2.4
Quality3.9
Difficulty32%
Would Retake270
Reviews32%
Would Retake
270
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
270 total ratings5
25
4
50
3
37
2
57
1
101
What Students Say
“Is unclear and is rude to students when they ask questions”
ECON401 - 1.0 rating“Your best resources in this class are your GSIs/discussion sections and YouTube videos”
ECON401 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
20%
Textbook Required
26%
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ECON402
4.5
(2)101
3.3
(4)ECON398
3.1
(12)ECON108
3.0
(2)ECON101
2.7
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ECON
5.0
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4.5
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4.2
ECON395
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Reviews (268)
This class is terrible with him (as all the other comments state). Most of the exams didn't even relate to what we studied and were lectured on... One of my classmates even said he thought he was taking the wrong test at one point when he recieved the second exam on exam day. Better off guessing on the test. Don't take this class.
He's a great professor, I dont care what anyone says. He's enthusiastic about the subject and willing to help out students. Smart guy that knows his stuff, and a good professor to learn from
he is good
For 398, prof gives 5-7 questions hw each week that easily take 7-12 hours each. His powerpoint lectures are relatively basic and don't prepare you well for hw. GSIs may not provide enough help since professor is very strict. Class itself is not even interesting as one might expect of game theory.
The homework problems are hard, yes, but not impossible, and definitely don't take 12 hours. The exams are pretty straightforward applications of the material. It's not a memorize the lecture slides class, it's an understand the materials class.
He is hard to pay attention too, and rables on about non-important topics.
I think that at heart, Professor Proulx wants to be a helpful teacher--but in the end he's really just kind of goofy in a not that great way and not that interesting. He stutters a lot, and I think maybe some of this isn't his fault, but it's kind of distracting. If you can, try to get a different professor.
Never went to class, never did the homework, never read the slides, still got an A. Econ 101 is easy, just look at practice tests before the test. This guy is terrible though. Boring, unhelpful, annoying accent. Take it with someone else if you have to take 101
i hate this man. exams are difficult, homework problems are very hard. if you take this class make sure you get help from your gsi
ugh. never again. his lectures are amazingly boring, pop quizzes are annoying and the midterms are killer
I don't know why everyone hates him. Was he the most entertaining teacher ever? No. Was he the easiest? No. However, it was totally possible to get an A, and the stuff we learned was pretty interesting. I'm not saying he was great, but he wasn't that bad. I will say one thing though, he is a bad administrator because nothing was ever posted on time
Problem sets weren't bad at all and don't take that long to do. Lectures are pretty much useless and trivial, if you do anything go to section. If you are interested in Game Theory wait to get exposure in 401 and if you still like it take 409. Overall a disappointing class that I didn't get much out of at all.
He tries, but he is still boring. His slides always have grammar errors ("when their gone, their gone"), but the iclicker questions are helpful. We are also using his textbook, which is incomplete, lacks a table of contents and index, has grammar errors, and has incorrect answers and incorrect chapter numbers. The gsi is much more helpful.
he is a very unclear and somewhat not straightforward in his lectures. His material is different than the other 2 econ lectures (which partner up the same). I would highly reccomend getting Malone or Gerson... their class is structured the same. Proulx does his own thing, has his own tests....
Had him for Econ 101. I feel badly giving him a bad review, but try to get a different professor. I always fell asleep because lectures were extremely boring, and his voice kind of bothers me. He does his own thing, not doing what the other Econ 101 professors do, which was annoying. Book was pretty bad- not in color, which would have helped.
subject was interesting, but his lectures put me to sleep and the lecture slides posted online weren't much help. the book was pretty boring, too.
You can tell he was passionate about econ, and he loved to give examples in class that relates to the world today. However, he often droned on and on. I think I was legitimately awake for only 5 of his lectures this semester. The slides and the book-in-the-making did not help. I think I would've failed if it weren't for my GSI (James).
Seemed like a nice guy--a little nervous teaching, though (as evidenced by the slight stutter), but he got better as the year went on. Not very engaging. Repeated things ad nauseum, which was annoying, but HELPFUL. don't go out of your way to take econ with someone else. im taking his strategy class next semester
I'll admit, part of what makes this class hard is that its weeder for Ross. Still, Proulx was boring, and his lectures seemed dumbed down compared to what was on the exams. Doesn't tell you your grade,just gives you a range relative to the class, which even the other two don't do. He is arbitrary and stubborn, and that says something in THIS class.
He is very passionate about what he's teaching. If you're uncertain about something he taught, you should go look for him personally. He could give a better explaination when he is speaking one to one with you. I really think he's a good teacher.
I didn't think he was as bad as some of the reviews say, but I think taking AP Econ before made things clearer for me. I had a very good GSI too, so that helped a lot. He likes to use strange examples sometimes.
I had him for ECON 398 and 395 (Law and Economics) and he did a great job teaching the materials. He helped me relate the economics theories to the real life situations. Also, his lecture slides are clear and helpful. It's not hard to get a grade as long as you understand everything talked about in class.
The professor knew what he was talking about but set up the class in a way that related more to his personal life and beliefs than the actual class. Do not take his class. He was a hard grader and very stubborn when subjectively grading homework and exams. I also found his voice extremely irritating.
Very interesting course called "strategy", basically intro to game theory. Basically all math and problem solving. He is a pretty good prof. but loses focus sometimes and tells long, unrelated stories. Homework is important for understanding material. Exams are tricky. This course has a more generous curve than other econ courses: 30% A, 35% B
I went to every lecture, but my after class review was more helpful. The overall lecture was well structured. I did like the discussion session and the GSI. BTW, in the summer term, he did not provide any past exams for review. That was the part made the course hard.
I did well in this class but I think it's only because I had an awesome AP teacher in high school. The homework and lectures are way easier than anything on the exams. I've heard that Gerson and Malone are better so take this class with one of them if you can.
Not as bad as most people think (especially if you have prior economics experience). He knows his material, and is actually really funny. Class is not easy though.
Exams are difficult. Just make sure you know the material and you'll be fine. He explains everything well (read the text though) and is funny, but his voice is annoying and puts me to sleep everyday. Doing the homework won't help you on the tests as they're not alike.
Try to avoid him for Econ if you do not have a background in Econ. His tests are way easier than Gerson and Malone but he doesn't lecture well, is boring, and is awkward. So, if you have no Econ background, get Gerson or Malone but if you do, have at him!
Everybody says to avoid him but his class really isn't that bad. Econ 101 is just hard and people don't like that. I'm not saying to take him over Gerson or Malone but if he is all that's left or if he fits into your schedule better, don't not take econ. Go to lecture., read the book, and try to enjoy his jokes.
Definitely avoid him, and try to get Gerson or Malone. His voice is super annoying to listen to during lecture. His tests are significantly harder than the other econ lecture too.
