He is a good guy. Teaches pretty well. He's very helpful, and willing to help. But his tests are an abomination to mankind. Class averages for the two midterms were 43 and a 64, the second one was with the curve, first one was weird.

He was better than the prof for 201...

Great teacher just can't write a test

lectures are great, but tests are ridiculously hard (even TA's have difficulty with them)

Well I must be crazy because I loved this guy. I thought he was an awesome professor who really cared about us. He needs more practice writing tests, but I felt that they were definitely do-able. Physics is difficult work and the class didn't take the responsibility to study appropriately. I wish this guy was teaching 203 right now.

One of the best professors I have had. Explains things clearly and very willing to help. Has a lot of office hours and is very happy to explain things, and holds long review sessions before tests. And the oh so terrible "daily quizzes" mentioned in another rating, you get full credit just for participating.

If you pay attention during lecture and read the textbook, you'll do fine on exams. He's very fair when it comes to how exam scores are figured into your final grade.

Teacher himself is nice and a friendly guy to talk to. He's also very helpful. HOWEVER, the material is not and the way the class is organized is messy and unclear. The material itself also is very hard--just take a look at the homework material and exams presented. The fate of a good physics program/teacher/department at OSu remains uncertain.

Great guy. Yes, there's a lot to learn. Yes, you have to study for his tests. He cares a lot about how the class is doing. He gives opportunities for easy points: PRS questions and extra credit HW points. He'll go over something as many times as you need. It's A LOT of work. The HW is really hard too. He'll help you a lot if you ask though.

It's a very time consuming class, but it's not impossible to do well in the course. He's enthusiastic about teaching, which makes it easier to learn the material.

People aren't being fair to Coffin. He's hard, but not unreasonable and tells you upfront what to expect. you can get a good grade if you do the work. The HW is hard but it does a very good job of preparing you for the tests and he has lots of office hours to help. You end up actually learning physics of all things! This isn't highschool anymore.

Chris is the best professor i have ever had. Very willing to help. Whatever the average is in the class whether 75% or 42% you will ge a C with "average scores". I got a B,B+ & B on my exams and VERY easily got an A inthe class. Nobody said it would be as easy as sociology or whatever it is a 5 credit class spend a little time doing HW and ur fine

This class isn't hard for a university-level science class if you actually apply yourself. He can teach you the basics but not how to reason through every single problem you might encounter. It's up to you to put the time in.. he's not going to hand you the A for memorization. The way college courses should be.

Chris, is one of the greatest professors I've encountered at the university.. He definatley knows his physics and through-out the course proves it... This is not an easy course- nor is the information presented slowly.. moreover, it isn't impossible to recieve the desired grade_with some work and a little office hr help it's do-able...hard; great!

I never had physics in high school (so this was my first taste) and I did all my homework, went to class, and received an A (it wasn't easy, but very doable). He makes it pretty straight foward, and IF he does screw up, he gives very generous adjustments. Just put in the time, and it'll be ok. DONT GET BEHIND AND READ THE BOOK, then you're set.

I took him for 201-203. The grade can be earned if you put in the requested '15-20 hours per week outside of class.' However, the material covered is extremely difficult and too fast-paced for a General Physics course. If you are willing to feel like an idiot after you take his tests, and see your gpa fall, he is the teacher for you.

Chris is a great physics teacher, its just a hard subject and fast-paced...put the time into the class - and recieve your desired grade... all you noobs need to stop crying..not blame the prof... and go study!

Takes his class way too seriously and puts in far too much detail for a General Physics course. Nice guy, and there to help, but homework is overboard and tests are gut-wrenching. Wish the courses were offered through someone else.

Coffin is a great person. His class, nor studying from the book can help you conquer his tests. Tests are much harder than questions presented in homework or lecture. Makes for lots of frustration.

This class is extremely hard whether or not you read the whole book and do all the homework assignments. I got an A the first term and put in lots of effort the last two terms but only received a B. Be prepared for frustrating exam questions that make you ask, what in the hell is this?! Even after studying your heart out the whole term! Good luck!

I think Chris is a great guy; I think the problem is that Oregon has a horrible educational budget and has therefore shortened its semesters down to terms and trying to cram a bunch of information into 10 weeks is difficult for anyone--let alone one professor. I think Coffin is much better than Bannon by actually having a personality

I think every commment on here is very true, especially the one about having a line outside his door and how his class is a full time job. Its not easy. IF you want a guy with personality and dont' care about your grade, then you should take him. BUT if you do care about your grade, you should take the summer course. Its an easier physics class

Nice!

