2.3
Quality4.3
Difficulty23%
Would Retake83
Reviews23%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
13
4
8
3
10
2
20
1
32
What Students Say
“Don't take him if you want any hope of passing”
PHY234 - 1.0 rating“He's a real nice guy and has a good sense of humor (dry, but funny) but good god, his class is horrible”
PHY230 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
47%
Textbook Required
33%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS309
5.0
(1)PHYSICS2
4.0
(1)PHY220221
3.0
(5)PHY231
2.8
(6)PHY220
2.8
(29)Difficulty by Course
PHY234
4.7
PHY221
4.6
PHY231
4.3
PHY230
4.3
PHY220
4.2
Reviews (83)
Very odd sense of humor...keeps us laughing. Also very helpful to students who don't understand right away.
He's helpful in his office hours. Unless you read the text with comprehension before the lecture, you'll be completely lost in lecture and might as well not go. As an instructor, he knows his stuff, but tend to be confusing when he explains it to others.
In general, his exams have the whole class scratching their heads wondering where he came up with the problems. The class average for the first exam was below failing. He's funny, and nice, but it's very hard to comprehend what's going on in lecture. Learned more from my tutor than going to lecture
This is the Hardest class i have taken at GV. He is a nice guy and helps alot but his class is horrible. He is hard to understand and his tests are extremely hard. Take another teacher if you can, you will definatly thank me later.
worst teacher ever. doesn't know how to teach effectively. i've never failed an exam before. DON'T TAKE THIS PROF.
This has to be the easiest class I have ever had in 8+ years of college. The class was difficult but challenging. Kudos to Prof. Schnyders for a well taught, and intellectually stimulating with some bizarre humor thrown in for fun. Read the text and listen to the lectures and you will be fine. A+
knows the context. doesn't know how to teach. grades unfairly. avoid this professor at all costs.
I've always been an A-B student. I just got a 46% on the last exam. I put in a good ten hours a week studying for this class and it does little good, because his lectures are so confusing. He's a nice man, and has a great sense of humor, but can't teach in lay man's terms.
Physics is just impossible, i used to be an A/B student, but i got a 35% on the first exam which was supposidly average. Go to his office hours several times a week and get a tutor, its your only hope. Other then that he is a nice guy, willing to help and has a grest sense of humor.
It's a tough subject, so YOU have to guage your level of understanding and get help if you need it. I found reading the text after lecture helped a LOT. I don't understand the grading unfairly comment-either you got it right or you didn't. Nice guy-made a dull subject bearable.
If you can learn by seeing how half of a problem is done, and you eventually catch on to things without explaination, then get Harold as your prof. If you struggle without seeing every step, or almost every step,don't get this man! He has a tendancy to be degrading to those who don't just catch on.
This is a great prof. I have never taken physics before and he made it very interesting and fun to learn. Everyone says he's way too hard, but guess what? We are in college now. Portfolio is great to have sample problems in, let's you use on test. Great sense of humor, laughed every class.
This Class might as well have been self instructional, everything I learned, I learned from the book. Read the chapters before he goes over them in class, otherwise you will have no idea what is going on. He is a very smart guy, maybe too smart to be teaching this class. Exams are impossible!
If you take this guy, then you're the jackass. he sucks and babbles about random unimportant stuff. tests are nearly impossible
i am used to getting A's in science classes. i got far from an A in this class. i was told that as long as i am putting in enough work i will get a curve. i was curved to a C+. lectures were nothing like the homework and tests were so out of this world he took half the exam period explaining them.
Don't take him. Take Karen Gibson. She's WAY better. She makes learning fun. He's just confusing. I'm in second semester with her and it's like a breath of fresh air after a semester of going "huh???" to everything he says. SHE makes sure the class understands stuff before going on.
This man is the spawn of satan sent to this world to torture students. His philosophy as he put it "I assign enough problems so that after you struggle through them hopefully you will understand the concept. Note to Schnyders: Try teaching the concept so that students can do the problem.
The "Good Doctor" is in!!! Dr. Schneyders is a great professor. He's tough, but that's life baby! Study hard and you'll be fine. Good Luck!
He is not a cake walk, but genuinely cares about students learning. Willing to meet with you a ton. If you don't get the concepts and don't go to see him, you are at fault for doing bad. Tests are over what he teaches.
