3.0

Eric Simonian

Mathematics - Boston University

3.0
Quality
2.4
Difficulty
53%
Would Retake
112
Reviews
3.0
Quality
2.4
Difficulty
3.0
Helpful
3.0
Clarity

53%

Would Retake

112

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

22

4

22

3

24

2

24

1

20

What Students Say

Nice but terrible Professor

MA115 - 1.0 rating

In this case, Simonian is great)

MA115 - 4.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

10%

Textbook Required

0%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 71 grades
Most common grades:
A (30)
A- (18)
Not sure yet (13)
Grade Distribution
A(33)B(7)C(5)D(2)F(1)A-/B+(24)
Based on 89 reported grades
A: 30
A-: 18
Not sure yet: 13
B+: 6
Common Tags
Lots of homework (33)
Caring (28)
Clear grading criteria (21)
Accessible outside class (18)
Lecture heavy (14)
Graded by few things (10)
Test heavy (10)
Hilarious (7)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.08 avg change
Nov
Jan
Apr
May
Jun
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

MA118

5.0

(1)

MA122

3.8

(5)

MA123

3.3

(4)

MA121

3.2

(40)

MA115

3.2

(42)
+2 more courses
Difficulty by Course

MA113

3.8

MA123

2.8

CASMA115

2.7

MA115

2.3

MA121

2.2

Reviews (112)
2.0
1.0
MA115
Nov 22, 2015

This class is really easy if you have taken stats before. However, Simonian's lectures are really confusing and he uses slides directly from Pearson. You really don't need to go to class though, as he sends emails with the slides from lecture. Expect about two homework assignments a week. Tests are easy as long as you know what you're doing.

4.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: A
Dec 15, 2015

During his lectures, he goes painfully in-depth. Like, I don't need 5 examples to explain the exact same concept (unless you're not good at math, then maybe you do need 5 examples. In this case, Simonian is great). Monotone voice and bad dad jokes -- lectures are sleepy. If you pay attention and do your homework, you can get a great grade.

3.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: C
Jan 20, 2016

The way he describes the concepts can sometimes be quite confusing, so that's why I learned a lot from my TA and MyStatLab, and minimal from Simonian himself. Expect 1 online and 1 written homework a week. You can get by without coming to lecture because he emails all powerpoints and assignments to everyone. Also, he says "Fridee", not Friday haha!

2.0
2.0
MA121
Dec 16, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Great guy, but really, really boring. If you know basic calc and do your work, this class will put you to sleep. TF wasn't very helpful either...

1.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: Not sure yet
May 8, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Nice but terrible Professor. Uses slides directly from the Pearson website, yet they still end up having errors. No idea where you stand in the class grade wise (does not post exam stats--in a STATS class). Boring lectures. Posts all ppts and class info on blackboard. Would not recommend going to lecture if you have something else better to do.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
2.0
MA118
May 9, 2017
Would take again

Professor Simonian is a wonderful teacher. He is really nice and responsible in class, and he also cares about students in class. He will try his best to explain questions raised by students both in class and after class. I don't know why his grade on this website is not that high, but both me and my friends think he deserves a full score.

Respected
4.0
1.0
MA122
Grade: A-
May 16, 2017
Would take again

He is very nice and accessible outside of class. Attendance is not mandatory. I rarely attended class so cant comment on his teaching. HWs are from the textbook and quizzes are similar to HW. Also he drops 1 or 2 of your lowest quizzes and hws. Tests are almost identical to practice test. It is confusing to me why his reviews on here are so bad.

ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
4.0
1.0
MA122
Grade: F
May 26, 2017
Would take again

I like him.

Caring
4.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A
Nov 14, 2017
Would take again

If you've taken Cal before and did moderately well you'll probably ace his class. His lectures can sometimes drag on with lots of examples but if you don't get a concept that can be quite helpful. He drops a dad joke every now and then so beware. I only really go to class if I find a tough HW question-HW almost every week but its very short.

Clear grading criteria
Caring
2.0
5.0
MA115
Grade: D+
Nov 18, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Great guy, poor professor. He reads directly from the powerpoint, and posts them online so you don't even have to bother to go to class (except to hand in the written homework, and he'll tell you in an email when that's due). He's the kind of professor that you're better off teaching yourself the material, or getting a tutor.

