He's funny, which keeps the class interesting, but he messes up often when instructing, which makes it frustrating while taking notes. Otherwise, tests are typically fair as long as you go over your notes that you take in class, which are worksheets that he hands out. It's not a bad class at all.

This guy is easy! I don't know what these people are complaining about his test aren't hard at all, he gives you credit for easy in class worksheets which are basically a free test grade, the only reason why these people probably didn't pass is because they expected an easy A. Take the class, study, and actually earn calculus

Class had no surprises. Clearly stated what he wants you to know through the in class worksheets. Tests questions were similar to the worksheet questions. Homework did not really help prepare for the test. Do the Test Reviews and know the worksheets he hands out and the class is easy.

Great guy. Each class we'd have a worksheet to do in groups instead of homework. For tests you could bring a notecard with whatever you want on it. This was super helpful for Calc 2 since most of it was knowing which equation to use. He really made it about critical thinking instead of memorization. Wanted to take him again for calc 3.

This guy is the man. He explains everything on the tests (even though they are very difficult) and he gives you worksheets of what you just learned in class. Worksheets are for points and help you solidify the material learned in class.

Professor De La Pena is awesome! Give him a chance to get to know you, as he is shy. But he's funny once you warm up to him. His grading is extremely fair and the test review reflects what will be on the exams. Make sure you go to class, as the worksheets are an easy way to get points. He's really helpful during office hours as well.

Great professor! Class runs basically by lecture notes,examples and then worksheets. Worksheets are just like his examples and gives extra credit towards last few worksheets. Tests are fair and somewhat hard even though you get to use index cards, but he does give partial credit. Best if you attend every class and write down his notes.

Hard Material ( It is Calc 2 don't expect it is easy). Tests are tough as well. Don't skip classes, worksheets are important! I could've pulled an A if I didn't skip some of the classes.

His lecture style takes a bit to get used to. It's fast paced and I think he expects you have some background with the material already. He provides step-by-step solved examples in class, which are the backbone of his lectures. His exam review questions he provides are on-par with the exam. Fair grader. Clear expectations. Not easy, but a safe bet.

Very clear with whats expected of you, tests questions are very straight forward and lectures are decent. He makes mistakes and typos so you'll just have to watch out and let him know when somethings off on the notes but other than that I'd highly recommend his class. He's very knowledgeable, patient, and understanding.

Professor Dela Pena is not the best, but for calculus , there are professors at Mason who are much worse than him. In class worksheets are worth an exam grade and are usually pretty easy to get an A on. There are three exams and a final which are pretty well represented by the study guides. There are also 5 recitation quizzes, 1 is dropped.

Worksheets every class that helps boost your grade, the test are made so much easier by the study guide, the final was questions pulled out of the previous tests and handouts. Just do you best to understand the material on the study guide - If you can do that you'll get at least a B

If you're taking Calculus for the first time, de la Pena is a great choice. He is really thorough with the notes and uses lots of examples. The in-class worksheets are a great way to boost your grade and help learn the material. He also allows notecards on exams so you're not completely "on your own". Great math professor!

Professor De La Pena was a good professor. He did a good job at explaining the material and he went through a lot of examples. The homework was straightforward and the exams were easy if you had done the homework. I would certainly recommend taking this professor given the option.

Very good professor in my opinion when compared to others. His lectures may not make sense at first but worksheets help clarify and looking over them help a lot. TEST REVIEWS are key to being successful in his classes, just do the problems and they set you up perfectly for exams. Office hours are beneficial! Took him for 114/125 & now 213 next.

De la Pena was a good math professor, but he can go rather quickly. He posted all the worksheets on blackboard with the problems he goes over. Print those out before class, so you can track with his work, because at the end of class there will be a quiz based entirely off his examples. You can earn over 100% on quizzes (buffers the final).

De La Pena may be fast on his lectures at times but he posts all notes online with his worked out examples and makes sure to go through each step thoroughly. Just reread them and then go over the study guides plenty of times to prepare for the tests and ensure you understand all material. Office hours help a lot! Allows notecard for tests too!

