1.9

Christian Roettger

Mathematics - Iowa State University

1.9
Quality
4.0
Difficulty
28%
Would Retake
144
Reviews
1.9
Quality
4.0
Difficulty
2.0
Helpful
1.8
Clarity

28%

Would Retake

144

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

10

4

12

3

16

2

36

1

70

What Students Say

He's the best grader you could ever get for a course

MATH265 - 4.0 rating

He's really not a bad teacher

MATH265 - 4.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

15%

Textbook Required

68%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B

95% confidence
Based on 48 grades
Most common grades:
A (20)
Not sure yet (5)
C- (5)
Grade Distribution
A(23)B(7)C(11)D(0)F(2)A-/B+(5)
Based on 54 reported grades
A: 20
Not sure yet: 5
C-: 5
B-: 4
Common Tags
Lecture heavy (12)
Test heavy (11)
Caring (10)
Tough grader (8)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (6)
Lots of homework (6)
Graded by few things (6)
Hilarious (5)
Rating Trend

Improving

+0.37 avg change
Dec
Jan
May
Oct
Nov
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

265

5.0

(1)

MATH314

4.0

(1)

CALC165

3.3

(4)

MATH166

3.3

(4)

MATH317

3.0

(1)
+17 more courses
Difficulty by Course

MTH142

5.0

CALCB

5.0

MATH181

4.8

MATH151

4.5

MATH165

4.4

Reviews (144)
1.0
5.0
MATH165
Oct 24, 2004

Bad teacher

4.0
4.0
MATH314
Oct 25, 2004

He's very excited about graph theory. He has a good grasp on his subject, and gives good feedback. Sometimes when he's lecturing he can stumble a little. I can imagine that he would have some trouble with a large class.

2.0
5.0
MATH165
Nov 3, 2004

No Comments

4.0
5.0
MATH165
Nov 4, 2004

Professor Roettger is a nice guy, but he has trouble teaching and making clear what he is trying to get across in class. Also the tests were much harder than any of the homework or example problems discussed in class. Unless you've had calculus before you might want to look for a different teacher.

3.0
4.0
MATH165
Nov 8, 2004

Roetager cfan't speak very good english so you find yourself struggling to understand what he is saying and not what he is teaching.

2.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 1, 2004

Makes his real test about 10 times harder than homework and the practice tests. So you think you know the material and when the test comes you don't. If you can't get a different teacher, just hope you do good on the mid term and the final because you probably won't go good on his tests.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 5, 2004

Not good at all. Bad speaking, poor teaching, period.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 13, 2004

horrible horrible teacher. can't understand what he's saying, homeworks problems are the hardest in the book but still not as hard as the ones on his tests. he said in class that the test is the only time he can reward creative thought, so you get screwed hard on the test. 10 questions worth 100 pts

2.0
4.0
MATH165
Dec 15, 2004

Ohh my god. I never seen a teacher who could actualy make you learn less that what you did before. It is better to go to friends and peers to get help and to teach you the subject. The only thing that I learned from the class was how to use to word ZWOOP. The good thing is you get a g oood nap.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Feb 16, 2005

he sucks

1.0
4.0
MATH165
Feb 28, 2005

very unclear in lecture

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Mar 2, 2005

I think im the only person that laughs during lecture at his constant graph sound effects. Comedy aside this guy need to find out what hes doing wrong and fix it. One test averaged a 30%. Can't teach, about half the class goes to lecture. Don't take his classes, find ANYONE else. Go to SI it rocks!

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Apr 15, 2005

If you get him DROP the class right away! I got better test scores when i skipped lecture for 3 weeks than when i accually went to lecture. Makes no sense in lecture and can't teach.

2.0
2.0
MATH195
Aug 30, 2005

No Comments

3.0
3.0
MATH195
Grade: B
Sep 1, 2005

No Comments

2.0
3.0
MATH165
Sep 12, 2005

HE TEACHES MATH ON POWERPOINT!! PISS POOR TEACHER FIND SOMEONE ELSE!! DIDN'T LEARN MUCH

1.0
5.0
MATH195
Oct 26, 2005

horrible, just horrible

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Nov 7, 2005

This guy is a joke... Terrible If it was up to the professors in this math department the majority of us would fail our math requirements!

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Nov 10, 2005

No Comments

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Nov 11, 2005

No Comments

1.0
5.0
MATH195
Nov 21, 2005

He is a horrible teacher,basically he doesn't teach, yet he is teaching americas teachers how to. You do better in the class by just reading the book, not by going to class. The tests are a joke. Nothing like the homework!!

