2.4

Caren Marzban

Statistics - University of Washington

2.4
Quality
4.2
Difficulty
29%
Would Retake
107
Reviews
2.4
Quality
4.2
Difficulty
2.3
Helpful
2.4
Clarity

29%

Would Retake

107

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official
107 total ratings

5

20

4

12

3

13

2

11

1

50

What Students Say

The hw takes forever, you won't have weekend anymore, otherwise either get an A or F

ST421A - 1.0 rating

Awful teacher and unorganized lecture slides

MATH390 - 2.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

86%

Textbook Required

33%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 45 grades
Most common grades:
Not sure yet (15)
B (11)
A+ (8)
Grade Distribution
A(15)B(12)C(4)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(14)
Based on 62 reported grades
Not sure yet: 15
B: 11
A+: 8
A-: 8
Common Tags
Lots of homework (21)
Tough grader (19)
Get ready to read (18)
Lecture heavy (17)
Participation matters (16)
Test heavy (12)
Skip class? You won't pass. (8)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (7)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.86 avg change
Feb
Mar
May
Jun
Nov
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

STATMATH390

5.0

(1)

ST421A

3.0

(4)

STAT316

3.0

(1)

MATH390

2.7

(15)

STAT390

2.7

(50)
+4 more courses
Difficulty by Course

STATMATH390

5.0

ECON509

5.0

STAT200

4.7

MATH390

4.5

MATH395

4.4

Reviews (106)
2.0
4.0
STAT390
Jun 4, 2006

Multiple choice tests, and weekly quizes on any topic from the quarter. If these are what you excel at... great. If not... you are probably not going to get a very good grade.

5.0
5.0
STATMATH390
Jun 5, 2006

Very hard prof, but does very good lecturing and really cares about how much his students learn. If you take this class, be ready to work really really hard. Grading is tough, but you will learn a lot.

2.0
4.0
STAT390
Dec 5, 2006

Lectures were rarely illuminating, and the textbook is simplistic and not very helpful. Prof seemed pretty pompous. Quiz sections were probably the most boring I have ever had (and the content was provided by the prof). Lectures posted online, which is nice since you'll never want to waste your time going. Try 394/395 instead, or another teacher!!

3.0
5.0
MATH390
May 16, 2007

Tough class, tests are only a few problems long so know everything, doesn't give practice exams

3.0
5.0
STAT390
Dec 5, 2008

He knows his material, but has trouble teaching it to students. He came across as pompous and a little arrogant. The textbook is hard to use, with errors and typos throughout. I'd recommend taking a lower level stat class instead. you'll learn the same material, and it will be easier TO learn.

3.0
5.0
STAT390
Dec 12, 2008

Grading scheme is as follows: group all correct responses into a pile, then he will choose "the best" response. That one (or possibly two) responses will get full credit, and all the other correct answers will be marked down (as already stated - even if they are correct). Not a bad lecturer though, just expects A LOT.

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Feb 21, 2009

Hard tests, inane lectures, and quite useless labs.

2.0
4.0
STAT390
Feb 27, 2009

His exams are always full of surprises as it seems he TRIES to trick you. Textbook rarely helps as a supplement to his lectures. Would not recommend unless your GPA can take a huge hit.

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Apr 7, 2009

absolutely worthless professor. piles on the homework. tests are hard, yet he scares you away from asking about anything. if you must take STAT 390, i am very very sorry becuase i think he is your only option. just prepare to be discouraged from stats

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Jun 22, 2009

Worst. Prof/instructor. Ever. This guy just plain sucks. I took this class thinking "oh, nobody likes him, but they're probably all wrong. They say he sucks, but he probably isn't that bad." I was wrong. He's the worst. Tests and HW don't correlate. Exams too long. Material on exams isn't from HW. No time to cover all that he expects from you.

5.0
5.0
STAT390
Dec 14, 2009

His lectures are solid and despite coming from a physics background, he knows what he's talking about. Homework is easy and so is lab. The big problem is his exams! They are very difficult and contain many trick questions (especially in the M.C). His method of making ?s is to take ?s from the book and tweak them. Also, the grading is a bit unfair.

