2.3
Quality4.5
Difficulty22%
Would Retake163
Reviews22%
Would Retake
163
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
19
4
29
3
26
2
26
1
63
What Students Say
“How should I say this, taking a class with Milsom is like ripping off a band-aid for four months and each day the band-aid gets stickier”
321 - 2.0 rating“Avoid this guy for the sake of your mental health”
PHYS241 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
42%
Textbook Required
68%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.28 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS152
5.0
(2)PHYS161
5.0
(1)PHYS151
4.5
(2)3
4.0
(1)PHYS261H
4.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
103
5.0
321
5.0
PHYSICS
5.0
PHYSICS102
5.0
PHYSICS141
5.0
Reviews (163)
He's one mean mean teacher. And what's worse, he's really hard.
i hate milsom
Kicks you out of class if cell phone rings. Gets pissed if you leave class during lecture. Will catch you for cheating, even if you work with a friend on the homework. Tests are reasonable and fair.
I highly recommend you DO NOT take this guy! his test are really really hard. Not to mention his homework assignments. He is not a "student's professor," he knows his stuff, but can't teach it at all!!!
He knows his stuff and teaches it well, but he is such a mean and difficult teacher. If you need to know the material for later classes, take Milsom because you'll learn your stuff. Otherwise, do not take him! He usually fails half the class though.
He teaches! He gives you everything you need to succeed - just go see a TA if you need help outside of class. He's a little rough around the edges, but is well-prepared and doesn't waste your time. Hooray!
Very hard teacher to rate.... He demands alot of his classes, which is true. His tests, quizes, and homeworks are the hardest I have had. But he DOES know his stuff and will teach it to you if you give him the time. Doesnt flunk half the class, because half the class drops ;-) We went from 30 to 6.
Wow, what a horrible professor. He talks to his students as if they were 3 and then insults them by telling them that physics is not rocket science. I must also add that him and his g/f were getting it on in his office during office hours and he yelled at a student for walking in needing help.
Extremely difficult professor who assigns massive homework and gives difficult tests. Knows his stuff and teaches resonably well but doesn't let you pass without working your butt off. Tells you to go to TAs for help. Flunks half the class but you will learn something even if you get a D.
hard tests!
Wow what an awful awful teacher...
For the problem sets your kinda on your own and the book is of no use as you never seem to be in one place. It would be nice to have the course tought in such a way that the $100 book was more than random practice problems
No Comments
He will make you learn the material and the tests are very hard. I heard rumors that he kicks people out if their cell phone rings, but I never saw it happen. Get a TA for the lab that speaks english.
I heard so many nightmare stories about this guy before I took the class. It's not true, don't believe it. I heard rumors he was reprimanded or something, so maybe he has changed his ways. Anyway, he isn't that bad. I got an A, somehow.
His exams had nothing to do with the book.
He is a really good lecturer.But his tests are unbelievable hard I have to say.But also he is not really what I would say *nice* to his students.He hates all Engineers.You might learn a lot but you might still flunk the class because of his tests.Take it @ Pima and same goes for 241.
One of the worst academic experiences in my entire life. The online homework system is a complete disaster and not worthy of a collegiate environment. On several occasions I was had my queries about grading accuracy dismissed as worrying over a few points. I actually spoke with my advisor about asking the Dean for a refund of the money I spent.
If you have to take this class, you might well sit in on it for a semster before you actually take the class. His tests are so hard with out the stupid book, but the stupid book makes it that much harder.
Milsom is a very good teacher. His lectures are interesting and clear. He teaches you everything you need to know for the exams and makes you really understand the material. Unlike most people, I think his exams are very fair and not THAT hard. You just have to go to class, do the homework, and study.
No Comments
Couldn't take it, had to drop, he's not very nice and give a ton of work.
Is a hard professor, but his class is definately worth taking. He is hard, but if you pay attention, read the text, do the homework, and put the time & effort in that is needed to understand the material, you will learn an incredible amount in one semester. And to whoever the genius who set up this account was, his first name is Drew, not John
Milsom is a cool guy, people who hate him are the ones who don't pay attention and he fails them, of course if you don't do any work you will fail, its physics not english people
There is no secret that this class is hard. Tests are hard, the homework system he used was hard. He was actually really good at teaching, he followed his notes exactly and everything made sense, but he was unfair in putting the hardest problems possible on tests, usually it should be hard hw to get ready for fair test, oh well. Just work hard an you will do fine. He doesn't B.S. around and some people think he is just being rude, who cares, he isn't a professor for being nice.
