4.1
Quality2.9
DifficultyN/A
Would Retake90
ReviewsN/A
Would Retake
90
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
52
4
22
3
9
2
5
1
2
What Students Say
“decent professor for 141/151, great professor for 241, very clear, nice guy”
CHEM241 - 5.0 rating“although he writes EVERYTHING on the overhead, if you study his notes you will do well in the class”
CHEM142 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.09 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM121
5.0
(1)CHEM2412
5.0
(2)CHEM14122412
5.0
(1)CHEM140S240S
5.0
(1)CHEM241242
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
CHEM121
4.0
PSYCH220
4.0
CHEM1410
4.0
CHEM241
3.4
CHEM242
3.3
Reviews (90)
No Comments
decent professor for 141/151, great professor for 241, very clear, nice guy
although he writes EVERYTHING on the overhead, if you study his notes you will do well in the class
Agree with bellow. Good notes and lecture though a little bit slow.
No Comments
Go to lectures, take notes, read the book, keys to success
very friendly and easy to talk to, explains best out of all available professors
Boring but apparently the best. All notes are on an over-head.
He's good. Take him if you want chemistry in simple terms. And he's easy ... very easy (no tricky test questions.. only things he teaches and the sort of examples he does appear on test) Funny at some times..
often talks off subject, throws personal political views into lectures. what he recommends to study does not show up on quizes.
He's a real nice guy. His lectures are clear and his quizzes are okay. You still have to do alot of outside prep on your own but overall he is really good. Has lots of office hours and is willing to help!
soo much better than some of the others. very clear and easy to understand- speaks slow enough and is organized. does random cute/funny things. tests are based on the bk and his lectures (doesnt throw in crazy ques like the others)
Definetly the best out of the chemistry professors. He is easy to follow and understand and writes everything out on overheads. (Plus he has a cool accent)
boring, i've had good chemistry teachers, he is NOT one of them go find one who is
Really good lecturer, clearer notes than the book. If you go to class and go to office hours, you will do well in the class. Get to drop one quiz, unlike other orgo professors.
He's extremely clear in his lectures and they're really worth going to. I learned a lot simply by copying down what he wrote on the board. His tests are fair and well-balanced.
He's one of the best I've had here. He writes up his lectures on the overhead so you can follow along without stressing out about missing stuff. Great teacher!
Easiest Intro Chem teacher.
I am going to be a chem major and I have had this professor for all my chem so far (141/2 and 241 and going to take 242). He is NOT easy; however, the way he covers the material is ever understandable even to a snail, which makes it easy. If you dont try understanding the material, it's hard!
Gerrans provide very clear examples and logic for this class. The tests are easy if you go to class and read the book.
He is famed to be the clearest teacher and to have the easiest tests--great combination!
i didn't find him to be as easy as everyone else did, i actually did much better with bryant in 141 than with gerrans in 142, i felt like his quizzes contained a lot of off-topic material, but i did find the final to be easier-i got a 95 without much preparation :)
Covers lecture material slowly, but not always in a way that will help you on the quizzes. If chemistry isn't your favorite thing, there are lots of options for extra help.
He goes over material slowly, so people can get a good grasp on it. However I find that the quizzes usually have something that we didn't cover well or didn't show up on the posted past quizzes. He does hold a lot of office hours and review sessions to help you though. Overall a good professor.
You WILL have to work hard in this class, but Gerrans is a clear, friendly, funny teacher. I found the book to be very clear also, so staying ahead of him in the reading will help you understand his lectures a lot better. Let's you drop 1 of 4 tests which is veeery helpful.
his intro chem class isn't that easy. youll have to work hard. second exam, average was a 61. ouch. everyone says he lectures slow, but how many times are you scrambling to take down notes before he switches gears? his accent is sweet, but it'll put you to sleep. alas, i recommend his class.
Gus is the clearest chem teacher here, period. Not only is he clear, but he allows you to drop a test which reeeally helps. But people looking into taking his class solely because a portion of it is multiple choice unlike other professors', beware: It isn't easier at all. MC hurts you in orgo.
out of the rest of the chem department, he is the easiest to follow in lecture. plus, he has a south african accent so that isn't so bad. he is tricky on his tests but gives old ones with answers to practice.
No Comments
Papa G is the best chemistry teacher out there. While his tests may seem hard, they are quality tests - they only test you on what you need to know. Also, he is EXTREMELY clear and a wonderful professor.
I have had this for all my chemistry. He is really clear. Forget any other professors if you have a choice to take him. Though do not mistake him for easy. It is easy if you understand his very easy explanations, which even a snail can understand. He is funny, and relates chemistry to outside work.
I love Prof Gerrans!!! I took his 141&142, 241&242. He reminded me of my grandpa. =) His lectures were very clear. He's kind and was always there to help. All his 141&42 tests were multiple choice and orgo was a mixture of multiple choice and short answers. Try hard and you should be ok getting B or above in his class.
Gerrans is a very nice man and really helpful during his office hours. He really tries. Lectures can be really dull but what do expect from organic chemistry. Tests are hard but fair, study your notes and do the practice tests because they really help you prepare.
