Professor Dow is a great teacher. He is very clear and very helpful. His tests are straight from his notes, not the book. I would definitely recommend him. I learned a lot.

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good teacher, easy test. i enjoyed having him as a teacher. i recommend him

very good teacher

Easy class. Doesnt take role. Test are from his notes. Do calculations on handouts and read and you will be fine.

I think professor Dow is a good teacher, he explains clearly, and for his test study the notebook and do all the homework calculations you should be fine.

He is very thorough but his class is still boring.He doesn't take roll but goes so fast that you miss a lot if you are absent.Tests are multiple choice, but cumulative and hard.Only 3 tests and final is 40%of your grade.Not very helpful outside of class never returned my emails.

Recommended professor

He is good. this is a great finance class. pretty easy. i just learned from the notebook and homeworks.. tests are fair. his voice is really shrill and he kind of acts Diva sometimes, but its worth the experience. i leave half way thru and have an A still...

In class he explains everything pretty well.You buy his lecture/book from the bkstre & he follows that to a t.If you read & follow his lecture & study for tests you shouldn't have a problem.The prblm is when you go to his office he acts like your're bothering.He should change that attitude. His office hours are for students not his other activities

Good lecturer, which comes directly from the note packet. Provides alot of practice problems and reviews them in class. Grade is based on three tests with equal weight, all of which are cumulative. Down side is that he can be aloof and not easily approachable outside of class.

U can ditch half the semester & still get a B. Freakin easy. Just read his note packet. He curves big time. Final is on NPV, PE ratio, and stuff fr a paper he will give u (he will give it to u right before the final). Dow and Russell are the easiest Fin teachers.

Professor Dow helps students to understand what they will incounter financially in everyday life, as well as in business situations. If finance isn't your major you still will gain alot from what you learn and will remember Pro. Dow years from now.

Dow is a nice teacher, very friendly and very knowledgeable. He's able to project in an auditorium setting without the need for a microphone so he's able to keep the class's attention. He does not take roll so it's quite easy to skip class but his two midterms and final contains formulas and problems covered in class. Get an 'A' by taking notes!

Great professor.Strongly recommand to take his class.

Lectures are very useful, if you don't fall asleep. Test are easy and they are half theory and half calculations so make sure to study both. 'A' with little effort.

Really clear in his presentation of the info. Easy grading if you have some basic concept of finances and know how to use the financial calculator.

I thought this class wasn't that easy. Exams were multiple choice but the tricky part was that it was cumulative! You have to almost memorize all of his note packet really hard otherwise you'll just do average (just a C). Don't miss any lectures 'cause he does the hw problems & explained the calculations on the board.

If you to obtain knowledge about finance, this is the course for you. Dow is very concise and fair. On the contrary, if you are merely taking the course to fulfill a pre-req, I would suggest that you take Phillips. Dow's tests have relatively easy calculations; however, the qualitative questions (40% of Q's) are tricky. He only has one outfit.

He is the best! Very interesting, lectures are as clear as ABC. Easy to get an A with very little effort. Go to his lectures, because exams are based on lectures and his note packet. Note packet helps,but without lectures it will not be easy to get an A. He is one of the TOP prof. in business school.

Somebody buy this man a new shirt....anyways, he is really good, better than all the other finance professors.

2 tests (25 m/c) and 1 final (35 m/c). Homework but not collected. Excellent professor! Actually wants you to learn! And does a GREAT job at teaching!

I like this professor. I think he does a great job explaining and his class is not too hard and it is interesting. He's very nice and understanding.

Has to study really hard if you want an A. His lectures are based from his book. He has two midterms that are multiple choice and a final. Very interesting class.

Great Teacher! No book, just his notes plus 'A Random Walk Down Wall Street'. You must memorize formulas, but material covered in class is on tests. Very clear and easy to understand. Loved this class.

best teacher in fin dep. Teaches straight fin and non of acc. NO graded hw.Person below muct have done bad on mid term 2 that we got result back today. Yes 2 mid term but only 25 q each, no big deal. Know how to use calculator and you will be good to go. He is easy compare to toher instructors that teach same exact class, 303 study for an A

Not sure who the person below me is, but what he said is totally not true. Professor teahes students how to use calculator. First 2 tests are based directly on the book, you can even skip class and still get an A on the test if you just read it. Out of all professors, this is the best professor in finance department and easiest. Would recommend him

He is a very good teacher. Good at answering questions, even the stupid ones. Helpful during office hours, and does not pick on the small stuff. I really enjoyed his class, and have nothing negative to say about him. Highly recommended. I give him an A.

Great teacher. Easy class, keep up with the work and it should be an easy B at least...Dow is the best, take it with him. He will really teach you, helpful, and very nice guy. But he needs a new shirt

Very helpful...read the book and altho attendance is not mandatory, it is helpful since some of the stuff he talks about is on the test. The tests are not that hard- 10 questions.

This professor is absolutely excellent. His lectures are informative and very clear. The tests are fair, and can be mastered with practice. Follow problem sets, and the example problems in the text, and you will succeed.