Gives many handouts for the lectures that will basically end up being the exam. Office hours are also extremely helpful and available 4/5 days in the week. I've taken him for Math125 and 213 and honestly both classes were made very simple because of his teaching style!

His lectures may not be the best as he does go at a fast pace, however he is very good at offering help and in depth explanations in office hours that definitely help a lot! Make sure to do his practice hw and study the graded worksheets he gives in class. Allows calculators and note cards on tests! Definitely take him when available!

He is an amazing professor. Only three tests throughout the semester. He gives out classwork but, you can work with other people on them. He makes sure that each student passes. Great guy overall.

His class is very structured. I had him for MATH 114 but I'll definitely take him again for MATH 213 and MATH 125. You need to attend lectures because he does worksheets that are turned in at the end of it. He let us use an index card on our exams and he explains the material thoroughly. Be sure to read the textbook, it's worth it!

Loved his group work during the second lecture every week, it was an easy grade boost. Exams were pretty doable, just do lots of practice problems with a study group and youll do well! The final was the hardest and I remember the whole class had above a B so you just have to not lose focus at the end to do well! One of my fav GMU math professors.

If all you did was take notes on the lecture and copy what he wrote down for the practice problems, you could use those notes to easily do the worksheets and the tests. It's a matter of finding similarities, but since you can also work with people around you, it's easy to do unless you're shy of meeting people. Got lazy which is my grade was low.

Overall, his lectures are concise and he explains concepts very patiently during office hours. He also assigns worksheet, which could act as grade boosters. His tests are very fair and are mainly based on the review sheets that he hands out. As long as you understand the review sheets, you should be fine on the exams.

I had this professor for discrete math. it was a summer course so he would post pre recorded lectures which were detailed and thorough. I never had any questions in the 12 weeks this class went on. I am taking him again for MATH301 next semester. He has weekly assignments which are really easy and short.

Lectures are clear-cut, sometimes run long but mostly bc of the variety of examples he does. Textbook hw is not graded but helpful for understanding the material. Exams are similar to wks and the test review, no trick questions - you'll be fine if you understand the basic concepts. 3/10 wks are dropped and the extra points are added to total grade.

I took him from Calculus 1 -> 3. He's the kind of professor that you can do whatever you want as long as you understand the material and pass the test. The tests are really straight forward from the material he gave you. Just do your homework, and you will pass the class with an A.

One of the few teachers that actually knows how to teach in online format. Weekly homework, two midterms and a non cumulative final.

Blessed me with a HUGE curve, de la pena is a good man

I've had him for several math courses and he's someone that can teach very well. There are a lot of practice problems that he assigns and he doesn't pull any tricks or anything you haven't covered on exams. If you work hard, ask questions, and attend class, you'll be fine. He's a solid teacher, through and through.

I had this prof for three classes, two calc and discrete. I loved his format and how straightforward the syllabus is. The study guides he gives help immensely on the exams. The hw adds a nice buffer to your final grade. My only complaint is that he purposely adds typos in the study guides to make you work harder. For me this only causes confusion

Never watched the lectures because doing the homework and looking over the class notes was more than enough for me to study. His exams are EXACTLY like the study guide which is great. The homework is semi difficult but it's almost always like problems in the class notes. Also lets us have index card cheat sheet for our exams (in person exams).

BEWARE OF TYPOS - notes & test reviews have typos that makes it hard to follow/complete. Other than that, I would say he grades very leniently. Grades only 3 tests and 8 worksheets (but the points you get on worksheets 9-12 are extra credit on the final). Watch the lectures and do the worksheets + review; that's basically your tests.

I took his class async and I found it difficult to follow his videos on some occasions, however, he does provide very detailed notes which I found extremely helpful. I'm not good at math at all, but if I were to take calc 3 again, I would without a doubt take it with him.

dela Pena gave brief and informative lectures. He welcomes questions and answers them until you get it. The textbook was rarely helpful, might as well just google practice problems. He hands out a worksheet every class that you work on with others, which is really helpful. You can take a notecard into exams, and the final is not cumulative.