Two Words: GOOD LUCK!!!
Harold is a good professor. Everyone complains that his tests are too hard, but you are allowed to use some previously completed problems. If you understand the basics, all of his test questions are the exact same concepts as those portfolio problems. Easy A if Physics isnt a huge struggle for you
No Comments
Good Professor, cares about student's learning, flexible, very helpful and personable. If you don't understand go see him. Read the chapters, do your homework and you'll do fine.
The class isn't easy, but c'mon it's college, it's not supposed to be. Of course it wasn't overly difficult either. Sometimes it can be a bit confusing, but if you struggle with Physics, just ask for help and he'll give it. Overall nice guy
Prof. Schnyders was willing to do what ever was necessary to get the point through in a manner I could grasp. I highly recommend taking his course.
Schnyders is helpful if you show you care about the class. Stop whining and do the damn assignment.
Gets upset when people do not participate/ask questions. However, when someone actually does ask a question, he belittles them in front of the class. Does not effectively describe concepts, and then tests at a level that would prove difficult for someone who is majoring/minoring in phsyics. Does not show actual concern for students.
Worst professor ever. Gives you no indication oh how well you are doing in the class. You just assume that because you do the homework correctly you understand the subject. Then when exam time comes you realize that in fact you know nothing about what this man is teaching. He changes his exam format for every exam so you have no idea how to prepare
Dr. S was very, very helpful seeing him out of class, he really put the concepts into perspective and was very patient when I didn't understand right away. I was in his office every day with questions, but he was cool with it. However, his exams changed formats often and there is no standard grading scale. Funny guy though, crazy sense of humor.
Doesn't explain anything. He constantly messes up class examples and never finishes problems so you never have complete, correct examples to learn from. He tries really hard to be funny but ends up just losing control of the class and making a fool of himself. Tests are extremely hard and nether hoimework or class prepares you for them. AVOID!!
Harry knows physics very well, but in my lecture of 100 he was the only one that knew what he was talking about. Online assignments are hard and test are impossible. I would sell my soul to pass that class.
Nice guy but very hard to understand. He was pretty helpful with concepts that were confusing and demonstrations were okay but his tests were usually only three problems long and if you didn't understand the smallest thing, your grade was screwed. Lectures were hard to follow and hard to understand. Funny guy though.
He cannot teach the material to people who are learning it for the first time. His grading is ridiculous, and he uses a technique he calls "quantum grading," and it is just how it sounds- one can only earn discrete levels of points, such as 0, 1/2, and 1, but not much else. It's hard to earn partial credit on tests which are only worth 6 points.
Worthless professor. Teaches the concepts but when it comes to the math he just tells you to look in the book. Doesn't teach actual strategies for solving each problem, he just assumes that it is completely obvious to everyone. I attend every single class, read each chapter at least twice, participate in the lecture and discussion, and study my
He doesnt care about his students, he never tells you what your grade is ever in the class and he expects you to teach yourself.
Test questions do not relate to homework or material taught in class
very hard, teach yourself, use your book, no partial credit, expect to fail quizzes, he can be funny at times though.
Nice guy, but it was very hard to understand the material in the classes. The homework problems never correlated with the problems shown on exams.
He is genuinely a very smart person, however he can't teach his knowledge in a way that his students understand. The material he says he isn't putting on an exam turns out to be on the exam. He also doesn't give partial credit and you never know what your grade is until after he grades the final. His grading is completely subjective. AVOID!
First off, he is a good guy, but not a good teacher. Very difficult to follow in class. Exams are very hard and don't represent what he teaches, if you can call it that. Several times he said to just read it in the book. Grading system is a mess, you won't know how you are doing until you get your grade, which probably won't be good. stay away
Hard class, harder professor, everyone told me not to take him but he was not bad. If you know your stuff really well and show up to classes and put in the effort you could pass.
Makes you feel like a nuisance when you show up for office hours, never responds to emails, constantly has his door closed and lights off, homework and exam material don't line up at all. Can't recommend Harold as a teacher for anything, for the amount of money we have to pay to attend class we deserve higher quality than this.
The worst prof. I have ever had.
Unless you're a physics major or know a lot about physics, good luck with this guy. He doesn't really help you out at all. Nice guy, bad teacher. Seems a bit full of himself and displays that in his explanations of the material. Wouldn't recommend him at all. If you can't avoid him... Worship your book.
