This was a fun class! Dr. Nelson knows a lot, is funny and entertaining. He works hard to make sure we know what we are learning. He is available for help in his office. He loves life and made me love it too!

My friend and I loved this class. I used to hate biology but now I see things differently. Dr. Nelson makes learning about life fun because he loves life and all creeping things. Take this class - it is worth it!

Dr. Nelson is a great teacher. He knows his stuff, while not coming off as condescending. He wants his students to learn. Very entertaining lectures and good powerpoint presentations. Take all of his classes! He is wonderful.

I would say worthwhile. I never took tests or did the nature experience because I wasn't registered, but I still always went to lecture with a friend because it was VERY interesting. This from a science-hater!

Made biology exciting (usually). Great lecturer. I thought he could have better addressed the LDS perspectives on evolution.

Well, if you're interested in learning a whole lot of science...try a different class. But if you're like me and just need to do your GE, this is the best ever! Hilarious, and definitely instills a "sense of wonder." Great stories too.

hilarious..

Class is a riot. I've never had so much fun. Didn't learn too much, but I'm just taking it because I have to anyway. Pretty easy as well. Good stuff overall.

funny guy tests are all from lecture. 1 big project, alot of confusion concerning the project

Dr. Nelson is hilarious. He's probably the funniest teacher I've ever had. I hate the subject of biology, but Dr. Nelson made the class tons of fun. I looked forward to it every day. His class is pretty easy, too. Just go to the lab reviews, and you'll know everything you need for the test.

Start the Nature Experience early on! Hilarious guy, grades solely on lectures on doesn't provide you w/ copies of the slides. Still a marvelous class and very interesting. Go to lectures and do the Nature Experience and you've got an A.

I HATE BIOLOGY, but then i took bio 100 from Nelson and I loved the class. This was the one class that I looked forward to going. He was funny, experienced and he knows his stuff. Start the Nature Experience early though!!!

Dr. Nelson is one of the best professors at BYU. He is great at getting students (myself included) excited about Biology. If you take his class seriously you will re-evaluate the way that you think about your whole life and your place in the biological world. I can't praise this man highly enough-he saved a dreadful semester for me. He truly cares.

One of the coolest classes I have taken. We went on campouts and explored caves and it was a blast. There are a couple of papers and projects, but no tests. Definitely not as much work as you would expect from a four credit class.

Awesome awesome awesome. a little bit out there, but if nothing else you will be extremely entertained. loves science and loves teaching. never thought biology would be one of my favorite classes! nature experience is a huge chunk of grade, and pretty involved. take really good notes on lectures for tests.

Dr. Nelson is a good teacher. He is a little crazy sometimes, but that made the class more enjoyable. The nature experience was a lot of work. His tests are pretty easy. To do well in the class, write down everything he says, even things that seem like tangents--they will be on the test! Overall, interesting and fun class; I learned a lot.

Prof. Nelson is a great professor. Very entertaining. The class is easy if you listen to the lectures. The Nature experience is dumb, but it isn't too hard. No homework, so that's also a plus. The prof is a riot though. I got my jollies in class every week.

hysterical. keeps it interesting

Riley Nelson is a good fun teacher. I'm a fairly quick learner. I don't remember much from my biology classes. But I attended his lectures and studied for an hour or two for each test and I'm getting an A- in the class. Go to class, do the work, and do the nature experience and you'll be fine. The nature experience can be a bit of a pain.

Nice teacher. Wants to help. Great TAs. Funny at beginning of semester, but then felt like he was trying too hard. Reading not mandatory but helpful. Tests based off of lecture. Nature experience a bit of a pain but not too bad. Just talk to him and his TAs and the class isn't too awful, even for someone who doesn't like biology, like me.

He is such a fun guy! You kind of go off on tangents, but then you really get tested on them, so that's why the lectures are mandatory. It's a way easy fun class! He is so random and funny and keeps your attention! It's a great class take! I would advise taking it from him!

At first I hated his lack of structure, but after the first test I began to relax. You MUST go to class. If you miss, GET THE NOTES! Every question is based off what he says and the powerpoints (tangents and all). Nature experience was dumb. Honestly, you may not learn a ton about biology, but it is much better than memorizing term after term...

