2.4
Quality4.4
DifficultyN/A
Would Retake169
ReviewsN/A
Would Retake
169
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
169 total ratings5
34
4
21
3
21
2
22
1
71
What Students Say
“Do NOT take this teacher I was greatly disappointed”
ECON120 - 1.0 rating“Cummings is obviously a very intelligent man but this does not necessarily make for a good teacher”
ECON120 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.86 avg changeRatings by Course
MACECON
5.0
(1)ECON101
5.0
(2)MICROECON
5.0
(2)MICROSECT
5.0
(1)ECON7048
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
101
5.0
120
5.0
121
5.0
ECONMAC
5.0
MACECON
5.0
Reviews (167)
No Comments
very tough
Tests are not based on book or lecture. Impossible to do well in this class.
You'll learn a TON if you're willing to work
No Comments
very tough exams, funny guy
90% of the class dropped. Hard teacher, do not take if u want to get good grade
Very hard but a good teacher
No Comments
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS.
Loved his lectures. However, his exams are insane- not from lecture or text.
quit your day job if you want to do well
Have to study butt off on own to do well, everything is fair game with him
i thought he was funny, but the class was hard
do not slack off
No Comments
Not a very nice guy, will push you off on his Teacher's Assistant for help
If you want to learn. best way to go. lazy? you'll be a whiner like others a
Need to spend ALOT of time studying and doin' ex. credit work!
STUDY HARD, DONT EXPECT TO GET A GOOD GRADE
No Comments
Very intelligent guy with a lot to share with his students. Must study 20+hrs/wk
FILTHY MOUTH, hard teacher, RIDICULOUS EXAMS, STAY AWAY!!!
study, study, use tutor and see him in his office
If you want a quality education this is the guy, BUT STUDY, STUDY STUDY
Very hard, almost 70% of class fails or drops
Hard to figure out what he was after. Very crass in language and illustrations. Definitely a class to not take!
Cummings is a very fair, honest teacher who cares about his students. He often comes across as sarcastic, but its just the surface. He will work with you to get a good grade, but you will have to put in the work! 20hrs+ weekly to pass!
He is a very had teacher to alot of people, but the real problem with him is he shares his communistic views of the world alot. Tests are very hard, study.
Often hated by his students, but I enjoyed him alot. Be sure if you take his class to have plenty of time to dedicate to it. He explains things very well and his lectures are very interesting. Do all extra credit (it bumped me up 1 full letter grade).
Lets put it this way. Cummings would throw stuff on his exams that he never even mentioned in class. He is dedicated to being the most difficult teacher in the school. If you are a hard worker and really want to learn economics, take his class.
very full of his own importance, condescending
even if you go to every class you'll still fail! He is the worst teacher ever.
very unhelpful and said the first day of class, Only 10% of you will pass, so you mise well drop now! I studied very hard on the the stuff he told us to study and the test consisted of nothing we studied. Not motivating and very full of himself!!!!
Come in for outside help and you can do it!!
Very cool teacher, very smart. Class isn't as hard as people say, I just studied for tests for about an hour and got a B in the course. He has a 10% curve so if you get a C, its really a B.
Should retire. Too many personal opinions. Much of class is spent copying overhead projections that are unclearly handwritten or typed. He could pass out an outline and spend the time explaining his points, but is too lazy to do so.
Difficult teacher. Difficult tests. Has a lot to say, mostly the same stories over and over because he cannot remember telling them the first time. Very harsh at times.
class was very difficult and hard to understand unless you have a degree in economics.
Worked my BUTT off, and still got a C... every time I thought I had studied hard and done well on a test, I ended up failing.
No Comments
Search the ends of the earth for an excellent private tutor. You need all the ammunition you can get to combat Cummings.
Hardest class I've ever taken. Had to drop it. Very Unclear on lectures and is a little too biased on political opinions.
This class is very hard. The only people that don't drop the class are the people that have already taken it once. He teaches based on his beliefs not the facts. Do ALL of the extra credit and make sure he knows who you are-this will come in handy.
