the reader, and he will put exact questions from the reader on tests. The only thing is it would become more memorization then learning, giving other kids that are actually learning an advantage in upper div chem classes
Preach about life a lot, but obviously can't accomplish the most basic duty as an instructor- clarity. Please stop talking about life in the class. (few minutes for a quarter is okay) PLZ TALK ABOUT CHEMISTRY, and make an effort to make materials easy to understand- that's your JOB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Toup is such an amazing guy. He tells you everything that you need to know to succeed in this class and in life. He does read the reader in class, but that is because it is helpful! As long as you do the practice problems in the reader and do the practice tests, you're set. You get a good chem lesson, and some great insight on living life!
most general chemistry teachers are not great, and Toupadakis is one of the better ones. Didn't work hard at all and passed with a 46%. That curve tho..
In order to do well in this class, you only have to buy and read and reread the Chemistry Reader that he made. All of the problems for the tests are straight from it and everything covered in lectures are exactly from it.
The only thing you have to do is purchase his reader and go to labs. Lectures are straight from the reader, so as long as you understand the chapter and can do the practice problems, there's no need for class. The exams are a mix of the practice exam and the review multiple choice. And on top of this, there's a huge curve! No sweat required here.
He isn't philosophical as people say (unless you go to office hours), and though he has an accent, it doesn't matter if you go over his reader. He's really nice, really wants to help students, and tests come from the reader. Also, I think everyone should go to office hours because he's very smart and can teach you if you don't understand a problem.
Toup is an experience. All you need to do is read his reader and go over practice exams and questions and you can easily get an AB in the class. Lectures are useless as he does not go over stuff well. He does however go on hilarious philosophical tangents (only reason to go to lecture really). No HW and the curve in the class is ridiculous
"I know you are trying your best, and you are not alone, I am here with you." - Dr. Toupadakis. He's one of the dearest man out there! I don't care what other people say about him, he's a very wise teacher.
Had Toupadakis for the entire Chem 2 series. If you go through his reader, put some effort into the course, attend review sessions and discussions, you WILL pass the class, most likely with an A or B. Toupadakis truly cares about his student's well being more than anything, and although his lectures are not always clear, he is still a great person.
Toup is a professor that every science major has to experience at least once. His class isn't bad (typical general chem. Textbook is useless, read the reader; you'll be fine), it's the tangents that you go to lecture for! He gives inspirational talks about life and tells the class to "Come to the gardens". It's great, I even went and bought a plant
Curve is great but he doesn't want to tell us the grade cutoffs. I would definitely recommend to attend all lectures. Yes, u can only read the reader and skip classes. Then, u can of course pass this class. However, if u want to get a good grade, attend the lectures regularly.
Had him for the entire CHE2 series. His exams are easy, especially compared to other professors, and he often reuses reader and old exam questions. Make sure you get the reader and do all the end of chapter questions. If you have the reader you really don't need to attend lectures, I didn't. He has a decent curve, often bumps up one letter.
Dr. Toupadakis genuinely cares for his students. And this is the most important thing when going through huge lifeless chemistry courses. Attend lectures, go over the reader and you will do fine. Don't get deflated from these terrible reviews, he is a wonderful person and if you need help just ask. I hope I get him again!
Took Toup for Chem2A, and have pretty mediocre feelings towards the class. First of all, he is a very kind, genuine man, and most definitely knows his material. Read and study his reader! There are two tests, not particularly difficult, but -1 wrong multiple choice, and it accounts for 4% of the test. Curve was nonexistent. Not too difficult.
Exam questions were straight from the reader so study that well, lectures were often ghost towns but I still went anyways because you never know. Funny guy during lectures, nice, and the curve is great. If you have a chance, also buy the Enderle reader. With the forces combined you'll get a great grade!
He does not talk about philosophy at all in class. Only slight accent. Buy his reader, it is your bible. Midterms are easy, just do all reader problems because some of it will show up on the midterm. Final is hard because it is written by all the teachers (including Enderle). He is there for you mentally and spiritually if needed. Work hard!
Nonexistent curve, so don't rely on it. Nice, genuine guy who is there for you mentally and spiritually. Do everything in his reader and you will be fine.
His readeramazing. Very clear and with practice questions that may be on the midterms. Doesn't ramble about philosophy; focuses on chem. Final was more tough as it was a collab of profs, but midterm questions are really easy. If you did well in AP Chem, this class will be a breeze for you. Lectures are only nec if you don't understand something
I loved this class and this professor. Although he did stop curving the quarter that I took him, I still thoroughly enjoyed his class. His reader is very clear and helpful, and you should do fine on the exams if you just read his reader and do the practice problems in it. I would take any class that Toupadakis taught.
Didn't curve our class so of course I ended with a F. Tests are impossible with the time given
Buy his reader, do the practice problems, and you'll be fine.
Amazing teacher. Thats all I can say. Recommend him to everyone.
Take this class!
Does not curve or rather not willing to curve. Majority of class gets lower than a C. Would not take the same prof again for any other class. Only take it if you love to waste time learning to love learning. No text book required, only his reader. But be prepared to use it as a bible.
Toupadakis is one of the clearest professors I have ever had. Everything that you need to know is very clearly explained in his reader. As long as you read the reader and do the practice tests, you will be completely fine. I took him the entire chem series because he was so awesome. Also, he's very nice and understanding. And he has a great curve.
Midterm averages were horrible and he told everyone it was out of his and the students control.... acts as though he cares but doesn't show that if you go for help.
He is pretty passionate but has heavy accent buy and read his reader and you'll be fine mostly!