1.0
5.0
MATH142
Nov 13, 2006

This class absolutely blows. He makes easy trigonometry impossibly hard. You MUST avoid this proff. He makes practice exams for the tests and they are COMPLETELY different. He once made a test so hard that the class average (about 100 ppl) was a 47% and he even recieved an e-mail from his teaching assistant saying that prob. #17 wasn't workable

2.0
3.0
MATH195
Nov 14, 2006

His intentions are good and he really wants you to learn, but he just isn't very good at being clear about what he is talking about. He is nice and tries to be helpful but cannot always explain things in a meaningful way. You would think that elementary math would be easy, but it was not.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 21, 2006

I remember in the first test we took, out of about 220 students, 80 got a D or better. The next day about half the people dropped the class. As for lectures, extremely boring and his weird accent doesnt help. Tests are extremely hard. DO NOT TAKE CLASS WITH THIS GUY.

1.0
5.0
MTH142
Dec 25, 2006

This guy can't be understood and he constantly makes mistakes on the examples that HE filled out. Students constantly correct him and class averages on tests were below %65 on a good day. Best advice, if you get a CD guide with your textbook, use that and don't pay attention to him.

1.0
5.0
MATH142
Jan 9, 2007

He is the worst teacher i have ever had, the class average on the final exam was 42% on a curve. He gave practice exams that were totally different then the exam. He sucks at life. Get out of the class while you still can.

1.0
2.0
MATH142
May 2, 2007

No Comments

2.0
1.0
MATH195
May 15, 2007

Easy class, but he can't teach it that well. If you have common sense then this is the easiest class, but he will confuse you the way he explains it. Read the book, and you will get an A.

3.0
1.0
MATH195
Nov 11, 2007

The class is easy, but only if you teach yourself the material. If you use the book and not pay attention in class you'll do better in the class. He can answer an occasional question, but gets flustered when we don't understand what he is saying. Has a very strong accent so can be hard to understand him. If you can try to get a different teacher.

1.0
5.0
MATH195
Dec 27, 2007

Awful teacher. Very thick accent and hard to understand. He is constantly messing up on his own examples which causes great confusion. I would not recommend him to anyone. My class started out full and by mid semester 14 people would show up. He does not do a good job preparing you for material on tests either.

2.0
3.0
MATH307
May 9, 2008

My experience is that he comes into class and makes up a textbook from scratch. Very hard to follow along- often times during class an informal class survey showed that no one knew what was going on. Test were very hard and practice exams were unlike the real one.

1.0
5.0
MATH265
Oct 15, 2008

This teacher is by far the worst I have ever had to date. His exams are nothing like his assigned homework problems - if they are, he twists them and words them differently and will throw in the most complicated problems ever, so that you merely confuse yourself with what you once thought was correct. He has a horrible tardiness problem.

2.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 15, 2008

going to class is pointless, if anything just confuses you more.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 16, 2008

He's impossible to understand. There's no reason to even go to class if you do you're wasting your time since he does almost every example wrong. I learned nothing in his class and should have switched. His tests are also way harder than any department midterm or final, good luck.

1.0
5.0
MATH265
Jul 29, 2009

Awful. Absolutely one of the worst teachers I have ever had. I normally understand math with out question. He was very unhelpful when I had a question and generally confused me more. He is very eccentric and tends to get off task frequently.

2.0
5.0
MATH165
Nov 8, 2009

I have no doubt that Prof. Roettger knows his stuff when it comes to calculus, but he cannot convey it well to students. There was little student involvment or interaction in his classroom: not a "hands-on" learning environment.

3.0
4.0
MATH317
Nov 19, 2009

If you don't go to class and keep quiet when you don't understand something he says, you're obviously going to get screwed in the tests. He covers in class exactly what you need to know and assigns homework in the same manner. But you need to study and go to class. His tests are no joke, but definitely doable with study. Plus there's a nice curve.

1.0
3.0
MATH265
Dec 23, 2009

Professor Roettger knows how to do math; there's no question about it. However, he could not explain it to students to save his life. I feel like I actually unlearned math in his class, and did better when I didn't attend class.

2.0
5.0
CALC165
Dec 25, 2009

By far the hardest class I have ever taken. Class average for the final was 36 percent. He is very smart, but terrible at teaching it. DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO NOT TAKE HIM. He does not teach to the test at all. He skips steps and makes mistakes constantly. YOU DON'T LEARN ANYTHING. I have NEVER commented on a prof before but you need to be warned!!!

2.0
5.0
MATH165
Jan 5, 2010

everything that needs to be said has been said. be prepared to be confused and be prepared to cry. but just do the work, do your best and hope for an enormous curve!

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Feb 1, 2010

Half the questions on the exam are hard but legitimate -the other half are totally unexpected surprise extremely difficult and makes you want to pound your head on the table. Hard to keep attention to him during lecture because he skips steps in his head while doing work, so it doesn't make sense to the average student.

