3.2

Dan Groce

Social Work - Grand Valley State University

3.2
Quality
2.4
Difficulty
33%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
3.2
Quality
2.4
Difficulty
3.4
Helpful
3.0
Clarity

33%

Would Retake

83

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

21

4

16

3

24

2

15

1

7

What Students Say

But class has no format and he is difficult to follow

PSYC01 - 2.0 rating

He is also a very hard grader

SW150 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

90%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 18 grades
Most common grades:
A (5)
A- (4)
B+ (4)
Grade Distribution
A(7)B(0)C(2)D(0)F(1)A-/B+(8)
Based on 19 reported grades
A: 5
A-: 4
B+: 4
A+: 2
Common Tags
Lecture heavy (6)
Get ready to read (5)
Graded by few things (4)
Caring (3)
Tough grader (3)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (2)
LECTURE HEAVY (2)
Respected (2)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.29 avg change
Dec
Dec
Mar
Apr
Dec
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

SW

5.0

(1)

SW101

5.0

(3)

SW15

4.0

(1)

SOC150

4.0

(5)

SW150

3.2

(71)
+2 more courses
Difficulty by Course

150

3.0

PSYC01

3.0

SW150

2.4

SOC150

2.2

SW

2.0

Reviews (83)
5.0
3.0
SW150
Apr 18, 2002

Good amount of work for an intro class, but he really wants students to do well.

5.0
1.0
SW150
Apr 27, 2002

Wonderful night class. Really brought everything into real world terms.

5.0
2.0
SW150
Dec 6, 2002

Wonderful teacher. Presents info in an understandable manner. Very easy class.

3.0
1.0
SW150
Dec 11, 2002

no homework, nice guy, doesn't learn 1st names, exams are easy....get him

5.0
2.0
SW
Dec 15, 2002

Really nice professor. Stay awake for the lectures but need to read.

2.0
2.0
SW150
Mar 27, 2003

He is a nice man, but his lectures don't relate to social work at all. Take it for a gen ed. It's easy, but boring...no homework, EVER!

4.0
3.0
SW150
Apr 24, 2003

A great man with plenty of experience. Will let you re-write papers. Don't procrastinate on group projects!

3.0
3.0
SW150
Oct 7, 2003

Doesn't explain the assignments as well as he should. Lectures are boring, but he's a really nice person

4.0
2.0
SW15
May 11, 2003

No homework - don't need to do the readings. BORING CLASS

3.0
2.0
SW150
Dec 5, 2003

He's a really nice guy. His lectures are interesting but tend to drift. You don't need to do the readings but you need the books to study for the midterm and final.

3.0
1.0
SW150
Dec 18, 2003

really awesome guy. lectures had no purpose. structure of the class was bad as well, group project was graded solely on peer evaluation, which sucked. take the class it is an easy gen ed.

2.0
2.0
SW150
Jan 5, 2004

If you are taking this for a gen. ed, Don't. He is very hard to follow, drifts off, sleeps during presentations, and isn't willing to give one second of his time. If you don't like social work and talking about poverty, discrimination, etc...don't take.

5.0
3.0
SW150
Jan 5, 2004

Honestly one of my favorite professors here. VERY understanding....class is very interesting if you enjoy the topics, which I do! I would take him for ALL my classes, he's so cool!

2.0
2.0
SW150
Grade: A+
Mar 19, 2004

Boring and doesnt lecture with an interesting ounce.Doesn't explain the assignments as well as he should.A nice person even though he thinks he knows everything.Wouldnt recommend him,but easy gen ed.

3.0
4.0
SW150
Mar 28, 2004

Being a senior I thought I would take an easy class for my last one, um yeah my mistake, this class sucks...I would rather take some 400 level class rather than this. Nice guy, but can't teach.

4.0
2.0
SW150
Mar 29, 2004

this class is geared mostly toward social work majors. i really enjoy it, but he sort of puts people down when they answer or ask questions sometimes. he's a very nice guy though and has some good stories.

2.0
3.0
SW150
Apr 12, 2004

This class was not helpful. Take another prof if possible. He is a nice guy but cant teach. Exams are essay and he will give you about 11 or so and u have to study them to answer like 5. about a page apiece. he grades hard. try not to take him

1.0
3.0
SW150
Jun 28, 2004

He sucked.. plain and simple

5.0
2.0
SW150
Aug 9, 2004

Awesome guy, great class. Makes you really think about life and interesting topics. Very smart and generous man. Knows a lot about life and what he teaches.