Hardest class I've ever taken. He needs to retire. He's unclear and rude when you ask for help. Worse teacher at Grossmont College. This man doesn't care about teaching, he is proud of the fact that he's rude and hard.
Was very difficult, dropped mid-way
I took his class and barely made it out. He spends most of the class blabbering on and on about unrelated things. He is willing to help if you ask, just stop by his office and ask away. The 10 percent curving helps alot.
Let's just say this man made me hate economics, and him. I've never been so upset over a course, due to the teacher. He's obviously a grumpy old man pist off at the world because the way his life turned out. He's a horrible person and should not teach.
Get out while you can. If you continue to take a course with this instructor you're insane. He'll ruin your entire semester.
Don't even take his class. Heard he was a punk from the beginning. Needs to retire soon.
Material is tough, but he is very good at explaining things. I learned a lot, studies hard for exams and got a B. Leans toward Socialism.
No Comments
grades on generous curve (82% and above is an A) but this is because the class is ridiculously hard.
If he were the last teacher on campus and I had to take economics, I would quit school before taking him again.
No Comments
What everyone else wrote about this teacher is true! This is the worst class I've ever taken. The teacher mumbles on for an hour about his own opinion and expects to know the material for the test. WHATEVER you do DO NOT take this class.
Everyone told me this guy was rude and hard but I thought I could handle it thinking that I've handled hard teachers before. Boy was I wrong. THis guy goes off on his own tangents about the world and I read the book and was lost. Don't take this class!!!
THe first day of class this teacher told us that 80% would either drop or not pass the class. This shows you what kind of class this is. HOrrible teacher that should retire and tell his opinions to someone that cares and not to college students!
He has to be the hardest teacher I have ever had. He does not explain the material we cover on the test very well and he goes off talking about how much money he makes and how stupid everyone else is. I do not recommend taking his class
hard hard and hard. not so much the material, but he is so mean and treats you like you are stupid. he is very full of himself and acts like he wants everyone to fail. he don't help you when you ask for it and he's tests have nothing to do with tests.
Do not take any classes with him! His tests are taken from a College Professor in Stanford(or some other Ivy league school I can't remeber). The tests were meant to test from a different book and for a higher level of economics. Not even God can help.
He is a very funny guy, not the best teacher, but if you came to college to learn, than he is an excellent teacher. He's hard as hell, but i have learned a **** load.
He is a horrible teacher. He talks about personal opinion for most of the class and then a little about the subject and expects us to know the material for tests and quizzes. His tests are hard and cover material he rarely talks about.
Entertaining guy but you have to teach yourself in order to do well on the tests
Compared to most classes at Grossmont, this one is very challenging. It is difficult but you will learn a lot if you take it. Tests are based more on critical thinking than memorizing terms. His lenient grading curve helps out.
Compared to most classes at Grossmont, this one is very challenging. It is difficult but you will learn a lot if you take it. Tests are based more on critical thinking than memorizing terms. His lenient grading curve helps out.
I didnt like him at all.
Hes not nice
bad very bad
In the beginning he says its a challengable class, and you can't really sit on your ass. you need to know the mathrial like the back of your hand. Help? Well, he always has two tutors helping him that usually has study groups. I didn't fair so well.
Dr. Cummings is a well spoken person, but he just doesnt know how to teach. Talks about subjects that are not even related to Economics and expects you to know a lot. 75% of the students probably drop his class because of difficulty
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS... YOU WILL FAIL... IT IS THE WORST CLASS I HAVE EVER TAKEN... MY GUIDANCE COUNSELOR EVEN SAID THAT HE WAS A HORRIBLE TEACHER AND A VERY DEMEANING MAN... HARDEST TESTS EVER, DOESN'T LECTURE ON ANYTHING REGARDING WHATS ON THEM..