No homework, just suggested textbook problems. Worksheets in lecture are graded once a week. Lectures are a little boring, but class work is mostly straight forward. Rushes through sample problems and usually ends lectures 10-15 minutes early. Post test reviews that are very similar to the tests. However, tests are 30% fill in the blank.

I had Professor De La Pena for MATH 114 and MATH 213. For both classes, the course was 90% straight lectures and 10% worksheets. The classes are boring, which is expected since it's calculus. However, the lectures do explain the material very well, the hard part is just paying attention. As long as you pay attention in class, you'll pass

His lectures are pretty boring, but he does explain the material well and in-depth. He is a bit of a harsher grader, but study and follow all the directions and you should be okay. The tests are pretty straightforward, he's not trying to trick you. He posts the lectures online and homework is done in class. He is always happy to answer questions!

3 tests (no cumulative final) and a bunch of worksheets will comprise your grade. No quizzes, no mandatory homework. Lectures are mandatory if you want the credit for the worksheets. The class is pretty easy if you pay attention and practice some hw problems, and the tests are similar to review guides he posts.

If you have the choice, TAKE HIM! Gives weekly worksheets you do with your classmates--these are a big chunk of your grade and help a lot with learning. This is the best way to give participation grades. He gets upset if you show up late to class or to tests, but otherwise is very respectful. He knows he is here to lecture on calc and that's it.

Grading consists of weekly worksheets (group work), two exams, and a final exam. Exams are straightforward and allows a notecard for them. Clear on what material is on the exam. Not much opportunity to try problems on your own during lectures, but does the problems himself on the board. Calc 3 is difficult, but pay attention and you'll be fine.

Great Guy

He posts online videos which are ~2hrs long for each lecture that are more helpful than the actual lecture where he goes by really fast. The videos are really helpful though and reflect the questions on exams. Weekly worksheets that are easy if you keep up with material; also helpful for exams.

Each class has a short worksheet to make sure that you understand the material, allows notes on tests, very approachable during class, relatively generous with partial credit. Highly recommend.

Professor De La Pena is a decent professor to take for Calculus 3. His lectures were detailed and blackboard was organized with lectures and homework for each week. He was also open to questions during class. This class is mainly based on exams, so it is important to follow his lectures and complete the homework.

straightforward teaching. Good at explaining concepts so just pay attention & take notes & u'll be fine for the worksheet he gives at end of each class. Work with others for the ws. Ask if u have questions. Tests are doable but u gotta know the material...so highly suggest doing the extra practice problems, but if not u'll probably still pass XD

Super easy grader. Lots of worksheets, bonus, tests are not too bad because they are so similar to practice tests. You can tell he isnt super passionate and just wants us to pass. My type of guy.

There are worksheets in every class, so make sure you show up. The tests are very similar to the study guide, and he lets you use a 3x5" index card to write formulas and notes. The worksheets are relatively more difficult than the tests. He really cares for his students to succeed, and his office hours are really helpful.

Took his interactive class and thought he was a good professor. Collaborative worksheets in class were graded instead of HW. Test questions were easier than the worksheets and he gave comprehensive study guides. Quick speaker when he lectures though but he does problems on the board u can follow along to and goes over old trig/alg 2 rules needed

Honestly, the professor isn't too bad, he is a good guy who just wants you to succeed. He lectures are about an hour, then gives a worksheet, which is usually about 3-5 questions each. For the exams, he lets you take one 3x5 flashcard with anything on there, and the exam review he gives are harder than the actual exam. Exams aren't cumulative.

He is such a chill guy, he's not too strict on grading, his office hours are very helpful, and you can bring a 3X5 notecard to exams which proved to be helpful not only for the test, but also learning the material. Calc 2 is a hard class, but he makes it bearable

the guy is chill, tests are similar to the review and his grading is fair. calc 2 is hard in general good luck.

