2.7
Quality3.9
Difficulty42%
Would Retake197
Reviews42%
Would Retake
197
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
197 total ratings5
46
4
31
3
21
2
24
1
75
What Students Say
“Professor Koskinen is simply the best”
EC201 - 5.0 rating“He is the hottest professor ever”
EC201 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
21%
Textbook Required
5%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.35 avg changeRatings by Course
201
5.0
(2)EC404
5.0
(1)EC333
4.3
(3)EC201
3.4
(76)EC337
3.1
(24)Difficulty by Course
CASEC101
4.3
EC101
4.2
EC404
4.0
EC337
4.0
EC201
3.6
Reviews (196)
Professor Koskinen is simply the best..... IF YOU TAKE HIM, YOU'LL KNOW......
Ben is great. He explains things well and tells you where you are in terms of grades after every exam. Don't bother buying the textbook, it's useless. The homework is done in groups of up to 5.
HE IS FANTASTIC!
He is awesome! I took his class and he is really helpful at office hour. Attendance is not mandatory but you will get a little bit extra credit for attend every single class. However if you are not good at taking notes in class, I don't recommend this professor to you since he doesn't have slides post online.
He's a great professor--approachable and captivating. I would definitely take him again.
He is a nice person, but his teaching style has a lot of flaws. First, teaches straight from chalk and no slides, so you can reference nothing after class but the book. Also, he goes TOO fast in this class, erasing things and doing calculus while you try to write other stuff down, does not take time to take questions until after class. Hard tests.
His HW does not match what he does in class. Offers no concrete examples, loves to show off that he can do high level calculus in a 201 course where it is not required. All his examples use variables and NO real numbers, very frustrating. Also comes across as arrogant and uninterested in helping the students. Would not recommend.
When nobody can answer your questions in class, it may be a hint nobody gets it, not to continue to fly through the material. I beg, we all need you to slow down, please......
He is the hottest professor ever. His homework and test are all based on the notes, so as long as you write down everything he writes on the board, you'll be fine. this course involves a lot of calculations, but this is normal for econ courses. and he gives extra credit to boost your grade. I really enjoy taking this course.
Excellent at making economics interesting by injecting humor into the lecture. He can move a bit fast for some students, so I would recommend you think seriously about how well you understand basic econ concepts before signing up for his course. That said, econ majors should appreciate how clear and simple his lectures are.
I am econ major with a very high gpa. that is i work really really hard! This professor was the only B+ grade I got (I got all As). He talks tooo tooo fast and makes rude and sometimes racist comments in class. The homework is never in correlation to what we learn in class. There are no slides in class. He is not a great teacher. :( don't take!!!!!
Overall enjoyable class. Exams are incredibly fair and course material is very interesting. However, his lectures can be unclear at times, and are without powerpoint complements. So, if in-class notes aren't your strong suit, this probably isn't the class for you.
He is a good looking and charming professor with great personality indeed, but his lectures are at the same time extremely confusing. If you are not good at math or not good at note taking, avoid him. He grades fairly, but I really did not a single thing he talked about the whole semester. He never explains why things are the ways they are.
Mr. Koskinen is such a great professor. He will help you with any questions you have and he is naturally hilarious. ALSO he looks exactly like Tintin would as a grown man. Classes are super interesting, but you must pay attention.
He talks really fast and moves through material quickly, but he's always wiling to explain things more slowly during office hours or if someone pauses him and asks a question. He also has a great sense of humor. Your notes can make or break your grade so if you're not good at taking notes maybe this isn't the class for you.
He is excellent!!!!!!! I do agree that he is not a good choice for everyone, but if you are good at math and have no problem copying chalkboard notes, you will enjoy this class!! Highly recommend!!!!! The tests are incredibly fair and he will give you extra credits if you attend the lectures regularly
great and funny professor!
He's a really nice guy to look at but that's not the main point. He does talk way fast as a typical Bostonian and use a certain level of calculus (mainly derivatives). If you go to his office hour for questions he will be nice in answering your questions in case there's not too many people in the line before you. Very hilarious. Won't be bored.
First, he is so hot, if that matters. He explains the materials so well. A well-organized professor. Favorite class so far. I plan to take his another class next semester. If you attend all of his lectures, you will get EXTRA POINTS. Homework is straight-forward, but test is a little bit tough. But if you take good notes, you will be fine.
Won't take it again.
The professor won't give PPT for the lecture, but he will clearly explains every concepts in class and write it on the blackboard. Not too much homework and if you carefully do all the questions, you will pass the exam. The professor is very logic and smart. If you have questions, he will give the clearly answers and explanations.
ALERT: HE CAN GET SAUCY. Definitely an interesting person. Goes through materials fairly fast so you need to concentrate. Textbook is used but you do need to go to his lecture as well because sometimes he covers things not in textbook. If you ask questions ASK IN OFFICE HOUR. Sometimes he likes to show off and don't even try to help him on that.
Ben is very friendly during office hour, but his lecture is VERY VAGUE and FAST. It require a lot heavy maths and some homework questions are ridiculous. textbook is used but he teaches things outside the textbook sometimes. feels like he's not serious about teaching this class but have high expectation on everyone. if Math is not good, avoid.
His class is fast pacing and there is NO PPT so better prepare notebook and ready to take some notes Not a solid choice for people having trouble with math But if you can you will love it Generally his test is straightforward with stuff you know If there is any thing unclear your best chance is OH Sometimes a lot of people in line HILARIOUS PROF.
