2.1
Quality4.2
Difficulty8%
Would Retake116
Reviews8%
Would Retake
116
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
14
4
11
3
12
2
25
1
54
What Students Say
“Unhelpful during office hours and stared @ girls' chests”
MATH115 - 1.0 rating“This techer is a jerk and won't help you unless you're a hot girl”
MATH110 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
40%
Textbook Required
47%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.39 avg changeRatings by Course
COLLALG
5.0
(1)MATHMATH
4.0
(1)MA115
4.0
(1)MATH115
2.8
(32)COLLEGEALG
2.5
(4)Difficulty by Course
ALGEBRA
5.0
MATH20
5.0
MATH112
5.0
COLALG
5.0
COLLEGEALGRBRA
5.0
Reviews (116)
Horrible horrible horrible teacher. Don't even waste your time. He tries as hard as he can to make the class impossible. He cannot teach the material and he uses an outdated book that doesn't help matters. Class average is ridiculously low.
Insanely hard class. I went to every class, did all the work, and STILL failed the class. This guy doesn't know how to teach. Avoid this man if you want to live.
very easy professor.i got 118% in the course as as freshman and without passing the placement test.just went straight into it with never having calculus before.easy course with him and gives extra credit and grades on a curve.his reviews mirror the tets!
Listen up...I can't believe this guy is still teaching. I had him as a freshman in 1990. He sucked then and I'm sure he still sucks now. People actually left his final in tears. Take at your own risk.
horrible man, i dropped his class, he doesnt know how to teach, everyone was so confused in class. DONT TAKE HIM!
ridiculous. Sums up his class in one word. His test had nothing to do with the homework, they were extremly hard. When a teacher says, "I have been teaching for many years and i have never seen anyone teach math this way like I do," you know you
No Comments
if you hate math, then DO NOT ever, ever, ever take this class.
Horrible, horrible man. Horrible, horrible class. DO NOT TAKE this class for a grade because you won't get a very good one. He manages to pick the hardest and most confusing questions and and put all of them on your tests. Definitely do not recommend.
I hated this man's class. He doesn't even teach and makes his tests so hard it makes management science look easy. It was a waste of my time as well as the rest of the classes.
Doesn't teach very well at all. Tries to cram as much into one class as possible without really explaining it. If you struggle with Math do not try to take Calc with him.
Worst math teacher I have had.Crams as much as he possible can.Even on days of tests.He is always making stupid math mistakes.I swear he did not even graduate college with all the mistakes he makes.I hope he reads these comments, gets a clue, and leaves.
Prof. de la Lama was sooooooo great!Not only was he a great teacher, but he was really funny, and he liked just chatting with his students.He offers tons of extra credit, and curves his class.The only way not to pass his class is to not do work and not study!!!I got an A+ with barely any effort!
Worst grade I got in college. DO NOT any class with this man. I went through pre-calc in high school. There was no reason that I should have done so poorly in College Algebra. STAY AWAY FROM HIM!
if you remember this math from high school, don't worry, just read the book. never takes attendance, homework is extra credit...wouldn't suggest if you aren't good at math because he explains concepts in very untraditional ways...
The Llama stunk. This guy blatently checked out all the girls in the class. I mean he was obvious, especially when he would ask the students to come up to the front to get their tests then watch the girls return to their seats. What a pervo.
De la lama is such a nice guy! The down side is that he writes notes on the board so fast, by the time you copy down 2 problems, he's already erased it! You'll pass the class if you do well on the quizzes and even if you flunk the math tests(so has everyone else), he curves. And he doesn't take roll
No Comments
THE CLASS AVERAGE ON TESTS IS A F.NOW ANY ONE WHO HAS ANY COMMON SENSE KNOWS THAT AN AVERAGE OF AN F IS NOT ACCETABLE WHEN YOU ARE PAYING OVER 40 GRAND/YEAR FOR EDUCATION.THIS IS RIDICULOUS.I HAVEN'T LEARNED ONE THING.AND IM GOING TO HAVE REPEAT THIS CLASS AT A COMM. COLLEGE TO KNOW ANY COLLEGE ALG.
hard class. tests were nearly impossible. the average was usually a D or lower. However, the HW is extra credit and he does curve the tests and the class is out 1000 points so there is room for error. definately would suggest another teacher, but hes not that bad
THE LAMA
All I have to say is hahahahaha. This class is a joke. I dare you to enroll if you dont believe me. Expect your GPA to drop. Good luck.
this teacher is insane. he teaches like a psycho, confuses everything you already know about math. if you are slightly at all not good at math DONT TAKE THIS CLASS. you will fail! i got an A in algebra in high school and i have a D with the curve. good luck. ahh.