5.0
2.0
SW150
Sep 11, 2004

I loved his class. He trully got me to care more about what is going on in society. HIs lectures were entertaining and he gave you what questions would be asked on the test the class before. He was a great help if needed. I would take his class again

4.0
4.0
SW150
Nov 22, 2004

he has a passion for what he teaches and a lot of experience

3.0
1.0
SW150
Sep 17, 2004

Nice guy, but can't teach. How many times in one day Can he say folk?

3.0
2.0
SW150
Apr 25, 2005

Super nice guy but really boring class. If you can come to class and sit through the long and boring lectures, you'll do fine.

3.0
2.0
SW150
Nov 30, 2005

Nice guy. Not very specific on his requirements for papers and stuff. Beginning of the class is kind of all over the place with information. Nice professor though.

3.0
2.0
SW150
Grade: A+
Dec 9, 2005

Good guy, very respectable. Can be boring. You really don't need to do all the reading that is assigned, just take good notes. Only three real grades besides final, so don't screw up. Knows what he's doing, but can be condescending. Can't pronounce names worth crap, ha. Good beginners class or gen ed.

3.0
3.0
SW150
Dec 13, 2005

Very nice guy. Not very clear about anything. Tends to get condescending if you ask questions that he thinks he's already answered. Doesn't say anything in the syllabus about how he grades, so you won't ever know where you stand in the class.

5.0
3.0
SOC150
Dec 11, 2005

He is awesome!

4.0
2.0
SW150
Jan 6, 2006

He is a very nice and very helpfull professor. He grades fairly and the class is really interesting. Not a whole lot of homework, the hardest parts are the exams. If you keep track of your grades on the two homework assignments you will have a rough idea of where you stand in the class. I found him to be a GREAT professor and willing to help!

4.0
3.0
SW150
Jan 9, 2006

I was really worried going into this class. I thought he was going to be a tough prof, but really if you just take notes on his lectures you'll be fine. He looks kind of intimidating but he's pretty nice. He also grades fairly, I got an A and was excused from taking the final.

5.0
3.0
SW150
Apr 4, 2006

He is a great guy and a great Prof. I am glad I took his class. I learned alot and had fun doing the group project. There are not alot of assignments so you need to do well on all of them. I'd recomend him anytime :)

3.0
3.0
SW150
Oct 7, 2006

great guy who really gets his students involved. his notes are really random and hard to take but he gives you the questions you need to know for the exam beforehand. has a lot of experience and a lot of everyday knowledge, but is not so good at keeping the material very organized

1.0
5.0
SW150
Dec 16, 2006

This class is interesting however, the professor is very disrespectful! If you get on his good side from the begining, you will be fine, if you are not, the class will be a living nightmare! Most disrespectful action would have to be him felling asleep during my groups presentation we had been working on for months. Should not happen in college!

3.0
2.0
SW150
Dec 19, 2006

does not tell you how you are doing in the class-does not use blackboard... it is possible to get out of his final-if you get a straight A; does not explain assignments very well

3.0
2.0
SW150
Apr 18, 2007

He is a nice guy, but he is not very clear on what he expects with assignments. The group project was very interesting and i learned a lot from it.

2.0
2.0
SW150
Jan 3, 2007

i dont think i really learned anything in the classroom... i learned more doing the group project and studying for the exams... he lets you redo the one paper he assigns as many times as you want until you get the grade you want. and the exams are easy... hes a good guy i guess...

2.0
4.0
SW150
Apr 22, 2007

This professor was a really hard grader, and was not clear how he was going to grade at all. The exams are tough, definetly study your notes. Take good notes, and try not to fall asleep..he is an all around nice guy that tries his hardest. It's worth while to be in his classroom.

3.0
1.0
SW150
May 1, 2007

He's a really nice guy. He's really not clear on what he wants with any of his work, but if you ask him, he'll tell you what he wants, and he's pretty leniant. I LOVED him, he was really funny and it was a sad day when the semester was over. Taking notes are kind of hard, you have to listen and write what you think is important, you get used to it

5.0
2.0
SW150
Jun 26, 2007

He was a wonderful professor. He was super funny and really lenient, I hardly ever went to class and still got a B-, you will take a lot of notes but as long as you pay attention your fine. His tests were pretty easy and the class was very interesting, it definitely helped my decision on whether or not I am going in to social work.

