great teacher, fun course. Always willing to answer question and help students.

Don't be an idiot and just expect to absorb information. Once you figure out that it's up to YOU to get extra help in a lot of different places, you'll realize how organized and helpful this teacher is. Gives you every opportunity to improve your grade.

get ready to memorize a hell of a lot of information!

Definetly NOT easy~ it's a LOT of memorization. Get ready to put in a hell of a lot of work if you want to do well in this class. Fourtner can be quite intimidating, but if your respectful, he's very fair.

quite cynical. Does not answer emails. tough course but still got an A.

Really really nice guy............ Really really hard class. But if you ask for help, he's more than willing to help. Bio 200 is hard to begin with, so I imagine its not entirely his fault. He seems grumpy in class, but outside he's super nice

I love this course, It is a lot of material but if you study you can pass. you have to know the material before lecture. He post the audio recording of the lectures online along with the powerpoint so if you miss the class or need extra review, it is at your finger tips.

Yes, he goes on tangents, but his class is really easy if you pay attention. His tests are based on lectures only, and as long as you go to class, it's an easy A. Lab is a lot of work, but it's the same with all the profs. I def recommend him!!!

In response to the other Comments he is a little hard to follow durrin lecture,but he does post all the notes online as well as the audio from each class. Between those and the lecture itself you can do great. I liked the course. It is just alot of material, but that is not Fourtner's fault

He's a great teacher. It IS a difficult class. A lot of work and studying needs to go into it. But he's very forward with what he wants done, and when he wants it. He knows what he's talking about, and is very helpful.

An excellent lecturer, people complaining about his stutter are blowing it out of proportion. It's noticeable but almost never deterimental. He can be quite mean and sarcastic but usually only to the people who deserve it (don't ever talk in his class, seriously). The 12 page paper he assigns really sucks, but other then that he is great.

im not going to lie this class is not that fun- but it is defiently possible to get an A... i did! pay attention to small details, relisten to lectures online, and go to his office hours!! good luck- hard class, but if you manage your time, you can get an A!!

A difficult class but it's definitely possible to get an A, as long as you pay attention and study hard. Fourtner is an AMAZING teacher, who will be more than happy to explain anything to you, as long as you take the time to ask. Highly Recommended.

Lectures are very interesting. It is rather hard, but the lab quizs can help boost the rather poor test grades. Plus there is a curve and as long as you stay above the average on the test you should do fine. Don't get me wrong it is hard and it takes work, but lab helps a lot. Study for lab every week it helps a lot in hte end.

His lectures were so interesting, that I didn't miss a single one. His exams are very hard, but there is a curve, and he's lenient with partial credit as long as you can convey that you understand the material. On the part 2's of the exams, be sure to define every word he wants you to compare, and you get most of the points. STUDY THE LABS.

The class is hard but Fourtner is amazing. People who don't do well in his class are the people who don't want to spend the time doing the work. Requires a lot of studying but will happen you next semester in Cell Bio.

I believe that the point of making freshmen-level classes so difficult is to: 1.) prepare you for higher level classes (it does) & 2.) to weed out all of the people that shouldn't be there (which is VERY successful). Fourtner is a great teacher- you just need to take the time to study the material (because it's not easy stuff) & you will do well.

I honestly cannot understand why everyone hates this man so much! Granted the class contained a lot of material, but this was not his fault. The stutter... barely noticeable on most days. his lectures were clear and recorded online. He didnt really test on book material, only lab and lecture, and the tests were simple if one had taken time to study

This class wasn't that bad, compared to what the people told me before..even though I had a tough time with the exams because I didn't study much, the materials presented by Dr. Fourtner were pretty much straightforward. If I were to retake BIO200, I would still choose Fourtner over Herreid.

if you go to lecture, take notes in lecture, study for tests, you should do well. his tests are not hard and many things are repetitive. if you have any interest in biology, this class shouldnt be too difficult for you

Very clear teacher. Need to do all work and study hard. enjoyable class.