Decent professor. Slightly boring in class but its not too hard to pay attention if you try. The textbook is excellent - make sure you read it.
I actually do like this professor. He is funny and kind. His exam is reasonably hard, and I think its just right. His homework problems and quizzes really enhance your basic knowledge of Microeconomics, which is awesome.
This is a terrible class I strongly recommend not taking it. The exams were 20 multiple choice and the questions were more trick questions than testing your knowledge of the material. Long weekly homework assignments that are challenging (not impossible)that are graded for correctness. His voice is also very annoying to top things off.
Proulx is a nice enough guy, but the exams for this class are just heinous. I think he designs his tests specifically to "make you think", but in reality they're all trick questions and you'll walk away frustrated.
Unhelpful, Unresponsive, and has a tendency to make things overly complex. When I think of the standard of awful professors, I go straight to Chris Proulx. For both Econ 101 and 401, he was a perpetual frustration. It's not so much that his classes are difficult (they are), it's that he appears more interested in fostering struggle than success.
Responds to questions in a very negative manner that makes me afraid to have things clarified by him. I think he is a smart individual but he needs to a) change his exam questions and b)approach students in a nicer manner.
During lecture, he likes to hear himself talk. He skips lecture slides. He answers his own questions. He is unapproachable. When I went to his office hours, I left more confused than I came. I would not recommend taking any economics class with Professor Proulx.
Proulx is knowledgeable but not a great teacher. I only did well because I took Econ is high school. He repeats himself a lot, uses odd examples, and his voice can be annoying. Often times he would spend so long on the first slides, that in the last two minutes of class he would rush through 3-4 slides.
He explained things decently but didn't prepare students well for the extremely hard tests that he gave. He also was sarcastic and seemed to lack concern for his students and seemed to teach for the paycheck. His voice and demeanor were quite annoying. Avoid him if possible. Bottom line, avoid him if possible.
Proulx's tests in this class were challenging and full of tricks. The problems on the homework did not adequately prepare us for the exams. I would not take ECON 398 with Professor Proulx under any circumstances.
Sarcastic, cocky, and not helpful. Don't take him.
Proulx was the worst instructor I've had at Michigan. He was an embarrassment to the department, as he didn't seem to care at all about the class. He didn't put any effort into explaining things well, and didn't seem to care about how his students performed. Don't ever take him.
Proulx is more interested in sounding intelligent than clarifying concepts. He will never explain/demonstrate how he solves problems in lecture which leaves you pretty much SOL. Terrible professor. Perfect addition to the extremely mediocre Economics department at U of M.
Proulx is a terrible lecturer. He tries to be funny in class and is very arrogant. Doesn't go over any of the types of problems on his exams, which are very difficult. The textbook he used was also useless. Try to avoid him if you can.
Proulx gets a bad rep just because Econ 101 is really hard. The class requires a lot of work to get a good grade. You have to study for multiple days before an exam, do all of the sample exams, read, attend class, etc. If you put in the effort, you can get a good grade. Most others here are bitter that Econ was too hard and take it out on the prof
Had him for Econ 101 and 401. Bad idea. Uses very confusing examples to explain simple topics. His exams are full of tricks. Consistently bogs down his slides with so many symbols and characters that you don't know what's going on. Avoid him if you can.
Whatever the case may be, I left the class with a good understanding of Econ.
No. Just no. Lectures are hella boring. The course can become very difficult very easily and it's really hard to catch up once you're behind. So, no. Just no.
Doesn't explain anything well and tests are confusing/hard. He tries to trick you on them...
Worst teaching style ever. His graphs are hard to follow, he's boring, and he only gives trick questions that you'll never see on the exams. His class did, however, teach me to be thankful that my other bad profs weren't nearly as bad as him.
Proulx is not good at explaining at all. His midterms are tough and hard to get an A. Textbooks are needed in case you have to know the details. For an Econ101 course his tests are too hard. Don't recommend taking it.
Proulx is the absolute worst, you can go to lecture and pay attention and walk out knowing the same amount as if you didn't pay attention, and makes his examples beyond confusing for no good reason. his tests are also purposefully difficult! Don't take this class with him!
Bad professor
Proulx is not a good professor. Lectures and homework do not prepare you for the tests. He is not clear on any concepts. Would not advice taking a class with him
The discussion sections have pop quizzes. The questions asked in lecture are usually tricky and somewhat irrelevant to the exams. I recommend utilizing the book and any of the GSIs for clarification.
If you think that he's terrible and confusing, you probably will think that econ overall is terrible and confusing and should reconsider your life goals. He's excited about the subject and that shows through his lectures. Not an easy class but you'll be okay if you can understand the material. If you can't, that's fine--you can't ace everything.
Professor Proulx is a pretty boring lecturer and seemed puzzled when asked questions during lectures. However, the class is straightforward and as long you read and study a fair amount it's not too tough
Everyone says Proulx is the absolute worst. I disagree. He does a decent job of explaining the material and is enthusiastic. Is he really weird? Yes. But if you get off your phone, stay awake, take notes, and do the readings, it isn't tough to get in the top 25% of the curve that gets an A or A-. I managed an A without any previous Econ experience.
Proulx is a horrible teacher for a horrible course (101). Overall, I would avoid him if possible. The tests are overly difficult, the book if poorly written and filled with typos, and the class is generally impersonal. I missed a pop quiz because of a family emergency and he gave me a zero with no option for credit.
Proulx is THE WORST. His slides have so many unexplained symbols and characters; they make lectures impossible to follow. He (admittedly) goes so fast you will inevitably miss important info. He is unapproachable and often cancels OH. Often says "think about it" in lecture and NEVER explains. 2 exams contain info learned in previous day's lecture.
He over complicates examples during lecture so much that you will leave questioning what just happened. Proulx is hands down the most pompous, arrogant professor I have ever had. His office ours are not helpful leave you with more questions than answers. Avoid at all costs.
Lectures are horrible - insults students' intelligence by using childish examples and clearly tries to show off by making problems complicated.
Proulx really isn't as bad as everyone says on here. I think the nature of the material is just more difficult. If you do the readings and workbook problems as he assigns then then you should be fine. His tests are hard but they are creative and good if you know the material and concepts well. He also seems like a genuine guy.
Proulx does a good job at getting the bulk of the information to you, however he does not use relevant examples. For the most part his in class examples are very basic, the homework problems are much more complex than anything he covers in class, and then his exam questions are harder than homework. Helpful in OH though and GSI's saved my life.
Professor Proulx is one of the worst lecturers you will find at UM. His slides are designed to show off his own intelligence and are full of complex and unnecessary equations. There is no need for mathematical proofs, man! "Rabbit" is a professor who should be avoided if at all possible.