Koskinen is LITERALLY a walking-joking-master. He does sometimes murmur though so you might need to sit in the front row to hear everything he has to say. Tests are really straightforward, requiring a little maths background though(I advise people familiar with calculus taking the course, something like MA123) Really helpful during office hour too
Ben is a great professor to have for EC201. However, he is not as great for his other classes. His EC201 sections are clear and not too challenging, but his other courses are very hard to follow and the tests are *insane*
Koskinen is such a beauty of a professor. He is hilarious and keeps you interested throughout his lectures. He uses a lot of calc so if you're not good at math beware but he's always willing to answer questions and explain in OH. He really makes you work for your grade. TAKE GOOD NOTES! no ppts. Would def take him again. Also hottest prof at BU
The tests are pretty simple if you study from the hw, lecture examples, and practice questions on BB. He doesn't curve the midterms but he does give the final a generous curve. Participation is HUGE and he'll definitely like you more if you ask questions and answer his questions (which he does a lot, he's pretty engaging). Hilarious guy too!
Must attend lectures. Easily accessible and very helpful during office hours. All of his tests are fair and he's very clear on what you'll be tested on, down to the exact kind of question he'll test you on. Try hard and make a visible effort and you'll do well.
I took this guys 201 and easily walked away with an A BUT DO NOT HOPE THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN FOR 337 The quizzes are insane I doubt how many people can even get a B on the quiz and the way he grades cases sometimes makes me want to die He is still a hilarious person and you can still learn a lot Do not rely on this class to help GPA though
Good Professor and funny guy. His 337 class was always entertaining. Took him for 201 and you can really tell he prefers to teach the elective classes more than intermediate micro. No notes posted online so you really need to go to every class to succeed. Most of your grade is based on case studies so be prepared to write papers, not a ton of math.
Koskinen is a funny guy, but he has a big ego and it really shows in his teaching style. You really need to attend every class and office hours to do well in this class. He makes lectures enjoyable and easy to pay attention to, but they also feel very random. Overall I don't feel like I learned a lot in this course.
Koskinen is hilarious and engaging as a lecturer, but don't let it fool you into thinking that he's an easy grader. Anything and everything he says in class could become relevant on homework or a test, so even though he says he doesn't care if you show up, DO. Hard tests but overall worth it.
If you don't like math you will hate this class. The tests are 70% math based. His lectures are pretty funny, but he talks pretty quickly so it can be hard to follow. He's helpful in office hours but there are always so many people there.
great lecturer and funny guy! The grading is made so that people can do well as long as you just try. His optional review is the reason I got what I got in the class, basically uses those questions on the exam. Make sure to do the homework and go to class and you'll do fine in the class
He's a good lecturer, but makes the topic very dry.
The best professor I've had so far. A lot of the econ professors are pretty dry, but Koskinen is really funny and quick on his feet. The problem sets are like the tests, so if you understand the homework, you'll be fine.
He is so GREAT. Very clear about what he is going to say. NO PPT, but the note is so clear. Very important to take notes! Tests are not hard for me. But the average is 75, and with a high standard deviation. If you do the homework, review the notes, ask him about something you don't understand, you will do great on the exams.
Koskinen is the best econ professor I've ever met. Explains everything extremely clear. Extra credits for attendance. Attend every class, take notes, and do the homework. It is really an easy A class!
Koskinen is the best economics professor I've had at BU. His lectures are funny and engaging. He gives extra credit if you show up to all of the lectures. The class is easy if you show up to lectures, but it is very math heavy, with concepts from Calc 3 too.
fairest grader i've had at bu. tests are hard but the class is designed for you to bomb one and still get an A. very math-heavy. GO TO THE OPTIONAL EXAM REVIEWS- he almost verbatim gives the exam questions, which was vital if you struggled with the class like i did. only complaint is that he goes very very quickly so i struggled to follow along
A very funny and entertaining professor who keeps class interesting. Uses a lot of modern day examples. No powerpoint slides, just chalkboard written notes and explains concepts very well. Generously awards extra credit for perfect semester attendance. Will take another course with him in the future.
It was a hard class and he makes you work for it but you will learn a lot. Super funny. A lot of math so it's good to have a solid background in calc.
big ego, no slideshows (all notes written on board), talks too fast, only math--if you are more into history/verbal explanation not your class. Would not recommend
Good professor. Prof. Koskinen is a smart person and always tells jokes. His class is fun and with many information needed to remember. However, there's no slides, no study guides, only notes on bb
At first he seems very nice and funny, then when you get into the difficult material, you can end up very lost. He uses the board for notes and lecture but it can get very confusing. He will skip steps on examples and make concepts harder than they are. Homework is very difficult unless you work in a group.
Very lecture heavy professor so it is highly encouraged to show up to lecture although it is not required. There is no homework at all and the class grade is made up of only 3 quizzes, a midterm, and a final. However, he does allow you to drop 1 quiz grade if you show up to 85 percent of the discussions. His lectures are very information-based.
He's a GREAT lecturer (one of the best I've had) but classroom work is only the foundation for what's going to be on the exams. He's serious when he says quizzes/tests are about application because they're designed to make you really think. His personality makes the class worthwhile if you're prepared to work hard.
Only take this class if you have some kind of background in micro. Not a good lecturer. Very unclear when speaking his points, kind of all over the place. Teaches as if we already know the material. Doesn't curve. Would never taken again.
