3.0

Asbed Vassilian

Chem & Chemical Biology - Rutgers - State University of New Jersey

3.0
Quality
3.9
Difficulty
29%
Would Retake
124
Reviews
3.0
Quality
3.9
Difficulty
3.0
Helpful
3.0
Clarity

29%

Would Retake

124

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

28

4

26

3

26

2

28

1

16

What Students Say

He's a nice guy and tries to explain whatever he's teaching using analogies

CHEM1 - 3.0 rating

A very knowledgeable man

CHEM251 - 5.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

37%

Textbook Required

67%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

95% confidence
Based on 16 grades
Most common grades:
C+ (3)
B (3)
C (3)
Grade Distribution
A(3)B(3)C(6)D(1)F(1)A-/B+(2)
Based on 17 reported grades
C+: 3
B: 3
C: 3
A: 2
Common Tags
Tough Grader (6)
Skip class? You won't pass. (4)
Caring (2)
LECTURE HEAVY (2)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (2)
TEST HEAVY (2)
Inspirational (1)
Hilarious (1)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.64 avg change
Sep
Dec
Jan
Apr
Dec
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

CHEM313

5.0

(1)

CHEM1612

5.0

(1)

GEMSCHEM

5.0

(1)

01160161

5.0

(1)

CHM161162

5.0

(1)
+37 more courses
Difficulty by Course

CHEM313

5.0

CHEM101

5.0

SGCH161

5.0

CHMSG162

5.0

ANALCHEM

5.0

Reviews (124)
3.0
5.0
CHEM161
Nov 11, 2002

he prints out his notes BEFORE lecture!!

1.0
3.0
CHEM161
Mar 13, 2003

Worst guy I ever met.

5.0
5.0
CHEM162
Apr 4, 2003

Awesome and excellant professor, but class material is really hard. One of few good guys in chem department

4.0
3.0
SOLIDGEMS
May 16, 2003

Actually wasnt in his class, but in general chem162 & went for his review session. He was a way better prof than mine. Taught us to try using logic to answer problems instead of just calculations.

5.0
5.0
CHEM313
Jun 17, 2003

Having him for orgo lab is making the best out of a horrible situation. Tries valiantly to make orgo interesting, but of course that would require strippers, a monkey and a bucket of ice.

4.0
3.0
CHEM12
Jun 26, 2003

funny, clear, and interesting

5.0
1.0
CHEM1612
Aug 6, 2003

He is an excellent teacher if you want to learn. H eis one of the best in the department. I don't know how he got teamed up with that fool Rabeony.

5.0
4.0
CHEM161
Aug 6, 2003

Good teacher but that won't help you out.

4.0
4.0
CHM161SG
Mar 11, 2004

dont take SG stick with regular chem its easier and less time consuming, Vassilians a good guy.

5.0
3.0
SGCHEM162
Mar 21, 2004

Good teacher and a good guy.

5.0
3.0
GEMSCHEM
Sep 21, 2004

Absolutely worth taking this class with him if you either have little prior knowledge of chemistry or are interested in actually learning something!

4.0
2.0
CHEM161SG
Oct 18, 2004

He's a decent professor. Kind of boring, but what can you do it's.... what? chemistry... in there.

5.0
3.0
01160161
Oct 30, 2004

This teacher is absolutely AWESOME !! He teaches Solid Gems n if you take this class, although its very time consuming, you will LOVE the teacher! Really cares about his students n is pationnate for chemistry. If you take it in Fall, wathc out for webassign!

5.0
2.0
CHEM251
Nov 17, 2004

In the beginning, he was an ass because it was an 8:10 lecture and i overslept for a few classes, but he tries really hard to make sure everyone was awake and I definitely thought the class was easy as long as you did homework. Lots of work though, with those stupid lab reports.

1.0
5.0
ANALYTICALCHEM
Dec 9, 2004

I hate this guy with a passion and he was extremely hard on people when they missed one assigment. The labs were also tough too and he always was arrogant. I never liked him to start off and even though he tries to teach thoroughly the guy is arrogant as can be. He's a horrible professor.

1.0
5.0
CHEM161SG
Feb 19, 2005

i could not understand him nor was he ever available to help. i failed the class only because i failed the final. it was not a fun class.

5.0
4.0
CHM161SG
Feb 23, 2005

Great professor. Very knowledgeable. Hard tests but very fair. Funny but sometimes hard to understand. He definitely is able to answer all questions and reviews subjects until they are clear.

