2.8
Quality3.3
Difficulty49%
Would Retake98
Reviews49%
Would Retake
98
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
13
4
23
3
21
2
18
1
23
What Students Say
“Wilson's class was nearly impossible this year”
PHYS201 - 1.0 rating“Made a 96 in his class while also having mono for half the semester”
PHYS201 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.01 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS201202
4.0
(1)PHY201
3.4
(9)PHYS211
3.1
(39)201
3.0
(1)PHYS212
2.8
(5)Difficulty by Course
PHYS155
4.3
PHYS202
4.2
PHYS212
3.6
PHY201
3.6
PHYS201
3.4
Reviews (98)
EASY CLASS. DO YOUR HOMEWORK EACH WEEK AND MEMORIZE HOW TO DO EACH PROBLEM AND YOU WILL ACE HIS TESTS AND HIS CLASS. NOT TOO BAD OF A TEACHER. YOU COULD SHOW UP ONLY ON THE DAY OF THE TESTS, AND GET AN A IN THIS CLASS.
He tries to teach but isn't too great at it. Most test problems are from capa homework and on his tests he curves like a madman.
this class was the easiest i had all semester. tests came straight from the capa and he curves everything. even gave extra credit on capa. one student ended up with a 104 average. final exam is optional if you are passing. great professor.
This teacher is Bunk. Curves, and easy grades, take this if you dont want to do anything in class or learn anything but still make a good grade. With his curves if you make less than a C your an IDIOT!
pretty easy.. tests are simple and are straight from capa. i never attended class except for test days and i got a B in the class. only bad thing is that he isn't a very good teacher (which is why i never went).
tests are realy easy, straight from capa, and he takes best 4 grades of your 3 exams, your capa, and your final grade. so final is optional if you like your grade. curves are crucial on the tests too
Kind of a dork but a nice enough guy. Tries hard, but be prepared to figure stuff out on your own. Class will be hard if you haven't taken physics before.
He never seemed to explain the concepts well, i had to get a tutor and i learned more in the 3 hrs/week i spent with him than i did in the lectures. If you get him, expect to be reading that book constantly and teaching yourself physics.
Very helpful very nice guy. Did all of his examples in class on the board so you could easily see the process of getting the correct answer. Very helpful when asked a question and willing to help outside of the class room. Overall one of my favorite professors at USC.
weird dude, no one respects him, most leave before class is over. his job is to curve our grades and he does. he curves every test grade, cruves the final grade, and drops ur lowest test grade ever if it is the final. basically u can exempt the final if u're comfortable with ur grade.
He takes three weeks to get a test score back to you!The tests are multiple choice and not extremely hard, but there will be questions on there that you have never seen before.Examples given in class very general and little help on homework. Hard to get an A. Easy to get B
I think he is an okay teacher. I heard he is better than the other Physics teachers. Take him if you can for Physics. First test is easy and then it gets hard. Do all the Capa and know well how to do the problems. He is helpful, but you have to work a little to get a good grade.
DOesn't give clear anwsers to questions asked, has some interesting information but it's irrelevant to things you will see on the test, if you really want to learn physics instead of hopefully get through the class....don't take him
Not exactly the most helpful or friendly professor. Has a kind of high and mighty "I am the professor and you are the lowly student" aditude. Has a very strict class room policy and is a harsh grader. Mumbles offten and his board handwriting is hard to read most of the time. Everyone in the class basically taguht themselves. Lectures are awfull, the book is your best friend. Test are tricky, several times he gave us a problem that he did not teach us in lectures. Avoid taking Wilson.
The lectures were good b/c he included lots of examples so the homework (CAPA) was easy. The tests are multiple choice and just like the homework. I never opened the book.
lectures are completely worthless...but if you do the CAPA and understand what you are doing there the exams should be easy, plus he curves all the exams
He spends a lot of time discussing one problem in class. No one pays attention and he is not very helpful.
