Traditional college setting. Does a great job of including questions from class into the lectures. He has a lot of scientific knowledge and encourages questions from students.

Loved him! Taught a very relaxed and flexible class. His lectures were fascinating and even entertaining which is a rare find. And not that it matters, but he is super hot!! I'd take him again if given the chance.

he is awesome ! smart, funny, helpful, he is a cool dude ever!!

Awesome - wish every teacher was like him. Very laid back, very easy to talk to, and grades fairly. Have a question? He'll explain it great detail. I'll miss him!

Had him for General Chemistry 1-3, does a great job teaching the material and seems to enjoy interacting with students. It's easy to coast through Chem 1 with him, but 2 and 3 will require a little more work. (Nothing unreasonable, but don't expect a good grade without doing the work)If you want to get on his good side just talk to him during labs.

He's an awesome teacher. He grades easily but not too easy. He focuses on your thinking process. He loves being asked questions and he will do anything to make you understand. He treats everyone fairly and most of all he's funny. He makes jokes and keeps the mood light.

love him

He is a really good teacher who explains everything very well. But during lectures he can get kind of weird and a little annoying sometimes. He put an assignment on blackboard and the questions were not worded well so I didn't get a good grade on that assignment. Overall he is a good teacher who is passionate about the subject.

Very hard teacher, but he is always there for office hours and he is so helpful and will boost your grade if u go to his office hours. Really nice and cares about his students that show they care too.

had labs with him for CHEM 142. a lot of prelab work required but nothing too extreme. very helpful during the labs and answers questions very clearly so you understand. fairly good grader, just do the assignment correctly.

I can't believe anyone would have something negative to say about him. He is very helpful and wants everyone to succeed in their classes. Worksheets are given in the class, but they are not bad at all. They are great explanations of the current topics with some questions. They were very helpful and I'm still going to keep them. Great class.

Best prof ever he's so caring

This has been by far one of the best professors I've had. Helpful, funny, down to earth, and incredibly smart. He pushes his students to the limit with the amount of study required to pass the class, but if you have a genuine interest in learning, and doing your best, he will see that and help you that much more. Definitely take his class!

Prof. Finley is generous with grading, but he deeply cares about your understanding of the material. He's more than glad to answer questions, clear confusion, discuss a problem and guide you to the correct path. He even finds joy in it. He's very smart and is definitely interesting. I would definitely take all his classes if I could!

Very good at explaining things in a clearer concept. You must read the textbooks before attending lectures though. He's a tough grader and hw is given and is due daily.

Finley is the best professor I have ever had in my 4 years of college. I have had him for Chem 1 and 2 and next quarter I have him for 3. He has this magical way of shoving the information into your brain making it much easier to learn. He may even be a wizard... He puts in a lot of extra time helping students on the side. Oh, and he's hilarious.

Finley is by far the best professor I had in my freshmen year at uwb. I took chem with him and I've never seen a prof be so organized and knows what they are doing. His exams are a bit tough but if you ask for help on anything and show him that you care about the course you will succeed. I would take any class with him again!

Chemistry doesn't come easy to me, but somehow, Brandon manages to shove information into my brain! I had his for Chem 1 and I'm gonna be taking him for Chem 2 & 3. Hilarious and easy going, with really good lectures. I also have him for labs and he's simply amazing! I would recommend him to anyone in the Chem series! Fabulous professor all around!

Finley is by far the best professor I have ever had. The way he teachers is very easy to understand, and his jokes make the lecture bearable. This tests are hard, but if you study, read the textbook and finish the ALEKS homework you will be fine. Taking the rest of my chem series with Finley and I wouldn't choose anyone else.

He's a wonderful professor, really cares about his students. He makes class interesting and he's really funny!

Brandon is the nicest and most helpful professor at UWB. He makes chemistry bearable. He is energetic and makes a lot of jokes and he's a nerd which makes him relatable. He also teaches you how to formulate good sentences. He will stay after class until you understand the material. His quizzes are HARD, don't rush through them. 4.0 is 94%.

