2.5
Quality4.4
Difficulty35%
Would Retake114
Reviews35%
Would Retake
114
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
114 total ratings5
34
4
8
3
5
2
7
1
60
What Students Say
“If you have a choice - don't take this teacher”
BIOL3204 - 3.0 rating“AVOID her at all costs”
BIO3204 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
57%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.63 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL3104
5.0
(3)BIOL4207
2.7
(29)BIOL3204
2.6
(26)BIOL2203
2.6
(25)BIO3204
2.5
(17)Difficulty by Course
HISTO
5.0
BIOL4207
4.6
BIOL3204
4.5
BIO3204
4.5
BIOL3207
4.4
Reviews (113)
She is the best professor I have had in biology courses! The way she teaches in lectures is so clear, and understandable. She goes out of her way to drill concepts in your brain. Highly recommend her.
She is awesome! I want all my classes with her. Have anatomy with her right now, she is extremely helpful and very fun.
Carol is an excellent professor. Her passion for neuroscience and embryology really shines through and is very inspiring. Her notes are easy to follow and she is very helpful outside of class as well.
I can't believe all the positive feedback. Carol is very high-tempered and picks favourites. She made inappropriate remarks and embarassed me in front of the whole class. She never makes things clear. Bad teacher overall.
I had a good experience with this professor back in 2010. However, this time around she was horrible. Made inappropiate comment and embarrassed many (including myself) in front of the class. Expectations on assignments weren't clear and work was poorly evaluated.
Carol does not really make her expectations for assignments clear. She also lacks tact on how to explain the mistakes done by you. She is a great prof!, but really needs to learn to talk respectfully with her students, especially if they are struggling.
WORST prof ever!! literally fails you, throws you out of her class laughing at you. she does not have personal courtesy, very rude. however, she does well pretending to be nice. assignments are a joke, long and boring.
One of the worst teachers at MRU. She is rude and expects/ wants people to fail. Even if you pass the final lab exam she will make sure you get the lowest grade possible and considers you unworthy of anything else. Avoid her at all cost!! If you like feeling crappy about yourself take carol class
From my experience, Carol is very selective with which students she favors. This is reflected in the way she addresses students and in her helpfulness towards them, but NOT in her grading. She liked me, so I personally had a fantastic time in her class. Study the material and prepare for lecture and she'll treat you right. Super clear slides ¬es
AVOID her at all costs! worst prof you will simply deal with. really rude and awkward tough marker.
Carol was incredibly helpful - offering the entire class one on one scope time to better understand tissues and systems. She was very fair in her marking and letting you know what you needed to do to get a good grade. It's a challenging class but she does a great job.
Carol prepares you well for your 3rd and 4th year courses. She is very clear on what she will test and she gives lots of helpful study tips. This class takes a lot of work, and if you put that work in, you will do well. She is incredibly helpful and she wants you to succeed.I would definitely take another course with Carol.
Carol is rude and play favoritism, but most of us can live with that. We're not here to make friends with prof. Her grading scheme, however, is seriously problematic. Last semester, fail rate was 95%, 50% this year Most are studious 3rd year students. Group of students are talking to dean. A lot of students switching to CMB major due to this.
Avoid her. Seriously. Yes she is helpful and her teaching is decent but her marking is a whole other issue. Her expectations are way too high - I know that this is a 3rd year course and is really only taught in med school, but she HAS to realize that her students have a lot of other core (emphasis) courses to focus on as well. Screwed over my gpa.
She's ok. Not a prof I'd personally want to have ever again. Its our 3rd year, grading brings the gpa down - spent most of my time on histology, not worth it. All of my 4 other courses were affected. Has to stop being so picky with every detail. Very discouraging when your plans for future don't seem likely because of the way this course is taught.
If you have a choice - don't take this teacher.
All the horror stories about Carol are FALSE they are from a bunch if immature students who still need to be spoon feed! Get off your but and do your own work. Carol wants nothing from you but to try and try hard she marks things and gives feed back quickly. And replies to emails instantly. She is an amazing prof who wants you to succeed!