He was definitely extremely difficult, however, the class itself is very good. He is a wonderful lecturer, but his tests are unbelievably hard. I found those bad rumors about him to be false.
No Comments
He sucks and is the devil. His tests are impossible unless you memorize the material. I ended up with a B in the class and that was one of the better grades. Learned close to nothing and it was hard work.
Milsom has no heart and he will not hesitate to fail you. He is a very good lecturer but his tests are hard, comprehensive, and written so that you have to pay close attention in class in order to do well. Work hard or he will screw you.
Milsom isn't a nice man. That's pretty obvious when you first go into class and he yells at you and tell you sto look to your left/right and says you AND that person will fail. I liked the material but it was hard and I got a C. Milsom needs to be fired, but there aren't many professors available who know their stuff as well as he does.
Dr. Milsom's class is very hard. His homework are usually difficult, and he always choose the hardest problems to put on his test. If you look at each homework's hardest problems, you will see something similar on the test. Nevertheless, I really enjoy his class. I learned a lot in the lecture. He is very good at explaining the materials.
Dr. Milsom is intense. If you don't care to learn and don't care to step into his office when you're confused, you will struggle and he will make you pay. If you put in any effort beyond just showing up for class, you'll be fine as he is an effective lecturer. A pretty interesting guy if you manage to strike up a conversation.
His is an incredible teacher and can really make you learn the material. Tests and homework very hard. Put in the effort and you will be ok. I would recommend him only to physics majors who really need to learn the material and don't mind the challenge. He is a hard ass but if you work hard and go to office hours he will respect you.
Dr. Milsom's lectures revolve around solving examples by asking the students questions, then proceeding as they answer them. If you're good at physics, you'll learn a lot this way: if not, it might be harder. His tests seem difficult but there is always some trick that makes them easier. Milsom is one of the only professors with a worthwhile class.
Dr. Milsom is a very difficult teacher, but not impossible. Be prepared to work hard and you must do the homework. Exams are challenging and the grading can be very erratic and inconsistent from student to student. Don't expect too many breaks.
It's only a demanding class if you don't put in the work. If you study everyday and understand the concept, you'll learn the material. His exams are extremely easy, and he's very helpful. He cares about his students, and is willing to go to a great extent to help you out. Best class I've ever taken. I'm ready for the MCAT.
everyone made such big hype about the class, but it's not even that bad. 87-100 is an A in the class. i got a 91 overall by simply studying the night before. and my friend got an A as well. it's cake.
Really intelligent guy, useless teacher.
Dr. Milsom may or may not be a good teacher, physics 204 is certainly not the best venue for any teacher, however he did a very poor job of actually teaching the material in the course. This is likely due to the volume of material in the syllabus. His main problem is that he is incredibly intimidating and thus discourages asking for help.
The textbook is useless, the material is either well taught or barely taught, and overall, 204 is an incredibly difficult course. I think this owes more to the course than his teaching ability in this particular case, however.
compared with most physics teachers he is not bad. Hw are very hard and will take hours, go to his office hours!! But they are good prep for test. Tests are fair and not that difficult. He grades and curves fairly. Im just gald that I'm not a EE. This is a hard class! With anyone!
Hard subject even harder teacher. Very fair when it comes to tests, Homework is much harder. Pay attention in lab and meet with TA for help on HW and you will do great. Not many got A's.
this man has no soul. i took the class for two weeks and learned absolutely nothing from him, especially from his 13 hour first hw assignment. i listened to everyone complain all semester about him and his test averages close to failing. get out while you can.
Great teacher, derives everything in an easily understandable way. A little harsh on grading/tests are a little hard, but nothing is unfair.
hard class
TERRIBLE... STAY AWAY!!! Terribly rude, I went in for help and he made a comment about how girls shouldn't be in the sciences anyway... Had I not been a clueless freshman at the time I would have reported him to the dean!
Dr. Milsom clearly knows his science, and would make a fine researcher...but he is an absolutely terrible professor. His lectures are near-worthless in explaining the material, his homework takes days to solve, and his exams are really hard. I've had him for 5 classes, and have learned very little from him. Avoid at all costs.