Brandon is the best professor at UWB. A professor that gives you extra credit for writing jokes on exams? What get's better than that? His class is very difficult, but study your material and follow what he tells you to do before the exam and you would most likely get 80% or higher.

The most straightforward, forgiving, helpful professor you'll have. He doesn't give up on you if you're willing to try. He is so easy to approach and will do what he can to help you understand concepts. The work isn't hard and he just asks for you to read the directions. I wish he taught all my classes.

A definite no-bs kind of guy, but he is one of the best professors I have had to date. He is intimidating when lecturing but is kind and patient when you approach him privately. His lectures are valuable and intellectually stimulating, if not interesting.

Very intriguing professor. He's easy to follow, and adds humor into his lectures. I definitely recommend him if you aren't that "Chem-savvy".

Great guy. Really fun to have for an instructor. Hope to have him for all my chemistry courses. He jokes around a lot, which I find helps makes the whole learning process easier. He knows how make the students feel relaxed and makes learning chemistry enjoyable, which I didn't realize was possible to do until I had him. If you can, take him!

This guy. This guyyy. Loves making jokes, really fun to have a class with. Yeah, the course is hard, but it's college chem; you should expect it. Go to his office hours! He will totally help anyone who tries. He hits the ground running, so don't dare miss even a single class. He will often drop one exam grade from the 5-6 chapter exams and final.

Gen chem isn't too hard at all just go to lectures pay attention do alkes and you'll do fine. Brandon is for sure a great lecturer wish I could take him for Ochem

Got a 3.9 in 153 with him and a 3.9 again in 163. Not too hard just study and pay attention. Brandons cool wish I could have him for ochem. If you don't do well in the class its all on you for not studying enough exams look like his practice problems.

awesome professor & definitely goes to his office hour. He is really willing to help his student, so don't hesitate to ask him question.

He looks like an extra from "The Big Lebowski" That's really all I have to say that hasn't been said over and over again. He's been a good teacher, failure is the result of extenuating circumstances or personal shortcomings.

Dr. Finley is awesome! He's very helpful and approachable both in and outside class. I enjoyed his teaching style.

Brandon is hands down the best professor I had ever had so far. Not only can he be informative, helpful, and professional, but he also is pretty damn funny. Make sure you attend class to be able to answer the PE questions... If you ever need help, he is openly helpful outside of class. He also responds to emails (canvas messages) quick.

I hate science, was looking for a NW credit to take, and came across the chem prep class. Dr. Finley was, for lack of a better word, awesome - he encouraged group work and participation in class to show us that science as a whole was not just practical but collaborative - and I made so many friends in that class. His lecture style is great too.

Hands down best professor I've ever had. Mr. Finley is very caring and goes above and beyond to make sure his students succeed. Always willing to set up extra office hours to clearly explain concepts. He's a tough grader but only because he expects the best from his students. Make sure to keep up with assignments & readings to perform well on tests

He is a tough grader, but if you go up to him and actually ASK for help, he will help, and will tell you why he gave you that grade, and will show it to you what you should have written or done. Don't be intimidated by him, although he is tall and scary, he is REALLY nice. You should go to lectures, because he explains really good.

What an awesome prof! I took Chem at UW Seattle, and Dr. Finley is MUCH MUCH better. He actually cares about teaching. My grade did not suffer. He gets down to your level as a student and explains things clearly. I am happy I took a class at UWB. The only feedback I can give is his exams can actually be harder! They were simple and understandable.

I had Brandon for the whole chemistry series, and in the beginning, I didn't really like him as much because his tests weighed a lot. However, go to office hours and do his practice problems, and he'll help you out so much. He also responds to emails so quickly compared to any other professor I had and is willing to help you all the time!

