3.3
Quality2.1
Difficulty36%
Would Retake93
Reviews36%
Would Retake
93
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
93 total ratings5
22
4
31
3
16
2
10
1
14
What Students Say
“Go to class and he might give extra credit for showing up”
OEAS111N - 5.0 rating“His 8am may put you to sleep”
EARTHSCIENCE - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
33%
Textbook Required
62%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.50 avg changeRatings by Course
111
5.0
(1)GEOL
5.0
(1)GEOLOGY111N
5.0
(1)MINERALOGY
5.0
(1)OEASMIN
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
GEO101
3.5
GEOL
3.0
GEO110111
3.0
GEOLOGY
3.0
OEAS111N
2.8
Reviews (92)
Take the notes he writes on the board and you will pass.
No Comments
Come to class, take notes & you'll get an A
must get used to deep german accent. lighthearted dude- very verbal and nonstop. class may seem boring, but bischoff himself is understanding and interested in his students learning the material rather than grading hard. easy tests(4 total)
This man deserves a lot of credit, he deals with ignorant students all day, but can still smile when he is asked questions, I went to Dr. Bischoff everyday of the tests and if there were anything that I did not explain he would explain things so they were
He is a very nice guy...he has a strong accent that takes some time gettin used to but other than that his test are very easy..the lowest grade u should expect if u go to his class reguarly is a B
helpful... but HARD to understand- he is german w/ a HEAVY accent! handwriting is AWFUL too!!! tests are kind of confusing!
He is a very nice teacher. Its hard to take his class at 8 in the morning but I've been to class every morning 3 times a week and the lowest test grade I got was a C. The others were an A and B. If u take good notes and like geology take this class!!
He is really hard to understand because of his accent, but his test are REALLY EASY if you go to the review before the test. Just go to class, take the notes on the board and go to the review, and you will definitely have an A.
He's the best you'll have I'm sure. It is difficult to understand him and know exactly what he wants for the tests, but just stick with it and you'll do fine. I'd recomend him, very approachable and nice to you!
Talks fast and with a thick accent, but a really Good guy, wants you to do well and has an enormous passion for geology. His tests seem easy, but not always. Just study the notes and if you don't understand something ask him! He's very approachable!
Great guy, he tries to make the class fun....study your notes and you will ace the class.
Lectures are boring, but he reviews the whole test including answers the class before each exam. If you go to the labs and the review sesh then you will ace the class.
No Comments
Cool guy, his lectures are good, but he gives them in an auditorium...with NO microphone!
Teacher is very hard to understand, but the class is easy. You dont really need to buy a book because he stays like on the first three chapters for like the whole semester. Very easy class. doesnt take attendance and reviews most of the questions for the test on review day.
Good teacher if u come to class and take notes u will pass the tests...there were only 4 tests. I didnt really need the book. I got a B and am taking him for 112!
Bischof is an awesome guy. I have had him for two geology classes now, and I couldn't say enough about how great he is at his job. I strongly recommend him to anyone who needs to take a geology course. Just make sure that you listen carefully (he has an accent, but you get used to it) and follow along with his notes, you will do wonderfully.
First of all let me say that he makes a sneezing and coughing sound at the same time thats really distracting plus he messes with his pants every 5 minutes! But for the most part he is a good teacher, just go to the exam review and you will be fine! Got a B in the class!
BORING. Try not to take at 8am if you can. Really does stay on the first three chapters for about a month or so. Tests are pretty easy.
Bischof is very easy...His tests are very easy if you go to class on a regular basis. The accent was very hard to understand at first but continue going to class and you'll get used to it. Draws a lot of pictures that aren't relevant and lectures on things that won't be on the test. But I wouldn't take anyone else for Geology 112! :)
Very easy class. I would go only for the test reviews and labs and still got an A- in the class. If you go to the reviews and study it you will surely get a B on the tests.
Excellent teacher. Very passionate about geology and as a result makes the class very interesting.
Bischoff's class is *SO* easy. He knows that this is a class taken by mostly non-majors and teaches it so that if you attend and pay a half-assed amount of attention you'll get an "A".
Openly hostile to students who have trouble hearing or understanding him. Very defensive about his accent, and I liked him.