He's just a professor just trying to do his job. We used Hawkes Learning and everything is laid out there. Those assignments are long but you can redo them as many times as you want. His worksheets are hard but you can ask him for help and you can get a 3x5 for tests.

I took him back in spring '23. I didn't like his class at first, but by the second half I came to really appreciate him and his teaching. Goes head spinningly fast through the units, which is offputting at first but also advantageous because he gives good notes and has focused instruction on problem solving. Very no-nonsense too which is also based

Lectures were easy to follow, midterms weren't too bad, and recitation attendance will really boost your grade. The worksheets can be somewhat difficult, but you can work in groups! The final exam is pretty difficult, so be prepared to spend a lot of time doing studying for that. Otherwise, Gary is awesome and I would definitely take him again.

Initially I did not like his teaching style. I felt like he was going too fast considering each lecture was a different unit, however, overtime I grew accustomed to it. The tests given in his class are hard, go to office hours if you are confused on any topic! I will mention that he let his classes bring a index card for both the midterm and final.

You have to attend classes as the only grades in his class are three exams, recitation, and in class worksheets at the end of the class. He drops the two lowest worksheet grades, so not that bad, but in order to do well in his class you have to pay attention and actually write notes. Other than that he is pretty good and he knows what he's doing.

Awsome Prof.

Professor Gary dela Pena is a great instructor. He posts a ton of content (handwritten class notes, study guides, lecture recaps) online. You can tell he is pretty meticulous about giving his students the stuff they need to effectively study. Great professor! Well practiced in his lectures. I would def take him again for another math class.

Goated but a little bit fast on the lecture. Does make a lot of mistake in person mostly because he is literally sonic when it comes to teaching. Best part is that he posted a ton videos each weeks ranging from 3-6 videos, 20min - 1hour each you dont even need to show up because of the posted videos except for the once a week group sheet (drops 3).

He is decent at explaining, I highly suggest you rewatch his recorded lectures if you don't fully understand concepts. This class is exam heavy and there is no graded homework so do the practice problems from the textbook in place of homework. He allows a notecard for formulas etc so that was very helpful. There is also weekly in-class worksheets.

This class is HARD, though this isn't the fault of the professor. Professor P takes good care in making the lectures easy to understand and also provides students with lots of online notes. The work he assigns is fair and is representative of his lectures, if he teaches it, he will test it. All said this class does require you to put in effort.

Best calc teacher, his lectures are right to the point and very similar to exam questions. Not a lot assignments for his class just the worksheets done in person. Lets you bring notecard for exams, grading is fair.

TAKE HIM! Yes, Calc 2 is a tough class, yes you need to attend every single class, but for the sake of your grade, it is worth it. He gives in-class worksheets, assigns textbook problems to keep up with, and gives long reviews. Study, and your grade in Calc 2 will be good. Professor Pena provides generous partial credit on worksheets and tests.

The in-person worksheets are somewhat easy; however, the lowest three turn into extra credit. The exams aren't simple either, but he does allow a notecard. No homework which is nice. Overall, not horrible like other discrete professors.

Prof is chill and fair, with quizzes at the end of each class. The tests are challenging, but he wants students to succeed. Unstuck study was super helpful for studying and exam prep.

Professor is pretty chill. He teaches by projecting worksheets and doing practice problems. Also has quizzes once a week. His tests aren't cumulative which makes studying easier, and his review sheets are very helpful for the tests so do them. Overall, great but you probably have to put some effort outside the class.

Calc 3 is easy up to triple integrals, do good on the first two test and you can afford to bomb the final. The final wasn't cumulative and he's super lenient grader, just do the practice exams he provides. Overall goat of GMU calc

Took him for Calc 3. The notes and example problems are online after each lecture so I wouldn't say attendance is mandatory. There are worksheets each week that he grades pretty critically, but there's no real homework. The recitation for this class IS MANDATORY and makes up 30% percent of the class grade for just attendance and participation.

The lectures are clear, and the worksheets, while difficult, help a lot in learning the material. The tests aren't very difficult, and the homework is optional. Overall a good professor