3.0
4.0
CHM251
Mar 7, 2005

Labs sucked and he was not that helpful preparing for the labs or describing them. Did not help prepare the students at all for the exams and did not seem to care that much either. I'm a chem major and have definitely had better chem teachers that care.

5.0
3.0
CHM161162
Mar 23, 2005

he was awesome, i hate chemistry but he made bearable

2.0
4.0
SOLIDGEM
Apr 7, 2005

Although this class is good...it is hard to follow maybe becuase of his accent. But don't despair...if he doesn't confuse you Ms. Marky will. With all honesty, this class is easier than the regular chem. My advice is just read ahead of the class becuase it will definitely help you.

3.0
3.0
ORGOLAB
May 1, 2005

...interesting guy. looks lik santa clause, very strange accent. prefer o'conner cause he tells u EXACTLY what u need to kno for the lab. but vassilian IS thorough. sometimes funny, so sometimes its not hard to stay awake

2.0
4.0
ANALYTICALCHEM
May 22, 2005

This class was very hard..he calls on people during class..the material refers back to chem 1 and 2..exams are hard and not helpful in preparation..makes it seem as if tests are not big deal..labs are time consuming and very hard..grading is so harsh that even smart people think they are failing..the curve ends up being ok though so just be warned.

4.0
4.0
ANALYTICALCHEM
Jun 1, 2005

do not rush to finish the experiment in order to leave early. you have to know what you are doing so you can get good high scores on your lab reports. he seemed to be a nice guy. but honestly i don't like lab classes at all.

4.0
4.0
ANALYTICALCHEM
Aug 31, 2005

Labs are hard, grading is tough. Lectures doesn't help in writing lab reports. The exams are very hard. However, the curve is huge. you might think you are failing but end up w/ a B or B+

5.0
2.0
ARMENIAN
Mar 13, 2006

if you're armenian, you need to take this class. he's an awesome, funny professor--and once you get past his corny jokes, you'll learn to love him.

5.0
3.0
CHEM161
May 27, 2006

i love this man! he is such a good chem professor. he knows what he is talking about and is able to explain it very well. i am glad i had him for this course

5.0
4.0
CHEM161
Dec 7, 2006

Very helpful and approach chemistry in interesting ways. Exams are little harder compare to other chem prof's exams but that's also reflected in a huge curve.

4.0
2.0
CHEM251
Jan 24, 2007

Labs are hard, especiially for the first 3 labs. Do not miss a lab and do attend his lectures because he doesn't like people who doesnt attend (he takes attendance). Exams are hard, read the book and do pay attention on what youre doing on the labs, cuz his tests are based on it. Gives huge curves. Pass the labs = pass the class

4.0
3.0
SGCHEM
Apr 19, 2007

This class was pretty hard. He is thorough and knows what he is talking about but there is 2 binders full of notes that you go over in one semester. Just the amount of stuff you are expected to know is alot. This was my first college level science class though so maybe this much work is normal for science classes in college.

3.0
5.0
CHEM161
May 13, 2007

Let me tell you -- Chemistry classes like these = Ridiculous. You have so much information you cover in such a short time span. Not only that, I didnt find his notes useful at all. I found myself dozing off in his class all the time & the amount of work i had to put in outside of class to get a B+ was INSANE. HARD CLASS hard EXAMS !

4.0
5.0
CHEM161
May 16, 2007

Cute little grandpa. tests are hard as balls, but so are all chem exams. on one of the exams the fire alarm went off for 40 min & he felt that giving us 10 extra min on the final would make up for it, i didn't think so. But, out of the rest of the chem dept here which pretty much sucks, this guy is not bad. so, yeah, take him if you see him.

1.0
5.0
CHEM161
Jun 28, 2007

This dude is soooooo useless.... gives u stupid notes that he sells to u. exams r stupid and hard as hell. yea he says these funny jokes during class. but r u there to laugh or learn chem to pass the class????

5.0
4.0
CHEM161
Jul 15, 2007

This class was a joy to take. Chem 161 will be hard no matter who you take it with but he makes coming to class interesting and enjoyable. You will have to work for a C or higher, so be prepared. You'll definitely remember what he teaches. If you're going to take Chem with anyone take it with him.

4.0
3.0
SGCHE161
Dec 17, 2007

vassilian is a nice guy. he is absolutely adorable and will joke around and try to get the class motivated to learn. he gets angry when people don't show up to lecture and then do poorly on the exams. just study every day and you will do well. i wouldn't recommend taking this with other hard classes because it is very time consuming.

