2.2
Quality4.5
Difficulty8%
Would Retake190
Reviews8%
Would Retake
190
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
27
4
11
3
26
2
35
1
91
What Students Say
“The way she words her tests makes them difficult”
BIO150 - 2.0 rating“First 3/4s of the course aren't bad if you do homework, attend, and study intensely for exams”
BIO250 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
69%
Textbook Required
54%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.73 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO203
5.0
(1)BIOL140
5.0
(4)BIOL 150-151
5.0
(1)BIOLO140
4.0
(1)BIO111
3.8
(5)Difficulty by Course
111
5.0
F10
5.0
IS399
5.0
151L
5.0
BACTERIOLOGY
4.8
Reviews (190)
Awesome teacher. Very challenging tests.
Professor Simmons is a wonderful woman who is there because she wants to be and wants to help you learn. Her class was very difficult, and you had to work hard and attend lecture in order to do well. But she does a good job of setting you up to do your best. She truly wants you to succeed. Go to her office hours if you start to struggle!
Simmons is such an awesome person. She truly wants to help all of her students and she will be understanding about most situations. Tests are very challenging, but not impossible. Work hard and you'll do just fine.
Professor Simmons teaches very well. Her class are very difficult. I had no problem with Biology or any Science in high school but struggle in this class. Extra Credit is seldom issued. If you have question she is more than willing to help!
Dr. Simmons is decent in teaching the material in class but the material that she put on the tests was unbelievably hard. I studied more for this class than any class I have ever taken and still had to drop it. If you want to take her good luck to you but my advice is to look elsewhere
I learned a ton in this class. Chrissy is an awesome person and an amazing teacher. Her lectures always kept my attention. And yes her tests are very challenging but if you study a lot you'll do fine! I recommend her but don't expect a blow off class.
Chrissy is a great teacher! As others have said her tests are difficult, but if you review the Power Points you'll do well. If you struggle, she is readily available to help.
Crissy is one of my favorite teachers. she is very helpful with anything you need. Her test can be a bit hard but just put your time into studying. She is also very understanding with all situations and even though she may be hard I am going to try to get her as my BIO 240 teacher for next fall.
Her class was pretty hard. I had to study a lot to get a B in the class. Compared to the other bio teachers you'll have to study way more. Don't skip class either. She was always willing to help out and sent e-mail replies quickly. Overall she's a good teacher.
Okay, so, Chrissy is an okay teacher. Her test questions are worded very differently, so they become confusing every now and then. Otherwise, just be in class and pay attention to her lectures and also read the chapters in the book. The biggest thing you NEED to do is STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!
her tests are super hard!!
Chrissy is a very helpful, but difficult teacher. She will tell you on the first day that her class will be hard, but she will get you through it. She posts her notes, the class notes, and key terms online. She sometimes gives out in class activities so go to class. Study hard and you will do just fine.
Chrissy is amazing! I was terrified the first day of class because she flat out said that the class was hard. Tests are hard because she words questions differently than the examples she gives in class. Spend time with the material and you should do well. Overall, a great, helpful teacher.
Best teacher I have had at SIUE very helpful. Her tests are hard but she tells you whats on them. I got a 95 and I never opened the book. Just read her notes she puts online and you'll be fine.
Horrible professor. Lectures are boring and hard to listen to. Exams are near impossible. I would read through her lecture notes that she provides and read the chapters that the exams were over and still barely pass. Switched from Biochem to Chem after barely passing her class.
good lecture for each class period. She speaks fluently and clearly and is always willing to help. The tests are hard. You have to know everything, not almost everything from the specified sections. Lab tests r stupid hard. Take notes in class and read the book;take notes as you read you will do fine. great lady outside class has an A+ personality
hard, but I learned so much from her. If you go to her office and study her slides, quizzes, and read the book, you'll do fine. I had to try hard but did just fine in there. She's very helpful and super nice! Just make sure if you don't understand something, GO TO HER OFFICE! It pays off, trust me. She tends to drop hints about test info if you go!
She's not as bad as some people say. As long as you show up to class and pay attention you'll do well. Her tests aren't the easiest, but as long as you study the powerpoint slides and skim through the book you'll be golden. She's always willing to help which is really nice as well. She is also very passionate about bio which is good as well.
She is a very good lecturer, but the level of difficulty of what she explains in class does not reflect what she puts in her exams. She uses the most off the wall synonyms of words used in the book and in lecture. The material in the class seems easy but the tests are really freaking hard.
She likes to teach, and I'd say she's good at it. But the way the material was arranged was a little strange. Online homework was pretty easy. Tests were pretty hard. She rarely looks at the slides because she knows the material.
Chrissy is very helpful outside of class to explain material to you, but her exams are difficult. Bio 150 & 151 are major weeding out classes so prepared.I studied for probably 10 hrs every week for this class. My best advice is to get old exams from the previous semesters.
Chrissy is a great professor and really loves teaching. Read the chapters before lecture and take notes and anyone can get an a. It is a weed out class, but just to separate those who are rserious about a science major and those who aren't.