Hardest class I have ever taken. Read the reader and midterms were nothing like it. Class average is really low, and says he will not curve. If you took AP Chem, maybe you'll suffice, but for everyone else like me, it seems impossible to do well despite going through the reader and to lecture.
The reader is full of errors and not as helpful as i would've liked. His lectures are 10% chemistry, 90% random tangentswhatever he has on his mind. His accent is sometimes hard to understand. Test averages were abysmal so his curves end up saving the class. a lot of people in my class ended up going to another professor's lectures
First off, the reader is essential and the primary tool to learn the material. Go to lectures as a review and for life tipsoccasional rants. I like Toup and am planning to take him for 2B.
Don't be fooled by the upper class-mans. There is no need to spend 100 bucks buying the huge chemistry textbook. Reader is what you need for his class. He is extremely inspirational, and he is there to help you during office hours. His curve is very very generous
Easiest chem class I have ever taken. I went to lecture 4 times out of 29 and got a high A in the class. All you have to do is read the reader, do the practice problems, and you are set! The final wasn't that bad either. He has tons of practice available.
Took Toup for 2A. Overall, it was a pretty challenging class. Take it seriously and work hard for your grade. Make sure to read the reader and do the practice problems. Dont freak out too much about a low grade. Had an F all quarter and ended up with a C in the end. Study hard for the midterms and final especially!
GET HIS READER. GO TO LECTURES. STUDY THE PRACTICE EXAMS!!!! His reader is really good although there are the occasional errors. Do the practice problems. But I'd also encourage going to tutors and maybe other professors' lectures for more help.
Professor Toupadakis is a very good teacher. He cares a lot about success of his students - he even had special office hours besides the regular ones to talk with his students on any topic. Very enthusiastic and loves teaching. Relates the course material to life, which I liked a lot. He is one of my favorite professors at UC Davis.
HATED Dr. Toup so much. Rants on and on about random stuff and is so preachy and wastes so much time on things not even related to chemistry. I'll never take him again. HARD TESTS, easy labs but still did terribly. The whole class had F's and he doesn't realize it's his fault..I got a 45% and got a C though so his curve does save.
over half of the class failed his class before the curve. just wake up early and go to enderle's class
Not very helpful, be prepared to learn how to do everything on your own using his reader. His reader is mandatory if you want to pass!
Do not fully trust these rate my professor reviews.. I suffered from believing these reviews saying that ALL you need to do is read the reader. As I experienced it, reader doesn't help much. It's a very shortened version of the real textbook. His lectures also don't help. Self study the textbook. This is NOT a easy A class. Do not be fooled.
Read the reader and go to class. Pay attention. Understand the concepts and you will do well. The tests are pretty tough. The average grade was a 52% so get ready for a curve. I liked him. A lot of people do not though. I would recommend if you are willing to put the effort in and learn.
His lectures are awful, but whatever! His tests are very easy. Just read his reader and do the practice exams. That's all you need to get an A(+)! His curve is super high! No need to go to his lecture; it's useless.
I took my first quarter with Toupadakis and was really frustrated with his lecturing style because I read ahead and did all of the practice problems in his reader. The lectures felt pointless because he basically read out loud from his reader. The impromptu chest drumming, ball tossing, and philosophy tangents were super anoying. Got an A though.
I took Toupadakis for 2A and again for 2C. In 2C I didn't read ahead or keep up with the practice problems and this reflected in my grades. I started to appreciate his tangents more though. A lot of people complain because they only want to hear about chemistry, but his rants about the education system and happiness actually show how much he cares.
He's a good guy but not a great teacher. The tests are not too bad if you do practice problems, read the textbook, and know the practice tests front and back. His philosophical tangents are exaggerated, he rarely did them in my class. Definitely takes effort to pass this class. I heard he's horrible for 2C but for 2A he wasn't horrible.
His lectures may not be the greatest, but he's really a good guy. I went to office hours once and was super nervous but he made me feel welcome, and after he helped me with the material I ended up just sitting in his office talking with him for half an hour. He really cares a lot about his students and wants them to succeed.
If you read the reader, and do ALL the practice problems and understand them, you will do fine in the class. Seriously read the reader before lecture and if you understand everything don't go. Curve is pretty nice too.
Dr. Toup isn't the worst, but not the best. His reader 2A & 2B were much better than 2C's. It felt lackluster and left me confused on concepts from time to time. He always seemed to rush through lecture & really took questions. It almost seems like he didn't want to be there lecturing. His tests were graded very harshly. I would avoid if possible
First midterm went off with no hitch, with average being an 80. Then he purposely tried to lower the average 2nd midterm by asking obscure questions from the reader. Final sucked too. Toupadakis made 2C into a course that's purely based on memorization. I had him for 2A as well, and I feel like he was more helpful there than 2C.
He's definitely not the best chem professor at Davis. I found his class pretty easy because I took AP Chem in high school. His tests are for the most part just like the problems in the reader. Getting the reader and doing the problems in it is a must if you take him! If you did not take AP Chem in high school steer clear. His lectures are boring.
Toupadakis gets lots of criticism from students for 1 reason: before lecture he talks 3-5 minutes about life and how to become a better person. Myself, I loved that. As a prof, he's pretty good. He follows the reader and encourages his students to too. Because of this, the course is easier than others. He has the best curve in the whole department!
Lectures not helpful at all. Don't bother. Personally did not like his teaching switch professors if possible.
I'm one of those students who always strives to attend lectures. However, towards the end of the quarter I found myself cutting Toup's class, sometimes I needed that time to study for his tests. His lectures don't help towards the exam material, as he often gets side tracked on philosophy. Tests are tough but emulate reader questions (also tough).
