Great Teacher! He is funny, lectures are great and interesting! Test are a bit tricky, though straightforward. No homework. Very Helpful. Good Office Hours. Friendly. Understanding. Always in a good mood. Cool In-Class Stuff. One of the best at El Co!

very interactive. fill-in handouts are a great study tool. if you pay attention, you will pass he class. he is a cool guy.

It is interesting and fun to attend his classes!!

He is really a nice guy!! His tests are not so easy, but he is always willing to help you out. His lectures are fun too! He is really a good physics teacher, highly recommended!!

David is very helpful on the subject and make sure students knows what they are doing. Though his tests are pretty hard and time consuming, he makes physics fun although some of them are really lame jokes. haha. Overall, I recommand him to any physics students.

If you're going to take a Astornomy Lab take it with Mr. Vakil. Awesome guy, very helpfull. The class is not easy, but of all the teachers you can take it with, he owuld be the best to choose.

i loved this class and want to take it over agian so that i can learn some more!!! he is an awesome teacher!! really chill guy just don't get on his bad side....make sure u pay attention in class and study hard! i totally recommend this teacher and this class! learned a lot!!! fascinating topics!

he is the best.you can acctually learn sth in his class.he is so helpful and so reasonable in grading.his exams are a little bit hard but you can get a good grade if you do the homeworks and study the examples he gives in the class.

He makes sure to answer any questions you have which is really nice, plus hes pretty funny :)

He is very informative and pretty funny as well. Makes everyone interested in the course!

great teacher,must take

He was more of a friend then a teacher, he is tough but he keeps the class interesting

Mr. Vakil is a great teacher. the material is hard but he makes easy as much as possible. his class is intresting. i engoyed taking his class. enjoy

Dr.Vakil is a good teacher. I enjoy his style of teaching because he makes you to think.

I GUESS I WOULD SAY, HE'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I HAVEN'T DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL.. VAKIL SEROIUSLY CARES FOR HIS STUDENTS. HE'S FREAKIN FUNNY AND VERY VERY HELPFUL. EVEN THOUGH HIS CLASS ISN'T THE EASIEST, YOU CAN STILL GET A GOOD.

Took him in Fall 04 He Made Astronomy fun But tests were hard and required a lot of studying and reading. He gave extra credit and if it wasnt for the extra credit points many would have not passed. He's funny but you have to pay close attention!!! For those who are dedicated students I reccomend him :)

Just an awesome guy with a very refreshing and fun way of teaching. Tests are not easy but if you study from the notes and book you'll pass with no problem. Makes sure to answer any questions you have and very accesable.

Physics is hard, and I wasn't enthused before course started, but I really liked his class. Tests check your knowledge, not just repeats from questions in the book. Grading is VERY fair and plenty of opportunities for a good grade if you're willing to work for it.

Very Rough Tests that lasts at least 3 hours long. Gives plenty of extra credit opportunities though. His lectures are very interesting to watch so if you plan on learning something, take his class. But if you're hoping for an easy A, then I suggest you should take some other professor.

Dr. Vakil was awesome. Nerdy, but I'm a nerd too so it was awesome. Maybe it was because I was already interested in Astronomy before I signed up for the class, but he really did make it easy. I think it was the only "A" I ever got in college...

cool young teacher, but has some difficult test

Best teacher to take for physics 2A. I'm taking 1A right now and its a lot easier because Vakil prepared us well. He makes class time exciting by being funny and demonstrating tons of expiriments. Physics 2a is very dense so be ready to do a lot of homework. One semester is not enough to cover Forces-thermal dynamics.But hes very helpful and cares.

He's a super cool dude and you won't regret taking his class because he is a good teacher and he's helpful. Know that you must work hard to do well in any physics class taught by a good instructor. He doesn't care too much about your neatness / presentation.

Prof. Vakil makes his lectures fun and, for the most part, easy to understand. His tests aren't too easy and I echo the person below when I say that you won't find an easy A in his class. However, you learn a lot. I've learned more in his class than any of my others. Vakil is not to be missed out on!

Don't come into this class thinking you are going to be naming stars. Vakil is also a physics teacher, LET THAT SAY SOMETHING!! Definatly my favorite hard class this semester. He makes class pretty darn entertaining and informative. He is very fair with his tests, they are not easy, but he will help you to make sure you understand. Take this class!

Very funny!

Mr. Vakil is a great teacher. He is very funny, entertaining, and interesting.

Excellent teacher

one of the gratest teachers in ECC! He'a funny and always making jokes, wants the the students to really understand the subject and he's never absent. shows great power points and it's fun using the "clickers". awesome teacher overall!!!