Just don't, he is the reason why i'm not doing econ anymore and I got a c in the class. Absolutely doesn't care for the students and the department doesn't as well. You can see it clearly that he enjoys it as well, it's really weird, he tries hiding it but it's obvious to anyone that he loves every second of seeing a student struggle. GOOD LUCK.
It is a laughing matter that Dr. Proulx can teach the most important class in the Economics major. His lectures are dull, he is unclear and he doesn't give his students the materials they need to do well. All tests are purely multiple choice. This may suit some, but I don't think it's a comprehensive way to learn Econ.
It depends on the person, I did everything he asked of us and barely passed. I'm changing majors for sure even though I passed. I just can't handle the way these professors make the exams and how little they care about what happens. Each professor I have had here is horrible but this guy is the worst, he just enjoys seeing the students get angry.
The tests in this class are impossible. I knew the material, but the test never covered any of it.
While he wasn't the most approachable professor, he certainly gives you the knowledge necessary to do well in what is a difficult class regardless of professor. Proulx explains the topics perfectly adequately for the most part, and with a bit of work on your end you'll do well.
The reason for 1's all around is that his lecture slides are easy to understand, the book is easy to understand and even the workbook is pretty easy. His exams are insanely difficult and I found myself wondering why he didn't make the other material more difficult. He is actually a great teacher but didn't make our study material tough enough.
The biggest piece of advice I could give anyone taking 401 w Proulx is to try to get your hands on a previous semester's exams and to take the practice quizzes in the Varian book. The Varian practice testsnormal problems are not good enough preparation for Proulx's exams, even if you think you know the material.
The class was quite tough. Proulx did not lecture well and the slides were not too helpful. The most helpful study tool was the workbook (problems and the practice quizzes). If you can understand how to do every problem in the workbook you will be okay for the test, but it will still be tough to get an A.
Pretty straightforward-- If you think through ALL the workbook problems then you will do well on the tests. He throws tricks into the tests but they are mostly within the realm of concepts that you get from doing the workbook problems. Lectures are basic but discussion is the place to hash out tricky questionsconcepts from the workbook.
Well guys... it is brutal. Going to class will not help you in anyway. I attended twice and glad I didn't keep going because he can't explain the concepts to save his life. He gives you no practice tests (just practice problems from the book). Pray that you get a good GSI and a huge curve because that was the only reason I passed.
Don't listen to the professor and buy the workbook. It is useless. The problems in the workbook are way too easy and consist of only long questions. However, the exams are all MCs.
Extremely rude and condescending. Unclear lectures with overly difficult tests. Very unpleasant professor, who should be avoided at all costs.
Exams were very hard, and Proulx penalizes you for guessing on the multiple choice. Lectures were boring, and I did not like his teaching style. He rambles on about examples. The textbook and workbook really helped me get through this course.
Not conscientious, which can be seen his giving only 2 hours of lectures a week -- compared to another prof T. Borgers, who gives 3 hours of lectures a week for ECON401. He is never able to finish a single lecture. At the end of each class he hurries to read the remaining slides with little explanation. Exams are easy ONLY IF U R A MATH PERSON.
Econ 401 was the hardest class I've taken at U of M. Proulx doesn't make it easier. His lectures are purely conceptual, while all of the work he expects you to do is mathematical. He never teaches students the math, which is the whole course, and leaves this burden to the GSIs. On top of that, exams are insane. If you have to have him, good luck.
Dr. Proulx is fine ... they try to fit a lot of material into this course, so his lectures were always rushed. I actually found that the workbook/quiz problems were comparable to the exams, it's just that you have a lot less time during the test - so work to really understand the concepts and then practice!! And go to the GSI review sessions/OH.
Proulx does not care about his students. He is not helpful and belittles his students if they don't understand. DO ALL THE WOB QUESTIONS. Try to avoid him if you can.
Don't take 401 with Proulx if you have a choice. He barely gives examples, and when he does, they are far from what's on his tests. To make matters worse, his recommended textbook is useless. It is the first textbook I have seen without common examples. I really hoped the textbook would help prepare me for tests but it's as useless as the lectures.
Dr. Proulx is an unreal lecturer. He gets a lot of mixed reviews but I will make a point of having him again. He really knows his stuff and can put the material into the simplest of terms. Highly recommend.
I think he gets a bad rep. for being an odd character but he is actually a good professor if you look past it. He was very helpful reviewing exam material in office hours.
Lectures aren't the most exciting things in the world, but he is not a boring professor. iClickers used for attendance, which isn't mandatory, but you receive extra credit for it. Doing well on the exams has nothing to do with how well you, but rather how the rest of the class does, so pray for a generous curve. Overall, hard class, fine professor.
You can tell Proulx is intelligent and knows what he's talking about, but the lectures are all theoretical, along with the book for the most part. The workbook problems are easier than the exam problems. Proulx doesn't go over any problems similar to the exam problems. I found it difficult to prepare for the exams. Hardest class I've ever taken.
Terrible
Honestly, he deserves a better rating. His slides are compact, ordered information from the textbook. He even includes examples from the workbook. His lectures aren't the best, but he tries to make it relatable and funny. Econ 401 is a hard class itself, so do work hard, go to office hours, get all the help, and you'll survive.
If you have a choice, just avoid him and wait for another professor in 401. He is definitely okay in lecturing but seriously he covers too much materials in one lecture and when you go back to review PPT, it is really confusing though. Also, I did all workbook questions, quizzes, practice exams but still feel unconfident about the exam.
This class is very difficult but doable if you spend ample time before the exams going to office hours the days of the week before the exam and making sure you thoroughly understand the solutions and principles. Proulx definitely gets a worse rep than I believe her should get. He is just a very quirky guy, but very intelligent and good lectures.
Proulx was one of the worst professors I've had for econ. His lectures are extremely helpful. I tried my best to take diligent notes and follow along, but when I came back to them I had no idea what we were learning. The best thing you can do is all of the PS's and HW assignments and workbook. It was the only way I could do well in the class
His lecture slides are so confusing and helpless, and his workbook contains too many long questions which I do not want to work out.
As an individual, Proulx is NOT approachable, and he is often condescending to his students. That said, he is an excellent lecturer. ECON 401 is a very difficult class, but doable if you put in the work. Workbook problems and homeworks are very helpful, lectures less so, and the textbook less so. Be ahead in the class, falling behind is very rough.
Proulx was not all bad. I went to most of his office hours and put in good time before the exams to prepare and I did fine. Its an extremely tough class, but it is definitely doable if you put in the time. He is definitely a weird dude, but also a nice guy and i actually really enjoyed this class.
If you are really interested in Economics and want to go beyond exam and grades, it is a solid choice. Proulx gives a lot of deep knowledge behind the general concept, which is useful for getting a deep understanding in Economics. But if you just want to get an A and are not very good at math, be careful.
