This class is physics... so yeah, it's not gonna be a breeze. But Dr. Merrill wants you to learn the material. He wants you to succeed. His lectures are possibly as fun as it gets for physics. He has great energy and loves demonstrations. Also, he has been helpful when I have gone to see him. He is a bit goofy but I love the guy. I recommend him.

Engineering physics is always going to be hard, but Dr. Merrill was really good. He had great lectures that used visuals to demonstrate abstract concepts, and he was very organized and helpful. Tests are curved appropriately, and the labs are easy A's. Do the homework and give your best effort and you will be fine. Highly recommended.

He's very passionate about physics, and that shows through in his lectures, they are entertaining and made me want to come to class. He wants his students to do well, and provides tons of resources & some extra credit to help us. PHYS1600 is still a hard class, but Merrill tries to make it as interesting and fun as he can, take him!

TAKE DR. MERRILL FOR ENGINEERING PHYSICS! Don't expect to get by in this class without doing any work, because it's engineering physics, so it's gonna be hard. However, Dr. Merrill is an INCREDIBLE teacher. He genuinely cares about his students. Grades are curved appropriately and he is VERY FAIR about grading. Would ABSOLUTELY recommend his class.

Dr. Merrill was an incredible teacher with very interesting lectures. However, he was a very hard tester. Because he taught so well, he expected you to know how to do everything. His class was fair and very fun. I suggest taking this class.

He was an AMAZING prof!! by far the best teacher ive had at Auburn University! he made physics so much understandable, he genuinely cares for his students and their progress throughout the semester! take him if you have the chance! by far the best

Very good at teaching and very good at explaining during office hours, HOWEVER, his tests are a whole different level of difficulty compared to anything he will give you to do for homework and practice problems. Final was much easier compared to his class and it saved my grade.

Overall not a bad class. Ive never taken physics before but Dr. Merrill made his tests very passable. I didnt go to class and just read the book and if you can understand the problems in the book his tests will be easy. I would suggest going to class though cause I did a lot of unnecessary reading from not knowing what we actually needed to know.

He is very heavy on helping in any way possible. He makes sure that you are aware of all resources and uses student feedback to determine how he teaches to the class to get the best results. His lectures usually include text, examples, and demonstrations.

He is helpful in and outside of class. He wants students to ask questions in they do not understand or to come to his office hours. He is funny and interesting when he teaches and makes physics less complicated and fun to learn.

Physics is a very difficult subject to teach, but Dr. Merrill does an amazing job breaking down complex concepts in a simple way, and he also does really good demonstrations during class that help reinforce understanding the material. He offers easy extra credit opportunities after every exam and replaces your worst exam grade with your final.

Dr. Merrill made physics a lot easier to understand and do well in. If you're worried about taking physics I highly recommend taking him.

Dr. Merrill is probably your best option in the physics department. The guy is a very good lecturer and really cares about his students. Also gives some extra credit opportunities. Physics is a very tough course and you will be challenged. I felt like he was a fair teacher. His tests were pretty difficult. I would recommend going to class.

Dr. Merrill helped me to understand physics. His lectures were very engaging, and he was very helpful in explaining every concept and formula to us. He always looks at feedback from students, so if you don't understand something, tell him right away! Very difficult tests, but he was very good at explaining what was going on.

Given how much material we must learn in one semester, 16 chapters, Dr. Merrill does his best to help students succeed. This class requires a lot of time outside of class to truly understand the concepts since the lectures are rushed to cover all the topics and stay on schedule. But, he is understanding and scales tests, final, and overall grade.

Merrill really tries to give his students many opportunities to do well. His grading criteria is extremely fair in the fact that your exam average can be a C+ but still have an A- overall. His exams were tough, but it prepared me for the final which in comparison was a breeze. Solid choice for sure.

I am so glad that I took Dr. Merrill this semester for physics II. Although the material is really tough, he really does enable you to succeed if you put in the extra work; you will have no shortage of study material in his class. Besides this, hes a funny, quirky physics professor who makes you excited about the subject in class. Tests are fair.

Dr. Merrill gives his students every opportunity to get bonus points, ask him questions, receive help outside of class time, etc. He turns a difficult course into one that anyone could pass with some hard work and effort. He also drops lowest test, quiz, and lab grades. Class isnt mandatory, but if you havent taken physics before I would go.

A difficult physics professor, but not the worst. Gave some extra credit opportunities that really helped, and always available outside of class. Definitely a class you have to work really hard for.

Dr. Merrill is a great professor. I got a B in physics 1 and was determined to get an A in physics 2. The tests are fair but you must know how to work ALL of the expert TA problems leading up to a test. I got a 96 on every test by just reworking homework and quizzes. It prepared me well for the final also. Nice man wants you to succeed.

