Very entertaining and presents course material in an interesting manner, his tests are extremely difficult dispite the large curve.

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He has been my favorite poli sci teacher so far... and now I have his wife for PSC 118, and she is great too!

Professor Maltzman was a great lecturer, and classes were interesting. He did spend a great deal of time talking about his children, however. His tests were difficult, yet fair because he gave an extensive review sheet before each exam.

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Be ready to study every detail for the midterm and final. He's a great professor but don't think that he's an easy grader just cause he's nice.

Knows what he's doing. You see Presidency in whole new light

Makes what can be a boring subject intersting. Exams are very hard, but he helps you prepare with review session. Stories are not alway relevant. Attending lecture is worthwhile.

I learned a lot. This is not a repeat of high school government. I liked the powerpoint, the stories and TA. I think the exams could have been more fair, but the curve was very fair. I think the current events took too much time.

Great lecturer, I loved the class. Tests were unfair-62 average on midterm. 7 essays to study for on the final and if you don't hit every detail, you lose tons of points. Keep up with the reading, take the online quizes, go to class. You'll learn a lot.

Lectures were entertaining but he often goes off topic. Lots of reading, lots of studying needed, but you'll learn so much! I loved his class and I learned more than I thought I would. I am taking his Presidency class because he's such a great professor!!

my hardest class yet at GW, but very interesting class. the midterm and final are challenging and you have to do all the reading to do well.

Even though the lecture was early I never had a problem motivating myself to get there. Much of class was spent on current events, but thats part of what kept it interesting. You must do all the readings, but if you split with a friend its not that bad. Curve makes hard midterm and final fair.

interesting but difficult class. he expects alot from students, including tons of readings. midterm and final are near impossible but he curves nicely. wants you to learn but doesnt want to do all the work for you. he is fun in lectures but doesnt explain everything as well as he should. good guy.

Maltman is a very engaging lecturer, and he breaks it up with funny stories about his family. His reading and studying expectations are ridiculous, but he curves the midterm and final, and he's such a nice guy that you can't not like him. You also learn so much about current events from this class.

An excellent professor, great teachor, really knows his stuff. I had a 200 person lecture, and it felt like a class small with the way he taught. Really hard grader, really hard tests, but it makes sense and is worth it with how much he teaches and how well he teaches it. Funny anecdotes frequent.

Y'all are full of crap, Forrest is great. I didn't do ANY of the reading and managed fine. Go to class and he makes it clear what you need to know for the tests and then curves them like whoa. I liked the stories! and he's soooo cute!

Lectures were very fun and informative. Exams were very hard; but curve made it fair. TA was great.

Not the easiest class in the world, but he manages to make it interesting. Does often go into tangents about his kids, but also knows his stuff and gives memorable examples. Exams seem to be based primarily on the extra reading, so make sure you read, and GO TO DISCUSSION! Never had to go to office hours, but doesn't seem too approachable.

Fun class. Learned a lot. This class convinced me to be a major. My one complaint is that the tests were really hard. TA was great too.

Great teacher. Makes class fun. Goes off on funny side stories. Readings are hard and the paper can be massive if you're not on top of the readings. Midterm and exam can be hard but he uses an AWSOME curve.

His lectures are very interesting, he does go off on tangents but they're entertaining. He knows what he's talking about and I learned a lot from this class. It's not easy, the tests take tons of studying, but if you do study hard you can do well (and his massive curves don't hurt).

I loved the lectures, hated the work, and learned a lot. I thought he was going to screw me on my grade. But, his curve led me to get a grade that was fair.

Great teacher. Although he doesn't go over all the readings, you still have to know them for the midterm and final. Took him for PSC002, so I already knew how he graded and what he was looking for. He wants main points. Just make an outline for each essay using the books and you'll be fine.

You have to do the reading, but if you do, the class is great- Hes a really interesting lecturer. His tests are hard, but he gives really in depth study guides-do those fully and you'll be really prepared. Also- BIG curve.

One of the best professors I've had at GWU. He really knows his stuff, he's enthusiastic, and interesting. You do have to study hard but it's worth it. If you do the study guide you should do fine on the tests, especially with the huge curve.

Tests are difficult, but there is a curve to account for it. Learned more in this class than in any other course I have taken up to this point. Lectures aren't mandatory but it would be a sin to skip them. Hands down best professor I've had at GW up to this point.