4.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: C-
Dec 27, 2017
Would take again

Simonian is a sweet professor, he really cares about his students and he's the better of the MA121 profs besides Panth. HW is easy A, just do it. Lecture is not mandatory and if you've taken calc before this info will be easy. BEWARE, quizzes are very hard and can seriously drop your grade. I did average on exams, 100 on hw and failed 3 quizzes:(

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
Caring
Tests are tough
1.0
1.0
MA121
Grade: A
Jan 23, 2018
Would take again

I've taken Calculus in high school so this class is fairly easy. If you've taken calculus before you don't go to lecture because he makes mistakes all the time and spends like 10 minutes trying to find the error. If you've never taken calculus before then you're in trouble because he's awful at explaining concepts.

Clear grading criteria
3.0
2.0
MA121
Jan 23, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Not very organized, and sometimes confusing, but easy class to pass. Especially if you have some background in calculus.

1.0
1.0
MA121
Grade: A
Apr 9, 2018
Wouldn't take again

If you've taken Calculus in high school before then this class is and Easy A. Didn't even cover all the material I learned in high school. If you didn't take Calc before then you're in big trouble because he is very confusing in lecture and always stops to check for mistakes.

Clear grading criteria
1.0
1.0
MA121
Grade: A
Apr 24, 2018
Would take again

He's a great guy in person. Teaching not so much. He gets confused on a regular basis. Tests are like the practice exams he gives out and are relatively straight forward. Also takes forever to grade tests and homework

Caring
2.0
1.0
MA121
May 1, 2018
Would take again

Professor Simonian teaches concepts through repetition of examples, which is effective for some people, but others struggled. My TA was better at explaining. Simonian made frequent errors when working out these examples. It took up a lot of class time and caused confusion. Simonian also takes two weeks on average to grade 10 question exams.

Caring
2.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: Not sure yet
May 4, 2018
Wouldn't take again

He is seems to care, but not a great professor. Due to the frequent mistakes he makes in lecture doing basic examples, unless one has taken calculus in high school before good luck. Otherwise you have more luck with another professor since he confuses himself during lecture. Also, make sure you talk to him about syllabus since he changes it alot.

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
Caring
1.0
1.0
MA121
Grade: A
Jun 10, 2018
Wouldn't take again

If you've taken class before in high school, there is no reason why you shouldn't get an A in his class. However, if you haven't avoid him, he teaches using examples that he sometime does wrong and confuses himself. He's a really nice guy if you ever talk to him, but not so great at teaching.

TEST HEAVY
Caring
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: B
Jul 15, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Honestly I don't understand how I didn't get an A in this class. He barely glazed most of the material but then his tests were so much more in depth. He rarely explained why you got the grade you got and I honestly am just glad the class is OVER.

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
2.0
3.0
MA121
Oct 28, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Don't take him lectures have little depth compared to what your exam and hw is based off of. Unless you already know calculus. Decent guy though not the smartest will at least TRY to if you ask.

Tough Grader
1.0
3.0
MA115
Nov 6, 2018
Wouldn't take again

I had Professor Simonian for Statistics 115 and I was honestly shocked to find out he studied statistics in college. Asking questions in class is frustrating as he often confuses himself and sometimes doesn't answer correctly. The TA's do their best to clarify in discussion, but sometimes they are just as confused as the students.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
TEST HEAVY
4.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A
Nov 14, 2018
Would take again

Prof. Simonian isn't the best at teaching, but his exams were pretty easy. Your grade is 10% offline, 10% written homework, 25% for each midterm, and 30% for the final. Attendance in discussion is also optional. The only thing I really didn't like is he's a pretty slow grader (like 2 weeks) and he didn't post the offline homework grades

4.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A
Dec 25, 2018
Would take again

If you've taken calculus before in high school, Professor Simonian is a solid choice. His exams are just like the practice exams he gives out beforehand, so if you study that, there isn't any reason you shouldn't be able to make a good grade. He does teach through repetition of examples, however, which may be a pro or con depending on the person.

Clear grading criteria
4.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: Not sure yet
Jan 30, 2019
Would take again

love this guy lol. his tests and quizzes are straightforward. there's homework assigned, but it's not that bad and if you took calc/stats in high school you don't need to go to lecture, but get the textbook cause that'll help refresh your memory.

5.0
1.0
MA121
Grade: A
Apr 19, 2019
Would take again

Great professor for 121.

Respected
Accessible outside class
Caring
3.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: B+
May 11, 2019
Would take again

As someone else mentioned he is a slow grader and not the best teacher (would not recommend taking him if you've never taken calc before), but he is super nice, really accessible and flexible with office hours, and gives practice problem similar to what will be on the exam.