Chrissy is a great teacher, she is extremely helpful just ask for it. She makes herself available after class and is personable. Answers to tests and quizzes are given in class, you just need to show up and listen. Know material forwards and backwards for tests. Read textbook and take notes before lecture, show up for lecture and take notes.
Chrissy is one of my favorite professors! She explained the material very clearly and was very receptive to questions. She is always available and very helpful outside of class. Her tests are pretty difficult, but not impossible if you study hard and read the textbook. She is very smart and personable, and I would take her class again!
Tests are very difficult, HAVE to study. Not easy to pass. Be ready for A TON of notes.
I love her class. It isn't easy to get an A, but it's possible. She does her part and expects you to do yours. She's very smart and definitely knows what she is talking about. Make sure you show up though, skipping her class wouldn't be a good idea.
She is a kind lady, but the class is too difficult for its own good. Her lectures are a snore and do not seem to help with the material. I never skipped class, but I learned everything from the book. She was not helpful with learning the content. I did really well in the first semester of this course with a better professor.
She is a great teacher. Very helpful. Makes attending class enjoyable.
She is very tricky. You will think that you like her in the first week, but once you take that first test and see it doesn't match the material you've been doing, you'll hate this class. She doesn't give study guides and wont give you any clue as to what is on the test! DO NOT TAKE HER! She thinks a 50-60%% is good for her tests.....
Prof. Simmons believes that all you need to do well in her class is to show up to lectures, take notes, and read through her PowerPoint's. If, you speak with students whom have passed her class with an A or B then you will know to just READ THE BOOK FULLY!!! Her exams are insanely difficult unless you read the book. Her lectures & notes are useless
Simmons is overall a very nice person, although as a professor I hated her at times. The tests are very difficult. This is not a memorization Biology class. She wants her students to FULLY understand the material. You must study through out, do all the homework, and assigned readings.
The material is very general, but when it came to test I was so confused what I was supposed to remember. She doesn't do any prep for test and when the test come they are HARD.
She is a very nice lady, but for being a basic Biology class, it's hard. I studied multiple hours for her tests and got 50%-60%, but that was average. She believes these scores are average as well, but does not grade on a curve.
Christie is a great professor. Her slideshows are helpful study material, but they cannot be your only study material. READ YOUR TEXTBOOK! Her exams are not easy, but I got between a 64 and 76% on each of her three exams and a 75% on the final and got a B. Her curve is 0.5% and there is no extra credit, so manage your time and prepare well.
Simmons seems to be very knowledgeable and passionate about biology; however, she treats this class as much more than an introductory level course. Even with extensive hours studying outside of the class, it all seems pointless when it comes to exam time. The way she words her tests makes them difficult. I would advise against her as an instructor
Christie is an awesome teach, especially for this non major specific bio which is basically a filler class for most. She makes a dry class pretty fun, and attempts to get to know every student better than any other teacher would. Like everyone else says the tests are harder then you would expect from class, but with minimal studying you'll be fine
She definitely knows her stuff, but for an intro course, her tests are way too difficult. They go into much more detail than what was in lecture. I spent hours studying for tests and still did badly because the wording on her tests is confusing. I think she's a nice person and loves bio, but if you're just taking an intro course, I would avoid her.
If you are not serious about going to dental/phramacy/medical school take the easy way out and take someone else. This class bucks hard and it will kick your ass if you're not ready to buck back everyday. I aced all the lecture exams (which were usually around 50-70% for the class average. The hard part is the lab. Memorize the book.
The tests aren't like the notes that she has you take. You need to read the book or you won't do good on them. She was nice, but you could tell that she wasn't very invested in helping you individually.
Chrissy is a very knowledegable professor. Her tests are extremely tough and she tells you that from the start. I struggled a lot and had a very low grade half way through the semester. I went to office hours often. Emailed her a lot as well &she responds quickly. She was more than happy to help and her encouragement is what brought my grade way up
You could study the material for hours, but if you struggle with application problems then bad news for you. The entire exam consists of application questions that do not make sense no matter how well you know your material. I've taken this class at another school and she makes this class so much harder than what it needs to be.
I loved the class but I taught myself. Didn't really get a good grasp with her lectures as a number but when I asked her face to face on what she was talking about, she explained it a lot more clearly. Her class is so hard and I've cried multiple times because of it.
Chrissy is a very nice lady and approachable. However, her exams are horrible. They are mostly tough application questions that are worded weirdly. She has unrealistic expectations that her students could never meet. The average for her exams is a 55-65%, yet she refuses to curve. So many people dropped her class. Take another instructor if you can
She is a very nice and if you go to her office hours she is more than willing to talk and answer any questions you have. Her test are ridiculously hard and unreasonable. She words the questions differently and says her question are "applied". If you can take another professor her test average for a class of is in the 50-60 range.
Very difficult class with impossible tests. Average on tests was an F. Powerpoint's or Mastering don't help in any way for the test.
Hard but reasonable.
I took Christine for Biology 150, hands down the worst biology experience in my life. Her lectures are pointless to go to because there are like 3 things on each slide, and nothing on the test is over the power points. If you want to get an A with her as a teacher, be prepared to know every single word in the textbook. Very disappointed.