I really liked this class. The tests are REALLY difficult but he curves. He is hilarious and really engaging. I would certainly take more classes with him. He is a great lecturer--not boring at all-and he relates well to the students. Great class, and great professor

This guy is great. Had him for 002 as well. His tests really aren't as bad as everyone says if you actually do the reading. there can be a lot of it, so i would split it up between a few people. He is really interesting though and funny as well. I never skipped this class because i always wanted to be there.

Really funny. Despite what some people say, lectures are important (he just doesn't give a ton of information each test) but taking good notes is important for being able to outline for the midterm. Tests are hard, but he really helpful - gives out essay questions beforehand, and he even edited the outlines I made and told me what to add.

Dr. Maltzman does a great job with this subject. I was a little disappointed with my paper grade but, overall, lectures are funny and interesting, the reading is copious but mostly engaging, tests are hard but curbed, and this is a class you will want to attend. Just be prepared to hear about two class period's worth of stories.

Very engaging lectures, often quite funny. Knows a lot about his subject and delivers it well. LOTS of reading, and you will be graded on it. For example, the paper is fairly easy but requires reading a six hundred page book. Tests are extremely difficult, class average was about 58, but in his words, "you will never see a curve this big again."

really interesting professor, and a fairly easy grader. i took the american presidency with him and there was a lot of readings, but as long as you did most of them and listened during his lectures, you will do fine. i dont know if he is still teaching that class

HIGHLY ENTERTAINING, but for the first half of the class you end up just chatting about today's events. Many, including myself, found it fun and useful during a Presidential Election. In the end most of the content we are supposed to learn end up coming straight from the readings.

Lots of reading, although most of it is pretty optional in the end. I skipped most of the reading and did fine. One five-page paper which would have been easier if it were ten. Tests are difficult and thus scaled. Class is usually entertaining, although he repeats a lot of material towards the end of class. Quizzes are easy and done online.

Good PoliSci class. Exams were tough; but generous curve. Lectures were entertaining and TA great. I liked the guest lecturer (a former DNC chair). He did this study in class that showed that buying GWnotes does not help. The guy who owns the service is a friend and was pissed. But, his data and evidence was interesting and almost convinced me.

I enjoyed the class.

Kids seem to get upset because they actually have to do the reading. His lectures are entertaining and informative, but he doesn't always cover as much information as he should. There are MASSIVE curves.

Class was lots of fun. Discussion section was boring. I learned to think about politics and cookies differently. Exams were hard, but he still gave me a B. Text was ok.

I liked the lectures.

Professor Maltzman is fantastic! Great reading assignments and very interesting discussions! He brought us ice cream and treats in class. We took awesome field trips and he brought in president knapp as well as the steven k! SO COOL SO GREAT I <3 PROFESSOR MALTZMAN

super nice guy. not a very demanding course.

Really cool guy. I had him for a dean's seminar and it's really cool being able to interact with him on a more personal level. Well respected in his field and a very interesting lecturer. Would definitely take any class with him you can.

Lots of readings and group projects. Professor showed us a number of videos that illustrated experiments. Final was take home, but required one to have done reading.

He's an awesome guy. He really knows what he's talking about and he's very passionate. Very accessible if you need help with anything, and is glad to clarify anything. However, this IS AN INTRO CLASS! There WILL be reading. He is very accommodating and has cut down on reading + utilized scales and he understands the pressures of online school. 8/10

Forrest is an awesome professor. He is very understanding and gives a generous curve to whatever assignments he sees fit. He is very passionate about the subject, and knows a lot about American government. Intro course, but still a decent amount fo reading. Definitely recommend.

As a freshman going into my first semester online I really enjoyed this class. He was engaging and I looked forward to attending. He also assigned some interesting projects for discussion which I enjoyed. A lot of reading (about 50 pages per week or more) but when told he lowered the workload. Super generous on the curve.

I took his Intro to American Gov and Pol class and overall I really liked it. There's a lot of reading but it's doable if you pace yourself and read a bit each night. He gives super generous curves, and sometimes will extend due dates if students need more time. Definitely go to class and make sure you READ! He's great though love him!