1.0
5.0
MATH267
Apr 20, 2010

Had to teach myself everything. if you are stuck with him check out the khan academy on youtube. that stuff is amazing

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Apr 29, 2010

I can not stress enough how everyone on here is right. This guy is a very bad teacher. He isn't clear in class, tests are hard, and he makes the weirdest noises that I have ever heard. I do believe he is smart, what I can not understand is why he is still teaching

2.0
5.0
MATH165
Aug 14, 2010

Difficult to understand, Frequently goes off on tangents. Tests are extremely difficult, The class average was always in the D or F range. Does not explain concepts well.Definitely try to avoid getting him

1.0
5.0
MATH181
Sep 28, 2010

I totally agree with what everyone has said. He is definetly out in his own little world and constantly makes mistakes on the homework and examples he does in class. The only plus about having him is the noises he makes when drawing graphs. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

4.0
3.0
MATH265
Oct 27, 2010

I don't know what everybody is complaining about. He's really not a bad teacher. Calculus is a pretty damn confusing subject for a lot of people. If you don't ask questions, go to class, or talk to the professor during office hours, you can NOT expect to get a good grade. I took calc 3 with Professor Roettger and got an A- with a lot of studying.

1.0
5.0
MATH181
Dec 6, 2010

I would definitely avoid getting him as a teacher. Going to class is pointless because he goes off on tangents that you can't understand. In general, he is hard to understand and always makes mistakes. He is smart, but has no idea how to teach a class. I don't recommend taking his class unless you're ok with teaching yourself the class on your own

1.0
4.0
MATH165
Dec 27, 2010

So confusing. Questions on his quizzes and exams do not reflect anything he teaches you in class. I would avoid getting him as a professor if you can.

2.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 27, 2010

I easily aced calc 1. 4 years later I retook it with this guy as a refresher before calc 2. I did everything a good student should do (attendance, homework, practice tests). Nothing prepared me for his exams. He tests beyond the scope of the class and has to apply insane curves so anyone can pass. Avoid this guy. You won't learn what you need to.

3.0
4.0
MATH166H
Dec 31, 2010

I love a challenge, and, honestly, he delivered one. Despite that there were no tests just quizzes, the homework was not graded, and attendance was not mandatory the material covered proved itself the devil. The secret to its exorcism are the SI sessions. Lectures did not help; reading the book did. He also is quite funny in class.

1.0
5.0
MATH181
Jan 21, 2011

Although he may know what he is talking about, he is HORRIBLE at explaining it. 9 out of 10 times you have no idea what this guy is saying. His tests are nearly impossible to do well on because the material is almost completely different from what he taught (or tried to teach). If you have him, GOOD LUCK! your going to need a lot of outside help.

3.0
4.0
MATH165
Oct 6, 2011

He knows what he is trying to teach but he just doesn't know how to teach. He is sometimes funny in class, especially when you point out a mistake he made while trying to teach something(happens A LOT!) Lecture doesn't help you to understand but the people in the class will explain it in a much better way that is easier to understand

2.0
3.0
MATH165
Oct 14, 2011

Smart man. Has no idea how to teach.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Oct 27, 2011

IF YOU HAVE THIS PROFESSOR, SWITCH SECTIONS. I am an honors student who was good at math but he made everything extremely confusing. He goes on about stuff you don't need to know and does not prepare you for tests at all. My SI leader even told us he makes up numbers for his answers when he cannot figure it out. NEVER TAKE CALCULUS WITH ROETTGER.

1.0
4.0
MATH165
Oct 27, 2011

He knows his stuff, he's just terrible at explaining, lectures are useless

4.0
3.0
MATH267
Oct 30, 2011

I liked him - his curve was very generous, and he worked hard after class every day to help me understand some tricky elements of DifEQ. Lots of people didn't 'get' him, but basically he's got a lot of imagination and loves what he does. Math geniuses are just quirky sometimes.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Oct 31, 2011

The man can't explain why he does the things he does in class. I think his trouble is he expects calc to come naturally to everyone just because it comes naturally to him. I would avoid taking his sections if possible.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Nov 4, 2011

He is a horrible professor and has very hard exams. Good news, he curves his class so much you'll pass with below a 50

2.0
5.0
CALCB
Nov 11, 2011

He is a very strange guy. Confuses himself A LOT. His test are completely different than what he teaches in class. Class is pointless to go to. He just rambles on and reads from his slides. He post homework whenever he gets around to doing it. If you have him I would recommend switching or plan on getting a tutor before you start his class.

2.0
3.0
MATH165
Dec 5, 2011

Very difficult to understand. He often goes on wild tangents and tests you on obscure theories. Attend SI and maybe get a tutor if you actually want to do well in this course. upside: his sound affects while teaching almost make class bearable

4.0
4.0
MATH165
Dec 7, 2011

He's a little weird but super funny. His teaching style is different than most which is why some people have trouble understanding him. I loved him as a teacher though.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Dec 10, 2011

get out of this class if you can.