I had him for an advanced physics lab and this seems to be the place to have him. The class is mainly self directed, but he is always around to provide guidance if needed. His sharp-witted sense of humor definitely helps and I found him to be very approachable.
Very funny guy, but this was by far the worst class I have ever taken. He was very helpful in labs, but lectures were a nightmare. I had no clue what was going on and he was not very helpful when people asked him to explain things again. Overall I would not recommend this teacher unless.
Lectures are pointless, he doesn't teach anything relevant to the homework or tests. He makes his exams extremely difficult, worth seven points, and doesn't give much partial credit at all. Don't take him if you want any hope of passing.
Don't ask to many questions, try to get on his good side, would be better suited for reached graduate classes, bad professor, don't take
Teaches based on his own logic, which doesn't help you learn the material at all.
Get ready to teach yourself everything.
He's a real nice guy and has a good sense of humor (dry, but funny) but good god, his class is horrible. His exams are never out of more than 16 points, so if you miss a question you're boned. Never finishes a question completely through, says "you can do the math on this" and leaves it. Just don't if you want to save your grade.
He is the worst prof Ive ever had. Long disjointed lectures that have nothing to do the tests that are based on, well no one knows what they are based on. He does not want you to bother him with questions. Thats beneath him. Avoid at al costs!!!
Unless you are already a PHD, dont bother. Lectures are not on either course materials or the tests. He is self absorbed and cruel. Questions? Need help? Forget that, he does not care. He will mock you for not being as smart as he is though. Avoid at all costs!!!
The material shouldn't be too hard if you have any background in physics (I don't so it was horrible). he does care about the students grades and if you have a dry sense of humor you'll love him. But if you are taking other hard classes try not to take this at the same time. The whole lecture is spent doing a textbook problem which doesn't help.
He was a good professor in that he was entertaining but his tests were just questions out of the books. You turn homework in weekly just for credit but only turn in one question to receive feedback on. His lectures basically consisted of doing 2 problems out of the textbook and that was it. If you feel lost before going into the class, skip him.
Funny and cares but has no sense of continuity. Jumps around in terms of content and doesnt follow the book other than using it for practice problems.
yikes.. you teach yourself physics, he is honestly no help. organic chem tutor and professor dave explains on youtube were my teachers. i had to invest in chegg because he doesnt give answers that help me understand problems.
Do NOT take his class. He never responded to any of the emails that were sent to him. Had microexams every week but he did not give us answer keys to check our answers after its graded. Also, grading is inconsistent hence why he doesnt want to give exam keys. Lectures are spent working out a couple book problems. Basically taught myself
I had him for my physics 231 lab. He seems like a really chill guy. Helpful in labs.
IDK how this man still has a job at GVSU as he clearly doesn't care about student success. I depended on the book and youtube to teach me. His replies are rude and unhelpful. He never emails students back. Grading is inconsistent and he procrastinates on grading. Seems to be unorganized, unprofessional, and lacks compassion for this job
Absolutely horrible, and I really mean that. Changes his syllabus 3 days before a final exam so that students are NO longer benefited from having one exam dropped... oh yeah, and he made this change during an "optional" class period. Class is a joke. Will 110% never email you back, ever. Inconsistent grading... cause that's fair. 10/10 TERRIBLE
He comes to class with a apathetic attitude and seems to only be there for the paycheck. He is horrible at communicating with students (never responding to any emails), remarks are snarky and rude, and could care less about his students succeeding. His grading is inconsistent (fair right?). Avoid at all cost. Dont waste your tuition money on him.
Lab with him is a joke. Students sit there not knowing what to do bc he doesnt explain anything. Ask him a question and hell mock you and make you feel stupid. Leaves the lab room constantly. Currently dont have a grade (its finals weeks) due to him procrastinating. Do not recommend taking a class with him.
Never posted his grading scale and exam keys. Grading was very inconsistent. Never replied to emails and seemed to not be interested in teaching. We basically didnt know our grades until they were posted on Banner. He was rude and when asked a question, he would mock you and talk down to you. Dont take his class
Do not take this professor for Physics. I thought this would be not as bad as the first half of physics, but this professor made it ten times worse. We had mini exams, but the grading was all over the place. He also never shared keys with us or gave us worksheets to give us examples. Sometimes he would not follow the timeline of homework either.
