2.9

Jason James

Computer Science - Harper College

2.9
Quality
3.6
Difficulty
59%
Would Retake
121
Reviews
2.9
Quality
3.6
Difficulty
3.1
Helpful
2.6
Clarity

59%

Would Retake

121

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

28

4

16

3

25

2

21

1

31

What Students Say

This guy cannot teach

CSC122 - 1.0 rating

Not a good professor the class average for his tests are usually around a D he does not cover any of the material that you need to know for the course and expects you to learn the material outside of class his lectures and notes do not match the class curriculum and he treats the class like an afterthought

CSC122 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

18%

Textbook Required

27%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A+

95% confidence
Based on 45 grades
Most common grades:
A (22)
A+ (15)
Not sure yet (6)
Grade Distribution
A(37)B(5)C(0)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(3)
Based on 54 reported grades
A: 22
A+: 15
Not sure yet: 6
B: 5
Common Tags
EXTRA CREDIT (26)
Get ready to read (20)
Caring (12)
Test heavy (10)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (8)
Gives good feedback (8)
Hilarious (7)
Lots of homework (6)
Rating Trend

Improving

+0.47 avg change
Sep
Nov
Dec
Jan
May
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

CSC121AND122

4.4

(5)

CSC121122216

4.0

(1)

CSC214

4.0

(1)

CSC121122

3.5

(2)

CS121

3.5

(4)
+15 more courses
Difficulty by Course

CSC201

5.0

MTH

5.0

C63

5.0

MATH060

4.3

MTH080

4.2

Reviews (121)
5.0
3.0
CSC122
Feb 21, 2003

Very willing to help. Nice guy.

3.0
4.0
CSC121122
Apr 29, 2003

Yes, very helpfull, but this guy can't teach. Didn't understand a thing what he was saying in class :(

5.0
3.0
CSC122
Apr 29, 2003

Good teacher !!!

1.0
5.0
CSC201
Jul 15, 2003

No Comments

3.0
2.0
CSC122
Sep 24, 2003

Exteremely nice. Still learning how to teach. He is all over the place in lecture and don't write anything down he puts on the board until he is completely done. He is always trying to add something to make the code better.

3.0
3.0
CSC121
Feb 23, 2004

I agree with everyone else, this guy can not teach. He is a nice guy but, he is unprofessional (looks like he just rolled out of bed) and unprepared. My guess is that he is a laid off IT guy looking for any job!

3.0
5.0
CSC121
Mar 29, 2004

Very hard class...drop it asap!I had no clue what was going on and I'm a straight A student.

2.0
5.0
CSC121
May 8, 2004

Drop class asap, this is a friendly warning that should be taken seriously. I am an honor student and I had no clue what was going on in this class. The test are 8 pgs long!

1.0
5.0
MTH
May 27, 2004

i unfortunately got him for a math class, he didnt teach a math class before and had no idea what he was doing. he didnt help at all and when finals came, he was so behind that he had to teach us ch 5,6,7,8 all in 2 class periods a week before final exam

1.0
3.0
MTH103
Sep 26, 2004

I had him for algebra and he was horrible. I sat in the front row and still couldn't hear a word he said. His idea of teaching was "Which problem would you like me to go over from the homework" it was horrible!

1.0
5.0
CSC121
Oct 28, 2004

Tests are EXTREMELY difficult. He cannot teach. Very egotistical. Projects are nearly impossible and you have no where near enough time to complete them.

1.0
1.0
CSC216
Oct 28, 2004

No Comments

3.0
5.0
C63
Oct 28, 2004

Uhhh....smart guy and all, but doesn't understand the concept of teaching. WE DON'T KNOW IT BEFORE U TEACH US MAN!

4.0
3.0
CSC121122216
Nov 10, 2004

I took CSC 121,122 and 216. Lectures are a C, Online Notes A++, Tests have many extra credit questions. I crashed my crotch-rocket on the day one of the portfolios was due and I came to class all bloody, he literarly wrote my final project. Got B in 122:DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME, I almost got killed:)

2.0
4.0
MTH103
Nov 16, 2004

I would not recommend this teacher if you want to LEARN anything. His methods are unorganized, he really has no idea how to teach. Tests are difficult, but a lot of chances for extra credit. If you are not up to teaching yourself, do not take his class.

1.0
4.0
CSC212
Dec 1, 2004

Horrible teacher, first day of class. talked like if all everyone already knows everything and he is just their to assaign homework and maybe do a review. i was a computer science major with 4.0 GPA after taking his class for a month not only i dropped it but also changed my major.