Dr. Merrill is awesome! Physics is going to be a tough class no matter what, but everyone else is right in saying that he gives you all the materials you need to succeed. He doesn't take attendance, but I wouldn't recommend skipping lectures. He's enthusiastic and his demonstrations during lectures are fun. Would recommend!

I loved this class! He's a great Professor and I loved going to the lectures. He's a bit of a goof ball but is always working to make sure the students succeed. Even though class is optional, I suggest going. The tests are easier than the homework but harder than the lectures, so even though there is a larger amount of homework you have to do it.

He is the most passionate professor I have. He cares a lot about you learning, tests are difficult but only to make you better. Must do lots of studying and preparing but he gives tons of material to practice with.

Best physics professor at Auburn. He really wants to make sure you understand the material and takes the time to explain it. I felt very prepared for his tests and the final. It's a lot of figuring stuff out on your own, but that's just physics classes in general. Take Merrill and you'll be glad you did.

Dr. Merrill is a great professor. His tests are hard but he really prepares you for the final. His grading scale is awesome. His tests are very consistent. He's a lot of fun.

If you have the opportunity to take Dr. Merrill, stop reading this and sign up IMMEDIATELY! Physics at Auburn is notorious for being difficult, and to an extent this is true. However, Dr. Merrill is an amazing human being who truly cares about his students and their success. He will give you a new perspective on the world around you. 10/10

Dr. Merrill is very passionate and you can tell he loves teaching physics. Engineering Physics is difficult in general, but he gives you many grades to balance out the tests. He gives you post-lecture quizzes, a recitation quiz every lab, and homework due every Friday. His tests are probably the hardest in the department, but the final is easier.

His class was very difficult but he gives you everything you need to succeed. You'll just have to put in extra work. His lectures can be really confusing because he expects you to have already looked over the material beforehand. I highly recommend going to Engineering Student Tutoring after lectures to make sure you caught everything.

Dr. Merrill is a great choice for physics. He is very caring and wants you to succeed. He does everything he can to help you. Use outside resources such as youtube to do well. His tests are very difficult. I thought I was going to have to drop the class but ended up making an A because after the first test you will know the difficulty.

Amazing prof. He is really a gem and tries to make physics as fun as possible by sometimes even electrocuting himself! It is physics so it is gonna be a bit difficult but if you tryna do the homework honestly, you don't need to study for the test.

Very well-rounded professor. Great lectures. Tries his best to redemonstrate the material in real life, which is funny usually. Very helpful outside of class and gives alot of extra material to help you learn. Just a weird semester due to COVID outbreak, so cant blame him

Dr. Merrill has created a fun learning atmosphere in one of the toughest classes you will ever have to take! He gives real life examples for pretty much every lecture and allows you to ask questions about why it works. He really care about his students and makes sure to the best of his ability, they are understanding! Very easy to reach, if need be

Professor Merrill is a great teacher. I didnt do well in the class but I think he is good at explaining and really tries to help you.

He really cares about his students and wants them to succeed. GO TO OFFICE HOURS AND MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN! He will remember you and will do his best to help you succeed.

Great professor and fantastic course! Live course & lab via zoom, only 1 final exam(20%) and have quiz in each Monday which totally count for 42% of the final grade. Homework is quite a lot (every time before the lecture) but when grades are separated like this, an A will be extremely easy to get. Most importantly, NO PROCTOR! QUIZ AND FINAL EXAM!!

Dr. Merrill is great. Physics is just a class that you have to teach yourself. With that being said, his lectures are helpful to get you a general idea. His exams are more than fair, and they are generally graded leniently. He is very caring, and his office hours are helpful. 5 exams and 7 quizzes, so it is a lot. He offers bonus points. Take him.

I didn't take physics in high school and was nervous, but Dr. Merrill made it so enjoyable. Extremely flexible, always available to help, passionate about his job, and cares so much about his students. He's going to make you work for it out of class, but the course is set up to connect perfectly and give you a great understanding of physics.

Merrill was an absolutely fantastic physics professor. By far the best in his department and does his best to make sure you understand the material and will get a good grade.

Amazing person and amazing educator

Physics 1610 is a tough course and requires going to class, doing all the homework, and putting in extra study. That being said Dr. Merrill doesnt waste your time and makes the lectures very interesting and helpful. He does a great job explaining the material and is very accessible and helpful in office hours.

Dr. Merrill is the nicest professor I have ever had, which is saying a lot coming from Auburn's Physics department. He genuinely cares about every single student in his course. It is physics at the end of the day, so it isn't easy by any means. Tests are only 35% of your grade, and there are 4 of them, so you will be okay. Go to office hours.