Clear grading criteria
Caring
5.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: A
May 20, 2019
Would take again

Best calculus professor at BU, and the best math professor I have ever had. He doesn't just teach you the formulas, but explains what they mean on a theoretical level. He teaches you how to think like a mathematician. He is slow with grading, but his tests and homeworks are fair. Do all HW and practice problems he assigns and you will get an A.

Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
2.0
MA121
Jul 10, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Nice guy, terrible teacher. Lectures were an utter waist of time& super confusing (no one ever went). Tests were easy and based off practice exams, but never any curves & final was really hard. Take him if you already know calc& are looking for easy tests/dont want or need to attend class. If u dont know calc find a teacher who can actually teach!

4.0
1.0
MA121
Grade: A
Aug 3, 2019
Would take again

Attendance is only taken at discussion sections so there is not a real need to go to lectures if you already know the material. His class was extremely easy for me, but I had already taken calc in high school. He gives a lot of examples during lectures that are similar to test problems so if you go over notes it's an easy A.

Graded by few things
Clear grading criteria
5.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A-
Dec 9, 2019
Would take again

He is a great professor who is always there for help and questions. His lectures are straight forward and he offers a study guide for tests. A hidden gem of BU. I would take his class again in a heartbeat and he is full of life during lecture.

Accessible outside class
Test heavy
Clear grading criteria
3.0
1.0
MA121
Dec 17, 2019
Wouldn't take again

If you have taken calculus before, take this class. It is very easy and attendance isn't at all required. Simonian makes a lot of mistakes in lectures and is pretty slow-paced, but he's a really nice guy and tries to make the lectures funny. One HW assignment a week that takes about 30 minutes and Bi-weekly quizzes in discussion.

3.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Dec 18, 2019
Would take again

Nice guy, but okayish teacher. Easy papers and grading though. I skipped most classes and studied myself from the textbook. Weekly HW but can be good practice. I recommend if looking for easy finals (our final syllabus and paper was different than the other MA115 classes).

Lots of homework
Hilarious
Caring
2.0
3.0
MA115
Dec 25, 2019
Would take again

His lectures werent very interesting or engaging. Honestly, I only went to lectures to turn in homework and then dipped right after. Even though Ive never taken stats, I still got an A, so its a pretty easy class

3.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Jan 21, 2020
Would take again

Professor Simonian is a pretty boring professor but, to be honest, there is rarely any interesting stats professor. Tests are really easy and even if you skip class, it is easy to catch up by using his slides. Overall, not bad and enjoyed the ease and clarity of this class.

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
Lecture heavy
4.0
3.0
MA121
Mar 19, 2020
Would take again

Sometimes doesn't explain things the best during lecture, but he is very caring and will definitely try to help you out if you raise your hand during lecture or go to his office hours. Very nice guy.

Caring
1.0
1.0
MA113
Grade: A
Apr 23, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Simonian does not communicate, forgets where we are in lecture. and promises to send emails and never does. You do not have to go to lecture. Nobody does. Everyone gets an A. Test averages are low 90s and lecture halls are next to empty. Simonian seems to be brand new to teaching. He reads straight off the slides and can't answer student questions

Test heavy
Clear grading criteria
5.0
2.0
MA115
May 8, 2020
Would take again

Professor Simonian was super fun and I could tell he cares about his students. His lectures were super clear and easy to understand and he provided many good examples. The lecture slides were always available online and the homework was relevant to the tests, which were pretty easy and did not make us do unnecessary work.

Clear grading criteria
Caring
3.0
4.0
MA115
Grade: A-
May 13, 2020
Wouldn't take again

He's a nice and caring guy. Lecture is useless, nobody goes after the first week. Lots of homework, both online and written, but they're really good practice for the tests. You're better off teaching yourself since he mixes up his words a lot during lectures even though he's reading straight from the ppt slides. Grading is fair and he's reasonable.

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
Caring
4.0
1.0
MA122
Grade: A
May 15, 2020
Would take again

He's a very nice guy. Just do homework and go to office hours and you'll get an A.

Accessible outside class
Graded by few things
Caring
2.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: A
May 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Professor Simonian is a great guy but an a very faulty teacher. He constantly makes mistakes on the examples that he brings up and expects his students to correct him. If you haven't taken calc prior or arn't comfortable with calc already, I highly suggest you look into another professor.

Test heavy
4.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A-
May 15, 2020
Would take again

He makes Calc as enjoyable as calc can possibly be. Goes very slowly through the material. Presents useful examples but makes mistakes sometimes. Easy hw, quizzes, exams. Easy A for most people.

