2.5
Quality3.8
Difficulty22%
Would Retake109
Reviews22%
Would Retake
109
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
11
4
22
3
18
2
36
1
22
What Students Say
“He will help you if you need it”
MTH210 - 5.0 rating“Worst class I've ever taken, and I'm a math major”
MTH310 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
36%
Textbook Required
56%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.11 avg changeRatings by Course
MTH495
5.0
(1)MATH312
4.0
(1)MTH327
3.5
(2)MTH203
3.3
(15)210
3.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
201
5.0
MTH233
5.0
MTH350
5.0
MTH202
4.6
MTH225
4.3
Reviews (109)
Easy to understand. Helpful to student. Exams run over alloted time.
Lots of self learning, he's not a lot of help when you ask him a question
Lots of work outside of class, likes to answer questions with questions. Not bad
Always does problems the long way. Seems too busy to talk to you.
A good teacher, maintains good discussion w/ students
Does not answer ?'s directly & gives confusing lectures.
Doesn't answer questions, confusing, get out if you don't need it!
likes to answer questions with questions and doesn't do examples
Confuses you more if you ask q's. Not helpful. I did better in harder Algebra
Get ready for 6hr long Challenge Problems every week. Get out.
Tough class...his teaching is scattered and a question asked get a question back
Wants you to figure things out yourself. Lots of outside work to make you think
No Comments
Gives more than one way to solve problem. Somewhat helpful if you need it.
I have never been so frustrated with a prof. in my whole life
Hard to follow, portfolios very challenging, very difficult class
This man IS NOT a teacher, he teaches no one anything.
THE WORST PROFESSOR EVER! RUN AWAY, FAST!!
Nice guy but very frustrating; assigns hard homework and doesn't collect it.
great teacher, you will learn if you want to
Nice guy, not a good group teacher. Good one on one. See him outside of class.
He confuses himself, never accomplishes anything, very boring
Good Luck
Is not helpful with the portfolio. Also can't stay on task in class.
Nice guy, but too smart to teach this class. Problems WAY too hard
great proff, very helpful, nice guy
Has problems staying on task but if he confuses you just ask for one on one help
Made basic algebra a nightmare.
confusing if you dont already know what you're doing
Extremly hard if you dont already know what your doing; answers a ? with a &
Answers every frickin' question with a question!! Lots of work!!
Great professor, easy to meet with outside of class
someone needs to fire him. if you don't know it, watch out - doesn't teach.
When he initially teaches in the class, he doesn't always explain it very well. But he is very willing to help you outside of class. He doesn't grade homework assignments so you have to be VERY motivated to do well in this class.
Starts out the class teaching at a resonable pace, then half way through the semester he kicks it into super drive and flies through the material he's supposed to have covered, leaving the students in the dust. Tests Impossible Literally!
Weird teaching style. Just keeps asking questions, doesn't really lecture. Pretty ineffective for a lot of people.
NOT Helpful will spend whole periods on one problem and answer nothing at the end.
Answers questions with a question. Not too much work, tests aren't bad either. Just pay attention in class and you'll be fine.
Not easy, makes things harder than they really should be, ask a question=confusion
answers questions by asking more questions, unclear, grades homework - hard to do well, my grade doesn't reflect the effort i put into the class, HARD prof., doesn't really teach, friendly and helpful during office hours
Good Prof. He has a unique style of teaching, but if you go to class a do the homework he assigns you should have no problem passing. Tests weren't to bad just don't be afraid to ask Q's during class time!!
Answers questions with questions.
Tests are very reasonable. Make sure you work outside of class and bring questions with you.
Answers question with question. Uses popsicle sticks to learn your name. Exams are hard mainly because he tries to teach you new things on the exam. Definitely ask for help if you need it.
Hardest class ever. Doesn't explain anything well. Tests are impossible to get an A on. Do not take any of his classes.
He is the worst calc teacher ever. He makes everything way more confuzing that in actualy is.
He will challenge you to think. If you don't like to do that, then stay away from his classes. If you do, then he will teach you as much as you are willing to learn. I liked this course.
Well... Hopefully you dont need this class for your major.. He takes a class that shouldn't be too excessively hard and makes it extremely difficult. Answers questions with questions in a very round about way. HORRIBLE PROF!
