3.0
Quality3.8
Difficulty46%
Would Retake138
Reviews46%
Would Retake
138
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
26
4
29
3
28
2
34
1
21
What Students Say
“I have had a horrible experience so far in his genetics course so far and it's only been 2 months”
BIO325 - 2.0 rating“Saxena is horrible and can't explain anything clearly”
BIO325 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
75%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.43 avg changeRatings by Course
311C
4.0
(2)BIO302E
4.0
(1)BIO325
3.1
(107)BIO301G
3.0
(2)BIO320
2.9
(7)Difficulty by Course
BIO4911
5.0
BIO47830
5.0
BIO320
4.4
BIO311C
3.8
BIO325
3.8
Reviews (138)
Horrible Professor, if he does not like...GOOD LUCK
So I was really excited about taking this course and he made me lose that excitement and even be bored in his class. He does not make the subject matter appealing to people even though I think it probably is and it's not that hard except that he made it hard because it's difficult to be interested after he "teaches" it and because the tests are stereotypical ambiguous biology tests. Try not to take him because he'll make you sad and uninspired with his terrible teaching.
So the material itself is sort of difficult, but if you do the reading in his outlines, you should be ok. My first exam, i didn't really study and thats pretty much why I failed it. Second time around I did all the readings and paid more attn. in class and got a B.So getting a good grade is possible.He's also approachable and remembers who you are.
Good professor. Knows what he is talking about and knows everything about genetics and science in general. Really want the best for all of his students.
A lot of people struggled with this class. He had two exams and one NON-comprehensive final (thank God). All worth a total of 75% i believe. there were 6 quizzes, they add up to 20%. Then there were really easy discussion quizzes (depending on TA, b/c they make them). Saxena was interested in the material, and explained things well.
If you want to ruin your gpa and take genetics again, take him.
Saxena is one of those average teachers who are only kept because of his work in research.He says exactly what is in the book with no other perspective.He has a horribly boring teaching style that puts students to sleep every day in his class.
Definitely a hard class. He is a good lecturer and I didnt mind the accent. His tests are VERY hard. There are two of them and one comprehensive final with 4 quizzes and he takes the 3 highest scores. His questions are mostly short answers and he does not give extra credit or give partial points. The only good thing is that he curves at the end.
Nice but hard to understand and very hard tests.
This class is not an easy A. Attendance is not necessary, except during quiz days. Read the chapters throughly and do the questions at the back of each chapter.If you do all that, you should be able to pull off atleast an A-.His tests are representative of the problems at the end of each chapter.This class is doable.
I had to read to learn anything in his genetics class. He reads directly from his slideshows and goes through them too fast. His accent can be difficult to understand at first
Good professor. Genetics gets boring if you have to sit there for an hour and a half, but I enjoyed the class. Did poor on the final, but due to forming a relationship with the professor over the semester, I pulled out an A
Saxena expects more than what he is able/willing to provide as a prof. His lectures are dry and lack the level of detail that he requires for exams. His tests cover 5-7 chapters that he basically glosses over during 3 weeks of class yet the questions he asks are so in depth that it's hard to master it all. I got a B but worked really hard for it.
EXTREMELY hard professor. Difficult exams, all are short answer. Material isn't hard, but he just makes it overly complicated. He jumps around during lectures so it makes it hard to follow. Thick accent. No sort of class structure. Attendance isn't mandatory. Save yourself, take Mohanty or Finklea if you can.
The material for this course was very straight forward, and the tests were fair. I don't understand why so many people had a hard time in this class. I made a high A...my lowest test grade was a 97. The key is completing the practice questions in the text book. This is was an extremely easy class, and Dr. Saxena was helpful.
Dr. Saxena was more than fair in his grading and his tests were pretty straightforward. Go to lecture, he randomly takes attendance and it's 10% of your grade. He drops your lowest test grade and quiz. Very sweet man, he's a little hard to understand but very approachable. Don't listen to these other reviews, he's not that difficult or bad.
From all the classes i've taken this is the hardest till now, and its all because of him. His lectures make you fall asleep, and since he can't cover the material he leaves it for you to study on your own. I came to read his reviews before registering, I thought he woudn't be that bad as ppl are saying. Trust me, they were right, DON'T TAKE HIM
Saxena lets you drop an exam which could save you, but his exams are really hard. They are short answer format, which I am not very good at, and you end up having to write a lot in order to get the answers he is looking for. He kind of mumbles a lot during lectures. He can be difficult to understand, but his lectures are mainly boring.