Dr. Merrill is the best physics professor. I had him for 1500, too. Physics is hard, but Dr. Merrill makes it doable. Go to class, and your life will be much easier.

Dr. Merrill is a pretty cool guy and a pretty good professor. I could never understand physics so the grade I received was the grade I deserved. The quizzes are a pain and can really drop your grade so try to do your best on them. Weekly homework but nothing too extreme. Go to class because he works examples. Replies to emails fast. Take him.

He's very upfront about the hard work that is expected to succeed in his class, but he gives lots of opportunities for you to succeed. STUDY for the quizzes, they can really bring you down if you don't put effort into them. Understand the homework, don't just memorize how to do one specific problem. Work all extra problems that he gives you.

Great guy and an even better professor. Lectures focus mainly on conceptual stuff. Work through the HW and get your reps in applying the problems and you'll be just fine. Really approachable outside of class--I felt like he genuinely wanted me to succeed.

Physics is a difficult class. Although the grades are low, he uses a 13 point grade scale instead of 10 (an A is 87-100, not 90-100, B is 74-87, etc.). This is a big help instead of thinking you are failing the whole semester you really could have a C. His labs and homework are very helpful for learning stuff. He truly cares about his students.

Very caring and gives lots of practice problems

It was really difficult but I think he made it a bit easier. It's not his fault but physics is just too hard to do.

Lectures are honestly pretty useless. Very nice guy and do not think you can get much better for such a hard class.

Dr. Merrill is a great guy, super funny in lectures, and a caring professor. Super quirky. Physics 2 is a very difficult class and he does a pretty good job of explaining the material, with a lot of good visual aides. Stay on top of the hw, don't chegg it. Go to class and be diligent with work and you can pass this class.

Dr. Merrill is easily one of the best professors I've ever had. This class is hard, it's not simple material, but Dr. Merrill does'nt conduct research so his only responsibility is his students and he uses all of his time throughout the day either helping us or finding resources that will effectively help us. He's an entertaining lecturer and kind.

One of the better physics professors at Auburn. He doesn't do any research so he is easily accessible outside of class and genuinely enjoys teaching and wants students to do well. Physics 2 is a difficult class so be prepared to put in the work and ask questions/go to office hours.

Merrill is awesome. Taking Physics 2 with him was such an awe-inspiring experience, I wish I could go back and do it all over again. You can see his passion from the first lecture. Tests were easier than HW and quizzes, which he does by design. Super friendly guy, definitely take him if you can.

I LOVE Dr. Merill. He is super funny and just wants you to learn. His test are fair and are only worth 40% of your grade. He gives unlimited HW tries. He does a bunch of inclass demonstrations.

dr merrill has been one of my favorite professors so far. he's very caring and understanding, offering a multitude of resources to his students. take him if you ever get the chance!!

I loved taking Dr Merrill. I would recommend taking him if at all possible. Physics itself is a hard course but he makes it better. He is very understanding, so make a point to talk to him personally. Tons of opportunities to bring your grade up if you fail a test (or two).

He really wants his students to understand and will show visuals. If you are a more visual learner I would highly recommend.

Hands down, one of the best professors I have had at Auburn. Might not be the easiest class, but he is very understanding and makes the classes a lot of fun to attend (by shocking himself or almost pouring a bucket of water on himself to explain a concept). And by the end of the semester, you would've actually learnt something. Highly recommend.

Dr. Merrill's exams are difficult. They will be similar to homework with one problem that usually is a bit more challenging. He truly cares about your education and making sure you learn. Comes to class with a lot of enthusiasm towards physics. Wants you to learn and provides many external resources.

His lectures are well-organized. He also engages with students and encourages questions. Sometimes he brings stuff to class which is amazing if you're a visual learner. Exams and quizzes aren't easy but are similar to the homework questions. He scales generously if the class does poorly. He also grades on a 13-point scale so an 87 is an A.

Dr. Merrill is hilarious and a great lecturer and conveys the material concepts well. My issue with the class was that his homework questions are pretty much for you to solve on your own, which isn't impossible, just hard to do as the course goes on. He does give bonus opportunity so take him up on it.

This is a professor that WANTS you to succeed! Probably the best professor in the Math and Science department at Auburn.

Professor Merrill is amazing. He's eccentric and passionate about physics. He genuinely cares about his students. He makes his lectures exciting with his live demonstrations. He's accessible outside class and he's super helpful in office hours. Gives lots of opportunities for extra credit (read syllabus closely!!)

