This is a difficult class but your best chances of passing are most likely with him. The programs are easy but he tests you mainly on the concepts.

Makes class easy with clear lectures. But tests on practical aspects. Like recognizing the algorithm from an intermediate step. Need quality not quantity time to devote to this course. Enjoyed thoroughly.

He is very patient and helpful in the office hour.

His midterms are insane; he turns some easy concept into something your never seen in your life. But the final is far beyond insane. One piece of advice focus on his hw questions not his programs.

Taylor rocks! He is sharp and focused on the theory which is really what CS146 should be all about, not a programmer (which is cool).His tests ARE challenging, but you can still get a B or and A if you work really hard on all the homeworks and the handout

His tests are challenging because you have to be able to apply the concepts learned in class.. not just regurgitate memorized stuff. He is super friendly and helpful during office hrs. He grades fairly. He's really sharp. You will learn a lot from him.

Good teacher although his test are really really hard, but he makes up for it by taking average, The material is tough but he does a good job at teaching, And also he's one of the few CS teachers that speaks perfect english, just for that reason alone I liked his class.

Great lectures.

Very clear and thorough explanations of very difficult material. No programming assignments (it's all theory), but it does behoove you to check your work using e.g. JFLAP (it's very difficult to verify otherwise).

His lectures are REALLY interesting!!! By far the most interesting CS lectures ever! He is hard ... very hard, but then the topic in general is hard. He did an awesome job explaining the material!

Great class. The class could have been very boring but his enthusiasm convinced me that the material was fun. He definitely cares about his students and helping us learn. Take him if you are interested in learning and you will be rewarded.

This professor will make you understand if you really are cut out for a CS degree. This is a serious and hard field after all, slacking won't get you through, especially in this class. He is very helpful and explains well (especially in office hours). Really hard class overall, but it is a foundation for everything following so it should be.

This class was really fun. He is probably one of the most down to each teachers in the whole department. I didn't like him at first, because he was sometimes rude and arrogant, but after a while, I realized he just has a sense of humor (that professors usually don't have). He's cool, and i would take a class from him again.

Tests are hard but he generously curves. My 2nd test was a 60% that ended up being an A. The projects were challenging but we were given plenty of time to test our work and ask questions. Very reasonable, if something seems unfair talk to him. If the class wanted to bring in notes for a test we all voted for it in class. He has a good sense of humor and lectures were always fun. Recommended!

Taylor is a very good professor. He was highly knowledgeable on the subject and was able to explain the concepts very well. His grading methods were very fair. Overall he was great and I'll try to get him for future classes.

This is college, of course his class would be hard. He really knows this subject. He's very fair in grading, and helpful during office hours if you know how to ask--he wants you to THINK and try. He's not there to give you the answers...I think would take a class with him again, but he has a pretty weird sense of humor though...

His class was very hard, but it was interesting...His tests are super hard, especially, the final. They were well-written questions, but...The programs he assigns are hard too...

Great, but difficult and fast lecturer. In-depth concepts are extremely challenging and the professor will spend minimal time on each. Read the book, do the homework, and listen carefully - you will learn much.

extremely smart professor, very clear. very helpful course.

Best CS professor I have had. Difficult class with the hardest midterms I have ever taken but he curves the final grade a lot. Projects were fun but take time to get working. One thing I didn't like about the class was the TextBook and his method that he explains a concept after the hw is due on that topic.

Humorous, and knowledgeable. Taylor is a great professor who wants students to learn by working hard. (Don't like working hard? Go look for another professor) He curves his tests reasonably. He provides good tips and hints for assignments. Overall, one of the best professors I've had.

Professor is very knowledgeable, knows the material well, and assigns written homework that actually helps. And programming assignments aren't to bad. He will give help when necessary. Make sure you understand all concepts he makes you read about before you go to class. Hard class, but worth your time if your willing. Generous exam curves.

He will make you think very, very, vary hard, in programming assignments and exams alike. Taylor covers a lot of topics at a fast pace. He will, however, slowdown and repeat himself if you ask. Very clear and articulate. At the end of the day, this class will definitely make you a better computer scientist, for sure.

One of those teachers that actually works to teach. I can see the intense, sincere effort he put into his teaching methods. He's great at communicating with the students. Pretty difficult, but in that good way. Can't expect life to be any easier after. As one teacher said, "Can you say your greatest instructor in your life wasn't difficult?"

Outstanding communicator, no doubt. From his lectures it becomes clear he is passionate about his teaching; he is very knowledgeable and intelligent as well. On the other hand, he made the material for CS 146 SUPER HARD, and I am not exaggerating.

One of the best professors for CS 146. Definitely recommend him to anyone who wants to learn useful/relevant information for the industry. Grades fairly.

Don't take a class with him unless you're confident in your cs skills. He will actually expect a lot more from you than most other prof. That being said, if you're good enough then he will take you to a whole other level. We did a flipped class this semester which I loved b/c there's no need to read. Final is brutal but the curve is beyond generous

One of the most difficult courses I've taken in my academic career. However, I strongly believe I came out the better for it. If you take him, be prepared to put in the work.