If there is one man who can take the fun out of physics, it's Dr. Milsom. If you enjoyed science before this, he will crush you. His exams are extremely hard, often requiring extensive knowledge of minor footnotes in the books, etc. Class exam averages of low Cs are common. My 5 classes with him have brought my GPA down by nearly a full point.
WORST EVER!!! I have never had a worse professor in my life. I got an A in 141 and 142, but will not get above a C in here because of Milsom. Thanks a lot donkey. I can't believe he is still alive... Someone will probably go AWOL soon. So hope it's not whoever's reading this. But anyway... best of luck. Just go to PIMA!!! Best idea ever!
This is easily the hardest class I have ever taken, I spent more than 15 hours a week on the homework and labs in here. Milsom is one of the best lecturers I've ever had though and shows numerous examples as well as demonstrations to get concepts across. You can learn alot in here and do well but be prepared to work for the A.
Milsom prides himself in being the self proclaimed "most hated" professor on campus, however, the hype is worse than reality. Class isn't hard, homework requires a big investment of time (I spend all saturday doing it each week), and labs are time consuming too, but the class isn't impossible. Some people just aren't cut out for physics. Sorry.
Great lecturer, kept everything direct and succinct, and worked enough examples to grind the important concepts into our heads. The exams seemed a little difficult, but if one worked the suggested problems, and reviewed the homework, it was impossible to fail.
This class is extremely difficult, but its entirely possible to pass. Be warned that Milsom considers engineering majors to be far below him, and feels he is wasting his time teaching them. And when he tells you there is no curve, he means it. Prepare to spend a good 10-15 hours on each and every weekly homework. Find your study group now!
best of luck. Just go to PIMA!!! Best idea ever!
great teacher. but really tough. this is not a class to be fooling around in. and do not forget to go to his office hours!!! (even if he is intimidating in class). he will immediately like you a lot, and he is really helpful.
Hard to rate this teacher because he doesn't teach any of the sections, he's just the course coordinator. Go to all three sections at different times and decide which section instructor works best for you. Also, reading the book and starting the homework early helps a lot. However, you have to actually know the concepts, not just memorize them.
be prepared to work in this class. get the book and DO THE HOMEWORK. tests are hard and make you think a lot. the TAs that actually teach this class are just amazing teachers and you will def learn a lot.
Horrible
Knows his material but doesn't teach any of the classes; Dr. Lawrence and 2 other TA's teach the class. Anne Murdaugh was my TA and she is amazing!She is very enthusiastic, nice, and makes the class fun. However, Milsom is helpful during the activity and review sessions-his explanations are very clear and to the point.
Worst professor ive had! He loves making every person feel stupid.
Absolutely terrible experience. The lectures are beyond useless, they teach you hardly anything, and then you are expected to master a very complex homework set. I spent around 10 hours on each homework, mostly due to not understanding the material from the lectures. If you can take this class at Pima, do it! Just DON'T take it at the UofA!
great teacher, hard class but if you work hard the large curve will save you
Absolutely awful. He makes up his own itinerary therefore the book you paid 100 dollars is useless. The homework assignments are too long and the problems are ridiculously complex. He is by far the worst instructor I have encountered!!
I hate this nearly bald guy, he looks so arrogant and he thinks that he is a total genius, while the truth is, he is not that smart....i hate his stupid eyes and the way he teaches is disgusting..hope he will dissapear from earth and don't want to see him again...
yucks!! hate this instructor..hate to step into lecture just thinking about this instructor,he always use " i don't care....." and that is no a teacher good attitude, this one is a real jerk, thank to this donkey, i fail my exam..
Awful... Too many students with fairly high gpa's got the pleasure of earning their first c's in the course. Thanks for nearly killing our chances into med school Dr. Milsom...
worst professor ever. just plain mean. Dont fall for his stupid smile
Here's the deal. He is not a bad lecturer, really. BUT, the kicker is that his lectures do not relate in the slightest to his homework (which is due 1-2 times/week and takes more than 9 hours to complete), & neither lecture nor homework relate to tests. AVOID. If you must: buy the book and derive everything he skips over, it will help you pass.