She was a really hard marker, she just read off of her powerpoint for the lectures. Literally had to teach myself the whole course. She expects that at least half of her class will have to re take the course, and she is okay with that. Not every helpful and she moves very quickly.
The class itself is difficult. There is so much to memorize which is really hard when you have 4 other classes. But I thought she was a really good prof. She tells you exactly what will be on the test. She went out of her way to help us learn by giving us worksheets, in class jeopardy etc. I would definitely recommend her.
The course is heavy when it comes to what you need to know and very specific. Although Carol is great at answering questions and clarifying if you are confused and gives many opportunities to succeed, its whether or not you will take those opportunities.
The class itself is really difficult, LOTS of memorization but Carol gives you ALL the tools you need to succeed, you won't pass this class by not using your textbook alongside her powerpoints. She wants to see her students succeed and is always willing to answer questions. Do your part and you should get good marks.
Put in the work andyou get the marks. Histo isn't that bad. Once you have a bad attitude towards the course, you're already less motivated to study/go to class. If you're struggling, go see her. She might be scary sometimes but she will help you if you try your best. She will NOT spoon feed you. Med/Grad school isn't any easier so it's good prep.
she is a really good teacher, its a tough course but she definitely explains exactly what will be tested
If you will like Carol depends on if she likes you. I took a couple of courses with her years ago. I still have nightmares in the way I was treated in her classes and was compelled to post. She is rude, can embarrass a student in front of the whole class, not helpful, tough marker, and may tell you to leave your program...
At first Carol was the harshest prof I knew, HOWEVER I gained respect for her by the end of the semester. Read your textbook, complete homework, and study hard, then if you have a question she'll sit down and help you. Be a mature student, being lazy and making up excuses for failing grade gets you nowhere. She'll help if you show your commitment.
Carol expects her students to be responsible adults, which is fair, but sometimes her articulation of this made me uncomfortable to approach her. I found the course disorganized and difficult to follow, and unfortunately although I worked hard to get a good grade, I did not enjoy the course and felt that I taught myself it.
The class itself is quite hard. It requires you to always be on top of the material because I feel like there is no catching up if you are behind. Carol is very nice because she offers lots of help. She might seem intimidating but she wants her students to succeed. Her test are fair, make sure you answer all lab and PowerPoint questions (for test).
Good class, great content, and quite difficult. Be sure you stay on top of the material at all times. No breaks! My only issue is with Dr. Armstrong herself - she is very terse and impolite. When you respond to her, be sure to use please's and thank you's otherwise she'll call you out as rude in front of the class. #hypcocrite
A gruff lady but an awesome prof. Recognizes if a student cares and is putting in effort and matches it- did not have sympathy for students that weren't putting in the required effort. Has taken the hardest course in the science program and made it interesting to learn.
I really enjoyed this class with Carol. Embryo was quite intimidating coming into it but if you stay on top of everything or at least dont fall too behind you should be okay. Carol is very caring and understanding but you have to put in the effort. She also made embryo interesting and invited people to be excited about it.
I have nothing but amazing things to say about Carol. She is wonderful, I loved taking histology in Winter 2019 with her. If you put in the effort you will succeed, otherwise, you won't because this course is difficult. I 1000000% recommend taking histology with Carol if you can.
Will email and harass students over missing students. Has been seen yelling and screaming at students over attendance. Uses her position as a professor to bully and single out students she does not like and will grade unfairly as a result. Overall horrible professor and person
Carol is an amazing prof. She makes learning an extremely hard subject very fun. She is very sweet and cares about all her students. She will do anything she can to help you succeed as long as you are willing to put the work in, as this is a very tough 3rd year class. Carol is definitely one of my favourite profs at MRU, I would highly recommend
You will be tested on material that was not covered in class. The class was made extremely tough for no reason. I am now a medical graduate in residency. Failed her class but got 96% in histology in medical school ? That should say it all. Avoid if possible.
