I think this is his first time teaching. Overall, he's a pretty fair prof. He's funny sometimes... took this over the summer so lectures were long.

he's a fair teacher overall because he curves. But his test get progressively HARD and he puts weird reactions that you've never seen before. He'll admit it was a hard quesiton that nobody would get rigth but then puts it on the test anyways. He doesn't let you use any notecard or anything on his tests. Have to work hard! always willing to help

Professor Hill is a very competent and fair instructor. His exams are not easy, but there's a curve... Despite a previous review, his lectures are as entertaining as they can be for O chem. Many people were scared to take the "hard" teacher because he doesn't allow a notecard on test. I also considered changing but now, I'm glad I didn't.

he's a great teacher! lectures were clear and straightforward. his lectures taught me more than the book ever could. tests were fair, some questions were straight from the hw so if you do the hw, you'll be fine. he doesn't allow cheat sheets but you actually don't need it for his tests. just go to lecture and do the hw, and you'll be fine =]

He's a tough teacher, but fair. He's easy to understand so you don't really need the book. If you go to ALL his lectures, do the hw and do well on the quizzes you'll do fine in the class.

Dont expect to pass if you dont beat the averages on the midterms and final. But if you do the homework youll be alright.

Professor Hill is probably the best ochem teacher I had. By far he was the hardest. However, I recommend people take him. I never read the book but going to class and office hours, and doing as many homework problems as you can, will guarantee a good grade.

Easiest class ever! Don't even have to memorize anything unlike the other professors at this school!

Very funny teacher. I loved his choice of wording and his hilarious attitude. Mole Day Rocked(Big Whoot)!!!!! Need to go to his office hours to actually know what is going to be on the test and to know what a great guy he is. Tough but Fair (wink,wink). Quizzes get hard, then easy, THEN HARD again. He loves to teach Chem so he's a great guy. -M&M

This class was a joke. I never studied anything outside of the lecture notes, and got an A in the class. Very funny and brilliant teacher. Just go to lecture every day, pay attention, and you should do well.

I wouldn't say that the class was a joke but it definitely was more on the easier side. Now my High school chem class was a joke which was why I did not know anything about the subject. This was an excellent introductory course. His tests are fair and he explains everything in layman's terms. He was also funny and looks like Paul Giamatti.

Dr Hill is not a hard teacher. He hints a lot of his exam questions and he does his best to try to help everyone. If you are sincerely trying your best he will help your grade out. Go to class everyday because it is truly helpful. Also, he is not boring at all. Funny but not boring.

He's a good speaker. He's funny and makes sure that the class knows the material. His lectures are always interesting and full of practice problems. My high school chemistry class was harder than this. Plus, he really does look like Paul Giamatti.

this man will do one type of problem for 3 weeks then have the nerve to not have one problem on the midterm. he will give you the ol' reach around avoid

He can teach but his notes aren't organized. His lectures were pretty boring. His tests and quizzes are kinda hard. Reading and doing problems from the book helps a lot.

good professor. curve is pretty good.second midterm is extremely hard. Fair class. must take.

Very good at explaining concepts and covering only the things that are on the exams. Lectures are pretty entertaining, he can be funny sometimes. He just seems a bit disorganized. Tests are fair and the curve is also nice.

professor Hill is a fair professor. Most test questions come directly from assigned homework so make sure you do the homework. His office hours are also extremely helpful. Dont put studying off till the night before the exam. Grades are ranked based on the best score in the class.

Very straight-forward and fair. Exam draws on problems similar to homework problems, so complete them all. If you can easily finish those, you'll do fine on his test. Stay ahead of lecture and you'll understand the content well and utilize his OH and review sessions.

Professor Hill is one of the best professors I have had for chemistry at UCR. He definitely knows his stuff and is very good at explaining tough concepts, and is clear and easy to understand. I would definitely recommend people to take his class.

Dr. Hill is awesome. One of my favorite professors from the chemistry department. He is really fair in testing, he basically tells you whats going to be on it. Just read the book and do problems and you should be fine. Also make use of office hours, theyre great!

Great professor. Students who complain aren't ready for college chemistry, and should reconsider majors. HIs exams were based directly off his homework problems. Helpful during office hours. Textbook use is a bit heavy.