4.0
3.0
CSC121
Jan 15, 2005

Jason is the man no doubt. The guy is hilarious. Sure he's not the easiest and somewhat confusing sometimes, so if you're a slacker or have no interest don't bother. He always shows up with his plastic bag from cubfoods with his lunch. roflmao. Plus he's always willing to help and will give you time

4.0
3.0
CSC121
Apr 10, 2005

If you dont have any prior programming knowledge this is a hard teacher, let alone a hard class. But... there is a but. Tons of Extra Credit, labs and projects are easy and lots of group cheating. Dont give up the last day of the portfolio. Make friends and cheat. its ok... thats how its done.

5.0
3.0
CSC121
Jun 16, 2005

The KEY for this class is to cheat with other classmates. Lot's of extra credit.

5.0
3.0
CSC121
Jul 29, 2005

This guy's awesome - hard class, but the first test had a possible 215 points out of 100 - he piles on the extra credit - impossible to fail; group work is only way to go!

1.0
3.0
MATH101
Oct 15, 2005

No Comments

5.0
3.0
CSC121
Oct 25, 2005

If you have have any computer science background, don't take him. However, if you really wanna learn something from this professor, he's willing to teach more than he teaches in the class. I'm a dummy for the computer science, but still can pass all the tests & portfolio due!! The KEY is go to see him a lot during the "correction" cycle! Support !!

2.0
4.0
ALGEBRA
Jan 11, 2006

This teacher is the worst one i've ever taken. Completely confusing, expects everyone to know the material before he goes over and when he teaches he just works out the problems that are already solved in the book. I would not recommend him to anyone.

1.0
5.0
MTH080
Apr 13, 2006

he sucks...mountains of hmwork...tests are confusing... last test 98% OF STUDENTS got an F... thats how he teaches!

1.0
3.0
MTH080
May 29, 2006

He isn't the greatest teacher, he gives a lot of homework and tons of extra credit oppertunities that you should take because the tests are super difficult. He is pretty boring and confusing in class.

3.0
3.0
CSC121
Aug 21, 2006

The key for success is to cheat from your classmates.

4.0
5.0
CSC121
Oct 24, 2006

hard class and tests. but he is willing to work with you. i failed all the tests and still got a B in the class thanks to all the extra credit and portfolois i did--these are easy. he will work with you and understands that not everone is a computer wiss

3.0
5.0
CSC121
Nov 3, 2006

Nice guy, horrible teacher. Very helpfull if you have time to study with him after class. Had to drop him through. Couldn't stand the fact that this class was making me miserable. I am an honor student, and this class make me feel very, very stupid...

1.0
5.0
MATH080
Dec 8, 2006

Worst teacher in the world. Avoid this teacher at all costs

2.0
5.0
MTH080
Jan 10, 2007

Horibble teacher do not take this class with him.

2.0
5.0
CSC121
May 21, 2007

Well, got a BS in engineering. Not very helpful when I went to Harper. Maybe it's time to go back and flex on a few CS classes?

3.0
5.0
CSC121
Jun 5, 2007

He is a REALLY nice guy. hard: yes, seems impossible: yes, confusing as hell: yes, a very reasonable man: yes. All I gotta say is, JUST TRY. Really try, and show him your trying. He will not deny you. No lie, at first I said F*CK him, its impossible! but although the material is impossible, he is just trying to push you to your limits. Dont drop!!

4.0
3.0
CSC121
Jun 6, 2007

tests are super hard, but he gives us TONS OF TONS OF EXTRA CREDIT. Very nice guy. IF u want to learn something, u hav to ask him... asking is the key to pass this class. i got A by the way... i thought i failed.. but ya....

3.0
4.0
MTH080
Feb 25, 2008

Mr. James is a very nice guy as a person but as a math teacher does not teach very well. He is extremely intelligent and has very obviously mastered the material, but the way he teaches it is extremely unclear and very short. He is also very tricky on tests and makes homework more difficult than it really needs to be. Don't take him for math at all

2.0
5.0
CSC121
Mar 26, 2008

a heavy procrastinator. dumps work on you but takes months to get it back to you. dont ask him for a recommendation: will wait till the last day and grudgingly do it on time if you nag often enough

5.0
3.0
CSC121
May 29, 2008

He is just a fantastic professor! He gives out a lot of extra credit so there's no need to worry about failing!! He is a great professor to take, and he understands the students. He's also very funny that keeps the students awake!! He's very nice! :)

5.0
1.0
CSC121
Jun 11, 2008

TAKE HIM!!!!!!!! he is really great teacher. he always willing to help you. his class seemes boring but he will help you a lot and if he think you are working hard that he will definitely give u an A!! i got an A in his class too. he never check our portfolios, i htink he just give people to letter grade. and gice lots of extra credits!!TAKE HIM!!!