Easy class. Show up to class every day. Write down every random thing--you could be tested on anything in lectures. Don't procrastinate doing the nature experience!

Great teacher. Made things interesting and in me he accomplished his seemingly one goal, reinstated my sense of wonder. Very funny, to the people who says he isn't or tries too hard just don't understand what having a sense of humor actually means. Take him! Great teacher.

Instead of memorizing terms or diagrams, you learn about how the biotic world ACTUALLY functions. If you are smart, you will recognize how well this class is taught. Best teacher I have had in my life. He alone inspired me to go into biology. 3 test completely over lecture (no reading), one large nature experience, easy class, TAKE IT!

Okay, he is hilarious. People need to lighten up when they come to this class. At first I wondered why I was even there, but he keeps you awake and if you take notes, you will ace all exams. He tries to improve your life, not fill you with facts to memorize. If you learned anything that semester that made you love the world, he would feel sucess

Easily the best class ever. Nelson is an amazing human being and inspires to great things. He doesn't cram you with facts but fills you with life.

He's dang funny. Seriously hillarious and the class is easy. For sure the right choice if you dont care about science or memorizing stuff. Knock out your GE with him.

The tests aren't bad if you go to class and take notes. You have to go to class, you never use the textbook, and don't procrastinate the nature experience. He makes you laugh and it's not hard to get an A.

He understands that most of us aren't going to remember a thing after his class, he just wants us to gain a sense of wonder. GO TO LECTURE! you do need to know some things, but he tries to give examples of most of it. Use the book if you don't understand. Highly enjoyable class - go on the field trip to get NE ideas!

Hilarious and fun teacher! Faily easy class, most of the test is on lecture, so plan on going to class. You'll have fun, but make sure you do the readings if you want to pass with a good grade and DO THE NATURE EXPERIMENT EARLY!!!

Bro Nelson is such a character. He is so funny, always looked forward to going to his class. I have now a better appreciation for biology after taking his class. DO NOT wait until the last minute to do your Nature Exp like me. Random questions from the lectures are on the tests, but they are very easy. If you go to every class, you will do well.

Professor Nelson is ridiculously awesome! I'm not really a fan of biology, but he always kept things interesting. I wish that more of my professors could be like him. I definitely recommend this class-- especially if you're looking for an easy A.

Really great teacher. I don't like biology at all, but he made the class fun, exciting, and interesting. Today was our last lecture and I'm actually sad it's over. Take good notes and enjoy the fun-loving Professor Nelson.

Loved this class. Nelson doesn't bother with details, rather broad concepts. He's a very genuine, fun-loving, and intelligent professor. I highly recommend this class. Put in some good time early in the course on your Nature Experience.

I loved this class, and I am the last person to enjoy a science class. This professor is awesome. Just pay attention to lectures and study with other class members before tests and you'll do fine. I got A's on the exams pretty easily. Do NOT procrastinate the nature experience!!! I did and it sucked so bad. Just get started early on that. Take him!

Nelson is hilarious and lectures are entertaining. He tests on the tangents that he goes off on, which can be frustrating but just go to lecture and pay attention. Really though, do the nature experience early! It was terrible to do it all in the last week.

Dr. Nelson is awesome. This class was a lot of fun, even though I had not interest in bio before it. The out-of-class assignments all actually helped me learn about things I wanted to learn. A lot of freedom to learn what you want. He is hilarious and inspiring and expands your interest in the world. This class changed my life. Do the NE early.

Hate biology but Dr. Nelson makes it palatable. Take good notes in class, you'll be lost on tests without them. The textbook, doesn't do you much good. Much of your class grade is just participation and following the instructions.

Nelson is the biggest goof ball! It makes class interesting, and it is the easiest bio class by far, but it can go off topic of bio. Go to the lectures cuz that is what half of the test is based on. Seriously. Start on the Nature Experience ASAP!!! Get to know your TA. Awesome class if you stay on top of readings and assignments (which are easy)

Very easy class. Professor Nelson doesn't help a lot, but his TAs do!! He's a very funny guy, his classes are hilarious. Very easy tests. The only thing I found more difficult was the Nature Experience, but your TA can give you a lot of help.