Professor Hill is a very fair teacher. Attend SI, lecture, do homework and it's an easy A. He's very helpful in office hours and most of his exam questions will cover homework verbatim or lecture notes/examples especially if he says it's a "great homework question/example!" I learned more from this prof than any other professor.

Had him for 1a and 112b. Gchem he was not that great it sounded like he hated his life, but he was clear and fair. For ochem he loved his job, he is straight forward and clear, if you like sarcasm you will like him. his tests were perfectly fair, I didnt get the best grade but i can't complain. do the homework on the syllabus and you will be fine.

Professor Hill is a great teacher!! He knows his Organic Chemistry and is passionate about the subject. He tells you what will be on his midterms and finals. No tricks! Homework is a must in order to pass this class! He also offers plenty of help through office hours and review sessions! Take him!!

The BEST chemistry teacher hands down in the entire university. if you study hard and attend office hours to ask questions then there should be absolutely no reason why you cannot get a C, B, or even an A. dont listen to anyone that says he's too hard. those people are either really stupid or didnt try at all.

He's not as easy as everyone says he is..u have to work hard but on the bright side he does know how to teach..I learned more chem from him than my 2 years of chem in high school... the curve is really nice...he bases it on how much a student improved

Prof Hill is a very easy prof. But he doesn't teach very efficiently at all, he wastes a lot of time talking about random stuff, or answering stupid questions from stupid people. We ended up not going over chapter 8 in 1A b/c of lost time! we had to squeeze that in in 1B making it harder! I got an A+ and I mostly just took notes from the book

He really does look like Paul Giamatti http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Giamatti. Anyways, the guy is an Organic Chem God. He was so enthusiastic about Ochem compared to General Chemistry. Do the homework and understand the lecture examples and there is no reason you shouldn't pass his midterms. Good luck people!

Professor Hill didn't always explain the concepts very well. He mainly did examples and worked out calculations on the board every class. His tests were difficult and the curve at the end was not very generous as many students had expected. It seems that the curve helped the students who did well on the final and not the other students.

Dr. Hill was an okay general chemistry professor. His teaching style comes directly from the book, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Many people complained that he didn't teach the concepts well at all, but that's why at the beginning of the quarter he said to study at least an hour per day. CHEM 1B isn't an easy A, so be glad if you do! :)

I had Hill for chem1c in the summer, and as long as you go to class and put in some effort you'll be good. He's very clear with the material and enlightening on life in general, funny too. Questions are exactly like what he does in class, in fact, that's all he does. I loved him, glad I got to finish off the general chem series with him

Dr. Hill is a great professor. He is very clear and is always willing to help his students. He is funny, which makes things interesting, and genuinely wants to see his students succeed. Sometimes, he goes through lessons slowly, but that's only because many students are learning CHEM1A for the first time/haven't taken it in 3+ years.

Hill is an amazing chemistry professor. Pay attention to the practice problems he does during lecture because thats basically the midterms. The final was easy. He tells you everything that's going to be on the midterm and final, so nothing is a surprise. Also, the quizzes were easy. Don't focus on reading the book. I did just fine without it.

Learned a lot from his problems. But he doesnt teach concepts, just problems. But then again, there isnt much concepts to teach in Chem 1A, just calculator work. Pretty humorous. Exams are multiple choice.

He is a great professor, everything on the exams was covered in class very clearly. His midterms were somewhat harder that the final.

David Hill cares about his students. He is at the university to teach and help students succeed, and its hard to think of better reasons to be teaching at UC Riverside. I took his Organic Chemistry course which is by nature a complex science and difficult to learn. All students can expect courses in organic chemistry to be difficult.

Dr. Hill is an awesome chem professor who actually cares! Go to his office hrs! At office hours, he will answer any of your questions and loves to talk about the life applications of chemistry. Talking to him made me even more interested in chem. Class is mainly example problems. Exams are challenging, but curve is generous! (got an 'A' with 79%)

Dr. Hill is one of the best professors I have had. His lecture style is easy to follow and he is incredibly fair. Quizzes are very simple if you pay attention in class. Both midterms and finals are based on the hw questions. Do the hw, because it really helps. He is helpful at office hours and is really witty and funny.

I GOT A+ SO DIS TEACHR GOOD OK??????????????????????????????