Coffin really cares about his students but his physics class is extremely difficult. I killed the physics portion of the MCATs thanks to his class. Just be ready to put in the hours. Do dons of practice problems or you are screwed. It helps to actually do the homework instead of copying a friend.

Took this class a couple years ago, but this guy is still one of my favorite professors ever. Very easy class and he takes a lot of extra time to hold review sessions and help people. Tests were a little long, but never anything surprising.

Great Guy, Extremely helpful in OH, Hard Tests but curves well.. I strongly suggest you go to him with questions and homework help!

Heres the deal, as a pre med student I take hard classes but this class is difficult cause of coffin. I am the type of student who works hard but still fails miserably on the tests....all hundred of them. the class is built on negative feedback, study study study only to fail the tests but still manage a C??? I dont understand...just avoid

very hard class but good curve. Just stick it out when times get tough

Chris is a great instructor. His lectures are clear and straight forward; however, sometimes a little too straight forward - the tests are way harder than anything covered in lecture. But, he does curve well. This is the kind of teacher who cares about students, so if you have questions or concerns, Chris will go out of his way to answer them.

Good teacher, but VERY hard!

Ok, y'all. Oregon State is a SCIENCE and ENGINEERING school. This is its weed out class. Yes it is very hard, but you should feel blessed to have an instructor who explains concepts as well as Chris and is willing to help. The rubrics work as long as you use the algebra like he tells you to. Rise to the challenge people.

Coffin is an amazing person. His tests are insanely hard, but he curves. You def. learn the material in this class, and that is what we are paying for. It may be harder than a beginning class normally is, but it is meant to weed out people. If you need a high GPA to get into professional school, wait till your senior year to take this class!!

The way the course is taught makes you really have to see the concepts and learn when to use and manipulate the equations to fit the situation. The series does a good job of weeding out as it was intended. But Chris is a great guy who will make sure you understand the material as long as you DO the work and seek the help AS SOON as you get stuck.

Chris is a very challenging teacher, and his course is the most challenging in my major. However, challenging is what I paid for, since physics is a great part of MCAT. Expect to spend 8 hours+ a week outside of class, but HELP is ALWAYS available when you need it. You just have to find a TA sometime other than THE DAY OF the EXAM:) Plan ahead

I have taken the entire series, hang in there after the first term it gets easier. Chris is a really nice guy and always willing to help students with questions or homework. The tests are murder but if you stay above the average and do the homework you will get a good grade. He offers lots of extra points...take advantage of ALL of them!!

THIS CLASS IS HARD! There are no 2 ways about it. If you must take it, try and take it with a bunch of easy classes. LOTS of very difficult homework and exams are EXTREMELY difficult. Prepare to spend MANY hours (20-30) just doing homework & lab. Chris is an extremely difficult instructor but willing to help and answer questions. Good Luck!!

Chris is a nice guy, but he is without a doubt the WORST teacher I have ever had. The homework he assigns has nothing to do with what he covers in class or what he puts on exams (not to mention, it takes approximately 1 hour per problem and he only grades 1-2 problems per assignment). He has to massively curve every test or everyone in the class wo

Not as hard as people make him seem, just requires a lot of time and energy to do the HW and study for the 4 midterms. But, fundamentals of physics is such a huge, essential subject that it demands that! Most people motivated to write reviews are motivated by anger/frustration, so that explains the abundance of negative reviews for Chris and others

Great teacher. He knows his stuff and spends a lot of his personal time helping students succeed.

Chris is a good man. His class is tough, but that's the nature of the material. I wish he'd put out a whole bunch of WORKED EXAMPLES to help us along, but other than that, I think he's very fair in his grading and very dedicated to his class. Just needs more info!!

This class was super easy! The professor was interesting, even though the subject was a bore. If you fail both tests you can still get a B+, because lab (which is always less than an hour) and an extra-credit assignment. Overall, definitely easiest science classes at OSU.

Chris teaches a tough subject and he knows it. When you take this class, budget a LOT of time to go to his office hours. They are UNBELIEVABLY helpful, and he just doesn't have enough time to convey everything clearly in the normal lectures. Overall, Chris is a great guy and a fantastic professor.

Chris Coffin teaches a tough subject and knows it. If you want to do well in the class, budget a LOT of extra time to attend his office hours. They are extremely helpful and he simply doesnt havve time to go over everything in sufficient detail during lectures. Overall, Chris is a great guy and a great professor.

Coffin has a tough class, but its very rewarding. His tests and homework can be hard, but by budgeting time and ATTENDING OFFICE HOURS you'll do fine--he loves talking to students and helping them out. He has a passion for the subject and it shows when you talk to him. Take the time to do well and enjoy it. He's the best teacher I've had at OSU.