I have had a horrible experience so far in his genetics course so far and it's only been 2 months... His quizzes are really hard and he is all over the place with his lectures. You're better off just reading the book everyday than going to his class because I do both and I just end up really confused. Take him if you want to fail.
If Saxena is the last professor let, wait until next semester. His lectures are all over the place and there are 3 exams with no final and no drop exam. Exams are worth 75% of your grade so if you do poorly on one test, you're done. Saxena is horrible and can't explain anything clearly. His accent is also hard to understand. 10/10 do not recommend.
Don't heed older reviews. He clearly outlines the material to be covered on his quizzes and exams in a detailed note sheet that corresponds with the textbook and appropriate questions. Discussion questions are good indicators of what tests look like. He genuinely cares about his students and makes himself very available. Accent is so understandable
I tagged "would take again" bc ill probably fail and not get credit so I would have to take it again for credit. He literally doesnt know how to teach. He talks about simple topics that can be easily understood from a video on Youtube. I play madden mobile the entire class bc its so boring. His tests and discussion sheets are nearly impossible.
His class is very horrible. He just flips through the pictures in the textbook in his lectures. His exams are 20 questions, short answers. You will almost study everything, words for words to pass his exams. His exams are insanely hard. Class average was around 60. Take any other professors for genetics. Good luck.
Powerpoint are useless. The exam "outline" is a list of the subsections (the titles of each paragraph) of each chapter in the book. Exams are 20 short answers. Insanely hard. Curves a lot to compensate. If you're smart & read a lot you can make an A. Average & read a lot, A- if you don't mess up. Average & read a lot but mess up on 1 test, B.
I had him for genetics (BIO325) and it was as hard as engineering physics. I had to teach everything myself because his lectures werenot informative and problems on the exams are not practiced in class at all. This course is tough but he does nothing to make it a little bit better for students.
Such an interesting person to talk to and listen to! He's genuinely passionate about Genetics and you can feel that in his lectures. He is very clear as to the expectations of the class and Discussion sheets and in class questions give a good idea of what exams look like. I highly recommend taking his class and getting to know him in office hours!
I really enjoyed taking Dr. Saxena for this class. It is true that you have to make sure you're attending (and paying attention to) all of his lectures in order to do well on the tests. However, he gives really easy extra credit (corrections or reading Bio articles) that give you up to 10 points extra (a whole letter grade) for EACH test.
A lot of reviews are really negative, but I don't think he was THAT bad. He curves every exam, but READ THE BOOK and you should be more than fine. I gave him an okay review, because his lectures are not the best. However, I made a high A because all it took was reading and going to discussion. Pay no mind to bad reviews if you work hard.
Genetics is a hard class, so I can understand why there are so many bad/unsatisfactory reviews of Dr. Saxena. Please look past them as I don't think they serve as a good summary. Inder's class requires that you go to lecture, take good notes, go to discussion sections, and restudy all the material for a test. Hard, but a fair professor and class.
He is a really nice prof and he cares about his students. But his lectures were just SO BORING. He would go off on tangents and I had no idea what was going to be on the test and what wasn't. He says he posts the notes online, but they're just his powerpoints of textbook pictures. He expects you to remember everything he says. Has accent as well.
I think this professor's reputation for being bad is unfair. He is very passionate about the class, and while his lectures may not keep you on the edge of your seat, he is very caring and wants you to do well. When I had a problem he was always smiling and happy to help. He tests over the textbook, so make sure to read and you will do fine.
Lectures are basically not helpful. You have to read the textbook to make an A in the class. He is super nice though; he gives a drop on a quiz and some extra exam credit.
One of the nicest professors I've ever met. He is genuinely interested in genetics and gets excited about it in class. His exams are extremely hard, and they're all over the textbook. Fully read the chapters and do the questions at the end, and you will be fine. Exams and your final grade are curved.
Genetics was honestly the hardest thing I've had to take so far as a biology major. He made me full dumb when I asked questions and I always felt so behind and confused but his homework assignments helped boost my grade as well as his test corrections.
Truthfully, his class isn't as bad as everyone on here says it is. As long as you do the discussion sheets and read the textbook (make sure you actually understand the material), you'll be completely fine. Genetics is a subject that is not a joke. If you put in the effort and work, I guarantee you'll leave with an A or a B in his class.