He's not that bad!! I'll you have to do is know the problems on the study guide, his test questions come straight from it. Plus he grades on a gigantic curve and HW is extra credit.
One of the hardest teachers I've ever taken. After studying with some of the smarter people I found in the class a few times a week in the library and still getting horrid grades, I dropped. I even met with him and talked about how to do better and tried to imply it but I still pulled D's. Ur warned
In the beginning i was really confused because he teaches in an unorganized way, but as the semester went on, i started to do better. Go to office hours; I didn't get half the stuff in class and he explained it way better one on one. The curve is huge though cuz everyone does bad.
He's a super nice guy and likes to help his students out. As long as you constantly keep up with the homework, which isn't that much, and then you will do well. Math is my worst subject, but I got an A in his class. He explains well!
If you are good at math, then this class is SO easy. I rarely went and got an A. The curves are HUGE, all hw is extra credit, and test questions come straight from the study guide. He gets a bad rep in class, but everyone says he is like a different person in his office hours because he is so helpful.
This techer is a jerk and won't help you unless you're a hot girl
Hey is a goo math professor but is fast and will not really answer your question in class, but if you go to his office hours he is willing to help you a much as he can... i think its a hard subject but if you get to know him he is a good person willing to help you out to understand the material
When I first checked ratemyprofessor.com for Prof. Delalama there were a lot of bad comments, however being a entering freshman I assumed the comments were coming from students who didn't try. I was wrong and I regret not listening. I don't doubt he isn't a smart man, but he cannot teach and he is very unreasonable. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS.
Horrible teacher. would nto help, and would only attempt if he thought u were good looking. jerk to students. hated him! do not take him!!!!
class is hard; material isn't but he teaches too fast, and tries to cram too much into each class. Was late a lot for class; so time was cut short. Test average was always an F and curve doesnt help that much b/c by end, everyone who is doing bad drops. HW is the only thing that can save your grade. understood everything but tests killed me!
Professor De La Lama is a nice person and I think a very smart person. However, he needs to slow down in class and really make sure the students are getting what he's trying to teach. He moves through the chapters too fast and avoids working examples all the way through so you know how to do everything. He should learn 2 teach better! Not recomm
De la llama is one of the worst teachers ive ever had. If you are a hot girl, take him cause you will at least get a B. He is unclear and unhelpful. His class curve is BS, my classes average was an F before the withdraw date. Tried to get him fired with the head of the math department but to no avail. Just dont take him.
worst teacher i've ever had, very unclear, doesn’t use numbers, tries to make himself sound very intelligent at the expense of actually teaching the material to the students. He’s also an ass, u ask him a question and he either ignores u completely or will make it a huge deal and re-say the exact same thing he just said. Avoid at all costs.
The worst teacher ever. He is very bad. The worst thing is that he is very unclear. And he looks at girls. He undresses them with his stare. I am serious. The worst math professor ever. All counselors know about this. I am surprised he still teaches there. Dont ever take him. Oh yeah and he's also a professor for a community college. Why take him?
I can't stand this guy! He moves through the material faster than anyone can understand and never thoroughly explains problems on the homework so students are left guessing. The grading is BS! The people who score the average according to the curve still have D's and F's somehow. Worst math teacher by far I've ever had!
The material isn't ridiculously hard, but if you don't keep up it's easy to fall behind and become lost. As long as you pay attention and do the work you'll be fine. He is always available for extra help and will clarify anything you're having trouble with. If you get placed into a class with him stick with it and pay attention.
uhhh are you a girl? he's sexest and he is the worst professor at USD. he should be fired!