Study past tests a lot! Don't buy the book! Go to lecture and take notes, print out lecture notes before class. It is not that hard to get an A if you want to work!

LOVE THIS CLASS- Attendence is mandatory, the book is not but he does not always explain things as much as is needed to do well on the test so having it is useful. If you study and prepare for lab you will do well in this class. Fourtner is there to help you and he loves UB FOOTBALL

Good Prof! If you plan on doing nothing you will most likley fail.... but if you work at it and do well in lab you will do great... and I got an A and have tons of friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I honestly didn't try very hard in the class and still got an A-. You only have to be able to defend your answers in a clear way to get points on the short answers on the tests. The tests are pretty hard, but people exaggerate A LOT. Especially the lab practical. It wasn't nearly as hard as everyone says.

He is a tough teacher and his tests are harder than the other E.Bio teachers but not impossible. There is no reason to buy the book it is NOT the material that is tested on. He loves people that sit in the front row. He knows his stuff!

DOROTHY 4tner is a SAINT!!!

I attend class everyday pretty much, and you really have to force yourself to. He doesn't take attendance. His test averages are consistently 10 pts lower than the other teachers [so the part 2 of the test is harder] and he has a 50 pt project. I tried and I have an A in the course, lab quizzes can be a hassle, but it's a doable class.

hes a hard professor but a good guys =/

Evolutionary bio is hard in general. Fourtner is one of the few professor who actually want you to understand the material. He doesn't test you on how well you can memorize his slides, he tests you on how well you understand the scenarios and the material. His tests are hard, you really need to understand what you're talking about. DEFINE everythin

If you want to learn real evolutionary biology and you like challenges, take his course. Dr. Fortner is a funny guy, good professor in my personal opinion. Other 2 professors are easy, but I will prefer him.

Dr. Fourtner is a pretty good teacher. I got a C but that seemed like it was an excellent grade. He told the class that most people would fail. I made note cards for all the suggested definitions and theories we know. I had about 600 by the end of the semester. If u memorize them, youll do fine. For the lab practical make sure u know EVERYTHI

Awesome prof but class itself was HARD. Go to office hrs for help. Fair and nice if you actually talk to him. Tests are very hard, mean on one was 44%. Stay above average and you will be fine. An A is possible if you study, take good notes and ask questions. By no means an easy grade, but class was fair. No h/w besides lab stuff and one paper.

he's extremely helpful!! talk to him. He's ignorant but the man got his PHD he knows his info. He wants to see that you care and that you understand the material

i absolutely adore Prof. Fourtner, he's phenomenally engaging and controversial. He doesn't force algorithms down your throat like othe Bio profs i've encountered. The class is a TON of work but 110% worth every minute of every study hour. Favorite Class i've evr taken

There's a line that's hard to find, between rigor and impossibly difficult. I asked an extremely successful Neuroscientist the same exact question he asked me on my Final, and he didn't know the answer.My final grade was 'C' and I feel that was too harsh. He would have given the Neuroscientist a bad grade too. The job is to teach, not "weed out."

I think it is pretty well established that this about the coolest man there has ever been.

He's a hard professor but its really not that bad if you just study the material. The text book is never used.

I can see this where all the disgruntled students go. Im in his class now and its really not that bad. Yes everyone fails the test but like every college class its curved. Its the premed requirement so of course its going to be hard. He is very approachable too. He wants you too take an interest in the subject, went to his office twice, nice guy.

He is not as bad as people say. Actually he is a nice guy if you talk to him. I'm not a genious but I studied hard. He's lectures are not easy to understand at the first, so hear it over again through the website. Since most of his exam questions are from the lecture listen to it carefully. Also know the keywords.

I think he is very intelligent and not as bad as people say. I got an A in his class, and worked moderatly hard. Most people who do bad in his class is due to poor studying skills. Do a lot of practice exam problems (dont memorize the answers though, just practice), learn lectures and do well in lab and you will be way above the average.

The lab for BIO 200 feels like it's a completely seperate class. I felt like I was never sure of what he we had to know for exams, and felt like I never really learned anything in lecture because it was just random bits of information. Make sure you know as much as you can for exams because you never know what he'll put. I studied hard and got a B.

