2.6
Quality3.8
Difficulty30%
Would Retake126
Reviews30%
Would Retake
126
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
27
4
16
3
20
2
11
1
52
What Students Say
“She gives three tests and replaces the lowest grade with the final which is the easiest one”
PCB4023 - 5.0 rating“She's tough and taking her six week course didn't make things any easier”
PCB3063 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
28%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.56 avg changeRatings by Course
CELLBIO
5.0
(1)BSC4931
5.0
(1)PCB4932
5.0
(1)BSC2023
4.0
(7)BSC1005
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PCB4931
5.0
PCB4234
4.5
PCB4233
4.3
CELLBIOLOGY
4.0
PCB4932
4.0
Reviews (126)
She's new but the class was tough. She expects a lot of independent reading. Be warned.
Class was easy for the most part; read the text, review the PPT, take a test. Typical Biology based class. She takes a passion in an, albeit dry but interesting, course. Take her over the other Genetics professors as she follows a more traditional testing style.
She is really easy. Her tests come straight from her in class clicker questions and the old exams. You don't need to study the text much. Just read the powerpoints. Her accent is thick but she is a super sweet person. Take her because she is so much easier than Mills but doesn't wander off the subject like Tracey.
Really boring but you do not have to go to class to pass. The key is too just read her power points (which she puts online) and make sure you go to the class before the exam for the review. Her reviews literally could not be more detailed on what's going to be on the exam. If you do that you'll be fine and get an A. Just make sure you study.
Can someone figure out where she is from please? She has a very strong accent, but this is the only professor I would ever take Bio classes with. All the information is on the powerpoints and there are 3 exams that are straight forward. The final is optional. Grades on a curve!
She's a sweet heart! Super nice, but the class isn't for people interested in bio, so it can be boring despite her efforts. Class is not mandatory or needed, just read the power points she puts online before the test, which are straight forward. Also, she answers emails really quickly. Easy class :)
Highly recommended! There are a total of 3 tests plus 1 assignment (which is extremely easy). DON'T BUY THE BOOK. I never even opened it once the whole semester. Just study her powerpoint notes and you'll be fine. I barely went to class and just studied the notes and passed the class with an A by doing this.
Disregard the comment that says the old exams did not help. I got an A in this class. Never touched the text. Just studied her old exams and powerpoints. Minimum effort. I studied the night before the exam. The questions were word to word like the old exams. She didn't even change the order of the multiple choices. Easiest teacher ever. Take her !!
Easyyyy A! Must take! She is very helpful and truly sweet. DON'T buy the book, just look at her power points. However, don't wait 'til the night before to study for the test.It is a lot of information, but tests are easy. I passed the class with an A. (didn't use book and barely went to class)
TAKE HER! 3 Tests, Final is optional if you passed the 3 exams. One small assignment. Tells you what to study for the test. Has powerpoints with full summaries of chapters, so no need to buy the book. GOT AN A! SHE IS GREAT!!
I don't know what happened, she changed her exams and they weren't easy, but she does replace lowest with either final exam or PLTL score. Just study!!! Don't slack, I got a B. She's not bad, she's better than other professors.
One of the better genetic teachers. 4 exams (all from power points) and a final. She does not curve, but drops the lowest grade. Also PLTL replaces your final if you take it (and that is awesome!) Better than Tracey according to kids in my PLTL class.
I didn't learn too much in her class but to fulfill the UCC, she is an easy class. I got a B because I didn't read her powerpoints but she puts them online and highlights the important parts. Don't waste money on the book and attendance is not mandatory! I recommend!
Really nice professor. I got an A. Tests are straightforward as long as you know her power points. It helps to read the chapters also. Also do the pltl... it makes a huge difference!
She was really nice and helpful but hard to understand in lectures. She didn't demand attendance but I didn't miss many classes. I like the fact that she was extremely helpful during her office hours.
She got a little creative this semester with her exams (making them harder). Her teaching is not that useful and she tends to be boring. She doesn't curve, her final is optional and cumulative. You have to read the book and know the material very well if you want an A. Not the hardest class but you have to work!