No Comments
DR. CUMMINGS IS THE HEAD OF THE ECONOMICS BOARD. BEACUSE OF THAT I THINK HE FORGETS HOW MUCH HE KNOWS AND HOW LITTLE WE KNOW. HE NEEDS TO ADJUST HIS TEACHING CRITERIA
worst teacher ive ever had. lectures are compleatly irrelevant to anything. talks about his wealthy upbringing and his daughter to much. DO NOT TAKE THIS MAN, HE IS KNOWN BY THE FACULTY AS BEING ONE OF THE WORST TEACHERS.
The worst teacher ever!!! Goes off tangent and has student rely on c-d rom tutorial to make his job easier. We didn't even have any text books. He's not helpful AT ALL!! I didn't learn anything in this class and I busted my ass off!! 90% students dropped!
This teacher is horrible. He is very hard and very unclear when he lectures. He teaches his intro. class as if it is our major. His TA's recieved C's in his class so if you are brilliant you should take his class, otherwise don't bother.
This guy is great. He was probably the funniest I've had. He has a bit of a different sense of humor (a crazy like sense), but I got a kick out of it. You will learn a lot in his class, but he is very hard. Be prepared to work hard and ask him lots of 
Yes, he is tough, but I found his crazy sense of humor very funny. He talks about current issues and he's quite intelligent. You will learn a lot, however, in all fairness, his tests are a little too challenging for this level. I got a high 'C'.
Most students don't like him because he actually makes you think and encourages you to think your way to an answer rather than just giving it to you. Tests are based on the application of formulas and theories, not memorization. Tough teacher, but fair
Bad teacher! Rambles on, and test u on nothing he has been talking about. And even better he likes to try new things, and it just makes the class even worse
Hardest C I ever earned. He offers a retake during the following semester for students who aren't happy with their grade. He makes you think and work your butt off!!
His method is chaotic; he was frequently late and unprepared. Related rambling anecdotes with only tenuous ties to the subject matter. I expected better from the chair of the department. Relying on a $100 CDROM to teach the basics seems wrong.
His teaching is vague, irrelevant, ridiculously biased, and he refers to himself as “an intellectual” (a title that he cannot even pronounce) IF YOU TAKE WITH CUMMINGS YOU WILL FAIL! ... FAIL! FAIL! FAIL! On the other hand, he tells the best peinis jokes.
If grades had no effect on your future, Cummings would be a great teacher. You'll learn economics the RIGHT way... but it'll cost your GPA.
Only take his class if you plan on being president of the US someday!! He's a bitter old man, and doesn't care if you pass or fail. Actually, he is proud of his record..."110 students signed up, more then half dropped out, and only 10 ended up pass
Horrible Teacher. Well when he would actually teach with overheads and notes he was decent. However for more than 3/4 of the class all he did was ramble on about how everyone who doesnt share his own political opinion is wrong. DONT TAKE HIS CLASS.
boring and nothing to do with econ
not helpful at all!!!just a waste of time youll get a c even if you try your best
Will Cummings was, without a doubt, the finest professor I had in undergrad. The bad reviews on here are because his tests are hard...but the difficulty of his tests should not be confused with the quality of his teaching. I highly recommend him to all.
He's arrogant, talks mostly about himself and how he's so much better than the people currently in political office. His tests are really hard, but it is possible to get a decent grade.
No Comments
This man rambles about irrelevant topics, some of which are **** and ****. He is condescending, self-righteous and offensive. His material is only hard because he doesn't cover material adequately; he's too busy making off-color remarks or telling boring stories.
Just because you're educated in a subject matter doesnt mean you can teach it. Cummings is horrible at teaching and is too old to realize his teaching methods are outdated...very smart man but horrible teacher.
You will do well in this course if you have a good attitude The lectures are clear and he adds a lot of current events into them. I suggest introducing yourself the first day as he is very friendly and helpful. I suggest you have study groups before the exams as talking about the material is helpful
STUPID COMMUNIST!!! AND IF YOUR NOT A COMMUNIST, DONT TAKE HIS CLASS CUASE HE WILL THINK YOUR STUPID IF NOT!!
No Comments
another poor instructor plagued with the mental disorder of liberalism and isn't quite sure how to recover.