Professor Saxena is very smart and a very nice guy. However, this does not translate well to his class; probably the worst class I've taken to date. Everything on the test is off the lectures which are extremely dense and hard to follow. The tests are on these lectures and are very difficult.
Textbook optional. However, lecture was not usually helpful. I survived by discussion sessions, TA office hours, and my textbook. Grade: 2 exams, 6 quizzes (one drop), and possibly a couple weird reading projects. EIther final exam grade or final grade is curved. PPTs provided on canvas, lecture not recorded.
Fun guy, but lectures are mainly him talking for 45 minutes, which makes it hard to pay attention at times. Tests are a little tricky but overall the class is doable if you read.
Wowza he is by far the worst professor I have had at UT; really did not gain anything from lecture but had to go because of squarecap. He did not lecture well and was never clear on what he was explaining. I taught myself everything from the book. It is your best friend.
Saxena is a good prof-assignments weighted fairly and graded fairly. Trey's awesome!Final was easier than his midterms. it's 75% new material and 25% old from midterms, as well as being MC,midterms are free response. Offers extra credit. Only con is that he sometimes skips info during lecture that you have to learn from the book for the exams.
I had him for seminar (Genetics of Complex Traits), but I would never take him for a class. I've never been so close to falling asleep in class. He's knowledgeable about the subject, sure. He'll murmur about it for 15 min, then have each person in the class comment on the presentations (we're each required to present once). I barely attended
You gotta read the textbook to know what's going on. It's a tough class, but he does curve really well. I would have been at a solid B without the curves and extra credit but ended up with an A in the class.
You need to read the textbook to understand anything. Lectures are helpful for quizzes and big/important concepts and there is a participation grade. TA helped in discussion because genetics is seriously a difficult class. Dr. Saxena is the nicest prof I've had; gives extra credit + curve at the end, cares and gives recs for books about topics.
I truly disliked Saxena's teaching style. His lectures were confusing and boring, making it really hard to learn from them. Textbook was also pretty awful and he makes you pay for the online subscription. Quiz and exam questions are poorly worded and confusing. Nice guy, gave EC, and seemed to grade fairly. Would not take again.
His lectures can get pretty boring, but attendance is taken. His tests are pretty easy if you study at least 2-3 days before. He also gives 5-10 point curves on exams. He gives quizzes, which I feel like it really pushed me to learn the material. He also curves those. All of his quizzes and exams are free response. The final isn't cumulative. :)
I'd like to start by saying you would be making a horrible mistake taking this man as your professor. Better invest in the textbook because you will be teaching yourself the material the entire semester. I never understood a single word he said all semester bc of his accent. I would rather jump off a cliff than have him as my prof again.
This class is what you make of it! You have to read and study the chapters a lot from the book. His lectures are basically just based on the book. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS!!!! Make yourself known and talk to him about how you can do better! He really cares about his students and will give you advice and do his best to help you! He also curves exams!
Professor Saxena is a nice guy, but he just repeats things straight out of the book. Class average is a C after curve. Would not recommend this class.
Saxena is a sweet guy. Also, his accent isn't as bad as others mention. His lectures are boring, but GO because attendance is worth 10% of your grade. Read the textbook thoroughly. He curves exams and some tests and also "curves" the whole course with his grading scale. As someone who struggles with science, I think this course is very doable.
Don't take him for 311C. Tests were pretty difficult and there are only two. Taught myself the whole semester. He does curve the tests, but doesn't help much since the class averages were always pretty low. Hard to make an A
He is kinda funny, but very hard to understand. Normally teaches genetics, so the class was really in-depth. Drops 1/6 quiz grades. LITERALLY YOU ARE GOING TO TEACH YOURSELF FROM THE TEXTBOOK. He told us tests would be multiple choice, written, and T/F but, then gave us only written which was incredibly specific and difficult. Try SATA instead.
Hes not bad, hes just average. Like most classes at UT, you will end up teaching yourself and going to lecture only to get the participation points. Nice guy, gives extra credit, possible to get an A if you keep up with the material. I wouldnt recommend taking this if you have a pretty tough schedule, as youll neglect the class.
I would not take Saxena's class. Expect to read the textbook for EVERY lecture and pay very close attention to the details. He will test and quiz over information not covered in class and barely mentioned in the textbook. The tests are very difficult and there is not enough time provided. This class is more like an upper level biology course.