Do not skip lecture, it will hurt you as he goes over problems and gives tricks on how to do them. Keep doing his homework and the practice problems in the book. You get 2 midterms back and they are one of the best ways to study for the final as he repeats questions from them. Curves the class as the end so just keep doing better than the average

He keeps it interesting with little jokes and what not, and as far as the material is concerned he keeps it as simple and clear as possible. His lectures are stuffed with helpful information and if you give the class an honest try you should do fine. He gives his class a nice big curve as well.

I had him for Chem 1b and 1c. Many say his tests are really hard, but I do well on his tests because of all the math based questions. If you know how to do them, the test is easy. You need to study hard for it, and he's always there for you during office hours.

He is hard. Everyone I know got a C+ or below. Don't take him...

Dr. Hill is very unorganized in his lectures and often times makes mistakes in solving problems. I read and did practice problems every day and that was critical to passing the class. Do the suggested homework! Curve is good as long as you stay above the average. Around 400 out of 500 points is an A. I got a 412 but worked my butt off for it.

I took AP Chemistry in HS, so maybe I was at an advantage here, but I didn't find this class to be super hard. The toughest aspect of this class was timing for the midterms. Aside from that, the material wasn't tough. I stayed above the average the entire time and got a 100% on the final. Do well on discussion quizzes! Overall decent teacher.

Prof hill was amazing. His lecture are all based on hw problem. Really easy guy!

Real easy teacher. Never attended class and got an A. He really emphasizes math-type problems so study those for midterms and final and your good to go.

Tests are though not because of the material but for the amount of time that you'll get in a midterm or final. 20 questions, 50 minutes. Multiple choice, but you'll have to be on top of it. The curve shall save you. Do his optional homework problems. By the way, he's funny. You can get all this chemicals at Ralphs, you know?

You know your professor is good when students from other chem classes come to his office hours. He also has 6 office hours a week that are helpful.

OK so I didn't do so great in this class, but I loved Hill! Wish I could've had him for Chem1a he honestly really cares about his students, and he has so many office hours to prove it. It is hard, but if you work hard from the start and DO YOUR HW, it is definitely doable.

Nothing special about the professor and class itself. Make sure you understand the concepts and it's easy. Assigns a lot of homework, but it's not required to be turned in. But definitely do the homework, it will only help. Going to lecture is a must.

Hill is a really cool professor, his lectures are full of content and lack "fluff." Miss one and your grade will suffer. He cracks the occasional joke but usually is very straight to the point. I really liked his teaching because of this. He was really cool about not making the textbook/homework and participation/attendance mandatory too.

Dr. Hill is a very well-knowledged chemist. It was a pleasure to be in his class. His goal for the class is for the students to get a good overall score and pass the class. He is concise and shares with his students the topics needed for exams and quizzes and also explains things in a clear way. Definitely recommend!

Dr. Hill is defiantly a great professor. Right from the starts he gives it to you clear- its going to be difficult. His exam are 40 questions in an hour setting. Its difficult, but he is really challenging you in a good way. Assigns homework, not required to do, but it really help for prepping for exam. Just know that you may struggle, but its ok!

I LOVE DR. HILL!!!! He's so funny and amazing and I'm glad I have home for Chem 1B. No regrets.

Honestly my favorite teacher since coming to this university. He's straightforward and clear with his advice as well as always looking for progress. Keep in mind he does curve, but to get an A, you need to be in the top 15% of the class. It may sound harsh, but the averages hits around 60 and lower. In high school, that's a D or F.

His midterm and final are exactly like the homework he assigns. Tells you all the topics covered on the test and how many questions of each topic. Very easy if you pay attention.

Dr. Hill is an excellent lecturer. Attendance is a must, but unfortunately I did not go to his lectures 3/4 of the quarter. He is very focused on math types of questions so do the questions in the book. Overall, you will have to work your butt off for an A/A-. Score 10-20% above average for everything and you'll be fine. THAT CURVE THO...

He goes over the lecture for part of the chapter and then some of the lectures are dedicated to taking questions and going over homework questions. Homework is not mandatory but is very helpful and really helps you on the exams. His lectures are very helpful but of course read the text book before lecture to get a good understanding.

Dr. Hill is arguably the best professor you can have for Chem 1A. He teaches you the rigor of college courses and contributed heavily to my future success in science coursess.

Dr. Hill is an amazing professor (at least for chem1A). He is NOT a powerpoint professor, meaning he takes the time to write out his notes. Its important to do the suggested book problems, his test questions are similar to those. VERY helpful during his numerous office hours. I learned how to study after taking this class. Get him if you can.