Professor Gerrans is a sometimes boring lecturer but makes up for it with his accent and his humor. A must have!
gus is hard
Fair (but sometimes difficult) tests, doesn't rush through material, explains it clearly, and a nice man. Really, just look at the number of students signing up for his Chem class in comparison to other available section b/c that says it all.
cool accent and real nice guy. class can be real boring, mostly sleep through his lectures, but he takes his time and doesnt rush through material so that all the students can understand. probably best of the 3 chem prof, i would def take him again.
I LOVE GERRANS!! extremely fair, fabulous/clear lectures, cool accent. really is a great man and amazing professor
Lectures=boring. I taught myself most of it from memory of high school. Sense of humor=not funny. Supposedly better than other professors.
Incredidibly boring lectures. Prior to this class I wasn't aware that a teacher with an accent could be monotone. This entire year I have learnt nothing, the reason I did not fail is due to my IB chemistry class. If you can, avoid Gerrans at all costs.
nice guy but i didnt learn anything from his lectures. specimen quizzes were very decpetive and did not cover what was eventually on the test! has a great TA though and she is very helpful. i learned everything from thinkwell and linh (the TA)
Gerrans is amazing. A must-have for Chem 141/142.
He is without a doubt the best Chem 141/142 teacher there is.
What he goes over in class is very deceptive, along with his problem sets, the quizzes are different and require you to learn more than what he is teaching.
you can think you know the material, but once you get to the quizzes it's like wtf?!
Gus is my boy. ive had him for 2 semesters and ive joyed him right from the beginning. he is very clear and on the whole the quizzes are very fair. IF YOU DONT WANT TO ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK THEN TAKE GUS. i never read and got an A- in the class. be sure to visit him at office hours- hes a really sweet old man.
Uses transparencies. Tests are mostly based on things covered in class. Cool accent!
Read the book. Do the practice problems from the syllabus. That's all I'm saying. If you base your entire studying on lecture notes, you will be in poor shape for quiz time. I got an A- BECAUSE I did the practice problems. Take the time. Do them.
Incredibly organized, clear, knows exactly what he's covered in lecture - to succeed, you must read the book and lecture notes well - sometimes tells funny stories to spice up the lecture
Love the accent! His lectures are very clear and I hardly ever need to read the textbook. Do the homework and the practice quizes and you should be fine!
EWw.... He uses his transparencies - but they don't help for the quiz - quizzes? nothing from the lecture or thinkwell hw problems or from the old quizzes... i didn't like this class... the only way to succeed is if you learned a lot from high school
Prof. Gerrans is wonderful. I was intimidated at first because i came into his class with a very weak background in Chemistry and a lot of my classmates took AP or IB Chem. But that's ok because Gerrans is very clear with his lectures and I love this class. It's challenging if you haven't had chem already but an A is definitely obtainable.
Prof Gerrans is a very good proffessor, and man, are his notes the best or what.. definitely take hmi for your 142/141, he'a awesome, but study well for the quizzes, he might make them tough once in a while, and i love his accent. His flaws are only that he's a lil bad with electronics, but who cares.. he rocks
People who say he's really hard didn't study enough. His tests are based a lot on your actual understanding of the material and his class notes, though it does help to do the problems in the book for practice. He's also very approachable and helpful at his office hours.
Gerrans gives fairly easy tests if you know the material and do the practice tests. His lectures are organized and easy to understand. Often lightens up the class with an amusing transparency.
Really boring lectures, about 1/4 of the class came on Fridays. He's helpful during his office hours, but his quizes are pretty random and requires you to read the questions very very carefully. I recommend taking him since the other two proffessors seem to be worse.
If ur going to take Orgo, take it with Gerrans. U don't need to read the book to do well. All u need are his notes, the recommended problems, and practice tests. The curve is also a big help. Tests are consistent (12 multiple choice, 3 free response) and if you've had him before he's almost predictable. Much better than the other 2 professors!
Chemistry sucks. BUT, if you must take it, GET GERRANS. He has a sense of humor and has a british accent. I know that has nothing to do with his teaching, but he is the cutest old man i have ever met. But seriously, hes a good/clear teacher, and fair.
Great teacher; he presents his lectures very clearly with handouts and examples. However, being the weedout course that it is for premeds, this class is not easy. Halfway into the semester, I stopped going to class. The information in his lectures is chem you learned sophomore year, but his quizzes are extremely tricky and often irrelevant.
Nice guy with a cute British accent. Chem 141 is a killer, whoever you have. Supposedly Gerrans is one of the lesser evils. Quizzes are VERY specific. If you have to take this class, take it with Gerrans or Harmon. If you don't have to take this class, then definitely don't take it.
Amazing professor. Very organized, nice, and helpful. Tests are hard but fair. Do optional problems and study his notes & Oxtoby carefully.
Orgo Chem is no joke...especially the second half. If you don't understand something ASK! Correct your tests within two days after you get them, and review your notes a little bit everyday. Trust me. This will save you a lot of heartache throughout the semester. By the way, the multiple choice are what will hurt your grade.