Dr. Toup is a great man but a not so great professor. His lectures are pointless because he just reads his reader aloud. You must get the reader if you take his class and he expects you to read the chapters before coming to lecture, even if you have a three hour lab right before. I ended up going to a lot of chem tutoring and the curve saved me.
There is no homework. There are no quizzes. Read your reader. Go to discussion. Lecture isn't really mandatory - I would try to go at least once a week. When I say read your reader, I mean READ your reader and do all the practice problems. If you keep up with the reader religiously and do the exercises/practice tests, you will do well. Seriously.
Don't take this class if your major requires lots of chem. Prof. "Toup" goes on philosophical tangents way too often. Lectures are straight out of the reader, and he provides only one or two examples that are not in the book. I, like many other students, self-studied in lieu of attending lectures. The only thing positive is the curve on exams.
Professor Toupadakis gives pretty easy tests compare to other professors. However, his explanation and classes are less in depth. Most of the questions he gives you in tests are just adapted from his reader. If you're good at studying by yourself, you can get a good grade from this class without going to classes. Overall, not recommended.
At first I wasn't a fan of him because all he did during lectures was show us pages from his reader, which is essential for this class. Near the end of the quarter, however, his explanations of some of the tougher concepts were actually helpful. Ultimately, Toup is a kooky professor who you can tell really cares about his students.
Simply reads off the reader and provides only a few examples. Spends time talking about life instead of helping students with chemistry. Lectures got boring towards end of quarter, so most people skip. Difficult tests given that he does a terrible job explaining. Curve is nice, but only helps those failing. Avoid if you value your sanity.
Lectures are read from reader with few new examples. Explains more difficult topics at the end of the quarter. Tests are difficult. Good curve. Did not really like his teaching style, it was a lot of self-study.
I stopped going to class after the second week. I couldn't really deal with his Gandhi-ness during class. He's a cool guy, but when he goes "Don't study. You'll be fine." Like what? I hardcore self-studied his reader in order to get an A-. I admit that I struggled, but the reader will be your best friend with how many hours you'll spend with it.
As long as you read the reader and do the practice problems, this class is a breeze. Even going to lecture is optional as long as you do those two things (though I would recommend going to lecture as well, you are paying a lot of money to have that seat). I didn't go to lecture at all. Just stay on top of readings and the exams are cake.
Toup has a bad rep but hes not horrible. Curve might save you. Not super confusing in lecture as many say he is. The only real problem I had w his class is that his tests are 100x harder than anything we do in lecture or in the reader. I understood almost everything in class & in the reader and got a 50% on 1st midterm(C+ w curve). Avg was 55%.
Get the reader he designed for the class & you'll do fine. Lectures mirror reader, can be skipped but helps to go depending on chapter. Office hours/tutoring help as it is self study, but his reader is 100x more specific than the general chemistry book. No unnecessary information clouds study. Generous curve. Spiritual, hilarious. Good life advice.
Took his freshman seminar on music and meditation. It was a super chill class pretty much just show up, talk, dance, sing and mediate.
Love this teacher!! First time taking chem and he is making it easy on me. Barely studied and got a B+ on midterm. Nice, funny, quirky guy. All homework is optional, however, it is necessary to do well on midterms. Awesome teacher!
Toups is always eager to help. His reader is key to doing well. Read it and do every practice problem. Curve is HUGE as well. It's really saving people in this class. First midterm was curved from a 55% to a B- and second was a 48% to B-. Funny guy and really knowledgeable. Truly wants everyone succeed in every way, not even just in his class.
This is my second quarter having him for Chem and it's been great. His reader is really helpful and the tests are pretty straight forward if you've been paying attention. There's absolutely no homework which is fantastic. After the first week attendance drops quickly because all the info is found in the reader as well.
His lectures are too fast and confusing to understand partly because of his accent, and partly because the topic is difficult and it takes some time to understand. 2B is the hardest in the series. If you read his reader and do A LOT of practice test, you should get an A because the curves are insane and the test similar to the practice ones.
Toup is the best, all you need to do is get his reader and study from it and just go to lab. No homework no quizzes no nothing. I can't really tell how he teaches since I've never been to his class but I got A's on all my exams with little to no effort. He has a pretty nice and fat curve as well. 10/10 would take again.
If you study well on your own and don't want to go to lecture, this is the class for you. However, if you don't and good lectures are something you want, Toup is NOT for you. Personally I only passed b/c I went to another professor for lectures and had a tutor for half the quarter. Winter 2016 CHE 2a - curves for Midterm 1: 55%, Midterm 2: 48%.
Taking Toupadakis was a bad decision. Thinking that he had so many reviews on rmp that it would make sense that this guy was not bad at teaching. Turns out he is because he just goes over the reader and doesn't make any effort in trying to teach it. His tests are pretty hard, and even with the curve, it can only go up from say a B- to a B+.
Toup is a great guy but I just don't find him that great of a chem professor. At times I feel like his lectures are rushed and end up being confusing. I even find his reader rather unorganized and repetitive. It's a lot of independent work and the grade is only composed of the tests and lab score, so I would avoid if you're not that good at tests
Your grade will depend entirely on 2 midterms, labs, and the final. The two midterms are a lot like the reader, but the final had a completely different format. He talks about how awful the textbook is, but ignore that and read the book. The reader is redundant and I wish I just stuck to the textbook instead.
Professor Toupadakis is more of a life coach than a chemistry professor. I didn't attend a single lecture. Midterm questions are strange and straight from the reader. Even doing well in the final won't guarantee an A. Curve isn't even that great. 11/10 would not take again.