I don't know what she did but her class was not as people said below! Her exams were super hard test #2 had a 50% average. If you want to pass you have to work hard. 5% extra credit for portal and 8% for some stupid public service announcement
I took this class bc someone personally recommended her class as being easy,IDK what happened but this class was HARD.The third test was impossible,the powerpoint slides do not help AT ALL,the pltl is only to add a few extra points(you need 100% in pltl for it to help,less than 90% it doesnt add any points)You wont get A,even with lots of Xcredit
She is very rude. You try to ask her a question, and she speaks to you as if you are asking her something inappropriate. Also, her grading scale is ridiculous! She does not understand the fundamentals of math! How is a 89.99% is a B+? Or a 79.99% a C+? If there is a number that is .5 or higher, then you round to the next whole number! She is angry!
she's an ok professor. as long as you study with time in advance you should do well on the course. Like any Biology course, it is not to study for the night before!I never really liked her cause she had a strong accent and arrogant attitude but as far as being a professor, she is pretty good.
Oh My Gosh, she is so hard! You really gotta know your stuff in order to pass the exams. It is very difficult to get an A in any of her exams. She doesn't curve but gives extra credit assignments. You gotta study the textbook like 3 times before you take the test. The class avg was 73,66 and 71 resptively for her 3 exams. Easy final though.
This class was hard to get a GOOD grade. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT, it will help you ALOT! Never miss one day in class because she goes over what it is gonna be on the exams. Read and understand EVERYTHING she tells you to read on the text. Read the chapters before and after the lecture... The final was easy, but the 3 exams were not.
Not a bad teacher, had for genetics and she was great, for cell bio not so much. I think its cause this subject is harder and there tons of info. She didn't curve but she offered extra credit hw(5% toward final grade)and let us have a 1 page cheat sheet for the final (which replaced your lowest score) If they ever have PLTL for this class, do it!
A lot of work for a one credit class. She's fair but you need a tough skin. She can be demanding and part of the class involves getting public feedback about your performance which can be embarrassing. This will help you in the long run but it can feel very uncomfortable.
She is hard & she remembers who comes to class and who doesn't!!Anyways,write down the clicker questions she does in class at the end of each chap. Those Q's show up on the test even if she says they won't.Read the text and eat it!Her exams really make you think.She doesn't curve which sucks but her final was very easy & it saved a lot of students.
Finally an exceptional professor for Virology. She definitely knows her stuff and teaches the material with grand passion. Many opportunities for open discussions in class. Her exams are slightly challenging because the amount of material but if you read her PowerPoints you will be fine! Attend class, it's mandatory (In class Assignments)! Great!
Very interesting class and subject! Her lectures were pretty interesting. The exams were almost entirely from the test bank of the Cell Biology text book. I would recommend you read the chapters and then do practice questions from the testbanks. 3 exams and a cumulative final.
The worst teacher and person ever! She's rude and careless. If you do anything wrong and have a question about it, she has no pitty so she would say I don't know what to tell you or it's your fault. She's not a people person and bad temper in class. If you go to her office, she would only attack you with words. Her exam are hard and she doesnt care
I would never take her again as a professor at FIU, she doesn't come to work to love what she does "teaching". She's extremely nasty in class and her learning curve is three days before we actually do the chapter. For instance, you have chapter 8 due two weeks because you cover in class. Her excuse is you should read ahead. Run!
It is very difficult to get an A in any of her exams especially for the online class. If you want a “B-” read the entire book and read it more than once. In order to do well, you literally have to read every chapter and remember all the little details. Don't recommend.
Dont take online! Its as if shes punishing you for taking an online class. There is 3 "quizzes", each quiz is 40 ques. Midterm &Final. So 5 test in total. Then you have this discussion research, respond to all members disc. and you have to do a brochure with like 1000words. Also this learning curve type quizzes weekly, and like 2chps/wk. Horrible!!
She does not provide an answer key for tests. She asks you to figure it out on your own, how do I know what I got wrong if I got it wrong the first time? Illogical. She is lazy and not very caring. I don't recommend the online course. I'd probably go with another professor for genetics. She didn't help me go beyond what I wanted in the course.
I do not recommend this professor. Lectures are useless, however she does iClicker questions so come to class. If you can, take another professor.
DO NOT take her online. Compared to her exams she gives in class, she is twice as hard online. The Saturday morning exams are a pain and she doesn't even look at you when you come. She seemed rude. We have so many more assignments online and shorter time to take the quizzes. Again, DO NOT take her online. You'll save yourself from a lot of stress.