ProfMerrill seems to enjoy his job and constantly brings in things to show real applications to what we do. His homework is pretty difficult but you have unlimited chances. If understand the homework then you're ready for the much easier test that he allows test corrections for. He's good but i feel like his lectures only taught conceptual material

He is a great teacher and is understand for students that think physics is scary and helps them through it.

Merrill wholeheartedly turned an extremely difficult class into something I actually was able to enjoy and understand. He really cares about his students and wants for them to succeed, offering office hours and test corrections. His lectures are extremely helpful, and while the homework is the hardest part, you have unlimited attempts.

Dr. Merrill is a really nice guy who you can tell cares about physics. Physics isn't the easiest but he wants his students to understand and learn. Does a lot of working through problems which I thought was very helpful. Also really accessible with office hours. Would recommend to anyone.

Stopped going to class and only went to the labs. He generously gives half credit back on all FRQ questions. TIP: do his review sessions he posts on the homework site and all of the practice FRQs from in class. I was able to do this in ~6 hours only studying the night before each exam and easily made A's.

Probably the best physics professor at Auburn. Lectures are engaging and he is good at explaining things. Grades mostly depends on 4 tests and a final. However, you can get points back on your test by reworking the free response questions. Do the homework and handouts and you will be prepared for tests. Put in the effort and it is easy to succeed.

I hate this class but Merrill is one of the better teachers. Lots of extra credit and practice offered. But its an engineering weed out class, I got a 90 on the 1st test without much studying and a 40 on the 2nd when I studied and went to tutoring. But thanks to extra credit and labs being easy, I still have a B. (I do like to skip class tho)

This class is definitely challenging, but I think Dr Merrill is without a doubt the best choice as a professor for Physics II. The homework is good practice for the tests and he gives points back on tests if you rework the free response questions

Dr. Merrill knows what he's talking about and the homework is very beneficial in actually learning the material. Sometimes, his lectures are a little too quick-paced and don't always cover what the homework is on. His tests aren't too bad if you study. The labs also boost your grade and the quizzes in those labs aren't bad either.

Good class, good teacher. It's still physics, so you will still have to put in much effort if you want to do well in class. Homework was manageable, tests weren't to bad if you studied.

Dr. Merrill is the best you're gonna get for PHYS 2. It's a hard class. Study hard for the first test so you don't get behind. The first unit is probably the hardest so it kind of hits you like a truck coming out of break. I made a 45 on the first test and came out with an A and Dr. Merrill and my TA were both super helpful.

Can't get around physics being hard, but he did a great job making it manageable. You get an A if you do all your homework (without Chegg) and actually try to learn the material as you go. Cramming won't work. Lectures are fine, but very basic compared to the homework, which is more like the tests. Go to office hours, he explains better there.

Dr. Merrill is amazing. I had him for ENGR PHYS II and really enjoyed the class. Overall, it's a tough class to get an A in and he makes you work for it. Go to TA help and office hours! If you're willing to put in the work and actually understand the material, you'll get a good grade!

Very passionate about physics and also super approachable. He genuinely wants students to succeed but he makes you work for it. Your TA will make a big impact on the quality of the class but mine was awesome (Thanks Wil). If you took Burkholder and felt like you didn't learn anything Merrill is pretty much the exact opposite.

4 exams and hw every week. physics 2 is hard but he gives a take home portion of each exam which is basically 30 free points. he is very good at explaining things and will set you up for success if you put the work in. takes a lot of practice but he is absolutely the best professor for this class and makes lectures enjoyable. labs still suck though

I loved Merrill's class and would absolutely take him again. I cannot recommend him enough, he is the shining light in the darkness of the Auburn COSAM department.

Conveyed everything well, tests were pretty easy.

Cares so much about your learning and what he's teaching. Genuinely wants you to succeed and does everything he can to provide resources and support the class's learning. This course is hard af but if you take Merrill you can succeed. Exams have take home portion and worksheets with solutions are super helpful. Take at all costs.

THE ABSOLUTE GOAT. You can tell he loves physics and loves teaching. This is a tough subject but he is doing his dead level best to help you pass. Tests are tough but there is a take-home portion where you can use your notes and work with others.

Dr. Merrill's signature move is having physical demonstrations to explain the topics being discussed, which is very helpful. His lectures are generally good and he set up Canvas well to have plenty of resources for studying. But Eng. Physics II has several hard concepts, so it's ultimately up to each individual student to study to get a good grade.

Professor Merrill makes physics manageable, but the homework is tough. Attend lectures, use the textbook, and try Unstuck study for study prep. Avoid cramming - consistent effort is key to success.