Prof. Maltzman is a gem. His PSC1002 class has a lot of reading and quizzes/tests are tough but he applies a fair curve. He is very caring about his students and has lots of office hour time to make sure you succeed. I am a fine art student who took this class to fulfill GPAC requirements and I enjoyed it and would take another class with him.

Regardless of the current average, Prof Maltzman is a really caring person. His lectures are really inspiring and interesting and he's really worked things out to make us students work well under the pandemic. But the class requires you to read a lot, which is good but might be too much sometimes. Overall, I really glad that I pick him at first.

There are weekly, timed quizzes, and they can be difficult because of the massive amount of reading required, but they are usually curved. However, Professor Maltzman is the most caring professor I have ever met. He cares so much about his students, it sort of cancels out how hard the class can be. Stay on top of everything and you'll do well.

Forrest was the coolest and most caring guy during this tough semester online. All the students in the last classes even made thank you signs over zoom because he was just that nice. It was a heavy amount of reading, which is very dry stuff, along with hard quizzes. But his curves were substantial, so it was not a big deal. Enjoyed the class

I love Forrest. He is engaging and overall such a nice and understanding professor. He offers curves on quizzes and understands that online teaching makes things hard. He offers extensions and overall is very nice. He does make you read a lot and there is a quiz every week but besides that there is not much else to stress about.

Professor Maltzman was the best professor I had in the fall. Even though class was online he did absolutely everything he could to help us out. But there is a lot of reading, like a lot, so be prepared. His lectures are super informative. Theres a quiz every week but he curves them well.

Took intro to American politics. KING of CURVES! read everything listen to his lectures &amp; powerpoints. 10 question quiz every week (timed &amp; tricky) funny guy good lectures curves everything significantly . 2-3 essays &amp; 2 exams 1 group project during the term. lots of reading need book! Learned more then I thought I would! an email away!

Professor Maltzman is a fantastic person and professor but, his class is challenging. Lots of readings that are impossible to do if you're balancing other classes + quizzes worth 40% of your grade based on those readings make it arduous to get a good grade. He does curve MASSIVELY those quizzes. As a professor 100/10 but his class is hard.

Professor Maltzman is a great teacher one of my favorite in the PSC department, especially for intro courses. While there are weekly quizzes and lots of readings there's always a pretty generous curve to make the average around 85 which helps a lot.

Maltzman is a very funny and nice guy. But the weekly quizzes, midterm, and final are extremely hard. However, he is a very generous curver (usually gives about 10-15 points extra), which is necessary for how hard the MCs are. He is a really nice guy and his lectures are very capturing, you will not be bored.

Professor Maltzman is a well-respected political scientist at GW who is also a great lecturer. His Intro to American class is a lot of topical, relevant readings. His lectures always begin with news, and then goes into class material. He is a great person and tells interesting stories to convey the points he's making in lectures.

He has very interesting lectures, but theyre pretty disorganized so I found watching lecture captures were more efficient than going to class. There are weekly quizzes, but he curves them A LOT

Quizzes are unnecessarily difficult and usually based on around 10 different readings, but they are curved to an 85 class average so take from that what you will. He is really approachable and will respond quickly and fairly to emails, and takes cues from the class in terms of deadlines and amount of time for the exams. Get the textbooks too.

Incredible and knowledgeable guy. Lectures could be much more organized, but are really entertaining. Quizzes aren't that bad given the consistent hefty (10+ pt) curves, but could be a little less confusing. Grade is 40% quizzes, 25% final, 15% midterm, 3 5% papers/projects, and 5% participation. Take Forrest's class if you're not a boring person.

Professor Maltzman has very engaging lectures and will work with you to make sure that you understand the material and are prepared for the quizzes if you go to his office hours (which he will work with you to schedule if his office hours conflict with your schedule). Definitely go to office hours to discuss criteria for any writing assignment.

Forrest is a wonderful lecturer and a fair grader. I liked his class a lot and would definitely recommend. A few things though: a good TA is super helpful, there's lots of quizzes (very confusingly worded), and some assignments were unclear. But, he gives huge curves to make up for it. Read every chapter he assigns, they're always on quizzes/tests.

I really liked Maltzman. His lectures are entertaining, and this class is definitely not too hard if you at least skim the readings and go to discussion.