The hardest class I have taken but not impossible. One of the harder professors in the physics dept but also a good lecturer. His philosophy is that if you are not capable of acquiring at least a master's, you do not belong in the class. You NEED to go to every class and the tutoring room/office hours or you will be completely lost.
This class was terrible. Never actually spent 11+ hours/week(every week) on hw before Milsom. His lectures are all examples and cannot be applied to all problems on his tests and hws. So avoid if you can and if not, well you are SOL because you will be teaching yourself
Great teacher. Hates laziness and stupid questions. Incredibly knowledgeable, I was in office hours probably every week.
He speaks to the students that read their books and spends 30+ hours on their hmwk. He also teaches like you will be a physics major which most people aren't. Expect to spend a ludicrous amount of time on this course.
Honest to god, I do not have the time to sit here for days trying to solve the homework. There are questions on it that simply cannot be found in lecture and I take notes practically word for word. Be sure to make good friends with wikipedia if you take this guy. Also, he's extremely arrogant and condescending so don't bother asking questions.
HW is easy, and is 15% of grade; hw preps you very well for the exams. final is only 25%. teaches well (at least better than most phys profs). sounds exactly like kermit the frog. can be condescending; learn concepts from TAs in consultation room, not office hrs. fair grader. lectures normally useful. focus on units and practice problems from class
I didn't mind the format of the homework, but it's like he pulls half of the problems out of his rear end, making it ridiculously hard (they grade it pretty easy though). He doesn't go far enough into the concepts and the calculations, so he basically assumes we all get what he's teaching with MINIMAL explanation. This class was unbearable.
I learned a lot in this class. Not easy at all. He is very intelligent and expects the same from students. It is the hardest A in my life.
It is a tough subject but he does a good job at teaching the and showing where and why or how the problems work like they do. His HW was touch but provides the answers, you just need to provide the work. Tests are mostly strait from HW and in class. Helpful enough to understand the subject. HINT-take 141 over the summer and no final exam!!
I have taken 6 physics classes with him in my undergrad. His classes are not easy, require a lot of work. I don't recommend him for non-physics majors. I didn't get a grade above B in his class, and I admit its mostly my fault. But I have enjoyed all his classes, at the end of the semester you would always feel you learning something.
Work hard and utilize the free tutoring offered by grad students at PAS. An A is definitely manageable.
I took his introductory physics class for non-majors over the summer. I went to class everyday and studied every night. I turned in every assignment, put in a ton of effort and only got a B. This is one of the hardest professors I've ever had, tests aren't very fair and the homework assignments are not easy. If you get him, drop.
Extremely difficult class and most of the assignments are equally as difficult as the exams! If you're going to take this class, be prepared and do a lot of the readings.
Dr. Milsom is a very tough professor. He expects a lot out of his students, and as a result, his homework is very, very lengthy and difficult. I do not recommend this professor for any classes; he skips a lot of steps, rushes through various explanations, and almost seems to have an arrogant attitude to all his students. Pick another professor.
Worst class I have ever taken in my entire life. Dr. Milsom is mean, degrading, demeaning, and unapproachable. He takes a challenging subject and makes it more difficult. Homework assignments take anywhere from 8 to 15 hours and are much more difficult than material covered in class. Tests are very hard. I highly recommend avoiding this teacher.
Hard material made even more difficult by Milsom. Very intelligent guy, not a great teacher.
No matter what professor you have, this class will be hell on Earth (so take it at Pima). Milsom has homework due every other week, that takes about 10hrs to do. He makes up his own problems so it's really hard to find outside help, which is very frustrating. The homework does act as grade buffer though, since exam avgs are in the 50 to low 60's.
Teachers to the first few rows of the class, ignoring the rest. Clearly people aren't understanding basic concepts - but he moves on without any regard to others. Put concepts on exams that were not tested (Vector is NOT a pre-req!). Homeworks are time consuming and really have no weight in the final grade. Take it with someone else.
I have a lot of reservations about this class, so I'll just be frank. If you get him, it's still worth it. You will learn a lot. You do 14+ problems a week and they usually relate to the tests. What I didn't like was how rude he was during office hours and his wording on tests/homework. Other than that, he's still an amazing teacher. Curve fair.
Dr. Milsom is very straight forward in his explanations. The class and homework was difficult, and the exams were not unreasonable. He can be a bit abrasive, but overall I think he's a really good instructor. I took his class during the summer. There was homework due every day, which was rough but also kept you on track. No final for summer.