Use the TI-83 to do the calculations, its way more tricky if u use his stupid calculator, i had trouble till i used the TI-83. If u improve your grades on his exams he bumps u up to next level, thats cool. His tests can be tricky. He doesnt reply to emails at all. He's decent but I worked/studied hard for a "B." He only has one outfit its true!

You have to memorize all his book material(green book), class notes, and this white book for the final, and ALL formula's need to be memorized which is hard. He gets mad if u move 1 paper, he needs to relax on that. If we looked through our notes he would pause turn red and say im waiting lol.

His lectures are clear. No book just lecture notes. Tests (M/C) aren't too bad if you study. This guy gets annoyed very easily; he'll stop class if he thinks people are disruptive.

Great teacher. Clear and methodical. Took him for a honors course, much harder but he was very helpful. Allowed us to redo our homework, to get a better grade (as long as you turned it in on time). Grading scale for midterms is a bit more relaxed due to the ltd number of questions. I recommend his class.

If you're going to take Finance, this is the class to take. Not only is the information useful for your future but professor Dow communicates it clearly and makes it relevant to life. problem sets are very helpful, along with his lectures and published notes. You can get a good grade if you just study the material and show up to class.

even though I got an A in his class, I still want to say his class is not easy. You have to study hard.

Most easy-going professor i have ever seen at CSUN. HW is fairly easy. Grade is based on 3 mid term. He put 10 question on each mid term and basically are made of 6 calculation and 4 definition. Calculation is very and put much effort to remember the definition covered is mandatory to pass the test.

The greatest professor in CSUN. You will learn all the important stuff, not just for grade but for your money monagement in the future.Take his class, you won't regret

I took his Fin352 class in Fall 2011. His class is not an easy A class without you take the notes very clearly and remember them. Also, if you wanna A read the book is necessary. Only 16 online homeworks. Come On, just sounds a lot. It is very easy.

Why can't this professor teach all the business courses. The best business professor at Northridge. Organized, clear,answers questions and professional. I think a lot of the professor at the college should sit for one of his lectures and learn how to teach from him or aspire to be like him as a professor. Northridge please hire teachers like him.

If you are taking Fin303 TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. It is so easy to get an A as long as you stay on top of things. 30 essays (500 words min), 1 TVM test, 14 Quizzes, and hitting all of the deadlines gets you an A in the course. So easy and trust me you want to take it with him.

Took online. Great prof. Heavy workload. Subscription to Wall Street Journal is a requirement so boo. Essays on top of essays are required to pass. Did 22 (500 words minimum) just to get a B. Lots of chapter quizzes. 1 major timed exam. Financial calc a must. Flexible deadlines. If you are lazy you won't pass. Put some effort in and you will.

The homework is optional but if you want an A or B in the class do the homework and at home reading. Poor at responding to emails. If you have a question go to his office hours instead. His lectures are optional because he basically teaches what are in his notes and he does not take roll.

Dow knows the material very well. Finance was very interesting, and I feel he teaches the material clearly and well. Read and do his handouts to get a good grade.

Took the FIN303 Hybrid course. Very easy class if you are good at learning independently (No book just printouts. Even if you aren't, lectures in hybrid course cover ALL materials with no tricks on the tests. The only drawback is 2 Midterms and a Final dictate your whole grade and they are cumulative. I would say attendance is mandatory for course

attendance was not mandatory. I basically taught myself the day before the test. However, when I did attend , His method of teaching was clear cut. 3 test no work, no extra credit. DO well on his first exam. They get more and more difficult. I got a 100% on the first and a 67 on the final....( before the curve) ended with a B+ for the class.

Professor Dow is extremely knowledgeable and clear. Getting an A is not easy, but if you take the notes verbatim you can do well. The homework assignments help you discover investments better. Attendance is not taken, but missing one day will be the difference in letter grades. Great teacher and wish everyone else in COBAE taught the way he does.

If you want a clear detailed explanation about investments, Dow is perfect for it. Your grade will be determined by mostly the final and the midterm, but the test are straight forward and no tricky questions. Also, Dow slightly curves the test. Attendance isn't necessary, but if you want to do well, go to class.

Great choice for FIN303. His class sets you up for success. It feels like we're only taught the things that matter and we don't waste time on fluff. There isn't a lot of material to study and the work load for each week is extremely light. It is so easy to fall behind because homework is optional. Follow his simple instructions and you'll succeed.

He's a good professor although he doesn't really teach. His class is only based on 3 exams and all three exams are curved. The benefit of this class is you don't have to buy the book. He provides the book online.

Prof. Dow is extremely knowledgable and teaches you the fundamentals of portfolio management. There are only 2 exam (40% midterm & 60%Final). His class is very lecture heavy and a lot of note taking is required. If you go over the materials you wont have a hard time on the exams. the second half of the semester is quite a bit of reading.