3.0
4.0
CHEMR5
Dec 17, 2007

is what? in what? in there? over there? in there? I never have any idea what he is talking about. He tends to run over class time by 10-15 minutes every lecture. Overall not a bad guy he reminds me of my grandpa and is usually in a good mood unless the class messes up on the exams.

3.0
4.0
CHEM251
Dec 22, 2007

He knows what he is teaching, very funny and has a good sense of humor. as for the class, it is hard , lab are long and too much work. two exams need to score 40 % in both to pass the course. study his notes online. overall i had a great experience.

4.0
4.0
CHEM161
Mar 20, 2008

Chemistry is difficult no matter what, but Vassilian tries to make learning enjoyable. He gives great examples about concepts that he relates to everyday life to help you better understand. Don't be fooled though, you really need to study; read and do the homework FORREALSSS :)! Exams are tricky.

2.0
5.0
CHEM161
Apr 16, 2008

completely useless, he has a sense of humor, but nothing that he teaches is on any of the exams...doesn't show you how to do the math in stoichiometry..tries to relate everything to real life when in reality we will never need to know anything...take someone else if you want a good grade and dont want to teach yourself

5.0
2.0
SGCHE162
May 3, 2008

Dr. Vassilian is the best that the rutgers chem department has to offer. He really cares about his students. extra credit, plenty of grades and opportunities for points, and he is interesting. of course, if you slack off, don't expect the curve to help you out too much in chem 2. you have to work a lot to get good grades. solid gems is the best.

4.0
3.0
CHEM161
May 4, 2008

probably the best professor for gen chem. his notes help a little b/c he will put questions from his notes on the exam but really if u just study from the book (do the hw/in chapter problems) along with lots of practice exams i do not see how u cannot get an A. there curve is ridiculous 80+A, 68+B. take chem w/asbed!! i got an A.

5.0
2.0
CHEM161
May 24, 2008

very clear. know how to do the problems and youll do well. study his notes then do the practice tests

2.0
3.0
CHEM161
Jul 1, 2008

I dont understand what fantasy world the students that rated this professor are in, but this professor isnt clear at all. He has a strong Armenian accent, expects you to attend every class (doesnt tell you when the quizzes are), no partial credit or curves. The TAs in this course are a joke. Theres really no one to turn to for help. DONT TAKE HIM.

1.0
5.0
CHEM161
Aug 2, 2008

If you are premed, avoid this. Take it in the summer with Siegel.I had an average over 68 on all exams/final and got a C. So the B+ is not 68. His thick accent/bad attitude doesn't help either. On exams, Dr. Siegel is like Santa Clause compare to him. People **** about Siegel only because they doesn't know how bad he is. (Its Kimmel-Siegel-Him)

5.0
2.0
CHEM161
Sep 5, 2008

asbed is awesome, i never read a sentence in the book.. jus read his notes and do last yrs exams and syllabus hwk thats all there is to it.. o yea curves are amazin n he uses mad analogies

1.0
5.0
CHEM101
Oct 27, 2008

this man is the biggest jerk i've ever met. don't you dare ask for extra help, he'll tell you to sit down and pay closer attention. analogies are humorous but did not contribute to my overall knowledge, or lack thereof, chemistry. not a nice man, not a good teacher.

3.0
2.0
CHEM161
Nov 17, 2008

Had him for 161-162, and loved both classes. CHEMISTRY IS NOT EASY NO MATTER WHO YOU TAKE, accept it. Asbed makes it as easy as possible. Follows his lecture notes which detail the problems exactly. I've horror stories from other chem profs. Also, he will definitely prepare you for higher level chem classes..aka Orgo. Take him if you want to learn.

5.0
2.0
CHEM161
Nov 20, 2008

Great prof! i agree w/ the other person chemistry is hard in general.Vassilian actually made it fun, we always laughed in his class & he makes a lot of useful analogies. Hes always open to questions & makes notes that you can purchase. I do believe that u should still read b/c u still have to do ur part. Awesome teacher and is highly recommended.=]

2.0
5.0
CHEM161
Nov 21, 2008

He cut 20 minutes of time out of the 2nd exam. I spoke to others who have taken the course before and he apparently does it to every chem class. Be prepared for him not to be ethical or fair in terms of time on exams. Bring a watch and time all the exams yourself.