Jesus. He really expected us to be expert microeconomists/mathematician coming into this course. He talked to us like we had years of micro experience and how "simple" his content is. He lectures extremely fast, unclear, and has awful handwriting. I was lost from the first day of class. Also, if you're unsure about calc.. I would AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Had no prior econ experience (couldn't define even define economics) & am bad at math (English major) but his lectures were v clear & organized. Also his snarky political commentary is hilarious (LOVE a based prof). If you don't respond well to sarcasm, don't take his class because I get why some might think he's patronizing. Great class great prof
Koskinen's online lectures are really organized, easy to navigate, and engaging. He always makes sure to answer student questions during the lecture and his office hours are pretty accessible! The class was fairly difficult as someone with no economics background (it isn't an easy A) but Koskinen was one of the best lecturers I've had at BU!
I love Prof Koskinen he's such a cool guy. His lectures are very clear and so do his study guide, sometimes he jokes in class which is pretty funny. No homework, only graded by 6 open-book quizzes and 2 exams. His tests are designed for you to think not just memorize the materials though. You'll truly learn economics not just memorize stuff.
Absolutely horrible for EC101. Not clear on definitions and only focuses on his OWN interpretations of concepts. Confused students all the time. Always want to think out of the box without providing proper and systematic knowledge. Dont take him. Unless you want to hate economics.
Only take this class if you have some sort of background knowledge in microeconomics. He is not a good lecturer and makes the explained concepts even harder to understand. The quizzes and the exams are super hard and the questions are formulated in an extremely confusing way. The final was worth 40% of our final grade! Worst class I've ever taken.
Worst professor ever. His lectures are very math heavy best if you are very comfortable with calculus. He made lots of mistakes during lectures which required students to correct. Sometimes however, they were wrong on the posted lecture notes after class. Material on quizzes isnt what is thought in lecture.
Extremely hard midterms and finals with really vague wording and questions that try to trick you.
Whole grade was quizzes, midterm, and final. He made class tougher for people who didn't watch the lecture, and easier for whoever did. Grading is harsh. If you get two of three parts correct on a question, you get one third of the question's credit. Assessments sometimes involved things we hadn't covered. Will curve up but not down.
I have never felt so stressed about a 101 class ever. No homework which I initially thought was a good thing, but no. Instead it's graded by six quizzes, a midterm, and final. Quizzes are only 5 questions, so the slightest mistake could fail you. No curve at all, which is ??? Prof Koskinen is absolutely hilarious though, but never again.
He is an intelligent economist, illustrating the points clearly and activating my interest in learning economics. However, if you do not have basic math&calculus background, it is hard to get A, because there are lots of calculations. Also, prepare well for every quiz, since the proportion of quiz grades is large.
WICKED HARD 101 CLASS. Graded by final (like half of ur grade), 6 quizzes (5 questions so get 1 wrong, automatically down to a B-), and a midterm. Exams DONT cover things directly covered in class, textbook not needed, attendance not mandatory but watch lectures if you want a chance at passing. Dont take unless u have to (i sadly did).
Amazing professor!! Funny and engaging and managed to make a boring subject interesting using relevant examples from current news and pop culture references.
Terrible. God save yourself and don't take Koskinen for 201 or as I've heard for 101 either. Don't. Do. It. I promise you I am saving you a grade.
Save yourself. Everything was based on tests and quizzes, where the midterm and final were practically your grade since it was weighted so heavily. Tests don't match up with what he teaches in class or on the modules. Asks questions in the worst, vague, and confusing way possible. Not straightforward at all and is not generous.
He is a very fun professor and his lectures are entertaining. Since the lectures are huge make sure to go to discussion sections and talk to your TAs and they help a lot.
Not the nicest personality but can be pretty funny. Found ways to sprinkle in many political jokes during the Fall'20 semester when I took him. However he didn't seem passionate or accessible and his lectures and examples were boring (it was Intro to Micro though so that might be why) Easy to get a good grade but you probably won't enjoy the class
I should have listened to the reviews. Quizzes are nothing like the class notes or practice problem sets. I even read the textbook. Got a C on the first one then bombed the next two. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
Prof. Koskinen is the best. The class was very interesting so paying attention and actually learning is not an issue. He was very clear as to how he expected the group case studies to be like and was a fair grader. For sure recommend taking him for elective econ classes!!!
This course is very inspirational and definitely worth taking. His lectures cover tons of information. Textbook also helps a lot for understanding the concepts. His grading is not clear at all... He does curve the letter grade at the end. It's better to take this class with people you know and trust since grades are all come from group case studies
This was one of the hardest classes I've ever taken the quizzes were insanely difficult and not that relevant to what was taught in class. He also fell behind on a lot of lectures requiring us to speed up when the content got even more difficult. If you want to save your GPA don't take this class with this prof.
The absolute BEST choice for EC201. Don't get discouraged by other reviews, 201 is honestly just insane, prob the most challenging req Econ course. Even though this class has been my lowest grade at BU, I'd still retake it w/ him in a heartbeat. Koskinen is hilarious, explains concepts well, and drops your lowest quiz grade. Love him.
Absolutely unreasonable setting of quizzes. The quizzes include 5 questions and take up 5% of the final grade each. If you get one question wrong you will get a B- automatically. Plus there is no curve and u can't drop any of your quizzes. This class literally destroyed my grade, never gonna take his class again!!!!!
Professor Koskinen has a good personality and is a very easy-going professor to communicate with. However, his classes rely HEAVILY on quizzes with only 5 questions, if you get one wrong that's an automatic B-. Filled with vague questions and lectures that do not get straight to the point. Got a 7 in IB Econ but a B on MICROeconomics with him.
