A good teacher. Very good in explaining. However, tests are very difficult.

He's too smart.

Very smart teacher. Very good explanation. Very hard test

Smart teacher!

A very smart teacher. Very clear in explaining

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If you really have to torture yourself with a lower division quantum mechanics course, take him. Actually his 1D is not as hard as you might think it would be. Half of my class ended up with at least of a B, and the rest of us was lucky enough to get A's.

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Dr. Shi encourages his students to focus on the scientific way of thinking.

Dr. Shi's tests are very hard, however I did absolutely horrible in the class and still got a "C". His lectures are very interesting. He curves everything so you will definitely pass the class. I recommend taking him and using the tutors.

take him .... if u want to learn .....

Good professor....

Great teacher very hard test.

Some of his test problems are not easy, but some are. He does give generous partial credits, and his labs are straightforward.

Physics is not easy, and this class is no exception. But Dr. Shi leaves time before each lab for us to ask ANY questions on homework problems or anything else you may have a hard time understanding. He always has an answer for you. But everything's fast.

best physics professor at PCC

Regardless what others say, you will surely miss a great deal if you do not take Dr. Shi's class at PCC. In fact, if you can take only one class in PCC, this is the class you must take. Dr. Shi is not only a great Physist, but also a great mathmatician.

Best Physics teacher in pcc

Awesome teacher! Everything he talked about is physic, which is good!. Willing to help and nice while doing it too. However his test is rather diffcult...but do give EXTREMELY GENEROUS partial credit..HIGH RECOMMENDED for those who loved physics.

his class is not only fun but also help u studying a lot of things why do ujust take a course and get a A without learning anything .

Gives you opportunity to write extra credit reports. His tests may be hard if you're not good at applying Physics concepts taught in class. However, he gives partial credit as long as you have demonstrated that you learned the materials. A legend @ PCC!

althouth he is as quiet as a girl, but force him to answer your questions, he will show u a lot, since he is smart. his class is only for smart people, if you're not good at applying, u die!!

he teaches hard, but it is good for people who gonna be engineers. If u can do well in his class, there is no doubt that u can also excel after transfer. He is a fair teacher. he makes students ready for advance physics.

His lectures are interesting, but he expects you to learn most of the material from the book. His class was very hard and I did AT LEAST 30 hour of HW per week to get a B. He gives extra credit, his labs are fun (lets you go early) but his tests can be SUPER difficult. He is not easy to talk to.

Dr.Shi is brilliant. His tests are challenging but fair. His grading is based on class curve.Physics is a subject that requires a lot of analytical skills. In my opinion, not everyone can make an engineer and capable of getting an A in a college level physics class. Physics is not for everyone.

Expects you to have a solid conceptual understanding of the material. If you lack such an understanding, then you'll bomb on his tests. There's only three tests for the entire semester, but at least he curves them. The lectures are clear, but sometimes he goes off on unrelated (but interesting) tangents. Labs are easy and fun.

great lectures,he can explain things clearly.there are only three exams and those are way too easy if you pay attention on his lecture and take note.Easiest physics ProF in Pcc,ppl should get at least B in his class.

Fun class. Challenging tests but very generous grading

He's definitely the hardest physics prof in PCC, but also the most brilliant.His lecture are quite clear, but also quite fast.He's a very lenient grader. Do his extra credit, he'll give u extra points easily. To do well in his tests, u have to really understand the concept, if u do, then u'll be fine.

Listen people whose major are Physics, Engineering. There are three teachers for physics1 series. First, Cheney, recommended for physics dummies, you learn nothing and all you do during semester ****in'LAB, extra credit. Shi, so far best, tests are hard, generous grading but very clear. Quan, not clear can't even speak Eng right, not easy. WTF

He's the best physics teacher ,easy grade and clear lectures.you can go early in the lab.take him you will know physics really solid.