1.0
5.0
CSC121
Oct 21, 2008

This teacher doesn't know how to teach. No presentation, no clear explainations, DUMB JOKES, boring class. This guy seriously need to go back to school and learn how to teach... I feel like learning nothing from him.

3.0
3.0
MTH080
Nov 16, 2008

Very nice guy and smart, but he doesn't teach well. He takes math that is hard enough by itself and makes it more confusing. DO NOT take him. Extra credit is available but it is doing the hardest problems in the book, so it's not good. I withdrew and took this class with another instructor and it was explained much much better.

4.0
3.0
CSC121
Jan 23, 2009

He's a very nice guy but it's true he doesn't know how to teach. But that doesn't mean that you cannot pass his class. He's extremely helpful and offers a lot of extra credit. Exams are from take home quizzes. If you read the text and get all your quizzes checked, you should be fine. Labs are hard but he helps you all the time.

1.0
3.0
MATH080
Jan 26, 2009

really bad

2.0
5.0
MTH080
May 19, 2009

He is a terrible teacher. His test are way too hard. We would go to class on Test days to find out that there are no tests. He gave us a take home test and it was harder than anything. I even went to the tutors and some of them didn't even get it. If you work over 15 hours and go full time for school, DON' TAKE HIM!

4.0
3.0
CSC214
Jul 14, 2009

Since I'm study in Java, I have to say Jason James is a really good teacher! At the lab, he tries to be very helpful to the students. As for this class and any other programming courses, you have to work your butt off!! If you show him that, he will be impressed with you and he probably will give you an A!!

4.0
4.0
CSC121
Jul 1, 2010

Well, very hard class , a lot of hw, hard test.i will not recommand take him for summer school. But is a nice guy and very helpful teacher.

1.0
4.0
MATH060
Aug 26, 2010

Do not recommend this teacher to anyone! I was only in his class for one week but it was clear from the start that he was a horrible teacher. He constantly talked about things completely irrelevent to math and made simple things such as finding the GCM of fractions a lot more confusing then it really was.

2.0
4.0
MATH060
Oct 6, 2010

The good: he's a nice gut; has sort of a childlike innocence to him. The Bad : worst teacher ever. took first test over a month ago and we still have not gotten them back. so bad. so so bad.

1.0
5.0
MATH060
Oct 6, 2010

worst teacher ever

1.0
5.0
CSC122
Nov 14, 2010

He does not explain, he flashes programs on the screen and expects us to understand his mumblings about them. The specifications of the homeworks are obfuscated in form of questions, he does not return any graded programs, exams require definitions which he did not give, he does not provide all the examples that he flashes in class. Worst ever!!!!

1.0
5.0
CSC121
Dec 24, 2010

I attend each and every class but didnt understand the basics. I didnt learn the basics from the class. I would recommend taking someonelse than him. Doesnt grade any stuff at all. If you have good contacts with him and show him you are working hard, then he would consdier you. You could only improve your grade by proving him that you are trying.

2.0
4.0
CSC121
Mar 30, 2011

I attend class every week and every week its the same thing. He pulls up a program with notes on it and *tries* to explain what is there.Labs are pointless unless you dont own a computer.His test are 7+ pages.I took a test week 5 its not week 11 and havent seen that test yet.350 words isnt enough to describe how bad he is as a teacher.DO NOT TAKE

2.0
4.0
CSC121
Aug 5, 2012

ok the class is not that hard. I got a D on the first 2 test and still got an A. But there is no point in showing up unless quiz or test. terrible teacher, never graded anything. U will have to turn in labs which we never got back.Only took 3 of 5 tests bc he could not get to the material. complains about his life a lot.never the less I got an A.

3.0
4.0
CSC122
Dec 21, 2012

He knows what he is talking about but cannot teach it. You should just read the book and look for examples online. Lots of extra credit so there is no reason you should not get an A.

5.0
2.0
CSC121
Nov 11, 2013

I don't know why students have given him such negative ratings. He is a nice professor who is willing to help as long as you ASK for it. Honestly he has helped me alot in understanding the material and I am getting an A in the class now. Keep in mind I have no computer background what so ever. If you want to learn take him.

4.0
1.0
CSC121
Jan 12, 2014

The reason why this professor gets low ratings is because students are taking his class are usually not interested in the material. It is difficult to teach introductory computer science class and he does a quite well job. To be honest, you have to try to even fail his class. He is very helpful if you use him as a resource. Go to the labs.