3.0
4.0
STAT390
Jan 29, 2010

As stated, homework and labs (= modifying snippets of code in R) are relatively straightforward and easy. Tests are open book/open note/open laptop (!), though the multiple choice questions are extremely tricky, and a few MC makes a big difference in grade. I ended up with a 3.5. Do as many problems in the book as you can to prepare yourself.

4.0
2.0
STAT390
Mar 16, 2010

He's a pretty good teachers, and he puts up everything online in a well-organized site. My main complaint is the length of the HW, but I guess that has been a problem forever. With enough prep and study time, anyone can do well on his tests. Just don't eff up on any problem, as the grading scheme is pretty rigid. Oh, and he has a cool hair-do.

4.0
2.0
STAT390
Mar 17, 2010

There is a lot to Stat 390 despite being 4 credits. Homework every week, he assigns a little bit more daily. All of his work is organized online. Weekly lab with a quiz, most of the lab/quiz material is painfully easy. Harder tests, but they are open book, open note, open laptop. Overall a good professor, don't listen to some of the whiners below.

5.0
3.0
STAT390
Mar 18, 2010

After reading the comments here, I dreaded taking this class. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised. Prof. Marzban is an excellent instructor and a really nice guy. His lectures are very clear and delivered in an entertaining style. He's got plenty of enthusiasm for the material. I really can't see what inspired all the negativity I found here.

5.0
3.0
STAT390
Mar 21, 2010

Despite some of the comments below, I actually kind of enjoyed Prof Marzban's lectures. Very entertaining guy in lectures, and very helpful at the Stat study center. This wasn't an easy class, expect to work hard, but you know what to expect (his test questions all come from the book). Tests are open everything (minus people). Great guy!

5.0
4.0
STAT390
May 27, 2010

Professor Marzban really makes sure that you understand the material. He assigns lots of homework problems to make sure that you learn alot. He is readily available, and definitely knows the subject. It was a challenging class, with a lot of work, but it was worth it. Great class, Great teacher!

3.0
5.0
MATH390
Jun 2, 2011

I personally didn't find Marzban's homework too difficult or long - it was his tests that made me angry. They did not correlate well with lectures/the textbook. If you absolutely MUST take 390 (I, of course, recommend that you don't), be prepared to study really hard for the tests and, as someone else said, "for your GPA to take a huge hit".

4.0
3.0
STAT390
Oct 5, 2011

Quite a character. Very good lecturer and a pretty good course & professor. Very strange grading techniques (exam questions worth variable # of points based on his clustering of student responses). Helpful and knowledgeable, but quite arrogant and does not restrain telling students that they're wrong and/or stupid. Loathes math majors (admits it).

3.0
3.0
STAT390
Dec 6, 2011

Extremely arrogant. lectures are quite annoying as he constantly shoots students down for incorrectly answering trick questions. As many people have said here, the labs are completely useless unless maybe you are a stats major. Tests are full of trick questions that lead to bad grades given to students who actually do know the material.

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Mar 9, 2012

If you can, you're better off spending your time elsewhere- Marzban teaches a terrible class that nobody would take if they didn't have to. There aren't really any good alternatives at the school.. Some of you may be able to get away with taking CSE 312 or IND E 315 or a lower level stat course or QMETH something. If you can, you should.

4.0
3.0
STAT390
Mar 21, 2012

He is definetly intimidating during lecture. He takes a little too much pleasure out of making people look dumb in class. That being said I think his grading system is fair and his tests honestly should not be too bad if you know the materia. I think he is the only one who teaches STAT 390.

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Dec 18, 2012

Hard tests, inane lectures, and useless labs. avoid his class

5.0
4.0
ST421A
Feb 25, 2013

Arrogant. If you ask stupid questions, he insults you in words.Hate that!!!Straightforward. He gives the direct answer rather than talks around the topic forever. If you survive from his words, you will start to appreciate his pedagogy. At least, he knows what he teaches. Hard class. Grading is fair but terrible. Avoid him if are bad at math/stat.

5.0
3.0
STAT390
Jun 2, 2013

Prof. Marzban is one of THE MOST entertaining lecturers at UW! He cares about statistics and wants you to learn. Simple: if you want to do well, expect to work ~8-10 hours/week , otherwise don't complain if you get a bad grade. You must also be a disciplined student in order to benefit from this class. And he really is reasonable!