He is good at clairying techniques step by step. He does not get annoyed when asked questions and simply is a brilliant Physics instructor.

His lectures are easy to understand. He teaches in a manor that encourages you to use everything you've learned. If you do not understand something from his lectures, MAKE SURE TO ASK QUESTIONS (he likes questions). Primarily he tests on the types of problems discussed in his lectures. If you aproach physics problems actively, then you'll do well.

Great Proffesor.Test are not easy,you need to understand every single problem there is - do NOT! take a test if there is a problem you still don't understand,ask him to explain it to you! or approach a tutor. His class is fun and you acutally learn a lot. Pay full attention in class and read book! i <3 physics now.

i took his class in summer. that might be a little easier. lecture was clear, but test was not easy. he curved the class and gave a lot of extra credit. so the grading was ok

The topics he covered in lectures were interesting. His tests were not easy, but he does curve the test, so overall, he is a fine teacher.

His lectures are very clear and he often have updated information regarding technology so he often integrates those ideas into his lECTURE which is truly INFORMATIVE and FASCINATING! However, his TESTS are extremely DIFFICULT. You should really understand physics to get good grades on his tests. Besides, you are RESPONSIBLE for your work progress!

A hard class, but no physics classes are easy, but the lecture is better than most teachers.

Took the Physics series with him and got Bs in all those classes. Out of all the professors I've had, he was the most difficult. I learned a lot from him but his tests are extremely difficult. Expect an average of 60-70% for each test. He doesn't care about cheating, which is a bad thing since your grade is curved based on the class. If he cared more about cheating then the class would be more enjoyable.

I take his 1A class and get a A. He is a very nice person. His test is definitely not easy, but if you really study his examples and homework, it is not that hard to get a A in class. He gives 10% of easy get extra credit. His lecture is ok, he will answer all the questions.

If you are looking for a good grade, be sure to do all the HW problems and do the lab report carefully. In fact, I took his 1A - 1C classes and I cannot fully understand what he was talking in class. It will be so hard if you need to take other major classes at the same time. If you really want to learn something, he will be the ONLY ONE IN PCC.

He is the best professor in the physics department. he had students transfering to caltech in the past few years. If you understand how to learn physics(not through memorization), you will be fine in his class. I have nearly 100% in his class. Highly recommended for physical science or engineering people.

I really loved Dr Shi' class!

Very nice and helpful teacher. This class was a challenge, but he made it easier.

Online winter course. Can't really say anything on lectures since there were none. 3 online quizzes: difficult+tricky. 2 online essays, 1 EC essay, and 2 EC quizzes, all 10 pts. each. Highly recommend that people take this course during a semester session because there's just way too much info to know in such a short amount of time!!!

He's an excellent lecturer. The material is hard, but he's very clear in explaining all concepts. Very helpful in answering questions and in lab. Gives out many extra credits opportunities. Curve the grades. Great experience taking the course w/ him. Would recommend anyone to take his class for a more solid foundation.

keep in mind what he said in class because 80%of the exam problems are from the lection and sample exam. helpful, reasonable, and funny teacher

Previous pro-con rating continued: So, overall, he seems very hard, but actually midium difficulty. So, work hard and don't get scared by the difficulty of Physics.

Dr. Shi is a superb professor, his lectures are clear and if you don't understand something he will go out of his way to explain it to you. There is a significant amount of extra credit offered (about half a letter grade), this is a very good thing because your entire grade comes from a section of lab and three exams.

so everyone below me must be asian. he's tough. he makes up for it, though, with his incredible knowledge and his semi-hot wife who also helps anyone in need. He can make a joke but only if you're a little nerdy will you laugh. he's intimidating and so are his tests..but they work out cleanly

I found his lectures to be riveting and insightful but i love the subject so I'm biased. Dr. Shi knows his physics cold. I wish he was a little more organized in terms of the course. Labs would be simple if only we were provided with a lab manual.Tests are hard, but there is a curve. This guy gives substantial extra credit.