Gives good feedback
Lots of homework
Caring
3.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: A
May 18, 2020
Wouldn't take again

If you haven't taken stats before, I wouldn't suggest taking this class. He's really nice, but you're basically going to have to self study the whole class. There is both weekly online and written hw which isn't too hard to do well on. But warning, he doesn't lecture very well. This class was half online, so he made the exams much easier on us.

3.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: B
May 19, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Not the most interesting to listen to in lecture but if you study the chapters assigned for the exams you should be fine. I took calc in high school and did awful and I didnt really learn much here (i'm pretty bad at math). To study just do the practice problems throughout the book. I got a B but only because I did my tests online bc of COVID. oops

Lecture heavy
4.0
2.0
MA121
Oct 6, 2020
Would take again

As someone whos taken calc before in high school the content was very boring, but he'd try make it interesting and interactive, he'll make mistakes on purpose(?) as a way for us to talk more, good class to take if you aren't good at calc.

Accessible outside class
Hilarious
5.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 3, 2020
Would take again

I hadn't taken Stat before and felt that his lectures were helpful and he really cares about his students. Homework is worth 40% and helps you understand the material. I was a bit worried after reading the other reviews but he is a really caring and good professor. He gives lots of examples in his lectures so as long as you listen, you'll do great.

Lots of homework
Caring
5.0
1.0
MA121
Nov 15, 2020
Would take again

Kind, caring, funny. Makes mistakes in lectures sometimes but is otherwise thorough and goes through many examples to explain content.

Accessible outside class
Hilarious
Caring
2.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: A+
Nov 29, 2020
Would take again

He sucks at teaching material, but exams and homework really easy. He is kinda disorganized and boring lectures. If you want easy A take him, but besides that not the greatest professor for teaching information. Studied through his powerpoints and obviously the homework.

Lots of homework
Get ready to read
3.0
3.0
MA121
Dec 16, 2020
Wouldn't take again

gives a lot of homework and makes a lot of mistakes during lecture. he's a nice guy, but going to office hours will definitely help

Gives good feedback
Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
3.0
3.0
MA121
Dec 17, 2020
Wouldn't take again

He's got good intentions but he just doesn't have the energy to teach an 8am class. Especially not an online one. He makes mistakes in his lectures, but he doesn't react negatively when the class corrects him. Homework is reasonable, though. All in all, I probably would not have done well in this class if I hadn't taken calc in high school.

3.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: B+
Jan 13, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I went to class twice, both times I fell asleep. I never went to lecture after and just taught myself off of the PowerPoints. I got 100% on each hw. If you just use the resources on Mylab you will do fine, the practice problems on Mylab are the exact same questions as the test (word for word, number for number). I found out late so take advantage.

Lots of homework
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
MA121
Apr 20, 2021
Would take again

Professor Simonian is caring and sometimes also funny. Go to his lectures and take notes, and you will do absolutely fine in this class.

2.0
4.0
MA115
Apr 26, 2021
Wouldn't take again

He is a really sweet guy and genuinely cares about his students but its hard to listen because classes move extremely slow. I only went a few times. The class is set up nicely. Its two weekly 10 question homework sets and 2 exams + the final. Easy overall. If you have to take him, I wouldnt dread it too much - he is really nice just slow.

Clear grading criteria
Gives good feedback
3.0
3.0
MA115
Apr 29, 2021
Would take again

This class moved slow, especially online, yet the initial introduction of concepts would be rushed through, creating some confusion. I found that I could really solidify my understanding using the homework problems-- sometimes there were a lot of them, but they really helped me and were useful overall. Prof Simonian is kind and caring.

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
Caring
2.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A-
May 3, 2021
Wouldn't take again

The class moved really slow and he was never fully prepared for any of the lectures - he would always pass his lack of preparation as "just testing the students to make sure we're listening." The homework sets and the tests are all really easy, as long as you get the general understanding of each lecture you'll get an easy A.

3.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: B
May 7, 2021
Would take again

Prof S is very understanding. He's a boring lecturer, but is eager to answer questions and help his students. I went to office hours once after bombing an exam and he gave me 7 partial credit points. Super nice guy and cares about his students.

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
Clear grading criteria
5.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A
Oct 12, 2021
Would take again

A great teacher who really cares about you doing well in the class. He responds to emails really fast and is always willing to help. Goes slower than the other stats teachers, but personally I found this to be helpful because it gave you more time to understand the material and made the tests much easier. Definitely take him!