2.0
4.0
MATH181
Dec 12, 2011

... Ugh! Get out while you can!! I am GREAT at Math, but this class made me feel like a failure. Don't get me wrong, he is extremely smart and seems to know what he is talking about. However, he has NO IDEA how to explain it to students!!!! His accent/ character is interesting but that's about it. Bail out, get help, or hold on 2 yur sweet ass!

5.0
1.0
MATH165
Dec 21, 2011

I don't know why people don't like him, he is very knowledgeable and a good teacher. His exams are completely based on the lectures and they are fairly curved based on the performance of the class. You just need to do the homework to study for the class.

5.0
3.0
MATH165
Mar 26, 2012

I honestly liked his teaching style a lot. Just come to class and you'll learn, do the practice exams and you'll pass. He does seem to get off topic occasionally but he usually has a point. I passed and enjoyed this class even though my math skills are sometimes lacking.

1.0
5.0
MATH265
Jun 1, 2012

Switch sections if you possibly can. He says things like "I have a useful example but it's boring so we'll skip that." Got a good grade, but the departmental final was hard cause he taught us so little.

3.0
3.0
MATH166
Aug 13, 2012

Tests and quizzes were of adequate difficulty and reflected class material, he proved a lot of theorems that were not going to show up in homework or on tests, drew a lot of pictures to help visualize concepts, makes interesting sound effects to drive the points home, very fair grader and was open to hear any rebuttal a student had

2.0
5.0
MATH151
Oct 23, 2012

He is sometimes hard to understand. He writes on the board like a 5-7 year old would and I generally hated his class. Try to find another professor, if it's the last thing you do!

2.0
5.0
MATH151
Oct 29, 2012

Allllrighty. I'm sure he's an absolute genius, but he could NOT communicate calculus to my class full of business majors, nonetheless get us to care enough about it to want to understand. He threw things at us that were way over our heads. He had good TA's that made the class bearable, and learnable. But he on his own did not.

1.0
5.0
MATH151
Dec 3, 2012

TERRIBLE! Seriously AVOID AVOID AVOID! He shows up to class 10 mins late every day. He took 40 mins to do 1 problem. We stopped going to lecture because he can't communicate what he is trying to teach. Also write on the board like a small child, so that's not helpful at all. TAKE THIS CLASS AT DMACC OR WITH ANY OTHER TEACHER....you've been warned!

1.0
5.0
MATH151
Dec 5, 2012

Try asking for help, he goes ballistic.rely on TA's and math help room

2.0
5.0
MATH151
Feb 27, 2013

Calling him a professor is probably not recommended. Does not write on board well. Also seems to be a little scrambled when it comes to thoughts and exlpainations. A good TA or SI leader will negate the need for him, not real reason for going to class. I don't recommend having him by any means. AVOID!

2.0
3.0
MATH265
May 1, 2013

He seems to know his stuff very well, but he cannot relay that information to his students. I taught myself the class and did fine, his tests were not too bad. Definitely buy the textbook and try toughing out the first ten minutes of every lecture to get a feel where you should be.

1.0
5.0
MAT265
May 2, 2013

Horrible professor! You will have a hard time with calculus three if you take it with him.

1.0
5.0
MATH265
May 8, 2013

He has know idea what he is doing half the time. He tries to do examples, but he always messes something up and he hardly ever finds what he did. He doesn't do enough examples, and his finals are worth 40% of the grade! Get out if you can.

2.0
4.0
MATH265
May 9, 2013

Roettger rarely teaches for tests and is difficult to understand at times. Prepare to teach yourself the material for big tests.

2.0
3.0
MATH265
May 16, 2013

You can do well in the class even if you don't attend lecture. However, he has a generous grading scale, and he curves the exams as well. Be sure to do the online homework and do the practice problems in the book.

1.0
4.0
MATH267
Sep 17, 2013

Worst professor I've ever had. Gets confused on the examples he gets from the book. He reads the book like its a script. No point in going to class. Get a tutor or get out.

1.0
5.0
MATH267
Grade: Not_Sure_Yet
Oct 27, 2013

Horrible at being prepared for class. Reads directly from book and gets confused even then.

3.0
4.0
MATH267
Nov 7, 2013

Very friendly, albeit frazzled and eccentric. Uses examples from the book but spends time solving them on the board without referring to his notes. Weekly quizzes are straight off the homework. His tests are quite a bit harder than those of other professors, so you will have to actually learn the material to get an A. Make use of his office hours!

2.0
4.0
MATH267
Dec 10, 2013

Terrible. Writes on the chalkboard like a kindergartener, very disorganized, and makes mistakes while doing example problems on a routinely basis. He also gets antsy and irate when someone asks a question. I'm thankful we only had him for the first half of the semester.