Saxena isnt a great lecturer by any means but the class is really doable so dont lose hope if you have to take him for genetics. I hardly went to lecture but basically memorized the book from how much i studied it. Relying on the textbook will give you what you need to do well on quizzes and tests! He curves like crazy which was a bonus!
He is pretty funny and sweet, especially in office hours. However, READ THE TEXTBOOK. He will test and quiz his students over information not covered in class. I'd usually cram the weekend before, since tests were given on Mondays. I got a B on every test, but failed the final (good 10% curve at least). Easy grader on free response quizzes.
He really cares about his students! He goes over everything in the lectures, but it is extremely important to go back and reread the section and study that. He also pulls a lot from the discussion sheets for his exams. Definitely recommend him!!
he cares alot for his students but only gives 2 tests, gives alot of extra credit on exams and quizzes
I highly recommend not taking this professor ever in your life. His lectures cover most of the material you need to know for the tests, but honestly you would be better off reading the textbook bc the lectures are excruciating to sit through. Quizzes & tests are free-response, so you have to take the time to learn the material in depth.
Really bad at lecturing. Confusing and his power-points are straight garbage. The only way I got through the class was I read the textbook. He also reuses the questions he posts on his review on the exams.
GO TO OFFICE HOURS! I see a lot of not too great reviews here but Dr. Saxena cares so much about his students and wants them to succeed! I didnt go to class much but read the textbook a lot and went to his office hours to clear up any questions I had and he helped me a lot! Was very helpful! Be his friend, he is very kind.
Saxena is the nicest professor I've ever had, he tries so hard and cares a lot. People who complain about him are just too lazy to read the textbook because his tests are doable if you read, and he curves. his lectures are pretty boring but its really boring material and he's funny sometimes.
Dr. Saxena is very well versed in genetics, but his lectures were very hard for me to follow. He moves very quickly through material, and quizzes are pretty difficult. I had to do a lot of personal study to make up for lectures. He does curve up grades at the end of semester.
Great professor! Someone on here said, "I had to do a lot of personal study to make up for lectures," but DUH of course you have to study on your own. Read and do the assignments and go to class - those are all easy points. Go to office hours if you're struggling. He will gladly help. The quizzes are pretty easy. Exams are a little more difficult.
Genetics is inherently a difficult subject but Saxena doesn't set students up for success either. Lectures are textbook slides and tests are extremely difficult n ask convoluted questions. To put in perspective I have a 3.8 GPA and an A in ochem, but a 78 in this class. Hours spent studying do no good because he asks the most difficult questions.
His lectures didnt really interest me, but he is a sweet man and cares about your success. Theres a lot of curving and extra credit, plus an 88 is considered an A- in his class. Exams got progressively harder, but quizzes werent too bad after I figured out the questions came straight from Canvas PowerPoints. HW is easy, and read the textbook!
Nice man but his tests and quizzes are impossible and his lectures are pointless. If you want to succeed, read the textbook bc thats the only way you will. Heard he curves at the end but at this point I wish I took a different professor.
I went into this class expecting the worst, but it honestly was not that bad. The discussion worksheets helped and the quizzes were totally doable. It was hard to follow his lectures but as long as you read the book, you're good. We had online hw, square cap in class, discussion participation, one writing assignment, and 3 tests, no final.
This is a hard class because there is a TON of material to cover. Saxena explains things pretty well though and if you talk to him in person he will try really hard to help you. I didn't read the textbook consistently, but I put effort into the online homework which helped a lot. Test questions are really similar to the discussion questions.
My friends told me to take him and I 100% regret it. He is caring, but I need a professor that knows how to lecture and actually teach the material that he quizzes/tests you over. His class made this semester my worst by far. Don't take him; you will regret it. Doesn't help that he expects the TA's to teach you quiz material and they don't.
He did squarecap so technically lecture was required but you can do it outside class if needed since it's participation points. He was very sweet and easy to get a hold of outside class. Exams were fair - genetics is a hard subject if you aren't good at bio so all the profs are 'hard.' He has easy extra assignments to boost your grade and he curves
HE CURVES CRAZY! He had quizzes and exams which he curves both, the quizzes are great practice and exposure to his type of exam questions. He wants you to do well. Pay attention in lecture, you dont need to read the book. I made a 70 on the final and made an A in the course because I put in the work during the semester!! Its doable.