I read the reader and the practice problems, but I skipped a lot of class. got a c in chem 2b (50-something percent uncurved). He does tend to wax philosophical as people have said, but i thought it was funny. I have never tried his office hours, but he is always telling the class to come.
Bruh, this class was really hard. Like, people change majors because of this class with him dude. The curve is juicy and fat, but its only like that because youre all probably failing homie.
inspirational, but a terrible professor. doesnt teach at all. AVOID. He is in love with his readers, which are honestly pretty bad. In class, he praises his work and tells you that the other textbooks are not clear. Sometimes the midterms are very similar to readers, but sometimes he makes them entirely different. Curve depends on ur class.
I don't feel like lectures prepare me for the exams. They are conceptual but I don't learn how to do that math. Definitely get his reader (solutions more importantly) so you know what to expect for his exams. Class average is low but curve is fat. If you're mediocre at Chem you can still Do fine. I'd take him again. My 55% was a B
I really liked Toupadakis's class. After the 1st midterm I learned that the lectures are useless and I just focused on the reader, which basically spoon feeds you the answers if you read it carefully. I wish I could have taken him for the whole Gen Chem series because his curve is ridiculous.
Worst Professor I have ever had. I went to his office hours, and I left in tears. I had several questions, and he made me feel dumb for even asking them. His lectures are pointless and very dry. Memorize his reader cover to cover and you should do OK.
He is probably the worst professor at davis. DO NOT take him. Wait till the next quarter to take the class an avoid at all cost. He doesnt teach at all. He talks about life in his class and not about chemistry. Lectures are pointless and tests are so hard. He doenst curve at all a
Read the reader, do the practice problems and participate in lab/discussion and you'll be fine.
No textbook or attendance required. Grade is based off of midterms and a final. Midterms are modeled after reader practice problems, if you read carefully through the reader an A is achievable thanks to his large curve.
Honestly, there's a huge disparity between people who do well in this class, and people who don't. In order to do well, you're going to have to self teach. Be realistic on how much time you'll put into the class. The final (40% of grade) is written by all chem teachers so you can't skim your way through. Just be careful and study a lot!
The worst teacher at Davis. The test is design to trick us, not to help us learn. The test is totally different from what he is teaching. Do not take his class even you you can't finish college in four years.
Toupadakis is actually a great teacher but it is only great when you understand his style of teaching. If you prefer teachers that give you homework, problems and quizzes to do all quarter then you wont learn much. Get the Reader and do every problem in there plus the practice exams on canvas, then this class is a breeze. He really does care too.
He is honestly a good professor. His reader is very clear and he cares for his students. Not many people come to class but he is always willing to help and is passionate about teaching his students. Just do his practice problems and understand his reader!
Professor Toup teaches his own way. Constantly saying that textbooks don't explain things the way his readers can and instead teaches concepts the way he thinks they should be taught. Has a large curve but thanks to his lack of actual teaching (everything is self-taught)the averages on exams are always low. Avoid!
The reader will be your life. Personally I didn't really read the reader that much, but understanding the reader questions are the most important part to learning. Get the solution manual too, it's essential. Lectures are pretty pointless, but go to the end of lectures for pretty cool inspirational and philosphical stuff
In a school full of so-so chem teachers, Toupidakis is no exception. To pass this class, you MUST have the reader. The reader contains everything you will ever need to know for his tests. The curve in this class is FAT. Read the reader and you will pass. Show up to class and put in effort A Toup is an avg. prof, but he cares for his students.
The worst teacher I've ever had since literally 5th grade. Says his curves are huge (i.e. MT's and Final curved roughly 15%) but then miraculously your final grade is only curved 5%! Unfortunate because a large curve would actually help to offset his lack of teaching and focus during lectures. Focuses less on chemistry and more on psychiatry smh.
If you need Chemistry for your major, DEFINITELY DO NOT take this class. Take Enderle if he is available or Gulacar. Yes Toup's curve saves your grade but that doesn't mean he should be exalted. Read his reader like a bible and you'll do fine on the midterms. Be warned though, the final exam is different than the questions on the reader.
Toupadakis explains conceptual ideas well, but he spends too much time explaining and not enough time doing practice problems. When he doesn't finish a chapter in his reader, he still expects you to know it. For one exam, he tested us on descriptive chemistry which was not on the final. The average was a F. Be prepared to self learn.
Completely a self-taught class, make the reader your best friend. Great curve, not that great of a lecturer.
I actually really liked Toupadakis' class. Granted lectures were based off the reader, so you need to have the reader. Yes, there was concepts that weren't explained as clearly as they could have been, but there was others that were explained very well, then again isn't that for every class? He emphasizes self -care a lot!
I loved Toup's charisma, humor, and compassion for students. But your grade depends solely on two midterms and a final, and all his lectures were him just regurgitating from his reader, which overcomplicated many topics. If you can virtually self-teach yourself chemistry he's a good prof, but if not, take a prof with more grade wiggle room.
Toupadakis teaches directly out of his reader. Thus, if you do not understand him, his reader won't be of much use. Utilize tutors and study groups. His tests are notoriously more complicated than any other professor and they are usually too long to finish. Also, don't try to talk to him. He will just tell you meditate and breathe. Not helpful.
Toup is a great professor! I really enjoyed chem because of him, the people who leave extremely negative reviews did not study enough for his class. He is extremely helpful in OH, and the curve is a big one. He also cares for his students and is inspiring. This class is solely based off of his reader, so make it your chemistry bible.
He is a very nice person who cares about your life and soul, but he is not a good chemistry professor. You can tell he tries his best to teach, but he is not good at it. During lectures he likes to read off of his readers, so you don't need to go to lectures. Grades only includes 2 midterms, 1 final and lab work. Be prepare to study on your own
Good guy. Meh professor.
