He's awesome!!!! He's down to Earth, wise beyond his years and utterly hilarious!

Dr. Gava is nuts. He's intelligent, caring, and his lectures are worth getting out of bed for. You need to read every chapter though-- test material is based on the book. He also doesn't like people coming into his class late...

Excellent Teacher who really knows how to relate to his students. You will have to stay up to date with you reading material as well as attend class regulary but he does an excellent job of making you want to attend!

One of the best instructors in the college, ranking alongside Dr. Knight and such. Very professional and helpful. Read chapter at least once & attend his intersting & amusing lectures & you'll sure to get an A! Highly recommended. Sign up for his class over Dr. Cline's!!

He's good and funny, but tests are not very clear if you're not used to "mind games." I didn't have a problem, but some might.

wow... i had him at 8am and i still found the reason to get out of bed... Gava was amazing great teacher. dont miss lecture. and make sure you use the internet class stuff it really helps you. hes hot just because he is so clever. and funny and easy to love. take him if you like to be in class.

DR.GOVA IS THE BESSSSSSSSSST. HE's funny and knows how to keep your attention in the class. His tests are not harf as long as you understand the material.TAKE HIM. he's the BEST

Dr. Gava's class was very interesting. He is neat and helpful. You have to come to class, pay attention to the lectures, and read the chapters. A great professor!!!

hottie, sexy and smart. great teacher

He's freakin awesome...

Very interesting teacher, however it's pointless to go to class, if he doesn't test on the lecture, Test questions mostly from the book.

Mr. Gava is fabulous guy! He is an awesome teacher and person. He is willing to help out in anyway possiable as long as you do your 1/2 of the deal. His lectures are extremly entertaining and his sense of humor is off the charts. Oh his intelligence makes him soo attractive.

love the class, its so interesting!!

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This class and teacher are both excellent!! Dr. Gava is an awesome teacher, and he makes everything so interesting and fun!! Class ease depends on you, although he doesn't "give" grades, if you study, pay attention, and attend all classes you will do fine. He is also very helpful and positive about things, so if your not sure take Gava!!

Great teacher! Always kept class fun and interesting. I wish all of my professors were as smart as Dr. Gava. He is truly excellent at what he does.

Dr. Gava is a brilliant professor, he makes the content easy to learn and makes his classes fun to follow. He definitely makes you bring your sense of humor, and if you don't have one, don't take this classs!!! and as previously mentioned, his experience and intelligence definitely makes him sexy!!! Dr G, you need to teach Psych 230 as well!!!

gava is a GREAT teacher he does not pressure you with test nor does he go by the book. He uses life experience in his class and we all have fun EVERYDAY. He is very fun he loves to laugh. Take gava he is HOT!

The first class with Doug Gava established the litmus test that every other professor had to meet to rate their teaching ability. The quality of his teaching, the skill and preparedness of his presentation, and his overall brilliance makes this THE psychology class to take. Grades are definitely earned, but he gives you every tool necessary.

great

An amazing teacher who would keep you on your toes and interested in learning. Explains things very well in many different ways and CAREs about whether or not we understand the literature. Very fair teacher, somewhat difficult class

Great Teacher

top, great

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He's a great professor! One of my favorites. He takes his time to teach to make sure you actually absorb all the material. He's very witty and intelligent, I HIGHLY recommend taking his class, you'll never want to miss it! He makes learning interesting. Just make sure you take good notes and read your assigned text.

great class

Doug Gava might is a God, he is absolutlely hysterical and is the funnest and funniest professor i have ever had. If you think this class is boring you have NO sense of humor, relatively easy just take notes and do the practice test i did nothing in the class and got a B

Took the summer portion of the class. HE IS AWESOME! Great sense of humor. Made every class entertaining and highly informational. Very versed in his field. His teaching style is reliant on note taking and plenty of book reading (heavy emphasis on the reading). Interaction is definitely a must in this class.

very good teacher. wasn't too excited to be taking psych but he made it very interesting. he gives tons of examples so you understand and is hilarious! his tests were hard but study and you will do fine.

Great Teacher! Makes things fun and interesting! Notes are a must as well as reading. Overall my favorite teacher so far!

Excellent professor! Does not just lecture from textbook. Gives many examples which helps to bridge any gaps left by the textbook. Great sense of humor which helps make lectures very interesting. Multiple choice tests, but still need to know material. Doing practice tests in book, blackboard and study guide help to prepare.

GREAT

Don't know ISB for book. Good teacher, makes class fun. I didn't even buy the book for his class - just take good notes on his lectures and you should be fine. Lecture and 3/4 tests was what the class involved. Good sense of humor, enjoys what he does.