Worst prof ever. DO NOT TAKE HIM!! i worked way too many hours outside of class, and still didn't do well. Avoid.
Horrible Prof!! DO NOT TAKE!! I already have taken and passed this class but he still couldnt give me enough info to even remember what I had done in high school. Answers questions with questions in an unhelpful way. Takes an hour to do one problem. Gives tests over sections he hasnt even taught.
is a terrible professor but a nice guy. dont take him unless u want a boring class.
Answers ur q's w/ q's. Challenges ur thinking. Test are new material. 3/4 of class failed last test. U will NEED a tutor and itll still be hard. 1 hr.=1 prob.Lots of h/w. Gives worksheet to teach lesson and u won't know what to do. Gives time 2 solve and class acts like we are working.Don't Get HIM!
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!! He is a horrible prof. he answers your questions by asking you another question. i recommend you stay away from him if it is at all possible. Unless you want to be confused all semester.
very hard to pay attention in this class. he's never straightforward in helping.
OMG!! PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS MAN FOR MATH 110!!! He was horrible n made the class very boring. The tests never covered what we learned the previous weeks ahead!! PLEASE TAKE OUR WORD!!! BEWARE OF CLARK WELLS: HE CONTRADICTS EVERYTHING U EVER LEARNED ABOUT MATH!!
this class is supposed to be a breeze its basic high school math but this gut makes everything harder than what it is... Never answers questions only with questions and tells you basically that every math rule and concept you have ever learned is wrong. sucks as a teacher... DO NOT TAKE FOR ANYTHING!!!
This was a very difficult class. He knew what he was talking about, but didn't know how to express that to us. Only take this if you have to. Make sure to take CS 162 before you take this because he expects you to know and understand programing, so know how to program if you want to pass his class. Proofs are huge, so know them too, or you'll fail.
Wells is one of the worst professors I've ever had. He answers all of his questions with questions and makes it very difficult to understand anything. He uses stupid analogies that only make things more confusing. If you have to take MTH 110, DO NOT take it with him!
This class could have been easier but he is not clear in explanations. He made the third test easier because he saw how bad everyones grades were. The final was hard too.
Poor method of teaching, AVOID HIS CLASSES! Bad text! He wanted to improve the text by using own approach. Only made everything worse! Difficult to understand work assigned. C Wells will OJ your skills and optimism about math. Doesn't want to help outside of class. Take even a 7:00 AM Saturday course with another prof to avoid C Wells!
He would answer your questions with a question and he would never go over homework and expect you to take quizzes on the homework. NEVER TAKE HIM! .....EVER!
I really enjoy this professor. He has an immense knowledge and is very passionate about teaching mathematics. He reminds me of Professor Fishback and Professor Aboufadel. In that, he arrives to class on time and prepared to challenge students, allows for questions and provides assistance outside of the classroom.
He uses Maple about 50% of the time he is teaching, so if you don't know Maple well then it is hard to follow. His tests are fairly difficult and more about concepts than problems with actual numbers. They are more geared to people that are proficient in using Maple.
Only take Clark Wells if you really want to learn what he is teaching. I loved his class, but I was extremely interested in the material. His class will challenge you every single day...but isn't that the point of college? Very passionate and intelligent. Extremely difficult, but extremely effective.
Answers questions with another question. VERY Frustrating and uneasy to understand at times. Feels like a waste of time and he confuses me sometimes.
Very hard class and Wells doesn't make it any easier. In all fairness, this is a very challenging class, but he could do a much better job of explaining the material. I wouldn't recommend him to a friend.
OMG this guy is sooooooo confusing he doesn't answer questions. he answers them with another question. and he's very hard to follow. i would definitely not suggest this guy to anyone.
I really enjoy having him as a teacher. He really cares if you understand the material or not and will take the time to help you out if you need it. He's difficult but you'll learn what you need to learn.
