2.6
Quality4.3
Difficulty15%
Would Retake86
Reviews15%
Would Retake
86
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
17
4
15
3
10
2
17
1
27
What Students Say
“He's one of the worst professors I've taken”
BCOM320 - 2.0 rating“Many useful skills taught”
BCOM320 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
17%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.21 avg changeRatings by Course
TM
5.0
(1)INFO240N
5.0
(1)IM351
5.0
(1)IS57
5.0
(1)IM
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
IM320340
5.0
BCOM05
5.0
IM
4.5
BCOM
4.5
BC320
4.4
Reviews (86)
Take this class from any other teacher. He is completely unreasonable and unhelpful.
He is a hard teacher granted, but as long as you go to class he is very willing to help you. I learned so much from his class. Not a course to take if u just want an easy A, but if u wanna learn take him. He is a really good teacher.
He makes this class really hard, but if you spend time on the excel projects, you'll do alright. Just try to get along with him, that's all it takes!
Not an easy class there is a ton of work to do and you need to do it well to get a good grade. I only managed a C but learned a bunch. If you need to learn business writing skills take this class, make sure you have the time to put into it though.
Not a bad guy, but a difficult class. Study hard and go to every class!
Very unfair, picks on people in class, has his favorites, don't take him for IM340 or IM320
You will see other comments as him being unfair and grading hard. Be that as it may, you WILL learn a lot from this class. He is a tough grader, but he expects a lot from you for this class. Just GO TO CLASS, and go to him if you have problems.
STAY FAR FAR AWAY. He is a complete donkey. He isn't helpful and is a ****, **** man. his work has no point and he does not give enough instruction on assignments. Trsut me I am an IM major and have had them all. STAY AWAY
tough to figure out his personality at first. is a no-nonsense type instructor. doesnt want ANY excuses. you do what your supposed to do and you will have no trouble. try to be the funny guy or stand out and you wont like it. i spent a lot of money for classes and want to get something back other than a paper saying i showed up. you will learn
He is a VERY hard teacher and is quite full of himself. He makes you feel stupid a lot. However, he does know a lot and it is a useful class. He requires you to spend a lot of time on his class. I probably would not recommend him because of the difficulty.
He's cool. But he is no nonsense; you're there to learn and he expects that.
I couldn't stand his class, yeah he knows what he's talking about, but I hated going to his class. He's arrogant and I think he could be as good a teacher with out all the ****.
You will get used to his personality, good guy overall. Will help if you ask, and he knows when your putting in effort. Exams are a lil hard, projects arent bad. B if you put in some effort.
This guy is a complete nazi, he doesnt care if you fail is course. He grades papers in front of the class, and covers up the names, which is still embarassing. STAY AWAY. Very hard grader. He will give you assignments with 50 problems, but worth only 20 points so getting a 0 is possible. Good teacher which is the real shame.
Concise, clear, and direct, he takes no guff. However, you are given sufficient time to get the work done, and he gives direction. Could use a better delivery method, but does use technology well.
His teaching style is absurd. He makes absoulutely no sense in what he says or does. He makes the simpilest things seem absolutely impossiple to get a passing grade on. If you are signed up to take him. DROP now! This guy is an absolute moron.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR, very knowledgeable, however he presents the material so that it is much harder than it needs to be. He will fail you with out even flinching, he loves that fact that half of the students will drop the class by the third week. He is a JERK!!!
this guy is a complet di**head. he'll want something one way then a different way for the same assignement. suck up if u take him. if he likes you, he'll help you out, if not...he'll hurt you...avoid this a**hole!
Cecil Tarrant is the worst professor by far that is still teaching here at Western Illinois. He is such a jerk. He does not have a set guideline for homework. He does know the material, but his teaching style is so boring. I should have listened to the students that took him last semester and dropped his class. There are better IM professors.
Go to class, if you think that you'll get a good grade by not going your dead wrong! You get the grade you earn, and he lets you knwo exactly what needs to be done to get a good grade. He is a tough grader, but he just wants you learn, not just breeze through. One of the best most useful classes I've taken here at WIU
This has been one of the most helpful classes I've taken. Mr. Tarrant is very helpful and explains exactly what is needed to get a good grade. He may seem like a hard grader until you catch on. Overall, if you go to class and do the work, you'll get a good grade.