Proulx gets a terrible undeserved rep. He is an amazing lecturer and clearly explains all the concepts. The class is extremely math heavy and knowledge of calc 3 is very useful. It seems that many studetns have problems with the math portion of the class because the economics is not very difficult. Easy if you're good at math, difficult if not.
Proulx really dives into the concepts and aims to provide a DEEP understanding of each and every chapter. That being said, each chapter is packed to the brim with information and requires a very strong calculus understanding. The tests are very hard, and you will be doing a LOT of work if you want to score at least an average "C" on tests.
His class was very very dry and it was impossible to follow along with the material. While 401 is on it's own a difficult class, Prolux did not help make it more engaging.
Econ 401 is a weeder course (not easy), relying on math/quantitative ability rather than intuition. That being said, Professor Proulx covers a lot in each lecture, and pointlessly derives some formulas or gives you the long method when it can be done quicker and easier. It's do-able, if you put the work in. Dr. Proulx is quirky and is pretty dry.
Exams determined way too much of the class grade. Homework questions were hilariously difficult and worth so little points. If you're great at math you'll be able to figure it out, however with calc 2 background I had a tough time following lectures and the slides were basically statements without explanation and very badly formatted.
Proulx isn't that bad. His lecture slides hand you everything you need to know. I think he's a decent lecturer. Doing well in 401 requires a ton of work: do the workbook (at least the assigned problems), homework, quizzes in the workbook, and practice questions provided. Don't get behind on material and you'll be fine.
I stopped going to lecture after the fourth one because he's quite dry. However, I thoroughly went over his notes (for conceptual information) and spent A LOT OF TIME doing the workbook. YOU NEED TO WORK FOR THIS; HALF OF MY STUDYING WAS SPENT ON THIS CLASS. You can do well relying on being good at math and not concepts. Not the opposite though.
Your grade in this class is basically weighed entirely by exams, which are impossible. Exam averages were in the 50th percentile. Lecture slides were overcomplicated and exams were full of complex test questions that were impossible to understand. This class is used to weed out students from the econ major because it is that difficult.
Class based entirely on math (Calc 1 / partial derivatives). Put in the work (a LOT of work) and you'll be fine- if you at least can answer the exam questions that are straight off the workbook problems, you'll get close to the class median (which was about a 60-70%). Proulx is a good lecturer and slides are super helpful.
Proulx is funny, endearingly quirky, and for the most part able to convey the material effectively. The tests are pretty straightforward and virtually every question feels ripped from the quizzes in the back of the workbook. You should still expect to put in the effort in learning the material, though, because there's a lot of it and it moves fast.
Very tough class. Be sure to do the assigned reading BEFORE the lecture and take good notes. Proulx gets a rap for being bad but really how well you do is entirely dependent on how much you put into it. If you understand basic Calc I you can get away with not completely understanding the concepts. Study a lot for tests.
Proulx's RMP score is way more indicative of the toughness of his classes, rather than his actual quality as a professor. He's a great guy and you'll do great in the class if you do the readings, homeworks, and workbooks. Slack off and you will fall behind very fast. The class is hard, but Proulx's lectures are engaging & he's always ready to help
Proulx obfuscates concepts with unnecessary amounts of esoteric technical language and has a general attitude of "this is how it is because I said so." He offers little explanation of concepts yet designs exams to leave students confused and unsure about the majority of questions.
I feel like Proulx's not as bad as his RMP score reflects. The class is difficult for sure, but Proulx is a great lecturer and very helpful in his office hours. He tries his hardest to teach you the concepts and will spend as much time as needed.
I really wish I could like Proulx. He can be funny and clearly knows the material, but he's no good at actually teaching it. I do all the work and reading (mandatory and otherwise) for this class and it's clear that he needlessly overcomplicates ideas -- he'll show a useless proof of why something works, but never actually show how to do it.
I realized very soon that this class is meant to weed out students from the econ major. Proulx is a very poor lecturer. He explains general concepts but not how to relate the information to solving problems on exams.
He adjusts the class so that, on average, 40% of the original class drops or fails (he said so during the first lecture of the semester). He provides a lot of materials to study, even recorded lectures, but students have to decide what works best for them. THIS IS NOT A CLASS YOU CAN BLOW OFF.
He literally does not explain how to do any problems that will appear on the exams. So basically you teach yourself the calculations. It's a very hard class, and it almost seems like he wants to psych people out, as an answer left blank on an exam is worth 1 point, but a wrong answer is worth 0 points.
Chris isn't that bad. I would recommend going to his office hours and putting in the work. You won't regret it.
Proulx was a really good lecturer. He did a great job of explaining difficult concepts in a way that was understandable. This class rewards those who really work hard on their own time. You HAVE to do the workbook problems even though you don't get credit for doing it. This was an incredibly rewarding class but was hard.
Is unclear and is rude to students when they ask questions. Someone asked a question in lecture as to how he got a certain answer and he responded "like I just did."
I wanted to believe that the hype/drama of ECON 401 isn't true, but it is. Proulx is so smug and not helpful and intentionally makes concepts harder than they need to be. Lecture is not that helpful, instead you should rely on the GSIs because you will learn way more and be better prepared for the tests from them instead of Proulx.
Well I may have just failed a midterm but I swear I'm objective. This guy is awful. The material for 401 is moderately hard for sure, proulx makes it way worse. Bad lecturer, over complicated concepts and creates absolutely ridiculous test questions. I don't think a single person did well on that test.
Econ 108 is the Personal Finance class that is an easy A with Proulx. Just keep a spreadsheet of your weekly spending to turn in and a two page paper on what you want to do financially in life. Very easy and he has lots of world experience to add to the class.
Proulx always overcomplicates things and never explains them well. I stopped going to lecture after the second week because I can learn better myself.
Pretty much going to echo the feedback here: 401 is a challenging class and Proulx's lectures do little to help. Some people think he's funny but to me he just comes off as pretty rude and his slides will do nothing to help you prepare for the exam in the class. Your best resources in this class are your GSIs/discussion sections and YouTube videos.
I want to be fair. Proulx can be funny and he can really helpful during office hours. But I can't deny the fact that this class is so stupidly tough because he makes it so. There's absolutely no need to blow through material so quickly while teaching proofs and other things that just needlessly complicate material. 401 shouldn't be bad, but it is.
This is a class where you get out what you put in. If you do the work and all the workbook problems, you'll do fine as about 70% of his exam questions are very similar to the book. He's not a great lecturer as he mumbles a lot and many of his slides are hard to follow if you aren't good at calculus, so be prepared to learn largely from the book.
Apparently the anomaly here, but I thought that Proulx was a good lecturer. He does teach the material at a higher level than might be necessary, but he is a good lecturer. He is extremely competent and does explain concepts well even if he is rude. His lecturers are more theoretical than the exams but are helpful for conceptual understanding.