4.0
5.0
MATH390
Jun 14, 2013

DO NOT take it UNLESS you OK with a hit on your GPA. I am an A student, but I got B+ even though I put hours into studying and felt like I knew the material. His test questions are tricky and grading system is super weird(he would take 50 min to explain it). He is a great lecturer, you will learn a lot, just prepare to get a hit on your GPA.

2.0
4.0
MATH390
Grade: B
Feb 21, 2014

Awful teacher and unorganized lecture slides. He is arrogant and his lectures make everything seem simple which is a real wake up call when his test are extremely tricky and difficult. Labs are completely useless and only go to take the quizzes. Awful class.

5.0
4.0
MATH390
Mar 16, 2014

Awesome lecturer! Gives very clear explanations explaining the math "in English" (interpretations of your calculations). Posts lecture notes and summaries online and I learned just how useful stats is! Warning: hw is long, tests are hard (make sure you get the THEORY down), and labs aren't that useful. Overall though, thumbs up!

2.0
4.0
STAT390
Dec 8, 2014

Probably because it was a summer course so the material was kind of squeezed. But I didn't find that course helpful at all. The lecture were okay, but all those stuff putted together in the exam was totally awful. The explanation in lecture was not helpful at all. No extra practice test to practice which sucks.

2.0
5.0
ECON509
Grade: B
Apr 7, 2015

Seems to have little regard for his students. There's just so much ego that a UW auditorium can handle. His lectures were great until the middle of the semester, when it seemed like he was fed up with us. After that, it felt like he was hunting us for sport.

2.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: Not sure yet
May 5, 2016

He comes off as egotistical and paranoid. He refuses to use precise mathematical terms in favor of vague gibberish even on tests, telling us "everything in life is ambiguous, so get used to it" when students get confused by it. He throws tantrums in class if you don't loudly answer his questions like "do you understand." I would not recommend.

5.0
3.0
STAT390
Grade: A+
Jun 27, 2016
Would take again

Seriously, I don't understand why Prof. M get so much negative reviews here. He's amazing. The fact that his lecture is so easy and clear just means he's a great teacher who can explain hard concept in an understandable way. This is the first stats class I take at UW, and it blew my mind. But you do need to study hard for it. I learned so much.

1.0
5.0
MATH390
Aug 14, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Worst professor I have ever had

4.0
4.0
MATH390
Grade: Not sure yet
Aug 15, 2016
Would take again

I don't think Prof. Marzban was that terrible as everyone makes him out to be. He's a pretty good lecturer, and while his organization is a bit lacking, it's clear enough to see what he expects out of his students. He provides past exams going way back too, although he doesn't really reuse old questions. Overall, I thought his class was fine.

1.0
4.0
MATH390
Grade: B+
Aug 17, 2016
Wouldn't take again

If you like artificial difficulty in the classroom then you'll love Marzban. One of the worst experiences at UW: useless lab section, lectures that are explicitly aimed at entertainment rather than teaching, and exams that focus on only the most subtle details of the material. Enjoy your single half-sheet of notes for the cumulative final.

5.0
4.0
MATH390
Grade: A-
Aug 18, 2016
Would take again

Instructor Marzban was able to break down complicated concepts of Statistics, so it could be understood by an undergraduate student. I personally am very happy that I had a pleasure to take his class. He really knows his stuff and extremely quick on feet throwing jokes here and there. I recommend him as an important asset to your college experience

Gives good feedback
Get ready to read
Hilarious
1.0
4.0
ST421A
Grade: A-
Dec 1, 2016
Wouldn't take again

The hw takes forever, you won't have weekend anymore, otherwise either get an A or F. as said below, he has some ego problem: acid, brazen, rude, sort of baseness, hauteur. He makes the students compete to each other, and fail the bottom 10%. My friends talk him for the grade, he said it was not his business, it was all about other students.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
SO MANY PAPERS
3.0
4.0
STAT390
Feb 17, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Caren is a very special human being. Your grade in the class is determined by an overcomplicated statistical method in which he wastes an entire two class periods explaining. The grading scheme is quite cut-throat and non-negotiable. The homework takes a ridiculously long amount of time. Lab is useless, but required because a quiz is given weekly

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
1.0
5.0
MATH390
Grade: B
May 5, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Overly complicated grading system that takes several lectures to explain. Emphasis on definitions and vocab, yet he makes up his own definitions and vocab that are different than the textbook. Lab is worthless, 30 minutes of dead silence (no TA instruction) followed by a quiz that requires previous programming experience. Worst I've had yet.