Chemistry is a rigorous subject therefore incredible amounts of studying is required. One must learn to work hard and smart independently and the teacher is there for their support. Toupadakis is a phenomenal professor who allows for us to study on our own not bound to tons of homework which is of great benefit if you are dedicated. A++ for Toup.
People don't work hard and then blame the professor. I wish students would take responsibility for their own grades instead of blaming the professor based on his lectures. All the info needed to succeed is in the reader and all the time to study it is available due to no homework. Office hours are for questions. Can we get some love for Toup?!
You need to read his reader before going to class. If you do that, you can get the idea. He is actually good lecturer. In the lecture, he explains the concepts to help you understand the reader. People do not work hard and blame for the professor. Exams are fair, some of the questions even come from the reader.
always willing to answer questions and listen to what you have to say. However depending on the way you learn here are a few things to consider. You're only graded on two midterms, and lab. There is no extra credit, no homework, and no quizzes. If you aren't going to do the homework or go to lecture or office hours, or study don't bash
I loved Toup's class. He is an amazing professor and I'd recommend him to anyone looking to take chemistry. He has a very in-depth reader that is much clearer than textbooks or other online sources. His lectures are mainly him explaining his reader and giving example problems so students fully understand what they're learning. Very inspirational.
I'm currently taking Toup's CHE002A class for Winter Quarter 2017 & let me just say that he is one of my favorites. He genuinely cares about his students & incorporates life advice to help his students succeed. His lectures are primarily based off his reader, which helps in explaining concepts. He is a truly inspirational man & I recommend 10/10!
Would make an awesome philosophy teacher, but not the best for chem. Lectures are confusing and not that helpful. Nice guy, not a fantastic teacher.
Cares a lot about students. I personally found his lectures and the organization of his reader slightly confusing. However, I am a self-study type of person and had no problems with his tests as they were all based off his reader. Also LOVED that there was no homework. If you study his reader, you will have no problem with his tests.
I failed both midterms (50% each), but still passed the class, while the midterm averages were around a D-/D uncurved. However, this was partly due to my laziness in doing his reader's practice problems. I noticed most of the questions provided on the midterms were similar to the reader's practice problems. Reader didn't help as much on the final.
He's an amazing professor for independent learners. His reader is really good, WAY better than the textbook. People who rate him poorly are the ones who doesn't put effort into studying and learning how to solve their problems on their own. He's truly inspiring and a genuine person. I've never missed a lecture even though they're not mandatory.
People in my class passed with a 47. BUY SOLUTION MANUAL & PRINT ALL PRACTICE EXAMS. Memorizing the solution manual for the free response is a must. He will take the exact problems and put it on the midterms. I also noticed he took multiple choice problems from multiple past midterms and put it on the midterms. Grade based on 3 tests. Not the best.
If you're looking to just pass the chem class, you will not struggle at all in Toup's class. If you're aiming for the A, it may be a bit more difficult for you. The midterms are fine and definitely a mixture of old practice exams/reader problems, but the final may throw you for a loop.
He is great, full of great oppinions about life and study.
Take 2a in the winter to get a better curve
I had him for 2A and loved him. He makes it SUPER clear what you need to know to do well. I would read the chapter we were gonna go over that day BEFOREHAND in pretty good detail, and then I would sit back during lecture and listen to how he explained the concepts. now i have him again for 2b, cause i know what to expect and how to study!
Definitely buy his reader and work through the problems and the end of each chapter. His midterms are very similar to those in the reader. Likes to give lots of life advice during his lectures. Definitely cares about students and wants then to succeed. No mandatory homework. Take Toup if you did well in AP chem and want to put in minimal effort.
I don't usually rate professors 5 stars and that's saying something right there. His life advice definitely taught me to be very successful not only in chemistry but in my other classes as well. Do the problems on the reader and you will be golden on the midterms.
Read the reader and do all the practice problems and you will be fine. Honestly one of my favorite professors because he genuinely cared about every single student. If you ever felt troubled about anything you knew you could go to him for help at any moment. One of the Davis greats.
I stopped going to lecture after the first week of class because he spends the entire period going over philosophy and doesn't actually cover chemistry except the occasional pieces of paper from his reader years ago with things crossed out and scribbled over. He is unwilling to explain problems. I have taught myself the entire course.
The Toup Readers are clearer than most textbooks, and they are far more comprehensive. Go to lecture, as sometimes he works out problems similar to ones on the exams. If you don't go to class and are not happy with your grade, that's on you. 2A is crammable 2 days before the test, but that method is what got me a B. Prepare early for tests.
His lectures are useless. He talks about life advices and other stuff. Just memorize his reader problems to get an A. He loves his reader so much that exact same problem in the reader will show up in the midterms. No HW, just read his readers.
He's a super nice guy but that doesn't change that he's just not a good teacher. Be prepared to teach yourself everything because he jumps around and doesn't explain what you should know. Just memorize the problems in the reader if you want to pass the midterms honestly.
If you're confident in chem and like teaching yourself everything, this class is for you. Read the reader and understand the practice problems to do well on midterms. If you're not strong in chem (like me) you will struggle a ton. Go to chem workshops to actually be taught. Very very caring guy, but not great at teaching.
Taking his class was honestly a really big mistake. He is a nice guy and cares about students, BUT HIS LECTURES AREN'T FOR TEACHING! All he does is give advice and if you want to do well you have to teach EVERYTHING to yourself. First 2 midterms were exactly like his reader, but the final literally had me shook (Avg was a 40%).