OOH MY GOSH DONT TAKE HIS CLASS!He has a dry sense of humor is obssessed with himself and does not know how to teach. More then half the time he talks about b.s. His lectures do not help and the HW has nothin to wit the test. Even if you study 12hr a week you still fail. I do not recommend him.
No Comments
WARNING!! Seriously consider all your options. Bitter old skool teaching style, doesn’t give a rats arse. Tests aren't from lectures or hw. He boasts and brags about his class that started with 120 students and only 10 passed!! My class:50% failed! I worked harder for my C than any A ever earned!
Worst teacher ive ever had.the only thing u can be sure of is you will see no return on your time investment i promise you that. VERY IMPORTANT to know, HE IS ALSO BILL CUMMINGS!!! Has 2 names on this site, both him, both mean old liberal pricks. (he fails librals all the same)no compassion!
If you want to hear someone talk endlessly about his political bias, take this class. Just keep in mind your going to fail! Fail! FAIL!!!!
hes the worst teacher ever, all he talks is how good he and his daughter is, he change econ complety, hate how he teach, i dropp his class...so boring waste of time!!!
Cummings is a horrible teacher who knows his material, but is a complete jerk. I have never had a professor at any level who was this rude or offensive to his students, basically saying that nobody had what it took it transfer to four year college. There are great JC professors, but just not him.
i dont know what you people are talking about... me and my roommate both got b's.. and we sat in the back... and we were stoned! everyday! its even written on one of the desks. hah! pay attention and youll learn something from dr. cummings
DOOOOOO NOT take this teacher, He is uncooperative, unhelpful, and very full of himself. The tests are very hard. Do not expect to pass this class many people dropped this class when i took it as he does not explain things and sometimes does not know the answers to his own questions, there so hard.
Professor Cummings is a great teacher. He spends all his time in class showing you graphs that if you take the time to learn make it impossible to fail his class. Tests are difficult yet anything but impossible. He is an arrogant man, but is willing to help you any day of the week. Quit whining!!
This guy only talked about oil and iraq and bush, never really taught anything, just gave us some **** online book/study/quiz thing.
I thought he was a really interesting and informative professor dealing with a subject that's not particularly engrossing on the introductory level.
I submit that the only students who enjoyed him and his poor teaching skills are the 2 students who were proud of being stoned & sat in the back. Only people with an altered sense of reality would enjoy his many opinions. If he's so much better than current politicians, he should run for office. He'd never make it; that's why he "teaches."
HE SHOULD BE TEACHING GRADUATE CLASSES IN ECONOMICS, BECAUSE HE TEACHES AS IF YOU CAN READ HIS MIND OR ALREADY KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE SUBJECT
It's called a textbook. Do you know how to read one? If you do, you'll do fine in this class.
nevermind the comments by these naysayers. cummins is a grumpy, old liberal, yes. and i loved it. you get exactly what you deserve out of cummins. if he called you stupid or incapable, then he you probably were
No Comments
not a good teacher, very difficult and holds a grudge about being a "past student" his theory is hes done it now its your turn and he will make class horrible. i got my teachers changed so i got stuck with him. avoid this class by all means.
Cummings is a complete buffoon, I got an A on EVERY objective piece of material and a C or worse on the assignments he graded. Teaches like crud too. Dont take him.
No Comments
While he does teach a very difficult class, he provides a lot of information. His test are hard, if you don't study. He tells you exactly what you need to do to succeed in his class. And despite what people have said he is forgiving.
No Comments
No Comments
A good example of a teacher who treats his students as scholars, sadly many times students fail his class. This is not a teacher thing, but that many students come to college with bad study habits, they don't realize that you are supposed to spend hours out of the class to study in order to cover all the material and understand the class. This is because at the college level many teachers still spoon-feed information. He will make you read and think. Granted he is very liberal, but that is a good thing.
this guy blows. enough said.
Wasn't clear on explaining things. Would lose track and start talking about his personal opinion about gov't and how he thinks everything is corrupt. Very unorganized!! Was very Indoctrinating!!!