No Comments
I know a way that we as students can unite to make this man leave. DO NOT ENROLL IN HIS CLASSES. PLEASE. The dean, head of math department, and advisors all admit he's the worst out there..but he's on a contract and they can't make him leave. BUT, if his classes have 0..he can't teach. Do everyone a favor in future semesters..DO NOT ENROLL. THANKS!
HE IS A GOOD TEACHER BUT AT TIMES CAN MAKE THINGS MORE COMPLICATING THEN THEY ARE BUT IF YOU DO THE H.W. ITS EXTRA CREDIT AND OVERALL AN EASY COURSE
There are two things that make me want to leave an amazing school like USD. Campus Parking and Carlos De La Lama. Granted it is boring material to teach. Carlos makes it miserable. He never makes eye contact and will never learn your name. Its almost insulting. He had a sub come in for one day and we all got 100 on the following quiz. He sucks!
He does make things a little more complicated but in the end he'll explain them. He's willing to help you and does make eye contact and does learn your name. Quizes and tests are reasonable if you're prepared.
worst math teacher ever, very unhelpful, he will leave u more confused, tests are hard because we dont cover the material in class, very boring DO NOT TAKE
If you take this class you better be an expert at Algebra or just stupid. He rambles on about math problems and if you have a question he will answer it in the longest way that doesn't even make sence. He is to smart to be teaching this level of math.
do not do not take calculus with this teacher, take the class another semester and get a better teacher. the test and quizzes are impossible unless you have already learned it, because he can only confuse you not teach you. the sipmlest question turns into 2 boards full of unnecessary numbers and letters. people dropped the class at the cutoff da
DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE WITH THIS PROFESSOR. If all other courses are filled, hold off until next semester to take the course with another professor. He is completely usesless in the classroom as well as in office hours. YOU GPA WILL SUFFER DRAMATICALLY... and he acts inappropriately towards females. Don't waste your tuition.
DONT TAKE THIS CLASS!! granted, he is a really nice guy, he just cant teach. he babbles on and makes it hard to understand, and he picks the hardest possible problems from the book to put on the tests. he does offer extra credit, but its not enough. he shouldnt be a college professor, and its a waste of time in this class.
The students that rated this professor below do not have a clue about what they are talking about. Prof de la Lama was extremely helpful and fair ALL semester long. He tailored the class material so that we could identify with it and he did not let any of us who went to his office hours leave without understanding. He does care about your learning
If you understand the what the book says you should be ok. He is a really nice guy and he definitely learns your name! He does give hard tests but you can do well in the class if u try hard.
absolute worst math teacher i have ever had. you do well in this class if you let the book teach you, other than that- good luck. he confuses you, instead of teaches you. out of a class of almost 30, 10 students or under would attend this class. many students just went to the math center instead of class because he is RIDICULOUS.
This class is ridiculous! I am really good at math and have never gotten anything lower than an A in any math course, even calculus AP, and I am struggling to pull off a B in this class. Tests are really dificult and he grades really harsh. I thought this class would be a breeze but I spend 5 hours studying for tests and still Cs!
All those negative comments are from students that were just trying to get an easy grade. SPOILED. I took this course and he was the first professor that actually taught me math. I learned more math this semester than ever. He cares, works with you in office hours and prepares you for tough exams. Those that failed just didn't try enough. Too BAD.
I agree with the last rater. His tests are hard, but he gives you practice tests for each one and puts many of those problems on the test. If you don't pass its because you just don't study. He is REALLY helpful in office hours. I have taken this class twice before and with him I learned more than anyone else and got an A-. Yes he can teach.
This prof is extremely helpful, works with you for as long as you want. I learned more math now than in all HS. Students that don't go to class are the ones that don't pass. He teaches you and cares about you learning. Don't be fooled by the negative ratings. I recommend him time and again!
The first day I walked in class he was completely drenched in sweat and dripped all over my syllabus.After that episode he preceded to snort in class with his nose so you couldnt focus. During the midterm rather than staying to answer questions he answered his cellphone and didn't come back. Unhelpful during office hours and stared @ girls' chests.