I LOVE Carol and am so excited to take future courses with her. She will do anything she can to help you out and get you where you need to be if you show that you are putting effort into the course. Anatomy isnt easy, but she tried to make it enjoyable and not drag on too much.
This class is very interesting but Carol makes you feel dumb after the semester. You need to be great at presenting in class and your paper must be flawless to even get a B in this class. Even if you attend class, you wont get full marks on participation just because you don't speak in class. ALL VISUAL LEARNERS WILL FAIL THIS CLASS
I am shocked by the ratings on here - Carol is a skilled prof with a natural aptitude for lecturing. She is easily the best prof I have ever had, I highly recommend her. She has no tolerance for laziness because she wants her students to succeed. Carol has clear, fair expectations for students. Put the work in, you'll get the grade you deserve!
Carol is a gem. She is very incorporated in helping out students who are willing to work hard to succeed. The tests are tough but manageable with the plethora of study resources available.
Coming into this class I had heard a lot of negative things about Carol, however, she is a super caring person! If you show you are willing to put work into the course, she will do her best to help you succeed. This course is not easy, make sure to put effort into everything. Not caring about "one weekly assessment" definitely added up in the end.
She is the only professor available for certain courses :/. Just an overall horrible experience with her classes. She expects an impossible amount of time to go into studying, especially for students with other commitments. She rushes over things in lectures and expects students to learn very complex concepts on their own.
It was a privilidge to be in Carol's class. She is very genuine, caring, and knowledgable.I had the opportunity to be in Carol's class for both histology and embryology, and even though they were challenging courses Carol made them some of the most enjoyable of my degree. I highly recommend taking a class with Carol if you have the chance.
Carol makes me excited to learn! Ive had the privilege of taking Anatomy, Histology and Embryology with her. Carol cares about her students, and if you are opened with her she is very understanding. Carol gets EXCITED about the topic she teaches which gives her student the desire to learn. These courses require work but are interesting and worth it
Very tough class and workload, mental health went down the drain
Carol needs to get off of her high horse and be more empathetic towards students. She does not care about mental health or student success and constantly tells the class how disappointed she is because "we all suck". She complains that her life is more difficult than any of ours and that we have no excuse to do poorly. So much work just for a GNED.
Avoid this prof at all costs. You WILL regret taking any of her classes especially if you are not majoring in her field of study. You could say very hard/borderline unfair marker. Likes to hand out zero's, no part marks and expect to be penalized big time for things other professors wouldn't even bat an eye at.
I would avoid Carol at all costs. She has no regard for your mental health or well-being. She is not flexible at all, and overall has a disgusting attitude to you if you're not doing well in her class. Super condescending as well, and makes you hate everything that has to do with Histology.I don't think she should continue being a professor.
Hands down the WORST prof I have ever experienced. I genuinely cant believe she is still employed by the school, if anyone were to audit her emails they would see how outrageously arrogant & extremely condescending she is behind closed doors. She is a bully who gets off on humiliating her students, and has had an enormous toll on my mental health.
Carol is a lovely professor. She is caring and kind, and when I struggled in embryo for the first quiz, I emailed her and told her about my struggles and she helped me turn my F to a possible A-. I took Human Anatomy with Valentine, Histology with Ruth, and so this is the first time I have had Carol - she knows her stuff and expects you to, too.
Carol is by far the WORST professor I have ever had. I swear she takes pleasure over failing students. I have been essentially begging her to help me with various questions and concerns and she either doesn't respond or tells me she doesn't care. She also loves to shame you for asking questions in class. NEVER take her classes.
Carol sees through lazy students and I don't think that certain students enjoy that. If you prove that you are an effective student Carol would probably take a bullet for you. She is one of the most empathetic, caring profs I've had and it has been a privilege to take 3 of her hardest classes. I wouldn't be the student I am today without Carol.
I've never had a professor that cares so little for student success. I put a lot of hard work and dedication into every assignment I've ever done, yet she makes me feel incompetent and stupid and has made me cry, all over a gned.
