2.2
Quality4.0
Difficulty25%
Would Retake83
Reviews25%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
9
4
15
3
5
2
17
1
37
What Students Say
“I dropped his class after the first lecture b/c he was so rude & condescending to his students”
MTH176 - 1.0 rating“Absolutely the worst teacher ever”
MTH192 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
63%
Textbook Required
73%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.04 avg changeRatings by Course
MTH
5.0
(1)CALC191
4.5
(2)MATH293
4.3
(3)169
4.0
(1)PHY
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
CALC1
5.0
MATH169
5.0
PHYS121
5.0
MATH147
5.0
CALCALL
5.0
Reviews (83)
Only take if you're an extreme lover of Physics or Engineering. I don't know how true this rumor is, but I heard that he used to teach Engineering till they shut down that dept, and they had to place him somewhere else. Regardless, he does teach the class more like it is an Engineering class than a Physics class.
You will regret taking this class with Frank, he is so full B.S. The guy is a "car sales men". He won't help you understand home work problems and gets really mad if you try, he's even said he does't like teaching physics because the course is required in so many programs. He's 60 years old, doesn't believe in office hours also teaches math coures
Although it is hard to describe what is wrong with his teaching, you would regret this class. He tells you to ask questions then makes you sound stupid if you do. Even though he was my worst teacher, the class taught me how to keep working and looking for other means of help like tutors. I hated the teacher but learned a lot.
Dr.Gerlitz is not a bad instructor at all. He knows how to teach and how to explain easily and simply. He is fun professor in class, too. However, he is not really organized professor. He seems to spend too much time for homework in lecture. (and less time for main chapter) All the tests are open book test. the tests are still not easy though.
cant teach
He's a very... interesting person.
I found that Gerlitz was an incredibly unhelpful prof. in pre-calc. He taught virtually nothing at all and the book was awful. He spent too much time shooting the breeze with all of us and didn't bother to explain the math at all. Don't take his classes unless you want to learn all of the math on your own.
Very fun an interesting teacher. Is very well traveled (he said hes taught in Japan, Mexico, University of Michigan, and University of Wisconsin).
Terrible. Dropped his class because he can't teach worth a damn. Didn't like how he ridiculed his students either.
DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER. He doesn't know how to teach. Most of the time spent in class was spent working on a SINGLE problem that we didn't even know how to do while he sat at his computer doing nothing. He isn't even helpful if you go to him asking for help or try to see him in his office. Worthless, absolutely worthless.
Grades all based on 6-8 tests which are all based on answers and the scratch paper with the work is thrown out. This teacher is the worst math teacher I have ever had. Avoid him if possible!
Wow, the worst teacher in the school. Class is SO disorganized, he doesn't teach anything, no one understands him. Students had to learn form eachother. He offers NO help, even if you go to him outside of class. Had to learn everything from a tutor. Homework and quiz are on things we have not learned yet. Incredibly RUDE to students. DO NOT TAKE!!!
Actually took this teacher a little bit ago, now I realize just how good he really was. He has saved my butt. Other students that had same class (with other teachers) are in deep trouble now and regret having had the "easier" teachers they did. Frank works students hard, but you will really LEARN the material and be able to use it when it counts.
he is a horrible teacher
Why is everyone complaining about Frank? He is a great teacher. The material isn't easy, but he takes the time to explain it to those who are truly interested in learning. He gives plenty of E.C. and homework is optional. My only beef is that he allows a lot of chatter to take place during class - way too "high school-ish" in my opinion.
Take Gerlitz if you are interested in passing but not too interested in learning the material. When asked for help on a hw problem I was told to "ask one of the other students who has done it" Does not seem particulariy interested in teaching. Regularily ends classes early and 'finished' the semester 2 weeks early yet did not finish the sylabus.
Very disappointing. Did not follow book and seemed more interested in the hockey game time. Great teacher for kids that already know Cal, but then again, some need to be taught. I'm sure he understands the material but seems unable to teach it. Seems he's so "advanced" he forgets everyone doesn't already know what he does. Take someone else, anyone
I like that Mr. Gerlitz goes through the entire thinking process. The whole class was like a discussion on how to solve a problem. BUT I found it so difficult to understand. I am a 4.0 student and yet I had to review the material out of class everyday and struggle to keep up during class. NOT RECCOMMENDED. Makes fun of people for asking questions.
I thought he was a great teacher, but then again, I already knew Calc pretty well. Hw is optional, but he gives a quiz every day. Watch out for "senior moments" when he's working out a problem. Def a cool guy and class is full of laughs with the right group.