2.0
3.0
CASMA115
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 16, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Although this class shouldn't be difficult, I have been finding it challenging as I find math very hard (however, i am required to take this class). The MyLab Homeworks are so good because you can retake them as many times as you like to get 100%. You have to check everything, because he does not remind you! However, the lectures are quite boring.

Lots of homework
Hilarious
3.0
3.0
MA115
Dec 13, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Simonian seems like a nice person, except hes not the best at teaching or explaining content. He usually assigns two HWs per week (one online and one textbook). The tests were surprisingly not bad, and he was nice enough to drop five total HWs this course due to grading issues. Overall, hes a nice guy but lectures werent very beneficial!

4.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: A
Dec 13, 2021
Would take again

i loved eric and thought he did the MOST so that people did well in his course. he wants you to succeed and makes it so that his exams and class do not have to be curved. after years of taking classes in bu stem and it being near impossible to get a raw A on an exam, i thought this class was a breath of fresh air. wish i took sooner!

Test heavy
4.0
4.0
MA115
Grade: A
Dec 20, 2021
Would take again

He is a really sweet and caring professor. I think he made math less scary. His exams are fair and most of the grade comes from your homework. Take this class!

Respected
Lots of homework
Clear grading criteria
1.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Jan 6, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Professor Simonian is really nice, but his lectures are sooo boring and slow paced. I tried to stay awake during every class and I failed. We had exam from derivatives on Thursday and he introduced the concept of derivatives on Tuesday just before the exam. Study on your own with the textbook - dont wait for class or youll fail.

5.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: B+
Jan 18, 2022
Would take again

Eric is a really nice guy who is always understanding if you are struggling. Homework counts a lot towards your grade but it is graded on correctness. Chill class if you hate math.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
Caring
5.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Jan 30, 2022
Would take again

His exams are pretty easy. All I did was study his lecture notes (didn't touch the textbook and didn't practice the textbook problems). I noticed the textbook problems are much harder than the problems he gives on his exams. His lectures are boring, but I went to all of them (fell asleep in some). I wish I didn't and just self-studied.

Accessible outside class
5.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A
Feb 1, 2022
Would take again

If you have taken calculus in high school, this class will be a breeze. The lectures may be slightly boring, but they are very easy to follow. He is always available outside of class and is extremely understanding and supportive. A great guy.

Respected
Accessible outside class
Clear grading criteria
1.0
3.0
MA113
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 24, 2022

this guy literally sucks... he clearly does not know the content that he is teaching well enough to teach it to others. each of his boring lectures consists of him realizing his slides and everything hes teaching is wrong and then he has to go back and correct himself which isnt even right. avoid at all costs

Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MA113
Grade: Not sure yet
May 9, 2022

Dont take a class with him if you want to do well by any means. He has insane expectations for an elementary stats class and you won't learn anything. Hes a bad teacher, pausing for 5-10 min after teaching something saying he taught it all wrong and relearn it on our own time, won't explain any concepts, and will make you regret taking this class.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
4.0
MA122
May 17, 2022
Would take again

LOVELY professor, go to him immediately if you need help

Inspirational
Caring
Respected
2.0
3.0
MA122
Grade: B-
May 24, 2022

Simonian was very kind and responsive to needing office hours. However, he was not great at explaining concepts due to often solving something wrong and then having to slowly rework through it. The final was irrational hard in comparison to the rest of the course and worth too much weight. One exam changed my whole grade.

Clear grading criteria
Caring
Accessible outside class
5.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A
Nov 16, 2022
Would take again

YOU need to put in the work, cannot expect him to hand everything to you. He teaches all the material but you need to study on your own lowkey. Exams are super easy and very similar to homework, if not easier. Final was also easy--basic Calculus.

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
2.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: Incomplete
Nov 20, 2022

He is a good professor, but he cannot explain things well to the point he doesn't understand what he is saying. But, the course is not test-heavy, but you do have homework every week. You have slides, but it's basically the textbook. So, just read the textbook.

Lots of homework
2.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: B+
Nov 29, 2022

Professor Simonian is nice but not a great teacher. His lectures are not very clear or helpful. He assigns both written textbook and virtual textbook homework. You could honestly pass the class just by reading the textbook and watching YouTube videos.

Lots of homework
2.0
2.0
CASMA115
Grade: Incomplete
Dec 7, 2022

He somehow has difficulty helping students understand the concept. And he is not a good time controller. He even hasn't finished all the contents on the syllabus. Also, the homework working load is unbalanced. At the beginning of the semester, we have more than one week to finish homework, but later on, we have to complete two tasks each week.