Dr. Shi's classes are wonderful and of course, challenging as well. I am very happy to take his 1 series instead of "big joke" 31a/b. Some claim that they are the smartest students in PCC because they want to be medical doctors but are scared of phys 1 series... what a joke! maybe they just "smart" enough to get all easy As :)

I was very fortunate to take Dr. Shi's Physics 1D!!! I am the Chemistry major student. Finishing Physics 1A thru 1D is quite challenging and quite different from Phys 31AB. However, I now get paid off since the first Chemistry course at university is Inorganic Chemistry and a lot of quantum mechanics involved! Thank you Dr. Shi!!!

So i took dr.shi's Phys 1a in winter. my overall grade percentage was 83.5% which i thought it could be an A with the curve but turned out we had so many smart ppls in winter phys1a class. so i got a B. Tests r, of cos, challenging. no need to ask!cos its dr.shi But u'll learn so much. trust me, if u try u'll get C or B at least, n if ur smart,A

this teacher i must say is my favorite but his test is hard. very clean and extremely helpful. labs and extra credit is easy to score high. but getting a good grade depends on your class...if too many smart ppl it will be NO CURVE! even if you are like 89.5 or 79.5...u still get that B or C...so hard to score high but u learn a LOT!

Hard class, but I got an A still. The key to get the A, is, read the chapter before class and understand it, do the homework, pay attention specially to the last exercises, hardest ones, if you need help go ask Dr. Shi, he will always help you, and the secret, do also the hard exercises from the other books he recommends, that will prepare you well

Dr. Shi is a person I, personally, admire, he is one of the most knowledgeable persons I've met. His class was probably one of the only classes, if not the only one, that actually made me think deeply. Seriously, if you really want to learn how physics works, and want to have a professor that can explain you every little detail, take Dr.Shi's class

Okay wow. this class was a nightmare. Iv'e taken chem 1A and 1B at pcc and let me tell you, Physics 1A does not compare on any level to chem 1A (which is still hard)...Its more on the level of chem 1B...anyways, it is quite difficult to do well in the class. You can study until your eyes bleed, but he always throws some sort of little trick. 3 ?'s.

Dr. Shi, is a very knowledgealble person, no doubt about it, and is also very good at explaining complicated concepts. Tests in general were hard. The 1st one was medium difficulty, 2nd one hard, and 3rd one very hard. However, test problems are easy, if you compare them with his extra credit ones, those are the real challenge.

Very smart and knowledgeable, but his lectures can get too abstract at times. I wish he would focus more on teaching the basics, however dumb and boring that may be to him.

There is a serious disconnect between the math and physics department. On the PCC website it says Math 5A is required, with 5B being recommended, but on the first lab, Dr. Shi was using partial derivatives, and that's something which is taught in Math 5C. There is also lots of vectors and use of dot and cross product. FINISH CALCULUS FIRST!

He is a generous grader, despite his brutal exams. The way he answers questions is the way I agree with, and the way it should be in America. If you can find something out yourself or you should already know something, he'll politely ask you to answer your own question. This helps students become independent instead of lazy.

He can help you with almost every question in physics, or even in math. You may have a bad grade but he will let you feel you got no blame.

He gives very good lectures and makes Physics very interesting. He has a very professional and classy personality. When I took him, he didn't collect any homework, but did assign problems to practice on. This can be good or bad depending on the type of student you are. Putting effort to learn independently is a must!

One of my favorite professor at PCC. Not only can he help you on almost all math/physics related problems, but he also explains it to you. He makes Physics interesting, and makes you realize its' importance. The tests are hard, but as long as you study and do the extra credit essay, you will be fine.

His class is straightforward and as simple as can be. Lectures and lab are short, around 1-2 hours max each. He is very challenging, likes to focus on theory and writes very complicated tests. He tries to help grades through extra credit but it is good to even get a B. His difficulty fluctuates yearly,work hard and get lucky for A. OK professor.