No idea why he has a 3.3 right now. Best lecturer I've had so far, so passionate and good at getting his ideas understood. SUPER nice in office hours. Only issue is the grade... quiz and test questions can be poorly worded. LECTURES matter: I barely read the 1st textbook but focused on the lectures and got great grades on the quizzes.

Favorite professor ever!! took his intro to american politics and i loved it. there is a lot of reading and a quiz every week based on the reading. the quizzes are really hard but he curves verrrrryyyy generously so don' let that stop you from taking the class. he' an amazing lecturer and i feel like i learned so much in the class. definitely take!

Don't sweat the quizzes, he uses a pretty generous curve. Lectures are honestly more important than the readings, but you need both for the assessments. Overall a pretty smooth prerequisite, I'd like to take a higher level class with him.

Professor Maltzman is a hilarious lecturer who doesn't just read off of a script. There is a lot of reading assigned for each week and 1 quiz per week that tends to be hard, but he gives a generous curve. He is a caring teacher who wants his students to do well. He can ramble during his lectures but he is very passionate.

His lectures are full of charisma and he is very accessible outside of class to help out students at any given moment. Is super interesting, thoughtful and fun to talk to. He does assign a lot of reading for a quiz at the end of the week, which are typically difficult, but he always mentions a "generous curve". Which he actually delivers on.

Prof. Maltzman is very knowledgable both about politics and GW; sometimes gets going on current events tangents but always comes back to the point! Would highly recommend, he is a fantastic instructor (very generous, caring and understanding for freshmen) as well as a great resource from his time on GW's Board. Lots of reading but learned a LOT.

Decent class that taught me a lot but SO MUCH READING. Multiple chapters from textbooks and lots of news articles to read, and you better pay attention because the weekly quizzes call back to some pretty minute details. Professor Maltzman is so nice and engaging in lecture but spends lots of time covering the news and little on the slides.

This course is very time-relevant! And I liked that. But, when 75% of the lecture is on news, it becomes excessive. It is mostly quizzes and papers. There is also a group project and a couple of other big assignments. This course is also very reading-intensive. It is good for the political science requirement, but a bit unorganized.

Forrest is a really nice guy and it is very obvious that he is passionate about the content he is teaching. That being said he also REALLY enjoys the news. Be prepared to spend half of the 50 min lecture twice a week hearing about the news which (while very interesting) puts him behind on the lectures. Curve goes CRAZY though so its easy enough.

Professor Maltzman is amazing! He talks about current event more than half of the class, but it keeps the class interesting and not much is missed if skipping lecture. The quizzes/tests can suck, but the curves are awesome. You'll eventually know what he looks for in the quizzes, so the readings can be skimmed. The project/essays are fairly simple.

A very kind professor who will give you curves for extra grades. Always very helpful and patient and offers great office hours opportunities. Politically neutral, professional, scientific, and objective. Very good course. I did not get a good grades mainly because of my own problems and barriers. And I recommend people to consider this course.

Maltzman is super interesting and his lectures are really great, but you should know that he spends a lot of time covering the news and talking about anecdotes. A lot of the learning is done through reading, and the class is very textbook-heavy. There are weekly quizzes, but he scales like crazy and if you do the reading you should be fine.

If you're not a big test taker and do not do well with testing, this professor isn't for you. A majority of our grade was weekly quizzes, which he curves, but were still hard. He spends the majority of his lectures discussing current events, which is interesting but he rarely discusses the readings and lecture material. However, Maltzman was nice.

He is honestly one of the most interesting professors I have had, while the lectures are not that important because he talks a lot about current events, it is super interesting and I found myself excited by all the information. He is super accessible and accommodating.

Professor Maltzman is terrific. He is hilarious and overall is very sweet. The class was definitely hard though it was definitely worth it. He also curves weekly quizzes and exams generously.

Maltzman has a clear love and appreciation for American politics. Although there is a lot of reading and work to be done in the class he curves generously. Make sure to ask him questions whenever you need, such a great guy to talk to.

I like him but not this course. There's a weekly quiz based on the readings (usually about 8 a week) and the class average is usually 60%. He is a VERY tough grader but curves highly. Discussion attendance is MANDATORY and affects your lecture average. The discussion is more important than the lecture. I would not take him again but he wasn't bad.