5.0
5.0
SG161
Dec 17, 2008

chem is hard no matter whom you take it with. my advice is take regular chem with anyone but siegel and buy vasillian's notes at douglass bookstore. solid gems exams are harder, but you learn more in the lectures, which makes reg 161 exams easier. double edged sword there. just took and failed the final and i had an A average, so, take 133 1st.

2.0
4.0
CHEM161
Mar 24, 2009

His overall lecturing styles is good. Everything seems fine before you take the test. The previous practice test that is given is nothing compared to the test. He does not give enough time to finish the tests. Don't take this class if you don't have to!!!

4.0
5.0
CHEM161
Apr 19, 2009

He make lecture interesting and makes the students laugh. But the exams are hard I would attend lecture and reciation also study. Chem exams are going to be hard no matter what you have to study

1.0
5.0
SGCH161
Apr 21, 2009

The worst professor I have ever dealt with. He loves tricking his students on exams , quizzes etc. His exam questions are completely ridiculous. He does not care about his students. Average on exams usually around 52. The curve is nice, however, how much are you learning when you can get a 52 and come out with a C.

4.0
3.0
SG162
Apr 30, 2009

People who complain about Prof. V probably don't put the effort in necessary for a college chem course. It's college its not going to be spoon fed to you. Attend lecture, do the hw problems they don't take long and are vital, and study for exams. The math concepts arent that difficult. It's a hard course, but a little effort goes a long way.

3.0
5.0
CHEM161
May 5, 2009

vasillian is a pretty good lecturer, however he tries a bit too hard to relate things to chemistry and just ends up confusing people. his exams are very tricky and the averages were very low. as long as you pay attention in recitation, do the hw and study you should be fine though.

3.0
5.0
CHMSG162
Jun 17, 2009

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS THINKING IT'S EASIER THAN REG 162. It's not. Exams are harder. Professor makes grades based on exam grades not points (from his email). Get his notes from the Coop bookstore and take regular 162. STAY AWAY. Lecture quizzes guaranteed on Rutgersfest or any other day he feels there's not enough people (for att and xtra credit).

2.0
5.0
ANALCHEM
Jun 18, 2009

Had this guy for lectue of my analytical chem class, His tests were nuts, random crud from the labs and the hardest questions from the back of the book. If it wasn't for his test i would have had an "A" in that course. Makes fun of you if you ask for help too.

3.0
3.0
CHEM161
Jul 7, 2009

Vassilian is a good professor who must've cared at one point in time. However, since most students don't care about the subject he seems not to as well for the most part. Must read the book, attend lectures, recitations, and do lots of homework and practice exam questions. Curves were generous, considering horrendously low test score averages.

3.0
2.0
ORGOCHEM
Jul 13, 2009

I had him for organic chem lab lecture in the summer. He obviously knows what he's talking about, but talks unnecessarily about knowledge not required for the coming lab. LOVES TO HEAR HIMSELF TALK-sooo annoying! You'll sit there for an hour and half going over 6-7 overhead slides because he just talks nonsense half the time.

4.0
3.0
CHEM161
Jan 13, 2010

No Comments

2.0
5.0
CHEM161
Jan 14, 2010

hands down worst professor ive ever had

5.0
5.0
CHEM161
Feb 9, 2010

I read all these bad comments about him and thought his class was going to be terrible but he's actually a really good professor. I love him, he's so cute and funny!! Go to his office hours he actually helps a lot and cares that his students do well. He kinda looks preggerz....

1.0
5.0
ANAL000
Feb 16, 2010

Professor does nothing to prepare you for exams..do all homework to pass and study ENTIRE labs for exam..Lab reports take on average 20 hours each..avoid him at all costs and take analytical in the spring..much better professor

5.0
3.0
CHEM162
Feb 18, 2010

I took Chem 161 with Vassilian and I got an A. Granted, it was hard but if you go over the notes he gives you, go through the examples in the textbook and attend class regularly you'll do fine. I'm taking 162 with him now and it's way easier than it would have been with Seigel. He looks like the Jasmine's dad in Aladdin :)

4.0
4.0
CHEM162
Apr 7, 2010

Great professor! He's entertaining and really knows his stuff. It's an easy course but you some work for it, you'll get it. Talks a lot about food and pizza. But he's really funny.

2.0
3.0
CHEM162
May 19, 2010

I'm so glad I dont have to take another chemistry course ever (well except for lab. I've tried e-mailing him for various reasons (including when I was sick for a week), but he does not reply back. I got a C, barely. His tests (like most chem tests) are hard. The only good things about this class was the lecture notes and recitations.