No Comments
Boring teacher
EASY A! It helps if you find this stuff interesting though. Makes funny noises all the time. Very enthusiastic about the topic, and loves answering questions from the class. Good teacher!!
easy easy easy (boring boring boring). didnt learn a thing, but passed with flying colors
His accent is thick but it's really dumbed-down geology. The tests are like, 20 multiple choices and/or fill-in-the-blanks and it's exact statements that he gave you/wrote on the board in class. Attendance is optional, so just show up for the Mondays before tests (review days) and the test days and you're made in the shade.
I can not stress this enough, the guy is BOOORING! On top of that he has the worse accent. I sat in the 2nd row and had the hardest time understanding anything the man said! His test arent hard, all multiple choice and he does a review in class. Attendance doesn't count. Best thing I can advise is to read the book cause his notes aren't that great
His class is very easy. I rarely went to class and I got an A on every test
I def. cheated my way through this class! I didn't learn ANYTHING in lectures, although I lucked out w/ an awesome lab instructor. Too bad we didn't get tested on things from lab. Mr. Bischoff is VERY willing to help which is good, but he goes off on tangents & it's hard to tell what you need to write in your notes. He's not @ all structured!
It is very hard to understand him, however, I found that the closer I sit to the front, the better I can understand him. Attendance is not mandatory. He does a review the day before his test, and you get your test back the next class. He is very nice, and if it weren't for his accent I might have went to class more.
No homework, Wont learn a thing unless you're good at indep. Stud. Very nice, but lectures have virtualy NOTHING to do with tests. Only learning done in lab. Lan work not on tests. Just read the book cause that's the only thing that will possible help! Heavy accent!
A dissenting opinion: Bischof's tests are based 100 percent on his lecture, so if you take notes (not a lot of material) and study for two hours the night before, you'll do fine. He also does a test review the class before with the test in his hand. And his speech is perfectly understandable.
I don't think his accent is bad at all BUT he definitely does go off on tangents which can sometimes make it hard to determine what material you will need in your notes and what he is just explaining. My advice is go to class and read the text. You'll be fine; the class is really easy.
His lectures are VERY BORING. i would highly advise against an 8:00 class. His accent is very very thick. I never understand anything that he says. You need to take really good notes during the lecture cause he pulls the test sraight out of the lecture. The book is basically useless. I am mad i paid so much for it and i have never even opened it.
Heavy accent and VERY hard to understand! Tests aren't too bad if you use the book to study, basically had to teach myself. Do not take as an 8am class!
he is very borning i never went to class his test are random but if u read the book you should be able to do well on his test he is a nice guy but has a thick accent overall i would take him his class is easy and attendance is not mandatory
Tests are easy if you go to class. I didn't open the book once. The final is based on tests taken prior to. He is passionate about the subject.
Do not take this teacher unless you absolutely have to. If you do, read the book during lecture because you will not be able to understand what he is saying due to a thick German accent. He loves this stuff, but he is not an effective teacher.
Dr. Bischof is the man. His lectures are boring but you dont really have to go. Just study everything he puts on the reviews and your gravy.
Coming to class is key. Notes are not posted so you much take your own. The exams are somewhat challenging.
this class is very easy. however, in this class, he has a lot more picture days than he did last semester.
This guy is a good teacher, he really loves the material and wants you to do well. Attendance is not mandatory but to do well you really should go often, I didn't open the book once, the test material is is given in lecture. If you attend class and take good notes you really shouldn't get less than a B. His accent is thick, but you get used to i
if you do not have to take this class i do not recommend taking it.. i had bischof for two semester one for physical geology and one for historical geology.. both classes he was about 4 weeks behind in the lecture and lab was where the lecture was supposed to be .. he seems to love geology but teaching is not his thing
Hard to take notes because no power points or any sort of visual notes. Have to take notes off his verbal lecture. Not easy if you are not interested in geology.
I love Dr. Bischof1
The class wasn't too bad but he had a really thick accent that was hard to understand. I also attended every single class and still didn't know what to expect on the tests. Besides that a decent boring class.
is german sometimes speaks witha stutter i think is what it sounds like jsut listen close and youll be fine
The most engaging class I have taken at ODU. I was not very interested in earth science, but I am now thinking of majoring in geology. Dr. Bischof's enthusiasm is catching!!