The rabbit's lectures are quite theoretical indeed, and I loved all his anecdotes and humor. However, his lectures do little to prepare you for the exam. Save your time - don't use the textbook at all. I survived this class by networking with others who were able to explain problems. Look at the workbook for sure, some questions come from there.
Chris Proulx is a good guy who is passionate about Econ. However, he writes a tough exam. If you struggle with hard exams and slightly boring lectures try to get into a different class. This class seems significantly harder than the other Econ 101 classes. I wish I would have listened to the bad reviews and chosen a different prof.
Proulx may not be the best prof in the Econ department, but he does a fine job. If youre following along in the textbook and doing the practice problems (along with going to lecture), youll have no trouble in his class.
Do NOT take Econ 101 with Proulx! Lectures that can be very confusing, and are impossible to look back on after class because his lecture slides are very limited. Exams are way harder than anything done in class or practice exams. Econ 101 is a hard subject without a doubt, but having Proulx as a professor made it much harder than it needed to be.
You'll get basically the same experience in ECON101 no matter what professor you have. That being said, I would try to avoid Proulx. His lectures were quite hard to sit through, and the slides do the bare minimum to prepare you for the exams. Your success in this class will come from doing many practice exams (and you wont need the book).
Proulx is a nice guy but he's not very good at teaching econ. I took AP econ in high school but because of how Michigan's econ department works I had to take 101 anyway, so I did well, can't necessarily say the same of kids who had no econ background. It's also graded really strangely, figuring out the grading system is harder than the material.
This is the absolute worst teacher you will ever have. I put so much effort into the class and ended up with a B because he cannot teach for his life and should be let go as any professor at the institution. He's probably really happy he has tenure cause hes the worst teacher anyone can ask for. Your grade will suck and it wont be your fault.
Proulx expects that no student in his class does anything outside of class other than Econ 401 (hence why his syllabus suggests 3 hours of studying for every 1 hour of class time). Expect to suffer if he is your 401 professor, it's best to look anywhere else if you want to succeed.
Sheesh. This guy is the worst professor at UM. Not only does he negatively affect students but you should just speak to him so you know not to trust him and understand that he teaches economics for a reason rather than do anything beneficial for society. This guy doesnt accomadate you for anything you need, he literally tries to hurt your life
Proulx is not a good lecturer. I had trouble understanding his lectures so I stopped going to lecture after the 2nd week and taught myself the material. However, he does provide you with decent lecture slides as well as practice problems and workbook problems. Do those if you want to do well in the class.
Ok. So he's not that bad. He's very very theoretical. His lectures don't explain everything he may ask you on tests or homeworks. Sometimes it is incredibly frustrating. But he's not the worst. Very theoretical but you can survive his class.
Honestly dont get the heat he gets. The class was well-structured, taught well, and I learnt a lot. Tests were not difficult at all. In fact, the materials he uses are so well-made that you could just learn off the slides and get an A.
Dr. Chris is easygoing professor who always care about student involvement in the class and clarity of course contents. I think he usually put tons of models in the beginning stage, but things really get easier afterward due to foundation in the first few lectures. I will definitely recommend you to take his class. (Chris really worths the 5)
Proulx is kind of a strange guy but overall a pretty good teacher. Exam questions are taken almost directly from the workbook, so if you understand the practice questions you will do well. His slides are good and he explained the material well. Econ 401 is a hard class overall so you're always gonna have people who complain about the teacher.
I've heard some say that he's okay for 401 because there's a workbook, but avoid him for 101. The exams are arbitrary and the practice exams aren't for the course so there's always material that is irrelevant on them. Just save your sanity and take one of the other profs.
Really funny guy. Obviously cares a lot about Econ. Lectures are clear, concise, and easy to follow, even asynchronously. Gives lots of examples and weekly quizzes are easy + a good way to check your understanding. Offers extra credit.
He didn't really explain things very well in lectures. I already had previous Econ knowledge so the class was okay for me but if he doesn't do a good job of explaining concepts to newbies.
Prof Proulx was very nice and caring, and made himself available if you needed help. NEED to do the homework if you want to do remotely well on exams. Exams can be tricky but he would curve/remove certain questions if a majority of students were not able to get the answer.
The three exams are worth 75% of the grade and the weekly take home quizzes are worth 25%, which makes exam performance crucial if you want a good grade. Discussion attendance is not mandatory and they are quite boring. You are able to collaborate with peers for the take home quizzes. If you do the optional homework/practice exams you will be fine.
Proulx is a very nice guy who cares a lot about econ and his students and that shown through even over asynchronous lectures. If you took AP Econ in high school or have any prior knowledge this class is an easy A; I never read any of the textbook chapters or went to the discussions and have a 98%. There are easy weekly quizzes and extra credit
Do not take Econ 401 with Proulx. He is extremely rude & condescending. He puts people down for his own pleasure. Before I took his class I had an advising appointment with him to discuss the major. He told me that I was not smart enough to get through it. He does not want students to succeed & is not a good lecturer. I only have bad things to say.
Professor Proulx did his best to make the lectures as engaging as possible. The course itself is difficult and the poor reviews are slightly exaggerated. However, I took micro in hs and got a 4 on it and still found myself having to study often. I can't imagine how those with no experience must have felt. Avoid Proulx, choose anyone else.
This class is almost solely based on exams. The exam questions do not at all reflect what is taught in lecture (the lecture just covers the basics and they expect you to figure out the rest with optional homework questions). He seems like a nice person, but definitely not someone I would choose as an ECON 101 professor.
He is a really nice man. Always seems kind and generous. He explained the course material well and the exam is not hard. Listen carefully to his course and you will get a great grade.
I think because it was online the exams were difficult. It is a relatively fair class, but he does throw some curve balls on the exam.
I think Dr. Proulx gets too much hate and his rating is often more representative of the difficulty of the class itself than his ability. His notes are very detailed and exam-oriented. There is not much covered in exams outside of the scope of the notes and the practice exams, and closely following them was an excellent method to do well.
His lectures are long and theoretical, the way he explains concepts can be confusing. The workbook problems/quizzes take time, and he doesn't provide any worked out solutions. Retook this class with a different prof who explained Dr Proulx 1 hour 22 min lecture more clearly in 20 minute video who also provided step by step solutions to problems.
Prof Proulx himself isnt a bad guy and he seems pretty knowledgeable about economics and the lecture materials. However, the class structure is idiotic. It is graded off of 3 stupidly hard exams where each mult choice question is basically 5 percent of the test. The tests were way too hard for the lecture material and I wish homework was graded.
Prof Proulx genuinely seemed passionate about teaching economics and was always open to questions during and after class. I didn't love how the exams were graded, with blank answers counted for more points than wrong answers. Overall, his lectures were clear and all taped online, and the practice exams and review sessions prepped well for exams.