His lectures were very straightforward, easy to follow, and thorough. Though he gave a lot of difficult homework, it was always relevant and was an excellent study guide to use for his tests and final exam. My only gripe about this class was how unorganized the lab was, though that was the TA's fault and not Dr Milsom's. Overall, a very good class
Straightforward in class lectures. Homework is tough and the tests are based off of those, but a bit more reasonable. Overall, you'll understand his lectures pretty well if you do your part and study on your own. Homework relates a lot to the lectures.
HARD teacher if you don't have a heavy background in physicsmath. Barely passed, but make sure you study and actually grasp the material. I'm more of the kind of person to memorize things and this class definitely turned this around for me.
How should I say this, taking a class with Milsom is like ripping off a band-aid for four months and each day the band-aid gets stickier. His homeworks are long and difficult, the tests often do not represent the homework, the class averages are dismal, and he often times does not complete in class examples.
You really have to go to the lectures because he teches from him mind and the equation sheet, and the book is almost worthless. The subject matter is fascinating, but it's shoved down your throat so fast that you'll feel perpetually rushed to understand it. I thought he was fair, and genuinely hilarious. But the class really doesn't get any harder
worst professor, just avoid to take any physics class with him
PHYS 141 is already a difficult class and Drew Milsom makes it even worse. He doesn't do many examples in class and when he does, he skips over a lot of steps while assuming we all get what he's talking about with MINIMAL explanation. Lectures, HW, and exams do not reflect each other at all and he's very condescending. Avoid if possible!
If you have Milsom, find a way to get out ASAP to take it with someone else. Moves at lightning speed in lectures and assumes you understand extremely hard concepts. Homework takes forever to do. He is also very condescending when "helping" you. Prepared to get my first C in this class, maybe even a D. Awful teacher.
For the love of getting a good grade in this class, do yourself a favor and do not take PHYS241 with Milsom. He is legitimately the WORST professor I have had so far at the UofA. Take PHYS241 with Jackson, he's awesome. Milsom expects you to understand all the concepts he throws at you. Homework is a tough because he wrote it himself. Goodluck!
He is the worst one I have had in UA. Homework doesn't make any sense and is so hard. Just do not take any class by him if you have another choices.
Milsom does not go over main concepts during his lectures. Usually, he explains what we will be learning, create a problem and move onto the next topic. He is very fast to the point where I do not know what questions to ask because I am so confused. He does not teach effectively so you have to teach yourself outside of class or get tutoring.
Physics 102 was milsom was dreadful. Lecture was basically a presentation of the concept, and then him giving us the equations. In no way did this prepare me for the homeworks or tests. GO TO THE SI SESSIONS! Lecture is useless, and i went to every one. Be ready to learn the material by your own means. This class was horrible.
This class wasn't all that bad. Yes, the lectures were very difficult to follow. No, he wasn't all that accessible outside of class. Sure, maybe the homework questions were unrelated to content covered in class. This is college, though- you have to advocate for yourself. Reading the textbook + paying attention + working hard B. Guaranteed.
Milsom is amazing. His lectures are perfect, he takes you step by step through all the concepts, the problems he covers in class are essentially a cheat sheet to the homework. The homework is a little harder than the tests and formatted almost exactly the same so doing the homework is imperative to succeeding. Go to lecture and you'll do well
Not sure where to start. This was the most frustrating class I have ever taken. You can study for hours and the content on the exam is still pulled out of left field. Lectures only introduce a small fraction of what you are expected to know. Almost got a C and said bye to my dreams of med school. Avoid this guy for the sake of your mental health!
Easily the most difficult course that I have taken in college (and I'm graduating premed with a 3.75 science GPA). Dr. Milsom is a smart man, but he just isn't cut out for instruction/ teaching. Also, the amount of homework that he assigns easily dwarfed my homework load for my two other science courses combined each week. Stressful!
Tests are the majority of your grade. Bad teacher- prepare to use the online textbook and teach yourself. He's not the nicest guy. Go to lecture, discussions are helpful because the tutors really know what they're doing. Study discussion questions for tests.