Chrissy is very knowledgeable in Micro, and she definitely lets you know in her lectures, but her teaching style doesn't necessarily prepare you for her exams. Best advice I could give is take another professor, if that's not an option, memorize all vocab words and study the diagrams. She focuses on the small details, not the overall picture.
presents the class as if shes talking to children, then tests are made as if graduate students are taking them. I was blown away at the difference in the level of material presented vs. tested upon. Unfair to test at such a high level but teach at such a low one. Plus the first half of each lecture was devoted to fake "announcments". Whate a waste.
Simmons is a nice person, but she is not a good professor. Her lectures do not help in studying for tests. Her tests are hard for an introduction to biology class. Do not take her class.
She is not a good professor at all. She takes pride in being the hard professor and she doesn't care that more than half the people in her class are failing. Her tests are ridiculously hard, and her reasoning for that is the questions are "application-based."
Simmons' tests are very hard. She makes up for this by giving a lot of points for lab, which isn't difficult, and mastering microbiology. It is so important to read the book, she bases her tests off of the book material, not her lectures. For sure her class is easy to pass, but not so much for getting an A.
Professor Simmons is the hardest professor I have ever taken. She knows her class is hard and takes pride in that. When her students fail her exams she blames them for not studying hard enough, when its really her teaching style that sucks. Attendance is not mandatory, but it sort helps if you go. DO NOT TAKE HER IF YOU HAVE THE CHOICE!
Her tests were hard. Her lectures were boring and not informative at all. Her voice had a nagging tone to it that made me want to never take any more biology classes ever.
Chrissy is an awesome instructor. Her exams are brutal; however, they are fair and she will spend time outside of class helping you if you put the effort in. Reading the textbook is extremely important, most of exam questions will arise from the book. If you work hard you can pass her class!
The lectures were more of a show off of her knowledge than preparation for her exams. The lab portion saved my grade because it boosted my grade. The wording in her exam questions is very confusing, so knowing the material very well is the only way to pass. She is very approachable and will help if show you're trying. Best advice is read the book.
Chrissy will really make you hate your life. Don't even bother going to class because it is not beneficial when it comes to her impossible tests. The best choice you can make is to never take any of her classes. Don't waste your time studying her material because I promise it won't help. Your only saving grace will be your lab points. Good luck!
Professor Simmons class has been by far my toughest class this year. Her tests are almost impossible and she gets excited when the test average is above a 40%. Her test questions are definitely grad school level instead of undergrad, and you have to know and understand all material to even do decent in this class.
Chrissy know her material and should be teaching grad classes rather than an intro class. Shes a nice person but a very tough professor. This class has a lot of free points so passing is not difficult but her exams are brutal and you can never be fully prepared for them no matter how much you study.
The only way to pass this class is by reading the textbook. Her lecture notes are good but they don't go into enough detail that appears on the exam. Her exams are all multiple choice but the questions are application. You really have to know the material in order to answer the questions.
Reading the textbook and taking good notes are a must. She clearly knows the material, but her lectures are meaningless if you dont read the textbook. Definitely go to class (sometimes she gives free points and she even gave my class extra credit once), go to PLTL, and do your best in lab. Trust me, youll need every point you can get.
The test are hard and never let up. Its as if you can do everything possible and still not do well. Hardest class Ive had, puts me at risk of not getting into the nursing program by tanking my grade.
In order to do decent in this class study the notes, go to SI, and read the book. Make sure you do well in lab, that is what saves your grade due to how hard the tests are. In lecture make sure to take notes of what she writes in. This class will make you work for it, so be prepared.
Barely anything in the lecture is on the exams. The Mastering assignments can be found on Quizlet, which saved my grade.
Chrissy is a very tough professor and probably the toughest professor Ive ever had. Make sure you do well in lab because those points will help your grade. Utilize the SIs because thats the only reason I did well in this class. They can teach the material more clearly than Chrissy can most of the time.
Her grading criteria was clear, however, her tests were nearly impossible to pass. The lectures did not help when it came to the exams. Read the textbook!
Chrissy is a fun professor! She truly loves what she does, which makes class more interesting. She offers in-class assignments, which are super easy points, as well as lab participation. Basically, just show up. Her tests are on the hard side, but pretty much everything is touched on during lecture and reiterated during lab. Anything elsetextbook.
Professor Simmons was an excellent professor. She really pushes you to excel in her class. Her exams are application based, so know the concepts well, rather than just memorizing the book. She is very approachable and will spend a good amount of time explaining a concept if you do not understand.
There is a lot to cover in this class. She goes over the basics of what you should know about things, but her test are application based. Her lectures are not tailored to how the test are. You need to dedicate a lot of time to studying for the exams. There is also a lot of homework to do. This class is about "getting as many points as possible"
While I did do well in the class, it was despite a lot of things. Do no sleep on those tests, I got a D on the first and had to work my ass off the rest of the semester to make up. The averages are usually in the 60s or below, and it is always conceptual, so you cant just memorize info, you HAVE to know it. Its definitely possible, but study hard
Lectures were not consistent. There are many days she will spend 30 minutes on one slide with very little information, then have a text heavy slide done within five minutes. You can take pictures of the slide she takes 30 minutes on but if you try to take a picture of the text heavy one she will throw a fit. I had to teach myself outside of class.