I have him for Organic Chemistry Lab at CSUSB and he is the absolute best! Our lecture professor isn't very good, but he seriously takes the time to help us out! Explains EXACTLY what he wants in lab reports and will answer any questions you have for anything.

Dr. Hill was a great teacher overall. He won't stop teaching until you understand the material. However, you will only do well in his class if you take the initiative to reach out to him through office hours or talking to him after class. You don't have to do well to get an A, just do better than everyone else.

Coming from high school, I had a very bad chem teacher so I did not know anything. He dumbs down chemistry so that everyone can understand. I took him for all the chem series. His test are a little hard but if you do the practice problem in the textbook you should be set. Also there's quizzes as well. Overall, he is a great professor.

The curve in this class is crazy! I went from a C to an A hahaha would take again :)

Class is too hard for a general chemistry class, but then again, it is a competitive university, the class's level of difficulty is pretty up there so get ready to teach yourself and have sleepless nights. Class is based off of 2 midterms, a final and 10 quizzes. THE CURVE! Went from a high C to an A, worry about beating the average!!!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Hill is a very caring man, he is available for office hours and is really passionate about chemistry however it is a very difficult class! He makes every concept heavily based on math and his tests are designed to not be finished. Test averages are below 60%. Though the curve saves you, the difficulty of the tests leaves you discouraged.

BEST PROFESSOR! super admirable and works really hard to make sure his students understand his material. very helpful during office hours and really encouraged me to stay motivated. his tests are difficult but not impossible; just study/ask questions. his notes aren't simply powerpoint slides but he actually writes them out each time during class.

he cools

If you want an easy A, take Hill. Literally showed up to 4 lectures and got an A in the class. Dont listen to the negative comments. 10/10 would recommend. Best CHEM PROFESSOR AT UCR.

Tips:do the hw, read the ch. before entering lecture he tested you on multiple concepts together not just one, hw teaches one concept he combines all the concepts together, beat the average by at least 10 or 20 pts for an A or B, go to OH , let him get to know you, if he sees an improvement in yours exam you might get a higher grade then expected

He is probably the best gen chem professor IMO in terms of teaching. His teaching style and explanation on how to do example problems were fantastic. His exams and grading are very tough though. He grades based on cutoffs (so how well you do vs your whole class). I would take him if you truly want to learn chemistry. Avoid if you want an A.

Dr. Hill is a wonderful and enthusiastic professor. His lectures were always the highlight of my day, and his office hours are beyond amazing. I certainly hope he teaches organic chemistry someday because I would sign up for his class in a heartbeat. Quick note, students will tell you his class is difficult. It really isn't, just practice... easy A

DO the homework, it'll help you practice for his exams. His tests are challenging, so you have to pay attention in class in order to do well. HE has the most generous curve so don't worry too much if you don't do too well on his tests. Study, go to lecture, do the homework, and show him that you are improving.

Practice is key in this class, literally, ask students that have other professors for their practice problems. They're similar to your midterm. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the material and practice like crazy. I did this for the final and got an A. Legit just practice.

Dr. Hill is passionate about what he teaches and it shows. He goes through how to do each type of problem on the board. The way he teaches is natural and makes it easier to go through the content. It's not impossible to get an A. Just keep practicing and you'll be fine.

Dr. Hill is probably the best teacher on campus. Instead of being slide-based lectures, Hill does all his teaching on the chalkboard which was very helpful. Also don't be afraid to go to Pierce with him after every lecture on top of all the office hours. Not many students went to both tbh. The problem is that his tests are super time-constrained.

Dr. Hill is the toughest professor ever. He has his own style of teaching so you really need to do your own research in order to know what he is doing. Tests are ridiculously hard it shocking. He is a good professor but they call him a weaver because he weaves out all of the people who wont do well in a CNAS,so study, good luck. Avoid if possible.

Dr. Hill was a great teacher. His tests are definitely difficult as you do not have a lot of time to complete them. However, the curve was a whole letter grade. The final is 50 questions in 3 hrs. You have a lot of time for the final. his lectures are really informative. Practice is key. Redo hw questions & Time yourself. There are 10 quizzes.