Attendance was not mandatory but it is somewhat sightly included in your grade. He's pretty boring but thats physics for you. The science channel is better. Curves enourmously straight up in the syllabus so the tests wont have to be. Be sure to do the online homework since its worth as much as the final and its used to make the exams.
does not make you pay attention basically show up and answer the clicker questions and youre fine, test are tough but has an insanely awesome grading scale you can get an A with a 80
Honestly, the professor is hard to follow. He knows the material, however has a hard time conveying it to uninterested students. The hour class normally consisted of him doing 3 problems. Capa is your best friend to do well in the class, and to sit through the class, daily crosswords and sudoku are vital.
His way of teaching is to put a bunch of random equations on the board without telling you what letters stand for and messing around with them until he gets it to say what he wants. 99% of class is completly lost all the time. TESTS ARE JUST CAPA PROBLEMS. If he didnt take attendance no one would have ever come to class b/c it is useless. Good luck
Class is easy becauase the tests come off of the computer questions. He, on the other hand, is ridiculously hard to understand. He's not very good at explaining things. I think he's got it down real well on the inside of his head, but he can't get it out of there. Don't take him unless it's a must. Or unless you're like me and just don't care.
STAY AWAY! I am warning you I am a Junior with a 4.0, and this class was the most stressful class I have ever taken.The entire class was lost all the time, and people would just get up and leave in the middle of class. He is rude and unhelpful in his office. I managed an A, but it was VERY STRESSFUL and HARD since I taught myself. BAD BAD BAD!!!!
Physics department sucks at USC. Dr. Wilson is an alright teacher, just do your CAPA and study the CAPA problems over and over for the exam. I didn't really learn any physics, just memorized problems to scrape by. The final is optional, and it can also replace your lowest test grade. I'd take him over Professor Datta. good luck!
Class is pointless. I'm in the class right now and leave everyday right after attendance is taken. You pretty much have to teach yourself through CAPA.
Nice person. Helpful. But he can't teach. His idea of teaching is jumping around the classroom. Make sure you do CAPA and memorize the questions because half of it will end up on test. Test are hard. CAPA is hard. Go to tutoring, teach yourself, and form study groups. Best Physics Professor here so take him!
You need to go to all the lessons and need to learn the CAPA problems well for the exams... more than half the exam is based on CAPA problems.. you can get around good if you are good with the homework.
Professor Wilson is a very nice man. But he is a horrible teacher. He cannot explain things in a manner that in comprehensible. The tests are mainly CAPA problems but because he isn't a really good teacher, its hard to do the problems because you are ultimately teaching yourself. I wouldn't suggest anyone take his class.
I LOVE Dr. Wilson! He is an excellent professor! Unlike what many believe he is a very clear and effective teacher. The material comes across well and he explains himself. He is also very amusing and keeps the class entertained. One of my favourite classes!
Great professor. Very excellent with students and extremely fair and helpful. You aren't just a number to him.
Wilson is so funny. He brings props into class to demonstrate concepts and keeps class entertaining. If you go to class, do LONCAPA without just looking at how everyone else did it actually work the problem yourself, and actually learn how to do problems not just memorize LONCAPA you will be fine. He does not just put old capa problems.
Dr Wilson is a straight forward teacher. Go to class to get the gimme iclicker points. Loncapa homework can be tough at times but if you have a problem, hes will help. I didnt do anything outside of the assigned hw and iclicker for the class and made a 98% on the course. Though class can get boring, its easy and will teach you everything you need.
Very easy class. go to class, do capa, and study and you will get an A. more than 1/3 of the class got an A as their final grade
(Honors) Physics is tough, but he curves well enough for anyone to make a decent grade... Was prepared for my first C+ and ended with a B+
he's a nice guy but this class is absolute bs. nothing we learn in class relates even remotely to the homework, which is nearly impossible to do without collaborating with other students. you basically have to teach yourself everything. phys dept at usc needs to hire people who know how to teach physics to people who aren't physicists.