Participation matters
Clear grading criteria
Caring
1.0
4.0
MA113
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 8, 2022

Not online savvy at all - consistently made submitting homework a hard procedure. Always has some sort of mistake in a lecture which he says he "forgot to fix" the next day. Hard to focus because of that. It's a survivable course, though. Way too much homework for the end of the which which he sometimes doesn't even assign by Monday!

Lots of homework
5.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A
Dec 24, 2022
Would take again

Professor Simonian is a great person! Even though lectures are not fun enough because most are concepts, but just get familiar with his PowerPoint then you should be fine. Tests are fair and clear, if you work hard enough you can earn a fair grade. Very nice experience!

Hilarious
Respected
Lecture heavy
4.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Dec 27, 2022
Would take again

The curriculum is suitable for an intro to statistics course. There are two weekly homework assignments usually and they're pretty doable. The exams are straightforward and the questions come directly from homework or lecture slides. Go to all the discussions (they're beneficial) but don't worry about missing lectures (slides are on BB)

Accessible outside class
1.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: C
Jan 26, 2023

Lectures were boring and nearly impossible to pay attention to/follow. There were at least 2 homework assignments per week. He made many mistakes on the slides so notes would be inaccurate. Had to teach myself everything, and test material was way more difficult than homework questions, practice problems, and in-class examples.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
3.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Feb 20, 2023
Would take again

Good professor, as long as you tried and attended lecture you would do ok on the tests. Only negative is that the lecture was just the required textbook, and the online textbook homework was confusing at times and was one of the ones that piled multiple questions in one and if you got it wrong by one decimal place you had to restart.

Clear grading criteria
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
MA113
Grade: C
Apr 13, 2023

Not a good professor for non-stem majors who aren't huge on math. Read directly off slides with no explanation of topics, key terms and equations. Open to office hours but not helpful at all on questions or whatever that was confusing, which was everything. Didn't like this class at all. Don't recommend Simonian for an intro course, or in general.

3.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A+
Aug 18, 2023
Would take again

Pretty average class overall. I often fell asleep during lecture as it was an 8am, but homework and practice problems helped compensate. As an introductory course to statistics, Simonian is a fairly decent professor.

1.0
3.0
MA113
Grade: Not sure yet
Oct 12, 2023

Worst class I've ever taken. Homework takes forever to complete since he assigns us questions like adding countless decimals together and questions that won't even appear on the test. People either leaves his lectures midway or are doing something else. Homework grades are just unfair and he does not help explain questions either.

Lots of homework
So many papers
1.0
4.0
CASMA115
Grade: Rather not say
Oct 12, 2023

DO NOT take this professor. He doesn't understand the material himself, and attempts to just read off the pearson slides (how did he become a prof bu??). He assigns like 40 problems every week for homework each problem takes like 20 minutes to complete. On average I spend about 10 hours a week on his homework ALONE.

1.0
5.0
MA113
Grade: Rather not say
Oct 20, 2023

He has no idea how to use technology, nor does he care about his students at all. He talks in circles and reads off of slides instead of actually teaching. Would not recommend in the slightest, he makes everything way more difficult than necessary.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
1.0
MA121
Nov 12, 2023
Would take again

super easy class, very clear lectures and professor is a great guy and has very helpful office hours!

1.0
4.0
MA113
Grade: A-
Nov 21, 2023

He is the worst professor I have ever had. I have tried to go to office hours and he is unhelpful. He does not know what he is talking about and reads off the slides and it is impossible to understand.

1.0
4.0
CASMA115
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 19, 2023

I really wish I had good things to say about Professor Simonian because he really is a nice guy but if you really want to take a stats class and understand the material. Do not take it with him. Test and homework heavy and he just reads off the slides. I taught myself the material the entire semester.

Tough grader
Lots of homework
Test heavy
2.0
4.0
MA121
Grade: B
Mar 7, 2024

Professor Simonian is a nice guy. However, he assumes that students have an understanding of calculus which was difficult as this was my first calculus class. I studied on average for about 4 to 6 hours a week, worked with peer-tutors, and still finished with a B. I'm not bad at math by any means (5 on AP Statistics), his class was just difficult.

Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
2.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A
Apr 19, 2024

He teaches as if he is teaching to a class of 8 year olds. That may be useful to some and on the bright side it is a very easy class. Super easy if you have already taken any kind of calculus. Just focus on the homework problems, but overall a pretty easy and doable A.