As a person, she's passionate about science and is a very intelligent lady. Can she teach? no. You have unexpected class activities for a grade, and everything counts including labs. She talks too much on one slide. I got A's on every test but labs are pulling me down. You have to read the whole book and work hard for an A.
When she tells you that you NEED your textbook for this class, she is telling the truth! If you don't know how to teach yourself, you WILL fail. her powerpoint have three words and she will stay on one slide for the whole 90 min. Her lab quizzes and prelabs are impossible and they are not on quizlet. Don't spend money on useless the lab book.
I don't know why she thinks this material for the class should be just as hard as her Bacteriology class. I do not recommend taking this class. She has a good heart, and attitude, willing to help outside of class, but this class sucks.
the tests consist of words not in the English dictionary. do yourself a favor and find a different way to get this class out of the way.
She made this class extremely hard, and more difficult than it needed to be. Her questions on the test are really tricky, and use hard vocabulary. Most important lesson learned is READ THE BOOK. Very hard tests, but she was fair and would give points back when deserved.
All Mastering Biology are done before each class, before you even learn about it. Not ever clear about what will be on the exams. When asked she just gave us the number of questions from each chapter which was absolutely no help. Not super helpful but otherwise a kind person. You also must read each chapter of the book to pass. PLTL was terrible!
Shes a great person and has detailed lectures but her test are unfair. They are way too hard for an intro level biology course. Read the textbook. Watch the screencast. Go to lecture. Be sure to put the work in and it will pay off
Simmons is super passionate about her material and seems to be a great researcher, but her teaching sucks. Homework over material you have yet to learn due before each class period. Shell read her pwrpt to you, tests are terrible, and she appears to be very proud that her class averages never go above C- in her 15 years of teaching. Dont take.
Be prepared to take another biology class. We barely even cover bacteriology. We talk about body system process like the citric acid cycle and glycolysis. Nothing about bacteria. Her class is flipped stole and its BAD. She doesnt teach, she lectures. We arent learning. Notes arent related to test. Her test are horrible. No ones gonna pass lol.
Very sweet and passionate Professor, however her workload is SO excessive that she robs students of a real learning experience. Would not recommend taking a course with this instructor and additional classes in the same semester, you will not retain much because you won't have time. And I'm an organized & time efficient person, even I felt buried
Easy class, horrible teacher. She gives in class points for attendance, but all material for tests are learned outside of class. She lost my respect when she made the third test harder than the others due to COVID-19 and us being home having access to notes. Not in any way accommodating to outside issues during a pandemic. Do not recommend at all.
Chrissy is a nice person; however, as a professor, it's a no from me. I'm a hard-working student, but this class overloads homework; students don't have the opportunity to truly learn the material. Once the pandemic began, she made the class twice as hard. She gave more homework and made the lab twice as hard as it needed to be.
Horrible. I am someone who doesn't have a problem with workload but this class was just excessive. She made it extra hard during the pandemic and made the 3rd test harder because we were home. She even assigned 72 PAGES of reading during the last week of school. Horrible professor and it seems like she has no respect for student. Take someone else.
Seriously one of the worst classes I've ever taken at SIUE. Made the class 1000x harder during the pandemic-only every learned anything from my lab TA. Openly gossiped about students on campus with other faculty, very disrespectful and condescending in class. Assigns LOTs of reading and doesn't explain anything in lecture. Everything is on quizlet!
One of the more difficult classes I have taken. Reading the book is absolutely necessary as it is one of the only ways to learn all the information needed for tests. Screencasts and lectures only cover surface level material. Be ready to really work for this class because youll have to teach yourself.
I have had Chrissy for two semesters in a row. If you took BIOL 150 before this class, the first half will be a breeze. The material isn't necessarily hard, she just words things in a way that it tricks you. If you can manage a high C average on the tests and do well in lab and homework, you can manage an A/B in the class. Be prepared to read A LOT
During covid, She doesn't lecture, so its hard to understand the material. I pretty much taught myself, and failed every test. Everyone failed the first exam. She doesn't give study guides, you have to make your own. There so much reading and trying to take notes before completing the homework hard to do. If you don't have to take her class; DON'T
Makes you take polls during lecture to make sure you are reading textbook. Assigns homework that has no yet covered the material in class.
I have never had a professor that hated helping her students more than her. With the pandemic you would hope professors will help you more but she was always giving an attitude whenever someone was struggling. I wish anyone who takes her class the best of luck.
Rude.
This is the rudest teacher Ive had. I had her for 150 and now 250 and during the pandemic she said its on them if there internet isnt working and if theres a problem she will make no accommodations to the exam if problems occur. She is rude to students during zoom lecture when problems occur and literally says its not my problem
The professor gives you a bunch of kindergarten level lecture notes and then doctoral level exams. She is extremely rude to us during zoom lectures. Lastly, the course is unorganized. The information is very random for each Exam.