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
1.0
5.0
MATH390
May 19, 2017
Wouldn't take again

The class is entitled "Statistical Methods in Engineering and Science" but the way Marzban teaches, it is clear that he only cares about future statistics majors. He skips the probability chapter and wastes your time with multiple visits to linear regression. If you can, take another stats course for your science/engineering needs (and GPA).

Tough Grader
4.0
4.0
MATH390
Grade: A-
Mar 3, 2018
Would take again

This is a polarizing prof, I personally loved this prof but here's the bottom line. Take this course ONLY IF you're prepared to put in a lot of work for this course. This means attending lectures everyday (clicker quizzes), the homework is long, and grading scheme is complex. The pay off is that you will gain a solid foundation for statistics

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: A+
Jun 10, 2018
Would take again

Marzban is NOT the evil professor that many have said he is. Lectures are clear and he does a great job explaining different topics. Every past exam he has ever given is posted, which is useful. Quiz section coding (rstudio labs) isn't tested, but the "morals" are. Homework is long but useful for the exams. Don't need to read the book to do well.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Amazing lectures
1.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: B
Sep 20, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Made a simple subject excruciatingly difficult and dull. Has some weird grading system based on subjectivity and will always make the bottom few students fail. Lecture notes were awfully structured and handwritten. Daily graded quizzes. Insane amount of derivation based homework that covers new topics instead of reinforcing taught ones.

Participation matters
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
1.0
STAT390
Grade: A+
Feb 3, 2019
Wouldn't take again

This prof is not teaching you, he is flaunting his toughness. Ambiguous question descriptions on quiz/test, arrogant TAs, and ridiculous grading rubric. each "HW set" with 20+ problems only worth 10 points. And they don't grade it by counting correct answers you have, instead, they deduct points from 10 for wrong ones. So half correct0 points lol

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
Hilarious
1.0
4.0
MATH395
Grade: C-
Mar 24, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Did not enjoy this class that much. The teacher's lectures started out okay but got confusing and his tests were fairly difficult. Definitely has a tough homework load. Would not recommend taking probability with marzban.

Lots of homework
Get ready to read
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
STAT390
Nov 27, 2019
Would take again

I really enjoyed Marzban's class. Though his 390 gets terrible reviews on here, I thought his class was great. I learned an incredible amount of very useful material over the quarter. His class is by no means easy, but if you listen to every word he says, things will make sense. The daily homework is a lot, but his clear lectures makes them easier

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: B
Feb 9, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Cons Makes you print out code/output for hw Quiz on R that he literally never teaches any of Worst course website ever created Makes you copy paste url extentions to get datasets Quiz every week on R that he never teaches that has the vaguest instructions Average of 5 hw Q's a day What he teaches doesn't align with book HW Pros Passionate

Lots of homework
Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: B-
Mar 12, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Caren makes every student who asks a question feel like they are stupid by being condescending all the time, unless you are one of 5 students that is extremely smart and befriends him. He goes through lecture extremely fast so that you can barely process the content during class. Homeworks are hard and take forever

Lots of homework
Participation matters
Lecture heavy
3.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: A-
Mar 25, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Which is the antonym of "right"? (a)wrong,(b)unjust,(c)left,(d)none above. This is not the exact questions he gave us, but the structure was very close. Recommend his past exams and lecture notes. You need them to succeed in this class. Hw took a lot of time but was not counted as much as the game-show question on the tests. A very smart guy tho

Lots of homework
Get ready to read
Test heavy
3.0
4.0
STAT390
Apr 1, 2020
Would take again

He honestly wasn't terrible. His lectures were ok, the course as a whole was well organized, and he was helpful in OH and thru email. My biggest complaints are the confusing tests and the amount of homework. Class tips: 1) get familiar with R before the class, 2) go to the Stat Study Center, 3) go to lecture, 4) read the HW and quiz solutions.

Lots of homework
Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: Incomplete
Apr 8, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Caren Marzban is one of the most arrogant people Ive ever come across in life. His attitude is epitomized by an exchange in which he asked for an example of a certain dataset, then berated those who gave accurate answers... before trying to gaslight the class (I dont want to confuse you...) when he realized his snap judgement was wrong. Horrid.