I think this class would be difficult no matter who teaches it due to the amount of in class time given, know your stuff on tests because you only have 53 minutes for 7 multiple part questions UTILIZE SI SESSIONS. SI GREATLY helped me though this course and it is essential to passing, KNOW YOUR CONCEPTS he does not care about algebra, just physics.
I am an international student from Asia which means my comment might not be suitable for you guys (since we already have a solid knowledge about physics stuff). But I would still say please read the e-text book and attend discussion as much as possible since this two resources are the most helpful.
The whole physics department is horrible. Everything is disorganized from labs to lectures. He's supposed to be the department head and fix all the issues. But he doesn't care. For your mental health sake just take it at Pima.
If you're going to take Milsom, I suggest you start watching Kahn Academy from day 1 or you will have to catch up on all their videos when the exams come around. You will not learn anything from him so class is just so you know where you are in the course so you can go to YouTube later.
This class caused me to spiral into a severe depression. The tests are nearly impossible no matter how hard you study you will still feel hopeless. He is a smart guy, but can not explain concepts or understand why students dont already know the material. This class is the most souls crushing experience I have ever had avoid at all costs.
One of the worst
I felt very uncomfortable in this class. The professor is condescending and aggressive when approaching him with a problem. The exams never reflected his teachings. The TA's were disorganized when it came to labs. My section never finished a lab.
If you can, take this course at Pima because this was the worst experience I've had with physics. The professor knows the material, but doesn't teach it well and is one of the most condescending people I've met. If you go to the SI sessions which explain the course better than he can, the tests are impossible to pass. Don't take this class at UofA.
First off, he isn't that bad of a guy and he seems nice from the interactions I had with him. This in no way means he is qualified to teach. His teaching ability is horrid at best, and lectures are extremely difficult to understand/follow. If you're unfortunate enough to be stuck in his class, you'll have to rely on SI sessions and the textbook.
Really really bad. just don't take him. Maybe if enough people avoid this class the department will realize something is wrong and they will actually get better teachers. I spent about 12+ hours on homework a week, 30 hours studying before tests and still failed after getting an A in Physics 141 and an A in Calc 2 and 3.
This professor by far made my experience with the physics department terrible. I am a female in an engineering major and Milsom always made me feel like an idiot even if I got the right answers. I had multiple incidents with discrimination because I was female and he did not care. I was %0.02 away form a C and now I have to retake.
He gives a lot of examples, but won't go much into detail about the mathematics behind it, which made the class unbelievably hard to even get a C, in my personal experience. It's great as a refresher course where he can jog your memory if you have learned this before, but you're going to have one rough time if you're taking him.
Writing is messy and lectures all over the place. Explanations subpar. Hints on homework as useless as eating soup with a knife. Test questions are worded oddly so ask him what he means every time you even slightly doubt what he wants.
I found studying the equation sheet to be extremely helpful. I went through each formula and figured out what variables meant and their significance, treating it as a study guide. The book is well written but I struggled to find the hours in the day to read with it being summer, but read ahead of class as he skips basic details.
If you're planning to take PHYS 241 in summer and with Milsom, you should be ready for a roller coaster ride of daily dose of homework and exams which are difficult and take long time to complete. Note: Don't ever think about cheating on whatsoever basis. Milsom will definitely catch you.
This prof is known for being sexist and racist, please avoid unless you are a white man.
This is the absolute worst professor and course I've had at Arizona. The professor is condescending and a useless teacher. He has no fear or shame failing half the class. Our test average was 50% and he saw no problem in that, denying us a curve. Add on the fact this average would have been even lower without the 5/200 students who scored over 100
Milsom seems like a nice guy but that doesnt excuse his teaching, or thereof. If you see him as your prof dip the class IMMEDIATELY. He will go over new subjects super fast expecting you to read the textbook, along with the homeworks which take forever, the labs which are stupid and to study for the exams. If you like your sanity, AVOID HIM
To start, physics is not easy no matter who is teaching. Milsom does not help make this class much easier. The lectures seem to be scattered, and his feedback is not great. If you are just looking to pass, make sure to do all the work, because the tests are real hard.