This class was easy for me only because I had a great physics background from high school. Wilson is a nice guy but he really struggles at teaching. He is random and none of the lecture applies to the HW which translates to not applying t the tests. The test question come straight from the homework so if you practice the homework you can do well.
Everything based on LON-CAPA. Should've been an independent study.
Very disorganized, unhelpful lectures that have nothing to do with the homework. Go to class to get iClicker points, though. All iclicker questions are online and if you have a computer you have the answers. Exams are based on LONCAPA so just do the homework, memorize how to do the problems and the exams are a breeze. Very easy class.
Fairly boring, but he at least tries at making an extremly boring class a little interesting. Tests are really hard and there is a lot of hw. Attendance is by the many iclicker questions you have to do
Wilson's class was nearly impossible this year. In previous years I heard that his exams were easy because they were just like the homework problems. However, this year they were not. The exams were nothing like the homework problems or the examples in class. I am a straight A student and I received a C in Wilson's class. DON'T TAKE HIM.
GO TO CLASS! The clicker points will save your grade & BUY CHEGG STUDY! It is the only way you will get your homework done & since the exams come from the homework it's essential to get it. Physics is an awful subject to begin with but Wilson is the best professor we have for it. Take him!
Took him because he is one of the better physics professors at USC, but be prepared to study a lot if you don't have any background in physics. Tests are tough, and most of the questions don't come from the homework. Lectures are long and boring and most people only go to get the iClicker points, which are essential to your grade.
Do the homework and come to class to get the iClicker points! You can get CsDs on every test and still pass if you get the easy points. Lectures are boring, but most test questions come from the homeworkclicker points anyway. He's a nice guy, and if you come to office hours he's willing to explain anything you need him to. Curves exams.
Professor is extremely nice and really wants you to do well. That being said, his tests are sometimes extremely ridiculous. Just come to class and get the iclicker points because they really help you and do the homework!
Made a 96 in his class while also having mono for half the semester. He's an awesome guy, really tries to make the lectures interesting. Go to class and copy all iclicker q's bc they will show up on exam. Do Loncapa hw because those will be the other half of the exam. I didn't need chegg bc I went to every recitation and did the hw with wilson.
hard to understand lectures are very boring nobody pays attention gives extra credit does some curves I recommend taking him because I think he is the best physics teacher at USC Exams are not directly from the hw
The best Physics professor at USC. Unfortunately USC has an embarrassingly lacking physics department. Wilson's class is either an easy A or a hard C, depending only on whether or not you have taken any physics class prior.
Curves his grading scale so a 75 is a B!!! He curved all tests, but doesn't know how to teach so lectures were pointless. Just went for the iclicker. Tests are hard even if you study a lot. Never opened the textbook. Seems like an old man who doesn't want to retire so he swings balls around on a string or drags a brick across the stage for enjoymen
TERRIBLE DO NOT TAKE CANNOT TEACH AT ALL. only thing that will keep you awake is all the stuff he's constantly dropping, banging on walls, and tripping over.
He is a nice professor, and he tries, but this class is challenging regardless. Attendance is not mandatory, but you will miss crucial points if you skip. The homework answers can be found in Chegg or Yahoo, and the questions during the classes can be googled.
Professor Wilson's lectures are hard to follow and he does not explain the concepts fully. I have no background in physics and this has been one of the most difficult classes I have ever taken. Going to class and getting i-Clicker may be the difference in your letter grade, they were for me. He will help you with homework in office hours. Go to SI.
Absolutely LOVED him! Wish he was teaching 202. Homework isn't bad and if you go to SI sessions/ do the practice exams you'll be fine. Re uses the same questions from his exams for the final. if you know someone who has had them and study their old exams/ material it is all basically the same. such a nice guy
Iclicker (all online) & homework (on chegg)can save your grade. Three exams and a final and your lowest grade gets dropped and replaced with the average of your other exams. He curves so you can end up with a good grade. The only class I've ever taken where I didn't learn a single thing. Literally didn't learn anything at all and I paid attention.