For some reason Hill gets a bad rap but to be honest its completely undeserved. Hes a great lecturer. The midterms are fairly hard but the curve is really strong and he tells you exactly whats on it., I got a 60 on the first and 80 on the second which was enough for a solid A. The final was also relatively easy compared to the midterms, got an 84.

Dr. Hill is a great professor and does a great job of explaining the concepts. He does plenty of practice problems in class which are similar to the midterm and final problems. One thing that I really appreciated was he covered a bit of 1B material on VSEPR and hybridization at the end of the course, which definitely helped me when I got to 1B.

Dr. Hill is a great professor! he gave us so many examples and he would tell us EXACTLY what was going to be on the exam. AND he even repeated the SAME problems from the study guide onto the exam! during finals week, he stayed two hours over his scheduled OH time to help us and I really appreciate him for that. he's also very funny! def recommend!!

Dr. Hill is a 10/10 professor. I don't think I've ever appreciated a prof more than I appreciate him. His lectures are AMAZING. But he doesn't post them, so if you want the notes, GO TO CLASS. His midterms are difficult because of the time constraint, the overall questions aren't too bad. His final however, is extremely reflective of what you learn

Hilarious. Inspirational. Caring. A BEAST of a professor. You want to challenge yourself? You want to learn? This is your guy. PS. Practice makes perfect.

Professor Hill is a excellent lecturer. In order to get an A you have to go to all of his lectures since there is no material outside of class that is useful besides Smartwork. He teaches with problems that are similar to whats on the test so its a good idea to take notes and copy down his examples. Keep your midterms to study for the final.

I took his class twice and got an A in both. Professor Hill is actually an extremely fair and thorough teacher. He knows what he's talking about, he goes over many examples in class that doing the problems become second nature, and he even tells you the topics of what the exam covers the day before. I don't know why his quality rating is pretty low

This was the first chemistry class I had ever taken. Prof. Hill has a reputation for having difficult tests, but I needed this class for a requirement. I was struggling a lot with some pretty basic concepts. Hill's office hours changed the game. His lectures were long and difficult but in his OH he was patient and clear. Everyone should take Hill.

Hill is a great professor. His exams may be hard, but it is super important to practice as many problems as you can. And try explaining them to your peers to see if you really understand how to do the problem. He reuses questions from his midterms on his final. Helpful in OH. I highly recommend his class. And his curve is fantastic.

Hills chemistry class is a but harder than a usual chem class, but as long as you go to lectures and do practice problems from smart assign you should be ok. Also, the curve is HUGE!

Excellent

prof hill changed my life. i can not emphasize how great he is. I am not joking when i say that he changed my life, he really did for the better. take his classes you will be enlightened. I wish I could be friends with him, hes such a cool guy.

Dr. Hill was a good professor this summer. His class was manageable but he made you work for your grade. Textbook hw questions are optional but extremely helpful. He goes over most during lecture. Exams were fair. Had to study and prepare for those & the final exam. Not the biggest curve, but moved me a letter grade.

This was my 2nd time taking the class. Dr. Hill was miles better than my last professor. Lectures mainly consisted of homework problems so his teaching style may not work for everyone. He also tells you exactly what will be on the tests. The curve for my class was a huge one, but it is entirely dependent on how well the class as a whole does.

His lectures are very informative and I was able to learn a lot from his class, despite the 5 week time crunch. The homework problems he assigns help you prepare for the midterm and final exams. His office hours are very helpful because he focuses on what your learning. He really wants you to succeed as a student and I would take his class again.

Super nice and amazing professor. DO THE "HOMEWORK PROBLEMS". 80% of his test are exactly like the homework. If you are confident with the homework, I can guarantee you should get at least an 80% on the exams. Quizzes are FREE POINTS because he reviews them in lectures beforehand. His curve brought my grade up one letter.

This professor gives really difficult tests on purpose and aims for the test average to be around 50%, he curves really nice though, I got about a 76% in the class and my final grade was an A. You're graded on 2 midterms, covering 2 chapters each, a final, covering all 6 chapters, and 8 weekly discussion quizzes. Do the optional HW and you're fine.

Tells you what is exactly is on quizzes, midterms, and finals. If you do the homework you should have no problems getting over 80% on midterms. This class is graded on curve.