Horrible!! She purposely makes her exams unnecessarily difficult! She has stated that her PowerPoints aren't notes for students but are her notes!!! The worst professor I have ever had in my life!
Worst professor I have ever had. I am a very organized, honors students and have never struggled so much in a class. Tests have nothing to do with what she covers and expects you to be working for the class numerous hours a day. She knows its a weed-out course for nursing students, and treats it like that.
AWFUL!!!!! She's the worst I have ever had. DO NOT take her if you can help it. Not worth the stress.
The hardest class I have EVER taken at siue. Professor Simmons is pretty nice. But I feel like she likes to make it as difficult as possible for her students. This class alone made me hate school and question my major. SO MUCH READING! Even if I read the entire chapter and feel like I have a pretty good understand of it all, the exam ruins it all.
Please never take this course with this professor PLEASE! do yourself a favor. the tests are HORRIBLE. and takes grading to the extreme you even have to answer questions during the lectures for a grade.
Worst professor I have ever had. All the exams are application based, and she does not go over enough practice during lecture. Her voice is boring during lectures, and the questions she asks is beyond knowledge. Good luck if you get her
Worst professor Ive ever had. The exams contain questions way beyond our knowledge and based off information she doesnt even teach us. I dont think I retained a single piece of information from this class. I would not take it if you have the choice.
The way she formats the material and course in general is stressful in itself. Hardest tests I have ever taken and I have been in a bunch of AP and other difficult courses. People get decent grades because she curves things weird, but the stress is NOT WORTH IT AT ALL. please don't take this professor for this course.
One of the worst classes I've ever taken, its pure stress. The class is organized awfully and she seems like she wants to make it as hard for as possible. Exams cover things not even brought up in lecture and go beyond our knowledge. Only reason why people pass the class is because she curves and randomly gives up bonus points.
Great Professor. The class was difficult for me but Chrissy is a great teacher who cares about your success. She is always accessible outside class, replying promptly to your emails. She also gives good feedback. I would definitely recommend her for any Biology class.
horrible professor. not willing to help you no matter how much u reach out. She ran the bio151 lab and she made it much harder than the lecture part. she gave us 11-14 page packets and we needed to go and use outside resources to determine functions and be able to fill them out. Horrible attitude. Horrible professor. Don't take her!!
Simmons ran my 151 bio lab. The labs were fun and informative but the practicals were completely impossible. They are designed for the student to fail. Her practicals are for the advanced grad student and completely unfair for an introductory bio student. The class average for the 1st practical was 47% and continued to decline during the semester.
This class and professor are terrible. It doesn’t make any sense at all and neither does the lab. Most of the students in the class do terrible on the exams. She makes her material hard to understand. She NEVER is understanding if you have to miss class. Definitely the most pointless and confusing class i’ve taken yet.
She doesn't include anything she says in lecture on tests and homework does reflect on what we are learning in class or tests. She's scripted when she teaches, her lectures and homework videos are the exact same information in the same words. Read the textbook and you will learn more than from her
Dr. Simmons, in my personal experience, has been fine enough. She knows what she is talking about. But I know people she has screwed over because they had an illness or family emergency. She is not accommodating at all. Even if you have covid she won't let you make up certain things. Her tests are confusing and she should teach a higher level class
She should be teaching a higher level course. You must have a lot of background knowledge even though it is more of an entry level class. She doesn't believe in a letter grading scale and prefers to grade based on proficiency whereas a 40% = satisfactory and a 60% = approaching mastery even though you still failed. She's been on watch since 2015...
This class is very homework and attendance heavy. She is not considerate if you have an emergency or are ill. She tells us things to study for test that do not show up and vice versa. This class adds so much stress. The majority of students fail the test with grades under 60%, usually in the 40's. This class is a lose-lose situation. You can't win.
On the first day, she said that a 60% is "mastery" in her course, and a 40% is "satisfactory"... if a failing grade is supposed mastery, you would think that tells her the material is too advanced for an entry level introductory class. The exams are nearly impossible to do well on, she makes the questions extremely complex - studying barely helps.
Literally, was one of the worst teachers I have ever had. Her tests are not made for an intro to bacteriology class and her averages for her tests are failing grades. If possible take this course outside of SIUE because it is awful. The lab portion was okay and the only saving grace for my grade. Good luck.
The questions on her exams are paragraph style, so it made it hard to read such long questions when you are pressed for time. At the beginning of the semester before our very first exam she told us that whatever we think is going to help with studying is not going to help because she writes "Chrissy questions."
Chrissy is not understanding by any means. She grades all assignments for correctness and attendance is mandatory. Her TAs are not properly briefed before labs and exams are extremely difficult. The material discussed is class is rushed and feels like she's teaching in a different language.
lectures are scripted, teaching is bland and material is difficult, teaches in a way it seems as if it is made for a 400 class, has no empathy for students who are sick, exam average is 40% and she takes pride in that rather than assisting her students, her SI instructors have no idea what she teaches because she makes her own questions
Chrissy was an awful professor. She made blackboard assignments herself along with lab quizzes and they were extremely difficult. Her exams are difficult, although the third was the easiest of all. The only good thing about her is that she updates grades quickly. Also, she takes attendance and doesn't care if there's a valid reason you're not there
This was the hardest class that I had to take. The professor is knowledgeable but lacks the skills to teach others. This class will only be easy if you have prior knowledge of the material. The labs will save your grade. In reality, the school should be paying you to take this class because you must teach yourself the material. Good luck!