Physics is hard so this isn't going to be the easiest class you've ever taken regardless of the professor but Dr. Milsom really knows what he's talking about, he can be intimidating but ask Qs. His lectures give you the tools you need to be successful but if you aren't going to put in the effort and you like to complain I suggest a different course
After the first few weeks, I stopped asking any questions or saying anything at all in class. He is very condescending, and I was very intimidated. I don't think he is aware of it, though. He spends so much time deriving equations that are on the equation sheet, which I personally didn't see the point of. I just wish he was nicer as a person
Here's the thing, Milsom is just straight up blunt. I've had him a couple of times and this is just his personality. However, he doesn't have any animosity towards students. Ask questions, go to office hours, and put in effort. Don't be intimidated by him, he wants you to think and learn, he just doesn't have the warmest personality.
Hey is uncaring and indifferent to his student's questions and or confusion. Like everyone has said on here, he's condescending. I'm unsure why the physics department hasn't checked him on this, whether they have or haven't, he's still rude enough to where students don't want to engage him, in other words, he creates a barrier to learning.
Honestly, I think most of the bad reviews are just salty that they got a bad grade. I was skeptical at the beginning, but Dr. Milsom is a great professor and very accommodating. He gives bonus points on exams, and they aren't too hard as long as you do well on the homework. There is a ton of homework, but that's to be expected for a summer class.
Homework assignments took hours and still didn't prepare you for exam content. The book is better at teaching concepts than the lectures. I've heard the physics department is on probation due to consistently pumping out awful grades even from usually 3.0-4.0 students. Heed the advice you hear from upperclassmen--take physics at Pima Community.
Milsom is a straight up old-school, blunt professor. His lectures are not the best as he just writes on a white board and talks. However, this is not a valid excuse to not do well in the class. He gives really good hw's. If you can do and understand those, the exams should be easy. Be prepared to study a lot and on your own cause this class is hard
This class is puts survival of the fittest to the test. YouTube will become your best friend. I recommend using prep books or taking it at Pima. Do not question him as often gets into long winded arguments via email with TAs and students. I wanted to give him a zero, but thats not possible. Hence, I have given him a 1.
Class has no use because lectures are too basic for the content gone over in the homework. However, discussions are helpful but he is not there for them.
Horrible attitude, doesn't seem like he wants to be there, very intimidating, finds satisfaction in being the villain. Lectures are useless as they're so unorganized and include stuff that hasn't been taught yet. The homework takes hours on end, and teaches what could be accomplished in half the length, and there's A LOT of it. Unbiased: He's awful
Milsom was good about answering questions, but his responses were always all over the place. His lectures were very simple problems, the homeworks were difficult but manageable, and the tests were extremely hard. He isn't understanding that physics is hard and he isn't the most accessable outside of class.
Anyone who says these reviews are wrong just because we're salty about our grades has to be Milsom himself! Lectures are completely useless just read the book to understand everything because even his classroom demonstrations won't teach you a thing. Discussions are only worthwhile if you answer everything and constantly ask questions. Grades harsh
I found myself taking the difficult decision to withdraw from this course because I was teaching myself the material and still having to go to others (my friends) for help on the homework. SI was not available for students because of "lack of funding" as Dr. Milsom put it and the physics consultation room was a joke. Take it at Pima.
He is an awful professor. I've already taken this course and he just made the material more confusing than before. There is a lot of homework that he didn't show how to do in class and doesn't post how to do the homework until after the due date so you can't even find what you did wrong. TAs are awful and don't seem to know the content themselves.
If you attend the lectures, use the textbook and do the homework, the class has enough resources to help you succeed. Milsom is straightforward and is more than happy to help students that make an effort to learn. I think most people are not used to a hard science class in which you actually have to study and understand the material to do well.
Just look at what everyone else is saying. Rude, condescending, and unhelpful! I swapped this class for PHYS 161H after I saw how he is.
Avoid like the plague (he's even worse). If you want to hate life for 3 months, he'll help you out.
This class is really hard. The professor definitely does not help. His lectures make no sense and are so boring. Between the labs, lectures, discussions, homework, and studying, your life becomes consumed by this class. I would NOT recommend.
Alright, everyone giving him a 1 star is just a bad student. There are ample (sometimes garbage) resources to exercise, such as office hours, the TA and SI sessions, and your friends. The textbook can also help sometimes. If you attend EVERY lecture, finish the homeworks, and go to discussions, the class is passable. Other options are equally bad.
He has a low rating is because of the people that didn't put work into passing the class with the grade they want. I will say this class is overall hard. Overall tips for passing this class are going to office hours, asking questions and studying effectively for all exams. Dr. Milsom isn't a bad professor he's really chill and wants you to pass.