3.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: B
Jan 15, 2014

Helpful and nice if you ask, but the class is weird. A guy actually had to ask the first day, "Is there something we're supposed to be doing?", cuz prof is just chillin silent at the desk. Communication and structure is lacking. The class and his teaching is unstructured and scattershot. I had no idea what was going on. Really nebulous stuff.

5.0
3.0
CS121
Grade: A
Dec 4, 2014

He's a great professor. Wiling to help all the time.. Take him.

4.0
3.0
CSC121
Jan 4, 2015

Jason James is a teacher that knows what he teaches Classes might be a little boring sometimes but if you have any questions make sure to ask him you will understand better He is always willing to help Make sure to do all your portfolios

3.0
2.0
CSC121AND122
Grade: A
Jan 11, 2015

You will most likely ace his class if you do your portfolio's. He gets very easily sidetracked in lecture, so he gets very far behind on material. His lectures are usually pretty unclear and boring, but he is very eager to help, obviously knows his stuff, and very helpful with questions. Overall nice guy, bad lecturer, easy grader, easy A.

2.0
4.0
CSC122
Dec 3, 2015

Great guy, hes nice and knows what hes talking about, but he's an awful teacher. Lectures are not helpful in the slightest. Has a very backward way of assignments which will always leave you in a rush. Also its week 15 and I have not gotten my first homework assignment back, Ive turned in other ones so I may be doing something wrong and not know it

5.0
2.0
CSC121
Grade: A
Dec 21, 2015

The lectures were very boring as he just uses prepared stuff instead of actually coding stuff which would be more interesting. In the class only one of the exams was actually in class and all other ones were take home where you can find answers online or from others in class. The programs weren't that hard as you could find help online or from him.

4.0
4.0
CSC121AND122
Grade: A
Apr 27, 2016

Great teacher, always willing to help if you need it! Not a tough grader, don't get frustrated if you get couple of F for tests) You will get an A if you go to lectures and labs at least once a week, and ask questions regarding your portfolio's. If you are into Computer Science, even if you are struggling and don't meet due dates, you will Ace.

1.0
5.0
MTH220
May 18, 2016

DO NOT PAY MONEY TO TAKE A CLASS WITH THIS GUY! He flys through material without going over examples to show how to apply what he explained. He goes about his lectures as if we are reviewing, not so much as to teach students who haven't cover the topics. AND this semester he decided to wait and give us 80% of our grade during finals week.

1.0
3.0
CSC121
May 20, 2016

It really is hard to explain this guy. I took him for 121 and his lectures make no sense at all. You wont really learn anything. However he is very good at teaching code one on one, so I suggest using office hours. His tests are usually take home. If you take this class for 121 its an easy A, but if for 122 youre going to do a lot of self teaching.

5.0
2.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Aug 20, 2016
Would take again

I had him for both CSC122 and MTH220 (Discrete maths with proofs), and he's the nicest and funniest guy you'll ever meet, constantly telling stories, jokes, etc.. He is an incredibly easy grader, got an A in both classes, gives extra credit opportunities, no mandatory homework. If you put in effort you should have no trouble getting an A.

Hilarious
Caring
EXTRA CREDIT
1.0
5.0
MTH220
Sep 11, 2016
Wouldn't take again

This teacher is funny however as far as teaching goes he's not helpful at all. His lectures consist of him reading the highlighted parts of the book and that's it. Didn't explain any of them, never gave any examples, doesn't even explain the concept. We did maybe 1 example per class.

Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
5.0
CSC122
Nov 16, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Not a good professor the class average for his tests are usually around a D he does not cover any of the material that you need to know for the course and expects you to learn the material outside of class his lectures and notes do not match the class curriculum and he treats the class like an afterthought.

Tough Grader
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
GROUP PROJECTS
3.0
3.0
CSC121
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 17, 2016
Would take again

He's a nice guy, and doesn't grade harshly. I would've failed his tests if it wasn't for his curves on every test. He gives study guides for what to expect for tests. Portfolios are easy to complete as well. His lectures aren't the best, and hard to comprehend, but he clearly knows his stuff. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you're confused.

Caring
EXTRA CREDIT
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
3.0
CSC121
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 26, 2016
Wouldn't take again

The problem I have with this teacher is that he grades things very late. My semester is nearly over, and he still hasn't graded the portfolio assignments from week 5 and 10. He doesn't have a blackboard either, so you have to ask him your grade, and it's not even an updated grade. A lot of his tests are take-home, but they're really difficult.

TEST HEAVY
Caring
EXTRA CREDIT
2.0
4.0
CSC122
Jan 27, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Lectures arent helpful, most of his lecture goes over my head and I'm more interested in CS than the average student. He knows the stuff but doesnt teach it well in a lecture format. So hardly anyone shows up to class. But hes helpful on a one-on-one basis where you ask questions about your code. His website is vague with the assignments he wants.