5.0
4.0
STAT390
Jun 15, 2020
Would take again

I paid out of pocket, $1300, and found this class *extremely* well worth the price. Marzban works very hard to make sure the students _understand_ the material. I have rarely taken a class and retained so much afterward. The grading was very fair. Though hard at times, I couldn't recommend a course more, under Marzban. A+ teaching, in hard times.

Gives good feedback
Accessible outside class
Amazing lectures
5.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: B+
Dec 17, 2020
Would take again

Tests and homework are hard, but if you do the homework each time after it is assigned (rather than doing all 3 assignments on the weekend) it is quite manageable. The practice tests are very helpful to study for the exams. Marzban makes the lectures engaging and interesting.

Lots of homework
Caring
5.0
4.0
ST421A
Grade: B
Dec 18, 2020
Would take again

One of the few professors I've met that actually respect students as human beings, with clear grading criteria, thought out lectures and HW. For ex, he once caught himself calling us immature then said that's condescending and changed his wording. I've met some stat professors who outright called us that. It's also obvious he spends time planningHW

Respected
Clear grading criteria
Caring
1.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: Not sure yet
Feb 16, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Marzban's key style is to test/quiz you over material that is introduced DURING the test/quiz. The class would be better if the "lab" was actually a lab instead of a weekly quiz over R documentation that was handed out 3 days prior. To say that this class is teaching R is borderline unethical. Read R documentation and you'll be just as well off.

Lots of homework
1.0
5.0
STAT390
Mar 5, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I made this account solely to state how horrible he is. Most time is spent insulting anyone who disagrees with his methods or complaining about past students attitudes. The workload is absurd so unless you treat it like a full time job have fun trying to actually learn the concepts. The R portion is self taught and not covered in lecture. Avoid him

Lots of homework
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
STAT390
Mar 8, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Why bother sending out surveys? You don't care about student feedback anyway.

Lots of homework
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
STAT390
Mar 8, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Thanks for making me hate statistics.

Lots of homework
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: B+
Mar 13, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Mean grade on tests is an F. Course claims to "teach" R. That's a joke. R section is completely self taught and yet you are quizzed over it every week. Introduces coding concepts (for-loops, arrays, indexing) DURING the quiz, even though this class does not have a coding prereq. His handing of the R portion is what brought him from 2 to 1 star IMO

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: B
Mar 14, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Takes away points if you give the wrong answer on multiple choice part of test. This along with his terrible course website show how antiquated he is. Homework given Friday night at 5pm is due Monday. If I could do it all over, I would take the STAT 394/395 and STAT 391 series just to avoid this professor. Avoid at all costs.

Lots of homework
Test heavy
Tough grader
1.0
4.0
STAT390
Apr 13, 2021
Wouldn't take again

We are not even to the first midterm yet. I read all the bad reviews and was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He actually seemed not as bad as people say in lecture. But today, he introduced an irrelevant (to stats) brand new concept DURING a time-limited quiz. This is not teaching, it is a deliberate attempt to manipulate students.

Lots of homework
Get ready to read
Beware of pop quizzes
2.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: B+
Jun 27, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Received my lowest grade in this class, 3.3. Marzban is a good lecturer and makes the content interesting. The amount of homework is often way too much and he uses quizzes about R which is self-taught. He takes feedback to act like he cares but will never change anything regarding class structure despite students complaining every quarter.

Lots of homework
Beware of pop quizzes
1.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Jan 17, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Be ready to teach yourself how to code using R for a basic statistics class. Quizzes are on material learned 20 min ago and not solidified. Lots of homework where he will take questions from the book and 'modify' it to make you use R, super confusing. I usually pick up things fast, but it seems as he expects you to already know R! So unhelpful.

Test heavy
Beware of pop quizzes
Tough grader
1.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Jan 19, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Get ready to learn by your self

Get ready to read
Participation matters
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
STAT200
Grade: Not sure yet
Jan 27, 2022
Wouldn't take again

This professor tells his students to read the syllabus carefully, but the syllabus basically says "we're not really sure how it's going to go, but we'll let you know when the time comes" It is week 4 and I don't know how this class is graded. He also told us that only 3 homework questions out of 8 were graded AFTER we turned in the questions.