Explains very well, clear criteria. Throws tests and quizzes at you like nobody's business. They are TRICKY, read carefully before answering! Most material is taken directly from lectures and the book. Has a writing piece due every now and then but not too crazy. ALEKS homework is sometimes never taught in lecture, and there's a lot of it!

I've taken Finley for all three of the chem series, and trust me, he's a solid professor. Please don't be intimidated by him, he might seem like a mean or dismissive person but he's NOT. If you go to his office hours, he'll take the time to help you understand. His exams tend to be challenging so STUDY THE REVIEW!! I promise It prepares you a lot!

Going into college as a Freshman during a pandemic was kind of a let-down, but Finley really made my first quarter the best. He really does the most for all of his students and wants them all to pass. Also, he's a super funny dude and knows how to make lectures fun and easy to follow.

AMAZING PROFESSOR. His lectures are concise and informative. Chemistry is a very complex topic and he somehow makes it easy to understand. Anytime you have a question, he makes sure to answer it in an email or through office hours. Even though I had to work hard to get a 4.0, I didn't feel any pressure or confusion regarding the topic.

Though his class can be challenging at times and will push you to think, he is always there to answer questions. He is straightforward and doesn't deviate from the syllabus. He is very passionate about chemistry and cares about his students and their success. I will continue in his chem sequence as long as possible. I highly recommend Finley.

Finley does a good job of explaining lessons. If you are confused, he is able to answer them right away. Do the aleks and practice problems and you are good to go.

His class can be difficult at times and will force you to think, but he is still available to answer questions. He is straightforward and follows the syllabus to a tee. He is very enthusiastic about chemistry and is concerned about his students' progress. I'll stay in his chemistry series for as long as I can. Finley comes highly recommended.

He's a good professor, I really liked him. I didn't earn the best grade because I didn't work hard enough. He struggles to give feedback though. All chem professors struggle with this especially the ones that teach a lab class.

If you love learning and thinking about how things work, you will really enjoy his class. His lecture slides and in class questions are always giving you interesting concepts to think about. The class does take some work, and you will probably get frustrated with ALEKS, but that will happen in any intro chem class no matter the professor.

Allows the expansion for critical thinking! He's really funny. Only downside is having to do ALEKS.

I love that he was very clear about his grading criteria as well as the breakdown of topics on each chapter. It made it really easy to be sure about what youre studying and the material you need to know. Hes always helpful when you ask questions which was a huge bonus as well. I would definitely choose him as a professor again.

Probably one of the best professors I've had so far. Finley is super straight-forward, and upfront. Everything is super clear, and he uses his humor to make the lectures bearable. He is also great as a lab prof. You do need to attend every class because there is a participation grade but I feel like that really helped me focus on the lecture.

Brandon is sweet and very knowledgeable. He understands and is able to expand Chemistry-related topics beyond just class materials. I'm so proud to have a professor who is truly a professor and never afraid of any kind of questions. Lecture is funny and he is very clear on what you should do. If you're lazy and loves complaining, you're doom.

I always ask dumb questions and he is SUPER CHILL. He really helps me navigating from mess. I'm usually afraid of lab profs if they are not approachable and abandon me when I was lost. He is a responsible, genuine guy. He grades harshly for 1st report, but feedback is helpful and you will learn real things that I swear you will need in the future.

Brandon truly cares and encourages anyone willing to work hard. If you want an easy pass for chem class, this will not work for you. If you show a good work ethic, he always goes above and beyond for you. I took four classes with him, and the grades are directly related to the time I spent studying. He is a funny and smart chem prof!

Is super funny, makes material engaging, is flexible, and cares about his students. Not intimidating at all especially in lab class. If you can, take a class with him!

In my 4 years, I've never had a professor bump me up an entire letter grade due to my participation in lab. It was a pleasant surprise to be recognized and rewarded for helping other peers with laboratory techniques when Dr Finley was busy.