5.0
3.0
MATH166
Grade: B+
Dec 10, 2013

People complained because math is hard for them, and they blame it on the professor. Compared to the other math teachers, Roettger was far superior. His passion and humor inspired me. He is very helpful and understanding if a test was hard/you had trouble with the homework. Overall, a great prof!

1.0
5.0
MATH265
Jan 26, 2014

He's the worst pro I have met ever, he had no idea what he was teaching on the class. Get out asap.

1.0
5.0
MATH151
Mar 13, 2014

Worst professor I have ever worked with. Entered in a test grade wrong and would not change it! Wouldn't even listen to me and try to help. Never take a class with him, hopefully he gets canned sooner rather then later!

2.0
3.0
MATH151
Apr 15, 2014

Professor Roettger is a terrible lecturer and is near impossible to understand. Luckily 151 is not a rather challenging course to begin with so if you end up with a reasonably good TA for recitation you will be fine. Don't bother attending lectures. Show up to recitation and keep with your homework and you will do fine.

2.0
1.0
MATH151
Apr 22, 2014

The problem is Roettger is that he's too smart and doesn't know how to communicate to freshmen learning calc for the first time. Seriously. Class is beyond easy if you took calculus in high school. Never went to lecture, but recitation is required, where you have a weekly quiz. Online homework is annoying, but helpful.

3.0
5.0
MATH151
May 9, 2014

I had never taken calculus before so I really hated this class. The professor is not clear and chooses poor examples. My TA was good and was the only reason I got good test scores. All the test averages were in the 50-60%. The material wasn't too difficult until the last couple chapters.

5.0
4.0
265
Dec 16, 2014

This was THE best math class I have ever taken. Not only did the prof. try to make the class fun, he also tried to give real-life applications to the things we were learning, as can often be difficult to see on one's own when learning something like calculus.

5.0
3.0
MATH265
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 24, 2014

At Iowa State, Professor Roettger is the best math professor I have had so far. He is passionate about teaching Calculus III and he is great at finding REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS! Plus he made multiple Harry Potter references in class, which I greatly appreciated. Also he is the only calculus teacher I've found whose tests are reasonable!

3.0
5.0
MATH151
Grade: C-
Dec 30, 2014

Nice guy, but lectures are pretty pointless. Recitation weekly is mandatory due to quizzes. The final study guide and the actual final didn't overlap in the slightest. TA's are the only thing that make the class even remotely bearable.

4.0
1.0
MATH265
Jan 25, 2015

He's the best grader you could ever get for a course. Like for the finals I was expecting a 70% instead I got a 89%. He's super nice and he really cares about us.

1.0
5.0
MATH151
May 6, 2015

This guy is a joke, avoid at all costs. He' by far the worst instructor I've had in 5 years of college. You can't understand a word he says. His writing on the chalkboard is anything but legible. On our first exam, 20% of the exam covefed material that was only taught in ONE of his THREE sections. He consistently has epicly offensive body odor.

4.0
5.0
MATH166
Grade: F
Jan 12, 2016

Here's the thing. Christian is a really nice guy, but he isn't good at teaching Calc II. He will certainly help you to the best of his ability, but get ready to teach Calc II to yourself from the textbook and online resources. Unfortunately, he is simply not an effective teacher; but he is a very kind, very understanding guy.

1.0
5.0
MATH105
Grade: C
Mar 31, 2016

He does not know what he is teaching. His tests are nothing like the study guides. I wish someone would have told me.

1.0
4.0
MATH201
Grade: B+
Sep 12, 2016
Wouldn't take again

He can't explain a lot of concepts taught in class and just teaches from the book. Be prepared for him to not be able to answer your questions. Exams are challenging and you really have to work for your grade. He is nice as an individual, just not good with this class.

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
3.0
3.0
MAT265
Grade: A
Jan 12, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Class was very homework heavy. It's okay in the beginning when it's 25 problems on vector addition, but when you're expected to do 15 surface integral equations, you tend to start abusing MyMathLabs system. As for the rest of the class, tests aren't tough if you study the book, neither are quizzes. He is a nice guy and will root for you.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
Clear grading criteria
3.0
4.0
MAT265
Grade: A
Mar 9, 2017
Would take again

Dr. Roettger is very, very intelligent. He knows what you're doing, and he's pretty good at giving real-world applications. I honestly thought I was going to get a B- in the class and ended up with an A so that was cool. It's difficult, but doable. Go to his office hours!! He loves it, and I'm pretty sure I got that A because he knew who I was!