Great class; If you pay attention and put forth a little effort you'll get a good grade. The only difficult part is the nature experience, but if you start on it a few weeks before the deadline you'll be fine.

Great class, he really helps you get your sense of wonder back. Go to lectures, take decent notes, and you'll do just fine. Ross was by far the best TA, if you get him you're lucky. The other TA's are good too so you should be fine. TAKE THIS CLASS

This class changed my life. There are a ton of comments on here saying that students learned nothing in this class. Come on, do you really want your GE class to be hard and complicated? Thats what the rest of college is for! This class is just fun :) Go to your TAs if you need help! I have never found a class like this on campus anywhere!!

This is probably the easiest Bio class on campus! Barely any assignments besides the Nature Experience and class is entertaining and mostly interesting. Sometimes it feels like a waste of time but the entire test is based of lecture so it's pretty much mandatory. Take notes on everything he says! You never know what tangents will be on the test!

This guy is more stand up comedian than teacher. I highly recommend him. He is absolutely brilliant. There is one difficult project throughout the semester, but very little homework. The tests are almost a joke, but you need to attend lectures because they don't cover the textbook. He is great at telling you if a concept will show up on the test.

We need more of these professors on campuses everywhere! Nelson is awesome, you'll learn what he wants you to. Tests are easy and relatively no homework. Class is a must because tests are based on what he says in class. This class is not hard. If you just want a brief introduction to Biology or want to get your GE over-with, this is the class.

This class was my favorite this semester, he's very intertaining. Attendance isn't required but all both midterms and final are based on lecture (not from the book). The NE is 20% of the grade so you'll want to do well on it. I'd suggest talking to the TA's the first two weeks to get and idea and start on it then relax the rest of the semester.

Hilarious and great teacher. Loved coming to class. He taught everyone to have a sense of wonder and actually care about the world around us. I hated science before I took this class! Super easy with this professor

Well he is quite the interesting professor. first day of class he licked the chalk board and he gets even more interesting as the semester goes on. goes off on tangents sometimes and it's hard to know what to take notes on sometimes...but all tests are based on lectures not readings! do your NE and you'll be set

He actually made Biology interesting. The tests are mostly pretty easy. If you put a lot of effort into the papers you'll do well enough. He seems very aware that his class is taken by a lot of non-Biology majors. He's very funny. Going to lectures is a must, but is not too much of a pain because it's always really interesting.

Going to class is a must. Tests are all lecture based. There is a nature experience but it isn't hard, just start EARLY. He is crazy but if you're looking for an easy class take it from him. He is fun and I felt I actually got something out of it. Tests are all over the place but if you cram for an hour or two you should be good. I got an A.

Dr. Nelson is a goof ball and class was definitely entertaining. He is also wonderfully passionate Tests are not too hard and there is not a lot of work outside of class besides the nature experience. The nature experience is a big project, but it is so open ended that some students have a lot of fun with their experiment. This class was excellent.

Prof Nelson is a really funny, peculiar person. The class was fairly easy as long as you do the reading. I was able to pull out an A-, and I didn't really try to learn anything, I just wanted a grade. So if you want to just fulfill your GE, this class is probably a good one for you. He keeps things interesting.

This class is manageable. Pretty easy to get an A. At first I was frustrated with Professor Nelson's lack of organization, but once you get use to his antics, the class isn't too bad. Lectures are all over the place, but are necessary to attend. Test questions are directly from what he says in class. Start early on your Nature Experience.

I loved Professor Nelson's class. His lectures at times seemed to be all over the place, but that is just because he tells you things he thinks you should know. He makes the class exciting and fun. You never know what to expect because of how crazy he is. You definitely need a sense of humor to enjoy his class. Overall, he is a great professor.

funny guy. Spends less time teaching traditional biology topics and more time teaching "life lessons." If you are planning on majoring in a science, i'd take a different teacher so you can get a good foundation. If it's just for credit, he is fine. Not much work, just two papers and three tests, which are all over the place with weird questions.