Finley makes chem class better just because of his humor. He is always down to help. There is in-class participation so make sure you go to class The lectures help tremendously. It is pretty test-heavy but no final. There's also no extra credit which is one thing I wish there was. He usually curves a small bit as well which helps! Recommend!

Finley is a very funny person but he is a tough grader on tests. But the knowledge needed to pass all of the tests is in the homework, lectures, and practice questions.

This is his first time teaching Org Chem, but it is very fun and meaningful. He focuses on the big picture and inspires me to pursue more org chem. Class handouts are clear and organized, he sometimes make small mistakes but correct it right away. Very approachable and humble. Exams are a little long but not tricky. No chapters are left behind.

Very fun and caring. There aren't that many assignments, just the ALEKS homework and the few tests. Get ALEKS done as early as possible.Getting it out of the way helps so much, then you can just study for the upcoming chapter tests. Go to his office hours, print out and do the practice problems, email him about any questions and easy pass.

Finley is hilarious and outgoing, making chemistry content bearable and lecture entertaining. Class is heavily weighted on exams and ALEKS homework assignments each unit. Be prepared to self-study content using his pre-recorded lectures as well as the problem sets and self-quizzes all readily available on Canvas to preview and review content.

I love this guy. He inspires me to become a chemist, and he still does classes to classes. He taught me how to be a good scientist, and show me why I should do well in classes and be responsible with my knowledge bc I need it for future career in healthcare. I'm grateful to meet him in my life. Would give the school $$$ in his name if I have $$$ fr

Prof.Finley genuinely wants his students to do well. There is a PollEverywhere that counts for grades for each class. To excel in class, make pre-class notes(ppt), take notes and ask questions in class, and solve the practice problems (Canvas). I highly recommend taking Prof.Finley for Chemistry and I will be taking 153/154 with him too.

If you talk to him early and often then you should be in good standing. He lectures quickly so you can also watch his videos on Canvas that was helpful. tests are pretty tough though so get early practice and ask for help because it seems he just wants the best for you, but you gotta put in effort as well y'know?

He truly cares about his students, and tries his best. I have taken chem with other professors and non of them are as helpful as finley. You have to do questions and train urself on ur own because it's CHEMISTRY, but not because he's a bad prof.

Fantastic lecturer, tells you and teaches you what he puts on exams, friendly and helpful attitude. Finley is a great professor. Beware, lectures are not accessible out of class so attendance is recommended.

Took him for Bchem 153 and Bchem 163. Amazing lecturer, though can go overtime often. Finley is a really funny professor that knows his audience, but attendance is very important for the class as he does not record them and PollEV is graded (fairly leniently). Gives a lot of practice problems for exams, which are emphasized heavily in his class.

amazing person. course content HARD & material volume heavy, but he teaches it very well. completely hilarious person. great sense of humor helped long lectures & tough topics. good as both lab/lecture prof which is rare. office hours taught me double what class did. incredibly helpful 1-on-1 and cares ab students who show they want to pass.

Attend all lectures and take full advantage of the resources provided to study outside of class. He provides outstanding feedback for improvement, which I deeply appreciate, in addition to his enthusiastic and friendly attitude during class. However, BCHEM143 is a fast paced course, so you will do well as long as you put in the effort.

He is a great professor. I would definitely recommend taking him but some people might not like him. Coming to class is important he does PollEV which is basically him asking questions online and answer online. He is very approachable. I put in a lot of effort to get a good grade in his class. Watch his online videos they helped alot more then lec.

Great prof! Very knowledgeable, super helpful in office hours/after class. HW is just Aleks, but exams once every 2 weeks. No final, but he does grade participation via polleverywhere, so show up when you can! Exams are a bit tricky, do his practice problems and study math word problems and you'll be golden. Don't rely on the curve, it's minimal.

Very straightforward class. ALEKS and PollEV have a light course load with lenient grading, so you can prioritize studying for the 4 exams and 1 (30 min) quiz. No finals! Highly recommend reviewing online videos before class, attending lectures for PollEV questions (slides aren't posted), and asking for feedback (EXTREMELY helpful for CHEM 144).