Took for a Freshmen seminar about the self happiness. Two assigned texts for the class, weekly reading and responses to be posted by Sunday at noon. One 2-hour class per week, each person must talk at least once during every class and visit office hours at least once (will no pass if you don't). Strange guy but he really cares about his students.
Toup is an absolute trash professor. Overcomplicates everything possible, teaches differently than the other professors, and makes everyone buy his reader which makes it hard to understand the material.
His reader is great, but his lectures are lackluster. Doing practice problems out of the reader will have you set for midterms. Final is a different beast altogether. Great guy, but not a great teacher. I got a good grade, but felt like I learned little. If you want to learn, you need to be a great self teacher. Curve is very generous.
Toup is a great guy, but he is not a great professor. His lectures are based off his reader, so definitely get his reader. The midterms were basically based on his reader, if you read is solutions and actually go over the concepts on your own, you're set to go. The curve is extremely good. Go over the concepts as he loves concepts.
So i never went to lecture barely touch the reader and passed with a solid 38% on each exam. His curve is amazing. Barely opened the reader, took just a few key principles and used that on the exams. Really if you read the reader and did the problems out of it you'll pass easily. Don't even need to go to lecture
The class is not difficult if you read his reader and do the practice problems. The final was more difficult than expected but his curve adjusted for that. The cutoff for a solid A was 81%. The cutoff for a B- was 60%. The cutoff for a C- was about 41%. The mean for the final was 49%.
too much philosophy not enough chemistry. Take someone else if you actually want to learn unless you'll have to teach yourself.
There are two exams and a final. They are pretty fair; multiple choice is a little tricky but the free response is the majority of the points and they are either taken directly from his reader word for word or changed up just slightly. You can skip lecture, just read the reader, and still get a good grade. Curve is generous and Toup is very caring.
All homework is optional. This class takes self discipline because your final grade is solely based off of 2 midterms, lab, and a final. His tests are easy if you read and follow his reader. Practice problems at the end of each chapter are almost always used in his tests. He's a realist, very motivational and inspiring. Really cares for students
I have learned more in high school chem, he is confusing and doesn't relate the material. You have to teach yourself by reading his books that he requires you buy. It is all on you and his test are difficult. Avoid if possible.
Proff Toup is an amazing person but the worst teacher I have ever taken in my entire life. His tests look just like his practice ones but is def not enough to get you at a level to understand the material on your own. He's such a bad teacher that the class and tests have an amazing curve. Avoid at all costs take at community or with someone else!
A lot of people find Toup hard to understand, but if you read his reader and take notes, you can get an A without even attending. The material is pretty easy, but even if you aren't a chem buff, you will do fine if you do his ample practice problems. He's super accessible outside of class, his office hours are about 5 days a week.
A lot of people complain about Toup, and I definitely get where they're coming from: he's a horribe lecturer (reads straight from his reader) and you're not going to learn any chemistry from him. But in all honesty, his tests come straight from his book (or from the practice materials he posts online). You just have to spend time teaching yourself
Toup is a great person.. not a great teacher. His reader is what saved me in this class. The first midterm is straight from the questions in the reader but the 2nd is harder. Get ready to teach yourself. Do the reader questions and talk to your TA for clarification and you'll be fine. Great curve!!
He's a great person, but doesn't teach chemistry well (at least not for me). Lectures are very confusing and too fast paced, he gets off tangent a lot, and just very hard to follow. His tests follow the reader but really it's a lotta work "memorizing" all the examples. 0/10 don't recommend.
Makes you buy the newest edition of his reader which is wordy. I recommend taking notes in his reader during lectures. He's an interesting guy. Sometimes he talks too fast and is hard to understand bc of his accent. If you did well in AP Chem you'll be fine. The class is curved at the very end. 2 midterms and a final. Poor communication with TAs.
He is an interesting guy. Everything you need to do is to read the readers and do the practice problems. You can even skip the lecture since he will post the lecture on the website. However, the lab is pretty tough. Prepare to spend at least two hours on it.
Toups class wasnt that difficult but he is a bad professor. During lectures he just goes over his reader so there kinda is no need to go to lecture. His class requires a lot of studying before tests but his midterms are really similar to the practice problems on his reader and his final is pretty much the same as the practice exams he has online
Toup is a solid choice if you are an autodidact since his reader is very punctual, well written, and comprehensive, most clear and streamlined text I've ever used. However, his lectures are useless, as he reads off the reader verbatim and manages to ramble. Do all the problems in the reader, and you will ace this class. Tests don't have surprises.
Got into Toup's class because there was no room in any of the others. More of a living, breathing self help book than a chemistry professor. Basically had to teach myself everything through Enderle's online lectures and the most recent version of his reader.
84 for a B+. Curve isn't as generous as everyone says. Reader is clear and midterms were easy, final somehow failed me.
Toup is honestly one of the nicest people I have ever met. He truly cares so much about his students. Yes he may not be the best lecturer, but his dedication greatly outweighs that. Go to office hours (Life curve and class specific) and show him that you really care. My first semester at Davis was rough and without him, I would not have stayed.
Take his class if you're really good at self teaching and have taken AP Chemistry. I took Ap chem and honestly it wasn't too hard to get an A in his class. His midterms are fair, and the final wasn't too bad. But LOTS of self studying. He isn't the greatest lecturer so be aware of that.
Lectures not useful at all, he actually confuses more rather than clarifying contents. His reader is very useful and explains some concepts well but can be confusing and repetitive sometimes. 2 midterms and a final. His testing method is very bad, he has two multiple choices questions worth 20 points out of 120. However, pretty good final curve.