Dr. Saxena is a kind and caring professor. Lectures can be boring, but showing up to class boosts your grade substantially. Discussion sections were extra credit. Quizzes and exams come from material covered in class - very straightforward if you regularly attend lectures and study the night before. Overall, not a bad choice for non-science majors.
People hyped up Fischer but they had a much worse time in genetics than I did (shes very hard now). I stopped going to class after the first exam and just read the textbook and got an A. Homeworks are easy, only 3 tests, no final, and weekly discussion is extra credit (big grade boost) and we didnt even do anything. TAKE SAXENA FOR EASY GENETICS
He has clear grading criteria. Theres a curve at the end. He is highly knowledgeable and very understanding. Sometimes goes too in depth about some of the material because hes passionate about it and we didnt cover all the material planned for the semester. Other than that all good.
Get ready to read like crazy. Spent hours reading the textbook because he doesn't go over all the topics in class. Do reviews and discussion sheets, a lot of test Q's come from matl covered on those. Read before lecture otherwise it's confusing and waste of time. Discussion is bonus, attend it'll help at the end. Curves heavily at the end
I've never gotten an A before in a bio class at UT, but it happened here! Dr. S clearly lays out what he expects for grading, and gives you chances to make points up and drop quizzes (EC!!). Reading the textbook is practically "mandatory", but spreading it out is doable and tests pretty much come from readings. He really cares about your success!
Everything is FRQ except final, which is MC. Quizzes are test-level hard, with curves needed to be applied to everything. He is smart and passionate, but he doesn't touch on the topics he actually tests on. Application questions are not properly taught, and you aren't given a clear expectation of what comes on the test. Must hit books hard.
Extremely difficult class. Tried going to lectures-dry and not very informative. Topics covered in class were not useful for tests or quizzes. Plus, Connect assignments were useless. Studied hard for the first exam using the textbook, discussion sheets, and old quizzes, but it was of no help. And the final exam was just bad....
I do not understand why so many people dislike Dr. Saxena. He was my favorite professor the semester I took him for genetics. You can earn 20 points of extra credit (that's an ENTIRE letter grade), he has a drop quiz, and his exams and grading are extremely fair. His lectures are kinda dry but everything is textbook-based. do badly- your fault.
BEST gen prof. should havehigher rate. Easy quiz n exams (freeResponse). Based from EC discussion sheets (made A). book helps for detail, onlinehw (1perwk)doesnt help buteasy tocomplete (not to worry about). Other genprofs had hard asf exams n quizzes (I saw). EC everywhere, squarecap/group stuff. since the online, been very accommodatingce!
In person was the best science course I have ever taken, like it was super interesting and his lectures were enjoyable as heck. But when all things went online he suffered bc he's a little older and is not tech savy. So as long as he is in person, it's the best option you have for genetics.
I couldn't recommend Professor Saxena more. Even with COVID, he made the transition to Zoom school seamless and made sure we had ample opportunity to boost our grades. He was a great professor, as long as you read the textbook and keep up with the material consistently.
The lectures didn't help much other than to see what he might emphasize on tests. Discussions were extremely helpful and helped prepare for exams more. Offered a lot of opportunities to do well by curving most tests by a little and giving extra credit. He was always willing to help and answer questions
Dr. Saxena is one of the best professors I have had at UT. I throughly enjoyed his lectures and class structure in person, and when we transitioned online, his class was still incredible! You really feel like youre learning when you are in his class, and I really think his dedication/ passion for the subject is apparent through his teachings.
Dr. Saxena is so awesome!! He's been so nice to us and although we have weekly quizzes, the questions are extremely fair. The final is not cumulative. He knows what he's talking about and you can tell he loves what he teaches. He definitely cares about his students, and he's just so generous. Extremely intelligent prof AND curves a lot!! Take him!!
I found his lectures hard to pay attention to and the weekly quizzes were ONLY 2 QUESTIONS. The discussion section and homework was always about things he has not taught yet. He is a very nice man though and does drop grades/offer extra credit. Highly recommend reading the textbook/studying a lot outside of class if you want to make an A
Extremely nice man and very receptive to questions and concerns about your standing in the class. Does get behind in lectures sometimes, but that is because he explains everything very well. Test questions are pretty fair if you do discussions.