This guy sucks compared to Harman, his accent put me to sleep every class, he's not funny either. If you like copying overhead notes all class then he's your guy, i don't take notes however. Got an A+ in 141 and 142 (its possible if you stop taking notes and try to understand the concepts), he's alright, not as cool as Harman though.
Gerrans is a only a decent lecturer, but he's a very nice guy who is very helpful to students (go to his office!). Tests are fair and test important concepts without requiring specific memorizations. However, I had more success simply watching Thinkwell tutorials rather than going to lecture. Take Harman if available, but take Gerrans over Metcalf.
boring, but a good teacher. quizzes come from lecture so go to class. love the accent!
Amazing professor! His notes are incredible! He makes it easy to succeed in his class if you work hard and study his notes. Although orgo was difficult, I am so glad I took it with Gerrans.
He is a good teacher; however, he doesn't have powerpoints which means 3 pages of notes everyday. It's not too hard as long as you put in a little effort.
Professore Gerrans is a good teacher with a great accent but very boring. The class is so large that coming to lecture is almost pointless and sleep always ensues during lecture. The quizzes are fair and adequately test one's knowledge of chemistry.
Gerrens methodically covers the material, explaining everything you need to know for the quizzes. His accent is really fun to listen to.
Not GREAT but very clear about things you need to know for exams. It's hard to stay awake at 9am to copy off from transparencies though since he's a bit boring...i heard he has easier quizzes compared to the other 2 lecturers though. Funny accent.
Extremely helpful! You must go to his office hour!
Very clear and straightforward professor. Known to be easier than the other chemistry teachers. I'd say you can't go wrong with Gerrans.
He's a pretty good teacher. Shows you EXACTLY what to take notes on. You'll be writing notes ALL class, so get a notebook big enough. Tests are better than Metcalfs. Never had Harmon, but I hear he's better.
Tough not to fall asleep -- he's really boring. When I did manage to get to class and also pay attention (rarely), he did explain things clearly though. Absolutely take Harman for 141, he's sooo much better.
He is no Harman but Harman doesn't teach first-years anymore so boo. Do take him over Metcalf and read the book! Specimen quizzes don't really give good idea of real quizzes. Go to office hours too and he will do any problem you give him.
Like others have said, he is no Harman. However, Gerrans does give notes and presents the basics in class. Read the textbook, go to office hours, and do practice problems to really understand the concepts.
For the 2008 year, Gerrans has been the easiest of the three chem teachers (Metcalf is the hardes, Grisham in between). His quizzes are the easiest of the three, but keep in mind they are curved, so you are competing against others. He is a pretty good teacher, but you can probably get most of it if you read the book.
His classes can be a little boring at times, but he's really helpful when you go and talk to him. I once bubbled wrong on a quiz and when I talked to him about it and showed him my work, he gave me the benefit of the doubt and gave me my points back! It's a huge class, but when you talk to him one on one, he really seems to care about his students!
He is so cute and enthusiastic! His South African accent is adorable and his notes in class are very organized and easy to follow.
He is an awesome lecturer and professor. Take him and you will not regret it. Much better than metcalf and grisham from what i heard.
gerrans is a great professor--the best out of the gen chem teachers at UVa. His quizzes are easier than the other professors quizzes and he's just an awesome guy. it's too bad he's not teaching next semester :( take him and you won't regret it!
Good professor, quizzes weren't absurdly hard but if you didn't study a solid amount you could get below the class average. Had really helpful TA recitations and gave out previous quizzes, although they were always much easier than the actual tests. Good professor, definitely the best one but it didn't seem to me like anyone of them were superb
Like a lot of students, I was worried about orgo at the beginning of the semester. Yet after I took practice quizzes, attended lectures, and spent time studying the lecture notes, my work really paid off. Although orgo is a difficult class, it was reassuring to know that with time and effort, it was not impossible.
Gerrans is an excellent professor whose notes and lectures are crystal clear and easy to follow. his notes are extremely organized, and he is available outside of class for extra help. great for gen chem too.
Best teacher I have ever had.
Take orgo with Gerrans! His notes are very clear and he's always willing to help if you're confused. The class is not a breeze, but what you learn is invaluable. Comparatively, orgo with Burnett was too simple and rather uninteresting. Go to class and you won't need to read the book.
Extremely organized and lecture notes are crystal clear. Quizzes aren't terrible but you need to study.
He's a very smart and lucid Chemistry teacher. He helps students who find it hard. He keeps class alive by showing cartoons of scientists and funny comments here and there. He is the teacher built to teach CHEM 141/142!
Very Good!!
Professor Gerrans was a great chem teacher. Will miss him!
Class Info
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.09 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM121
5.0
(1)CHEM2412
5.0
(2)CHEM14122412
5.0
(1)CHEM140S240S
5.0
(1)CHEM241242
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
CHEM121
4.0
PSYCH220
4.0
CHEM1410
4.0
CHEM241
3.4
CHEM242
3.3