1.0
5.0
CSC122
Grade: Incomplete
Feb 22, 2017
Wouldn't take again

He knows his stuff but his lectures are very poorly organized. He basically reads code that he probably wrote years ago. He goes off topic all the time. He is helpful if you ask him questions one-on-one but otherwise, he is pretty bad. He doesn't seem to care about the class, is always on his computer during labs instead of doing live demos etc.

Get ready to read
1.0
5.0
CSC122
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Apr 7, 2017
Wouldn't take again

He knows how to code, but he doesn't teach it well at all. He flies through lecture, so it's nigh impossible to copy down notes. The problem statements for HW are hard to understand. He leaves most of the teaching to his website. Self teaching is not what I paid this guy money for. Got the first test back 11 weeks in. Class average was 57%.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
1.0
4.0
MAT220
Grade: B
Apr 25, 2017
Wouldn't take again

They say those who can't do teach. Lecture is just him reading directly out of the PhD level textbook. He seems very intelligent but when asked to provide an example will silently rewrite the answer on the board and think that helped. Tests take about a month to be graded and no grades are posted online so just hope his wacked grading scale passes

Get ready to read
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
4.0
CSC121
Jul 6, 2017
Wouldn't take again

I've never felt the need to rate a professor on here until I had this man as a professor. Jason James is quite literally the worst teacher I've ever had. Tries to be funny but isn't, goes on (too many) tangents, doesn't explain things at all. He has no idea how to teach other people. If you have to take him, may god have mercy on your soul.

Skip class? You won't pass.
TEST HEAVY
EXTRA CREDIT
5.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Jul 8, 2017
Would take again

I took him for CSC122 and MTH220 same semester, really nice guy with a relentless dry but entertaining sense of humor. If you're the type that needs to be spoonfed information, don't take his class, you will need to study a lot on your own if you wish to succeed, but he was happy to answer questions during and after class. Also, TONS of extracredit

Hilarious
Caring
EXTRA CREDIT
3.0
5.0
CSC121
Grade: Not sure yet
Jul 20, 2017
Wouldn't take again

He tires so hard to be funny and tries to teach. Everyone in class can tell he wants to teach, he so badly wants to. But he can't, he knows his stuff but can't teach his stuff.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
2.0
4.0
CS121
Grade: B
Jul 25, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Possibly one of the worst professors ever to grace this earth. Every lecture is basically him reading off his old code while never going deeper. Manages to crack unfunny jokes about off topic subjects in a way that only one person smiles per joke. Would not recommend taking this course if you have any other option. Good luck.

Get ready to read
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
EXTRA CREDIT
2.0
5.0
CSC121
Aug 8, 2017
Wouldn't take again

If you only need ONE SEMESTER of programming take him. Has a lot of extra credit. You will not learn as much but you still can receive an A. Failed all tests still received an A. How to pass: Make sure you read his website notes BEFORE coming to class and watch youtube videos. Ask for help and visit his office hours because he will help you a lot.

Get ready to read
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
EXTRA CREDIT
1.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A-
Nov 13, 2017
Wouldn't take again

This guy cannot teach. He is smart. But can't teach to save his life. You can learn a lot doing the labs and projects. But not through his lectures. I wish I could have taken another professor but he is the only choice for 4 classes at Harper.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
1.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Dec 12, 2017
Would take again

He is really sweet guy. Cares about students. LOTS OF EXTRA CREDIT. maybe you'll find his classes little boring at first but don't get scared too easy. He offers so many extra credit opportunities that nobody could fail even if they wanted to. Just take him. He is the best professor in CS.

Gives good feedback
Respected
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
4.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Dec 19, 2017
Would take again

He is nice and gives a lot of extra credit oppurtunities. His lectures aren't the most interesting but if you read his notes before lecture you should be fine.

Gives good feedback
Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
1.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Dec 28, 2017
Would take again

Has own website, straight to point with learning and grading scale. Makes computer science even more interesting to learn about. Tests are great. Best teacher I've had in college career (attended 2 universities before). Too many haters here ranting about some minor things.. For cs, it's either you get it or you don't, don't blame the professor.

Respected
Inspirational
Hilarious
4.0
3.0
CSC121122
Grade: A
May 6, 2018
Would take again

He's a great guy, I started learning CS from him. Now im at UIUC hanging in there.

Gives good feedback
Get ready to read
Hilarious
2.0
3.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Jun 4, 2018
Would take again

Very nice and funny guy, but I couldn't learn anything from him. His lectures were boring, he explained concepts in a complex way, didn't tell us our grades until the third to last week, and didn't use the book. You'll get an A if you do the programming assignments, but you have to learn on your own, either from the book or YouTube.