The worst teacher I have ever had in all my years of schooling. His lectures were pointless and he went really fast. He has graders grade quizzes and hw! I've never had a teacher give back a quiz and then take it back to lower the score because "his graders made a mistake and less points should have been given." Well, this happens in Carlos' class!
I have never really enjoyed math and having de la lama made it worse. He is extremely unclear when he teaches and makes everything super complicated when it doesn't need to be. I would not recommend taking him for a GE requirement.
Most likely the worst teacher I have ever had. I've never struggled with math before and this class made me miserable. Pretty much ruined my semester and made me loathe anything involving math. Thanks de la Lama!
Lama was very unclear and kind of confusing in class, but he is a very nice guy and very helpful in office hours. He cares about his students and will help as much as he can. There are a lot of grades and homework is extra credit. Study and you will be fine.
All those that say that he is the worst don't know what they are talking about. I use to hate math, but he really helped me learn. He REALLY helps you a ton in office hours. He gives you practice exams that are very similar to the real exams, he explains things over and over until you get it. He is the best math instructor I have ever had. Do study
I am not cut out for math and the lectures alone just did not suffice. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS! He's beyond helpful, he will literally help you until that lightbulb goes on. He only collects homework every couple weeks, DON'T let it snowball. He gives practice tests that are really helpful. Tests are really tough, but he curves.
He Curves!!! I thought I was doing horrible in the class but turns out he curves like crazy. I really enjoyed his class, I am really surprised by his really low reviews. He likes to joke around and he's really goofy, but he is actually pretty good at teaching. He shows you why things are they way they are instead of just how to do them.
He's really nice and will answer any questions you have but sometimes it's really hard to understand him. Especially when you HATE math. All the homework is online and is easy because it gives you help but it does not match the 3 midterms and tests he gives because his are so hard. But he does curve, which sort of helps.
He was helpful during office hours but it was very difficult to understand him. He spoke to the class as if we were all on his level of understanding which was a problem since none of us were. The homework is easy because it is all online but it isn't helpful since the tests do not match them at all. There extra credit available and he curves.
If you get a bad grade in this class its because you didnt go or you didnt listen. His tests are exactly the problems he does in class but then nothing like the homework. Tests are pretty hard but he uses a huge curve that its so easy to get a good grade you just have to do better than the average.
Super confusing lectures, only understandible if you already know the material. Helpful in office hrs. Tets very hard. Do homework ahead of time and thoroughly, qs are on test. Do practice tests well. Dont reconmend. He complicates things.
Never failed a class before; Failed this class. Hard tests, he doesn't teach anything, just makes things complicated. Had to miss some classes for medical reasons, and got no leniency. Met with him, got a tutor, did the homework... failed. If you like to teach yourself, take this class, otherwise...
Worst teacher ive ever had, I got a C, ive never worked so hard for a C, did all homework, went to all office hours and got a tutor. Only take him if youre good at math, or have taken the class before.
I had to withdraw from this class because it was too unreasonable and unnecessary. There are way too many homework problems to do that have close to nothing to do with the things you will be tested on. Attendance is not mandatory, but if you want a good grade it is.
Prof. Lama is an amazing math teacher who genuinely cares for his students. The subject of the course is difficult, but he teaches the subject very well. You also have to put in effort, which he notices and will help you out with extra credit, giving you extra time to turn stuff in... He's a really easy A, as long as you put in a little effort.
This is a super hard class with lots of homework, especially if your not a math person, but he is so understanding and willing to help. Go see him at office hours. He is a really nice professor who understands math is not everyones strong suit and wants to see his students do well.
lots of homework. class is tough, but such a nice man. go see him at office hours, he is beyond helpful and wants everyone to do good.
His class is not very easy, but it is easy to do well in. The whole class is curved, and there is a total of six exams. He does give an insane amount of homework but it's not that tough. During office hours he's very helpful and also during class. He cares about his students and wants them to do well. I highly recommend this professor.
de la Lama cares about his students. The curve is insane, so it's not hard do to well as long as you are doing above average. The homework is tedious and he makes you write it all out in a specific way for credit. Offers extra credit on all three midterms, super helpful.