Everyone says that Schnyders is horrible, but after taking him for 2 semesters now, I think people don't realize that this is a FLIPPED CLASS. You must read the textbook chapters and do the practice problems in the textbook BEFORE class if you want to pass, and it's not bad. If you like to learn at you own pace, take Schnyders. He cares if you try.
There is not ample time to do homework, and it is not helpful because there is no hints unless you give up credit. Also dont expect your questions to be answered he never replies to email. Also be prepared to be mocked if you are not up to his standards or dont understand whats going on in class. Questions are never fully answered.
He doesn't explain things very well and doesn't help you learn. Hasn't been helpful ay working with students asking to get help outside of class.
He would not fully teach any concepts and had no structured notes, you have to read the book and get the material from there. If you want to teach yourself physics (WHO DOES???) then avoid him at all costs. I'm a straight A student and I got a B- if that says anything. He is funny on occasion but honestly it comes off as arrogant. Worst prof ever.
he literally never responds to emails for help and he barely does any example problems that help you actually learn the concepts
Just read the book, you'll be more than alright. I read the chapter before class and he clarified things that were a bit fuzzy. But, you HAVE to read the book.
Never responds to emails, instructions are unclear on tests, and comes off as arrogant when asking for clarification.
Never responds to emails. Never available during his office hours. Very confusing lectures he is all over the place. Does not put any grades in the grade book. Is not welcoming when you have questions comes across very arrogant/cocky.
Nice guy but not good at teaching physics. Lectures are very disorganized and he tends to hyper-focus on one part and then completely leave out other topics that end up on the exams or homework. Also not very good at answering questions and clarifying confusions you may have. You will be teaching this course to yourself and using Chegg religiously.
Dr. Schnyders always kept lectures entertaining and fun. I always had a smile on my face. He did a decent job answering questions as he never truly gave you the answer, but rather gave you pointers to guide you on the right track, which I appreciated. Physics is a hard course so it takes a lot of time outside of class to master.
Great lab professor, he is always willing to help and explains things decently. Very easy grader, but falls really behind. Schnyders is pretty funny, and honestly just lets you just get the lab done and leave.
He is a good teacher, people just hate physics. Schnyders cares about his students learning the and will help you at almost any time. If you're taking a physics class but refuse to read the textbook then a bad grade is on you, and he makes that clear. Also he gave a ton of extra credit on our second exam. If you read the book you'll be fine.
He was awful. After a week in his class, I knew I wasn't going to understand anything. I am a good student, and typically have A's and B's because I give a lot of effort in my classes. After the first exam, I failed it and I still didn't know how to do it. Lectures are very random compared to what is on the exams. Don't take this professor.
This guy is one of the worst professor I have ever had at GVSU. I would rather jump off a bridge than take one of his classes. He is a cocky ass who doesn't care whether his students pass or learn anything. Even if you go to his office hours he won't help. I struggled and had to supplement his lectures with tutors. GO TO HELL HAROLD.
I read every chapter of the book, it wasn't clicking, I reached out to him for additional resources and he told me I just need to read the textbook "properly." He also lies about what he'll put on exams; insists you "focus hard" on certain topics and leaves them off altogether, replaces w stuff not mentioned. Not much partial credit. AVOID
worst professor ever. doesnt teach well, unorganized and you cannot read his handwriting, quizzes and tests come straight from the textbook. he doesnt give any partial or extra credit and grades exams very hard. he has given me multiple zeros because i did a single thing in the problem wrong and didnt bother looking at what i did after.
Not terrible, considering the reputation of GVSU physics. Very hard grader on exams. Does a decent job answering questions about homework or chapter reading in class. Doesn't respond to emails, which is pretty rude.
Prof Schnyders was great for lab! He was very witty and always set expectations at the beginning of class. He isn't a tough lab grader by any means, but also never entered any grades ever in blackboard which was a little annoying. Otherwise great
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
47%
Textbook Required
33%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS309
5.0
(1)PHYSICS2
4.0
(1)PHY220221
3.0
(5)PHY231
2.8
(6)PHY220
2.8
(29)Difficulty by Course
PHY234
4.7
PHY221
4.6
PHY231
4.3
PHY230
4.3
PHY220
4.2