I'm not a fan of science classes, but this class was an exception. Dr. Nelson's lectures got pretty long sometimes and he goes off on a LOT of tangents, but class is rarely boring and he definitely cares more about learning to see the world differently than memorizing facts you won't ever use again. He's an amazing teacher! Definitely take him!

One of the best professors I've had at BYU! He goes on several tangents during lecture but you learn to love and appreciate his stories. Take any biology class and you will no doubt be entertained and inspired.

Dr. Nelson is, as he says himself, "nuts," but his lectures are generally pretty fun. As others have said, START EARLY on your Nature Experience. It will be your main source of stress. Beyond that, take good notes & you'll be OK for the tests. Reading isn't too necessary, but you need the Essential Biology textbook to get the code for online HW.

Dr. Nelson is a great teacher. Sure, sometimes he may seem like he is getting off topic, but he focuses on things in biology that can be useful for life and not so much about definitions and processes that you will soon forget. Perfect choice to knock out that biology credit and gain meaningful knowledge.

Dr. Nelson ended up being a very good professor. He's very knowledgeable. The class is extremely unorganized, but aside from all the tangents he goes on and "reproduction" jokes he tells, his class teaches you a lot. You can tell from day 1 that he loves what he does.

This class was hilarious!! I hate science, and I easily got an A. All you have to do is take notes on everything he says in lecture because whatever he says can be on the test (even random stories like how carrier pidgeons went extinct). That means you never have to do the readings. You do write two big papers, but start EARLY! Easy class overall.

Dr. Nelson's Bio class is AWESOME. I always looked forward to going to his lectures because he's absolutely hilarious. His tests are strictly based off of what is said in class, so they're way easy. The lectures consist of a lot of tangents and stories, but if you follow along they'll help you understand concepts better and you'll enjoy the class.

He rambles a lot. Going to class is essential for the test. It's sometimes hard amidst all the rambling, but he's funny. Don't hold off on the nature experience!! He doesn't expect a lot. If you show up and do the work you'll get a good grade.

This is a terrific but nonlinear biology class. You'll need to take notes on everything that comes out of his mouth during the class because that's where all the test content comes from. The tests are few and pretty easy. There is little homework, aside from two 8-page papers. Utilize your TA and get As. Nelson is hilarious, you won't regret this.

Super fun guy. Openly admits that he loves going off on tangents. His teaching style and class are less about cramming information into your brain and more about giving you a baseline knowledge of Bio and increasing your sense of wonder with the world around you. If you like a course that is extremely linear, then this is not for you.

Nelson actually steps outside of the textbook teaching style. He really engages the entire class, and keeps you laughing.

Riley is hilarious, dedicated, and caring. Don't worry, the "disorganization" is planned. His teaching philosophy is that students learn better in some chaos. Keep things unexpected! Visit your TAs!!! You learn more from this class than you initially realize. He has a nontraditional teaching style. This class is great for non-biology majors.

Awesome teacher! Very entertaining in class. Clearly has a love for biology and applies that in the way he teaches. Probably one of the best professors I've had.

Dr. Nelson is a great choice for elective classes. The class I enrolled in was meant to be a little more focused on simply enjoying the learning process. I can't imagine taking a serious class from this professor since he REALLY tends to ramble. He is very funny though, and it keeps you on your toes during lectures.

Riley is the coolest. Classic nutty science professor with wild white hair and mustache, his lectures will keep you entertained and his views on life in general are way on point. I'd even say this was a life-changing class, and it was just a GE that I was trying to get out of the way. I laughed my way through every test. He helped me enjoy biology.

There is no other prof like Riley on campus and I mean that. One day when we were talking about flied he dressed up as a fly and I've never laughed harder in my life. Tests are pretty straight forward, go to the TA review sessions!!!! Make study groups with people in class and the papers are a lot of work but not hard to write.

Professor Nelson is literally the greatest professor I've had so far. Biology is definitely not my thing, and he made the class easy. The two papers you really need to do them early so that you don't get to the end and procrastinate, they take some time but are fairly easy. His tests are really easy all based off of what he says in lecture.