4.0
1.0
CASMA115
Grade: B+
May 3, 2024
Would take again

He's a very nice professor and the lecture is very easy to understand. If you have zero experience with stats, this is an easy introductory course which explains all the concepts very well. If you already know a lot about stats, the lecture is an excellent naptime.

3.0
3.0
MA121
Grade: A
May 13, 2024

Very nice guy, don't get me wrong. However, his lectures are boring. The nice thing in his class is that homework is a big factor in your final grade. The midterms and finals are not too bad. If you have taken calc before, you should be good. Very accessible outside of class.

Caring
Graded by few things
Accessible outside class
4.0
2.0
CASMA115
Grade: B-
May 31, 2024
Would take again

I am not good at math and didn't get a C in the course, so that was a huge shock. His office hours are super helpful and the lectures are straight forward. He drops the two lowest textbook homeworks and two my lab math homeworks. Two midterms and a final. Sometimes he seemed confused on what he was teaching, but overall it was a easy stats class.

Lots of homework
Hilarious
2.0
4.0
CASMA115
Grade: C
Sep 19, 2024

Learning math through lectures is not the way I learn math. Not only was the lecture hard to follow and quite boring, but the TA I got for discussion class was completely useless and just made us do mini quizzes every week. The readings were extremely boring and there was also weekly homework that was such a drag. the professor was nice but strict

Lots of homework
Caring
Lecture heavy
3.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: A+
Nov 15, 2024

This class was very easy, the few confusing concepts are hardly touched on in the tests, seriously an easy A, I don't understand how there are reviews for this class that are anything but a 1 in difficulty. In terms of the professor he's pretty boring and bad at explaining things. Only reason I recommend the class is how easy tests are.

2.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Nov 25, 2024

Nice guy, but insanely boring. I went to max 5 lectures, couldn't stay awake in them. 2 HWs / week, time consuming. He isn't a good explainer. He confuses himself, then he pauses and backtracks so it's hard to understand. Discussion was so useless, the TFs goal was to finish the worksheet as fast as possible. But tests are very very easy so easy A.

Lots of homework
3.0
4.0
CASMA115
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 26, 2024

Professor Simonian was boring and often confused. His class was the only class that has ever put me to sleep. He would stare at the board trying to make sense of the slides because he does not write his own. Tests didn't go great for me, but they were graded harshly by the TF giving no partial credit.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
4.0
MA113
Grade: B-
Jan 21, 2025
Would take again

Attendance isn't mandatory, but his analogies for the content in class are helpful. He's a typical old man with dry jokes. HW is through MyLab and textbook, I struggled a lot with the textbook homework. The exams aren't bad. The content goes from 0-100.

Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: A
Jan 22, 2025
Would take again

Very nice guy I knew him since high school, lectures are a bit dry but it is fairly slow-paced and easy to follow even if you are not always paying attention. It does get more difficult as time goes on though but tests were very straightforward and easy and homework was not too difficult (but it takes a long time).

Clear grading criteria
Inspirational
Hilarious
2.0
1.0
MA115
Jan 23, 2025

Esy topic, easy class. He drops 2 lowest homework grades which I find it helpful. His explanation skills quite need some work and most importantly, he NEVER RESPONDS TO EMAILS.

5.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Jan 25, 2025
Would take again

Take Simonian!!! His exams are easy and straightforward. He's a great guy with a few funny jokes and he really cares about his students too. Lectures can be boring but it's a statistics class so you can't have everything.

Clear grading criteria
Lots of homework
Test heavy
5.0
2.0
CASMA115
Grade: A-
Jan 28, 2025
Would take again

He is a great professor always with a positive attitude and funny jokes.The exams were easy and very straightforward. I recommend this course for HUB requirements.

Clear grading criteria
Lots of homework
Caring
3.0
4.0
MA121
Grade: B+
Apr 25, 2025

Professor Simonian can make you interested in the subject, but he is usually very boring and makes a lot of mistakes during lectures. However, he's a very nice guy and not a harsh grader during tests.

Clear grading criteria
Lots of homework
Test heavy
4.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: A-
Apr 30, 2025
Would take again

Prof. Simonian was a very straight-forward professor, which is a good thing. Lectures tended to be boring as he reads straight off the slides, but he is very light hearted and tries to crack jokes here and there. Overall, homework was given online+textbook (a few get dropped), & exams (2 midterms + final) have a clear reference sheet that helps!