Didn't really explain anything. Graded fair, but seemed to treat all students poorly.
teacher knows material very well and if helpful during office hours
I'm really good at math but he makes it so hard to understand. If you ask him a question that should take 10 mins to answer he will ramble for an hour about it and then end up not answering it. I would avoid him at all costs.
doesnt teach. asks so many question and doesnt know when to stop. will take an hour explaining a question but the last sentence is all you need
I'm good at math. He doesn't explain things well. I basically taught my whole class. He's horrible
Im a math major and have taken many math classes, he is by far the Worst teacher in math and is the 2nd worst teacher in my life. He cant teach, most of the class was doing horrible, good thing i am able to teach myself,Would have received an A/A- with any other teacher.he sucks and looks like beaker from the muppets. No style either
He means well, but is an amazingly ineffective teacher. Many class periods were spent on one or two questions covering very little material. In addition, (I'm not sure if this is just Wells) the portfolio requirement in this class is pointless and a huge time-waster. In all, I would not recommend Dr. Wells.
The class seems confusing at first and yes it remains confusing, but he really does try to help and wants you to do well. I'm not that smart and I didn't even try, and I still pulled off a B- (I honestly don't know how) But really he is definitely better than his rating on here.
A very ineffective teacher. Unfortunately it's worse. His personality comes through in class.
If you are an idiot, or do not have an interest in the true heart of Mathematics, don't take him. He is one of the only professors I know who thinks progressively about teaching math the way it should really be taught. He cares about ideas not computation. Be ready to learn math in a way you haven't before.He will teach you to think, not calculate
Prof does a very good job at explaining the material with examples and knows how to teach the material very well. But he does these dumb portfolio's that are a huge waste of time and way to formal for anyone not interested in a math major. I would much rather have assigned homework and more quizes then these pointless portfolios.
Professor provides no feedback on grades and takes very little interest in how his students are doing.
I defintely didn't like his class at the beginning of the semester, but it grew on me. Classes are very process-oriented (rather than "here's a problem. Find the solution"). He will help you if you need it. If you're looking for an easy A, look elsewhere. If you want a better understanding of math, he is way better than his rating on here.
Explains the concepts clearly and thoroughly. The portfolios are a bit tricky at first, but you get used to them if you ask for enough feedback.
This professor is very approachable, and in order to do well in this class you must come to his office hours and discuss proofs with him multiple times per week. Otherwise your effort in this class will be meaningless. His expectations are very high for the final portfolio. Grade is based on proofs almost entirely.Okay professor, difficult class.
Wells is a fantastic professor! He really knows his stuff, and will answer any and all of your questions. He will take time out of his day to look up your questions and present it at the next class meeting. His tests are fair and there really isn't much homework. He is now one of my favourite professors!
If you are looking for a normal math class, this is not what you want. He wants you to explain everything you are doing and if you do not he will not give you a good score. He grades in numbers and not letters, you have to show mastery on the math targets which in most cases means you have to write a paragraph on every answer. Never know your grade
Does not help at all even if you go to office hours...
No help. Lectures are boring and useless. Worst class I've ever taken, and I'm a math major.
He is helpful IF you go in and tell him what you need help with and where you are at with a problem. If you go in for office hours and just say I don't know how to do this, be prepared for him to get frustrated with you. You need to put effort in and he will gladly help. His lectures are all over though.. Very confusing lectures. I didn't go often.
The entire class is based on proof's so you can imagine it's not very fun. You are graded entirely on your portfolio that you build throughout the year and that he helps you correct along the way. If you read the book a little and put in work early in the semester it's not that bad. He is better than the other 210 Prof's though. Take him for 210!
Great Prof. The man's got style and flair. Class entirely based of a semester long Portfolio, that is supposed to show mastery of course learning goals out lined in the syllabus. He knows his material and answers questions by asking follow up questions. Some people hate that but if you are studying math you should be used to it. Would recommend.
Dr. Wells is a pretty awesome dude. He is a very smart professor, funny and quirky, and dedicated to teaching. He tells you everything you will learn at the beginning of the semester, and by the end you just have to prove you've learned it with a portfolio of work. I'm not normally good at math, but Dr. Wells made it enjoyable and I learned a ton.
Super nice guy and wants you to do well. However, his class structure is awful. You will be graded over one paper for the entire year. He gives no homework so you never understand the algebra involved and forget what he taught in lecture. Do not take this class if you plan on taking higher math courses!