Carol has high expectations and wants you to work hard for your grades, but her classes have made me a better student. Carol would do ANYTHING for her students, but you need to make sure you put in the work and explore questions on your own first. Carol can be intimidating, but I promise you, put in the effort and she will reciprocate.
Hardest class I've ever taken. The people who give her a good rating are most likely her favorites. She is very picky in her marking and pretends to care about others' mental well being when she really doesn't. It's too bad that she's the only one who teaches this class. No matter how hard I studied, I still didn't do well.
Do the work and youll do well. Listen to Carols instructions. If youre lazy and dont want to do the work then you wont get an A. I loved this course with Carol and she really cares about her students
Didn't enjoy her teaching style. She wasnt prompt on feedback and doesn't seem to be willing to help if you have a question. Doesn't seem to care about her students either. Only take her if you absolutely have to. Lectures are good but get ready to have unreal expectations on exams.
I have no words to describe how rude this professor is.
If you are driven and a hard worker, you will do well in Carol's classes. If you only do enough to just get by, good luck. Carol has taught me more than any other professor I've ever had. She is amazing. When I was struggling she met with me individually to figure out why I was not succeeding. Embryo is not for the faint of heart, but it's the best
For everyone who says they love Carol, they did not see her bad side. I am not a lazy student, I studied all day every day for her course and still did not do well. She appears to care about her students until they actually have a problem then she tells you to drop out of her class. She is incredibly rude to students, and should not be a professor.
Carol is incredibly rude. She doesnt care about her students successes unless they are one of her favourites.
Carol does not care about any students and does not teach at all. Get prepared to teach yourself the entire course and then get terrible grades on everything. I would not say I am a bad student and have studied more than ever for this class and it did not help at all. Carol should not be a professor she is the worst prof I have ever encountered.
She depleted my mental health and made me cry on the daily.
She was my 13th reason...
Carol cares about her smarter students and will just leave you on your own maybe even push you down the well if youre struggling. she doesnt treat students fairly and does not understand the fact that people learn differently.
Carol is a brilliant professor and a wonderful person. She has HIGH expectations and is not afraid to push you to achieve things you didn't think you could do. She is available when you reach out but doesn't just give out answers. So if you're not willing to put the effort in, you won't succeed. It's a HARD class, but suck it up cause so is life.
Carol is one of the best professors in MRU. She really does help her students and guide them to better their learning. But, she doesn't give straightforward answers to questions and rather provides guidance. She teaches two of the hardest classes in MRU so yes the classes are hard but doable when sufficient work is put in!
She's very particular in how she runs her class. She will lecture and send you to the book. If you ask a question 8/10 times you will be told to look at the book. Extremely intimidating woman, can be extremely rude to students when she's in a mood. if possible, AVOID AVOID AVOID.
Carol is brutal in her expectations. Be prepared to get docked marks for every little thing she can find at a fault. You have to really work hard just to be able to pass and she's not afraid to call you out on something and humiliate you for it. My mental health went down the drain during this semester.
Be prepared to work the hardest you've every worked and only barely pass. She has clear favorites, and if you aren't part of this exclusive group you will be barely passing. Ensure that you are using the textbook, as she will say things in lecture that contradict the textbook and will mark what she said wrong on the test.
A monster of a course designed to make you fail and redo it over and over again, so that they can make more money off you. Did not understand why they had to make it so hard to pass other than what I just mentioned above. I put in a LOT of effort but she was hard to please... and yeah those group games are a joke! designed to help you fail as well.
Carol teaches hard, content heavy courses but makes it easy to follow along and digest the information. If you put in the effort and respect Carol and the course, the energy will be reciprocated from her. She is very transparent about what is going to be tested so you can always be prepared. There is a lot of content so be ready to put in work!!