DO NOT TAKE HER ONLINE! She's horrible. She's extremely lazy and doesn't care about her student. She purposely makes her midterm and final hard for nothing. She's absolutely the worst professor. But most of the professor at FIU are horrible
I took this class online. Her quizzes are not hard, but her two tests are cumulative and extremely hard. She is not very helpful. Don't take the class online and avoid her.
She is not a good professor but you can get an A as long as you try hard enough. Read before class, attend every class, do the homework, and study hard. She also gives some extra credit which really helps.
I had Genetics with her. Awful teacher, treats you like children. Don't talk, don't eat, don't ask questions cause she just confuses you. Attendance is important, tests are really hard. study your butt off if you want a decent grade. I don't recommend taking her.
Took her for immunology, genetics, and bio of AIDS. You learn in her classes but she makes you work for your A. Study the power points and you will be fine. She does give at least one project in most classes and some extra credit. Always available during office hours and via email. If you want to learn the subject well, take her.
She is an absolutely knowlegable and inspirational woman. I suppose most negative rates come from students that do not put enough effort because I have taken 4 classes with her and got straight As in them all. I can also say for sure that I have learned a lot from this professor! Don't miss class and pay special attention to the power points.
Honestly, as a pre-med student that needs to keep my GPS high, taking this professor was the worst decision. She purposely wants students to do bad! she doesn't teach in class so be ready to read every chapter of the book for the tests. The tests also have the hardest questions imaginable! we're not PHD's! this is our first time taking the class!
Before class, READ!! chapter before completing online assignments so you can understand the material. Ask questions! in class she doesn't teach the material, but answers your questions. If not then there's clickers, activities etc. everything is in groups ( she picks them). Sometimes she will confuse you so ask her LA for help. Time Consuming. .
DON'T TAKE HER. She is really nice but her test are impossible!! Her lectures are hard to understand. If you want a good grade be aware that this professor is not easy at all and her classes are really hard.
this was the worse classe I've ever took. the course is long like 45 slides per chapter and ione test was 6 to 7 chapters. she doesnot curve even her extrat credits are hard and only count for 2 points. avoid her if you can unless you are a straight F student
Aside from the test being seemingly impossible to get more than a 75 on, she's rude. Average test scores when I took her for Genetics was 50-65 and she wouldn't curve.
she's a very nice person. I took her for cell bio, I got A's in all the exams. Don't wait for the night of the exam to start study... do so in advance. some of the clicker questions come up in the exams. she makes you work for your grade... do not take her if you lazy.
Cell Bio is not an easy subject so don't expect to just show up in class and pass with flying colors, you need to study! She gives three tests and replaces the lowest grade with the final which is the easiest one. She does iclicker questions everyclass which are worth the same as one test, and also gives extra credit if you sign for wiiley plus
I would not suggest taking this professor at all for any class. although I passed with good grade. No computers, no perfume and her favorite response for only me is look at the syllabus. She lectures to a group of 200 and speaks as if she is having a private one to one conversation even with microphone so you will need notes, book, and ppt.
Very clear in terms of expectations - her PPs provide what to review, her lectures are informative. I've learned so much. Would've taken her for a bunch of other classes if I could go back. But you're learning these subjects, you're not 'coasting by' . Whichever class u take her for, ure learning molecular biology topics - not how to bake a cake
She's very intimidating and low patience. She focuses more on Iclicker questions rather than lecture and her accent throws things way off. The good thing is that she gives the option of 100 points of extra credit and the final replaces the worst test grade. Honestly, if you dont want to stress yourself out, take this class alongside easier classes
Cell biology is a hard subject, but she makes it even harder. Her lectures are based on ppt. She talks as if she was having a conversation with an expert, she doesn't explain the material, she assumes that you already know everything. You definitely have to read the book to pass the exams. Take a different professor if you have the chance.
seriously horrible. her attitude and the way she treats you disrespectfully is what makes the class terrible. not to mention that she doesnt teach you, she lecture as if she were talking to a scientist so you're lost the entire time. dont waste your time and money. find someone else. it's not worth the stress
She's tough and taking her six week course didn't make things any easier. However, with careful listening, routine or clutch studying, and time management, you WILL prevail. Active learning setting so you learn by watching video lectures, ppts and quizzes. Class will be spent reviewing, her answering all questions, and iclickers. LAs are helpful.