Very nice teacher and helpful, and the tests and quizzes are pretty fair and he curves them a lot. The only downside with him is he gives crazy amounts of homework, he gives you online homework but he expects you to write out every question and answer to that and turn it in which is frustrating and a waste of time.
Math 115, most absurd math class ever. I believe 36 Students were there first day, at finals 16 left and I bet only 8 passed. I got a D, despite spending 10 hours a week outside of class and $3k on a tutor. Then took Calc at a CC and got an A, just think about that for a second. Nice guy, helpful at office hours but just too hard.
Probably the hardest math class I have ever taken. The tests and quizzes are nothing like what he lectures on. Our class began with over 40 and now half way through the semester we are down to 18. He is super helpful during office hours but his class is definitely challenging.
If u want to fail then take this class, will go on and on talking about definitions but never actually teach how to solve the material. took calculus in high school and got an A yet I can't get a grade above a 50% on a test/quiz. Also wouldn't make an appointment with me, instead told me to go to a downtown office... um no thanks and hella hw
Horrible man. Very very hard class. Math majors at my school couldn't help me. Lots of homework and impossible exams. Lecture never made any sense. I ended with a 30% but he passed me. Only good side is that he's a funny guy - we had fun in office hours.
Very very hard class. Math majors at my school couldn't help me. Lots of homework and impossible exams. Lecture never made any sense. I ended with a 30% but he passed me. Only good side is that he's a funny guy - we had fun in office hours.
Soooo painful. It hurt me physically to be in this class. I (somehow) understood what he was teaching in class, but the way he explained it made zero sense whatsoever. He clearly knows way more about math than we ever will, but the level of knowledge he has isn't the problem, the problem is how absurd he is. Grading is completely arbitrary.
Probably the worst professor i have ever had. STAY AWAY, he is beyond awful. He expects the textbook and website to teach us because he is incapable of teaching. Averages on exams are always low but doesn't take it as a hint to teach better. This class is so physically painful, beware of him, he is not caring, helpful, or supportive in any way.
He mainly uses the online website for practice tests and homework. I found the practice tests to be excessively long, and it would have some problems that we did not even cover in class. Homework problems were very tedious and time-consuming.
Just because someone is good at a subject doesn't mean they are good at teaching it. The things we review in class have no correlation to the homework, quizzes, or test. The lectures can be extremely frustrating because he makes the math so much harder and confusing than it needs to be. Unless you can self teach, don't take this class. :(
I highly recommend you DO NOT take this class especially if you are not prepared to teach yourself calculus as the teacher does a very poor job at doing his job. This has been the most frustrating class I have ever taken..
I would recommend if you are an independent student. I rarely went to class and just did the homework and exams on my own and it was really nice. However, if you do require closer attention and help in math, I dont recommend taking it because it is a very independent course load. He was a really nice and I felt comfortable asking for help.
I dont recommend this class if you arent an independent learner. While it is possible to do well, you must be prepared to invest A LOT of time on online homework, quizzes, and tests. I have spent OVER 3 hours doing online tests multiple times. I personally thought his lectures werent helpful, but he is surprisingly helpful during office hours.
Sets very unrealistic expectations for his class. Only the first 4 exams account for 10% of the final grade. Not the most helpful. I wouldn't recommend him to anyone
Carlos was not a good teacher and only did lecture that was boring and confusing. Worst professor yet.
terrible
terrible. just terrible. Made everything 100x harder than needed to be, and lectures were boring. showing up to class wasn't that necessary because everything was on MyMathLab. lenient on hw due dates. quizzes were all on online on mymathlab which theoretically is good, until you realize that there is no partial credit. do NOT take. barely passed.
You will have to teach yourself everything. He never actually teaches anything during his lectures and the homework is only helpful because it provides examples. He explains things in a way that makes everything harder. Don't take this class.
he is not that hard if you actually try or show that you are putting just a bit of effort in this class. i've taken multiple of his classes and if you engage and go to his office hours, he will help with hw and lectures and will engage in meaningful conversation. with his class, you just cant be lazy. and most of the people in his classes are...