5.0
4.0
CHEM161
Jul 22, 2010

I was in your position, going on ratemyprofessors.com to check out if vassilian was the right professor to take. Take it from me - THIS MAN IS AMAZING. He really knows how to teach. The KEY THING is to PAY ATTENTION from the beginning. If you start paying attention in the middle, you'll get lost. His exams are tough but practice practice practice!

2.0
5.0
CHEM161
Sep 21, 2010

Have him for Gen Chem. Holy cow, tough. If it wasnt for tutors and recitations I'd probably be failing, and I'm still struggling in this class--I was good at chem in HS, but this guy is somewhat unclear and moves too fast and isn't consistent with stuff. Maybe he's great for some people but it's not how I learn, and it's very hard.

1.0
5.0
CHEM161
Oct 13, 2010

Avoid at all costs. I never skipped, I did all the drills/homework, I studied a lot, I did several practice exams before each test and I still failed exams. Maybe for some people he's great, but if you really don't LOVE chemistry and didn't take AP chem before, find a diff professor.

1.0
5.0
CHEM161
Oct 23, 2010

What an awful human being! This man was so rude, and unhelpful! Honestly, scarred after taking him, avoid and all costs and save yourself the mental breakdown!

1.0
5.0
CHEM161
Oct 29, 2010

Worst professor ever. He's so annoying and tries to be funny and he's not.

3.0
4.0
CHEM161
Nov 19, 2010

Had him for Solid GEMS Chem 161. Class is pretty interesting but exams are HARD! The quizzes every week help but thats about it. Either you study extremely hard to pass or you'll probably end with a C. DON'T bother buying the textbook, you will never use it at all.

4.0
2.0
CHEM161
Dec 16, 2010

He is a great teacher! And he makes the 120minutes more fun than any other professor.

1.0
5.0
CHEM161
Jan 6, 2011

So BADDDD!!! everyone seems to do terribly in this class. oh and here's a bit of fun vassilian trivia. he has a god-son in the class who would be the only one who did well because he taught him to whole course privately. say no to vassilian

3.0
3.0
CHEM161
Jan 10, 2011

This guy loves to talk thus, he goes over the alloted time for lecture. Also, b/c he teaches "slow" his exams are made harder b/c we are supposed to "know" more. If you are taking Chem 161, stick with it b/c 162 will be confusing if you switch out. He gives 4 exams and millions onf quizzes, the curves are high b/c everyone in the class is dumb.

3.0
4.0
CHEM161
Feb 9, 2011

Never really recieved a bad grade in my life. Vassilian is the reason my GPA is awful. His test are insanely hard and look nothing like the practice problems you do in class or for homework. Find another chemistry prof is the best advice you could get

4.0
5.0
CHEM101
Apr 6, 2011

He is a good guy but the class is completely ridiculous. Unless you have to take Chem don't take it at Rutgers. The exams are NOTHING like the homework and lecture notes and the averages are around 52 for the exams. What are we learning from that?

5.0
5.0
SGCHM162
Apr 13, 2011

Solid Gems 161 and 162. Very thorough, lots of analogies with food (makes lecture as interesting as possible), and his office hours are AN ABSOLUTE MUST. Exams as are hard they come, and are very dissimilar to practice exams. His goal is to see if you can see your way around wordy problems. Curves are generous bc exam avgs are 45-56. Study HARD.

2.0
5.0
CHEMSGEM
Apr 19, 2011

Run from this guy. I liked chem enough in high school but ended up detesting this class. I'll let the horrible rating speak for themselves and tell you that one of the class exam averages was a 44 for >600 kids and he was angry at the students. Honestly, he is a completely inept prof & I understand why very few succeed in his class.

2.0
4.0
CHEM161
Apr 19, 2011

He's intimidating, sometimes nice. Tries his best to make the subject interesting/easier. He gives tons of examples that don't relate to chemistry and without even knowing, moves off topic to discuss something else. It's hard to keep up with what he's teaching. So it's up to the student to keep up. Study chem at least 2 hours everyday.

2.0
5.0
CHEM101
May 18, 2011

This guy's exams were tough. Class averages were usually around 50%. After taking this class, I no longer want to major in the sciences.