Get ready to read
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
3.0
1.0
MTH220
Grade: A
Jul 4, 2018
Would take again

Technically, he doesn't just read from the textbook. He also makes memorable but unrelated notes about the author and the mistakes in the book. Very useful and insightful.

Get ready to read
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
TEST HEAVY
2.0
4.0
CS121
Aug 16, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Helpful, lots of extra credit, available to help, and challenging projects. However, lectures are a waste of time, no one understands from the way he explains concepts. Speaks to the class as if the class is at his level of understanding. His website is a mess to navigate. Jumps from chapter to chapter leaving you clueless to which chapters to read

5.0
1.0
MTH220
Grade: A+
Dec 18, 2018
Would take again

Underrated teacher, knows his stuff very well, tons of extra credit literally you can pass the class with just EC. Very understanding professor and amazing jokes. Super fun in class. Took him for discrete but take any class with him and youre passing with A. Unless you really bad at studies

Gives good feedback
Inspirational
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
2.0
3.0
CSC122
Grade: A+
Dec 21, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Professor: Cares Homework: Decent. Generous extra credit. Lectures: Hit or miss. He gets stuck showing low level details before the students have a general understanding about the idea being presented. What are you trying to show? Tests: Unfair. Qs are too specific and lectures don't emphasis what's important. Website: Confusing but info is there.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Caring
5.0
3.0
CS121
Grade: A+
Aug 1, 2019
Would take again

This professor is very genuine and lenient in his grading style. He makes topics easy to understand and is always willing to help if a student needs it. I highly recommend him.

5.0
5.0
CSC121
Grade: A+
Dec 5, 2019
Would take again

don't do anything and you'll actually pass with an A

Group projects
Beware of pop quizzes
Tough grader
5.0
3.0
CSC121AND122
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 6, 2019
Would take again

oh JJ... where to start. JJ is a nice guy, gives alot of opportunities and extra credit. However, u wont learn alot from his lectures, most of the learing u will do is on your own and will depend on ur interest in the material. START PORTFOLIOS EARLY those make up most of the grade, and they are kinda hard since u have to learn everythin on ur own

Respected
Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
5.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A+
Dec 13, 2020
Would take again

Coming into this class, I was pretty intimidated. It seemed like we'd learn a lot of new concepts and a ton of the stuff that I apparently should've learned in 121 wasn't taught to me. But, the class ended up being a rewarding challenge. Jason James is easily the best computer science teacher I've ever had. And I'm glad I took his class

Hilarious
Lecture heavy
EXTRA CREDIT
5.0
2.0
MTH220
Dec 16, 2020
Would take again

So MTH 220 covers a lot of tough topics but Prof James gives TONS of extra credit so if you want an A you can get it by earning the extra credit you need. I've heard nightmares about this class at other colleges so feel lucky we have such a generous prof that allows you to earn A's if you really want them. TAKE HIM!

EXTRA CREDIT
5.0
3.0
MTH220
Grade: A
Dec 21, 2020
Would take again

Prof. James is simply a caring person who made distance learning manageable with his kind yet fair nature. He's also really funny. He responds quickly to emails and although exams were the only major graded things, he offers extra credit in many ways, one of them being homework, which really helps in exam preparation. Take him!

Test heavy
Hilarious
Caring
5.0
3.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Jan 13, 2021
Would take again

Professor James is an amazing and caring person. He gave me a lot of feedback when I went to office hours. Thanks to him I ended up at UIUC CS. The material, labs, and projects are hard, but it is how CS courses are. All Unversity-level CS classes are much harder than CSC122. You should read notes on his website before going to class.

Gives good feedback
Inspirational
Caring
5.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Jun 8, 2021
Would take again

Had Prof. James for Discrete Math and now CSC 122. I was going through a tough time this semester and he was understanding about my situation. Computer science II is a tough course, but he made the class manageable by offering extra credit and overall being a kind person. Glad I took him. He's also funny!

Hilarious
Caring
EXTRA CREDIT
4.0
3.0
MTH220
Grade: A
Dec 6, 2021
Would take again

He was a good professor, I just did not enjoy the class because it was kind of hard and confusing. But he was pretty good at answering emails, lots of homework but was half for participation and a half for what was right/wrong. There weren't too many tests but when there was they were sort of hard and long. Very nice, funny, and understanding guy!!