He is a great teacher and makes learning easy. You need to take good notes, which is easy cause he presents an outline, and read the chapter at least once. He also doesn't like a person to come in class. His sense of humor and intillect is so attractive.

Wow.. This guy. Gava is my favorite teacher of all time. Not only does he teach through Crystal Clear Metaphors, he also is one of the calmest, funniest, and most genuine being on this planet. Take his course. He's the best.

The most coolest teacher ever!

He is awesome!! Great guy, who really cares about his students. Although attendance is not mandatory you will want to go to class because he is a great story teller.

I actually looked forward to his class. I learned so much yet it was fun and interesting. He's very funny and clear when teaching. The practice tests in the book and taking good notes def. helped towards his tests. I would recommed Dr. Gava to everyone!

A phenomenal Professor! Explains material clearly. Gives relatable examples which correlate with the text book. Lectures are interesting. Bring your sense of humor to class as Dr. Gava has great one. Take plenty of notes, plus read the text. Practice quiz/tests in the book, along w/the study guide test are very helpful when preparing for his tests.

Great Guy! Very funny and patient. If you want to take Pychology PLEASE take him, its a wonderful experience.

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Absolutely LOVE him. He is an awesome teacher, things are made so clear, and everything that comes out of his mouth is hilarious. If you want to actually understand psychology and have fun while doing it, then this is THE class for you!

Dr. Gava is the best teacher ever!!!!!

I took Dr. Gava for Psy 201 and 202. He is the GREATEST professor that I have ever had. He does't just teach from the book he lectures from experience and adds detail to the examples from the text. I find myself recommending him to all students taking Psych. He is very funny and intelligent. I have not seen a professor who is able to match him yet.

He's awesome! Realizes we're all adults, talks to us like adults! Funny and smart.

Decent teacher, very knowledgeable on the subject manner and helpful in and outside class to students. Tells of a lot of off topic stories that "sometimes" relate to the material; wish he would have concentrated on teaching testing material more then story telling. 7/10 didn't even finish all the sections of the course; still a great guy though.

Great teacher! No HW or quizzes. Just study your notes, the book, and his practices quizzes and tests online. Very informative.

He's funny, smart and nice. His lectures are interesting and educational. He's very helpful. I would take his class every semester if i could because i love psychology but also he's a good professor.

By far the most knowledgeable effective teacher I know. He doesnt get his knowledge from a classroom, He gets it from life.

i had him for 202 in the same semester, he's great. You actually are learning important things to take out of the classroom. He realizes psy is not the most important subject of the world. no homework or quizez. WARNING: DO NOT MISS MORE THAN 3 OF HIS TEST BC HE'LL GIVE YOU A MAKE UP AND YOU HAVE ONLY 3 HOURS TO MAKE ALL THE TEST YOU'VE MISSED

He's cool and will work with you. Don't have to read book if you understand his lectures thoroughly. I read the book.A lot of people didn't have to read the book.

Doctor Gava is possibly one of the greatest professors I've ever had. He's funny, kind, accepting, and makes sure you know the material, but isn't unreasonable. He also speaks fluent Italian, Russian, and German, which is awesome in my book. He's a great professor and an all-around great person. Make sure you study, though, and read the book.

He's a great, funny, intelligent professor. He cares about his students and if they are understanding the material presented. His wit, intelligence and humor make him sexy

Dr. Gava is without question, the most knowledgeable professor I have ever had. He's an incredibly interesting person and will always keep your attention. He makes class fun.

One of the best teachers I've ever had. He's funny and extremely intelligent and will make you want to take psy 202. I HIGHLY recommend him!

Interesting guy, though I'm curious as to how many of these ratings he has written (I have no proof just a theory). Attend lectures and read the book. Lectures gave basic understanding of material, where tests were very detailed. If you dig around on black board, he has many resources to practice for tests. Grade was from tests only.

I thought he was very intelligent and knew the subject extremely well. He provided a lot of good analogies and interesting stories to supplement the information. But, I will say I noticed he's a bit of a fake. He said he had a private practice? Where is it? I looked him up, only office it said he had was at j. sarge. look him up. no practice.

He's a very knowledgeable professor that actually still practices. He really likes talking about sex... quite a bit.

BEST CLASS EVER!

Dr. Gava is an absolutely fantastic professor. Really makes you want to work for your grade. He's always available to dispute a wrong answer or question on a test (those silly scantrons will dock at least a point every time!). I definitely recommend him to everyone!

Had him for 201 and 202. Is one of the best professors at JSR. Gives many analogies in order to help students understand the material. Tests are difficult but show up to class, take thorough notes, study and you should do fine. Will also review tests after you take them and give credit for questions that could be considered right.