Dr. Wells' class had extremely inconsistent structure. Some days we were given handouts to work through and other days we stared at him running Maple code all class. Your entire grade depends on a portfolio at the end of the semester and to get an A you have to do your own project outside of class. The grading to me feels extremely subjective.
This professor is not good at explaining concepts. If anything, his explanations left students more confused than they were originally. Some days he gave handouts that were not very informative, and other days students watched as he typed problems into a math program and didn't explain what he was doing.
Professor Wells is average. The classes are all lectures and the grades come from the work done outside of class. Homework is about 5-10 hours a week. He mixes up his vocabulary sometimes which may confuse you. Each portfolio meeting determines your grade but the final meeting grade on that is all that matters. Focus on the portfolio.
His teaching is subpar; but I enjoyed the portfolio method of grading. It took the emphasis off of memorization and turned it onto learning. That being said, actual learning can be difficult with his lecturing style, but he will always clarify and meet during office hours to help.
All English Literature and Linguistics students should take this course. Yes, it's a math class, but its focus (cryptography) gives a look into language from a different perspective. Wells' teaching style walks you through some difficult problems; he is always available for help. Just don't jump into this course without reviewing old math skills.
I had to drop of out this class. He never gave any examples, never gave us extra material to help us understand concepts. He didn't explain things very well. If you didn't go to any of his lectures, you'd have to watch the recording, but it didn't help at all. He grades a portfolio on a program he didn't show us how to use. Take someone else.
Clark was honestly the worst professor I've ever had at GVSU. He was not helpful at all, and would make you feel like an idiot if you asked any questions. On multiple occasions he told my friend to get tested for a learning disability. Literally, if you can take ANYONE else, avoid him at all costs.
He means well, but his classes are all over the place. As long as you complete your portfolio and do any work he asks you to do, you will easily pass. Overall he is a great guy, but his teaching style is hard.
He means well and really wants you to learn but he cant properly teach the material, you have to learn outside of class, but he expects too much background knowledge and presumes all his students are math majors with knowledge and skill in software and concepts that he takes for granted. Non-math majors would NOT pass this class. Withdrew
This class was very difficult, and the professor was not the best at teaching the material in an understandable way. Be prepared to teach yourself everything. We had few actual lectures, just activities we had to work through ourselves to learn the ideas. The course was "ungraded" so your grade only depends on a final portfolio due at the end.
Wells tries really hard to create a good learning environment with no testing or anything, but you are only graded on a final portfolio at the end... this was not too bad as he told us exactly what we needed in it. Classes are so all over the place it's crazy, ALWAYS on tangents nothing makes sense--stopped listening but was fine
Professor Wells uses an alternate style of grading that is based on a portfolio you're supposed to make throughout the semester. Some might like this but I found it to be more work and more stressful, I would suggest taking MTH 225/325 with someone else. Not very approachable and generally comes off as snobby.
MTH124 (not listed): Professor Wells is a good teacher, just not a very good lecturer (not awful but lacking in focus). In order to learn from him efficiently you need to engage and ask questions. I think a lot of his issue in rating comes from the fact that students skip (or tune out of) class regularly because of the hippy-esque way he grades.
Wells is great. His bad rep is bc he has a weird grading system, but he does care about your success &if you follow his guidelines, you will succeed. He will work with you. His lectures are a little scattered &go through complex calc topics quickly, but he will review. You grade yourself! He was super nice, fun to chat with, ¬ snobby at all!
Professor Wells is very caring however his lectures are kind of all over the place and hard to follow. There are no quizzes or test throughout the whole semester, just one portfolio you have to create and hand in at the end. The portfolio did not have very clear instructions
His lectures are all over the place and he never really explains anything he does he just assumes you understand everything before he starts talking. He pretty much just writes a proof every class and then expects you to understand. I genuinely hate this guy more than you could understand
The entire class is graded on one (1) final portfolio that he barely explains.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
36%
Textbook Required
56%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.11 avg changeRatings by Course
MTH495
5.0
(1)MATH312
4.0
(1)MTH327
3.5
(2)MTH203
3.3
(15)210
3.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
201
5.0
MTH233
5.0
MTH350
5.0
MTH202
4.6
MTH225
4.3