Would not take this class again. If you get this teacher go pick another teacher for the class because he is unhelpful, not caring to students, loads his tests so much that you cant even finish them and then also doesnt make them shorter when student complain. TAKE ANOTHER TEACHER
Professor de la Lama is not the best professor. His lectures can be unclear, and the material covered in lectures and for hw and exams is all different. He uses Pearson, which I think is a terrible site to do hw and quizzes on. However, he is a nice person and will engage in a conversation with you if you seem interested.
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS! He is the worst teacher I have ever had and even though he is very clearly a nice person, his class is awful. His lectures never make sense and they never line up with the homework. I have put in so much work outside of class and I am just praying I pass... he really is that bad.
Don't take. Had to drop
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS. The worst person I have ever met in my life. Horrible horrible horrible tests, everyone fails, so unfair, does not teach the material, SO MUCH HOMEWORK SOOO MUCH 10-20 hours a week, the worst class I have ever taken in my life. fire him- its been like this for decades and the school has done nothing.
Whatever you do, DO NOT TAKE ANY CLASSES WITH CARLOS DE LA LAMA!!! What he teaches in class is not what the book teaches. There is a lot of homework, and his tests are almost impossible, everyone fails the tests and there is no curve or corrections until the end. I had to get a tutor and spend so many hours outside class to even pass. JUST DONT!
70% of our class dropped or failed
To be honest, he is a genuine person and tries to teach us, but his teaching style is lacking in multiple aspects. One thing I found to be most difficult was the amount of homework ranging from 12-15 hours a week at the least and the tedious way for students to do the homework. Sample midterms also looked nothing like the tests.
Save yourself do not take this class. The grade was all tests and he simply doesn't teach. He bases his classes only on math theory rather than application, but he only tests on application. It was impossible I have no idea how I ended up with a B- I fully thought I was going to fail the entire semester.
I have no clue how I passed this class, DO NOT TAKE. There is a stupid amount of long homework assignments (3 hours per assignment) that were assigned at least 2 a week. The tests are hard and don't reflect taught material. De La Lama is really a nice guy, but this class sucked.
He is an awful teacher, who has no clue how to teach. He makes up his own math. He is accessible and helpful in office hours but you will get an awful grade regardless. Do not take his classes if you aren't SUPER SUPER good at math.
horrible just dont take
Creepy guy honestly...he got reported to the school so not sure if he's still a teacher here. Very rude, especially to women. Lectures don't connect to the homework or test content whatsoever. Avoid for your sanity!
This course wasn't awful, but I can see why over half the class dropped. The workload is hefty and frustrating at times (along with his study guides making little sense), but as long as you show up to class and stay on top of your work, you'll be fine. I also highly recommend communicating with him on any issues because he does want you to succeed.
I struggled a lot in this class, but found that using unstuck AI alongside the textbook really helped with study prep. The homework is very time-consuming, and the exams don't seem to match the material covered. Overall, a challenging class, but manageable with the right resources.
So rude. He does NOT know how to teach other human beings, much less have respectful communication with them. His study-guides are ZERO help for exams, often having nothing to do with the actual test content. Forget emailing him for help or missed work, he does not care about you. DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER if you value your sanity.
Actual class took -254 - took final- had zero clue on anything. Not even god could save me from this class.
Would not take again - too much hw - which doesn't do anything for your grade - not worth the stress from the teacher - had to learn everything by myself - doesn't respond to emails - crams a section the class before an exam - which he'll probably add to the exam. Had zero clue what he was teaching.
Briefly skims over whats going to be on Exams the period before
Lots of homework that was only worth a small percentage of your overall grade. Very test-heavy, and what was on the study guide never seemed to be what was tested on. The class had a high dropout rate and always had a low average on tests. Not necessarily a bad guy, but a bad teacher: Would not take again.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
40%
Textbook Required
47%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.39 avg changeRatings by Course
COLLALG
5.0
(1)MATHMATH
4.0
(1)MA115
4.0
(1)MATH115
2.8
(32)COLLEGEALG
2.5
(4)Difficulty by Course
ALGEBRA
5.0
MATH20
5.0
MATH112
5.0
COLALG
5.0
COLLEGEALGRBRA
5.0