My suggestion is that do not take courses taught by this prof
Dr. Proulx did a very good job of teaching the material. His lectures were clear and he always made himself available after class for questions. As long as you come to lectures and do the assigned work, you will be fine. Many people were frustrated by their low test grades because they didn't put in the work.
Don't pick him as your 401 prof. I'm currently taking his class and he has done absolutely nothing to prepare us for the exams. He teaches broad concepts in class and expects us to know how to apply that to exam questions. I honestly think half the class has no clue what's going on. Proulx needs to stop teaching this class, it's unconstitutional
Chris Tool thinks it's brag worthy to note that many people fail his 401 class. His lectures do absolutely nothing to prepare you for the test. He doesn't even give worked out solutions to workbook problems. He's also super liberal and claims that he'd take a Toyota over a Rolls Royce. Dude's wife left him and now he takes it out on the students
Terrible. Lectures have nothing to do with exams. Speaks very broadly in class and does not prepare students whatsoever for incredibly more difficult exam problems. Hoping and expecting him to never teach a 401 class again.
The GOAT professor at umich in my books. Chris Proulx changed my life. He has been the most inspirational and generational instructor that I have witnessed in a classroom. W professor, W life, L wife.
Proulx teaches extremely hypothetically, making it difficult to connect what he is saying in class to homework/exams. He is condescending and outright rude to people who ask questions. I'm so happy I never have to take him again. BUT - if anyone is reading these reviews and is nervous, it IS DOABLE. You got this, just give the class lots of time :)
Wish he did more practice problems in class, but otherwise a good prof.
Dr. Proulx was definitely not as bad as everyone on Rate My Professor made him out to be. I wouldn't call his lectures inspiring or something completely mind-blowing. However, the way to succeed in this class is outlined clearly from the very beginning, and his lectures are quite clear cut and helpful.
If you are half decent at calculus, just do all the weekly take-home quizzes and practice problems and you'll pass. 80% of the exam questions are very similar to those practice problems(you do need to buy the workbook though, as the version you can easily find online is a little outdated).
Proulx himself is passionate about economics which helps in not falling asleep during class, now, as a person, I didn't like him. As a professor, I liked him even less. Grading. Sucks. Ass. He is not someone you should take unless you're a 100000% sure you like econ because this is the type of professor that makes you want to change majors.
This was a pretty typical large lecture class, but at the end of the semester Proulx really came through and let me retake the final exam when I messed up the time. Literally saved me for no reason.
75% of final grade is based on exams. Discussion section was more confusing than helpful. Lectures were dry and boring.
Professor Proulx's lectures are extremely funny and engaging (which is good considering the length of the lectures). He is accessible to his students and very kind. Despite this, though, you will want to consider that 75% of your grade is based on three large exams. Also, the content they cover isn't always what was covered in lecture.
Straightforward, recorded lectures, albeit sometimes boring. Practice exams are very similar to actual exams which I found extremely useful when studying. One sheet of homework a week. Attendance is taken by iClickers for extra credit and accuracy doesn't matter. If you've taken AP Micro, Proulx's Econ 101 feels just like a review of the material.
Secon week in school, you already can tell he sucks.
Worst professor I ever had in my lfie. AVOID AT ALL COST.
Terrible. The median was below c-. Exam are too much harder than quiz and homework.
Professor Proulx is a good man and has lots of office hours but his teaching is very lacking. The overwhelming majority of his lectures are taught extremely hypothetically which makes it difficult to understand the material, and thus hard to do the workbook problems. I wouldn't recommend Proulx for Econ 401 whatsoever, take another professor.
Great lecturer with weird exams. Exams were similar to practice exams and excerpts from the workbook. a little bit of extra credit from iclicker.
I will start by saying that Proulx is a nice guy and a pretty funny professor. I found that his teaching style didn't really mesh all that well with the way I learn personally- he teaches in a very theoretical way, and leaves most of the computational, mathematic side of this class to the GSI's. He is a nice guy, as I said, but get ready to work.
Dr. Proulx's lectures were pretty funny and engaging, however a lot of the material is pretty hypothetical and you need to keep up with the workbook questions if you want to pass. Exams were very similar to the workbook and were hella easy if you did the workbook questions. He was funny and out of pocket sometimes which made him entertaining.
Proulx's lectures are fine, and he can be quite funny. I don't really know how people expect him to just teach practice problems in a 300 person lecture instead of teaching concepts. Just keep up with the workbook and go to discussion. The exams are really similar to the workbook questions and practice exam. Quizzes are effectively free points.
He is terrible
Means well, go to office hours if you need extra help.
Exams are hard. Lectures are confusing because they are usually hypothetical.
Switched majors because of him
Terrible at answering questions and lectures made me more confused.
For Econ 401, Intermediate Microeconomics, Proulx did not teach exam material. Instead he taught conceptual aspects of the course which were largely irrelevant for achieving success. Do not take Proulx for Econ 401 if you intend to do well and wish to avoid a very painful experience.
His lectures are purely conceptual and provide no assistance in solving the workbook problems, which are very difficult and essential to doing well in the class. The course covers a large amount of material in a short period of time and is graded heavily on three extremely challenging exams. Decent person but a horrible professor for this course.
This course is extremely easy. I never attended lecture, crammed 1 week before every exam, and my lowest exam score was a 90%. He provides lecture content in a general mathematical form, which is then almost always *directly* applicable to the quiz/exam questions. Look at the notes, use the equations, take the practice exams, that's it.
One of the worst teachers I have ever had as a student. Lecture material is not conducive to the learning styles of students. With that being said, learning relies almost exclusively on the workbook, as lecture slides are hard to follow. Exam prep materials did little to help students succeed as exam questions covered entirely different material.
Straightforward recorded lectures that are mostly conceptual, unlike exams which are more formula-based, but are useful for attaining some background on the chapter topic. Utilize the workbook, practice exams, and econ lab early on and you should have no problem. Econ lab and the GSIs were definitely the most helpful resource!
Absolutely atrocious professor, worst I've ever had at UM. His exams are difficult and most questions have no relation to anything remotely realistic. Also a terrible lecturer, would give practice iClicker problems and 80% of the class would get them wrong. Then would move on without an explanation bc we were "running out of time." Dude's terrible.
The class is structured poorly which doesn't help when the content is difficult by itself. Avoid him! Doesn't prepare you well for exams
Proulx is a knowledgable professor and if you do the workbook questions along with the material each week you should do decent, but its challenging to do well in the course due to the lack of study material for exams. There is only one practice exam for exams and the exam questions can vary greatly, so preparation is difficult. Overall, mid prof.