This class is literally the hardest class I've ever taken, which is ridiculous for a supposedly INTRODUCTORY class. The quizzes are insanely difficult and vaguely worded. I studied my heart out for the midterm and I got an 80. And guess what, the professor said there'll not be any curve, which is absolutely ridiculous.
Hardest class Ive ever taken. The quizzes are so hard and for what. Lecture notes dont even help.
This is by far the hardest class I've ever taken. Microeconomics is not supposed to be this difficult, yet this professor always seem to try to make the class as difficult as possible. The quiz and exam questions are ridiculous, and your grades are totally dependent on them! No practice problems, which makes this even worse.
The quizzes simply never correspond to the lecture material or the problem sets, let alone the textbook. The TA may be fictional, he doesn't reply to emails and constantly cancels office hours. Help is nowhere to be found. However, he is a pretty funny guy and he's the only econ professor I will ever take.
The quiz setting makes absolutely no sense. There are only 5 multiple choice questions. No matter how hard you work, if you answer one wrong, your grade automatically goes down 20%. The wording of his quizzes and exams is extremely vague, and the questions are insanely difficult. Don't take him at all cost.
Hardest class I've ever taken. Don't take him at all costs.
The most difficult class Ive taken. Attendance isnt mandatory but if you miss even one lecture youll be lost. No grades other than midterm, final, and 6 quizzes. Questions are all vaguely worded. If you get a good TA youll get like 5 practice problems for each quiz, otherwise theres no way to study well. Avoid at all costs.
Professor knows the content but does a terrible job at explaining concepts and he punishes everyone for a few people in the class who cheated.
Prof. Koskinen definitely knows what he's talking about, but none of his students do. His quizzes and tests don't match the notes and are incredibly difficult. Should not have been this hard to get a B in a 100 class. Would not recommend.
Not my fav. Good professor with understandable lectures but he seems like he wants his students to do badly, like he's trying to weed them out. Grade relies entirely on 6 quizzes, the midterm, and a final worth 40%.
This professor is anything but caring towards those he teaches. He knowingly gives exams and quizzes that are meant to stump the student and confuse them as opposed to access their learning. He gives carrots only to take them away and use them as a source to make assessments even harder than they already are in the future. AVOID!
Worst class layout ever. Do not take this professor they make it annoyingly hard to get an A in microeconomics hard for no reason. 5 question quizzes with vague questions, get one wrong automatic B-. Can't believe Microeconomics ruined my GPA lol bye
Worst class ever! This prof.'s quizzes and exams are insanely difficult with vague wording. Don't take this class if you don't want to ruin your GPA and your sanity.
Because of this guy imma have to retake this class. Quizzes are soooooo hard and god forbid I have this man again.
I only understood 10% of his lecture. It's partially because I was an international student and was not used to a professor speaking that fast, but it's also because his teaching is the worst thing ever. I worked very hard on this course and studied with Khan Academy for quizzes and exams since his lecture and lecture notes made only little sense.
i could not follow his lectures, i learned the material from other sources online and learned it, but you can only have a chance on his quizzes if you learn HIS way-and prob still will fail. Hes unapproachable and tells his students he cannot individually meet with them-only to go to the TAs but the TAs know what goes on/what he teaches.
i dreaded this class so much. he might be a good professor for higher level classes, but he doesnt know how to teach a 101 class. this is not supposed to be a weeding out class-im in awe that a professor does not care about his students, the grades of his students, or if his student actually learn in his class.
his quizzes dont make any sense. his questions are poorly worded so that you could have valid arguments for multiple of the answers. it is full of tricks even if he states otherwise. the grading is also unfair because each TA grades the written answers differently, grading how they see fit but not consistent throughout other TAs.
the professor always complains about home much he gets paid. why should he get paid more if he doesnt teach well?
Professor took away extra credit bc of the actions of probably a few students. He emailed us and said There's a large enough amount of you who are clearly unscrupulous and seek to take advantages where you can Cheating is bad but no need to criticize ALL of your students when I doubt he knew any of them personally.
This Koskinen guy is a laugh. Aside from his terrible jokes in class, and bad attitude towards working in education, it turns out he's not any good at being a professor either. He's the kind of guy that likes seeing 100 level students fail, just to show you how "hard" his field is. Do yourself a favor and take EC courses with any other professor.
This professor is the worst! He does not care about his students and especially does not care if you fail. Quizzes and exams are so confusing and very unreasonable. He expects us to understand concepts the way he does. Very unhelpful when it comes to helping students and expects the TA to know everything, which they don't. Do not take this class!!!
im just speechless worst class experience ever!!!!! this class made me feel like i was stupid because i didnt understand lectures, but then i felt good because i learned the material outside class, but then i kept failing all his quizzes because they are not testing your knowledge, it tests way beyond the class material.
i have no respect for this professor. he simply does not care. he speaks to his students like we are children and at the same time expects us to all have the knowledge of econ majors. when in reality, were all taking a 101 class.
The only reason I passed this class was because of my TA, he was absolutely amazing. I would show up to lecture and not take a single note down because none of it made sense and was quite frankly only confusing me more. However, the content Koskinen posted on the Blackboard was very helpful and got me through the quizzes, which were very difficult.
Don't listen to the reviews. I was really scared to take him before the semester started but he's actually a really great professor. He explains everything so well, is a funny guy, and really takes time out of every class to answer any questions students have throughout the lecture. He is also probably the fairest grader I have ever had.