5.0
1.0
SW150
Nov 28, 2007

Awesome prof. really wants to see his students succeed. Class is simple, straight forward, and very educational in the field. If anyone doesn't get a good grade they shouldn't be in college or working!

2.0
2.0
SW150
Dec 14, 2007

Honestly, this prof was nice, but he was soooo unclear on what he wanted. Especially in his papers - i could NEVER get an 'A'- He was rather vague in his instructions but wanted really specific answers. I felt like i had to interpret everything he wanted.

3.0
3.0
SW150
Dec 14, 2007

Ask as many questions about assignments as you can. He is not very clear about it and will want clear answers when he grades. You will probably hate the class at first but grow to like it.

4.0
2.0
SW150
Dec 6, 2008

every class is a lecture- off from power point. you will need to take notes, but he is very clear and explains everything well. wants to see his student succeed, loves social work.

3.0
5.0
SW150
Dec 9, 2008

Professor Groce was a very nice guy. He cares about his student grades but really isn't clear about his assignments. There are questions on the test that aren't in the notes he gave in powerpoints. His grading scale is off from the normal, for example a 90-92 is a B in his class. Hard to get an A in the class with a grading scale like that.

4.0
2.0
SW150
Mar 12, 2009

Real nice guy. starts class of with 10 minutes worth of attendance and 20 worth of talking about whats in the news. only 2 tests and 2 papers the whole semester. minimal out of class work is done. lots of notes and can get boring but hes grades decently easy and offers extra credit. would recommenddddd

5.0
1.0
SW150
Jun 15, 2009

Great Prof. His grading scale seems unfair to some, but it is the same scale used by the GVSU school of social work. All the social work classes use the same grading scale so those who complain need to know that he is required to use that scale. Take him and you will not regret it he's very good.

1.0
2.0
SW150
Dec 15, 2009

He is one of the worst teachers I've ever had. He isn't willing to work with students, very inflexible, not at all clear with his expectations or grading, and he doesn't make any accommodations. Campus was closed down due to weather before finals week and my class didn't even get a review. Most material was not even MENTIONED in class or the book.

5.0
3.0
SW150
Dec 24, 2009

He was a great prof! I enjoyed his class very much, he we very understanding and caring when i had to miss a week of class due to being ill. He goes through power points quickly so be prepared to take notes of his notes, and make sure you read the book. Test were mediocre, and make sure you edit your papers well. Overall really good prof!

4.0
2.0
SW150
Mar 29, 2010

He is a really nice guy. Two exams, and two papers. Offers extra credit so take advantage if struggling! Lectures can get somewhat boring, but exams are easy! He gives pop quizzes from material from the book so be prepared! Takes attendance, but excuses you if you have a good reason. If you do not understand what he expects, just ask! Great guy! :)

4.0
2.0
SW150
Oct 24, 2010

Great guy. You can definitely tell he cares about what he's teaching about. His exams can be tricky, so review your notes and READ THE TEXTBOOK! 2 tests and 2 papers - not very difficult at all.

3.0
3.0
SW150
Nov 22, 2010

This professor was the source of a lot of my frustration during the semester. He is a nice guy, but when it comes to teaching he is not clear with his expectations or grading. Most of the material on the test was not even MENTIONED in the book, then he blames the class for not knowing "what he meant."

1.0
4.0
SW150
Dec 14, 2010

He is terrible. He talks so slow and it is so boring! He doesnt explain anything and is not clear about any assignments.

5.0
1.0
SW150
Dec 21, 2010

GREAT prof, very passionate about social work and cares about his students. There was a couple extra credit opportunities and if you have a 96 in the class you don't have to take the final. The two assignments take time and effort, but this is college. TAKE THIS PROF...especially if you are a socialwork major, he's great!

4.0
3.0
SW150
Apr 26, 2011

A lot of people in my class didn't like Prof Groce, but I think he was a really nice guy. Takes attendence and expects people to talk up in class. Reminds me a bit of Morgan Freeman and really seems to care about Social Work and his students. I would definately take him again.

3.0
1.0
SW150
Aug 16, 2011

Professor Groce was a very nice man but it was an incredibly boring class and that's saying a lot because I love social work. But the class is very easy and the exams are pretty easy. I never read the book and got a B in the class

2.0
3.0
SW150
Sep 7, 2011

IF you don't like to do group projects, don't take this class. We had to do one for the whole semester and I hated it. I like social work, but he made me think twice about it. Wouldn't take him again

3.0
2.0
SW150
Mar 27, 2012

Tells good stories but gets way behind on the information we are supposed to cover in class.