Hes a nice man, but DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS. You won't learn anything from his lectures/ have to do excess textbook reading if you want to learn anything. there are 2 tests with 20 questions but the reviews for both were over 150 pages. It is poorly organized online especially for a class that is always difficult. i made this acc just to write this.
I took his class twice just because I did the P/F option last semester and wanted an actual grade this semester. However, his class became immensely harder. The quizzes are 2 questions so you either fail or ace. As opposed to last semester when the quizzes were a few questions. Just took the last exam being that there are only 2 and it was GARBAGE.
Your ENTIRE GRADE is literally based on whether you can do perfect on 2 question quizzes every week. This class is an assessment of how much YOU can teach yourself, YOU read, YOU do connect assignments, YOU do discussions, YOU do quizzes on your own. The lecture is the only thing YOU are not solely responsible for.
If youre willing to keep up with textbook readings and self teach this is the class for you. Lectures were boring but attendance is mandatory so make sure not to skip. Study the homeworks and discussion ws and youre set. Dr. Saxena is very nice and helpful with questions and gives curves & extra credit. Put in the work and it will pay off.
Dr. Saxena was a great teacher!! You could tell he genuinely cared about the subject and his students. His tests were a little hard, but he understood!
SUCH a sweet man, Dr. Saxena really cares about his students and has shown so much accommodation through the semester. He curves the exam so that the average will be an 80 and gives extra credit that moves you up by a whole letter grade. His quizzes are sometimes tricky but if you stay on top of the material you will do fine. Take him!!
Dr. Saxena is a great professor and I have thoroughly enjoyed this class. I am a nonmajor student taking this class for elective credit. If you keep up with assignments, go to class, and do the reading this should be a guaranteed A. Genetics is a lot of material but Saxena breaks it down and gives fair tests and quizzes. He is a very nice prof!!
75% of your grade comes from quizzes and exams. 12 weekly quizzes (2 questions and 10 min)with two drops and two concept exams. If you do not pay attention during lectures read the textbook to get good grades. I would often get really bored in class and would use the textbook to prepare for the quizzes. This class causes too much stress.
a great professor! saxena's lectures were engaging, participation was graded based on zoom polls. weekly homework was easy, but weekly quizzes could be tricky. the chapters covered in each quiz and exam are very clearly stated so as long as you read those you're fine. a lot of ec and hw/quiz drops built into the course and given at the end!
everyone saying he is hard is lying & lazy. his weekly quizzes are easy if you are prepared, he tells u what exact sections will be on the quizzes and exams. AND he curved our final 10 pts and gives EC. If u are on top of ur stuff you can def achieve an A
Dr. Saxena is a kind man and a good lecturer! Keep up with the textbook readings and don't get behind--they cover essentially all the material on the (weekly, 2 question) quizzes and (2, 20 question) exams. Curves heavily at the end. Will make every effort to help you during office hours. Read the book and REVIEW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS!
The class structure either works for you or it doesn't. The lectures were not helpful, and I had to teach everything to myself. Plus timed quizzes every week with 2 exam-level questions that are over long parts of the textbook. There's no room for mistakes(1 wrong and you fail) and not everyone has the time to study for mini exams every weekend.
Some of these reviews are way too harsh. I suck at science (I'm liberal arts) and I did fine. If you don't do well, it's probably on you. He gives you SO MUCH extra credit. Just show up to class and participate. Quizzes are easy. He's a genuinely sweet guy and he accommodated us so well! Very passionate about genetics and cares about his students!
Dr. Saxena was an ok professor, but lectures were not useful and you had to teach yourself everything. There were weekly quizzes with only 2 questions, so if you missed one you got 50%. The exams make up a huge part of the grade. It's doable overall, but a lot of work (and I have taken hard biology classes for almost 4 years now).
Saxena was literally so amazing. He has very clear expectations and is super straightforward with material. the reviews that are complaining about his quizzes and tests are complete cap. He assesses material fairly and gave us nearly 30 EC points this semester. Idk how much more generous a college professor can be. Take him!
He is a good guy and passionate at what he teaches but his lectures are a bit slow so its hard to focus and youll have to read the book yourself or rewatch them. Two question quiz every week so theyre easy to fail. A lot of extra credit though but this class was a shock to me who never got a bad grade.
This class was a real stressor. He is GREAT but the grading structure is TERRIBLE. 3 Qs weekly quizzes were easy to fail (miss one and you get a 66%). These quizzes and 2 exams make up your entire grade. Even when I felt I really knew the material (did discussions, office hours, and book practice) I still failed a few. Youll be lucky to get an A.