Participation matters
Hilarious
Tough grader
4.0
3.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Feb 4, 2022
Would take again

I'm a senior and I think this class is really normal for UW. Yes we learn R but he makes it extremely easy. I think that the bad ratings can be attributed to the large amount of freshman take this course. I think if you've ever been apart of the working world you'll like this guy. He doesn't care if you show up online or in person - its not hard

Skip class? You won't pass.
5.0
2.0
STAT390
Grade: A
Feb 6, 2022
Would take again

I graduated from UW many years ago. If I have to recommend one class in UW, it would be Marzban's STAT390. It covers all essential knowledge of frequentist inference. He explained regression really well. I appreciate that he taught us to be cautious of using causal words, which is not common in undergrad level class. Super helpful, must take.

Respected
Participation matters
Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Feb 9, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Super scattered lectures. Doesn't take questions/criticism well. Will tell you things 'dont matter' and to not worry about concepts. Makes up own definitions. Have to learn R? Doesn't believe in study guides. Homework questions are worded super confusing and in turn you lose points for not doing exactly what he meant. Overall, take w/ someone else

Lots of homework
Skip class? You won't pass.
Lecture heavy
1.0
4.0
STAT220
Feb 10, 2022
Wouldn't take again

I got sick right before the final to where I missed the midterm because of sleep troubles. . He told me I should have told him before I got sick I was going to be sick. Gave me a 1 1/2 chance to take it Saturday morning from 8 to 9:30 before closing that opportunity and told me to drop the class. I woke up at 1 that day. I took his advice.

1.0
5.0
STAT220
Feb 24, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Caren Marzban was the worst professor that I have ever taken. He mutes test answers on canvas and releases test answers through a form of a survey or assignment instead. His class has been really confusing. He doesn't communicate with his TAs on what his grading rubric looks like so even the TAs are confused. NEVER TAKE A CLASS WITH HIM!!!!

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
1.0
2.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 7, 2022

Studying hard and Doing exercises in the back of the textbook is meaningless because the test is less related to the exercise question. So just reading the notes, that's all you need to do. Grading is also ridiculous. You will get lower and lower grades unless you get all the quizzes and homework correctly. Don't take his class, trust me.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Beware of pop quizzes
1.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: A-
Mar 18, 2022

I despise this man. He has been one of the worst teachers I have had at the UW. He is unhelpful when answering questions, and gets defensive if he gets something wrong. The way he grades homework is laughable, randomly chooses 2 or 3 of the problems he assigns and those are the only ones he grades. Lectures are confusing. Avoid at all costs.

Tough grader
Lots of homework
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
STAT220
Grade: A+
Mar 28, 2022

I think Professor Marzban is ok. For STAT220, like he said, attend lectures, read the books, and I think most people would be fine. R is not hard, however it is taught by TAs which I think they did a good job. I believe the main issue is lack of planning and communication. Information about how tests and are assigned are not released early.

Get ready to read
1.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Jun 1, 2022

one of the worst professors i have ever had. He has awful class time usage(with forced attendance), unreadable handwriting, and a policy that can cut your grade in half no matter how well you were doing in the class. 100/10 would rather eat rocks than take another one of his classes again

Get ready to read
Participation matters
Lecture heavy
4.0
3.0
STAT220
Grade: A+
Jun 20, 2022
Would take again

Overall I liked professor Marzban, he's not as bad as people say. I managed to get by without reading much of the textbook since it's very lecture-dependent. If you attend his lectures, preferably in person, and apply yourself you'll be fine. The main thing I would say is to study HIS notes and hw well since the test questions are abstract & hard.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
2.0
5.0
STAT220
Grade: A-
Jun 21, 2022

Yes UW STEM is difficult, but when test averages are in the fifties thats a problem with the instructor. Disconnect between lectures, quiz sections and exams when it came to material covered. Is accessible outside of class but won't clearly answer your questions. I would describe him as unnecessarily confusing.

Tough grader
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Feb 21, 2023

I thought these reviews were exaggerating but I should've DROPPED this class when I had the chance. He makes the easiest concepts and questions confusing. For quizzes, my TA had to regularly explain what he was asking because no one could understand.

Participation matters
Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
1.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: A+
Mar 4, 2023

OVER explains some of the easiest concepts, lecture notes are way too unorganized and hard to understand..