2.0
3.0
PSYC01
Dec 17, 2012

Nice guy. But class has no format and he is difficult to follow. Not clear on expectations and not responsive to questions, often giving flip answers. Found it very difficult to prepare for assignments and/or exams

4.0
2.0
SW150
Mar 29, 2013

Professor Groce is a very nice guy that really cares about his students. He takes time to learn his students names and is overall a good professor. There is a midterm, group project, a couple assignments, and a final. Exams aren't hard and you just have to put the effort into the assignments and you will earn a good grade. Take him for SW 150!

5.0
2.0
SW101
Dec 3, 2013

Wonderful professor! He is passionate about teaching and getting students to understand the concepts he teaches. There is some tedious work, but it isn't hard very much do-able.

4.0
2.0
SW150
Dec 10, 2013

He really loves his students and that is evident every single day. He is really passionate about what he does. He is definitely funny and cute in his own way! He as a lot of experience in SW and is fun to talk to after class. Easy class over all, but READ the book before exams.

3.0
3.0
SW150
Grade: C+
May 1, 2014

Prof. Groce cares a lot about his students. He is older but really knows what he is talking about. The grades are based off 1 paper, 1 Midterm, Presentation & Reflective essay (super easy) and a final exam. Hes kind of hard on grading and doesn't give a very good study guide. If you could take someone else I would.

4.0
3.0
SW150
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 16, 2014

HE DOESN'T USE BLACKBOARD. YOU WILL NEED TO READ. STUDY GUIDES ARE NOT HELPFUL. HE'S RIGHT YOU'RE WRONG. PRETTY EASY CLASS IF YOU READ AND TALK.

5.0
3.0
SW150
Grade: A-
Dec 31, 2014

Midterm and final with one paper, and one group project. Professor Groce inspired me to think outside the box and to be able to understand multiple sides of viewpoints.

2.0
3.0
150
Grade: B+
Jul 9, 2015

Hardly teaches and when he does he is all over the place. Doesn't use blackboard so you wont know your overall grade until the very end of the course. One midterm, final and a group project. Prepares students poorly for the tests, doesn't tell you what you need to know. If possible i'd take this class from a different prof.

3.0
4.0
SW150
Dec 11, 2015

Lectures drag on like crazy, super boring classes. Takes lecture notes almost directly out of textbook, and tests are hard to prepare for unless you take the time to read the extremely long chapters.

3.0
2.0
SW150
Grade: A
Dec 27, 2015

One of the easiest professor/class, hands down. All tests are straight from lecture slides, which are printed out for you. I got a 95 in the class and didn't even read my text book. Lectures are long and dry but very easy A.

5.0
1.0
SOC150
Grade: A
Mar 18, 2016

He is a phenomenal teacher and human. He is so inspiring and loves when people participate. He looks intimidating and mean but it's wrong. He gives you a study guide with all subjects that will be covered on the test, if you fail it's your own fault. He has amazing stories and he is so insightful. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

5.0
1.0
SW150
Grade: A
Apr 14, 2016

Groce is an amazing professor. He moves through chapters slowly, but you will remember what he says. My favorite thing about him is how much he fosters discussion and provides thought-provoking answers. Study guides are clear. He prints off PPts for everyone. Survival tip: Review syllabus AND assignment sheet before completing a project.

2.0
3.0
SW150
Grade: B+
Aug 31, 2016
Wouldn't take again

He was nice but he was very mundane, one of my least favorite classes at GVSU

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
3.0
SW150
Oct 13, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Very Boring, very quiet, takes forever to get through lectures and very disorganized. hardly ever know whats going on

Get ready to read
GROUP PROJECTS
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
1.0
SOC150
Dec 4, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Yawn. He lacks enthusiasm in every way possible. Nice guy, but the class in painful to get through. He is unorganized, easy material just show up to class. Would not take again.

5.0
1.0
SW101
Dec 5, 2017
Would take again

I took Professors Groce class for SW 150, you only have to do 2 papers about 3-5 pages long and multiple mini quizzes over the chapter readings in the book. He's super nice and lectures are great. skip class, won't pass.