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
4.0
MATH265
Grade: A
Jun 26, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Chris tries his best to teach this class. It isn't that he doesn't care, maybe his style just wasn't for me. Anyways, Calc III is essentially Calc II in 3D but easier. You've really got to try in this one but if you're coming from Calc II, it should be manageable. He shows you this cool tool for drawing the models online but I didn't try it at all.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
3.0
CALC165
Grade: A+
Nov 27, 2017
Would take again

Professor Roettger is a really nice guy who doesn't deserve such a low rating. He cares about his students and genuinely wants them to do well and get good grades. He is hilarious in class, and all the homework is online and helpful. The only downside is he sometimes explains things in an odd way.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Hilarious
2.0
4.0
MATH165
Grade: C-
Dec 6, 2017
Wouldn't take again

If you're great at calculus feel free to take Calc 1 with him. He's nice, but it's nearly impossible to learn from him if calculus isn't your strong point. He isn't clear in explaining and often leaves examples unfinished before moving on to some other topic you might not get. I passed only because the homework was really helpful.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Tests? Not many
4.0
1.0
MATH165
Grade: A
Dec 19, 2017
Would take again

I had Roettger for my Math 165 class and after reading some of these reviews, I was slightly worried going into the semester. He may not be the best at teaching the material, but if you stay on top of the HW and are prepared for tests, he makes it really easy to succeed in his class. Overall, Roettger is a really nice guy and his class is easy.

Caring
Would take again
5.0
3.0
MATH165
Grade: A
Jan 8, 2018
Would take again

What a guy. He is an ok teacher but a genuine guy and he wants you to succeed. if you switch out of his class because of his rating SHAME on YOU.

ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Hilarious
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
3.0
MATH265
Grade: A
Feb 9, 2018
Would take again

I had Dr. Roettger for Calc III. It took about a week to get used to his accent, but once I had it down I had no difficulties understanding him. He can ramble at times, and be a bit unclear, but if you're unsure and you ask a question he'll usually clear it right up. He is always willing to make time for students.

Skip class? You won't pass.
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
Clear grading criteria
1.0
5.0
MATH165
Grade: C+
May 27, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Dr. Roettger means well, but he's just a bad teacher. Doesn't do a good job explaining topics and when you ask questions or go to office hours he goes off on lengthy tangents about things that have nothing to do with what you are asking him to clarify. Avoid at all costs even if it means taking an 8am. I got a B+ in calc 2 if that says anything...

Tough Grader
Hilarious
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
4.0
3.0
MATH165
Grade: B
Jul 20, 2018
Would take again

Has a fairly thick accent that makes him hard to understand. Likes to use the chalkboard in class instead of more modern techniques. Does a descent job of explaining stuff, but you will still need to read in order to fully understand all of the material.

Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
TEST HEAVY
1.0
2.0
MATH142
Grade: A
Nov 20, 2019
Wouldn't take again

He means well, but he struggles explaining topics and often rambles.

1.0
1.0
MATH140
Grade: A-
Jan 17, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Just kind of rude how he addresses students with questions and over explains. His accent can also be hard to understand.

Accessible outside class
Group projects
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Apr 23, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Professor Roettger means well&I think he's truly a nice guy. He's just not a great teacher. I had a really hard time understanding the lectures, and when he was asked to explain in a different way, he would get frustrated and tell us it was in the book or notes instead of helping in a different way. If ur up for teaching urself, this class is for u

Skip class? You won't pass.
Tough grader
2.0
5.0
MATH104
May 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Get ready to teach yourself. He means well, but he seems like his level of education is too high for being able to clearly explain topics in this basic-level math class. He doesn't do well with having to explain problems in ways different than his original approach. There's homework once a week and the tests are a big percentage of your grade.

Tough grader
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
MATH145
Grade: A-
Sep 24, 2020
Would take again

He genuinely cares about his students. He kinda just acts like a dad. I do feel bad sometimes because at the end of class he'll be talking still and people will be disrespectful and loud because they want to leave. Like, talking over him isn't required when you're packing your stuff up.

Hilarious
Amazing lectures
Caring
2.0
3.0
MATH145
Grade: A+
Dec 5, 2020
Wouldn't take again

You can tell he cares a lot about his students and wants everyone in his class to succeed, but lectures are often confusing and difficult to follow. It was easier to learn the material in recitation rather than in lectures. Quizzes and exams make up most of the grade.

Lots of homework
Graded by few things
Test heavy
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Apr 16, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Roettger is a great guy, but have him explain probability to you and youll be left even more confused. This class is easy IF youve learned probability in high school. Even then get ready to teach yourself. His wording on questions can be confusing, but if you follow the textbook you should be fine.

Get ready to read
Caring
1.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: B-
Nov 11, 2021
Wouldn't take again

He does not teach well. In math, you need to teach the content and not just provide students with examples and explain it in that sense. His English is not the best but it is understandable if you turn your ears on and it gets easier as the year goes on. Concepts are difficult but interesting.