1.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: B
Mar 6, 2023

I wish I dropped the class or listened to his reviews when I had signed up. I didn't like any second of this class. My TA was confused about what Marzban wanted from her so all the students were confused too. Don't take stats with him

Participation matters
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 15, 2023

If you have the option to take a class other than STAT 220 for a requirement, do it. This class was more difficult to succeed in than my gen chem class. His test questions are very difficult and feel unfair. He asked for feedback on the class and people took time to reply honestly, and he sent an email rejecting everyone's suggestions.

5.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: A
Mar 15, 2023
Would take again

I thought Marzban was great. Lectures were entertaining, even at 8:30am. He did a good job of explaining things clearly, and making sure we understood everything along the way. The tests were obviously harder than the homework, the lab quizzes were easy, and was long as you pay attention in lecture and read the textbook, the class is great.

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
Caring
4.0
4.0
STAT200
Grade: A
Mar 19, 2023
Would take again

I understand why other students may have rated him so low but I personally loved Professor Marzban! I thought he was very funny and I enjoyed being in class. He really encourages asking questions, and I found the course to be really interesting and was able to keep me awake even at 8:30. But test questions are very difficult and a little confusing.

Tough grader
Participation matters
Caring
1.0
3.0
STAT220
Grade: A
May 26, 2023

Overcomplicates the most basic concepts not even the TAs understand what he's asking for. You know there's something wrong when the averages on his open book, open note, and even open internet exams are around the low 60s. Sick or sleep through his 8:30 lecture? Too bad. He doesn't record them.

Get ready to read
Participation matters
1.0
5.0
STAT200
Grade: C
Jan 12, 2024

bad professor

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH390
Grade: B+
Feb 5, 2024

Please avoid him at all costs.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH390
Grade: A-
Feb 5, 2024

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE PROF, if you respect yourself avoid him. If you wanna hate stats he is the perfect dude for that.

Tough grader
Participation matters
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Grade: C+
Feb 28, 2024

Horrible, avoid at all costs. The whole grade is based on two exams that's not related to the lectures at all.

Tough grader
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Apr 15, 2024

Wow, worst professor at UW. Entry level stats required to gratuate and its this hard?! Well, as a senior with a 3.6 gpa student I can tell you the professor is the issue and not the material. He is unclear in his notes and lectures. Learning how to code R?! Avoid this class like Covid, unless you want to fail.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Apr 15, 2024

Worst Professor Ever! I would rather take Chem and Biology all over again. As a senior with a high gpa I can say this is the toughest class I've taken. You lose points if you miss class, his notes are unreadable and disorganized. I understand the book exercises more than his lectures, but he makes up his own questions and expects you to know R.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 21, 2024

Exams are worded so weird it's like he's trying to trick us into getting the answers wrong.

Get ready to read
Beware of pop quizzes
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 28, 2024

DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE! He makes easy concepts complicated.

3.0
4.0
STAT316
Grade: A+
May 10, 2024

At first, Prof. Marzban is extremely scary. His homeworks are hefty and exams feel nearly impossible. As a stats professor, however, he knows and cares about his stuff. His teaching isn't fantastic, but once you get what he's saying, his quirky personality makes you intrigued about class each day. The final class curve can save anyone who tries!

Tough grader
Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
5.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: Not sure yet
May 29, 2024
Would take again

Professor Marzban is misunderstood, reading these reviews. His Stat220 class is difficult if you do not do the prep work for the tests - the midterm is 30% of the grade and so is the final and thats what makes or breaks your grade. Do the pre tests! He is very caring though and funny, and he is very passionate when he teaches.I enjoyed his lectures

Amazing lectures
Caring
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
STAT220
Grade: B
Jun 12, 2024

do NOT take this class if required for your humanities major, as a soc major who despises STEM marzban had me STRESSED! did awful (whole class did) on the midterm and did slightly less awful on the final and ended with a B only bc i did good on every single HW and lab quiz, and went to every class (lecture MWF lab TTH is insane btw)

Tough grader
Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH395
Grade: B+
Sep 26, 2024

No record for reviewing and attendence madatory

Participation matters
Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
3.0
4.0
STAT220
Grade: B
Feb 14, 2025
Would take again

Marzban's STAT220 class is tough, but with the right prep and tools like Unstuckstudy, you can get through it. Attendance is a must, and the exams require careful studying of the textbook and lecture notes. Overall, the class is doable with dedication.