1. Master Lecture Slides - Literally know everything. This isn't as difficult as it seems, yet it is a very important step. 2. Do Practice Exams . 3. Do Workouts. This class is one of the easiest upper-level courses offered at UM. It is likely your fault if you can't succeed in this course. It's harsh, but accepting it will help you in long run.
This is not a hard class if you know how to take it. Very easy to succeed. Focus and prioritize the workbook and if you understand and do all the workbook quizzes you will get a good grade on the exam and that's what matters.
If and only if you do the workbook you will pass the class. I found out this lesson the hard way :( So, do the workbook and get 10/10 on all of your quizzes and you will pass the class. Do not blow this class off, it will catch up with you.
1) His lectures actually are helpful and if you listen you'll know how to start all the workbook problems (you might need to ask for help on harder problems). 2) If you work hard on the workbook problems you'll do well on the exams. The class is so doable if you just do the workbook problems and listen in lecture.
It's cliche but this class is what you put into it. You need to do the workbook questions, review the slides, and if your gsi is good, GO TO DISCUSSION. You can turn this class around coming from someone who got bad grades on E1 and E2 and pulled through on E3. Use zamzow's microeconomics videos to study.
I was able to pull my grade up after struggling heavily on the first midterm and ended up with a respectable grade. With that said, you must do the workbook problems/quizzes and practice exams if you want to do well in this class. I learned this the hard way after the first midterm. If you utilize the workbook, the class is manageable.
This class could have been a lot better. He read off the slides and didn't really add much insight beyond that. Would not retake.
This dude blows, reads off the slides for an hour and a half, then gives the most impossible exams.
I dont know why this guy gets so much hate. Taking 401 as someone who's partied and probably had a little too much neuron deterioration from alc, I realize that he goes through things slowly but not too slow where your ADHD makes you wander off. Hes a good prof for this class and cares about the details
Rushes through important subjects and tends to include things on exams that was not covered in lecture or discussion sections. He is much to lenient with TAs, as mine continuously taught us how to do problems the wrong way. He seems to expect constant participation in OH and Econ Lab for you to do well in this course, b/c he won't explain anything.
Don't take this class unless you have to! The course and course work are useless with regards to what you are tested on. Might as well go to any other class before the exam because it will help you with the exam just as much.
Guy is a huge squid and gets his in class problems wrong. switching my major.
Idk just not a good lecturer I guess.
I'm surprised by his poor rating—it doesn't seem fair. I took Econ 401 with him in Fall 2023, and his lectures were well-organized and easy to follow. Homework was manageable with effort, and office hours were highly convenient, held four evenings a week. If you study, you'll do well in his class. He is also happy to answer questions after class.
Honestly, he was just fine as a professor. He goes over the content well in class and it is pretty simple in nature. Highly recommend to just keep up with the workbook and you will be totally fine on all exams, don't need much preparation beyond that. He was a very sweet person and exams are very predictable in nature, nothing out of the blue.
very conceptual. He has clearly taught this course a lot, so he has a set routine he doesn't like to deviate from. Things are not always clearly explained, and you are left without an example of a real-world application. If you are good at math, this is an easy A class. Otherwise, prepare to grind out book work.
He is the worst professor of all time. He doesn't care on bit about his students. He is a horrible lecturer. He is the least interesting person ever, and has no life outside of teaching economics classes. His class is not that hard, but he tries to make it as hard as possible. He makes everyone feel uncomfortable during lectures with the way talks.
His slides don't even make sense. Honestly I'm just glad I never have to deal with this anymore at this point. He does seemingly care about his students but is not a good lecturer. Avoid.
To anyone taking Econ 401, good luck.
Get ready for the worst class you've ever taken, UMich should replace him.
I really am taken aback by his negative reviews. I guess people just assume every professor is going to hand feed them things until they all get 100% in the class. People these days just want to skip class and not do work, and just hope the teacher is easy enough to give them the A. Dude. Go to class. Do the homework. You will be more than fine.
Chris Proulx is a horrible professor. The only reason he still remains at the school is due to his tenure. I do think he is truly a nice person, but he clearly has no idea what he is talking about most of the time and his lectures are very difficult to follow / often misleading If you are reading this professor, please do us all a favor and retire
Class was ok but he is the absolute worst professor I have ever had in my entire life. Wastes lecture overexplaining easy topics and making mistakes while underexplaining the important topics. Make sure you go to good discussion section (I had Seongyoon Kim) and do the workbook problems. Shame he is the only 401 prof or else I'd avoid at all costs.
I've never had a worse teacher than Proulx in my lifetime. He can't teach. Failed this class and tanked my GPA as a sophomore because of him.
He skips through a lot of the math, which is generally the hardest part of the course. To be successful, you need to be sharp with calculus. I would recommend studying the textbook before lecture, since his lectures are often confusing if you aren't already familiar with the topic. Very theoretical and lacks examples of real world application
He is a good person. However, this guy shouldn't be teaching anymore cause half of the time he has no idea what topic he's on. He cannot even BRIEFLY explain the math and intuition behind 401. It's similar to the situation with Joe. You can't really hate 'em cause you have to take the class but 100% avoid taking it with Proulx if you can.
The slides were well designed, and the lectures were fine (but not charismatic or particularly easy to follow). The vast majority of this course necessitates self-study or office hours/discussion section.
I will say he's better in office hours than in lecture but he doesnt even teach the math in 401 and assigns workbook problems that arent even apart of ur grade and just expect u to know what to do. i dont get his logic 💀 just dont take this class w a heavy courseload, i did and it was bad but i passed so idc.
I'm gonna say it- Proulx is not that bad. Econ 401 is hard, but he does a pretty good job at explaining things. You still have to put in the work outside of class, but compared to my first 2 weeks of 402, Proulx is a saint. He is accessible outside of class and willing to help.
I've moved on from this class now, and I'd just say I feel sorry for everyone currently taking it with Proulx, but most of all I feel truly sorry for him.
plain trash
This class is absolutely horrible. You will see questions for the first time on exams. Good luck because you will need it...
As the other reviews state, he is a horrible professor. If you are forced to take him, I wouldn't even recommend going to his lectures in person, since he just reads off the slides. You're better off watching at home at 2x speed.
He does not care about his students. He is very petty. He doesn't follow LSA Economics policies. He is also very disrespectful and not a nice person. For some reason he has an obsession with the names and goods in the workbook. At all costs, I would avoid taking any class that this "professor" teaches. He doesn't deserve to be teaching at Michigan.
Watching a 10-minute YouTube video explaining each topic is more beneficial than attending his lectures. No respect for students, terrible at explaining concepts. He only focuses on specific examples in the book, and it is hard to understand topics on a broader scale. I wouldn't recommend any class he teaches.