Professor Simmons teaches material in lecture that is not on her exams. Her exams questions are made herself and are very difficult.
It is easy to get a good grade in the class, but you can't miss lecture or any labs because you get extra points for it. Her tests are horrible, you think you know what will be on it and then it is something completely different. Definately watch the screencasts she posts before you take the tests.
Look, she is such a kind hearted person who does care about her students as people. Does she want them to succeed? Not so sure. Her lectures were like watching paint dry and practice questions in class were 1st grade questions before she sets down an IMPOSSIBLE exam in front of you. At SIUE, theres no other option Just suffer like the rest of us.
Tests are 100x harder than what we are taught in class. Time to suffer
Nothing you learn in lecture is actually on the exam.
She sucks as a teacher, pretty sure she wants everyone to fail.
It is absolutely ridiculous for a teacher to be proud of and brag about students getting less than 50% on all of their exams. Exams are impossible to study for, and she does not care about students learning and succeeding! I would avoid her class all together and take at any other school if possible!
The lectures seem easy enough, and then you get the exam. The exams are incredibly difficult, and she should not be proud of a class average of ~60%. She told us that her lectures do not serve any purpose, and we are expected to learn everything from reading the textbook. However, attendance is mandatory, as you get points for every lecture.
Its tough if you are someone who doesn't have a good attention span.Also anytime I reached out for help she kind off made it out to be not her problem even though she didn't directly say that Some people like her though I think it is very hit of miss with her but for the most parts I have not heard and one say nor had the best experience with her.
I originally gave her the benefit of doubt, then she lost all my respect. She said that no students should have jobs and they need to focus all their time on school, and that that is what everyone used to do in her day. First that's not true for her day bc my mom is the same age and confirmed lots of people had jobs. Second it's not realistic today
First 3/4s of the course aren't bad if you do homework, attend, and study intensely for exams. However, don't be mislead by the "comprehensive" portion Chrissy says will be on the final. Also, she debriefs after exams pointing out all your flaws. If you have not done ALL the study steps listed on the wrapper, you will not gain her sympathy AT ALL.
I wish there was a 0 rating to give this professor. Avoid taking her class with her.
Chrissy is a very kind person and professor. If you reach out to her and show that you have made an effort to do well in the class, she will more than likely try to help you. She doesn't cover everything on the tests during lecture so you have to read and take notes from the textbook. She gives students many opportunities to earn a good grade.
Do not take Chrissy.
She is passionate about the topic at hand, but isn't good at teaching it to her students. She expects you to spend hours outside of class learning the terminology of microbiology. I would expect to fail all of your exams, but you could still end the class with a B. None of the material she teaches in lecture will be helpful on the exams.
Chrissy is very passionate and educated in what she teaches, however, she does very little to convey that information to students conveniently. I took notes during lectures, from her video casts, and attended every SI session, and I still didn't do well on her exams. I don't want to hate on her character, but her teaching is less than satisfactory.
In my opinion, Mrs. Simmons was very educated on the topic of bacteriology. She struggled to convey that information to her students sadly. I got through the course with an A because I read the textbook cover to cover. If you take this class, I recommend doing the same.
Chrissy is very intelligent in her lectures. Her tests are never based on her lectures and reading the book slightly helps.
don't go into class comprehending anything, if you want to learn, definitely use the book and practice questions because most likely she will spend a lecture talking about the same thing over and over again. don't feel bad if you fail a test, 90% of the class does.
The class really wouldn't be that horrible if it wasn't for the exams. They are so hard. Everything is from the book, not the lectures. She really just grazes the surface of the material and then expects you to be able to think about it very in depth and critically. Overall, would never take her again.
The tests are never the same as her lectures, the textbook is more useful for studying than the lecture. The exams are tough and worded in a very confusing manor. Attendance to the PLTL and Lab are more important than the lecture. I would never take this course with her again.
Simmons was an alright lecturer, but her tests were insanely hard, to the point that it felt completely unfair. She was very kind, and I could tell she was passionate about biology, but she did not convey the material well, especially when her lectures were very surface-level, and the exams were incredibly difficult.
Don't take this class expecting it to be an easy intro bio class. She says that everything she covers in lecture is on the test but she barely scratches the surface of topics during lecture. Her tests are EXTREMELY comprehensive & hard enough to the point that she says getting a 50% is "approaching mastery." Sweet person, but awful professor.
Chrissy is a very sweet person and knows a lot about bio, just not very good at teaching it. Lectures were her reading off slides and nothing actually matched what were on the exams. Expect exams to be very comprehensive and application based. Only way you will get an A in this course is A LOT of studying and reading the textbook
Professor Simmons is a wonderful woman, however, her class is hard. She's very accessible outside of class, work with her to get an A. Don't skip lectures, she does in-class activities and most of the time they're free points. Find someone who has taken the class before and has old tests, these are great study tools, and READ THE BOOK.