WORST PROFESSOR EVER. BEWARE
Koskinen is awful. This class is a bunch of nonsense and it doesn't help that he doesn't explain things. You definitely need calculus background, which is ridiculous. Quizzes are not related to lecture material and are so hard. Koskinen is rude and doesn't care what students say or make any effort to answer questions or clarify. I learned nothing.
The prof is great! He is pleased to take your questions after class and during the office hour. If you are good at calculus the quiz and exam would be easy for you as long as you understand the micro theory. And the quiz and exam are open-source. So it is easy to get a high grade.
Excellent professor all around
All the EC201 professors at BU are awful and Koskinen is one of them. The only students who get A's in the class are the international students who cheat on the take-home quizzes (70% of the course grade). Quizzes and final exam have little relevance to the lecture content. Literally had to teach myself everything...
Seems cool and knowledgeable outside of lecture, however his attitude towards teaching is HORRENDOUS. Worked against students rather than with and clearly didn't work with the confused TFs either. I get that he's trying to whip freshmen into shape, but he's insufferable and disrespectful, especially if you're an upperclassmen stuck in this course.
He doesn't really seem to care about his 101 students very much and his quizzes don't reflect the material we learn in lecture. Super harsh grading but he seems like he would be a good upper level professor.
He lectures while also taking notes on his iPad mirroring to the screen. While his everything open note policy seemed good at first, you are only graded by assessments and they're wicked hard. The absence of HW makes it hard to get practice. It's really easy to put this class on the back burner especially because he takes notes for you in lectures.
Koskinen explains the material that he teaches extremely well. Overall, I found him to be enjoyable in class. However, our grade was based solely on the quizzes tests as the problem sets were only for practice. The tests were all far harder than anything we did in class, and it was frustrating bc I don't know what else I could have done to study.
This class have five quizes, and one midterm. It is little difficult to understand profesor's class notes if you do not use textbook.
Do not take EC 101 with Koskinen. He is super rude and unapproachable, but at least my TA was nice. You're graded on six quizzes, a midterm, and the final. The quizzes are 5 questions each, so miss one and you get an 80. The quizzes are specific and purposefully written to try to trick you. He treats EC 101 like a weed-out class. Avoid!!
EC201 was one of the harder classes I've taken at BU but because of Koskinen I still really enjoyed it. The dude is hilarious, in one breathe he'll make a Ferris Bueller joke and roast BC, it's so classic. Take him if you're an Econ major and want to know your stuff, the bad reviews are from Questrom kids who wanted the easy way out for EC101.
Only passes thx to amazing TAs, I could not comprehend the material even though I attended the lectures. He gives quizzes every 2 weeks, and although he stresses how hard they are, it's doable, the midterms caused me more trouble tbh - everything was open-book but tbh that didn't matter since I simply did not understand the lecture material.
Don't do it. Koskinen teaches 'intro. to microeconomics' like it's a 400 level class, and it's a 101. He moves through the material pretty quickly. The quizzes are not similar to what's taught in class. Econ101 material is normally very applicable, but he goes out of his way to make quizzes more difficult. Find another prof. or pray for a great TA.
Professor Koskinen is super unapproachable. If you get 80% of a quiz question right, you get 0/10 instead of 8/10 - no partial credit. It genuinely felt like he tried to make trick questions (which he gets a power trip from). He makes an intro course a weed out, like he's trying to avenge the trope that Econ is easy. Avoid interactions at a costs.
It's honestly one of the harder classes I've taken at BU! I made sure to show up to all the lectures, but he speaks so fast and goes through each module so quickly that I found it so hard to keep up (we got lucky that lectures were recorded of the lectures). Availability outside class was also minimal. The quizzes were purposely made super hard too
For EC337, Koskinen's lectures are pretty relaxed and entertaining, since law and economics is really his specialty. The class is relatively low-effort -- just pay attention to the lectures, and the group-based case studies won't be too bad -- and it gives you an introduction to a cool application of economics that you won't see in other classes.
Most definitely the worst professor I've had at BU so far. Doesn't care about the students in his class and is very unapproachable. Tests have content that have nothing to do with lecture notes. Most other Econ majors I have talked to have nothing good to say about him. Avoid at all costs! There are much better professors teaching the same class!
so confusing and the lectures have no relation with the quizzes
The quizzes and exams are mainly application questions but very fair. Dr. Koskinen did a really good job with lectures and explaining topics with examples. Study his notes and modules and you will be fine. He really does wanna help his students.
This was my first economics class and I will never take one again. His lectures had nothing to with the quiz questions. He emphasizes things on his module notes but then they're not on the quiz. He offers no practice work so you will have no idea what is going to be on the quiz. Asked for help and was very rude about it. Don't do it.
His quiz grading criteria is sort of unfair. There are only around 6 questions each time, so 1 multiple choice wrong and you get an 80. What he teaches in lectures doesn't really follow the flow of the textbook, but it does follow these weird lecture notes on blackboard (that aren't the ones he gives you during class). Quizzes are really hard.
He seems like a cool guy and I really understand what he says but the quizzes are terrible and don't at all reflect the stuff he says in lectures. I study really hard to get half of one multiple choice question wrong with marks down as a 0 out of 10 and it tanks my grade. Honestly would be a great class if the quizzes weren't just awful
Quizzes were impossible and 6 questions per quiz means it's incredibly easy to fail. They have nothing to do with the lecture notes and he moves fast. I would always overhear kids talking about how badly they failed after quizzes. DO NOT take! Seems like a good guy but bad professor.