Professor Nelson is the best. if bio is not your thing take it form him. the class has nothing to do with bio it was so much fun and he is so funny and he knows that you are taking this class cuz its a GE so he makes it fun

Dr. Nelson teaches in a non-linear way. He isn't the type to paste bullet points on the board or make you memorize your entire biology textbook. His whole aim is to increase your "sense of wonder" and get you interested in nature and how things work. But take notes on everything he says--tests are based on lecture and anything he says is fair game.

Dr. Nelson is seriously one of the best professors I've ever had. He does the most random things. He cares about his students. He also cares a ton about biodiversity and the earth and he talks a lot about being good stewards. Grades are based mostly off two papers and a few tests.

Dr. Nelson is hilarious and fun, as well as a good teacher. He really cares about the world, his students, and the gospel of Jesus Christ and ties all of that together in his class. In order to show that he had a sense of wonder still, he asked us what we thought the wall tasted like, then licked it. Apparently it is sweet ;) I loved his class

Dr. Nelson is the best. If you're not into science, take it from him!! He makes lectures entertaining. Tests are way easy if you go to class and take notes. You write 2 papers. I enjoyed this class and I hate science...

I cannot say enough about Nelson. He truly cares about his students and wants you to learn. The class is not hard as long as you take notes and go to class. Nelson is funny, spiritual, merciful, and makes Biology fun. I loved every class. Take it from Nelson.

Riley Nelson is one of the funniest professors I've had. He sincerely cares for his students and their success in his class. Tests are a breeze but only if you've attended lectures. Be prepared for lectures that literally have no seeming correlation to anything but it keeps you entertained, especially since they are all over the place.

He is a very unconventional teacher but you learn to love him for it. It's not your typical Biology class in regards to content. Tests are very easy as long as you pay attention to lectures. There are two big research papers-DON'T PROCRASTINATE THEM (especially the nature experience)or your grade will suffer. Overall a great class-I learned a lot.

I really enjoyed Professor Nelson's class in the end. I walked into his class thinking it would suck but the reading wasn't bad at all, the tests were good if you studied. Sometimes the lectures would be confusing but the TAs were always willing to help outside of class. I would recommend Professor Nelson highly!!

Professor Nelson is amazing. He really cares about his students and biology. His lectures are entertaining but meaningful. Tests are based on lecture so go to class. There also are two big papers which arent too bad if you start early and talk to the TAs.

I cannot stress this enoughcome to lectures and pay attention!! The exams only cover material covered in lecture. Take notes on everything, especially the seemingly random stuff and youll be fine! There are 2 major papers which are worth a good portion of your grade but go to the TA labs, it will help you and your grade! Fairly easy-A class :)

This guy is awesome! I've never been more educated and entertained in any subject! He's got a real way of tying gospel principles in with science and making it all fit. Take this GE from Dr. Nelson!!! Attend all the labs, there ore only three. Put extra effort in on the project. This class requires a bit of your time but he's very fair.

Professor Nelson is an amazing professor! Take his class if you just need the class for a GE. He really cares about his students and biology. He keeps his lectures very entertaining; I looked forward to each class. He is kind of disorganized and his tests are based completely on the lecture so go to class and write down everything he says.

Dr. Nelson is the most educated man I know. His lectures are entertaining and educational, but only if you have a desire to learn and get out of your comfort zone. The papers are somewhat easy and graded fairly, but require some planning. Tests are based off of material learned in class. The overall environment of the class felt very supportive.

Riley Nelson is a professor unlike so many at BYU. He is kind of wild but really great! There are two papers and a lot of time is given to work on them. The TA's give a lot of support in office hours and give reviews to help with the papers. The tests are super easy and based on lecture. Overall this class was easy and fun! Definitely go to your TA

If you do not take bio from this man then you have missed out. The BEST biology teacher at BYU hands down. I don't care about biology at all, this was the perfect class for me. Riley if you see this... I love you, and I have a sense of wonder. You are an icon.

Attendance isnt required by grade but to do well on the tests you have to go to lecture. I would genuinely be excited to go to this class. He teaches in an abstract way that took me by surprise at first but is unique and gives you a new perspective on the world. Hes very passionate about what he does. You can tell he cares about the students.