Dr. Saxena seems like a nice guy but his class is so boring. I tried to pay attention so much but his voice just made me fall asleep. Also the quizzes have 3 questions so if you miss one you'll fail. He did give about 10 points of extra credit but I still found this class to be pretty hard. Don't take it along side with ochem.
Saxena is a very sweet guy. However, I have never had a class where the lectures add virtually nothing to my knowledge. Luckily my TA is good and discussion sections have made me completely understand genetics. The class is basically graded on 275/300 points being tests/quizzes. luckily he curves pretty generously because the averages are low
PLEASE TAKE SAXENA. Literally the most understanding & supportive professor I've had so far. He really does his best to set his students up for success like extra credit and taking extra points from optional homework and stuff. I know some people don't like his accent so be wary if that's something you don't like but I thought it was fine.
He gave extra credit and is sweet but we had 3 question quizzes so if you miss 1 question you fail, a lot of people failed these. Only exams were the midterm and final which were unlike any of the practice problems or assignments & overly difficult. The midterm and final are very high stakes & his lectures were hard to stay awake in. Don't take him
Saxena is a nice guy and is knowledgeable about the material, but his lectures are so boring. Lectures are very monotonous and we often didn't get through all of the material. Discussions were very helpful and I mostly learned through my amazing TA. Only 1 midterm and a final which are very heavily weighted, but generous extra credit. An okay class
He is a really nice person and does give a lot of extra credit but that is because he has to give all of that or his students will fail. He can not teach as lectures are a waste of time, the only way to do good in the class is to read the textbook religiously. If you can take anyone else do it. There are a lot of better genetics professors at UT.
The lectures were sometimes helpful but hard to pay attention to. 3 question quizzes don't make sense, because you'd more than likely fail one and get discouraged. The midterm and final were most important for your grade but I felt like we weren't given enough to adequately prepare for them and it was a huge gamble. Avoid this class if you can!
Dont take this class. Ive learned close to nothing and I watched/went to every single lecture. The lectures are all over the place and dont make sense. The only place I learned was in discussion section, when he wasnt teaching. He is nice, but he didnt teach. The 3 question quizzes are ridiculous. If you want an A, good luck.
Saxena and his teaching team were very sweet. They clearly understand how difficult the material is, and will give you necessary feedback, but the slow lectures, TWO exams, and discouraging 3 question quizzes (seriously?) made this class more stressful than it probably needed to be. The textbook will be your go-to resource.
There are only 2 exams and alot of 3 question quizzes. Prof Saxena is super sweet but honestly the TA and teaching myself through the textbook helped me passed this class. If you can take another professor, you should.
Dr. Saxena is a very nice professor, but honestly I learned most from reading the online textbook. Discussion sections were incredibly helpful as the TA was great at explaining concepts in depth. Plenty of bonus opportunities in the class which boosted my grade, but the three question quizzes definitely made it challenging.
Saxena is very sweet but if you want to succeed be prepared to watch the lectures and fill in what he misses with the textbook after class. Can't stress enough to DO THE BONUS! Very test heavy, had a B+ until final dropped me to a B-. Practice quizzes/discuss. questions are essentially the quiz questions so always do those.
Best way to succeed in this class is to take quality notes! Lecture might be dull, but very informative, especially when he draws out concepts. Exams/quizzes are based on the textbook material, and his lectures follow the book, so make sure you at least skim and do the associated hw. DRAW DIAGRAMS, DO PRACTICE PROBLEMS, AND ATTEND DISCUSSION!
drink a cup of coffee before class because he'll do an entire lecture in a "stand and deliver" format - falling alseep
Content taught in class is quite easy overall. Dives little deeper on topics learned in BIO311 intro classes. Most lectures you do 1 ez particip. problem for attendance. Grades mainly come from two exams and five quizzes, but there are no tricky questions. If ur a bad test taker then don't take, but if u want ez courseload, I would def take.
absolutely terrible class. The grading system is definitely built against the students, and the 2 midterms do not help at all. The 3 question quizzes won't help you retain any information, nor will the tough grade help you succeed at all either. This course is needed for premed but do NOT take Saxena. he is uncaring.