Dr. Hill is an awesome professor. He gives you plenty of opportunities to succeed, starting with telling you what is on each midterm and final exam. He provides you with a platform to succeed, but in the end, it is up to you whether or not you wish to utilize it. He is not only a great professor, but a very noble man who wants you to succeed.

really caring prof despite low avg. attend his office hours for hw & exam help. overall grade is dependent on exams & (easy) weekly quizzes. he reviews hw every lecture but doesnt grade it. this class requires more time & energy compared to most & is super math/formula heavy. he only writes w/ chalk but has gr8 lectures that relate well to the labs

The lectures that Dr. Hill gives are great, but they can be hard to follow and can go a little fast. The tests are very hard and you don't have a lot of time to answer the questions, making the class averages between 45 and 55. He is good at answering questions and explaining something if you don't understand it. Take an easier professor if you can

He tells you exactly what's on the midterms, quizzes, and the final. The midterms and the final are both very math heavy, don't expect a lot of conceptual material. He does provide "optional" homework for every chapter, which I suggest you do because the homework problems are nearly identical to the exam.

GOOD TEACHER

Dr. Hill was a great professor! He tells you exactly what is on the midterms/final and goes over homework problems in class. I got a B, but an A was definitely something I could have gotten if I studied more! It all is based on the amount of studying you put into this class. Also, he is great at explaining things during office hours!

dr hill is fly im obsessed with him. He is such a good professor!!! Super helpful and answers questions and lots of interesting stuff he says. He is amazing, would take him again 100 percent. Love the man, great teaching methods and overall cool guy.

Hill has a different style of teaching. He pretty much gives you everything that's going to be on the exam, but his first two tests are very difficult due to time. However, his final is reasonable. Don't skip lecture and actually do the practice homework. Hill cares about his students so go to office hours and he is more than willing to help.

David Hill is a great chemistry teacher. Instead of using pre-written slides, he writes down the lecture material live, from scratch, which helps us follow along step-by-step. His tests are definitely a time crunch, but as long as you did the textbook problems, you should be fine. Aim for an 80%+ on all exams and a 95%+ on quizzes to secure an A.

active fast funny lectures, its recorded but u should go to lectures cuz a lot of info is given.optional hw, just do them over and over, go to SI, he reuses midterm questions on final, free points. 2 midt, 1 final(easier than midt), j do above average and ull get a. I got a raw score of 80% and I got A curve is crazy. good teacher, tough test maker

David Hill's lectures are fast-paced, but engaging. Staying on top of the textbook and practice problems is key. With consistent effort, the tough exams can be conquered. unstuckstudy was a lifesaver for me - highly recommend it!

You gotta show up to all his lectures because he will not post anything on canvas, which is true. But honestly if you took AP Chem, then you should be in a strong suit. Go to his office hours on any help on any material and he'll be there. Very good teacher and overall just fun tbh. Great way to end my gen chem series on.

I loved Dr. Hill! The exams are HARD, don't expect a 100%. GO TO OFFICE HOURS, they are so helpful (split between 1A and 1C, be assertive with your questions). Homework not mandatory, but important for the exams. Test averages were 40-50% but curved. Most of the class will get a C. Lecture notes can be confusing but he uploads lecture online.

Professor Hill is an amazing teacher. He will clearly explain the material that you need to know and only test you on that. He will be very clear on what will be on the exams. The final is a big portion of the grade but you have 3 hrs and it is very straightforward. Also there is a curve! I would take a class again with him if I could.

I failed to prepare for both of his midterm exams (got below average on both). He is very caring and when you actually put the work in, it'll all work out. I ended up getting 20% above the average on the final because I went to office hours and actually did practice problems instead of laying on my couch like I did for both midterms. Great teach fs

Dr. Hill's class is tough, but it forces you to truly learn the material instead of cramming. I actually retain what I learn in his course. Even though it's challenging, he curves fairly and is always willing to help. He explains concepts clearly, making them easier to understand. He's the best chem professor I've had.

Hill cares about his students. Test heavy. He puts a lot of emphasis on the final because it is cumulative. You will HAVE to study outside of class to do good. He is very likeable and is always willing to help. I recieved a lower grade because the tests are hard, especially to complete in 50 minutes. You will have to study outisde of class to pass.

Yes, his class is hard but his teaching style suits those who learn by doing practice problems. It's hard because he is preparing you for future chem courses and he actually cares about his students learning the material. Get to know him in office hours, do the hw. He's very transparent with what will be on exams and final is cumulative but easier.