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
2.0
4.0
MATH105
Grade: A
Dec 3, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I really do think that Christian cares about his students and wants to help them. However, he is awful at explaining even the simplest of concepts and ends up making content way harder than it is. He hand writes everything and it is really hard to read. Be ready to learn how to do the math on your own. The class itself really isnt hard content.

1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Dec 10, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Professor Roettger seems like a genuinely nice guy. He is a terrible lecturer. He can't explain any of the class material and frequently makes mistakes and frantically jumps between topics. He'll forget several words while writing his barely readable notes out during lecture, making his sentences illegible. Luckily, participation was not required.

3.0
2.0
MATH105
Grade: A
Dec 13, 2021
Would take again

Prof Roettgers lectures sometimes feel like they were created last minute, and occasionally the lectures can get confusing. Hes otherwise a pretty solid prof. People saying the material was difficult or confusing probably shouldve spent less time talking throughout lecture. My class had a bunch of idiots that acted like they were still in HS

1.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: B-
Dec 21, 2021
Wouldn't take again

He is a nice guy, but cannot teach probability. It doesn't help that I can barely understand his accent, but he goes through the lecture way too fast, takes notes in chicken scratch, grades harshly, and gives no feedback. I do not recommend this professor. This class was supposed to be my "easy A" class, and it was my worst grade.

Lecture heavy
Tough grader
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: C+
Dec 21, 2021
Wouldn't take again

In my opinion, he should not be a professor. His notes are taken like a 12 year old boy. They are not eligible and make no sense. He gives 0 feedback. I set up office hours with him because I was lost on the homework, and he picked fun at me when I was not able to answer his questions. He blames the grades on the student and takes no accountability

1.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: B-
Jan 15, 2022
Wouldn't take again

He gets super frustrated if you ask a question and he doesnt know how to answer it. His cover a lot of past lectures so If you dont understand a topic youre most likely gonna be lost.

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: C-
May 5, 2022

Thick accent, hard to understand,homework assignments not much time.Hard to follow lectures, doesn't explain how he gets from point A to B, get lost in the process.Handwriting is literally chicken scratch. Barely anyone shows up until it comes to test day. A lot was based on games like poker. To do good on tests, you need to know how to play those.

Tough grader
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: C
Aug 23, 2022

Was not very good at explaining the material.

Lots of homework
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: C-
Oct 23, 2022

If there is anything you can do to avoid having Roettger, do it. It will save you many tears and frustrations. If you ask any questions he will just act like you do not know anything as well as barely explain on how he had gotten from point A to B. The only thing he will do to "help" your grade is dropping the two lowest homework grades.

Tough grader
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
MATH105
Nov 11, 2022
Wouldn't take again

He was hard to understand and didnt seem like he even understood what he was teaching. He would get confused by his own notes and would get irritated anytime you asked for clarification

Lots of homework
Test heavy
4.0
2.0
MATH105
Grade: A+
Nov 15, 2022
Would take again

His class is easy concept wise you just have to pay attention. You will never do any more math than basic addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication in this class. He has sloppy hand writing and that does make it hard to take notes sometimes.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Nov 16, 2022
Would take again

Professor Roettger is a great professor. I have him for my Math 104 class and he is a very caring person. If you are struggling in class he always makes sure that you can email him or go to his office during hours. He has bad handwriting so it can be hard to read but you can always ask him to clarify and he is happy to do so!

Gives good feedback
Caring
Accessible outside class
5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Nov 16, 2022
Would take again

Professor Roettger is a good professor. His class is not difficult if you show up, most of the material is elementary math with a few added concepts. If you need help, he will go out of his way to explain concepts and to help you understand. He also takes any of these questions in class.

Caring
Lecture heavy
Accessible outside class
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Nov 29, 2022

As someone who has taken calculus, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, this class is horrible. Not hard concepts, but he manages to ask the most confusing and mind-boggling questions. If you are looking for a math credit to graduate and care about your GPA, I would advise you to avoid this class at all costs. Nice man and will help if you need tho

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: B+
Dec 9, 2022

This professor was not good. He promised he would write a final review guide, and then the Friday before the final changed his mind and did not give us one. He also teaches random concepts that are confusing to grasp and do not seem like he is following any sort of curriculum. Stay away from this class if you can!

1.0
3.0
MATH145
Grade: Not sure yet
Feb 17, 2023

While this professor is a funny guy and very knowledgeable, the lectures are obsolete to what is happening with the tests and homework. Nearly everything he covers seems random and doesn't follow any plan. Nor does he break down the steps of anything he does on the projector. TA's were the only way I got any decent grades, AVOID THIS CLASS.

Test heavy
1.0
4.0
MATH105
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 6, 2023

Professor Roettger has been the worst professor I have had so far at ISU. He comes to lecture unprepared. He puts a blank sheet of paper underneath the projector and writes irrelevant notes taken directly from the textbook and sometimes only does 1 actual example per class. His writing is hard to read, and his accent makes him hard to understand.