She is not very understanding of real life, she will not excuse you of anything unless you have a doctors note. She makes slides that have minimal info on them and you basically have to teach yourself the whole class if you want to pass. Her lectures confused me. Read the book. "If your not doing well it's not a reflection of my teaching skills".
Lectures are pointless. Don't be upset if you fail every test because 99% of the class does and she takes pride on that. Study the book hard and don't focus on class notes. This class will take up most of your free time. You will question your major and everything about yourself. Good luck!
The lectures are pointless, I only went in hopes of a participation activity. I could not tell you how to pass an exam, 99% of people don't pass one so don't sweat it. The homework assignments (which you had to look up to pass) and the lab incorporated in the grade is what saved me. Best suggestion to get exams from prior students. WORST PROFESSOR!
She is a very smart professor but personally I felt that she didn't know how to teach it.
Certified yapper, never says anything important, why is she a teacher here, how did she even become a teacher, will never learn anything from her. Homework is hard but she doesn't tell you which answers are wrong. awesome way to learn keep is up Krissy!! if I could fire her myself I would
Her exams were really hard, and everything was on the textbook not her lectures.
Terrible. Thug it out if you have to take bacteriology with her. She yaps and yaps... because Jesus. Good luck yall
Chrissy is a nice person but I have never felt so dumb in a class. It is very hard and makes 0 sense. No matter how much you read or try to study it feels like you are not enough.
Class is entirely based on textbooks and lectures do not apply at all to exams. If you have to take bacteriology, good luck. Class average on exams is under 50%, so don't feel bad if you fail all of them. 0/10 professor.
READ THE TEXTBOOK. Go to lectures because in-class activities are free points. Don't forget lockdown assessments and homework are due by 5pm after lecture. STUDY the case studies she gives you. The exams are mostly applicable based. Go to SI and office hours if you need help. She is knowledgeable but not great at teaching.
Do not get me wrong, Chrissy seems like a sweet person, would not recommend her as a teacher. She was in my lab one day and seemed to do amazing in there but her lectures were pointless. I would recommend just relying on the book. She takes random attendance in her lecture so you cannot miss and assignments are due at 5 pm. I would not take again.
The tests aren't even based on her lectures. Since I have to retake this course, I will be studying old test material and the book. I recommend starting a group chat with your classmates to pass. They need to hire another professor because students should not have to teach themselves the course bc she can't teach.
Chrissy is very passionate about the topic (even has a favorite pathogen) however doesn't know how to teach the info. Talks to us like we are geniuses. Lectures are pointless because the tests not like the lectures AT ALL, SI based off lectures so is not helpful for exams. If you can take at another school/professor DO IT! Good riddance Chrissy!
Lecture information is not on any exam. Be prepared to fail every test. The only way get a decent test score is to READ THE BOOK from cover to cover. Extra points are given, tests are curved, and homework assignments, quizzes, and lab work help bring up the grade. Attend every class session. This class will consume all of your free time and sanity.
absolutely horrible, DO NOT RECOMEND
her lectures are so hard to follow
Tests are very hard, and there are test questions that only come from reading the book or things that she mentions once during class. She's a terrible lecturer and getting a 45% on any of her exams is considered "satisfactory". Labs are way worse but at least she says that getting a bad grade does not reflect upon her teaching skills.
Omg. The worst professor I have ever had at SIUE. Her exams are EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. None of the information from lecture is on them. The way the questions are written is difficult to understand. Take someone else if you can. Or take this class at a different college. We just took exam 2, and the class average for both exams was FAILING.
Professor Simmons is brilliant but her teaching style doesn't suit everyone. Lectures are tough, so focus on the textbook and utilize study aids like Unstuck study alongside classmates to succeed. Attend all classes - participation points are crucial.
If you pay attention and take the time to read the textbook you should be good
I want to start by saying Chrissy Simmons is not a terrible person. This is why it it so disappointing that I have to rate this class poorly. Bio 151 is a weed out class, so if you are going into it expect to work hard. There are major issues with the bio department that show in this class. My advice is to just do what you can, and good luck!
If there is an other option to take someone else I'm speaking from the heart... DO NOT TAKE HER. She expects way too much out of her students. As a person, she's very nice but as a teach DO NOT RECOMMEND. Unless you wanna read 200+ textbook pages for an exam word for word never leaving even the smallest detail out, then you should not take her.
If you have this professsor run to drop the class immediately!!!! Awful teacher, lectures are so boring and doesn't help with exams, no study guides, no advice on how to pass, very misleading and terrible teaching!! Exams are extremely difficult and nothing like what was taught in class! Almost 90% of her students fail so don't feel bad!
Do the extra credit that is offered after each of the tests. I highly recommend reading the textbook because she will tell you that the notes she gives in class are for her only. If you can get a different bio professor I strongly suggest you do.
Doesn't matter how much you study for this class honestly. There's wayyyy too much information packed into each unit. 45% on the exams is considered "satisfactory". The only way to maintain a passing grad in my opinion is stay on top of the homework (2/week), go to labs, and do the lab quizzes every week. Good luck!