He's is hilarious. His sense of humor is unique. He makes economics quite interesting. I loved his political talks. Some think he's crazy, but that's what makes him funny.
Doesnt teach material. Leaves everything up to the student to figure out coursework. Extremely hard and his personality sucks. Tries way too hard to be funny. He throws curse words into his lectures for pure shock value. Also makes you feel like an idiot if you dont know how to do something. DON'T TAKE HIM!!!
You can't cheat in his class because no one knows the answers.
I had a GPA of 4.00 and I have got B in his exam. He is not good in teaching and thinks that students know economics before his class. He should have known that we are not majoring Economics, at least not all of us. I do not recommend this prof to anyone.
this guy is a perfect example of why tenure is a bad idea. he told a friend of mine (who actually got an "A" on a test) that he had failed as a teacher for not making that test difficult enough. instead of econ, we sit there and listen to him complain about george bush
One time, this teacher pointed out the highest score on his midterm, a 97, and said, "Look everyone, she got the highest score, even with everything going against her... I mean she's a woman AND she's Irish." I don't think that girl came back.
I loved this class, I slept and left early everyday and got a B. Dr. C is an awsome teacher Im a Republican and I even liked his class. He talks a lot of**** and sometimes its gonna be about you but as long as dont take it personally and cry about it you will be fine. His storys make the class interesting and a lot of fun. A+ teacher.
No Comments
No Comments
In the beginning, I hated him...but the damn guy is starting to grow on me...Just pay attention. I guess it helps that I took Econ in high school though...
Don't waste you time and money
Do not take him if you want to learn anything...He lectures the whole time on things that have almost nothing to do with Econ, then gives you the hardest test he can manage and is surprised when no one does well. Class started with 68 (I believe) and ended with 17, some of which still weren't passing. That is a warning in itself.
If you're a white male, you'll do fine. if you are not, he'll belittle you. He dislikes minorities and women. Or at least that's the imprssion he gives. In class he said that he & a white male were superior because they have blue eyes. He is very rude. I don't reconmend taking him if you are anything but a white male.
this class is damn hard! He expects a lot out of his students and his tests are really hard. He is a very good proffesor though and knows a lot about economics. If your not willing to work your ass off do not take this class. He's a pretty cool guy with a crazy sense of humor, stay away if youre easily offended because he can be brutal!
No Comments
Great class! He is hard but you just need to work. If you are a wimp or want an easy grade don't go here. This class is for those with a brain or actually want to learn something.
Great Liberal ideology, but not a great teacher. Unless you already have a great understand and interest in economics, do not take this class. He's goes off on tangents, and even though he's a riot to listen to, not very useful for the tests. Only 3 exams, barely any homework and the exams are ridiculously hard. Honestely, take someone else
ok so he is an extremely difficult teacher for a person with little knowledge of economics.. this much is true. If you are even considering majoring in economics it should be a requirement that you take this class with cummings! although difficult, you will learn a TON and the rest of your econ classes throughout will be a breeze. highly recommend
No Comments
Excellent instructor. Can be difficult but great stories.
Hardest class I've ever taken. But I believe that this should be the college level. Stay away if you want an easy A. Take him if you want to really learn. He is helpful if you are serious about studying. Study textbook and visit his office.
If you dont know Econ front and back take a different professor because you learn almost nothing from this professor....he is really nice and but in class he just goes off on random stories that dont really have anything to do with the class..if you do take this class STUDY alot!!! and know that over half of the class will drop!..
Ok, so you show up to class and your like this guy is pretty cool. so he makes alot of jokes and relates the stories back to the material. then comes the midterm. were he'll tell you one thing will be on it, then it isnt on there and 2 people get a grade above a C on the midterm. there are 15 people out of 115 now. good guy ridiculous class to pass
I'm about to graduate and since I took his class he is still among the highest quality professors I've had. I spent a semester at Georgetown and even added economics to my major because of what I learned in his class. The level is not "community college", but if that's all you expect from yourself that's all you'll get.