VERY HARD TEACHER!!!!! If you do not want to work hard, drop this class. However, if you try hard you will succeed. Tarrant will help you if you are working hard. Wonderful teacher once you get to know him.
W.I.U. is doing a great disservice to their students by having Tarrant as a teacher. It is one thing if you are a teacher and you want your students to work hard for their grade, but Tarrant is nothing but a jerk who doesn't care about his students. He makes the class impossible to succeed in.
Funny, fair and wants me to always be in class. Attendance policy is a bit much, but worth it for what is presented
Expect to have his class be the central focus of the entire semester. Work hard at it early on when he is still deciding who he likes enough to let pass the class.
He is a jerk. I tried very hard in his class. Went and saw him turned in all of the homework and everthing but he still graded rediculously hard. I hope his life is as miserable as the semester that I had him.
I could see how he could rub some people the wrong way but overall I think he is a quality teacher. This is one of the most useful classes I've ever taken.
Absolutely ridiculous teacher... Has no clue about the real world. Assigns material from the course curriculum but grades it ridiculous. Tests are so so. Overall, worst teacher I've ever had. Grades very impartially.
He is the worst professor in history of WIU!! Please avoid this professor at all cost! He finds it pleasurable to use a RED INK PEN and write all over your paper and devalue you. For example, he will take away 1/3 of your grade for submitting an assigment 1 minute late.
Best Teacher i have ever had
You will be intimidated by him at first and may come off as a bit arrogant, but once you get used to him he really is a great teacher. Expect to work at it and really focus in his class. There will be 35 point papers that you will get 5 points on, but he curves in the end. If you ever need help with anything he is very understanding.
I agree with the rest of the students that think Tarrant is USELESS! This was hands down the worst teacher I have had EVER in my life. He seemed to not really care if students fully understood the material and comes across as extremely rude and arrogant. Avoid this class at all costs! Trust me, he is not a good professor!!!!!!
Great professor, highly recommended
WORST PROFESSOR EVER...Complete jerk...he is the most anal retentive guy ive ever meet..literally THE WORST professor i have ever had in my life...would rather embarrass you than help you...can tell he was one of those kids that got picked on in school, now he has the power...WATCH OUT
Horrible teacher! Terrible grader! terrible. Almost got a 0 on a 30 page formal report that took forever! so unfair! All the teachers in the IS department are bad
I had him in 2006, and after reading all these bad reviews, I had to type something. Yes, his class is hard. If you go to class, pay attention, and do the work, you have to be a tard not to get at least a B. English is not my strong subject and I got an A. There are so many extra credit opportunities. Be a STUDENT, not a slacker, you'll be fine.
The worst class I have ever taken in my life. He is an Assistant Professor and thinks his way is the only way to do things. Can't respect a guy who drives a 97 Mercury stationwagon
I just don't know what to really say about this guy. he was horrible and I mean horrible. Everything he believes and says is 100%. If he really believed the sky was purple, he would fight you to the death to prove he was right. His grading technique sucks and so does his feminine attitude. Avoid at all cost.
This class is by no means easy, but it is useful. He covers topics that all business students need to know. It's his attitude that I couldn't stand- he thinks he is right 100% of the time and does not treat each student fairly. He talks to you like you are in 2nd grade and have no business being in college. I would NEVER reccommend him!
Very Hard Grader but very easy to talk to when you need assistance. I received an A, but I did my work. If you do not do the work or follow the way he has put it out for you to follow, you will not get a good grade. This class has been extremely helpful.
Attendance is mandatory or you can't get the info. Got to pay attention. No grade just because you pay tuition! But the info is good he shares and he will help you if you need it. If you don't get a good grade it's because you didn't try or you are totally stupid.
Information was good. Knew what he was talking about. Can't be "brown-nosed"; you've got to know what you're doing and what's going on. Be prepared to work! And you must follow directions. Must come to class. If you're not willing to work, don't sign up. But it has been one of my most useful classes ever taken.
Dork. Go to class and do the hw. Critiques are very helpful. Strict grader but assignments are very easy. Helpful class for business majors. Definitely recommended.
He was a very hard grader when it came down to different assignments, but offered so much extra credit it all evened out. Be prepared to talk a lot in the class.
DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS ONLINE! He is a very strict grader, and if you don't follow his EXACT instructions you will fail the assignment. On our midterm, which was out of 75 points, he took away 4 points for each error no matter how small. Yes, its a very useful class, but this guy is way too strict, and he needs to realize hes there to help us learn.