Id say tests were pretty tough but his reader is an excellent tool. Lectures were okay if you tried to listen or pay attention. Don't be too scared if you ended up with Toup and haven't taken AP Chem. I was in the same position and though I had a terrible chem background I managed to pull of a B+.
He is not a very good teacher and his lectures mostly consist of him reading the reader. If you can read you don't need to go to lecture. 2 midterms and one final. They are not curved but has a huge final grade curve. That curve was the only reason I got a B in class.
First test was ridiculously easy second one was more difficult and the final wasn't too bad. Lectures are directly from the reader for the most part and he posts the videos online so it's pretty much optional. Curve was pretty big at the end. Decent guy but not a great teacher.
Midterms and final are definitely modeled after the practice exams he posts on Canvas, so MAKE SURE to take a look at those when studying. Lectures don't help all that much, but if you get the reader you should be okay. If you have questions about concepts, don't be afraid to ask your TA! I guarantee I only passed because of help from my TA!!
Two midterms (each worth 25% of the final grade), lab (10%), and the final (40%). The midterms aren't difficult, you can memorize the practice problems at the end of each unit because you can guarantee that those exact problems will be on the test. Final is slightly more difficult. Just read the chapter and do the problems, curve's pretty decent.
Toup is a very caring person when it comes to students well being but a poor teacher. His reader is what is going to save you from the class so don't bother going to lecture because it just makes things more confusing. Practice midterms and finals help a ton. Got a 57% and 60% on both midterms and a 43% on the final. passed the class with a C-
Toupadakis is a bit more of a philosophy teacher rather than a chemistry professor. Get ready to teach yourself from the reader. The curve is more generous to those with a low percentage. If you have a 35% in the class, you have a C-
Waste of time, but most importantly waste of money. If you aren't proficient in chem from the start you will fail. He cares more about boasting his publishings & "spiritual" connections with chemistry than he actually cares about teaching you. He basically expects you to teach yourself chem, but if you have ?s about your soul he's your guy.
Granted, he is a nice person, but as a teacher he sucks. He pulled questions (without explaining in class) out of no where on tests worth a significant amount of your grade. his grading is ridiculous too (20 & 8 points multiple choice questions). Basically, you have to basically teach yourself if you want to even begin to understand the concepts.
I honestly cannot comprehend how students say this class is difficult. His reader is very precise and to the point. His test questions are exactly how his reader practice questions are. I have never taken chemistry before and received an A+. If you find this class difficult its because you are not applying yourself in any way, shape, or form.
He always use his reader and his exams are not kind to us
I feel like lectures are not super helpful because he goes on tangents. The 2 midterms are only 9 questions each which is hard because there is little room for error. Overall, it helped to have previous knowledge and it is definitely not too bad to pass, I'd just rather have a different professor. Take advantage of going to other chem lectures.
Chemistry is soul crushing. Toup makes it that much harder. His lectures are him reading his textbook, so if you don't understand the textbook you are basically screwed. Take Enderle if at all possible. Otherwise, good luck.
Toup spends way too much time giving inspirational speeches during his lectures. You can easily skip lecture. He just reads his reader to you. Seriously study the problems at the end of sections. Although, some problems on tests can still throw you for a loop. I would only take chemistry with him if you never need to use it again. Otherwise, avoid.
Toup is the worst prof I've encountered at Davis. VERY unclear during lectures, assumes his students know stuff, and not very approachable. 2 25% midterms, 40% final. Tests are impossible due to unfair point structure and ambiguity. Only passed class because of final, which other profs helped write. Large curve, but terrible guy. AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Toup is great, you don't have to show up to class and still get an A. His curves are amazing.
Toup is a decent guy but wastes way too much time trying to teach life lessons in a gen. ed. chemistry class rather than teaching. Lectures are not worth the money when he basically reads out of his own reader that he wants you to buy. He is a poor lecturer who gets sidetracked often and does not attempt to make content more understandable.
His lectures are not useful as he reads reader pretty much verbatim and I stopped going because of that. I didn't take AP Chem and it was easily manageable but other people had a difficult time only learning from the reader due to insufficient lecture assistance. TA's are helpful during discussion and office hours though so you can get help.
I don't know if this is a chemistry or a reading class... he doesn't explain anything in class he is just reading of his reader. I stopped going to his lectures after the fourth week and my grades improved. If you wana feel stressed out take him.
2 words: Life Curve. The only reason why I passed this class is because of his generous curve. This class is easy if you 1) are naturally good at chem or 2) are good at teaching yourself. There's no point in going to lecture because you can just watch the recording of it, and he just projects his reader on the screen.
Toup is a very genuine and caring individual, but can move pretty fast during lecture. However, there are never any surprises on the midterms, just do his practice problems and practice exams and you should be fine. Office hours were helpful when I went, but overall I had to do a lot of self-teaching through the reader. Also, Life Curve!
You can hardly get points off on exams because they are soooooo easy. Never attended lectures and got a 99% overall this quarter. Just read his readers and you can get A+ easily
If you want to skip class and teach yourself the course, this is the professor for you. In lectures, Toup ranted about the meaning of life, meditated, threw paper airplanes at students, and confused me when he occasionally projected his reader to "teach" chem. However, his reader is very clear and the curve is generous so it is possible to do well.
Toup's reader is very helpful. Doing the recommended homework helps a lot.
Andreas Toupadakis may have been driven into the borderlands of dementia by his divorce. He will rail against University Policy and the entire world in the midst of lectures. In person, he's a really nice guy! If you practice his reader, like smash the contents of the reader into your brain, you can actually get wicked high test scores. Neat stuff
Professor Toup is a great person and he cares about you as a person not a robot. He has his own readers and all exam questions are from the readers or slightly change the values, no joke. If you do all the problems in the readers, you will get an solid A. He offers good life advice also, go to his office hours.