5.0
5.0
CHEM161
May 19, 2011

He is so sweet, very clear, and really willing to help. However, make no mistake - this class is difficult and requires a LOT of effort. Practice your drills every night, attend office hours and tutoring if you still do not understand the material. Do not be afraid to seek help - it could mean the difference between a passing and a failing grade.

5.0
3.0
CHEM161
Aug 31, 2011

I will tell you all you need to know: do the homework, THE DRILLS, and read the textbook and do the yellow exercises OVER AND OVER. and you will succeed--I promise.

4.0
4.0
CHEM161
Nov 30, 2011

Chem 161, Solid GEMS. Rather adorable, round little old man. Makes fun jokes; always smiling. The material is very hard, chem 161 is simply a hard class. Exam averages were all around 55, but i always felt i should have studied more, test questions were never "something i had never seen before." Pop lecture quizzes are hard, but they are for EC.

2.0
4.0
CHEM161
Dec 23, 2011

Dr. Vassilian is a very bright man with a passion for chemistry. However, his teaching methods are not clear and a majority of the time I found him very difficult to understand. He is very unapproachable and I think he is sometimes rude to his students. I definitely do not recommend this professor and do not plan on taking him for chem2.

2.0
5.0
CHEM161
Jan 9, 2012

Almost impossible to understand. Class is horrible. He seems like he knows a lot about what he's doing but has no clue how to teach it.

2.0
5.0
CHEMCHEM
Nov 20, 2012

Don't get me wrong this guy is a genius, he really knows his stuff. However is unable to teach. But if you already master chem and know most of it and just study like its a religion then you will do fine. But if you are an average student then he will be your worst nightmare. Oh and he says "what" a lot if you take him you will know what I mean

1.0
5.0
CHEM251
Dec 18, 2012

Horrible class. Exams (2) are extremely difficult and will bring down your overall grade. Labs are do-able but are long and annoying and so are the lab reports that are due every week.

4.0
4.0
CHEM161
Mar 27, 2013

Vassilian has a unique teaching style and can make learning chemistry easy if you attend all the lectures and do the readings, practice problems, and drills for every chapter. Although he does have a slight accent, he makes up for that with his vast knowledge of chemistry. Overall a great professor to have with Langowski as a assistant prof.

2.0
5.0
CHEM161
Apr 11, 2013

The lectures are extremely confusing and nothing is explained properly and efficiently. I learned more going to the learning center for one tutoring session than I did in any lecture. Do the packets because sometimes he takes identical questions for the exam and your gonna wanna solidify some points because the exams are no joke.

3.0
4.0
CHEM101AND102
Apr 20, 2013

I had him for solid gems chem 1 and currently 2. I don't go to lecture all that much now a days but I was an everyday person the first semester. He's really sweet and tries to explain things with a lot of examples which makes it easier to remember. Chemistry is simply a hard class though, you get back the amount of studying you put in.

4.0
2.0
CHEM162
Apr 25, 2013

Dr. vassilian is a great professor and has a great understanding of chemistry. He has been teaching for many years and can make students really understand difficult concepts. In order to succeed to need to attend lecture and show the passion he has for teaching. Also the drills are more helpful than the practice problems.

2.0
5.0
CHEM162
May 11, 2013

Honestly, this guy can't teach very well. He is very smart, but I find him rude and not quite helpful. I did most of the studying on my own and got no help from this guy. Don't recommend him. boring too.

2.0
4.0
CHEM161162
Jun 25, 2013

he is rude, inconsiderate, and makes everything about 90 times more difficult than it needs to be. do the drills and good luck to you, cause this guy is the worst there is.

4.0
3.0
CHEM161
Nov 3, 2013

After reading these ratings, I was terrified to attend chemistry (a class I normally HATE) and have this guy as a professor. But after attending his classes, his lectures are really helpful. Yes he can be rude at times but if you attend class and pay attention to his lectures, 8/10 times you will understand it. Accent is a bit rough at times.

3.0
4.0
SG160
Nov 18, 2013

tries too hard to connect things to real life- ends up confusing sometim. chem is hard,regardless of professor, hnstly. would say to 100% take him because he gives drills that are more or less identical to the exam. if you master those, you will end up with a B+ at least. TAKE SG. it helps, though chem 5x/week is annoying. kp

3.0
3.0
CHEM161
Dec 18, 2013

He is horrible at explaining material. You ask him a question and he tells you that you should know the answer. Attending his office hours are helpful but he can be rude sometimes. He ttys to be funny during the lectures but ends up going on tangents that have nothing to do with the material.