If you can take this at a community college, do it. It does not matter how much you study for an exam, it will not make a difference. I could go on and on, just don't take this with her. I am saying this while being very successful in all my other pre-nursing classes.
Spontaneous in-class assignments. Set reminders for lab quizzes and homework deadlines! The course IS hard but doable. You can fail every exam (try not to) as long as you go to lab & do all assignments you could get a C. I had to WP due to transferring, but READ THE TEXTBOOK and STUDY. If all else fails, WithdrawPass & take at community college!
Literally the worst professor I have ever had the displeasure of taking a class with. I have nothing else to say. Take the class somewhere else if you can.
I would never take a class with Chrissy again in this lifetime or any other. I attended lecture and tried paying attention, she talked the entire time and made absolutely zero sense. She prides herself on being easy to reach outside of class but everytime I emailed her on a school day it would take her at least two days to respond. Drop the course!
actually so horrible. i hate it.
She will talk for the first 30 minutes about anything that doesn't have to do with the chapter. The material is really hard to understand and she just didn't do well at helping me process things easier.
Chrissy should not be a teacher. I always went to class, and she would just go on rants that had nothing to do with the material that was on the exam. If you have a class with her, DROP it. She prides herself on people failing her class. If the average on all the exams was lower than a 50% that proves it is her fault, not the students.
Chrissy is a nice person, but her classes aren't structured efficiently. Her lectures only guide you on what to read in the book, which is insanely time consuming. It was hardly worth the stress & crying over. Go to SI, do every assignment as best as you can, and study. that's all you can do. I would rather total my car again than take the course.
just dont take her classes and i think you'll have a splendid time at siue
Christine Simmons is the worst professor that I've had in my whole life. She degrades her students on how they need to do better but does not offer any help. She takes pride in failing most students, and considers 40% satisfactory. HOW IS A 40% SATISFACTORY WHEN YOU NEED AT LEAST A 70% TO PASS THE CLASS.
Her exams were maybe 70-60% of the class grade, but she is very helpful. You have to know concepts, not just straight from lectures, which everyone expects. There is a lot of homework but use it as a grade booster. To me, I would retake her again but you have to know how things connect in her class.
I wouldn't recommend her to anyone especially being a transfer student.
Do not take this class at siue unless you have a different professor. She says that a 40% is average and good on her exams even though you need a 70% to pass and get credit for the class. Nothing she says is on the exams rarely is it. Its mostly in the textbook. Save yourself and take it somewhere else.
Absolutely DO NOT take this class with Christie. I attended class regularly, read and re-read all material, and spent 2-4 hours per day studying for this god forsaken class. Take literally any other professor because I promise the chances of you passing this class are slim to none. I would rather lie in a bed of acid than take this class again.
Do NOT recommend this professor. In lecture, she covers a fraction of the information that you need to know. You essentially just have to read the entire textbook and teach it to yourself.
Prof. Simmons is nice, but lectures are long and don't prepare you for exams. She spends much of class time on unrelated topics. Don't forget lab quizzes and online assignments; they can hurt your grade. Attend lecture because she does in-class assignments. Read the textbook. I'm glad the class is over, Good riddance Chrissy!
Hot take I loved Bact and Chrissy. Her tests are hard but study the lecture slides and notebooks. I recommend previewing material b4 going to class. Ask Chrissy questions, go to office hours, and get to know her. She truly cares about her students! You're gonna have to put in the work for this class but it prepares you for nursing school.
This class was very hard and required lots of time but is very interesting. I personally loved Chrissy bc she cares deeply about her students. Tests are hard but she curved almost all of them. Lab was fun. Lock in for this class! You got this :)
The class is not impossible, but you need to put in effort outside of class time. The lectures do not go into enough depth for her exams, so you cannot rely on them alone for information. What worked for me was online videos, making notes from the textbook, and studying weeks in advance. Attendance matters since she gives easy in class points.
Chrissy is a great person but not a great teacher. Her slides in class will probably cover 2% of the test so you have to read your book. Go to class cause she has pop quizzes some days(easy points). HEAVY TEST!!! If you are not a good test taker and all you need is a C to pass: DO ALL THE HOMEWORK AND LAB QUIZY AND GO TO CLASS!
like the rest of the reviews chrissy is a really nice person and she knows what shes talking about. however when it comes to exams you will not pass by just memorizing the lecture notes/homework. If you want anything above a C start reading that book day 1. Lab is easy points and carrys your grade, a C is pretty easy to get, anything more is hard.
Chrissy is a very nice person. However, as a professor she is pretty difficult. My best advice for BIO151 is to read the textbook and don't rely on her slides! Read the book before lecture and during lecture write/type out the words she is saying, not just what is on the slides. Also, I attended every SI session and those were extremely helpful.
I went to her office after the first exam bc I failed it, and she said "You're doing great, I'm only worried about the students who got below a 40% on the exam." I have gone to her office multiple times for help and she tells me the same every time "Just do all the materials and you should be ok" Well clearly not! She is not willing to help.
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