The only CS146 session I would recommend to others who really want to learn computer science and algorithms. The profession is passionate in teaching. I worried about my grade as well, but it turned out to be A. I heard he gave curve beyond generous. I like the flipped classroom; but didn't get used to taking three exams at the end of the semster.

Don't take Taylor expected an easy grade. You'll get the grade you deserve and retain the same amount of information. He made the content interesting when he could, despite it being an inherently dry topic. He's more than happy to help whenever prompted. He may be a little intimidating, but he does it because he's passionate.

Google: David Taylor COURSE REDESIGN PROJECT POSTERS 2014 CS146 Taylor grades solely on a handful of tests on the final stretch of the class. He grades harshly but grading curve is incredibly lenient to compensate. Classwork is mostly optional, but don't expect to pass if you don't put in the effort. Great for learning the subject.

First CS class where I felt I learned something, although be warned it's a lot harder than the stuff you've probably taken up to this point. Lectures are entertaining and supplemented by his own YouTube videos. Homework is optional and not graded but if more people do it he curves nicer. Tough grader but he curves and gives study guides.

Professor Taylor teaches the algorithms and data structure materials really well. Although hw is not mandatory, you most would most certainly need to do them in order to pass the class and do good on the midterms and finals.

BUCKLE UP LADIES AND GENTS. You're about to embark on the Tower of Taylor. Yes, the rumors are true. This class moves at the speed of 70 credit hours/week. Do your homework. Go to class. Study for the exams. Try not to cry. Good luck. See you on the other side.

Advice: Show up to office hours early (they get super packed), ask questions in class (Taylor is super knowledgeable), take the time to understand each algorithm (yes, every single one) perhaps make a video of yourself explaining the algorithms to your future self (to watch when studying), think before you start programming, attend every lecture.

One of the best CS professors

Knowledgeable professor. Prerecorded lectures posted weekly to the class website. In-class time is dedicated to answering questions; ask plenty. Responds to questions on the class message board quickly. Optional homework, but not if you want to pass. A few solo coding projects. Course grade is completely dependent on curved exams.

This class is inverted. You watch videos at home, and ask questions as comments, on Piazza, or in class. I think Dr. Taylor is in the process of making more videos, so his content cuts out half way. He provides a "study guide" for the rote exams, and for the final, anything goes from the semester. There is a curve; don't take percentages at face.

Lectures&videos amazing. He's super knowledgeable. He's better than textbook although book is good. He gives precious feedback on coding. Watch his videos until you understand. I watch ten times sometimes. I never programmed 20 months before his class and finished all his programming hw myself. I did bad in CS before, but improved in his class(A+)

Tough teacher, but you will learn a lot. I was on the edge of my seat the whole semester because the materials are very hard to understand and there is really no feedback until near the end of the semester. Don't get behind, attend office hours, learn as much, ask questions, and you'll be alright. Overall, I felt really challenged in a good way.

CS is a subset of Math and Dr. Taylor emphasizes on that fact in this class. Often the correct answers will look really incorrect. Procrastinators do not do well here, because your grade is entirely based off your exams. Dr. Taylor is one of the top guys in the world in Algorithms. If you want to succeed in interviews, this class can give you that.

Taylor really knows his stuff. HOWEVER, he makes certain things a lot MORE stressful than they need to be. Just know all the algorithms he introduces you to very well, and you'll pass the class. You won't get solutions to your homework unless you do it and turn them in.

Look. The class is terrifying. I think he is brilliant, and boils the subject down to as much as he could in the span of time that he could. I think he gave us a lot of intuition on how to create algorithms. Dont look at your grades when you take the tests though. They are crushingly difficult.

The class is tough, but you'll learn important algorithms things that you won't get from any other course -- it's the "hard part" of CS that you can't really learn on your own. Exams are difficult and are the basis of your entire grade, but he has a very lenient grading scale (in our case we only needed 20% of total exam points to pass the class).

Sure, this is a very challenging class, but that should be what is expected for algorithm design and analysis. Interesting algorithm problems are discussed in the class. Took both cs146 and cs155 with Prof. Taylor, found his classes to be the most rewarding among all the cs class I ever took. He curved generously in the end.

Best c lass and best professor I have ever had. Course consists of very well-done video lectures, and engaging in-class problem solving. Projects were well-defined, and auto-testing makes feedback near-instant. Tests were difficult but fair. This is an excellent prep class for the real-world of SW engineering.

Do your best and don't cheat on his programs. If you cheat, he will find out. 4 programs, you will do code review (office hour 5-10 mins per visits) for credit, else 0 credit. Prepare to learn a lot of algorithms, time complexity etc. 2 rote exam 1 final in the end. He give exam practices which is very similar to his actual exam, you just study. GL

Entire grade based off of two final exams, one is a safety net (max grade B-) and the other is the actual exam. Both curved. Take a lot of notes from his videos. Dedicate your entire being to his videos and the algorithms. Dedicate. Everything.