He is the rudest teacher I've ever met. Can't TEACH a lick ! No joke, I told him how rude he was on the last day of class before leaving, and he sucked as a teacher. Talk about riducule, I was one of the examples. I'm an older student, he does not believe in respect, esp. when he refers to you like an "ELEMENTARY STUDENT" Take David Hyatt :-)
A guy who no longer cares. Didn't cover everything in the book, and went over the last chapter in one day because we ran out of time and then we had the final next class. You will not learn all you need for later math classes as he doesn't cover it all. He is bothered having to teach, but likes the chat with the students.
One of the worst professors I have ever had. He is rude and constantly embarrassing students when they try to speak up in class. The first day of class he told us he didn't care if we were there or not. He has no passion for teaching and is nearly impossible to learn from.
I think that he was one of my favorite math teachers. He teachers through examples but will sometimes skip steps, but if you ask him to explain he will. There is usually a quiz everyday and it keeps you on track. Also, when doing a math problem he show you how to solve it and then explains why it works and it makes future problems easier.
He is incredibly rude and he does not teach the material well and when people ask him for help he just gets sarcastic and makes fun of the student. He also expresses NO interest in giving helpful hints. He also gives quizzes that have problems that were NOT in the book OR his lessons. He openly said that he doesn't care about students passing.
stay away
I ended up switching teachers because I could not take this guy any longer. He's rude, disrespectful and unhelpful. Literally everyone was failing his quizzes and he didn't get WHY. He always quizzed us on problems that he never went over and I studied for hours and some how didn't pass his quizzes. Take Abella, he actually teaches and is nice.
Loved this Professor!! He makes the concepts so easy to understand, speaking as someone who has not had an algebra class in 20 + years. I have taken this class once and failed it, am right on top of it this time around with the way he teaches the problems and how to solve them. Not conventional by any means, but definitely interesting and fun!
Ppl hate on Frank because they don't get his style. The quizzes are just how he takes attendance and they count as EC for exams which are easy if you did any homework. Frank makes fun of wrong answers to be funny, not mean, stop being so sensitive. Maybe I get him better because I took Judo at EMU with him first and loved it!
I like him as a teacher.I thought he went over the material very well and made it easy to understand. He uses a lot of examples which are helpful. Homework is optional so it is extra credit. He allows you to use the front cover of the book for tests and quizzes. But he gives quizzes everyday as attedence. I would recomend him if you want to learn
He is only good if you have learned the material from someone else. Don't ask him for help because he will not give you any. He also makes sure he makes the students feel like idiots.
It was only smooth sailing for me because I had already taken this class, but for the rest of the people, he was awful, mean, down right insensitive, and disorganized. It would behoove you to listen to these warnings and say "whatever hes an easy 4 credits." Beware. Beware.
I don't understand the point of view of the people who gave him a smiley face. He is only good if you have already learned calculus before, doesn't follow the book. Quizzes and tests are barley relevant to what is taught in class. Absolutely horrible in every sense, worst teacher I have ever had and I like math. Pretty much ruined a semester for me
covers material well doesn't go over quizzes and tests very informal
Arrogant jerk. I had him for intermediate algebra, and he made it clear that teaching this class was beneath him, and we were all idiots. He would fly through material and get very frustrated, and down right rude to people that asked questions and didn't "get it" right away.
Frank Gerlitz is awesome! He's funny, and tries to make long classes feel, well, not as long. He lets you use sticky notes for exams. If you write equations on them then there is no way to not do well in his class. He takes the best 2 out of 3 exams as well. Highly recommend!
I just found this site and reading the comments about this guy is funny because I have been saying the EXACT same things about him since taking his class.He is the worst teacher I've ever had. He depends on students who've already taken the class 2 to 3 times to teach others.If u don't like it then he puts u down.I'm gonna petition for a refund.
I swear I think some of the :) reviews on this site are written by Frank himself so he doesn't end up with an empty class, like the one below with the !'s, cuz no one could possibly think he's funny and his classes feel really long because he sits behind his computer for half of it. This guy just doesn't care.
WORST TEACHER IN THE WORLD.
He wasn't as bad as people make him out to be. He just requires that you have a little bit of self motivation.
Does not explain things well - very confusing. My tutor is the one that basically taught me everything - without her I don't know what I would have done.
I really wanted to like Physics. I am taking Physics next semester just because I learned nothing this semester. I am A student and found his class very hard to learn. His teaching methods do NOT work for me. He also seems to be very unprepared for his classes. I still have an A in his class, but I would NOT recommend him to anybody.