There's a weekly quiz based on the readings (usually about 8 a week) and the class average is usually 60%. He is a VERY tough grader but curves highly. Discussion attendance is MANDATORY and affects your lecture average. The discussion is more important than the lecture. Exams are a mix of MC, short answer, and long essay.

Don't be afraid of the quizzes, skim the material and you will be fine. His personality makes it worth coming to class. The TA's are also very knowledgable. Be sure to attend the study sessions prior to exams and papers. He's very accessible and always open to helping.

He makes class very engaging by covering current events and is very knowledgeable. Weekly quizzes can be tough but there is a significant curve and you get the hang of them. Lots of reading but you can get by knowing just the key points. Discussions are mandatory but often pretty helpful and the class is well organized. Class is difficult but fair.

What more can I say that hasn't already said about the GOAT of lecturers. f there's anything I do have to say though, it would be to beware of the reading. In terms of that, this is not a class for the masses and "weekly" quizes have led to very quick burnout. Huge curves on assignments/class though that kind of makes up for it. 8-15 readings/quiz.

This class was a personal favorite but I know some people hated it. Professor Maltzmann makes his quizzes hard on purpose so he can apply a heavy curve. However, his lectures are interesting and he is funny and there are only two papers in the semester. There is one group project, but it is very easy and everything is open note. Lots of reading!

Great class, great professor, great TA's. Utilize the TA's for help, you will need it. Lectures almost never pertain to the quizzes and attendance is not mandatory. 8-15+ reading per week and weekly quizzes. Very accomodating if you miss a deadline but lots of busy work. Papers are easy and gives good feedback. Heavy weighting on exams.

Forrest is an amazing professor. His lectures are hilarious and he is a great guy to talk to. He is also incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about American Politics. Though be ready to read a lot with weekly tests about the readings. Also take advantage of his midterm and final study sessions as they are a tremendous help.

Forrest is great! There is certainly a lot of reading for this class and weekly quizzes on the readings but they aren't too hard and he curves generously. His lectures are hilarious and easy to follow but not mandatory. Discussions are very helpful and mandatory. There are 2 papers, a midterm, a final, and weekly quizzes. It's not hard to do well.

Forrest is such an amazing professor. His Lectures all include a news section, which is my one complaint because he spends less than half the class on the material. Two Papers, 13 Online Quizzes (which are heavily Curved), a midterm, and a final. Not a harsh grader and wants to see everyone pass. If you have a chance stop by his office hours.

Weekly Quizzes can be difficult but he gives very nice curves, so if you do a basic level of studying you should do just fine. Definitely cares about his students and wants them to do well. The class does have a lot of reading but most of them are interesting. Overall he is a very entertaining professor who is passionate about what he teaches!

Forrest Maltzman is the best professor I have had at GW. His lectures are chock full of information and presented in such a light and funny manor. Through the course you get to know him and his passion for PolySci. Weekly quizzes on the readings (do the readings), midterm and final, two short papers. Everything curved generously. TAKE THIS CLASS.

Forrest was a great professor, as he was really funny and engaging. The lectures are really interesting, but the readings pile up. There are weekly quizzes that seem annoying at first but keep you on pace. I could see the class being a drag for non-political students. Once you figure out who Forrest is and how he teaches, it's a great class!

Engaging, funny, knowledgable professor. There are lots of readings, and supplemental readings are necessary to do well on weekly virtual quizzes. However, he provides extremely generous curves. Two low-stakes papers and a midterm and final exam, which he and TAs prepare you for. If you stay on top of readings, you will do well.

WE LOVE FORREST MALTZMAN

Lots of quizzes but INSANELY HIGH curve, you need to do very bad on the quizzes to not have a decent grade, he is very accessible, very funny with great enthusiasm, really recommend having this class with him

Talks about the news for most of the lecture. Very lenient with due dates and curves all quizzes.

HEAVY READINGS BUT GREAT CURVES ON EXAMS. the weekly quizzes are a lot but the lectures are entertaining(u do not need to go bc slides r posted) and prof maltzman is very accessible outside of class. the final and midterm are online w some multiple choice and an essay portion (there are large study groups that help)

Funny and engaging. Had a lot of fun in his class. Reading was a lot but still interesting. Quizzes can sometimes be tough.

Maltzman was an entertaining lecturer, but talks about news for half of every class. More worth your time to watch last 30 minutes of every recorded lecture. Lots of reading and weekly quizzes on the reading, but massive curves on everything. Discussion attendance mandatory, easy group project but some difficult grading.