This class is hard, but the professor makes it unbearable. He does not teach you anything in lectures, instead he goes over the theories. You are expected to learn all the math on your own. He did not answer questions in the lecture and did not provide answers to the workbook problems, we had to find them on our own.
Why is my tuition going towards this? Seriously, what a waste, honestly I am very disappointed in UM for keeping such a sorry excuse for a "professor" on the payroll and teaching a class to 400+!! Relegate him to some independent study work and move on...
I thought he was a good guy. Very chill and laid back. Cares about his students and loves what he is teaching. Might not have the best slides or the most interesting lectures but he is a good person with a good heart for the students.
Awful professor, avoid is possible.
Horrible professor, his lectures suck.
IF YOU'RE NOT GOOD AT MATH THIS CLASS IS HELL. GET READY TO TEACH YOURSELF EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. FIRST EXAM IS NOTHING LIKE THE PRACTICE EXAM. GOOD LUCK TO THE ONES TAKING THIS CLASS NOW, YOU WILL NEED IT.
lecture is very hard to understand. he reads off the slides while nobody understands what is happening but moves on like everyone is on the same page. extremely unengaging and just talks the entire class.
He might be the worst professor I have had at my time in Michigan. He has a hard time explaining conecepts, and I find a hard time engaging with the material he is trying to explain. If you don't go to discussions, you will probably fail this class.
He might be the worst teacher in the world. He has no clue how to teach, his students get 20% of his in class problems correct and he just laughs it off. Dude doesn't care at all anymore and NEEDS to be REPLACED. Hated by his students and mocked.
AVOID IF POSSIBLE. SECOND EXAM COMING AND I"M COOKED!!!
He said he was going to touch me like diddy
People complaining about the math involved most likely failed basic math or have an IQ of rotting driftwood. Having a strong command of basic calculus is about all the math you need. I'd say reading comprehension and identifying tricks on the exams are way more important. Proulx is an okay professor. A little dry occasionally, but does his job.
Horrible class and professor. You will literally teach yourself everything. Lectures are basically irrelevant and he genuinely believes that everyone understands even though the the average on exams is 60%. It's ok to skip questions on the exams to still get points. Focus mostly on practice exam and quizzes when studying but.... good luck!
The lectures are a complete waste of time, and my GSI is a terrible teacher, but at least she is nice.
The worst lecturer on the whole campus
Worst prof I have had during my time here. His lectures aren't worth attending even for the EC as all he does is walk you through theories and graphs which won't be on the exams. He leaves you to fend for yourself as you try to learn problems which make no sense especially if your math skills aren't all there. Shame UofM still allows him to teach.
In the classroom he just reads of the slides. Not sure what grade is tomorrow is the final exam, not sure what to expect. But yeah, don't go to lecture because you will teach yourself everything. Waste of time and money. Good luck.
Chris Proulx has changed this semester. He has gotten way better and definitely not reflective of old review anymore.
One of the worst professors I've had at this university. Stutters his way through lectures, gets problems wrong in office hours, etc. Half of the class will get an iClicker wrong and he'll skip to the next slide. Class/content is just objectively difficult. You'll be teaching yourself most of the content. GSIs are super helpful. Good luck
The worst teacher I have ever had, starting with kindergarten up to now.
worst professor at umich
Chris Proulx has changed for the worse this semester. He has gotten way worse and definitely is reflective of old reviews.
awful professor, extremely boring content, truly 4 months of pain, ggwp go next
Does not go over problems, just reads off of slides without explaining, the class made no sense. Economics should go over the reason why are they the way the are, but he does not give any explanation. Awful professor. Do not take if you want to take 401.
Econ 401 is tough, and Professor Proulx is unfairly blamed for that. He's not the world's best lecturer, but he's funny, knowledgeable, and you learn what you need to. If you don't put some work in, you'll do poorly in his class. However, if you attend section (Seongyoon's is great) and do workbook problems and practice exams, you'll be fine.
His reputation is what it is for a reason: he can't teach. He is almost inhuman in his lack of communication skills. If UMich comes to their senses, he will be gone before he has done further irreparable harm to the minds of the next generation.
A lot of people don't like rabbit, but I honestly think if you just do the workbook problems and the practice exam, you have no choice but to get an A. W Rabbit tbh.
Dr. Proulx gets a bad rap because 401 is a difficult class, but it's not really his fault. He's a nice guy, tries to be as accessible as one can be outside of a 400+ student class, and touches on all necessary material in lectures. While it's not the most engaging class, it's fair. If you go to lecture, listen, and study the workouts, you'll be ok.
Tough class
proulx was a pretty standard professor. lectures were very long and sometimes his wording / way he explains concepts is confusing. majority of your grade is based on exams. best way to study is to review the lecture and understand all concepts, then do every practice problem he offers.
loved this class
Goes on tangents during lecture - when I went to office hours I recalled a strange odor.
No info on slides in class so very difficult to learn.
I could tell he tried his best and wanted to teach his students well, but he tended to trail off or get confused with his own words frequently. I found that I had better success learning on my own with the slides and online videos, so at a certain point I stopped attending lecture (as it only confused me more)...
Nice guy, can tell he is enthusiastic about personal finance and likes teaching it. Unfortunately gives bad advice but the class is easy regardless
Wow, I have never had a professor so terrible at explaining before. His lectures ramble on for the entire class, and the number of times he gets off topic is insane. Do not take Econ 101 with him unless you want to learn absolutely nothing. Great person, but a horrible teacher and a terrible public speaker. I don't think I learned one thing.
He's a decent guy but the way he lectures is a bit confusing and his explanation of concepts will leave you with more questions than answers. I'd recommend taking this with a different professor if economics is not your skill set. This is 101 class is rather difficult, though the way the exam is structured is simple if you know economics.
I often left class feeling more confused than when I arrived. His heart is in the right place, as he clearly cares about economics and teaching; however, from a student's standpoint, I would not recommend him.
Easiest class I've ever taken. 3 exams each worth 25% of final grade. Other 25% is 8 take home quizzes that your GSI will walk you through in office hours. Easiest class I've ever taken at Michigan went to 22% of lectures not one after September. Take him if u want a free A
For 101, Proulx reads entirely off the slides. His lessons are just the textbook (probably a little worse). However, if you put in effort to learn the content and do the quizzes, it is not hard. His tests are pretty easy if you learn the content of the slides (probably easier than the other 101 teachers', as it is all MCQs).
His lectures were very boring, as he just read off the slides and explained simple concepts for so long. My discussion section was the same thing but luckily attendance wasn't recorded there. That said, very easy class; he lectures off the slides and makes the test straight off of the slides and review sheet so tests are very easy.
The sleepy joe Biden of the Umich Econ department. Half of the time he doesn't remember what he's saying or where he's at in the lecture slides he constantly reads off of. Stumbles words; when he does know what he's saying, he's talking about McDonalds hamburgers….
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