Dr. Wilson is a really quiet guy, so you have to force yourself to pay attention. To stay up with the material you need to consistently go to class and pay attention. If you do well in the beginning you can skip the final and it will drop. Also go to class for the iclicker questions. They are worth a lot in the end.
Gave a ton of extra credit. Go to class for the iclicker points and make sure to do the hw (use yahoo answers you don't need chegg). Not too bad if you've taken physics before. SI probably helps if you haven't. Final is optional but I would recommend taking it cause it's easier than the first three tests
What can I say, Dr. Wilson is super mediocre. He seems like a nice, quiet guy, but he's not made for teaching whatsoever. Lectures won't prepare you for the homework, and I honestly can't tell you the best way to prepare for exams. Go for the iClicker points, do all the HW using the internet, and try your best. Good luck friends.
Jeff Wilson is the cutest man ever, but not a good professor. Lectures are boring and long. Iclicker and homework really helped my grade. Can definitely say I taught myself most of the exam material. He gave us extra towards the end which is the only reason why I ended up with an A.
Def make sure to get as high of a grade on the homework and iClicker questions because those are the easy As and because theyll cushion your grade if you do bad on an exam. Exam are pretty tough but if you know how to do the homework and read over the lectures, you should get an A or B. Lots of extra credit and chegg the homework.
Dr. Wilson was really excited about physics and tried to make physics interesting. He posted notes online and did lots of practice problems. There was lots of homework, but it was online and it was helpful. He uses the I-Clicker. The exams were multiple choice, but they can be hard if you don't pay attention. I hated physics, but I liked Dr. Wilson
Alright so I usually don't write these, but I felt as though I wish I had checked them before this class. Bottom line: the class is entirely boring, he does not try very hard, and you don't do very well on exams because there are little to no resources. In the large group I know in the class, no one gets As on the exams. Pick something else!
Taking Prof Wilson? Get ready for short answer exams. You need the textbook because his lectures/powerpoints are so unclear you're going to teach yourself everything if you want to pass. He gives study guide questions for the exam but don't rely solely on them or you won't do well. He doesn't use BB. If you have another option, don't take him.
Dr. Wilson obviously enjoys everything to do with physics. On occasion he would bring demos that helped to break up the monotony. Exams vary, sometimes they are just like the homework, and others are more difficult, but he curves a lot, so it's pretty easy to get a good grade. Iclicker counts a good bit, so go to class and do the homework.
Professor Wilson is very nice and very helpful when you ask questions. The lectures do not help with the exams, but you have to show up for the iClicker points. The only way to prepare for the exams is to review the lecture slides over and over. Despite all of this, Wilson is probably your best bet when it comes to Physics professors at USC.
Curves every exam, and our SI was very helpful for hw. Exams were exact same questions from lectures and hw. Show up for iclicker (all online) and attendance, and do the hw. Three exams and a final, but only counts highest 3 (so final is optional). Offered a bunch of hw extra credit at the end too. Didn't learn much, but best Phys I've seen at USC.
Not gonna get much better then Wilson at USC. He doesn't grab the classes attention during lecture so you basically have to kinda teach yourself again outside of class. Show up to class for the iClickers. To do well on the test, go over every lecture slide and every homework that's gonna be on the test. Getting a good grade before the final is huge
He teaches from slides and most of the clicker answers comes from the lectures. Loncapa shouldnt be an issue and you shouldnt do bad in the class if you pay attention in lecture and attend SI. If you go to office hours he will explain everything. The downside, he allowed students to talk over him during lectures which made it hard to hear him.
Good prof. he is very passionate about teaching and helping students. Tons of i-clicker questions do your best to make every class and get the i-clicker questions right and it will dramatically improve your grade. Drops the lowest exam grade so final is optional. Weekly HW on loncapa. Exams reflect loncapa and in-class iclicker questions.