The worst professor I have ever had. Nothing is explained how he got to the answer does it in his own head horrible at class discussions. Gives attitude when asked a question. Thinks the previous proffessor is to blame. Makes up his own problem and no examples are found on the book
Doesn't use black board or any power point. All lecture which are sometimes helpful. Must have self motivation to research material out of class or you will fail.
Great teacher imo. He wont just feed you info and send you to the next course. I learned more about math from his class than any other. He will NOT ask easy questions, no one ever speaks up when they dont understand something. Hes not for everyone for sure. BUT if you want to be an engineer, and you cant cut his class, drop ur major.
Quiz and test problems are similar to examples in lecture. Homework is extra credit towards quizzes. It is a good idea to read the text before lectures. Probably a difficult prof for lower level math students, but otherwise, Frank is the man!
Extremely difficult to understand. Unless you have a background in the subject from your free time, quite useless to listen to what he says because it'll go over your head. You'll have to teach yourself and figure out how he got the answer on your own time. Doesn't post grades. Practice problems are 100x harder than his tests though.
I learn a long time ago that good grades in math and phy come from practicing and not from what is teach at class. I would like A's for showing up but that does not happen in the real world. Frank is good, but you have to be better!
Very strange man, takes enjoyment in making people look/feel dumb which I found very unprofessional. On that note he is the most unprofessional and unapproachable professor/teacher/coach whatever you want to choose that I have seen in my life.
Horrible teacher! Not helpful and makes you feel stupid when you ask questions. I would not recommend him to anyone.
He tries to be funny, which is good, but he usually doesn't present the material very well. Quizzes everyday so attendance is necessary for a decent grade. Exams aren't bad, but homework and quizzes are usually pretty tough. Doesn't answer questions well, and gets very impatient. Not very approachable. Class ends early a lot.
This is, in fact, the worst teacher I ever, ever had. No one could possibly think he is a half way decent teacher. TERRIBLE.
Worst math teacher I have ever encountered. No structure. No book use. No homework?! Wtf?! No homework for a Calc class?!! So annoyed! Do NOT take a class with Gerlitz EVER! Also, he makes students look stupid when they ask questions and just says, "wrong answer" and does not even explain. Grrr...
If you want to coast through, Don't take this class. If you want to put in the time outside of class, you will do well. Half an hour of work preparing for each class got me a pretty easy A. The students ranking him poorly don't want to learn, they just want to regurgitate things from a textbook.
Worst teacher on earth. Sitting in his class makes me want to bang my head on a brick. Makes things up as he goes along. No structure. Makes mistakes constantly. Explains nothing. Gives daily quizzes on things he didn't teach. Arrogant. Worst class. Took it here to avoid it at UM. Avoid him at all costs but easier than UM.
Terrible teacher, went to go ask him a question about a topic he did a poor job of explaining and all he could tell me was to go to youtube or purple math and teach my self.
Horrible teacher. Lectures by having students solve example problems and won't move on until someone does. As WCC is a community college hardly anyone reads the book. This leads to a huge amount of class time being wasted as he will sit there and wait for someone to explain whatever the new topic is for him. To pass google khanacademy
One of the worst "professors" I've ever had. The reviews here are true. Avoid if possible.
One of my favorite teachers at this school. If your not lazy and do the class right, its almost impossible to not get an A in his class. Many students don't do the extra credit that he doles out like water, and also do not notice quiz questions are exam questions too. Got to study people. This teacher really prepares you.
I like Gerlitz because he doenst shove the answers right in your face. You have to think about it and try on your own. It makes you do the practice and develop the skills. Offers an abundant amount of EC that most people dont take advantage of. Basically pay attention, try, read the book, and do the EC homework and you will pass.
Professor Gerlitz's classes are chances to test your limits and then run in front of them the rest of the semester. You must be self-motivated to succeed in his class. He is very generous with extra-credit.
Gerlitz is one of a kind. He is challenging, though compared to most calculus professors he can speak fluent English and can speak concepts. His quizzes and exams are challenging though he gives a lot of extra credit to make up for them. You need to review notes, and do problems. If your attendance is poor, your grade will be as well.
All homework is optional but I HIGHLY advise completing it as it counts as extra credit on daily quizzes. He will not hold you hand at all and usually crowd sources student questions. If you are able to be self sufficient in terms of studying up on weak areas, an A is guaranteed.
Terrible, terrible teacher. Truly the worst teacher I've had. Can not give a cogent explanation for his life. I've gotten better explanations of Calculus concepts in Chemistry class. Felt ripped off by this class.
Totally useless, couldn't be bothered to look up my grade for the class. Gives roundabout answers to all questions. Quizzes have nothing to do with the homework. Avoid at all costs.