Many people do not like him---if you attend lectures, you will do fine. If you pay attention, you will be fine. He teaches all the material and provides practice exams representing what you should know. Overall, with a light/medium amount of studying, you can get a B--he also curves, which helps. Make friends in the class to study with.
A lot of people don't like him--but attend his lectures, and you will be totally fine. The exams and practical quizzes are mainly application questions, so consistently take notes on his lectures. Group studies could be helpful too. Exams and quizzes that he gives are fair and straight-forward. Each quiz accounts for 5% of your grade, so be prep'd!
Easily one of the most underrated professors in Boston University. I do not know why everyone complains about him so much, I have attended every class because he makes them super engaging and funny. If you have the chance please take him for EC201 you will not regret it.
The quizzes are really short (5 or 6 questions), but they're all open-notes and you're even allowed to use Google. Honestly, most people who flop in this class are people who slack off in lecture and discussion. If you pay attention and take notes, you'll do fine, and this is coming from someone who had no background in econ.
If you are the person who doesn't like to go to lectures, this class is your best option. Few relevancy between lecture materials and case studies. No exams, only 7 homework, and 4 cases. Very intense writing if your group members don't participate.
Will not choose his class ever again. He's grading for ec101 is all based on tests and quizzes which is completely unreasonable. If you do bad on one test or quiz(very likely to happen), your grade drops a lot. Things on the tests are irrelevant to the materials in class. No exercises or homework offered for practicing. Be careful before signing up
Very test heavy, but the quizzes, midterm, and final are all open note.
While this professor was educated on his topics, he would make the quizzes and final extremely difficult for no reason. My friends who had different econ professors breezed through their classes while everyone failed every quiz and exam. Each exam or quiz had nothing to do with what he taught and were always theoretical.
Koskinen's course was very approachable even for non-Econ majors. Lectures are somewhat entertaining. Final and Midterms were EXTREMELY EASY... but if you are an econ major looking for a rigorous microeconomics foundation, this might not be the instructor for you.
I love him
Professor Koskinen actually cares about what he is teaching - which is great. Just be aware of the quizzes that we do in class... They may seem really easy but if you get one wrong, it results in an automatic 80%. I think that as long as you pay attention in class, you should be okay. Definitely ask your TAs for help too, mine was a big help.
Professor Koskinen explained basic microeconomics in a very digestible way. He was a charasmatic guy and cracked some jokes during lecture. All quizzes and tests were open note, but reviewing a bit before each exam is still a good idea. I found his online summaries particularly helpful. Koskinen is a solid choice for intro to microeconomics.
Professor Koskinen is one of the worst teachers I had in my life. He simply does not explain the content well, and is not accessible out of class at all. When you try to talk to him, he's not comprehensive as well and does not help you in any way at all. The lectures are simply him on the iPad trying to teach and being unsuccessful.
Worst professor I've ever had. He does not teach the content well and isn't a major help outside of class. I have never seen this man smile.
Hated this class and this professor. Rude, cold, not accessible. Being completely candid I would never take a class with him again, let alone shake his hand. When I see him on Comm Ave I seethe. Worst class experience of my life - so difficult for INTRO MICRO!!! Take EC101 with LITERALLY anyone else.
Really fun and funny professor, if I could go to all of his classes and audit them I would. The Final grade is based off of 6 quizzes and a midterm and a final. They are open note and extremely hard. The quizzes where either five or six questions each so if you get one wrong there goes your grade.
He is the worst professor I have had at BU. His quizzes and exams are so unclear and he teaches very badly. Don't choose his class.
Extremely harsh grader who will take any opportunity to discredit work. Though you can debate your quiz grades with him, he will try to get you on any technicality he can think of. He's obviously very competent, but often to his students' detriment. Turns a 101 into a weed-out. Do not take his class.
Teaches the material pretty well but goes so fast. He grades so harshly, you only have 6 quizzes which are 6 extremely difficult questions and he grades so harshly everyone fails them. It is manageable but there were points where I felt so discouraged and like there was nothing more I could do even though I studied so much and went to every class.
I took EC101 as a hub class but he was honestly one of the better professors i've experienced. Yes, his quizzes are tough but it really helps in terms of staying up-to-date with course material. His lectures are actually pretty funny and he has a good sense of humor that makes it a lot more interactive. He also gives alot of real world applications
Prof koskinen is a nice guy but an incredibly hard grader. Case Studies account for 90% of your grade and are very difficult and time-consuming. HW is alright, but there are definitely quite a few of the. Participation and attendance is not necessary but, i do recommend going to class to learn the concepts and for his expectations on the case study
So difficult for a 101 class, and the professor is unhelpful. If you search his name on Google, you'll see lots of people regretting taking his class. Don't repeat the same mistake, you'll notice many students dropping out during the semester. If you're planning to curve the grades at the end of the semester, why not just revise your content?
Steer far clear of him. His lectures are engaging and he certainly tries to make the content applicable, but they're still incredibly dense. You'll need incredible notes to pass. Tests are open-note but still very difficult; the questions build upon each other. The curve is minimal, sodon't bank on it. He's rude and condescending over email.
His lecture style is awful, will use jargon freshmen who never have taken econ wouldnt understand. Takes notes during lecture messy handwriting. TFs are hit or miss, you can do well with a good TF that gives you prep exam questions. Quizes he has are tough. Notices students stop going to lecture and gives extra credit those times
absolute worst professor! doesn't accommodate students well-being and confusing material. had to drop class because of how heavily exams were part of ur grade in the summer. 6 questions on quizzes worth 60pts. if u fail 2, that is a 40/60 barely passing. 6 quizzes, 1 midterm, 1 final. no extra credit and I am suffering. u got to teach yourself tbh
In my three years as a college student I have never experienced a worse professor than Dr. Koskinen. From his blatant disrespect for students of specific academic backgrounds to miserable lectures, Koskinen should be teaching a course in punishment. If you enjoy the presence of a stuck up douche bag it is your lucky day!