If you are going to take BIO100 you have to take it from Professor Nelson. The tests aren't hard, and their are 2 big papers. This class is about learning the important broad aspects of having a sense of wonder with the living things around you. It is not very difficult, you learn, and it is very fun. You have to take BIO100 from Professor Nelson!

Dr. Nelson is super funny and his lectures are amazing! It's super important to go to every lecture though because the tests are lecture based, not textbook based. Stay on top of your papers because they are weighed really heavily in your final grade.

Prof. Nelson's lectures were long, but he was good at giving breaks and making it not seem too terrible. I hated biology tbh but he made me realize that science can actually be super cool. He made me want to learn about and appreciate the outdoors. Lots of homework, but it's all really fun interactive projects. Get into it and you'll enjoy it

I really enjoyed lectures, although I don't think that he covered everything that we were supposed to learn about. He skimmed over concepts rather than really going into depth about them, and was based more on ideas than on factual science concepts. If you don't really care about going into depth about biology, take it from him! He is hilarious!

Here's the deal: He's very personable and funny. He gives some awesome lectures, especially about how biology fits into your life. He shares a lot of personal stories, too. He gives us the opportunity to write two actual scientific papers. The tests are lecture-based. He wants us to have our own curiosity and desire to learn.

I absolutely loved Dr. Nelson's class! He helps you learn about biology but also relates it to your own life. It took a bit of a learning curve to get used to his tests, take good notes for sure during lectures. However, he was easily my most accessible professor and genuinely wanted to see his students succeed. He is hilarious!!!

Easily my favorite professor at BYU. So interesting and fun.

The best class I've ever taken with the best professor at BYU. Time consuming, but so worth it.

Prof Nelson is hilarious and he cares about his students. He's an easy grader, and there's not much homework. Tests are lecture-based, but you don't really go in-depth on much so they're not too difficult. Easy general class, accessible outside of class so everything is pretty easy to understand.

I have always hated Biology, but I LOVED Prof. Nelson!! He made it all so fascinating. Listen to the lectures (they are enjoyable), and have some fun on the projects!

Professor Nelson was a fairly easy Biology professor for Bio 100. It's a good GE to take as a freshman because there isn't a whole lot of reading. You have three midterms (taken online and solely based on lecture) and two big papers. If you want to actually learn about biology, don't take it from him. His lectures are very chaotic and random

Professor Nelson is a sweetheart; it's clear he genuinely loves biology and the gospel. His tests are lecture based and his lectures are somewhat random, but if you pay semi-attention you'll be fine. I learned a lot of interesting concepts from a unique approach. It's definitely not your average biology content, but I prefer it. Take from Nelson!

The class and tests were easy besides the essays. The tests I just used notes people took from a google doc that was shared through learning suite which made the tests a whole lot easier to study for. There's only two essays but they're both long research essays. The second one you have to actually conduct your own experiment which was difficult.

Different teaching method, but I very much appreciated it! He inspires you to be more grateful and knowledgeable about the world around you. The two papers helped me to learn how to analyze and write scientific papers, and no other class has taught me this. You will gain a better appreciation of biology from this class. Also, not a demanding class.

Dr. Nelson is HILARIOUS and keeps you on your toes! He is one of my favorite professors I've ever had in college. He makes biology so fun! If you're dead set on a traditional memorization/textbook heavy class, then maybe try a different prof but if you're open minded and willing to put in effort and have fun, you'll love it!

Easily one of my favorite professors at BYU. Dr. Nelson is all about teaching principles to help better govern your life, coupled with biology. He is very open to meeting with students and genuinely wants to get to know them. He isn't the most organized, but if you pay sincere attention, you will be impacted by his class.

Dr. Nelson's lectures were always entertaining, but he went on tangents frequently. You can be tested on anything he says in class, but the tests weren't hard. There are two 5-page papers in this class that he didn't explain very well, but he gives you a process to follow at first. Both papers are in the same format, but one is 25% of your grade.

Professor Nelson was random but passionate in what he taught. The only time we really learned about typical biology was when a guest speaker came in though. There are two big papers, but they aren't too bad if you do them over time. Not a hard class if you pay some attention in class. Get ready to hear many amusing comments and learn about flies.