The exams have very tricky questions that she barely covers in her PowerPoints. Besides the large amount of information, she gets angry when you ask questions or dont understand something which is ridiculous to me. Take someone else
Its hilarious how in an academic environment she has no respect for her students and gets annoyed if you have questions when its part of her job. The lectures are misleading and she gives confusing explanations that she doesnt clarify even if you ask her. Take someone else. Only a few exams that are very long and have multiple parts
I loved Bio Aids. She has an accent but you get used to it. Class was very long because it was summer A, however you got into it! It was a very interesting class. Tests are multiple choice from the powerpoints. You have a group project, but it's not hard at all. Would take her again!
I honestly think she writes her positive reviews herself, lol. Her lectures are dense and she presents the information without clarifying what everything means so you are confused and have to figure it out on her own. Her office hours are useless, and she just always has an attitude when she should be helping students with her questions.
Teaching method does not work. You will find yourself reading the book with no orientation just as if it was an online class. Professor does not teach in class at all. Lecture recording are very unclear. Professor will also treat you as if you were 10 yo. Avoid at all costs, if lack of options wait until the following semester, it will be worth it.
I don't know where to begin. Professor does not lecture, you must use online resources to teach yourself everything. Quizzes on every class, she covers one entire chapter in 30 minutes, and by cover I mean she asks you questions and then moves on. The professor is incredibly intelligent and knows her stuff but this is NOT a good teaching strategy.
its as if shes not even there because she breezes through the lecture. her lectures are very confusing and she gets angry when you ask her questions which is ridiculous. the exams have tricky questions with many different answers that can be right. has no concern or respect for her students. dont know how shes still at fiu.
I have taken multiple classes with Dr. Schmidtmayerova. If you are interested in learning then she is the professor to take. Do not expect an easy A, you must study ahead of time and work for your grade but you will leave having such a strong base in the sciences. I have a new passion for cancer research because of her bio cancer class!
Shes know what she is teaching, I give her that. But if you have any concerns about your grades and GPA dont take her class. Like at all. If she your last resort take her at own risk.
Professor Schmidtmayerova really knows the material she is trying to teach, but in my opinion her way of delivering the material is very bad. She just talks the entire class like if you were an expert on the subject. Her lectures are based on ppts, and they don't cover anything important at all. So be prepared to read the entire book on your own.
Her lectures are ONLINE. Her class however, is not. Be aware of this before you pay to be"taught"by her videos instead of an actual human being. She gives 15 minute summaries at the start of class as if she was talking at a scientific symposium. Class consists of group activities and 10-20 questions quizzes. The book and the TA's are your only help
DO THE XTR CR. That is honestly what gave me such a good grade. The exams are the hardest since you don't really know what she's gonna pull out. She rushes you when you do the clkrs which I hate since I do know the material and IAMNOTTAKINGTHEMCAT. She has an old style of teaching which does not work anymore, at least not for most of us. GoodLuck.
I took her for genetics, cell bio and bio of aids. With the skills and knowledge I obtained from her classes, I have been able to apply them to all my other classes. She is caring, hardworking, determined, knowledgable, etc. As long as you do your part, I can guarantee that you will not only get a good grade, but actually learn the info forever.
Professor Schmidtmayerova is one of the best professors I have ever taken. If you truly care about learning the material, then definitely take her class. You will have to put effort of course, but it is worth it in the long run. So long as you watch her lecture recordings and do the reading before class, you should be good to go.
lacks respect for students. lots of reading to do and explanations are confusing. also has no patience if you're struggling which is ridiculous. surprised she's still allowed to be at fiu. RUN!
shes a horrible professor. she knows what shes talking about but shes very confusing. i dont like how she explains things. i dont understand her handwriting its a mess. i dont recommend her at all!!!!stay away
Her method of teaching doesnt work for me. She talks to the class as if we are experts on the topic. Her tests are very hard and tricky. Her explanations are confusing. her recordings online dont help at all. I dont recommend her. If you love your gpa do yourself a favor and stay away
knowledgeable, well-respected. You have to do the work of reading and completing assignments online. YOU MUST STUDY before class. She teaches a interactive-style classroom where you work in groups and complete in-class assignments (with notes). It is fun if you and your classmates read the material and know how to have a conversation. OFFER EC.