He spends most of the lecture time complaining about things and also trying to advertise his reader and Life Curve. Tries to be inspirational. Nice guy, not the best instructor. The midterm averages were high D's to mid C's, but weren't that bad, considering it's chemistry. Would take again because other professors grade harder.
I love this guy! He cares a lot about his students success and he wants everyone to learn to their fullest potential. He gets overlooked by some of the other teachers, but I think his methods are fine and I've had every chem teacher in the department. As long as you keep up with the reader, you'll be just fine. It's clear what you need to study.
Topa is a great person. As long as you did read and did practices form his reader, you will be fine.
His is an amazing teacher. Basically all you need to do is memorizing the answer in his reader and sample test, then you can get A+ in his midterms. I spend less than 5 hours for each of his midterm exam on average, and I got 114/116 and 104/108.
You are gonna get a A or B if you read his reader and do questions. Don't delay.
This course is literally easy. I have taken both che2a and che2b. His has an interesting special OH called life curve, which I never attend and never attend his lectures. Readers are perfect. Midterms are super easy, but be careful with the final cuz sometimes it's the chem department that writes the exam.
40% final, 2 midterms 25% each, 10% lab. I had Toup for 2A and loved him there. But his 2C reader was lackluster and did not fully explain many concepts. Crammed o chem in the week of the final, and it was very heavy on the final. I worked very hard for my grade. Main group section was tons of memorization, and the o chem is all self taught.
Honestly I don't know how you can call him a Professor when you learn nothing in his class. Even if you go to lecture he reads straight out of his reader. All you need is his reader and some time to work through all the practice problems and practice exams online and you should be fine. Basically memorize the whole reader.
If you just want to pass chem without really learning anything and study the reader at the last minute before his midterm and final, this is the professor for you. If you want an A, you must be diligent with the reader and practice q's through the quarter. No OWL hw so you need to practice on your own time. But Toup might not even teach anymore :/
Toup overall is very nice but not a great professor. I went to the first day of class and never went again. I suggest doing his entire reader at the same time hes teaching, and going to coclass to get that extra practice.
Tests are very short so every question is worth a lot of points (multiple choice are around 8 pts each). Lectures are recorded and discussion is not required. Lots of self-teaching. Lectures are just reading his reader. No examples are done in class, better to just study reader by self if you want to pass.
Spending 1h on the easiest part and 5 min on the tough part. Leaving us no time to take notes or pictures but talk about philosophy. Lectures are such a waste of time and meaningless. I'm not spending money to take class like this.
Toupadakis has a clear reader and his tests are very similar to the practice problems on it. His lectures are pretty boring and he gets off topic/goes on confusing tangents often.
I found that he's really good at helping you teach yourself. His lectures will be completely useless if you don't read the reader and do questions before hand. I went and got a lot out of it because I read beforehand. I got 100 on MT 1 and 99 on the Final coming in with no AP chem background. His practice exams are also very similar to his tests
Honestly, Toup is not the best professor, mainly because he lectures from the reader and occasionally goes off to tangents about life, and most, if not of his midterm questions, are from the reader. The final exams are written by the chem department, so be prepared as the memorizing technique no longer works. Wouldn't recommend if you want to learn
Whenever I attend his lectures, I would be impressed if this were a Philosophy class, but this is Chemistry, we are meant to do Chemistry stuff. Of course, we would sometimes joke around in other classes but we should at least keep on topic.
This man has transcended into a divine philosophical god. Other than that just study and cram from his reader
Dr. Toupadakis is a great professor who was seriously mistreated by the Chemistry department at UC Davis. Just because someone cares about the well being and mental health of students that doesn't mean they aren't great professors.
Dr Toupadakis: 1) His Che2A Reader is very well made. I gained an interest in chemistry after INTENSE studying. 2) He has been an inspiration to me; at the 5 min break during lectures, he passionately discusses issues such as anxiety, philosophy of the mind, love, etc. 3) Has an accent. 4) B on every exam curved an A. 5) I went to each lecture.
Lectures are basically the book
Its not that hes bad at teaching but the things he teaches comes straight out of the reader. Do the practice problems and the practice exams. I ended with a 73% in the class but with the curve I got a B. I think hes considered one of the easiest profs because discussion/lecture attendance isnt required and the curves are pretty good
Many people do not like Prof. Toup but i do not understand why. His reader really helps clarify concepts he teaches. His lecture could feel long but he teaches chem very well. He is very nice and cares about our mental health. I love the 5 min break pep talks he gives us. Also he hands out plants and flowers for us. Ill miss him
In order to do well on exams, do practice problems from his reader and take the time to understand his lectures and review. As a professor, he is really inspirational and you can tell he cares about us as a student. Look out for plants he gives out!
his is the best teacher I have ever met!!! The exam is very simple and the class is humorous. I will take his class again!!!
If you've heard of the illustrious "Toup Curve" you've been misled. He's forced to curve bc people do so bad on the exams as he LITERALLY DOES NOT TEACH IN CLASS. I was forced to endure mini TED talk 3 days a week in hopes that I would get some useful information for the test. REQUIRES INTESE STUDY OF READER. I mean it.
Dr. Toupadakis is caring. You have to put in the work and you will do fine.
2014-2015, I had Toup for 2A & 2C. My grandma & 2 uncles, and aunt died all in 5 months. I had a 2C midterm 3 days after my grandma, who I'd been a primary caregiver for & lived with for 13 years, died. I got a 16%. Toup projected my midterm to the 500 person lecture & mocked me, saying I didn't deserve to be in the class or a science major. Horrid
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