Dr. Nelson is so fun, he goes on a lot of tangents and exams are only lecture-based (not readings) so take good notes. He is really funny but if you really want to learn more about biology I would recommend a different professor! Overall a pretty easy class except for the two massive scientific papers which are worth a large % of your grade.

Great teacher. Enjoyable classes and lectures despite not being required. Very inspiring guy. Tests not too hard. One paper which requires some preparation but you can check it with the TA's as much as you want until you know it is good. Very friendly guy.

Dr. Nelson is a great person, and his lectures are slightly chaotic, but fun. There are two pretty long papers that make up a big chunk of your grade, but other than that the class is pretty easy. Don't buy the textbooks! (I did and never read them.) The tests are lecture based, and if you take pictures of the slides, you'll do fine.

Riley is a hilarious guy who cares a lot about his students and class. This class is not designed to teach you a lot about biology, it is supposed to get you interested in biology and have you focus on life. I really enjoyed it, lectures are a must. If you go to class and attend TA reviews, its hard NOT to get an A.

I took Field Bio from him over the summer and it was so much fun. We did have to create "museum quality specimens" in the form of bugs and then pressed plants. Plus, our final was just a little slideshow explaining what our favorite part of the class was. I am searching for an opportunity to take another class from him.

I PROMISE this is the easiest Bio 100 class you will find at BYU. Nelson's lectures are a little unorganized, but they are entertaining. There are 2 hard papers in this class, but just get clear instructions and don't procrastinate and you will get a good grade! Prof Nelson puts a big emphasis on a sense of wonder and WANTS his students to learn.

One of the best professors I've had at BYU. Don't listen to the other reviews and take a class from this man.

Loved this class! I found the lectures super easy and entertaining. However, everything on the tests is based solely on stuff taught in class (don't bother buying the textbooks). The two papers are super long and there was not much support for them which made them pretty difficult. Other than that though, this class was a breeze!

An absolute hoot of a man. If you appreciate eccentric people you will LOVE this guy. One of the options for a multiple choice question on every one of his exams was “Brad Pitt”. Made me laugh every time. Pure vibes. 3 exams. Go to class, listen when he tells you to and you should be good. 2 papers. A little intimidating, but you can do it.

This guy is the actual best. He really cares about his students and loves biology. My first day of class Professor Nelson walked in and the TA said "Hey Riley whatcha got there?" and he said "oh just some beetles I collected this morning". He's the best and eccentric in the best way. Everyone should take a class from him!

Hilarious guy. Truly loved him as a person. That being said, lots of papers, and lots of stress. Maybe my most stressful class. Lots of mandatory activities outside of class. His tests were decently easy. Though you could be tested on anything he said in lecture, including his jokes. "Flies are voluptuous"

Favorite class I've taken at any level of education. The guy is hilarious and genuinely cares about what he teaches. Would highly recommend.

If you are taking UNIV 101 from Riley you're in luck. The course work isn't hard or difficult but it can be time-consuming and repetitive. Riley is a wonderful human who is very passionate about science and bugs, and is even more kind. He is funny too and goes on random tangents that don't really add to the class material but it makes it more fun.

Literally the most hilarious and memorable lectures ever!!!!! Absolutely loved taking this class from him, he made it so fun. I looked forward to going to lecture all the time because they were top-tier. He really knows his stuff and truly cares about his students. Tests were fairly hard but reasonable. Can't recommend Dr Nelson enough

The funniest professor alive! He made this class so much fun to come to. He really does know his stuff too and he's happy to help. Tests count for a lot, and are based entirely on lectures, so make sure you go to class. If you have the chance to take this class from him, do it!

Riley is honestly the best! His lectures are fun and engaging. There are 2 papers that are written in IMRAD formatting which is kind of confusing, but if you go to the TA's they are super helpful. Honestly couldn't imagine taking bio from anyone else. Take this class!

This has been my favorite class and professor at BYU! Each lecture is fun, engaging, and so inspiring. He is Hilarious, deep, and impactful. He has increased my sense of Wonder and I would highly recommend taking BIO 100 from Riley.

Just a great guy who cares about the world and your sense of wonder and curiosity. Loved this time in class with him, he was great, he is retiring soon, but had to give this guy the rating he deserves.