RUN. FAR. I'm a very dedicated student/nerd & she is the ABSOLUTE WORST! EXTREMELY RUDE! TOUGHEST GRADER! THE HARDEST EXAMS! I ended up with an A bc of the LA's and writing down EVERY SINGLE WORD she said in her lecture videos, plus teaching myself. Class is group work, super hard as well. Take it with whoever else, NOT HER. you've been warned.....
Failed all exams but managed to pass with a B because I had an amazing group (she's big in active learning & entire class is working with your group). She offers extra credit which is what got me through, but never taking another course with her. NEVER. I see her name and I get scared.
While, I rate this professor 5 out of 5, I personally would not take her classes again. Mostly because I am NOT a medical science student and this class was horribly difficult. If you are headed to med. school route then definitely take her! That said I did learn! I just wish I was able to learn more but it was just REALLY hard.
Dr. Schmidtmayerova may not be liked at first simply because she will not change her teaching methodology to make it easier for you. If you decide to take her class and give your 100% you will see how much of a better student you can be. Not only she provided me with a great background in genetics but she taught me how to be autonomous in college
I took genetics with Dr. Schmidtmayerova, it was a hard class but I got an A and after I realized how much I learned I was ready to take another class with her. To my surprise, Immunology was the most interesting class I have taken so far, she is very knowledgeable and truly has a passion for this subject. Expect an A if you work for it.
I took her for Genetics and this was a difficult course but I've also learned a lot too. You have to work extremely hard to do good since Genetics isn't easy. I would definitely recommend her.
The material is difficult to master and she can be hard to understand with her lectures. That being said, the course is thorough in its subject matter and you will exit the course with a descent familiarity with immunology. An A or even a B is not guaranteed. Read the chapters as you progress; her slides do not hold everything for her tests.
She will not allow you to use a computer to take notes. Only handwritten notes allowed during lecture. She doesn't know how to project her voice plus she has a strong accent so I had a very hard time understanding her. I sat in the first row to record her, but even when I played back my recording, its hard to hear her. Shes disrespectful at times
I took her for Cell Biology and thought tgat it was very challenging but found it really interesting. There's 3 exams, 1 final, and clicker questions that count as an exam grade so you must go to class everyday. Study the powerpoints and read the book to understand the concepts better. If you don't understand please ask questions.
Excellent teaching is not only determined by your knowledge on the subject, Helena, but on the way you convey it, your compassion and dedication. I received an A, therefore my opinion is objective. This professor is bad, I am able to see through her facade, just because you're stubborn doesn't make you a good prof. Us students do her work for her.
DO. NOT. TAKE. ANY. CLASS. WITH. HER! She's the rudest teacher I've ever had! Gets mad when you don't know the material, doesn't let LA's help you to understand the material, and assigns SO much homework! She also didn't change any part of her lesson plan or work load to help students with the remote learning transition. Run away from this lady!
60% of her test comes from course hero questions but the rest is lecture. Her class is very long and she talks about a bunch of things without stressing the main idea. The group project was an easy A (if you did more than bare minimum) and she offers a lot of extra credit. This class was harder than it needed to be. I wouldn't recommend this class.
I took her for the summer A term which was not a good idea. Get ready to teach yourself, because she isn't going to. Helena is rude and inconsiderate. There's a lot of homework and she rushing the whole course, but she gives a lot of EC. If you work for it, you'll do well but you'll have to do it on your own because she won't be there to help you.
She doesn't teach you, she asks you questions and expects you to know material she never covered, getting mad if you don't. She prevents the LAs from explaining anything, despite them being godsends. How you you learn? On your own from the separate lectures she posts on canvas, some of which arent even her own. Shes rude and stubborn. DON'T TAKE!!!
I took her 6-week summer remote learning course. It is "active learning" style, so you are expected to have a certain understanding of the material before class starts each time. She gives you all the resources you need and TONS of extra credit. I did average on each exam (75%) and got 100% (A) because I did all the EC and HW.
I don't understand why the negative reviews, It's Biology of AIDS.. a hard subject. This class is not an easy A and apparently when the tests are proctored students hate it cause you can't quizlet your way through it. This professor is a genius and admirable. Read powerpoints and her assigned readings and you WILL get an A. You just have to earn it
If youre not ready to spend at least 2 hours before each class to prepare plus a lot of time studying then don't take her. However, if you do all the work and pay attention, you will learn so much and you will pass with an A. She's an amazing professor, but she might sound rude at times.