HW will take up a good chunk of your time, but will go much faster if you ATTEND OFFICE HOURS. Chris goes through problems with students, and that really helps you understand how to go about test problems. Probably the best/nicest teacher I've had at OSU. This class is about thinking and problem solving; don't whine or expect it to be an easy A!!!

This was an extremely demanding, time-consuming course, but that's what college is. Chris is by far the most helpful instructor I've had at OSU. As abysmal as the test scores may seem, Chris always adds on points and (it even states in the syllabus) at least half the class receives a B- or above, which is a very good curve. Don't procrastinate.

Not sure what everybody is talking about... I was a pre-business student and I took this as an elective. I went to class and listened but didn't study much. I set the curve on all exams and got over 110% in the class. Sure, Chris got distracted frequently but he explained things really well, especially in office hours. I studied more for BA101.

There was a lot of hw in this course but if you do it and understand it you will do well. He was very helpful in office hrs & made you think about what you were asking instead of just answering the question. Tests were challenging because concepts from the hw were used but not always similar questions as hw. Spent 15hrs a wk outside of class on hw.

Awesome instructor ever!! I like him a lot, he has incredible ability to clarify stuff in his office hour. Miss him already after finishing PH series

Office hours Office hours Office hours.. you will get an A if you live in his office.

Great teacher. Not an easy class. You've really got to go to office hours and be proactive about your own learning. Just going to class isn't going to help you at all. Lecture is more of a venue for introduction and clarification. You have to do much of the learning on your own. Can't just sit in lecture and expect to pass.

Grades extremely leniently, tough problems but if you pay attention in class and get all the non test related points you will pass easily. Highly recommended, he cares about his students and is easy to communicate with and responds promptly.

Very helpful! Secret is his office hours, spend time in there and you'll do fine:)

Chris Coffin is one of the best professors, if you actually are invested in your education. Physics is a hard subject and Chris makes it as doable as he can w/in OSU's requirements. If you don't take advantage of office hours the class will be difficult, but Chris is always willing to help! He is the most awesome and caring professor at OSU!

Very nice and helpful teacher. Some find him a bad teacher but they are confusing him with the difficulty of the course, which is hard. The class is quite hard. But Coffin himself is a great teacher and if you attend his office hours and try to learn the concepts you will do completely fine. He has very hard tests, but the generous curves help.

At first I was not a fan of his teaching style, but i must admit he has won me over. Hardest exams I have ever taken, but he provides a fair curve. Great instructor of an exhausting subject.

I took a lower level class with him, but I don't see what everyone is complaining about. His teaching is great, and I feel like he is really invested in helping his students. Sure the material can be tedious, but if you put in some work, you will see the rewards on the other side. Great guy!

Coffin is a good professor if you are self managed. His system for homework makes it seem like homework is optional, but if you really take the time to cover his material you will do well.

Chris is a passionate instructor. His lectures are boring and mostly explanations of derivations of formulas rather than problem solving strategies. Homework is very time consuming but helpful for preparing for tests, which are worth 70% of the class grade. His tests are comically difficult with class averages around 35% - 45% but he adds points.

Chris Coffin is a nice guy and is helpful if you attend many of his office hours or see him personally. However, the homework takes hours to do and labs are miserable. The material is not difficult, the workload is just too much to handle. The exams are too long for the time period when considering the amount of detail he requests. Highly failed.

Physics is a hard subject and his test reflect this. However there is a fair curve (sometimes 30% or more) that will save your grade. For a boring subject he tries his best to make it interesting. Labs are mandatory if you want a decent grade. Optional recitation is helpful for working out homework problems. Office hours are a grade saver.

Nice guy. Cant teach at all though. Dont learn a thing in class. Too much homework and it doesn't prepare you at all for exams. I passed with a only a C because the labs are super easy(but unclear) and i took 2 years of IB physics in high school always got a 'B'or higher. His TA graders are harsh. Never got more than 45% on a hw assignment.

He's really nice, and a good teacher. It takes getting used to his teaching style, but he's a great lecturer. His tests are hard, and the first one is a shock , but his curves and grading scale are very fair. After the first couple tests, you get used to the format and can figure out what how to get points. He's not easy, but you learn your stuff.

Chris is a really nice guy, and really knows the subject well. My only issues with this class are that he doesn't use blackboard, so you cannot see your grades throughout the term. His Exams are very difficult so you depend on the curve. His homework is very lengthy and is often difficult to understand if you aren't reading in addition to lecture.

He sincerely cares about student learning and is very helpful in office hours. Do the homework thoroughly and you'll be fine.