Lots of homework
4.0
2.0
MA121
Grade: A-
May 12, 2025
Would take again

Dr. Simonian was good. His lectures aren't great, so I never went and taught the material myself and got 90+ on the exams. Attendance is expected but not mandatory. However, go to the discussion because there are assignments given, which is a way to get the 5% participation. There are two assignments per week (10-15 questions). Exams are very easy.

Clear grading criteria
Caring
Accessible outside class
2.0
1.0
CASMA115
Grade: A-
May 13, 2025
Would take again

I probably showed up to class like 5 times in the entire semester (this included when there were tests). Didn't listen to him in lecture bc all the notes were posted. Just taught myself everything the night before a test and got 85-90's, easy tests. Homework and Pearson heavy (felt like I had more homework than the calc 2 classes)

Online Savvy
3.0
3.0
MA123
Grade: A
May 13, 2025
Would take again

His lectures are lowkey very boring and useless, he doesn't know what he is doing half the time. But he's a great person, the tests are so so easy he tells you exactly what is on it. Discussion is mandatory though, easy class.

Test heavy
3.0
3.0
MA123
Grade: A
May 14, 2025

Lectures felt disorganized. He'd teach entirely on the chalkboard so if you miss class there's no way to see the notes. We'd get review sheets for exams, but the content on them never matched the tests. Tests easier than expected though. HW and discussion are a large part of your grade and are easy. A nice guy but not my favorite style of teaching.

2.0
3.0
MA123
Grade: A
May 18, 2025

If you didn't take calc in high school, you're screwed. Overall its an easy class only if you have background knowledge on calc. He is bad at explaining things and is so unorganized during lectures. Honestly I don't know how he's a professor at BU bc he's so disordered and literally forgets things mid lecture. He also makes mistakes all the time

2.0
3.0
CASMA115
Grade: A-
Jun 1, 2025

I learned nothing in his class and had to teach myself everything. He constantly messes up and has no organization. Don't go to the lecture, just look at what each exam will be on and study with the book problems he gives and homework. Watch the organic chemistry tutor, it doesn't get better than that.

5.0
2.0
MA123
Grade: A
Jun 3, 2025
Would take again

Professor Simonian was great. If you pay attention in lecture and practice the material, you'll do just fine. He's super fun and energetic. While he occasionally makes mistakes in lecture, he's always happy to explain the answer again if needed. He's always at office hours, often more than he needs to be, so just go to those if you're struggling.

Caring
Lecture heavy
Accessible outside class
3.0
1.0
MA115
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 17, 2025
Would take again

Honestly not a great lecturer but was great in 1 on 1 office hours (super accessible). His exams are stupidly easy (especially compared to the other stats professors) if you at least study the material decently and do chapter practice problems. Final exam is not cumulative trust me.

Lots of homework
Graded by few things
4.0
2.0
MA115
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 19, 2025
Would take again

Has both MyLab and Textbook assignments, which ate up most of the week for me. Slides are way too dense (Pearson generated slides, not his own afaik) and he confuses himself in lecture. Do yourself a favor and go to discussion - I learned way more doing discussion sheets and hw than going to lecture. He's very accessible and soft spoken - 7/10

Lots of homework
5.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: A
Dec 23, 2025
Would take again

Simonian was awesome! Lectures can be a little long and boring, but if you actually listen to him he does not make it hard to understand. Homework can take a little bit of time, but very doable. Exams were straightforward, exactly as he promises. I was worried about stats since I didn't take it in highschool, but it was a chill class!

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
4.0
3.0
MA115
Grade: A
Dec 26, 2025
Would take again

He is a really nice person, just was confusing during lecture sometimes. He removes the lowest 3 assignments for each homework, but the homework still takes up a lot of time and effort.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

10%

Textbook Required

0%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 71 grades
Most common grades:
A (30)
A- (18)
Not sure yet (13)
Grade Distribution
A(33)B(7)C(5)D(2)F(1)A-/B+(24)
Based on 89 reported grades
A: 30
A-: 18
Not sure yet: 13
B+: 6
Common Tags
Lots of homework (33)
Caring (28)
Clear grading criteria (21)
Accessible outside class (18)
Lecture heavy (14)
Graded by few things (10)
Test heavy (10)
Hilarious (7)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.08 avg change
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Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

MA118

5.0

(1)

MA122

3.8

(5)

MA123

3.3

(4)

MA121

3.2

(40)

MA115

3.2

(42)
+2 more courses
Difficulty by Course

MA113

3.8

MA123

2.8

CASMA115

2.7

MA115

2.3

MA121

2.2

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