He's a great professor very helpful and for everyone saying he talks about sex a lot he is a sex psychiatrist so that is his main field of study chill

One of the reasons i think everyone likes the class is because hes laid back and easy, but other than that i wouldn't say hes amazing. he uses metaphors and humor for you to help understand the material but i feel as if he dumbs the lectures down a bit for us. easy, yes. interesting, kind of. college level, not really

Dr. Gava is an amazing teacher. His intro classes are easy because they're intro, but he really understands the material and can explain it all very well. He's entertaining in class and clearly cares about his students' success. I'll take him for any psych class I can in the future.

I dropped the class, but he was very funny. He did let u make up tests at the end. A lot of material but he explained it very well. He did refer to sex a lot, but psychology is sex. Funny and professional, very smart.

He's a nice man and good professor overall. His tests can be tricky but if you take good notes and read the chapters covered, in your book, you should be prepared. He is very helpful and quite funny. I highly reccomend you take him for any psych class you might need.

Great teacher. Loves an energetic class interaction. His course is not really difficult, but his lectures are important in the test. He gives a ton of examples throughout his lectures that are often repeated in the test. Attendance is not mandatory for your grade, but missing one class can leave you stumped. I'll definately take him again.

Excellent teacher with loads of experience and credentials that hold extensive bragging rights. His methods of explaining concepts and schools of psychology are crystal clear, however since his meaning can usually be grasped the first time around he can sometimes elaborate too much resulting in occasional redundancy.

Excellent professor. Class lectures are always informative and fun. Gava is very helpful for answering questions and addressing concerns, and his tests are well-written and thought-out. He is also very fair with grading; he always considers every question and often returns lost points and grades in favor of the student.

He is awesome! I would recommend him to anyone! He is hillarious and makes class fun! He's hot!

Great teacher! Class is never boring.

Dr. Gava was a great teacher! He understands this class is just a pre req so he tries to keep thinks basic and easy. His class is never boring and he gives wonderful examples. He doesn't mind going back to clarify something. You have tests after every chapter which is awesome because its all still fresh! Would def take his class again!

he means well. He is a good professor, very knowledgeable, he helps you if you need it, even during the tests, although, he only gives you the basics and does expect you to study. STUDY HARD, and LONG. His lectures are interesting and enjoyable, but the tests aren't simple. GREAT TEACHER, no doubt, but STUDY, book AND notes. You'll do fine.

Nice teacher but his class is only based on his tests, so if you don't do well on tests, like me, don't take his class. Other than that awesome teacher

Dr. Gava is absolutely incredible! He gives clear examples and he's hilarious! He's never afraid to go over something a million times if he has to and he isn't a rote teacher (he actually makes you LEARN the material). I'll ONLY take psych if HE is teaching it

My friend reccomended I take Dr. Gava's class. Dr. Gava is amazing. He tests after every chapter, and will always go back and reclassify something. Lecture is required, but it's not boring. He usually makes lecture pretty interesting. I would definitely take his class again.

I love Dr. Gava! He will go back and review from previous chapters. He has been many places and relates first hand experiences instead of just things from the text. He also never makes you feel dumb for asking a question. You need to review the materials to pass but its not a hard class. I definitely recommend him to anyone taking psych.

I loved this class and recommend it to ALL I know taking Psych! I signed up for his 202 that he didn't teach due to illness and got a B when I got an A in his class. Not only will he make sure you absorb the material, but he will teach it to you 3 different ways to insure you get it. Best teacher I've had so far. DO yourself a favor and take GAVA!

Gava was a riot! he's very animated, but don't be fooled! This class is strictly about reading the book and coming to class prepared. Thats what makes the class interesting! His test aren't hard IF YOU STUDY! there is an extra credit test you can take with the final too! No homework, JUST READ!! make flashcards from the book... It's all there!

Gava was by far one of my favorite teachers this semester. He is very clear and explains things over again in different ways to reinforce the topic. Be sure you read the book as much as you read over your notes for tests, as he will test material on both. However there is no homework. On top of being an excellent teacher he is also very funny!

Excellent teacher. You must attend lecture! Take excellent notes and read the chapter and you will do great on tests. They are your only grades for this class. No homework except to study which you should review your notes nightly. Very knowledgeable teacher who makes this class interesting. Provides stories and examples to clarify the info.

Dr. Gava is my favorite teacher at JSRCC. He truly cares about making class fun. BIG JOKESTER so don't take this class if you can't handle being picked on. Other than that, he is always willing to reexplain a concept or go over info w/ you. Great teacher -- wish there were more like him!

I wish this professor taught all psychology classes because he is amazing! He is willing to help if asked. He explains everything until everyone understands. Only test no homework except to read and no quizzes. Take this professor if you want to learn and have a laugh.