Very interesting guy, with a cute german accent. I learned a lot from him. He is very enthusiastic and very fair, considering the huge class!
Although his accent is hard to comprehend, you will get used to it. attendance is not required but highly recommended. take notes every class, then tests will be extremely easy!
His accent isn't so thick that you can't understand him. I've had to put up with WAY thicker accents before with classes way more difficult than this one. Furthermore, if you just go to class sometimes, not even all the time, and crack the book open for a few minutes before the exam, there's no excuse to not get an A in the class.
this class is basically a replica of 110. i thought it was a waste of time & money. tests were the same as 110. at least it was an easy A.
Professor Bischoff is an okay professor. Tests are always on Wednesdays and he does not throw in anything that has not been covered. Lectures can make you fall asleep easily. I have him Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 8 A.M. It sucks because that was the only timeslot and professor available.
Great professor who really is a nice decent guy. Attendance is not mandatory and even if you do miss or skip he repeats everything on the test many many times. Always gives a good test review and test are easy. Never gives homework and you don't need to buy the book. Most of the class never shows except on test day. EASY A.
Dr. Bischof is an incredible instructor. He tends to get off topic but its always interesting when he does. Tests come straight from lecture but he covers every point many times. Even missing a few classes you would be well prepared for his exams. He is extremely knowledgeable about minerals and sediments. Wish I could take him for more courses.
I had him for 111/112 and he's really good. He may get off topic a bit, but is funny and gets his points across. You can miss most classes and get a C or B- on the test, but come often and get an A. 112 was pretty repetitive of 111. But, nonetheless, I learned a great deal. It is just an intro class after all. My major is geology.
He wasn't that good of a teacher. He spoke very quietly and only to the first 2 rows. He didn't even follow his own syllabus.
I had him for 110 & 112. He is a great instructor and made everything that much more interesting! 112 mirrors 110 almost exactly and he tests you on the same things almost incessantly, but you are always learning something new, even if only slightly! He has a very thick accent but it's not a problem, you can surely hear his jokes clearly enough!
Boring lectures! You don't learn much that is useful for the test. However, the labs are extremely helpful. Study for the tests based mostly off that info
I'm the complete opposite of a science major but his lectures are so interesting I wouldn't mind switching to geology. This class is great for mature students who love learning and take school seriously. His tests are easy if you take notes AND read the book.
Awesome teacher. Gives entertaining lectures and understands students.
He is a very good teacher and is very passionate about Earth Science and Geology. Although, he accent is strong you can understand the lecture. I would recommend this teacher.
his lectures are really pointless, except the lecture before an exam. he pretty much tells you everything on the exam. the exams are super easy! if you don't pass his classes, you're crazy!
VERY easy class. Monday before test he goes over what will be on it. Study that and you are golden. He's very quirky and a great teacher seems to care a great deal.
He has a thick accent which makes it hard to understand him sometimes. He works in this field for a living and provides great insight into a lot of the material. He tells you exactly what is on the quiz but you have to make sure you go to his lectures or you won't get that information.
Go to class and he might give extra credit for showing up. His tests are pretty straight-up what he goes over in lectures. He is a little hard to understand, so sit in the first few rows and he is very willing to get to know the students and answer any questions you have!
He has a thick German accent and does not speak very loudly so you will have to sit close if you want to take good notes. His 8am may put you to sleep. Half of my class never showed up except on test day. He says you absolutely need the TB but I only used it to read the chapter summaries, it's not used in class at all. Go to class and pay attention
This class was semi-easy if you put the work in. The professor gives you the test basically for the first test but the ones after that are pretty much on your own to figure out with no study guide. He doesn't really lecture what will be on the test, he just talks about pictures. He is hard to understand so sit up front. You will work hard
Very difficult to understand. He speaks softly. You're better off buying the textbook and teaching yourself because his "lectures" are going over pictures and diagrams. Tests are a combination of multiple choice and short answer and are cumulative. Would NOT recommend this class if you need the gen-ed credit.
He has a short temper and is rude to the class and tells students to "Shut up" when someone asks a question. Hard to hear even when you sit up front, due to his thick German accent and being soft spoken. Tests are easy if you read the textbook and teach yourself.