1.0
5.0
ST421A
Grade: A
Mar 7, 2025

This is me being objective, I've had Marzban for 2 classes. He assigns homework on MWF that are all due the following Monday. The homework he assigns on Fridays(heavy load) where you might be spending all sat/sun working on it also the weekly quizzes suck and homework is obscure and long. I graduated in stats from UW, avoid him if you can.

1.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: B
Mar 21, 2025

The concepts in this class are interesting, but Marzban somehow finds a way to make you despise it. Labs were horrible as you learned everything about R on your own, and lectures were dull and unorganized. Tests were very conceptual, which could be fine if he was not trying to make you choose wrong.

Tough grader
Participation matters
Lecture heavy
4.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: A
Mar 26, 2025
Would take again

Generally good professor. He is very enthusiastic about stats and teaching which is what I think made me like the class and subject. Tests are very conceptual and quite difficult but manageable if you understand the concepts well, meaning that you complete all the homework and attend lecture. Labs were also not too difficult but need R knowledge.

Participation matters
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
3.0
3.0
MATH395
May 21, 2025
Would take again

He clearly cares. His grading guidelines are statistically fair. He's an engaging presenter. However, the lecture notes are difficult to reread. I also took him for 390 and the R labs clearly need some work there.

2.0
5.0
MATH395
Jun 8, 2025

He doesn't record lectures and goes fast during lecture. its all conceptual so its ez to feel lost in the class. he has an interesting way of writing his hw and exam questions. there's clicker questions during lecture based on accuracy which is annoying. also he doesnt post blank past exams. but ig hes very passionate abt teaching.

Lots of homework
Caring
Lecture heavy
5.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: A
Jun 15, 2025
Would take again

Very enthusiastic about the subject, and many complained-about-policies have been changed since past reviews here! Informational lectures, but lecture notes are a bit difficult to follow and lectures are not recorded. Clicker quizzes. Exams are rather difficult compared to homework but there are like 20 practice exams to get familiar with.

Participation matters
Amazing lectures
Test heavy
4.0
5.0
MATH395
Grade: A+
Jun 24, 2025
Would take again

Requires attendance, the tests are harsh but completely graded on a bell curve. The only complaint would be that the tests are so time constrained that you barely have enough time to find the clever insights needed for some more difficult questions.

2.0
4.0
STAT390
Grade: A-
Nov 26, 2025

This class is almost as much about memorization as it is about statistics. So many symbols and concepts are similar, but importantly not the same thing. Professor Marzban is charismatic and tries to explain things, but there's simply too much content for him to do a good job. You also learn R for your quiz section, and don't use it otherwise.

Get ready to read
Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
5.0
4.0
MATH390
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 9, 2025
Would take again

Unfortunately, I am just another engineering student who has to take this class to graduate. Despite all that, he has taught me many things about statistics in the limited amount of time I dedicated to this class. His classwork is not easy, but he tried his best to deliver and gave us opportunities to think. Amazing lecture notes, sometimes funny

Participation matters
Amazing lectures
Inspirational
1.0
5.0
STAT390
Grade: C+
Dec 13, 2025

Yes his class is difficult. Yes he makes his exams unnecessarily difficult though it is all content relevant to the course (none of that "it wasn't taught in class" stuff), however there is absolutely 0 curve, the class is structured similar to that of a weed-out class but for the flowers that have yet to bloom. Do not take this class

Inspirational
Hilarious
Caring
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

86%

Textbook Required

33%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 45 grades
Most common grades:
Not sure yet (15)
B (11)
A+ (8)
Grade Distribution
A(15)B(12)C(4)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(14)
Based on 62 reported grades
Not sure yet: 15
B: 11
A+: 8
A-: 8
Common Tags
Lots of homework (21)
Tough grader (19)
Get ready to read (18)
Lecture heavy (17)
Participation matters (16)
Test heavy (12)
Skip class? You won't pass. (8)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (7)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.86 avg change
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Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

STATMATH390

5.0

(1)

ST421A

3.0

(4)

STAT316

3.0

(1)

MATH390

2.7

(15)

STAT390

2.7

(50)
+4 more courses
Difficulty by Course

STATMATH390

5.0

ECON509

5.0

STAT200

4.7

MATH390

4.5

MATH395

4.4

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