AMAZING!!!! Not only is he a great guy but he is also very into what he's teaching. This class is informative and fun. TAKE IT!

great teacher

He is a great teacher. He makes his lectures interesting and the Clickers are very helpful. His funny, and full of energy. I strongly recommend his classes.

Made me love the subject even more. It was a life-changing experience. Excellent knowledge of the subject, explaned it clearly, and made it live!

Super cool teacher. He makes things interesting makes sure to take breaks so you dont fall asleep and finds a way to keep people involved while making things interesting. Tests are hard but he's very liberal and he offers test rewrites so you can get back half the points you missed so you can technically get a C and end up with a B. Good teacher!

Dr. Vakil is one of the best teachers ever! He makes Physics really easy because he breaks the concepts and such down to the nitty gritty.

What can I say about Professor Vakil that hasn't been already mentioned. I took him during the summer. On our final, NO ONE in the class DROPPED!! VERY good teacher and pretty flexible. I never thought that I would enjoy going to a science class. Study his notes, skim the chapter, and MOST of ALL do the homework and know it inside and out!!

GREAT TEACHER, EXPLAINS A LOT BUT HIS TESTS ARE LONG AND KIND OF HARD, BUT HE MAKES PHY AS EASY AS POSSIBLE

awesome class/teacher!!!

This guy is a COOL geek! Lots of energy, very funny, witty, and smart. He's helpful, and you'll need it for the tests, they can be hard! He gives handouts and doesn't use the book much at all. Study handouts, and do e.c. "A." The clickers were very fun also! He made it a fun, light-hearted, interactive class. Highest regards for this man!

Awesome teacher! One of the best i've ever had. Read the chapters for the quizzes and test and you'll be fine. Test are multiple choice, T/F, and short answer questions which could be hard but if you do good on the multiple choice & T/F you should be ok.

Great teacher, he makes the class very interesting and allows you to learn so much, in such little time. His class isn't the easiest and the test aren't either but if you read his handouts you should be fine. Highly recommend. Best class I've taken because I learned so much.

Awesome teacher!!! Just had him this summer! Teaches extremely well and is a very cool and helpful person. I found the class pretty easy too but of course dont expect to breeze through it...thinking is required. Also he is lenient on grading tests, values student understanding more so than small mistakes and also has extra credit. RECOMMEND!!!!

If u want an "A" in his class:Read the chapters and UNDERSTAND them,use ALL the study resources that r available,do the test rewrites,attend all classes,& take good notes.He is very nice,helpful,and keeps ur attention thru out all of class.No hw.Tests could be a lil tricky if u don't know ur material,so STUDY. Take him and u won't be dissapointed.

He is the best Astronomy teacher at El Camino...you will learn and it won't be unpleasant!

He is good professor as long as you remember all that planetary stuff from 1st grade. Tests are the class so come prepared!!!

Good teacher. Really nice. Just don't take the class thats 3 hours in a day. It would be a lot better to have it at hour and half for 2 days week.

Great teacher! This class is really interesting and really easy. He lets you earn back some of the points you miss on the exams. No homework except reading but you don't really even have to do that if you go to class and pay attention.

He's funny, but his exams are difficult. You have to pay attension and take note!

I REALLY enjoyed his class! I learned a lot! Thanks

I loved this class. I thought he was a great professor. Yes his test are hard but if you do bad he lets you do a re-write and earn back some points. I would highly recommend him. His classes are interesting and he is big on participation so it keeps you in tuned to whats going on.

Wonderful teacher! Really knows his stuff, stays on top of lastest discoveries and is always available for questions. Got to love him! Make use of the tutor, do the work and you will do well in the class:)

Dr. Vakil's class was really neat! I learned so much that I never knew about astronomy. He offers lots of extra credit and test re-writes. Class is very interactive and if you miss a lecture you can hear in online on his website! awsome teacher, really cares!

If all teachers were like mr. vakil all student would graduate.

THIS PROFESSOR IS GREAT. HE TAKES THE TIME TO ACTUALLY EXPLAIN THE MATERIAL. AT FIRST I WAS REMOTELY INTERESTED IN ASTRONOMY BUT AFTER TAKING HIS CLASS IT GOT ME MORE INTERESTED. I TOOK HIM FOR A NIGHT CLASS AND I STILL LEARNED SO MUCH. GREAT TEACHER.

Great teacher! He gives you lots of resources to succeed in his class... its just up to you to do the work. His test are kinda hard and tricky, but extra credit is an option. You will learn a lot in his class, and he is not boring. I recommend him.

His test are REALLY hard but they make you learn your astronomy, plus he gives every chance for you to pass his class if you want to take it. The class interaction is great, Mr. Vakil is a very helpful and funny teacher.