Dont take her, Just dont do it to yourself.
She is a very fair professor. I only missed getting an A because I did not take the extra credit seriously earlier in the semester. But if youre interested in the material you will definitely enjoy her class. She is very knowledgeable and willing to help
This professors class leaves you mentally drained. She demands you turn your camera on and takes points away if you dont. She is very hard to understand and you will be lost A LOT(lectures are honestly painful to sit through). Her exams arent necessarily hard, its just based on a lot of chapters and trick questions/scenarios.
to be quite frank, she is just a mean professor who prefers fo you to teach yourself. she has this clearly stated in her syllabus that she will not teach you via lecture in class time and her homework on Sapling is confusingly formatted. overall, she lacks patience with her students.
She will make you work for your grade but is very open to explaining anything to you. She is very very very knowledgeable which makes me respect her a lot. Pay attention in lectures and be active, ask questions and you'll do well. Really respect this professor despite other students disliking her strongly.
i have never seen a professor become frustrated when they are required to do their job. if u ask a question she will be frustrated and say you should know. she will only give less than 1 minute for clicker questions (which is all class consists of, no lecture.) can be condescending, rude, and you should avoid taking her class. endless homework!!!
If you are planning on taking this professor with other upper division classes, be prepared to have basically no life. I personally did not have the time to read or watch three lectures before each class, but if you have the time I'm sure you'll do well. She is super harsh with grading (even classwork). Know your stuff and be SUPER prepared.
I honestly dont recommend her at all, shes not understanding at all. Her tests are ridiculous and on top of that, she expects you know based on her lecture videos.
Shes pretty unfair and strict when it comes to misunderstandings with assignments and iClicker questions
I have never had a prof that makes you learn on your own. You may as well take an online course bcuz she makes you go online and watch the lectures and read the powerpoint and watch extra videos while referring to the book. If you ask a question or speak to the LA's in class she gets visibly upset. Be ready to use all your free time for this class
Dr. Schmidtmayerova is brilliant. She knew every topic that we covered in Biology of Cancer like it was the back of her hand. She can be a little bit intimidating to approach, but she is really very kind. This is not a class you should take just to fill a void. She expects a lot from her students, and that is why some don't like her style.
Not the worst professor. She is very strict. She is the type of professor that knows her stuff but doesn't know how to teach it well. Worst part of her class is if there are any issues, technical or not, she will not be lenient on it even if it's her or the software's fault. Her classroom feels like a high school class.
This professor WILL NOT TEACH YOU. Yes, that is not an exaggeration... She calls it "interactive learning" aka she posts pre recorded videos for you to watch outside of class (that are also quizzes) but also your lectures. In class you are supposed to know all the information already or she will put you down for asking. STRICT GRADER TOO.
She was very passive-aggressive in class. Her tests were very hard and the averages for each test were around 40%. She does not curve grades. As long as you do all of the extra credit and makeup assignments you should do ok in the class. I thought I was going to fail until the extra credit grades got put in and my grade jumped to an A from a 62.
Dr.S will explain all of the topics clearly,and will go over them as much as you need,but you need to be in class to ask! She is very available outside of class,and will help you through tough topics.The extra credit opportunities are probably enough to bump you up a letter grade if you take advantage of them.I would def take more classes with her
Very apathetic and rude, test averages range from 40-50% and she refuses to provide study guides/practice exams. She prevents LAs from helping students for more than a few minutes and becomes visibly upset when you ask a question in class. She does offer some extra credit.
Very condescending professor. Cannot use ANY electronical device to write notes and she will yell at you if you do. If you are reading this... SAVE YOURSELF AND DO NOT TAKE HER. Look for another class... even take it during another semester if there are no other options, she is that bad. They need other professors teaching her vital topics.
Horrible Professor that does not take anything into account when interacting with students. She does not teach and you will not learn at all. Do not take this Professor at all
This professor was very rude and unhelpful. When I emailed her to meet me via zoom, she claimed that she was "busy" and I had to keep pestering her to zoom me the next day. The instructions for her Perusall assignments are also incorrect. I had to go to her office to clarify directions because the program was saying something different. Horrible.
This proffesor is not good. When asked very basic questions about the material she is low key condescending and makes it seem like you're supposed to know everything. Her grades in canvas are all over the place. You will have an A for the whole semester and then she does something and you have a low B. Don't take her. The two tests aren't too hard.