Absolutely the worst teacher ever!! 25% of the final was covered in the last two lectures. He gave a quiz every day supposedly on material previously covered in class, but often on material not covered or yet to be covered, quizzes were usually much more difficult than exam questions and afterwards he would not go over any quiz or exams.
This guy is crazy. I dropped his class after the first lecture b/c he was so rude & condescending to his students. He made fun of any students who were brave enough to speak up & answer his socratic questions. He also asked a student sitting nearby to throw a book at me b/c I was taking notes instead of staring at the chalkboard. Not getting my $$!
Everything you need to know is supposed to be taught in lecture, but he quizzes you everyday on material not covered in class. Also, this is a physics course w/calculus, but the book he recommends is not about calculus based physics just theory. Homework is not very helpful, and tests are hard. Will not take him again.
Overall, I would say he was a good teacher. You have to put in the work and time to pass. Many students either don't study outside of class and/or don't do the extra credit. I ended up with an A because I actually took the time to review my notes before and after class. He's not the nicest guy but he is willing to help if you are confused.
I have never had a teacher so terrible at his job and so dismissive of his students. I have loved my time at WCC so much to the point where I was shocked that this fool is still employed here. He holds himself above his students and when you don't understand something he scoffs at you; which is a major problem for an 097 course. Pathetic! Avoid!
Show up every day and it will be very hard to pass this class. You won't learn anything but you won't fail. Doesn't teach much. Arrogant and condescending when asked to clarify. Didn't teach all the information that appeared on the homework.
He didn't use the book or give out homework. The only things that your grade was dependent on was the quizzes that were given almost every day on the material taught the day before and the unit tests.
10 out of 10 would recommend
At first I didn't know what to think about his teaching style. But as the term went on I enjoyed the class more and the greater understanding I had of what he was trying to get the class to do. He was able to teach the difficult material of Calc 3 very well in a very short period of time. If you don't pay attention or skip class, good luck passing.
We took a quiz everyday in this class which was probably the most annoying part of Physics 122. He is a tough grader and comes across as a little arrogant, but by the end of the semester I actually liked the guy. He really wants you to understand the concepts, so prepare for a challenge.
Where you begin? Professor Gerlitz is the most disrespectful Professor I've ever met. Two girls stormed out of his class crying because of the awful way he talks down to his students when they don't understand something and ask for help. He's an awful teacher, downright condescending. DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE OR BAD AT MATH.
Pop quizzes and homework are 70% of the grade. He's deadly.
Told us day one that there's no official textbook and referred to SEVERAL different textbooks online to "learn from" if we had questions. Said textbooks were not affiliated with the homework website he assigned homework on. I would never recommend taking any class ever with him unless you already know the material and just need grades to prove it.
Frank really did not like to teach. He would barely go over the material in lecture and expected you to just pick it up. He didn't assign any homework- which was sort of nice- but also isn't the best for math classes. You have to teach yourself how to do everything on your own time. Quizzes every class were annoying. Terrible teacher
The way he speaks can sound a little condescending. His teaching style is very different than the traditional, monotone, and possibly a little ... insulting. But his best intrest is to make you pass. His quizzes are actually pretty nice because they are open book. Therefore, if you don't pay attention, you will fail... or miss class. Very good
Frank Gerlitz seems like a great individual, but his teaching style was most definitely not for me. I have an extremely hard time learning when there is no going by the book. For all of the difficult calculations near the end of the semester, he just plugs them into Maple instead of showing work on the board, which I need to learn and understand.
He just doesn't seem to care for teaching. There is no passion there. It feels like he is literally only there to get a paycheck. Quizzes happened every lecture which is fine, but the lectures barely scrape the surface of what's expected to be covered in the class. I've had to teach myself from the book and Youtube. Why did I pay 600$ for class???
Like others have said, hes not a great lecturer. Youll have to teach yourself the material. He grabs most of his quiz/test questions from google. At least 1 quiz everyday. Sometimes 2-3. Online homework was 45% of the grade (use chegg). I got an A in the class even though I got a D on one of the exams. He curves the quiz grades at the end.
Gerlitz does not follow WCC's master syllabus. He requires calc 3 as a prereq not calc 1. The material he covers is not in your textbook. If you don't understand he might refuse to help you. He can be cynical and mean. I reported him to the Dean and am in the process of getting a refund. I am a straight A student. 1st class i've ever dropped.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
63%
Textbook Required
73%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.04 avg changeRatings by Course
MTH
5.0
(1)CALC191
4.5
(2)MATH293
4.3
(3)169
4.0
(1)PHY
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
CALC1
5.0
MATH169
5.0
PHYS121
5.0
MATH147
5.0
CALCALL
5.0