Dr. Merrill is an incredible guy who understands that physics is hard. It isn't test heavy so you can bomb a test and still do well in the class. His lectures are fun but not really helpful. He wants you to read the textbook and know things before you come into class.

Awesome guy and awesome professor. If you pay attention in class you will be fine.

This was kind of a tough class for me, but Dr. Merrill was a great professor. I found his lectures to very engaging and you can tell he really enjoys teaching this class. I also found CramBetter to be a helpful resource as well to help grasp and get extra practice problems on some of the more challenging concepts.

As long as you pay attention you should be fine as Merrill isn't the hardest grader and does give partial credit. I would hang on to you recitation sheets as they are very similar to the open response portions of the tests. I struggled a good amount at first but if you need extra help I would try CramBetter, they saved my grade

Dr. Merill is a great lecturer and he really cares about his students. His lectures are interactive and he challenges students to learn the material rather than just memorizing it to pass. Go to the SI sessions, Will Duke was very helpful during my time. The first unit is the hardest in PHYS 1610, so if you fail it, don't worry.

TAKE HIM! Physics is hard and merriel makes it fun and entertaining. He weights test and hws fairly. Labs are boring but easy as long as you have good partners. Lectures are more of a discussion then being taught and it takes a while to get use to learning this way

Really cares about his students, explains concepts thoroughly and clearly in lectures, but since there's so much content he doesn't cover all of it you'll have to read the textbook outside of class. For each topic he gives tons of optional resources like helpful videos, worksheets w/ answer keys, slide decks, and free textbook all posted in canvas.

He really wants you to do well in the class! Physics can just be very difficult at times. I highly recommend this professor!

The best physics professor at Auburn. Make sure to read syllabus for bonus point and he gave extra credit for filling out AU eval. He did take home section so its a free 30 points on exams. Lectures are not mandatory but he is a great guy who I enjoyed going to his class. If taking PHYS 1600, get in his class even if you have to take a late lab.

merrill is okay. you dont really learn in class, he does demonstrations. homework is not bad. made a 100 on first exam. he wants you to do well and knows how much your GPA matters. not my cup of tea though.

Ignore the reviews for Physics 1, Merril by far the best professor for physics 2. He really wants you to succeed. Physics 2 is hard no matter what but he makes it doable. First exam is the hardest. Take him even if it's 8am, you don't want Ennis.

He's great and really cares about his students. Take his class if you need to take physics.

Dr. Merrill was awesome!! I did not take physics in high school, but his effort made the class great! He has take home portions of the exams that are big grade boosters. He even lowered the grading expectations at the end, so my B turned into an A! I would recommend him over any other options for this class!

Gives really good lectures, although they may be a little too different from your week to week homework problems. His lectures are more focused on teaching you the concepts, and the recitation worksheets and homework are more for teaching you the general procedure of solving the problems. Very entertaining guy, definitely got me through the 8AMs.

Take home exams 30% of exams! I had a 87.8 and he gave me an A. He is super passionate about physics and the in class demonstrations were super cool. I have never taken physics and it was super easy to learn from him. Your lab TA can make or break the class in a way but the professor gives lots of practice problems.

Took Merrill for Physics 1 and 2. Cannot recommend him enough. He is very passionate about what he teaches, and his exams are not overly difficult. His lectures are very helpful and there are many opportunities for extra credit, which carried my grade in his class.

He's great. if you do all the practice and homework, you will get an A. He posts all the slides and asks you to read the textbook before class, never felt the textbook was useful though.

Dr. Merrill is a good instructor and is very passionate about physics. You are expected to have some idea of the content that he is lecturing over that specific day, but he lets you know through a schedule what material you should glance over prior to class.

Dr. Merril posts online modules and textbook reading which he expects you to do before class. These can take a while so it is easy to get behind. Most of the lecture content was pretty much conceptual stuff and did not do as much practice problems as I would like.

He pushes for you to get help and make you better a lot. For such a hard class, he helps with grading. Being said, his lectures aren't pointless, they're fun, but he works 0 problems. Grading was generous

Merrill is really caring and wants you to do well in his class. I highly suggest going to class as even though it's boring, you end up taking a lot more out of it than you think you do. Homework is harder than tests but if you know how to do homework you'll be totally fine on the test. I used crambetter and it helped me too.

Took Merrill for 1600 also, hands down best physics professor at Auburn. Physics 2 is a tough class and you will need to work hard but Merrill is very good at helping students and giving great videos, worksheets, and resources on learning topics. The first exam is the hardest stick it out though, it gets easier from there don't stress!!!

Cool prof. Easy to understand. Hoped there would be more guidance on homework instead of having to reach out but overall great.