Lecture heavy
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: C
Nov 27, 2023

Organized course and super kindhearted. However, the topics discussed don't relate to the textbook. It's super confusing, make sure to show up to lectures and attend all SI sessions offered if possible. Tests aren't very long, but the questions are hard and sometimes don't relate to the textbook. A lot of the time, just examples he makes up.

EXTRA CREDIT
Caring
Lecture heavy
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Dec 1, 2023

I'm unsure if it's just my learning style being different than him, but this is the only math course I've had trouble understanding the concepts in class. He will explain something simple and somehow make it complex. My saving grace was honestly watching youtube teachers explain concepts. I got a good grade, but imho, it was harder than needed.

Test heavy
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Dec 1, 2023
Would take again

This professor can be hard to understand while he is going through the material for the lecture. You will have to pay attention very well. He is there to help with questions and makes sure to ask for understanding. I found some of the topics to be interesting but other a little confusing and unrelatable to the material on the test and homework.

Lots of homework
Caring
Test heavy
1.0
4.0
MATH105
Grade: C+
Dec 27, 2023

Was an unnecessarily hard class. Took it thinking it would be a somewhat easy A. It was not. It lowered my GPA. I showed up to every lecture and did all the homework and at the end of the day I have no idea what I learned in this class. It was very disorganized and the examples on the test felt random and sometimes only vaguely related to lecture.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Jan 12, 2024

Very irrelevant notes and lectures. Little was learned going to class and the notes didn't make sense so it wasn't worth going to class. Very few examples were given and homework answers were always a guess. He cares about his students but it was hard to succeed, had to study a lot for tests and homework.

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
CALC165
Grade: A
Jan 19, 2024
Would take again

Fanastic teacher, always went above and beyond expectations. cares a lot about his job!

Amazing lectures
Inspirational
Caring
4.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: B-
Jan 20, 2024
Would take again

Super kind and caring guy, could tell he wanted everyone to succeed. Attending class is not mandatory but you will most likely get lost if you miss a day or two. Luckily he does post everything on Canvas and offers you opportunities to help improve your grade. Honestly a great and funny guy but paying close attention every class is a must.

Caring
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH166
Grade: F
May 7, 2024

If you are in his lecture or recitation, just know you're cooked.

Tough grader
2.0
4.0
MATH165
Grade: Not sure yet
Oct 1, 2024

After exam 1, I think my experience with roettger ends here. Lectures are confusing, he doesn't do a very good job of explaining the concepts. He goes off on tangents about things he claims are interesting but have no bearing on what you'll actually be doing in the class. He doesn't use class time very well. Go to Butler's lectures instead.

3.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: B
Nov 18, 2024

Professor Roettger can be hard to follow, but engaging with the class and using resources like Unstuck ai for study prep can really help. Attending lectures is a must to succeed.

2.0
3.0
CALC165
Grade: A
Nov 18, 2024

Nice guy, but you're not going to learn much attending lectures. I haven't gone to a class past the third week of school and still have an A just from watching Steve Butler videos and doing the homework.

Hilarious
Caring
1.0
5.0
MATH165
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 21, 2024

Avoid this professor if you are wanting to take calc 1. He gets off topic during lectures, moves too fast faced, and will start a practice problem with only 2 minutes left of class. Many students in my lecture (including me) had to resort to watching Butler videos during class to understand the lesson.

1.0
5.0
MATH165
Grade: C-
Dec 11, 2024

If I could go back in time and choose any other professor for calc 1, I would. The way that he lectures does not fit with how students can learn. After not even a month of lectures I would say attendance dropped roughly 60-70%. Of the 30-40% left in the class, I would say 3/4 of them were watching Steve Butler videos. Would not recommend.

Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH165
Grade: A
Dec 22, 2024

Good luck taking anything meaningful away from his lectures. Goes on tangents with topics irrelevant to the course material, skips steps in problems that leave the students puzzled, and poor time management of lectures. Broken record here but watch the butler videos instead or attend his lectures.

Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

15%

Textbook Required

68%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B

95% confidence
Based on 48 grades
Most common grades:
A (20)
Not sure yet (5)
C- (5)
Grade Distribution
A(23)B(7)C(11)D(0)F(2)A-/B+(5)
Based on 54 reported grades
A: 20
Not sure yet: 5
C-: 5
B-: 4
Common Tags
Lecture heavy (12)
Test heavy (11)
Caring (10)
Tough grader (8)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (6)
Lots of homework (6)
Graded by few things (6)
Hilarious (5)
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Ratings by Course

265

5.0

(1)

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4.0

(1)

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3.3

(4)

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3.3

(4)

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3.0

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Difficulty by Course

MTH142

5.0

CALCB

5.0

MATH181

4.8

MATH151

4.5

MATH165

4.4

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