This teacher will do whatever it takes to give you a bad grade. I do not suggest you take a class with him if you have to take BCOM. No matter how much effort you put in, unless you're a favorite of his, I don't see you getting an A in his class. He likes to see students suffer and you can even tell because he smiles when students answer wrongly.
He is a tough grader and a stickler for details but if you pay attention and take notes there is no reason why you cant get an A. He starts out the semester tough but gives tons of extra credit near the end. He is tough but he knows his stuff.
Difficult class. Many useful skills taught. Take this class with Onion if possible. He will teach you a lot about email formatting. You will never use this information unless you are an executive. Emails are meant to take 2 minutes to type, not 20. Spend any more than 2 minutes on an email and you're wasting your companies time and money.
VERY HARD!! As with anything in life, put forth an effort to achieve... that's his main purpose for this course. Difficult online, but he is there to explain. Had my doubts from reading other comments, but had not other option but to take him. Glad I did!! He turned out to be a really good guy but VERY TOUGH!!
No matter how you take this class, take it with a different professor. He says you only need to know how to do things at an 8th grade level but grades on a masters degree level. Isn't very helpful and basically expects you to know how to be a professional writer.
Tarrant is probably one of the best professors at WIU. He is very intimidating the first week but is laid back after that. He is extremely helpful if you go to his office hours and clearly tells you what he expects from every assignment. The critiques are extremely helpful. He is not an easy professor so be prepared to work hard. It will pay off.
Do the homework and go to class to get the most from this course
doesn't clarify what he wants on assignments, tough grader, half the class is doing bad at midterms , last few assignments at the end are worth a lot and help bring grade up , make sure to log into cengagebrain 5 days a week for online class, not willing to help or clarify for you, is very rude with his feedback and e-mailnot professional
Tarrant gets a bad rep because he is very strict the first few weeks but he does it so the lazy people drop his class. After that he's pretty laid back. He tells you exactly what he wants and I suggest going to his office hours, so he know you're willing to work. Its not easy but you'll learn a lot plus he gives tons of extra credit at the end
He counts tardy's as absences. He says one thing and change it. The in class criteria helps but he is the worst and he is rude. He gives out zeros for the first 5 assignments an even negative grades and says its normal. WORST TEACHER AT WIU if you could take another teacher pick them. But if you have to get him be prepared
Tarrant is a hard teacher, but if you put in the effort this class will be the most beneficial to you at WIU. There is a lot of homework and he is a tough grader; however, you does give out a lot of extra credit. Don't be scared off the first month, he will get nicer and easier. Don't be a lazy student and you will be fine.
He's one of the worst professors I've taken. He doesn't review the material that the class is suppose to read and rarely talks about the books material. Uses lectures to go on about what students do wrong, and never gives you a clear right way. For his email exam, only 2 people passed and the rest of the class had to retake his email exam.
TERRIBLE TEACHER
Yes, he is a very tough grader and expects a lot from students. However he gave a ton of extra credit throughout the semester and you learn a lot of useful information. Go to class every day and pay attention and you'll get an A.
The worst prof. at WIU. Period. Totally inconsistent. Pedantic. Arrogant. AVOID AVOID AVOID
This class is all about attention to detail. Make sure you're on your toes. He will give you everything you need to know, and go over it multiple times (the 7 C's). Just do the work how he wants and specifies and you'll be golden.
Awful professor. Constantly changing the class plan on a day to day basis. Will say there's a quiz for one day then it won't actually happen. Will put out assignments then change the criteria or the date due, then gets upset when people expect to turn it in on the due date not knowing he changed it last minute. Gives awful feedback and belittles.
Terrible professor. The worst I have had here at WIU and I tend to like all of my professors. Please avoid at all costs. He is very rude and is not clear with what he wants done. He will say something but expect another.
If you don't follow his exact directions he will take it personally and give you a zero for the assignment. He will ignore your emails if they aren't formatted well enough for him. I took him online so when I called during his office hours I was thrown by how polite he was on the phone because he is a harpy when grading.
I took Tarrant online last semester for BCOM, and it was the toughest class I've taken in my undergrad. Horrible grader. Will give 0s and not give an explanation. If you need this class, take a different instructor or take Tarrant in class. Helps his in class students much more than online. Final saved my grade. Multiple choice and open book.