Forrest is an amazing professor and arguably the best one I have had at GW. Lectures are hilarious and make it worthwhile to come to class. Although there is a good amount of reading, it ties in nicely to what is covered in class. Midterm and Final are hard but manageable if you study, curves so the class median to a B.

Maltzman's lectures are entertaining, but heavy on current events. Quizzes are tough, but he curves them generously. Unstuck study was a lifesaver for quiz prep. Overall, a manageable class with an engaging professor.

literally best prof at gw this is my goat right here

He is a really nice professor! His quizzes ask a lot of questions about what the author of a particular reading would think about something, so make sure you take really good notes on the readings. If you do that, you shouldn't have any trouble. He also curves the quizzes a ton.

Forrest is great, he's so funny and his lectures incorporate current events which is cool. If you're going to take his intro class make sure to take VERY detailed notes on lectures and readings, the quizzes are very specific. He does care about students and is very generous with curves, but if you miss lectures you'll fall behind.

Professor Maltzman is amazing professor make the class enjoyable. you don't really need to take notes sometimes due to him talking about the news and just basically yapping his butt off. Be prepare for daily online quiz on the reading assigned. He curves generously in your favor !!!

Curves everything! Two mandatory textbooks. Lots of readings and an online quiz every week. Lectures are enjoyable and interesting and somewhat helpful. Attendance is mandatory in discussion but not in lectures. Midterm and final (both online) were not bad if you study because he curves heavily. He's helpful outside of class too. Would take again

Pros: Extremely entertaining and funny lecturer. Fair grader who gives forgiving curves. Accessible outside of class and very friendly. Cons: Lectures were too short, spent too much time discussing current news events (although interesting), and not enough time on actual course material. TONS of reading. Weekly quizzes were impossibly difficult.

prof maltman engages students well so despite it being a boring class, he makes it interesting. he uses "attendance quizzes" (random super easy questions you get 100s on) as a large curve for almost 40% of your grade. his tests are open book and he curves, there is a good bit of reading each week though-- highly recommend!

The lectures were always interesting, and Maltzman is genuinely funny. There are a lot of assignments, consisting of 11 quizzes, 2 short papers, a midterm, and a final. The lectures and the readings cover different material, and are both needed to do well in the class. Grades are curved generously. Attendance-mandatory discussion is all busy work.

He would spend the entire first half of each class talking about recent political news and then blow through the lecture slides. The slides are not very detailed so show up to class and take notes. The readings matter a lot for the weekly quizzes and the two papers are relatively easy. Forrest is a very nice and knowledgeable dude.

have taken prof maltzman twice and he gets better with each time! lectures are so interesting and engaging. class is 40% attendence (easy dub), midterm and final (both pretty hard but online) and a paper (4 pages). He is my fav prof at gwu and is so smart and i feel so much smarter after leaving the class. couldnt recommened him more. and hes funny

I had a good time in the class, and he was a super sweet guy, but his lectures were mainly focused on current events rather than content. I felt well-informed, which was nice since it was the semester of the election, but the material felt quite rushed, especially with a unit quiz every 1-2 weeks.

Very understanding but the class is much more difficult than expected considering it is the equivalent to AP Gov, but it is manageable

Really great professor, curves everything so don't be upset when you get a D on the first quiz. Mainly focuses on current events in class and doesn't really go into specifics about content. No need to get the textbook or read everything, just glance over things. Very passionate and can sometimes get very loud and excited during lectures.

Prof. Maltzman is a very passionate professor who's really funny! The take-home quizzes are difficult, but he's an excellent curver. To pass this class, you need to meet with other students and work together & attend your discussion sections. You don't have to go to the lectures in person, but they're helpful for the in-class quizzes.

ALOT of Readings like wayy too much. Its almost impossible to read everything assigned + the quizzes are take home but difficult. The midterm was take home but difficult and AWS servers were down so he extended the due date for the midterm and that caused the Final to be in person. If it weren't for his curves I would not have gotten an A or close.

Very passionate about politics, lectures were usually engaging and he loves adding interesting anecdotes. Weekly quizzes are lowkey hard depending on the unit, but they are weighted the same as attendance so as long as you show up you will get a decent grade.