Brandon cares a lot about his students and ultimately wants them to succeed, which is why he hammers home core concepts and provides plentiful free resources for learning and review. There are a lot of exams in the class, but I see that as a benefit, because your grade doesn't rest on just a midterm and final.

Great teacher, good lectures, just very heavy and hard class if you don't put 100% of effort in, especially if math and science aren't your strongest subjects comparing to others like english or history. Easy to fail and fall behind but he is kind and easy to reach out to if you ask for help. He cares about his students and is passionate about chem

Loved Prof Finley, he structures his classes as mostly lecture based with review questions throughout the class time. Typically you get out of class early. Attendance isn't "mandatory" but you are graded for in class participation on the review questions. He's super friendly and answers all questions very well. NO FINAL.

Hes a chill guy, he looks scary but very nice sounds aggressive but thats just who he is. Definitely take him helps u understand the material. Tests are pretty hard but if you study and do the practice questions on canvas its pretty easy. Overall take him but know that you will have to put in effort for an A. I spent like 10 to 15 hours each test.

Harsh grader but if you ask him questions in office hours he will explain in detail what he expects in a lab report. ALWAYS go his office hours for every lab report. He is a very harsh grader super strict and takes off points for simple mistakes. But he is a nice person overall looks mean but is nice. I would definitely NOT take him. work load loco

Extremely harsh grader, so go to his office hours (or corner him after lecture). Finley is open to helping, and his detailed feedback improved my lab reports. Although he's tough, you actually learn and develop skills needed to pass. During lab itself, Finley is there to help but he doesn't hover. If you're used to a chill prof: prepare yourself.

Dr. Finley's chemistry lectures are the best, he is so straightforward and gives us everything we need to know. I would take him again for lecture. He also gives good study guides/practice. His exams are hard though and heavily weighted. But, given his lectures, I knew exactly what to study for, but alot of effort is definitely needed.

Dr.Finley is very open to helping his students and I really wish I had gone to his office hours more for feedback on lab reports. He's very helpful during lab and answers any questions. But, his grading on lab report is sooooo harsh.

This is by far the hardest class between the chem series. But he is a great professor and answers questions clearly but has a mean tone or passive aggressive tone. Don't let that get to you because he is super kind and means well. Super test heavy and recommend studying a lot (15-20 hours). He gives resources on canvas so use those.

Absolutely amazing professor. His class is very difficult, but he is ready to teach you everything as long as you put in effort. No hand holding, but as long as you come to every lecture and pay full attention, and use his practice problems, you will be fine.

Summer '25: He really cares about his students' success and wants us to actually learn the material to better us in the long run. He always answered all my questions after class and helped me brainstorm ways to improve on exams. He grades tests HEAVY (70%), which can make you fail easily, so make sure you put in the time/effort to actually study!!!

Dr Finley is the GOAT, one of the best professor in UWB, I took all general chemistry series, quantitative analysis lab/lecture and investigative chemistry! He is always ready to help students, be ready to put an effort for the classes!

Amazing professor. Yes, his grading is strict and the class is difficult, but Chemistry is just HARD!! It's going to be difficult no matter who you take. His lectures are the most thorough, engaging lectures I've ever had in college so far. I am eternally grateful that I had Finley as my prof for all three gen-chem courses. Do practices on canvas!!

Really funny guy, really enjoy his class. Lots of mid class graded questions which count to your grade. However, he will happily explain whatever you ask. He is very good at telling you what you need to know for the course and the test.

Clear expectations, lectures are not boring, he gives very clear explanations step by step. He also ends lecture early sometimes ! If I took him again, Id review the chapter before class (10 mins), do aleks, and watch his canvas videos before the exam, and do his practice problems. Some of the exam is literally the same as the practice problems.