This was probably the most difficult but rewarding class I have taken at MRU. You will get out of this course what you put into it. Look over PPT's->read textbook->fill out lab manual BEFORE lecture/lab (prep is key). Carol and Stacey are experts on the topic so ask meaningful questions (not on simple facts you can find in the textbook on your own)
I took Carol's class two times because she makes it early impossible to pass. It's a content heavy course and she squeezes so much into a single lecture that there's barely time for questions. She doesn't answer questions directly, and does not care about student's mental health. If you miss a test, you get a zero. You don't get ti make it up. 0/10
Worst prof of MRU - hands down. She does not deserve to be a prof teaching so many exclusive courses in MRU. Others should be given a chance to teach her classes. What happens when she retires or takes leave? I absolutely dread taking any class with her. Waiting for the day when some other prof will teach her histo, embryo and neuro classes. Avoid!
Do not take Carol for any course - avoid her as much as possible, if you want to keep your sanity. Please I beg of you - take anybody but her and you will be better off, trust me! She doesn't care about her students and makes the courses way more difficult than they should be. Avoid her if you have the slightest respect for yourself.
If learn to get to know Carol, you will do great. It's due to the fact that Carol will treat you like an actual human adult instead of a student.
Eagerly waiting for the day when she retires and/or some other prof teaches her anatomy. histology, embryology, and neuroscience courses! I already envy the students who won't be forced to take a course with her in the near future.
Don't Walk, RUN AWAY and as fast as you can. Don't say I didn't warn you! People here who are saying they got an A+ in her course are outrightly lying - its simply not possible the way it is structured, no matter how much of a pet you are of hers. The course is designed to make you fail, leave alone getting an A+.
It almost feels like she actually wants her students to not succeed. If she doesn't like you she will make it hard for you to be even get a B. I studied hard and always compared notes/answers with people doing better but for some reason her marking scheme is different per student. NO COMPASSION AT ALL! Take one of her classes and see for yourself.
Carol is by far the most caring professor at MRU. She wants her students to succeed and it shows. She is always available outside of class by email or in person. The course is tough and requires a good amount of legwork but Carol is there every step of the way to make sure you're succeeding. Give the course your all and the rest will all work out.
No matter how hard you try you will never get a good grade, unless you are one of her favorites. Run away from any class that she teaches. Praying hard that she takes a sabbatical next year or retires for good which is even better.
I agree whole heartedly with the previous comment. She should go on sabbatical or retire to spare the next batch of students from the misery of taking her classes. Extremely difficult marker - has no sympathy for the students. wants everybody to fail so that they can take the course over and over again.
Do not recommend taking any class with her. Find another prof or consider postponing to the next semester or year but do not enroll in her class unless you love to have a mental breakdown. She is brutal in her marking and will consider you worthless if you are not one of her favourites.
Refrain from taking any course with Carol if you care about your mental health and well being. Too bad they don't have better profs out there. Hope she goes on leave so they can find other profs to teach her course and stop treating her as something special who they can't live without. I am sure there are way better profs in the area.
These last few comments are brutal, Carol is great. She can be tough - she teaches tough courses, plus she knows what you can achieve & she'll push you to do so. This is the prof you look back on and wish you could thank 5/10/20 years down the road. I failed my first course with her, but I've also taken every course she offers BECAUSE of her.
The 5 star reviews are from white people because Carol is white. So remember when taking this class if you are a minority good lick
Carol, please go on sabbatical next academic year. I need to take Histology next Fall and I really really really don't want to take it with you. At the beginning, I wanted to do Neuroscience and Embryology but since you are the only person teaching, I won't be taking them unless of course you go on sabbatical. Even better, please retire!!!
Don't take her even if she is your last resort. Overall a terrible experience.
Avoid her at all costs. Not worth your time and mental health. probably the worst class I took in MRU and I sincerely hope I don't have to take her ever again.
Avoid taking her class at all costs. You will have no clue where and why she is deducting all those marks. She doesn't want you to succeed, unless you are her one of her favourites. No matter how hard you try, she will have a fixed grade for you. There is no motivation to do well in her class. Just hope she goes on sabbatical next year.
Not super friendly, hard to approach. She's a smart person, knows her stuff and able to clearly explain concepts but honestly what's the point if you're going to be rude to your students. Always felt uneasy and anxious in her classes.