4.0
4.0
CHEM161162
Dec 20, 2013

P. Vassilian was one of my favorite professors here at Rutgers. I took Solid Gems Chemistry with him and ended up with a B+ in Chem 1 and an A in Chem 2. Yea, the class is hard but hey it's chemistry! Put in the effort you will get results back guaranteed. I found him to be really helpful and sweet! He's like a giant teddy bear! Totally recommend!

2.0
4.0
SG161
Grade: A
Jan 4, 2014

Got an A in this class, but with little to no help from this prof. His notes were the only thing that were helpful. Lecture is pointless because he tries to make real world application that become confusing. Go to office hours if you want to get on his good side, but it is not helpful. I would only recommend SG if you have time management problems

3.0
4.0
CHEMSOLIDGEMS
Jan 31, 2014

He's a sweetheart, but I just could not understand him because his examples aren't very helpful. I never learned much in lecture and he makes concepts more difficult than it actually is. However, he wants all his students to succeed so go to office hours! At the end of the day, I would try to get Prof. Tavvs!

2.0
5.0
SOLIDGEMS
Mar 3, 2014

LAST teacher I recommend taking Chemistry with. Does provide some clear examples and is helpful in class but is not willing to help students any further. I aced all our practices exams but couldn't pass his IMPOSSIBLE exams. There is a curve (thank God) but he is the last professor I would recommend.

3.0
3.0
SOLIDGEMS
Grade: B+
Aug 11, 2014

All you have to do to get a B+/A in this class is to DO ALL THE DRILLS, skim the conceptual parts of his lecture notes and read the textbook!!

3.0
4.0
SOLIDGEMS161
Grade: C+
Nov 18, 2014

His analogies are confusing. Can be confusing at times. Lectures are slow. Cares about the material a lot.

5.0
2.0
CHEMISTRY165
Dec 6, 2014

If you are a good student who cares about your grades, you will do well. He is very nice and was always willing to help me when I went to his office hours. He makes funny jokes in class and really appreciates the people who actually put in the effort. Chem is hard, and in my opinion he makes it a lot easier.

2.0
5.0
CHEM251
Grade: C+
Jan 14, 2015

The labs were pretty easy but the exams were hard. I recommend always stain on top of the material covered in lecture to score high on exams. The material is literally straight from lecture notes and some parts of the book. The one good side is that there is not final

2.0
5.0
CHEM161
Feb 18, 2015

I really did not like this class at all. He's a smart man but he can be very confusing at times and he complicates the material quite often. If you HAVE to take him, you're going to have to study a lot by yourself unless you already know a lot of chemistry. Try to avoid taking him if you can though.

4.0
3.0
161
Apr 25, 2015

Personally, this guy was amazing. He makes his own notes and posts it online. He goes through lecture at a pace where everyone can follow. His exams are tough, but they are fair. He always has a smile on his face. His jokes are stupid, but funny

3.0
4.0
CHEM1
Grade: B+
May 4, 2015

He's a nice guy and tries to explain whatever he's teaching using analogies. Whilst some of them make sense a lot of them are difficult. He's a little bit funny but his accent made it hard to understand lecture, so I stopped going halfway through. Recitation and HW will guide you to the A, just keep up and don't save everything for the last minute.

3.0
5.0
CHEM161
Grade: B
May 6, 2015

I'll start off by saying I learn nothing in chem lecture. I do all my learning by reading the book and doing practice problems. Vassilian goes off topic a lot, likes to ask questions to people to make sure everyone has a pulse, and has a "smiley" personality.

2.0
5.0
161
Grade: C
Sep 7, 2015

one of the hardest professors I've had at Rutgers. Who not recommend taking him. Hard to understand a lot of the time as well.

3.0
4.0
CHEM165
Grade: B
Nov 19, 2015

He's a really nice guy, however, his use of analogies tends to ruin what he is trying to teach. They aren't good analogies. It's better to just read the book because half the time he will go on a tangent. Although he is nice and always in a good mood, if you go to him he is willing to help you out.