Tarrant is the worst professor I've had at WIU. His class consists of Critiques and final drafts of business letters and emails. He does not provide this online students with the needed information to excel in his class. Harsh grader. I received multiple zeros and completed the assignemtn in full and just missed one small detail. ZERO. Horrible WIU
Don't take any classes with Cecil Tarrant. This is your warning.
I am now in the professional world and thank God for this class. He is tough but if you pay attention and keep his handouts - you will use them and the skills taught in the real world. He is an a$$ hole, but he has to deal with cheaters and slackers in his class. Get to know him, earn his respect and you will learn a lot.
Will give no explanation of why he gives the grades he gives, and won't budge or compromise even if there is a clear and obvious counterargument.
Professor Tarrant is a good professor who expects highly of his students. Expectations are clear, and the handouts are very helpful.
I've graduated from Western with my BB in Accountancy. I hated Professor Tarrant!!! However, as I pursue my career in accounting, his tips and what seems like nonsense have been more useful then most things I've learned in my professional career.
I tried hard to like Professor Tarrant, but he is a stickler. If you care about your GPA, do not take his class.
Absolutely no late assignments. Was late by less than 20 minutes. Stares at class until someone answer even if nobody knows what the answer is. Who answers wrongly if they do not know what the answer is. Only class I just did not want to go to. Made me dislike the class. I would not tell anyone to take him nor would I take his class again.
Professor tarrant is a sad excuse for a tenure professor. He is the only professor that Ive had trouble with at WIU, and if you could take the class without him, I would. Hes so particular and picky with everything, and he makes things more complicated than they need to be.
Professor Tarrant was one of the most difficult professors Ive had in all 3 years Ive been at WIU. He is so boring & his classes feel like they last a lifetime. He is also a very strict grader, & the way he uploads grade to WO makes it seem like you have an F until grades are posted. He doesnt curve & when the whole class does bad he blames them
The three years I have been there this professor has been my worst experience yet. They do not respond to emails ever, their grading is very very tedious and difficult. If you plan to take a class with them make sure to have plenty of people proofread your stuff. If you do not have to go with this professor, I would recommend not.
This professor is one of the pickiest I have ever had. He marks major points off for minor mistakes. His grading tactics are questionable. I continue to receive horrible low grades for small mistakes. I will give him credit for giving a lot of extra credit so if you want your grade higher you need to do it.
Probably the worst teacher I've ever had. 1-2 small mistakes will result in a literal 0% for your assignment. An actual joke of a professor, I am baffled this person still has a job
Make a few mistakes and you get a 0%. You can make an argument that he is just a tough grader and wants his students to excel, but his feedback is literally "ignored documents, no credit." Not even a hint at what exactly was wrong in my paper, so how am I supposed to learn. Absolutely the worst professor I've ever had.
His assignments are awful, he grades them awfully and with little-to-no objectivity, and he is dreadfully boring. Western should fire this man.
Tarrant is an interesting character. On one hand, he offers generous amounts of extra credit, and the assignments were straight-forward once you get a handle of how he grades. On the other hand, the in-class lectures were very uncomfortable and the first weeks are a trial by fire when it comes to your first assignments being graded.
If I had a terminal disease and was given 3 months to live, I'd take this course again because it'd make those 3 months feel like an eternity.
This guy made my GPA so awful, now I have to work really hard to get it back. I typed his name in my email search bar and noticed his title was gone, which means he has left/or was fired from the university. Thus, I'm glad no other students will have to go through what I did.
This professor was absolutely awful. He gives zero percents out like they are candy. When you ask for feedback he gives you nothing to go off of for the next assignment. Be prepared to spend hours on his homework he assigns just to get a bad grade. Avoid at all cost.
BCOM 320 is a simple class. You learn 3 main things. You learn attention to detail, the 8 C's of business communication, and how to write business emails. Doesn't sound too hard, but 1 or 2 mistakes on a paper will cause you to get a zero. Professor Tarrant is a hard grader, but he knows what he's talking about. Pay attention and follow directions.
Very strict. A lot of pop quizzes.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
17%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.21 avg changeRatings by Course
TM
5.0
(1)INFO240N
5.0
(1)IM351
5.0
(1)IS57
5.0
(1)IM
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
IM320340
5.0
BCOM05
5.0
IM
4.5
BCOM
4.5
BC320
4.4