HE IS AWFUL!!! Even if you attend the lecture every day, it is hard to learn from it. He is a fossil, has a thick German accent, and he basically just whispers to the front row. The lessons in class are nothing but a giant picture on the screen that he goes off on a tangent about. You will have to teach yourself the material if you want to pass.
Easy A class, everything is on quizlet. He has a very thick German accent. Attendance is not mandatory. Take Charlie for the lab he is great. You actually need to study and pay attention to pass labs but Charlie makes it easy.
I've had him as a professor all year as a Geology major. He is a little hard to understand at first but sit closer to the front and you will do fine. I have heard many times he is a very gifted Mineralogist and through his lectures you will see he really loves the material. No written notes are provided so listening is important.
Look, he is what he is. Dr. Bischoff isn't the most interesting person on the planet. But if you show up and show a little interest you will get an A, no matter how you do in the lab or on the tests.
Dr. Bischof can be hard to stomach at first but trust me, you want to take him. He is extremely boring and gets distracted very easily but he knows his stuff and is very nice to talk to. Took him twice and got an A both times. You can pass his class without showing up but he notices those who come and gives extra help to those students.
The class is super easy but he is very hard to understand. try to sit close to the front. 4 test all year and they are super easy. I usually zone out in class but have a very high grade right now
Professor Bischoff has a thick German accent but don't let that throw you off. His class is very easy and you don't need to show up. He only graded one test this whole semester and the lowest grade anyone received was an 88. The other 2 tests everyone got a 100. Easy class I recommend to anyone not a science major who needs the credit.
It is extremely hard to understand him. He has an evident passion for science. He does go off on wild tangents.4 tests, and he does reviews and sends out the review via email too. I didn't buy the book or attend class other than test days and received an A.
He has a very thick German accent, so bad even the front row can't understand him. He goes off on tangents, has only pictures on his slides, and just talks the whole time. I DO NOT recommend. Only way to pass is by reading the textbook.
His lectures are just him taking pictures from the textbook and going off on tangents about them. Class is difficult to stay awake through, only about 1% of the 160 student body showed up AND payed attention (not kidding). Attend the lecture every once and awhile, STUDY THE TEXTBOOK, take Charles Carlson for the lab and you'll pass the class.
Although a lot of students didn't come to his class, which was disrespectful, i enjoyed his class. He's very easy and clearly wants everyone to pass. The class consists of 4 tests, the 4th being the final exam, with no homework. Only once did he give 5 extra points to the students who came on a regular basis. He does have a strong ascent.
Hard to understand accent. He makes a 100 level science class much harder than it should be. I would highly suggest you not take Geology as one of the reqd science classes. A lot of test questions come from his long and hard to understand lectures.
Do not take this Professor for several reasons. One, he is very hard to understand because of his heavy accent. Two, he doesnt post any material or PowerPoints online. So your basically on your own and the class grades are only based on tests so choose wisely.
Don't waste your time with this class. This professor is awful. One, there are 3 tests and a final... nothing else so your final grade is essentially based on test performance. Also, our lab and lecture do not correlate... apparently he's the only prof with this issue. Take Oceanography!!!
Worst professor I've had at ODU yet. Class is BORING and UNORGANIZED. He just stands in the front of the room and talks, no notes, nothing. How can you learn like that? Answer: you can't.
So when this guy says that he will only use questions from prior tests for the FINAL EXAM, he's lying. I don't know how he does but he pulls random questions and only about half of them are from prior tests. Also, he speaks with the thickest German accent in the world. I didn't realize that I was supposed to understand German before coming to class
It's funny how many complain about Dr. Bischoff but all you have to do is read the chapters, (since his accent is very heavy), show up to class and find quizlet to help you. I got a 100 in the first test just by studying a quizlet. Show up and put effort to just read the chapter and then it will one of the easiest class you'll taken.
Only graded by four tests. Lectures it was difficult to hear because of thick accent and use of microphone. He obviously enjoys the subject but struggles to make the boring subject interesting.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
33%
Textbook Required
62%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.50 avg changeRatings by Course
111
5.0
(1)GEOL
5.0
(1)GEOLOGY111N
5.0
(1)MINERALOGY
5.0
(1)OEASMIN
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
GEO101
3.5
GEOL
3.0
GEO110111
3.0
GEOLOGY
3.0
OEAS111N
2.8