I would rather die than take any class with this individual. I had a terrible terrible experience taking her class and would suggest to folks thinking of taking her class, to stay away as far as you can from her. She is out there to ruin your grades with her incomprehensible marking. She is very unapproachable if you need help. Stay far far away!
While registering, if you see any course that has her name as the instructor on it, immediately scroll away. Do NOT, and I repeat DO NOT take any course with her. The rumour is that she may be going on sabbatical this year, so good luck, there may be other (and I am sure far better) options out there. I would be OK with literally ANYBODY, but her!
Sabbatical it is this year... Please don't come back. The future students will thank you for it.
People who don't like Carol are people who don't want to work for their marks.She is always available and wants her students to succeed. If you try to coast through her class and not care, she can see right through that. She treats her students like adults (it's almost like we ARE adults)and if you care,she will help you get to where you need to be
I purposely take classes that she teaches just to have a class with her again. Very sad she is leaving for a sabbatical next year and I won't be able to take more of her courses. She may be tough sometimes but that comes when you teach tough courses. It teaches us that there isn't always an easy way out. I respect Carol very very highly.
Carol is a very good professor and wants to make sure her students are the best they can be, meaning she has very high expectations. She is willing to work with people and makes sure you understand. The courses she teaches are difficult courses, so you need to put in a lot of effort, and she knows if you don't. I'll always recommend Carol
Avoid if you can.
carol is a good prof and really does care about her students as long as she sees you're really trying. It's a tough class and she designed it to help you as much as possible. While she's a good prof overall, she does play her favorites so good luck not being one of them. her marking and quizzes reflect the mood she's in and if you're her favorite.
Avoid.
Don't walk, run away for your dear life if you value it at all. Took one class with her and it was nothing short of a nightmare. So glad its over and I don't have to take classes with her anymore. Enjoy your sabbatical, Carol and thankfully I don't have to see you before you get back.
Never again
Taking one course with her was enough to steer clear of any further courses with her. She's gone on sabbatical which means I am not forced to take anymore of her classes ever again! yayy, I am excited not to see her for my final year! The sabbatical couldn't have come at a better time. Wish she took a permanent sabbatical and never showed up again!
Avoid, avoid, avoid! Overall, a terrible and extremely painful experience. Almost fell short of a mental breakdown. Never again.
Word of advice to all Bio Majors (except final years - yoohoo you don't have to take her classes ever again) in the A&P concentration: Please plan your courses in advance while she is on sabbatical this year, so that you can avoid taking any of her courses when she gets back in the next academic year.
Avoid this course if possible. It's extremely difficult and the professor provides little support. However, Unstuck study could be a helpful study tool to get through it.
She teaches extremely hard classes so you can't not apply yourself and do the work and expect an easy grade She always puts 100% into classes and her lectures and holds her students to a high standard. If you put the work in and are genuinely interested shes great but maybe isn't right for the people that just want an easy pass and don't care.
If you put in the work– so will she. Really cares but can see right through people that are lazy and don't wanna work.
Stay away, rather run far far away from her. No matter how hard you work on her courses, you will get the same bad grade since she establishes her biases very early on in the course. Her lectures are boring as hell and her grading is well, the less said the better. This academic year would have been a great opportunity to avoid her.
She is coming back from sabbatical this year. feeling terribly bad for all those who are forced to take her class for lack of any other options out there. I will say a silent prayer for you. Try hard to avoid taking her classes.
Avoid taking any course with her, as much as possible. Seeing her students do well is not in her best interests.
Avoid taking any classes with this person. She is the worst one out there. She doesn't want to see her students succeed.
Zip, Ziltch, Nada!!! Never ever again.
She's back!!! Avoid her classes if at all possible. Still continue to have PTSD even after graduating.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
57%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.63 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL3104
5.0
(3)BIOL4207
2.7
(29)BIOL3204
2.6
(26)BIOL2203
2.6
(25)BIO3204
2.5
(17)Difficulty by Course
HISTO
5.0
BIOL4207
4.6
BIOL3204
4.5
BIO3204
4.5
BIOL3207
4.4