Gives good feedback
Get ready to read
Caring
4.0
2.0
SW150
Grade: A-
Dec 18, 2018
Would take again

Professor Groce is absolutely adorable. His lectures aren't amazing, but not horrible. Textbook isn't necessary, but you will get a better grade if you read it. He assigned one paper and then there were 7 "tests" over 2 chapters each. He isn't trying to trick you. My class asked for extra credit so he gave it to us. I enjoyed his class very much.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Inspirational
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
1.0
SW150
Apr 18, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Professor Groce is very condescending and lacks understanding. He is also a very hard grader. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!

Lecture heavy
Tough grader
3.0
4.0
SOC150
Dec 5, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Groce is a very kind man that makes your heart warm. I respect him as an individual and a person, but do not feel like he was the best professor. His lectures were monotone and boring at times and very lengthy. There were 5 quizzes and 1 essay, but no final. He will drop your lowest score. I found the quizzes hard, even though I always read.

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
1.0
1.0
SW150
Grade: A-
Dec 10, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Incredibly easy class. Grade based on attendance, one paper, 5 quizzes. No final. Still one of the worst classes. Bored to tears. Good guest speakers occasionally & Groce has good insights in the field. But the lectures don't offer much. He's a great guy but everyone's snoring.

Respected
Caring
2.0
3.0
SW150
Grade: F
Apr 18, 2020
Wouldn't take again

He was very boring, but the lectures were okay to follow, class consist of one paper and many quizzes but you never know your grade because he doesn't know how to work blackboard, he graded me based on opinion questions when we moved to remote learning and I failed the class definitely don't recommend taking!

Beware of pop quizzes
Lecture heavy
1.0
2.0
SW150
Grade: A-
Dec 10, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I don't recommend taking a class with Professor Groce. He requires attendance, but his classes feel like a waste of time. Every other week there is a quiz and the quizzes are 100% from the book. Do your reading and these quizzes will be very easy. However, in his classes he doesn't lecture on anything for the quizzes so they are a waste of time.

Get ready to read
Tough grader
3.0
2.0
SW150
Grade: B+
Dec 5, 2023

Professor Grace obviously cares about the class and students however he is a slow talker and the classes are hard to stay awake in. Attendance is MANDATORY and if you don't read the book you're going to fail the tests.

2.0
3.0
SW150
Grade: C+
Mar 18, 2024

Learned a good amount but was bored to tears. All his classes were lectures and it was hard to pay attention due to how slow he talked. Would kind of get lost in conversation. He doesn't know how to use Blackboard so you never know your grade avg. and he only puts tests and attendance towards a grade.

Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
SW101
Grade: A
Apr 17, 2024
Would take again

Absolutely loved this professor. He is a really great guy and wants to get to know his students. Sure, at times his lectures can get a little boring, but he is talking about important things in life. Which in my opinion is better than listening to a boring lecture on any other topic. Would highly recommend taking him.

Participation matters
Caring
Respected
4.0
3.0
SW150
Grade: A
Dec 18, 2024
Would take again

He is a good guy but his class is rough to get through. He goes on tangents a lot and doesn't really teach from the book even though the quizzes are based on the textbook chapters. Barely any homework besides reading though and a relatively easy class. Also didn't have a final.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
SOC150
Grade: B+
Jan 9, 2025
Would take again

Prof Groce is a great professor who really gets to know his students! His classes are lecture heavy but if you pay attention and take notes on the PowerPoints, the quizzes will be super easy! Reading the textbook can be useful but is not always needed for the quizzes. No homework, only a quiz every two weeks and no final.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

90%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 18 grades
Most common grades:
A (5)
A- (4)
B+ (4)
Grade Distribution
A(7)B(0)C(2)D(0)F(1)A-/B+(8)
Based on 19 reported grades
A: 5
A-: 4
B+: 4
A+: 2
Common Tags
Lecture heavy (6)
Get ready to read (5)
Graded by few things (4)
Caring (3)
Tough grader (3)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (2)
LECTURE HEAVY (2)
Respected (2)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.29 avg change
Dec
Dec
Mar
Apr
Dec
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

SW

5.0

(1)

SW101

5.0

(3)

SW15

4.0

(1)

SOC150

4.0

(5)

SW150

3.2

(71)
+2 more courses
Difficulty by Course

150

3.0

PSYC01

3.0

SW150

2.4

SOC150

2.2

SW

2.0

Similar Professors