Lots of homework
Participation matters
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
MTH220
Feb 23, 2022
Would take again

Mr. James is a really nice teacher he really is. He cares alot for his students and gi es alot of extra credit however, hes not good at giving lectures where its very difficult to understand him. The only way to pass this class is by getting some tution from him, rewatch his videos on tophat, and look for better texts books the default sucks.

EXTRA CREDIT
Lecture heavy
Caring
1.0
3.0
CSC122
Grade: B
Jun 26, 2022

I learned nothing.

1.0
5.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Jul 2, 2022

The lectures and examples Jason gives are way too complex for an intro class. If you didn't take him for CSC121 you'll be even more confused. I didn't learn much from this class due to the stress of completing the portfolios. I only passed because of the huge amount of extra credit. Start portfolios early and read his website to study for exams

EXTRA CREDIT
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
2.0
4.0
CSC121
Grade: B
Jan 13, 2023
Would take again

Jason seems like a nice guy and very well versed in the course he was teaching, but his communication and time management skills appeared to me to be severely lacking. Very late on grades for large projects and tests, as well as the video lectures provided were very rambly and hard to follow along with. Also the HW app used was rather clunky.

Tough grader
EXTRA CREDIT
2.0
4.0
CSC121
Grade: A
Jan 14, 2023
Would take again

Mr. James is nice but his lectures are really difficult to follow. A major issue was him falling behind significantly on grading. An assignment you did many weeks ago could still be not graded. Portfolios took atleast 5 weeks to be graded so you didn't have feedback before submitting the next one. Extra credit is very important to boost your grade.

Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
CSC121AND122
Grade: A+
Jan 22, 2023
Would take again

Professor James is amazing. These comments stem from students not being able to apply themselves in the class. As a CS Major you're not going to have someone hold your hand. Apply yourself, go to office hours, experiment with the code. His class structure is a make or break. Persevere in his class and you'll become a better programmer.

Participation matters
EXTRA CREDIT
Lots of homework
2.0
4.0
CSC121
Apr 20, 2023

James is a nice teacher however, he is bad at teaching. Lectures are disorganized and goes off topic often. Has good office hours but his explaining isn't the greatest. For an intro class he doesn't go over concepts well at all, if I didn't already know how to code I'd be lost in his class. Overall I'd give him a D grade.

EXTRA CREDIT
Lecture heavy
Accessible outside class
1.0
5.0
MTH220
Grade: A+
May 23, 2023

James is a nice person, but he is an awful professor. His lectures consist of him reading out of the book rather than teaching the actual concepts. Not only that, he takes a whole month just to grade one exam! The Exams were at times long and hard to do. However, he does offer a lot of extra credit that saved me from failing the course.

Tough grader
EXTRA CREDIT
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
MTH220
Grade: A+
May 23, 2023
Would take again

Professor James is a friendly, smart, and knowledgeable person, but he lacks in being able to properly teach the material. He usually just reads from the book and expects students to understand concepts without actual notes. A lot of this class is self-teaching (watch YouTube). Plenty of extra credit/bonus questions on every exam to get an A/B.

EXTRA CREDIT
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
5.0
3.0
CSC121AND122
Grade: A
May 24, 2023
Would take again

He gave very helpful feedback as we did our portfolios which helped me improve my C++ knowledge. He was also very helpful during his office hours.

Gives good feedback
Beware of pop quizzes
Caring
1.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: Rather not say
May 25, 2023

Jason James is a nice guy, but his curriculum leaves you lost. His 20+ yr old site is confusing and contains some examples that don't even function properly anymore. He was consistently min 3-4 weeks behind in grading throughout the sem. Lectures consist of him reading a wall of text on the screen and expecting you to learn everything on your own.

Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
3.0
4.0
CSC121
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 7, 2023
Would take again

Prof. James is a nice teacher who knows the material. The course structure is based on 8 online exams which is roughly every other week, a final exam, 3 portfolios, and participation questions twice a week. The class is a lot of work. With that being said, Prof. James is ready to help and seems to want everyone to do well.

Participation matters
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
2.0
5.0
MTH220
Grade: A-
Dec 14, 2023

he reads of the book and board and doesnt really teach you the content. I passed because of youtube and quizlet. The extra credit really helps with the grade boost if you need it.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
3.0
3.0
MTH220
Grade: Not sure yet
Feb 12, 2024
Would take again

Prof James is a nice guy and is knowledgeable. He reads out of book and gets the point across at a superficial level so you'll need to spend some time reading the textbook and doing some practice problems to get it. That said, he offers a lot of EC and I'm very grateful for that.

Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
3.0
3.0
CSC216
Grade: A+
May 2, 2024

Only good thing about this class is the extra credit. I wish lectures had been more organized, a lot of it is just him speaking so you can't really retain content. Took forever to grade stuff, it was week 15 and we hadn't gotten the first portfolio back by then. He's very kind and lenient, but needs to get it together

Graded by few things
Online Savvy
5.0
4.0
CSC216
Grade: A+
May 23, 2024
Would take again

Prof. James likes the work in a very specific way. Once I understood what he wanted, it was just a lot of challenging work - especially as a summer course. Fortunately, I was able to redo the work the way he wanted and used his process for the rest of the semester. Lots of assignment choices and extra credit. I have a lot of respect for him.

EXTRA CREDIT
Inspirational
Lots of homework
1.0
3.0
CSC121
Grade: A+
Sep 2, 2024

Didn't know that we were paying Jason $65 for buggy fill-in-the-blank homework questions (instead of a legitimate textbook) that refuses to accept different but equivalent answers and doesn't explain solutions. His "beginner" textbook cannot explain the simplest things without referencing jargon & is full of cringy remarks and unnecessary jokes.

Get ready to read
Lots of homework
3.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A
Nov 12, 2024

Jason is a genuinely good guy (makes terrible Dad jokes) and is really knowledgeable. His exams are online! It seems like he's always trying to improve his course. However, teaching is a different story. He tends to read from notes, and explain to the detail with complicated lingo that often left me lost. There's hope for this professor.

3.0
5.0
CSC216
Grade: A-
Nov 23, 2024
Would take again

Professor James is very knowledgeable and passionate, but lectures frequently go off-topic. Could use that time to work through more examples. Never gets grades back in time and homework is very self-paced (a bad combo). Extremely time-consuming and contrived method of submitting assignments. If you use office hours + corrections you'll do well.

Gives good feedback
Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
3.0
3.0
MTH220
Grade: A+
Dec 17, 2024
Would take again

I thought the class was ok but he really needs to work on his teaching. Mostly it was quick review of the material that we needed to learn for that day. Tons of extra credits which is really nice, but the tests... lets just say that you might need to spend 4 to 8 hours on them. Incredibly difficult tests. Let us never speak of the tests again.

Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A+
Jan 15, 2025
Would take again

Jason is a really great and caring teacher if you're willing to put in effort. His classes are not the easiest, but seldomly have assignments, and when you get them, you have around a month to do them. He gives great feedback and is available most of the time if you have any questions. Very fast at responding to emails. His tests are long though.

EXTRA CREDIT
Caring
Accessible outside class
3.0
1.0
CSC121
Grade: A
May 15, 2025
Would take again

Pretty great and caring as a person, but very far behind on grading and lectures were very monotonous. With that being said, his free textbook was helpful and grading was extremely easy - the tests were take-home and open-note and had a ridiculous amount of extra credit (so did the portfolios). My final grade ended up being 120%, which is telling.

EXTRA CREDIT
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
4.0
4.0
CSC122
Grade: A+
May 20, 2025
Would take again

Pretty good class i learned a lot of new topics in this course. The professors lectures will make you fall asleep so watch out for that. 7 tests 1 final. 3 projects. I recommend doing the projects before entering his class it will make your life easier. But ya professor is super nice and sooo much extra credit. MAKE SURE TO READ HIS NOTES!

Get ready to read
Gives good feedback
Caring
4.0
4.0
MTH220
Grade: A
Dec 10, 2025
Would take again

Professor James is great (tons of extra credit/office hours). Class is entirely dependent on the book. Lectures are him reading the book; he sometimes seems unprepared. Tests are unpredictable. If you are good at self-teaching and like to read, I would absolutely take him again! Otherwise, take Discrete Math at your 4-year school.

Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
MTH220
Grade: A+
Dec 12, 2025

As a college senior, Jason is the most incompetent professors I've ever had. While helpful during office hours, his lectures do not correlate with the exam content. On top of that, he took a whole month to grade one exam. Please avoid him if you can. Side note, I changed majors to business because of him.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

18%

Textbook Required

27%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A+

95% confidence
Based on 45 grades
Most common grades:
A (22)
A+ (15)
Not sure yet (6)
Grade Distribution
A(37)B(5)C(0)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(3)
Based on 54 reported grades
A: 22
A+: 15
Not sure yet: 6
B: 5
Common Tags
EXTRA CREDIT (26)
Get ready to read (20)
Caring (12)
Test heavy (10)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (8)
Gives good feedback (8)
Hilarious (7)
Lots of homework (6)
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Ratings by Course

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4.4

(5)

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4.0

(1)

CSC214

4.0

(1)

CSC121122

3.5

(2)

CS121

3.5

(4)
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Difficulty by Course

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5.0

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5.0

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5.0

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4.3

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