I have been a straight A student since early middle school and have taken so many difficult classes. I was always able to earn an A and I worked hard for all of them. His exams are very difficult for no reason. Even with 30 hours a week of studying, SI sessions and using every resource, I still was unable to get the A. I will never recommend him.
I am dying
He isn't helpful. He rushes through content, his homework takes you multiple days to complete. His passive-aggressiveness and rudeness is utterly infuriating. If you take him, office hours and demos are your haven. Simply, one of the worst professors i have ever had at uofa.
Milsom's class requires a lot of work, but using resources like the textbook and unstuck study can help you succeed. The homework is challenging, but attending lectures and seeking help when needed makes a difference.
Milsom is not a perfect teacher, but from my time in 141 & 241 with him, most of the low rates are just people who are unwilling to study the tutorials and homework from his class thoroughly. He gives questions that require a good understanding of the topic and the math which is vital. If you use the resources at your disposal, you'll be fine.
his lectures are awful and give you absolutely no understanding of an already difficult course. he explains as if you should know what he is talking about. he makes you feel dumb if you do not understand, extremely condescending. he would do better in an environment where people know what he is talking about. he clearly isn't fit to teach.
homework takes 6+ hours to complete, and his answer key is extremely hard to follow. he goes way to fast in his lectures with no helpful content. his average exam scores are 50%. this is not a reflection on the students efforts or abilities, it is a reflection of his teaching. the department should seriously think of replacing him.
he is extremely difficult to work with. he posted practice problems for an exam with no answer key. I politely asked for answers so I could check my work. he replied with he doesn't have them "laying around". I again asked for the only the answers (it was maybe 5 questions I requested) and he said he never solved them. completely ridiculous.
Prof Milsom is way nicer to upper division students than students in intro classes. Outside of class he's super chill and really helpful. It's important to go to office hours so you can actually understand the material and finish the problems. Tests and hw were very hard. I probably should've failed this class but am glad I did not!
No, just no. He clearly knows what he's talking about, but he does a poor job of actually teaching the students and speaks rudely when you ask him questions, making it very discouraging to want help. He also doesn't give any relevant resources to study other than extremely hard and long homework (no wonder why exam averages were around a 60%).
His lectures are so confusing and unhelpful, it is always a guessing game to figure out what he is trying to teach. Content does not line up with the lab so be prepared if you take the corresponding lab. I learn more from ChatGPT than from him. He constantly puts grades in wrong and refuses to correct them. Go to Pima for physics is the best advice
No lecture notes or practice exams. Homeworks are LONG/not straightforward, even after reading the textbook. Extremely condescending towards anyone who asks questions, terrible at explaining. I'm surprised his rating on here is anything above a 1 - the VAST majority of students struggle, and including his own TAs, don't like him. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
take this class at pima
This class made me want to lay in front of a bus. He doesn't give lecture notes and the book is useless, so you have to go if you want to do well. I gave up on this class on the first day, I just need this dumb class graduate next week. If you're not religious, pick one and start praying
This course is genuinely the absolute worst with this professor. He glosses over everything and does not provide thorough examples in class, nor is anything explained on the D2L page. There is no answers given to anything and the textbook is absolute garbage. If you can avoid it do NOT take his physics courses.
Do not take physics at the UofA. I found Milsom to be one of the worst professors I have ever taken at the UofA. When asking for help, he would belittle students and even laugh at their questions. He speeds through the material and expects you to understand. He doesn't prepare any lecture slides which can make it hard to keep up in class.
He was awful. Did not learn a single thing! His test did not match lectures. It's like he just dialed classes in from old lectures. Avoid at all costs.
once he accidentally released solutions to homework before due date. those who correctly solved the homework, he accused of using the solutions and put a "academic dishonesty" mark on their transcripts. it was so bogus, anyone who challenged it to the head of the department got it removed from their transcript. he won't flinch trying to ruin you
Reading the reviews on here I was really scared to take this class with Milsom. I think people don't like this class because it has really difficult concepts. But that is just physics. Milsom is a good teacher and makes the class engaging through demos and practice problems. Tests were fair, lots of partial credit, and I would overall take again.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
42%
Textbook Required
68%
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