I have to say I do not agree with the others that have said you will learn a lot about Economics in this class. Not true! Dr. Cummings is obviously a very intelligent man but this does not necessarily make for a good teacher. The midterm and final are way too hard because the fundamentals of economics are never taught!!
He is extremely rude and makes very inappropriate comments about girls bodies. He can be very funny at times but the tests are very hard plus he is a harsh grader. Would never recommend him to anyone.
I graduated in 2007, but this guy made me realize so much about real life economics and politics. I rethought a lot of beliefs I had and continue to apply and remember what he taught me. He was hilarious too. Though he gave me one of my only 3 "C"s in college, I don't for one minute regret taking his class. He made me want to be an economist.
Best teacher in that dept; maybe the best teacher at Grossmont. He's really smart and he'll go out of his way to help you. If you don't mind sarcasm, he's a really funny guy. Ignore all those overly sensitive students. TAKE HIS CLASS!!!
Great teacher. Knowledgeable, helpful, funny, and has great stories. You do need to study if you want to learn something.
Dr. C genuinely cares about teaching economics without all the junk. He lets the book define the concepts (the online quizzes are straight from the text and easy points) so he can save class time for how things work in real-world scenarios. He gives study guides and his tests are very fair. Lectures are funny and interesting. Highly recommended.
A very interesting class, and I learned a lot. I highly recommend him to anyone that wants a good college education. His knowledge of the stock market and investing is unparalleled. If you notice, virtually every negative review of Dr. Cummings is written in terrible English which says more about the student than it does the professor.
People sometimes look down upon community colleges, but Dr. Cummings proves that a great education can still be achieved at minimal cost. His helpfulness to his students is admirable, and his interest in our lives makes for an interactive learning environment, rather than one comprised of entirely lectures. He makes economics easy to understand.
Dr. Cummings is lots of fun a great teacher to boot. If you like psychology you will appreciate his insights from behavioral economics which is changing the way the world looks at economics. No math, no papers but lots of interactive discussion in class. A letter of recommendation from him to four year colleges is money in the bank for you.
This professor has been at this for a while so he brings years of experience. He loves what he does and is willing to help you. You do have to study, but he is approachable
hes great
Great teacher. University quality. Tests are not as bad as some people say. Makes his subject fun and interesting.
Dr Cummings is a great teacher and funny too. I would recommend him without reservation. Tests are very reasonable and he is very helpful in class or during office hours.
Difficult but fun. Has good jokes and is very smart. If you don't want to learn don't take this clas.
Do NOT take this teacher I was greatly disappointed. I had never dropped a class at grossmont until his class. he likes to go on and on about how our generation is screwed when it comes to jobs and retirement. I have never been so appalled by a teacher before!
All this talk of democratic socialism reminds me of one of the greatest professors and individuals ever. If you want an easy A, skip his class. If you'd like a chance to learn from an absolute genius, don't miss it. He's intimidating; get past that you might find yourself crediting him 20yrs later for getting into UCLA & for other great decisions.
good professor! learned a lot and he was willing to help when needed! classes were interesting and he made odd but funny jokes. the lectures were easy to follow and the class was easy to pass!!
Lectures have almost nothing to do with actual exams. Gave several assignments and "misplaced" his answer keys, then failed the majority of the class because he thought they answered questions wrong. Focuses too much on econ theory than on anything practical. Take this class only if you're an econ buff, not because you need it for a degree program.
Hands down the worst teacher I've had at Grossmont. All he does is rant about his liberal ideology and he expects you to magically understand econ. Also he's openly racist and sexist and constantly humiliates minorities and women. Maybe 10% of the initial class size actually stuck around and got a passing grade, if not less. Avoid at all costs.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.86 avg changeRatings by Course
MACECON
5.0
(1)ECON101
5.0
(2)MICROECON
5.0
(2)MICROSECT
5.0
(1)ECON7048
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
101
5.0
120
5.0
121
5.0
ECONMAC
5.0
MACECON
5.0