Great Professor! Take notes on his lectures and readings (provided online). Do all of the problems sets because his exams are usual similar to them. If you don't understand, he is willing to answer questions. He has 3 exams (2 midterms and 1 cumulative final). Its easy just keep up with the problem sets and reading.

He is an overall good professor. I struggled with this class because I am horrible at math but I attended every class and it all worked out. He also was able to meet with me to go over my first test and the mistakes I had and this really helped me for my next 2 tests. Everything builds. Tests are accumulative so if you dont understand LEARN IT.

I had previously dropped an online FIN class due to the workload, but this class was the total opposite. His lectures are super easy to understand and follow and there is NO homework. There are 2 midterms and a final, which so far have not been hard. He curves and also gives study problems before each test. HIGHLY recommend choosing Prof. Dow!

James Dow is an amazing professor. If you ask him a question, he will give detailed explanation. Exams are little hard. Importantly, you contribute your time to study hard and take all practices. You also need to learn how to use a financial calculation. If you are good at algebra and basic statistics, it will be fine. You can get A.

He made finance so interesting with his examples and his lectures were easy to follow. I attended all lectures, took notes, and wrote his examples down too. I made myself do all the practice problems from each chapter and read his course packet. Exams are like the practice problems! Best class!

Took him fall 20. pretty easy if you pay attention. It is simple math and he explains it. People that struggled just did not do practice problems which is what exactly is on the exams.

He writes his own notes for the class so you dont have to buy a book. The notes help a lot, if you actually read them before lectures it will make sense or you can ask him questions and he is happy to explain. This class is hard and you have to watch the video lectures but he is very clear, nice, and goes over the confusing stuff many times.

I enjoyed this class as his notes were straightforward and he always broke down the math problems to be understandable. I have trouble with math but with the way he teaches, it was very easy for me to understand the math problems on the exams. The only trouble I had was the concept questions but that's usually easy to understand for others.

The negative reviews on this page are inaccurate. In canvas he gives all the materials per module we need to study for that test so there is no need to ask him what to study for each midterm.His class is very organized and concise would definitely recommend this class to anybody. Ask students in other classes and they will agree he is the best.

good professor. recommend him

Canvas page is organized and the syllabus tells you which lecture notes and videos to view every week. Keep up with the work outside of class as that's typically the reason for those who don't do well. Problem sets are a must and contain all of the answers that show you how to solve them. Helpful and friendly during office hours if you need it.

Great professor! Simple and to-the-point lectures. Be sure to read his chapter notes/textbook and watch the videos. Do the problem sets and understand why and how the answer is the correct answer. Follow the class schedule in the syllabus.

Test heavy class (2 midterms 1 final) but heavy curves as well. Just study, do the practice problems, and read your notes and you'll be fine

Attendance not mando but usually cuts class short, he creates his own notes u can download on canvas, great at explaining terms and concepts, grade is only based on 3 tests! review all material they are cumulative. overall great prof

Awesome professor, although attendance isn't mandatory, if you want to do well on the midterm and hw I'd recommend going. Up front grading rubric for the class, 100% would recommend! I learned a lot from him

Grade is entirely made up of 3 exams. The exams are multiple choice and very fair with generous curves on all exams. Attendance isn't mandatory, everything you need is on canvas (slides, notes, video lectures, practice problems). Just go to class, take notes, study notes, do practice problems and you will do well in this class.

Professor Dow is great at teaching finance. This class is not easy, but he makes every topic simple and uses his own notes during lectures to help keep you on track. Class is graded on three exams. No HW or EC. Attendance is not mandatory, but you should still go to learn. Problem sets and his lecture notes are exactly what is on the exams.

Great professor. Only three exams. Attendance is not mandatory, but attend his lectures and take notes. I suggest reading ahead before a lecture so you're more engaged. The exam consists of concepts and calculations. Know your calculator. It may seem there are not enough practice problems, but visit his office hours.

Dow is very knowledgeable in the field, his lectures are fun, and he's very friendly. He will answer any question you have about the material without making you feel dumb for not understanding. Only downside is that the entire grade is based on 3 tests, and if you get anything less than an A- on any of them, you can't get an A in the class.

He's a great professor and definitely knows about the subject. He doesn't give homework and you are only graded on exams. Exams are hard, but he does give you good material to study. I would recommend if you can put in the work to study.

Professor Dow is knowledgeable, but be prepared to put in a lot of work. No homework or extra credit - your grade is all about acing the 3 cumulative exams. Attend lectures, take notes, and use resources like unstuckstudy to help with study prep. Overall, challenging but rewarding if you engage with the material.

Overall, the class is more than manageable. His lectures are stale at times, but he is knowledgeable, and you can tell he takes being an educator seriously. Learned a lot, and found it to be a good class to add to a busy schedule.

I usually don't give reviews for anything, but this time I think I'll give credit where it's due. I'll say this in a clear and concise way, just as Professor Dow would. Professor Dow is highly knowledgeable in his field, and his clear explanations can make even the most lost students understand. Enjoy your retirement, Professor Dow.