Gava is amazing! He wants the students to learn and pass, and he is great and what he does. His lectures are interesting and fun, and he will always make you laugh. You learn a lot in his class.

the best professor I've ever had

I love Dr. Gava's PSY class! He is such a lively teacher and is sure to make lectures entertaining and relevant. He lectures on the more important things in the chapter and leaves it to the student to refer to the book to get other definitionsexamples. The tests are all multiple choice and are influenced heavily by both the lecture and the book.

Professor Gava has been my favorite Professorinstructor ever. His lectures are engaging and entertaining, he doesn't assign much work, but expects you to study both his lectures and the book outside of class. I have learned so much and I do not want my semester to end.

Loved Dr. Gava! Definitely clearly explains the material. He understands that for most its just a pre req. That being said, I wish more time with him this semester. If your plate is full-do not take this unless your ready to invest time. You have to go to lectures & complete all connect work. Other than that-he's amazing!

Professor Gave is by far the greatest teacher I have ever had. If all my teachers were like him i'd probably go for a graduate degree. Does a great job explaining everything into detail, breaks it down into real world scenarios, fair teacher, lectures were probably the funniest ive ever heard. Definitely recommend!

By far the most inspirational, entertaining, and passionate professor I have ever had. It breaks my heart that he only teaches one class at Reynolds currently; I used to look forward to his class more than anything. But DON'T skip the reading or miss the connect deadlines. DO study, sit near the front, and engage in discussion and take good notes!

This man is amazing! He is so funny. He makes sure everyone understands the material. Take notes and you MUST read the textbook. You will NOT pass without it. You will not find a better psychology professor at Sarge.

Most passionate professor I've ever met. Be on time, do not use laptop or phone. Just sit and listen and take lots of notes. Be sure to read the chapters and do the Connect assignments. There are questions on the tests that are from the book that he doesn't talk about!

Professor Gava is an inspiration. His lectures are always delivered with passion, and a real knowledge of the subject. He always answers questions, is quick to return emailscalls, and displays genuine interest in each individual student. I never leave a lecture feeling as if I just attended another class.

He sorts his classes by whether it's your major or an elective- if it's not your major but you get put in one of his classes that's full of Psych majors, TRANSFER CLASSES. You WILL have a TON of papers to write. The classes designanted for the elective students are much easier. Tests only on one chapter at a time, Connect homework once a week.

Dr. Gava is super hilarious. He really gets into the material and can explain pretty clearly with lots of examples. Sometimes his examples are funny. He gets students involved with the lectures by asking questions that are similar to the questions on the test. He is the BEST teacher EVER!!!!!!!!

Dr. Gava is the best professor I've had-ever! I loved his class. He is hilarious, super smart and helpful. If you're not doing well then your either not doing the work or you're not showing up for class. You can't expect professors to hand you an A, you will have to work for it. Read, show up, write the papers and do the Connect assignments.

Dr. Gava is the best professor I have ever had! I would recommend him to anyone who has to take psychology, his lectures are AMAZING and SO interesting. He is hilarious and loves cracking jokes. He makes the material much more interesting, and he truly cares about you learning what is important!

good funny guy

Be prepared to take a lot of notes. Almost all his examples he uses relate to life which makes it easier to understand. He doesnt require you to bring your book or any electronic device during class, all he wants is for you to be on time, take notes, ask questions. He doesnt do quizzes only tests after each chapter. Over all amazing.

Dr. Gava is incredibly enthusiastic about his field and makes you interested. Really good for an early morning class. Everything you need is on Connect. Not a lot of homework, just Connect assignments which give you more than enough time to finish. Tests are based off of the connect material, NOT notes from class. Really easy class, just read.

Don't miss out on learning from this professor! Test after each chapter. Read the chapter or you will do awful on the test. Lecture is interesting, funny, never a dull moment, take notes with examples. You will be hard pressed to find a professor who shows more enthusiasm and sincerity in teaching as Dr. Gava does.

I learned a great deal. He did, however, suffer from delusions. He cut us down almost every class. He is classist. He only has three degrees, not the five he brags. The PhD is from Walden, an online school. Can't find him on record at UofR or VCU where he says he teaches. No one in the psych community in RVA knows him. Not a published researcher.

Dr. Gava is the most interesting and awesome professor I've ever had. There are no comparisons. Here is why: he knows his material inside and out but even better-he knows how to teach it so that YOU understand the material. For those posts about him talking about sex a lot-he's a retired SEX THERAPIST!! Geez, the ignorance.

Honestly he's great. You will learn plenty of interesting stuff that will stick with you. He makes his lectures so interesting that you will look forward to going to class each and every day! Not a hard class if you do your connects and read over your notes and bolded stuff in the texted book.

Amazing and will be surely missed!