Ok, he seriously is not as bad as half of these other comments make him out to be. Yes this class is a lot of work(it is college after all),don't expect to just get by with minimal effort. I put a lot of work into this class and got an A. He's actually a pretty nice guy, lecture can be amusing at times, the class is definitely a challenge tho.

I'm not going to lie, Dr. Fourtner's class is difficult. However, it is up to you to either do well or bomb the**** out of it. If you really want an A, you must be willing to work for it. Go to class, TAKE DETAILED NOTES, and do extra credit. Don't be a slacker and come back on RateMyProfessor to complain.

This is an extremely tough class meant to weed out lazy students. He comes off as a jerk, but you can't really blame him for teaching a bunch of wannabe premed students who would rather complain then do work. With that said, the curve is enormous and if you're truly built for that professional school you should pass with flying colors.

Yes, Fourtner's tests are difficult and he does not let his students cut corners with the labs. He did, however, keep me awake during a 7:30 A.M. lecture. I worked very hard and got an A. If you attend lecture and lab and study, then you will be fine.

Good teacher, hard class...there is absolutely no shortcuts in his class but it is definitely interesting course. You must prepare for prior to labs everyweek and you will do well on the lab practical. Very good teacher...his system weeds out the lazy slackers so if you want an A...work for it!

Nice guy, hard class. This course is used to weed out students and so it's a slap in the face for a lot of freshman. You don't need the book -- his lecture notes cover it all. This course is basically all memorization, so have fun with that.

He is a really tough teacher, but I think he makes the class interesting. I don't believe the people who are doing poorly and say they study really hard. It is a difficult class and if you want to do well you just need to put in a lot of effort.

Although he wants people to learn about biology, he really makes this a feeder course. You have to study soooo much to get even a b in this class. That comes from someone who took AP Bio in high school. Don't take this if you dont need to.

Easy Class, nice guy. Just pay attention to his lecture and study one or two day before exam you will definitely get an A. Strongly recommended. TAKE HIS CLASS AT ALL COSTS!

This class is difficult, but so is anything you would use this class to qualify for, so that should be a non issue. Dr. Fourtner will give up a lot of his time to help people that are willing to work hard to succeed. HE even ran an optional hour and a half question and answer session on Fridays in a free classroom. If you want to learn, he is great

BEST PROFESSOR EVER, TRUST ME!!

This course is incredibly hard no matter who you get. The material is hard to relate to anything. His tests are impossible, i got a 55 on all of them including the final. The book is useless dont waste your money. I wanted to kill myself throughout the semester but in the end the curve is huge so the 50's on the exams came out to a B

Yes, tests are difficult and his lecture is 7:30 in the morning. However, all his slides are online and a huge portion of the points come from the lab section of the class. He really grew on me and he's actually quite a nice guy outside of the lecture hall. Eager to help, too.

Very difficult class, but if you put in the time, it is not impossible. I have never seen a prof more willing to help. He has office hours every week day and wants students to come speak to him. Tests are hard, but just keep writing everything you know about the subject. Speak to him in person to find out his opinion on how to take his exams.

This guy is a genius, but has no freaking clue how to relay the vast information of the subject to his students. It is ridiculous the vast information I have to study for his exams. He is very helpful outside of lecture, but save yourself some time and grief, avoid his class, the stress will only shorten your life span

HARD class PERIOD - LOTS covered. Has office hrs & holds extra class each wk (never went). Don?t NEED txt - lec VERY interesting (have a 25 min drive, so for 7:30am class thats saying something). DON?T play on computer/phone - he WILL call you out! Exam MC = HARDEST I've ever seen ? made my head spin. Lab SUPER easy ? get all those pts

very interesting to learn from, extremely intelligent, willing to help you when asked

Never studied more for a class in my life to get an A. Tests consist of super hard mc and very specific short answer questions. Also he makes you go to a wildlife refuge an hour away which sucks. I don't miss this class one bit.