Professor Taylor is a real gem. His 146 class is an opportunity for students to learn important skills for technical interviews and improve their coding / critical thinking capabilities. Attend his lectures, watch his videos multiple times to ensure you understand the content. Good luck and enjoy yourself, his class is the best you'll take at SJSU.

He goes above and beyond. His videos provide a great visual intuition on how algorithms work. He assigned four coding problems, and gave individual code reviews for each, always providing very detailed feedback. Homework is hard but useful. It doesn't directly affect your grade. By far the best class Ive taken.

Taylor's great teaching comes at the cost of a lot of hard work from the student's end. This is by far the hardest class I have ever taken so far, and I sincerely recommend thinking twice before taking this professor. Also, don't cheat because he will catch you.

Dr. Taylor is an amazing professor. We will mostly learn algorithms through videos at home so that he can use class time for discussing interesting problems and answering students' concerns. About the rote exams, they are easy. However, the final exam is extremely hard, so make sure you study the material after each class and avoid falling behind.

David Taylor is a very respectable person. A very understanding human and will absolutely help students when asked. What you gain in this class depends on how much effort you put in, and don't worry about your grade too much, it'll probably work out in the end. Ask questions about the videos and make sure you put in an effort on the homework.

This class is flipped classroom style, but keep up with the video lectures. Class time is used looking at problems to build intuition for various concepts, so attending class is worth it. The programming projects give good learning experience. Overall, the class is hard, but there's fair grading, and it's curved generously. Be ready to learn.

I learned more from this class than any of my previous ones. There are a few major programming assignments, and he goes through multiple rounds of code review and feedback to help you solve the problem and improve your code. It was a tough class, but he really cares about making sure you understand the material.

It's HARD. Homework is ungraded (def. still do it for practice) but grades are determined entirely by 2 exams (and you lose part of your grade if you don't finish programs you code throughout the semester). Curve was fair to me. Flipped classroom style, HW lectures are on YouTube and are generally solid. In-class lectures are interesting. Good guy.

Flipped classroom style takes some getting used to but it is really helpful for traversing the content at your own pace. HW is difficult but allows you to really get an idea of how well you grasp the content. He is passionate about teaching and explains things in a lot of depth (sometimes too much :P)

You will actually learn the content of the class if you take Taylor. The homework takes pretty long, consisting of optional videos and quizzes, but if you take your time to do them, you'll do great in the class. He's very helpful, will answer anything, and is always available. Your grade only consists of your final, which is something to consider.

You are given the exact format for two 'rote' exams, which are capped at a B- on a curve, and one final which is also curved but uncapped and you do not have the format. He is a good teacher and as long as you do what he recommends you do at the beginning of the class you will pass easily. Try to get in as many code reviews as possible.

His homework is challenging yet highly educational. Offers two preliminary exams with a maximum grade of B-, which can be superseded by a better final exam score, he wants everyone to pass his class. Provides personalized code reviews for each student, enhancing understanding. An excellent lecturer, though the material is inherently complex.

Very easy class to pass if you put in the effort. If you're trying to get an A, good luck because his final is extremely difficult albeit the curve is super generous. This is a DSA course, not a technical interview prep course. Be ready to learn about abstract topics that you will probably never touch again. He's pretty funny too.

Prof. Taylor is the only 146 prof. who sits down with each student for code reviews. This is very helpful if you're ready, and terrifying if you aren't. Yes, he grades on very few tests, but do all the optional HWs and you'll do ok. You probably won't get a great grade, and you'll really have to grind, but you'll be a better coder for it. Trust.

If possible, take easier prof + watch Taylor's vids to "learn more". Optional lectures unless you have questions. Low workload until 2 exams in last 3 weeks. 4 simple programs. Do HW weekly, review all vids a week before the rote + make practice Qs. Final is harder, definitely secure B- on the rote (which he shows the exact questions for).

The course and exams are easier than people say it is. Unconventional course structure, requires a lot of self awareness and discipline. However as long as you understand the material, the curve guarantees an A. Got a D+ on the rote exam and an A on the final. He has a very specific way of structuring questions, difficulty is definitely overstated.

Honestly if you want to really understand data structures and algorithms this class serves. Although it is a difficult class, the material is not bad and the assignments really help you grasp the concepts. If you go to his office hours he is always willing to help, you just need to make use of the resources.

Good professor. Code review is extremely useful and helps you become a better coder. He literally gives you the questions to the tests before you take it.

Took him fall 2024. You're expected to watch lecture videos and complete hw assignments before class, he usually goes over them during class. You're only graded on labs, 2 midterms, and a final. He does one-on-one code reviews, which are super helpful so make use of that time. If you don't have self-discipline then don't take him.

146 is a very difficult class but he teaches it really well. There are no lectures everything you need is accessible on his youtube channel in very well produced videos. The tests are difficult but he prepares you from them well

Rather shoot for an A and make a C. Its rather better than shooting for a C and making a F If grade is not a big matter to you, take his class because you're going to learn a lot To get an A in his class, you are going to work at least 3 times harder than regular classes He guides your logical thinking with vague hints instead of showing solutions