Saxena is super sweet & an amazing professor! Weekly 3 question quizzes but he reviews the types of problems during lecture and gives practice quizzes & discussions that are helpful. He has 2 mc exams that are easy as everything is reviewed in lecture. Pay attention in lecture & the workload is light & manageable. Def one of my favorite professors!
He is very lecture heavy but what he says in lecture is whats going to be on the test. Do sample problems they will almost guarantee a good grade on his infamous 3 question quizzes. His test avg is low but if you do review you should be fine. He added points to tests to raise the avg. if you have a strong BIO background then easy A
Dr. Saxena does not care about the success of his students. The homework are time consuming. The midterms reflect nothing in the reviews. The only reason I succeed was due to self teaching. Do not take this professor if you want someone who cares for his students.
Quizzes are like the practice questions provided, but exams are killer. We did not have a passing average on either of the two exams this semester. Weekly homework takes forever, and you need to read the textbook to catch what he misses in the lecture. Lecture is SO boring and only helpful when he draws out concepts. I would take someone else.
The workload is heavy and the class itself is very boring. If you read the textbook, do the practice problems, and pay attention in lecture, you will do well on the quizzes and midterms. Stay on top of your notes and read prior to lecture. Most of the content is a review from bio 1. If he says you don't need to know something, study it bc you will.
Class is difficult but quizzes and tests are similar to practice problem done in class. Practice/sample quizzes don't help much but if you review class problems and powerpoints an A is possible. Also gave 40 point of extra credit in a class with 400 points, so 10% extra credit.
Dr. Saxena is a nice man so for that reason the class was not the worst. His tests were the death of a lot of people as they asked for random details that you probably forgot to study rather than more broad concepts. His lectures were pretty monotonous and the final was hard in my opinion but the genetics professors are all pretty rough. He curves!
This class is overly difficult and very test heavy. There are only 2 midterms, each consisting of 20 questions. The questions were very specific, causing the class average to be 70% only after the 10 point curve. Be prepared for weekly 3 question quizzes and boring lectures. Attend discussions for extra credit and take quality notes in lecture.
Nice man but incredibly monotone, making it impossible to stay awake during class. Exams test very specific details that are covered only surface level during lecture. Attend discussion/do anything for extra credit, because it really adds up. He's accessible for office hours but can be condescending to students. Keep up with material or fail
So basically every BIO325 test at UT is the same, it really depends on how your professor teaches compared to other BIO325 professors. Saxena's quizzes were fine for me, however, his two midterms (ONLINE) are completely different. Different questions, different formats, and different contents were tested, so I can never really prepare for them.
He is a very kind professor but not a great lecturer. The 3 question quizzes are easy to prepare for but midterms were hard, specific, different from examples, and completely book-dependent. many spent days studying to fail or barely pass. getting an A is harder than it needs to be even when you put in the work and genuinely know the material.
A large portion of the grade for this course is taken from biweekly quizzes and 2 midterm exams. My biggest complaint was that the exams required students to recount small details, and having only 2 midterms made them incredibly high-stakes. However, Dr. Saxena offers a lot of extra credit for participation and discussion section attendance.
Dr. Saxena is passionate about genetics and I found his diagram-focused lectures interesting. Quizzes have useful review questions and are ok. I struggled with exams as there are only 2 and we did not have much multiple-choice practice. Read the textbook for hours. Took this class as an elective after skipping prerequisites and had to study a lot.
Professor Saxena was not a good lecturer and the tests were very different from the content that he had us prepare with on the reviews. In-class quizzes make up a big part of your grade aside from the two tests and comprehensive midterm. It was very hard to do well in this class
Lectures were lengthy and hardly matched the material covered in the textbook and with only two exams and a final, you don't have much room to learn how to improve. You will be better off with another professor teaching the same material.
I ended up having to drop this class because of the few grades that determine the final grades. Your grade is made up of pretty much only exams which makes it hard to learn from your mistakes. If you fail one exam, your grade will tank. Saxena has no excitement for genetics and his lectures are extremely boring. TAKE ANOTHER PROFESSOR.
Dr. Saxena was a good prof. Took Genetics & Genomics in Spring 22 and I enjoyed the course and the material. Only 2 exams given, but he was a nice guy and passionate about the material.
Saxena is a nice professor, but his class is very test heavy. His test averages are always below passing, however he will give 10 point curves. Best advice is to study the study questions and practice exams. Some of the questions from the study questions are the same as the exam or similar. Definitely prepare a week in advance.
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