If you don't mind dealing with a little rudeness and are someone who takes advantage of EC, then this is the class for you. The class is really an easy A. There is one EC that adds 33% to your final exam and your final exam grade can replace your midterm. The group assignments are rough if you get a bad group though so that can be tough.
Absolutely the worst professor I have come across at FIU. Has no empathy towards her students and is extremely rude. A bunch of unnecessary work that has no value towards the class. Don't even bother taking her.
Helena is not a passionate lecturer. I took her virtual modality and the presentation videos were at times hard to follow. A large percentage of our grade was Perusal assignments that required very specific terms. Overall, I think this class was structured poorly; taking a very interesting subject and turning it into what feels dull and unalive.
Dr. Schmidtmayerova cares about her students LEARNING! She wants you to engage with material and truly understand the material because it will all come back as a future professional. I really enjoyed this class and her as a professor.
I took Dr. Schmidtmayerova for both genetics and cell biology. I have so much to thank her for because I truly believe she expanded my skills as a student and in these courses that are undoubtedly so important for my future in STEM. I am so grateful for her passion and heartfelt dedication to teaching.
She's not the sweetest lady out there… Poor class structure in person, test averages are always at 50% (took her for genetics and cell bio) I don't understand why she never does anything about the extremely low exam averages :( its not right. Take advantage of the extra credit opportunities!!!
I took this couse hybrid, it was the only section open....and now I know why. This professor is not passionate about teaching, asks if anyone has questions then sideswipes students for asking too many. Class averages for exams were 50 percent. Assignments consist of questions rather than teaching material first. Only paper notes allowed. Lots more.
This class with Prof. Schmidtmayerova was a tough one. She has a strict teaching style and doesn't provide much guidance. However, using resources like unstuck study, ChatGPT, and the textbook helped me prepare for the challenging exams. Overall, it's a difficult but manageable class if you put in the effort.
The class was hard but she had extra credit which made learning easier. Also used the final to replace the midterm. I didn't like that there were group assignments and my grade relied on others. I had to bombard group members with messages to do their part, and the professor didn't do anything to help with this.
Honestly, not a bad class. If you don't mind begging your groupmates to comment on your post until the day the assignment is due, go ahead and take the class. I don't know whose bright idea it was to make your grade depend on other people, but if you have the patience, go for it.
Ms. Schmidtmayerova is an old professor. She treats her students like children the second someone gets on her nerves; she either complains that no one speaks or pressures you to fix your answers. Without terrible attitude, her playposits are terrible and she's extremely hard to understand. Read the book, talk to LAs, and work with your group!
The amount of poor reviews here is insane to me. She gives so much extra credit and makes sure you understand the material. I ended with over a 100 because of the amount of extra credit. Please don't listen to the people saying her exams are difficult. Yes, the averages are low, but they're incredibly easy. She just doesn't get the best students.
You're probably reading all her reviews and thinking it can't be that bad. Well it is THAT bad. 2 exams on Honorlock (Mid + Final), Persualls (so awful) every week, Playposits, and a terrible group project where you'll end up doing the whole thing yourself along with a 30 min presentation. Never answers emails and super rude. DONT TAKE HER!!
Her class was not horrible, but the exams were. The average for the midterm was 52%, but honestly, the extra credit makes up for it. I got a 60 on the final and still ended with an A. She is intimidating sometimes, but if you put in the effort and go to office hours, you should be good.
Saw the reviews and was absolutely terrified but theres two exams (mid/final) I ended with a 95%.This class was online so we had playposits to watch and there would be questions in-between and those question are EXAM questions or similar to them. 1 group project worth 200 points - easy to do and there's 4-5 persuall assignments. Overall loved it!!
She is not that bad. Her lectures are a little boring, but they are not long at all. Less than 1h of lecture every week. The assignments are not hard and there are weekly quizzes on her lectures; however, they are not hard. There is one group project that's 20% but it is nothing out of this world. She's not that bad, do not be afraid to take her.
The professor is just very unprofessional and very rude.
The class isn't difficult, but she's just very... "uninterested", as a professor. Very unprofessional. Lots of extra credit, but she uses it as an excuse to not grade things correctly in the first place due to just... not wanting to. She doesn't seem to want to be teaching, and absolutely makes it her students' issue.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
28%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.56 avg changeRatings by Course
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