The 'homework' is all previous test questions. All you have to do to do great in this class is do the hw and go to lab. Going to lecture will make completing the homework easier, but isn't necessary. If you take the time to understand his solutions on all the hw sets, tests are cake. Textbook is very clear and concise, recommend looking at it

Physics is hard, and he does not sugar coat it. He does an excellent job teaching the material and helps a ton in office hours. Very nice guy. The tests are killer, be prepared.

Chris is fantastic. He is a very tough professor, in the sense that his tests are difficult, but he will move heaven and earth to prepare you for the test if you just show up to office hours. He gives great examples and can usually guide anyone through even some of the toughest topics if you give him the time.

He's a great professor. The people who did poorly just didn't do the optional homework. Do the optional homework.

I don't know why people are so critical of Chris. Physics is a challenging subject, but Chris does an excellent job of teaching the material. He gives many valuable resources you should study to better understand what the exams will reflect. Yes the exams are hard, but he gives a fair adjustent to compensate for the class average.

A lot of people don't like coffin because of his tough tests. After having him for 3 terms (ph 211, 212, and 213) I have noticed he is getting better at giving more fair tests. He grades the class very fairly as a C- is 50%. for every test if the average is less than 50%, he will give everyone a point adjustment so that the average will be at 50%

This class is challenging. Coffin is the hardest 211-213 physics teacher at OSU, case closed. However, I think he is the best teacher of the bunch. If you aren't good at physics, don't take this class. If you want a challenge, then go for it. I got As in 212 and 213, it's possible despite what people say. A word of advice, do ALL of the prep sets.

I love this professor! He cares deeply about the course and is eager to do whatever it takes to help his students succeed. I got 50% (the average) on all of the exams and passed the class with a B. Physics is a hard subject and requires lots of outside of class practice! I enjoy lectures because its mainly group collaboration and critical thought.

I took the PH 21x series with Coffin and I loved him as a lecturer. He engages with his students BUT Chris has a bad habit of preparing HW AND test problems that are difficult. GO TO OFFICE HOURS. Doing HW during office hours is honestly what saved me. Go to lecture. If you can, take ENGR 201 before PH 213.

Professor Chris Coffin really carried during my course I feel that without your help and world of encouragement I would never have passed. Thank you professor many cookies 4 u.

Hardest series of classes I took in college. Lectures make the material seem easy but the hw and tests are anything but. Be prepared to do 20+ hours on hw weekly and still be lost during the test. If you want to get a good grade on his tests, do the hw twice, never use your calc on the test, write down all the relative equations and write faaaaast.

Chris is an amazing teacher. He is an authentic dude and is really good at explaining concepts that sometimes aren't exactly intuitive. I enjoy his lectures and his grading criteria is very fair. Test's are challenging but fair. If you show up to class/lab, do your HW, and do the practice problems you should be good.

Awesome guy, lot of people seem to have a ton of difficulty with his stuff. He is pretty heavy on the homework but not too bad if you ask me. A little light on the basics of using each skill, instead he goes for all encompassing questions. Labs are a pain and the only thing I have any real complaints about, too much time sitting on my rear.

Chris is a very good lecturer. Probably the best option in Oregon state's physics department for the 211 series. However he assumes you're spending between 6 and 10 hours a week outside of class working on assignments, problems sets, and reading the textbook. If you don't have the time or will to do this, the class is like drinking from a fire hose

Be prepared for the worst. His tests are incredibly difficult, albeit he's a very qualified teacher. He's one of the best teachers I've ever had, in terms of pedagogy. Go to his office hours.

Chris is one of the best teachers I have ever encountered in OSU. He's engaging, fun, and extremely caring during his office hours. His tests and homework, however, prepare for the worst. Do not attempt them by yourself; go to the Wormhole. Lesson learned the hard way...

If you are looking for a professor who is going to babysit you through the course, Coffin is not the guy. However, if you are looking for a professor who will make you a better independent learner and problem solver, Coffin delivers. He offers loads of resources to help prepare for exams, and even with 500 students, he'll learn your name.

Coffin is a really good professorif you want to understand physics, take his class. He does a good job of providing lots of resources and spends a lot of time in the Wormhole, I didn't go often but it was always really helpful. Do the prep on the calendar, and you'll be fine. His HW is insanely hard, though, and tests are only a couple steps down.

Chris's class is probably twice as hard as any other professor teaching the physics 21x sequence at OSU. If you plan to take a physics major that is a good thing because it prepares you for upper division physics really well. If you are just taking 21x to satisfy graduation requirements I would go elsewhere.