4.0
4.0
CHEM161
Apr 5, 2017
Would take again

I personally struggle with understanding the textbook, and while he does provide his lecture notes on sakai (so most people skip). I still attend class because his sometimes wacky analogies really help me grasp the material. Chemistry is mostly practice anyway, I just wish he wouldn't do the same problems already given in his lecture notes in class

Inspirational
Hilarious
Caring
1.0
3.0
CHEM161
Apr 5, 2017
Wouldn't take again

At first in his class i thought he was okay but then came to the first test and i realized that he didn't prepare us for it at all. He was okay in lectures but they weren't as informative as they needed to be.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
3.0
CHEM161
Grade: F
Apr 19, 2017
Wouldn't take again

He really is a sweet man but not a great proff. He strays from the topic and makes too many analogies that don't make sense. I spent a lot of time self-teaching myself and trying to understand what was going on. I found that going to lecture just confused me and was a waste, so I didn't go after a few lectures. Friends went to lecture & said not to

5.0
5.0
CHEM251
Grade: A
May 21, 2017
Would take again

A very knowledgeable man. Topics discussed in lecture focuses on exam-related materials, as well as their applications in laboratory and industry. The lab portion is difficult because of weekly rigorous reports. Exams are fair, though it may feel like there are too many problems for an 80-minute exam.

1.0
5.0
CHEMISTRY165
Grade: D
Sep 29, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Chemistry is already hard and he makes it even harder. Real life nightmare. Lectures don't help but the recitations are what help you pass the class. Plan on studying every week. Speaks with a very thick accent. He uses analogies and strays away from the topic. Very boring. He is very nice though, for what it's worth. Reason why I switched majors.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
4.0
CHEM251
Grade: B
Dec 27, 2017
Wouldn't take again

would be generous to say he was terrible. left the class in the middle of the semester and some odd lady took over. no curve given despite the low averages on exam one:55 and exam two:60. lab reports are long and time consuming. Doing labs is the fun side of the course as you learn useful lab techniques but the whole instruction was a disaster.

Tough Grader
Tests are tough
2.0
4.0
CHEM251
Grade: C
Jan 21, 2018
Wouldn't take again

the class itself is tough. u need to pass both the lecture and lab. there is no curve so u need to work to do well on the exams. there is NO CURVE so beware. hes not very clear and it bad at explaining the material. the exam material is literally a copy&paste of labs and lecture slides but its a lot of material to remember so be prepared to work

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
3.0
4.0
CHEM161
Apr 7, 2018
Wouldn't take again

too many analogies and very confusing guy. hes really smart and good at explaining if you go to office hours. however it made learning chemistry even harder than it should be. mostly taught myself and spent every hour at tutoring to even pass

5.0
4.0
CHEMISTRY165
Grade: A+
Apr 12, 2018
Would take again

Professor Vassilian is a great professor. The man knows his stuff. Go to lecture stay on top of the material and you should be fine.

2.0
5.0
SGCHEM162
Grade: C+
Apr 24, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Not that great, tough grader, a lot of work, boring lectures. Spends most of the class teaching analogys and concepts rather than the calculations we need to pass

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
TEST HEAVY
2.0
5.0
CHEMISTRY165
Dec 17, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Not a great professor at all. Teaches class more confusing concepts rather than calculations needed for success on exams. Hard to understand what he is saying at times because of his strong accent. Although not the best at getting his students to do well in the class, he is a good person. Personally, I would not take chemistry with him again.

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
3.0
4.0
CHEMISTRY165
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 21, 2018
Wouldn't take again

I know he means well, and he seems to really like teaching, but he spends way too much time describing concepts rather than going over calculations, which is what we were tested on. Lectures and lecture notes were not that helpful. Using the book for help with calculations and recitation are helpful. Study the practice exams from prior years!

TEST HEAVY
4.0
3.0
CHEM161
Jan 23, 2019
Would take again

Uses a lot of real life examples- really wants you to learn and try hard.

3.0
3.0
CHEMISTRY165
Grade: C
Jan 24, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Vassilian has an accent but it doesn't get in the way of teaching. He explains a lot of material with examples so you can really understand it better. I haven't been to his office hours yet but I bet he explains more in depth if you choose to go. just read the notes the weekend before and stay on top of homework and you'll get an A

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
Caring
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

37%

Textbook Required

67%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

95% confidence
Based on 16 grades
Most common grades:
C+ (3)
B (3)
C (3)
Grade Distribution
A(3)B(3)C(6)D(1)F(1)A-/B+(2)
Based on 17 reported grades
C+: 3
B: 3
C: 3
A: 2
Common Tags
Tough Grader (6)
Skip class? You won't pass. (4)
Caring (2)
LECTURE HEAVY (2)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (2)
TEST HEAVY (2)
Inspirational (1)
Hilarious (1)
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