Professor Benjamin Koskinen is a great guy. He is nice, handsome, and his lecture is incredibly fun. HOWEVER, he is a TERRIBLE professor. His lecture has NOTHING to do with what's on the graded homework or the discussion worksheet. He DOES NOT use ANY powerpoint. He HANDWRITE everything during the class which you CANNOT understand at all.
Nope, I don't understand every single word come out from him. His notes are written on the board and are written so fast that he erases them before the student has finished copying them. midterm is really hard! ALERT, Avoid him at all cost.
You need to take derivatives and VERY EASY integrals. Lectures are great, easy to understand, very funny, and a nice guy! HOWEVERRRRRR, he does not give any feedback on practice problems!!! Our homeworks were graded after the exam. We're on our own for every single topic!!! Get ready to study on your own a lot!
He grades generously and with curves. Be ready to take notes and learn dense material on a daily basis. Test is open notes(any printed/ handwritten notes as long as they're not digital), but are difficult as they build up and there is never enough time. Test questions are a mixture of homework problems, but are not the same as homework.
The grading system is awful and you don't even get to know what your class average is till the end of the semester (because grading is based on the class average). The quiz questions don't make any sense and are different from what he teaches in the lectures. He is very shrewd.
Dont listen to the person who said run he's awesome
Professor Koskinen tries to make his lectures understandable, but test wise everything is very difficult even with open notes because they are so different from the practice sets he gives as homework. He also handwrites his notes really fast and sloppy so you basically have to extract information from what he's saying.
Professor Koskinen's lectures are enthusiastic, with several jokes and puns mixed in. But, exams aren't reflective of course material, and you'll be fooled into thinking you understand the course material. Exams are open note and he uses that as an excuse to make them extremely difficult. The midterm is incredibly hard. Don't expect a high score.
overall, good intro course. you def learn what you need to. his grading sucks tho, you can get a total of like 1200 points but once deadlines pass you can't make up any lost points. take good notes, go to lecture and discussion, and dont let his dry humor deter u from reaching out. ppl give Koskinen a bad rap but I liked him, not Econ major either
Every graded assessment is online and you can take the quizes twice. Never went to lecture except to take the midterm and still got A. All the info is online and everything is open notes / open computer (even the midterm and final) . If you do bad in the course its on you.... if you rly want to learn econ take a harder prof
Prof Koskinen is a great guy, and a great professor. His grading is extremely extremely harsh though! If you want to grind all semester and learn a thing or two, he's the guy. But if you wanna half-ass it... He is not your guy. Hes very understanding over personal issues which deserves recognition (some profs don't care).
Avoid taking his course at all costs! With his grading system to get an A is almost impossible. His lectures are boring and useless. The solution sets have nothing to do with the lectures. The quizzes are irrelevant with the material and the questions are very vague. I learned nothing at all, it was just a semester of trying to grind points.
probably the worst professor I had and this is an intro class guys. This guy teaches a million times harder than other professors and i recommend u to take other professors than this guy. His quizzes and exams are so hard and the exam doesn't really reflect much on what you studied. It was rly a semester of grinding points.
Posts lecture notes, but attendance is helpful and he's a funny guy so they're engaging. He prepares you well for the exams and lets you know what to expect. Problem sets and homework were sometimes timed poorly with lectures but overall I really liked him.
How and why does the professor make this class so hard. I should not have been as stressed as i was about passing in a 101 class. It is a 101 class!!! The exam q's are so hard and he doesnt post the answers after so you wont know where you went wrong. In addition, he doesn't care about his students, do not take this professor trust me!!!! no curve!
he grades differently from other professors. it is based on a 1,000 point scale. you need to gain points throughout the semester. there is weekly quizzes but no homework. 1 midterm and 1 final. funny lectures but it doesn't really make sense so i just learned on my own. ngl just learn everything on your own from youtube and you'll be set goodluck!
Professor Ben is a great professor in giving quizzes and the final exam. Just put your effort into the discussion problem sets and you will have a good grade.
very harsh
Professor Koskinen gets so much undeserved hate. The class itself uses Calc 3 as a math basis, but most people barely know calc going in, making it hard for them. This is not Koskinen's fault though, and he makes the lectures digestible (and quite funny) and the grading fair. Homework 30%, 2 midterms + final. He's great, but the class is difficult.
Overall, Koskinen is a great professor. While his lectures are not mandatory, I would recommend going to them because he not only goes over the material for the tests, but also gives you additional information about the exams and what to spend more time to study for. His lectures are also engaging, where I even found myself laughing several times.
It's hard to imagine the pain this course has brought. Lectures and discussions feel like two different multiverses. The content involved in the discussion assignments is always far ahead. There are only handwritten notes shared through a mirrored iPad. The professor never gives any feedback on the assignments.