Best teacher ever. He gets you really into the lessons. He makes the lessons fun.He prints out all notes for you and allows notecards for the tests.

The class content is sometimes difficult, but he explains it well. Just attend class, pay attention and take notes and you'll do well. He gives you the notes, and you can use a notecard on all the tests. Plus, he lets you make up questions you missed on your test. Good class overall.

loved this class! he is so funny and makes class incredibly enjoyable. notes and lectures were fun and easy to understand. he does put some tricky questions on the tests sometimes, but you can always make up for wrong answers in the test rewrites and get 1/2 a point for it. made me love astronomy!

Great teacher, he's funny and makes sure you understand things. Drops the lowest test score which is nice and he always takes the time to answer questions. I totally recommend him.

Highly recommended instructor. Keeps you interested and motivated. Drops the lowest score of your tests and provides study guide for exams. Just take notes, go to class and ask questions and you will do just fine.

Mr. Vakil is an excellent teacher. He will work to answer any questions and he provides lots of helpful extra credit.

I wrote the comment below. and i don't know why it showed a green face. That shows that nobody should rely on this website. I should've known; it's a community college full of students that just don't try! It's so funny when students don't take the time to read the syllabus or book and rely only on lectures to get an A. ATTEND CLASS, READ BOOK=A+++

Professor Vakil is one of the best teachers I have had at El Camino. Not only is he a smart teacher, but he is an extremely intelligent man as well. I STRONGLY recommend him to anyone that actually wants to learn! pay attention, ask questions, and most importantly do your hw! Vakil, you are the BEST!! :D

Fun teacher, very good at making the boring stuff fun, plus class has comfy chairs.

Completely recommend taking this class. If you still have a science to take then take this. Really funny teacher, leaves time for questions and really wants you to learn. Doesn't mind talking after class. He prints out the notes and you fill it in. He records and posts the lectures but I still suggest going to class.

Love Love Love this class i suck at science and it usually need a lot of help. but with Vakil he made it soooo easy to retain the info! loved going to a three hour class for the first time in my life! tells u at the end if u have to show up for the last final. very chill!

Cool teacher. Homework is easy, and the tests are pretty easy as well. He even lets you correct your wrong answers from the tests after he gives it back to you for half points, which was awesome. Hes helpful as well. I actually learned a lot. I highly recommend this teacher. Oh and his class is in the Planetarium, yeah!

Vakil is funny during his lectures! I have learned a lot in this class. He is extremely helpful with answering your questions. Every 15 mins he asks if anyone has questions. I highly recommend taking his class.

Excellent Teacher! This class is interesting and fun. The syllabus is very detailed and clearly explains how to be successful in the class. All of the study materials and video recordings of the lectures are posted on his web site.

Great Prof he knows his stuff and is very enthusiastic. Explains everything clear and is understandable. Overall great class

This professor is one of the better professors in the campus. Really easy class to pass due to the fact that all you have do is to study the handouts he gives out. Really great guy. I recommend taking the 3 hour class which is only 1 day a week.

Prof. Vakil is a really good teacher. He makes this class fun for people who don't even really have an interest in astronomy, and you learn a lot about the moon, planets, seasons, the scientific method and pseudo- science. Tests are scantron and he offers a lot of extra credit even though you probably wont need any.

He is a great teacher. Easy if you show up for class, and he has videos of every class on his website incase you miss one, which is great if you miss class all the time like I do. Sit at home, crack a cold one and enjoy class. He is also pretty entertaining.

Good teacher. Very helpful. Keeps class interesting even if you're not interested in Astronomy. Funny. Had a good time and extra credit helped me pass. I recommend it if Science isn't your strong subject.

Very nice teacher, but his tests are hard. Take advantage of all the extra credit, it pays off at the end. He is very understanding and he always returns emails. As hard as his test are Professor Vakil has a great sense of humor.

great professor. easy A as long as you do all your work and study before tests. his tests are generously curved too. and its an interesting topic. fell asleep most of the time cause of the dark environment but still ended up with an easy A. he tries to make the topic as interesting as possible! he really cares about students and what they learn

He is an AMAZING professor! You can definately tell that he loves the subject matter; more importantly, he cares about student success! After each test he'll allow you to go back and correct the answers you got wrong for partial credit. Thus allowing you to gain partial credit & truly LEARN the material. He also uses "clickers" to quiz you in class. Really fun! Make sure you study!!

Very cool teacher

This was the best experience I've had at el camino. This is one of the best professor on campus. You have to participate and do your work. as long as you take the class seriously, the professor will help you out.