His Iclicker questions are so frequent and take up the majority of class. He briefly explains them, but never takes the time to work anything out. His homework is way more difficult than what he teaches. Again he never goes over it either. Its difficult to apply things if he never works them out for us to see how problems are done.
Runnnnnnnn. Took this as a junior. DO NOT TAKE PERIOD. Literally the worst class ive ever taken. Took physics 201 w Datta and it wasnt bad, I got an A BUT THIS WAS TERRIBLE. It ruined my life. Would rather eat a jean jacket than take this class again. If you overlook this advice, good luck you'll need it.
Dr. Wilson is the only professor I have that did absolutely nothing to ease the transition into virtual classes due to COVID-19. If anything, his class became more difficult, and he seemed to not care at all, stating it was our responsibility to adjust. He was definitely not flexible given the abnormal situation.
His iclicker questions take up most of the class. He kind of explains the problem. However, he doesn't take the time to work out any of the problems in class. His homework problems are more difficult than any problem that was done in class. He doesn't go over any of the homework.
The absolute worst, I'm surprised the university is allowing this man to teach. He is not accommodating and was the only teacher who made classes harder when we transitioned online. Approached him in person once and he was arrogant, rude, and didn't care to help me with a homework question at all. DO NOT TAKE, BOYCOTT THIS MANS
Exam questions were not like homework and in-class questions, which made them difficult. You really have to understand the concepts and how to solve problems to do well. He does offer some extra credit, curves exams, drops the lowest exam, and is easier to understand than some other physics profs at USC.
Dr. Wilson is disorganized. He's difficult to follow in lecture, mostly because the students talk over him the entire time and he does nothing to stop it. He requires weekly homework through LonCapa and iClicker questions for a grade daily. He's a decent guy, but not a great communicator- not something you want in a physics professor.
I took Phys 211 & 212 with Wilson and struggled alot. But that's mainly bc I am just horrible at Physics. I can't compare him to other profs but i think his class was hard bc phys is hard. His exams are made up of homework and clicker q's so as long as you understand the concepts of them you should be good. if you take his class, sit in the front.
Super nice professor he really cares about his students but the test are very difficult and u will most likely get a 60 everytime if you arent studying 6 hrs a day. But like I said amazing guy
Very nice professor. He drops 2 of the 5 tests taken, though you must take 1 of the last 2 exams. Watch video lectures before class to answer iClicker questions, finish homework on time, and attend SI sessions and you should be fine. Online the class chat is chaotic but can be muted if it is too distracting.
At first, we hated Professor Wilson, with him charging for each exam on ProctorU. But, as we got to know him, we all have grown to love him this semester! He's easy to be spoken over but as far as online classes he's a great professor and I'd recommend him to anyone. Two dropped exams & extra credit homework. Daily iClickers for Attendance.
I've never written a rate my professor review before, but here goes. I have a pretty minimal background in physics and I just want to say that dr. Wilson has made this semester a breeze. His tests are extremely easy if you can do the hw. With Dr. Wilson, I recommend studying the hw. He was one of the most enjoyable online profs I had!
I wasnt a fan of how he structured the classes. You had to watch the lectures before class and then did clicker questions during class. But he is a fair and caring professor even though my class was disrespectful. Do the hw and go over the examples from class and the tests were easy. I got an 100 on all of them and only studied for a few hours.
Overall, this was a very straightforward class- what is in class and on the homework is nearly exactly what can be expected on exams. That said, you will not do well in this class if you don't take the time to really understand the homework problems, so you do have to put in the time. His grading system is very forgiving of a rough grade or two.
Super forgiving with grades: he dropped the 3 lowest iClicker scores and your 2 lowest test grades (out of 5). The test questions were really similar to the homework ones, so as long as you understood those, it was pretty easy. Lecture was just him going over material and questions with iClicker. He was a super nice and chill professor.