The grading criteri in the class was easy and clear to understand. Professor Koskinen was really helpful every time I had a doubt and he provides on BB all the ppT slides and pre-made content
I strongly advise AGAINST enrolling in EC101 with this professor. His communication through emails was consistently rude, and the tests comprised only six questions. Furthermore, his handwriting during lectures was TERRIBLE. The grading system employed was COMPLEX, contributing to a challenging learning experience. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
This course is structured in a very unreasonably harsh manner, with the overall grade heavily dependent on case studies. He is an extremely HARSH GRADER and does not provide rubrics. The lectures are NO help at all for the case studies. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
Very odd man. Graded toughly and didn't teach class very well; quizzes online were impossible to get a 100 on; information is somewhat good but the way it is delivered is not good.
Obscure elective and theory-heavy, but interesting stuff! His lectures are clear, well thought out, and he uploads all notes. Tests were insanely difficult (5 tests, online, open-notes), but its a point-grab system so just do everything you can. Requirements were clear and you'll know exactly how you're doing. Took 337 as well and loved him
The class can be a grind, but with the right approach it's manageable. Lectures are worth attending, and resources like unstuck ai can really help with test prep. Just stay engaged and you'll get through it.
if u love ur gpa choose a dif class pls im helping you bc this guy will put some irrelevant stuff on ur exam. midterm avg 60 and isnt curved. Only curve end of semester by a little bit
he may not be the best professors at bu, but he definitely is underrated. The course is not easy, but if you attend all the lectures and finish the homework, you will be fine. I got 99, 96, 99 in the three tests. He always literally tells you what is going to be included in the tests, which also are similar questions that have popped up in homework
EC201 is a hard class but honestly if you go to lectures he does a decent job. you don't have to pay attention the whole time but he'll go over stuff in the exam and its usually decent if you do the problems sets and practice.
Please do not take this class. The professor grades unfairly. This is a writing intensive course yet even if you do write a great paper, that has nothing to do with the grade you will receive. He looks for something so specific that he'll disagree with opinions when the paper is opinion based! Unless it is exactly what he would write, you'll fail.
Prof. Koskinen is one of my favorite professors at BU. Not the easiest class you'll ever take, however he is very approachable and accessible out of class. He gives you exactly what will be on the midterms and is generous with partial credit. Also pretty funny, fire him up about Celtics or anything basketball related, and he'll get going.
simply a bad human being. Extremely tough grader. I don't be writing ratemyprofessor comment, but this man needs to be hated on.
Doesn't care about the students, and just a bad human being. Gives comments on your papers like you owe him money. Takes things way too seriously for no reason.
NEVER AGAIN. yes it is a hard class but taking koskinen makes it even harder. Exams are TOUGH even if you study the material well (they're open note exams and yet, the worst exams I've ever given). The class brings me nothing but memories of pain. Class curve is minimal do not bank on it.
He is a good lecturer and the class is actually interesting. However, he grades extremely hard, and the comments are harsh. The case studies are a lot of work if you're not in a group. Due to the harshness and case studies, I wouldn't take this class again. Also, though, the grades do seem to get boosted at the end of the semester.
Tests are really hard but he's very clear about what will actually be on the exam. Just go to class and you'll be fine. I failed the first midterm and still pulled through.
Just like the majority of reviews on this page and the copious 1 star reviews, stay away from this professor. Rude, arrogant, and you won't get the grade you want. I'd heard from others to avoid Koskinen, and I should have taken that advice.
Despite the rest of the warnings on this page, I really enjoyed this class! The papers can be tedious and tough but the subject matter is really interesting. Professor Koskinen makes lectures really engaging and makes a lot of funny jokes. I would love to take another class with him.
I actually disagree with the reviews here saying he is difficult. Out of all my econ classes, ec337 is EASILY the easiest to pass. No finals, just 4 big case studies. Make sure to find a group at the beginning of the semester or you will NOT have a good time in this class. Ben as a person is actually fine imo...
If i could give him a 0 rating I would. hes the worst professor. he acts like he hates life and his students!!!!!! hes not helpful at all and he will fail you at all costs even if you try your best. the grades based off only 4 case studies which he corrects VERY harshly. the class has no structure. I highly do not recommend!!
Prof K gets way too much hate on here from people used to BU grade inflation. He is a really good professor and a funny guy. The case studies are hard, and he holds us to a very high standard. Not gonna lie this was my lowest grade ever and I got some C's on the first 3 case studies. But he really does want you to improve and succeed. Great prof.
I took his econ and legal issues class. Honestly, he is a great and funnt guy and knows his stuff. Pretty helpful at office hours if you go. He is a tough grader tho. If you are taking this class, the trick is to find good team members to work on the case studies. I barely went to class but got carried by my group members
Professor Koskinen gets a lot of undeserved hate! He's a great lecturer who explains each topic thoroughly, although he does move quickly. All his tests are open-note, and he tells you exactly what will be on them. The homework is challenging, but the tests are easier. I highly recommend him for EC201—I learned a lot in his class.
Very nice, and he gives very nice lectures. In addition, he really explains what's on the test so you just have to study what he says.
He's tough, but you'll learn if you show up and do the work. Always provide free links to pdf textbooks. I got a 20/100 on my first midterm and thought I was gonna fail, but he gives you chances to turn it around. Can be arrogant but I personally found him much more entertain than the majority of other Econ profs
He's definitely not as bad as people say he is. His lectures were super entertaining, he's a really funny guy. His grading might be considered harsh but he gives really clear instructions that if you follow, you will be fine. Also show up to class even though it isn't mandatory, the more familiar your face the better
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
21%
Textbook Required
5%
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201
5.0
(2)EC404
5.0
(1)EC333
4.3
(3)EC201
3.4
(76)EC337
3.1
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4.3
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4.2
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4.0
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3.6