Wilson has gotten a bad rap and I can see why. Hes a very nice guy and obviously cares about his students but hes abysmal at communication. Often youll email him and not get an answer at all. Also, the lectures arent actually lectures, theyre all just quizzes. Thats it. He drops 2/5 exams though and occasionally makes good jokes.
The class is literally all iClicker questions. He doesn't even take the time to explain the problems we do in class, nor does he actually work them out by hand. Half the time he doesn't even check his email. Have fun getting partial credit on your math when the exams are all multiple choice. I like physics, but this class is awful.
I-Clicker heavy. He does not teach the material. He basically test you on information and really does not teach any of it. There are 3 test and a final(optional). The test are usually 10-12 questions so if you make any mistakes just expect not get an A.
I hated this class. This dude is terrible in lectures. He spends the whole lecture on one or two problems. After one whole lecture on a single problem he came up with the wrong answer and the class had to correct him. Absolutely terrible. I had registered for a class with another professor and one week before class started they changed to him. RIP
Homework doesn’t match with the tests, gives trick questions, doesn’t answer email. Would jot take again
Wilson is definitely the better of the two physics professors at USC. He cares about his students and even though the material isn't that interesting he tries his best to make sure everyone understands it. If you have to take physics here I would take him.
Do not take this class if you are not familar with advanced physics. Dr. Wilson never answered a single email and only uses i-clicker to "teach". Exams are impossible and he refuses to provide practice tests. Whole class is failing.
The exams were nothing like the homework, or SI practice. There were not practice exams to go off of and very little practice problems. The course felt like you were set up for failure. Very unhappy with this course and professor. Wilson was very hard to reach by email. Would NOT recommend other students to take him. If you can avoid him please do.
Dude sucks. No practice exams. The lecture slides are not worth studying as it is not related to homework or exams. The homework does not correlate with the exams (tests are 75% of your grade). You will spend the whole class period solving 1 stupid problem. Dude is an ass. Asking for help if you are struggling, he replies, "StUDy M0rE." Ok bud.
The physics department as a whole is just not great. This was my second time taking the class (shoutout to John Cook, the worst professor I have ever had). Prof Wilson isn't very helpful when asking for advice, and he doesn't really teach. Although, I would say that he is the lesser of two evils. At least he wants his students to succeed.
Professor Wilson really wants his students to succeed. If you ask questions during lecture or ask to see the problems worked out, he is very kind and helpful. The most important thing to do is understand the homework as that reflects the exams pretty well. The subject will be hard no matter what professor you take.
He wants his students to succeed, but he isn't a great teacher. He spends very little time going over how to solve problems and just talks about theory. He uploads all the slides on blackboard, though attendance is part of your grade. The homework takes a really long time. Tests are around 12 questions multiple choice, usually end up being curved.
I think he is the best professor for physics. He has 4 exams, not a cumulative final. He knows the material and the exams are similar to the homeworks.
Wilson is a pretty cool dude. His tests were similar to some of the practice exam problems, but his tests are mainly conceptual. He gave a good amount of extra credit.
This was my second time taking this class and i had a far better experience with professor Wilson. He is a very sweet man and seems to have everyone's best interest at heart. That being said i would strongly recommend using the homework and practice exam as your main way to practice for exams, they are really similar. Highly recommend !
physics is just a hard class in general, but Dr Wilson wants you to succeed. he has office hours where he goes through problems with you and not many people take advantage of it. read the free textbook given to have a better understanding and devote a lot of time to go over your homework problems and practice exams.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.01 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS201202
4.0
(1)PHY201
3.4
(9)PHYS211
3.1
(39)201
3.0
(1)PHYS212
2.8
(5)Difficulty by Course
PHYS155
4.3
PHYS202
4.2
PHYS212
3.6
PHY201
3.6
PHYS201
3.4