I had him for hybrid class. The class started with a short review of the chapter we learned online and then the lab. Professor Shi is there for you if you need help. He replies to your email within a day most of the time. The lectures were very fast paced but that could be because it was a hybrid class. Tests are hard but hes good with partial cred

Dr. Shi is a very good professor. This class is the best example of a "wake up! you're in college now" class. You have to review on your own and teach yourself the material. HE DOES NOT SPOON FEED THE MATERIAL TO HIS STUDENTS. Which is probably good if you're a science major and ever want to be competitive in the job market.

Great teacher

Make sure to have taken Differential Equations before taking this course. I was able to skip most of the math calculations on the lectures because I understood differential equations. Physics 1D is a extremely fun course.

Good professor. 1D is both challenging and interesting. You can learn many things not in the book. However his tests are hard. 3-4 big problems. If you are not clear about one concept, you are away from a good grade. The good thing is that everything except tests is easy. A grade of 'B' is quite manageable.

I just took his summer hybrid class. He offers up to 10% of extra credit, curves the final course grade, and gives VERY generous partial credit. He is very reasonable and can answer any question you may have. His tests are difficult. However, you will get whatever grade you choose to get. An A is extremely attainable, unless you're lazy like most.

Professor Shi is very passionate and knowledgeable which made lectures interesting. He was very generous in giving partial credit as well as giving a huge curve for our finals grades. Physics felt impossible to me but i stuck it through and passed. I wish I put more time into the class and I wish i got more help

He is very excited about physics and makes the class interesting. Gives a lot of extra credit that can bump your grade (p/s extra credit are problems that very difficult to solve even with extra help from outside:) ). Also he is very knowledgeable to everything related to physics.

Easy A if you turn in all your assignments on time.

What an amazing professor for such a challenging class, the material is super hard, but work very hard and you will do well. not an easy class, if you want to take a walk in the park, please do so but not while taking this class.

It was a hybrid class. Watch the lecture videos before each meeting class where he reviews what you were supposed to have watched. Easy to understand. Not much hw. Tests are hard, but once you know what he's really looking for in them, you'll get by fine. Very willing to help, just go to his office hours. In-person review lectures are clear and fun

Great professor, very clear lecture notes, very difficult class, needs good instructor and he is. Very helpful and will challenge you. I say he is one of the best instructors i have ever taken anywhere.

I love physics & math, he is one of the best instructors ever. I came to PCC looking for a good instructor and he is amazing. Very clear explanations, perfect lecture notes. Intellectually challenging environment that will propel your studies and your career into hyperspace. Proof yourself you can do it. It is so worth your time, money and effort.

He's very knowledgable. His online class is great, all the quizzes are online so...*wink*. His labs aren't hard and pretty easy on lab reports. The thing is that his tests are quite challenging, but the practice exams really help.

Definitely not an easy A, however, he offers up to 10% extra credit. He also curves based on the class average at the end of the course. Work hard and it will pay off! Great professor!

One of the best physics professors I ever had. He is very caring and respectful. Easy A with extra credit and if you turn in assignments on time.

Lectures were great and he's v knowledgeable and passionate about physics. Organized and grades quickly. Labs weren't difficult. Exams were tough but he was v lenient. Big on concepts, not calc. 10% possible extra credit. Wish I had taken this class in a long sem. as online assignments can be time consuming. He deserves to be rated much higher imo.

I took him for both Physics 1A and 1C. He gives out pretty difficult test, however, he is pretty lenient grading them. You can earn up to 10% extra credit (I highly doing them). Overall, great professor!

Overall a very solid professor. 10% extra credit!!! Teaches only the necessary information with some humors thrown in. Test hardness is 7.5 on 1 to 10 scale. Not an easy A but will take it again.

PHYS 008B (Electromagnetism) class. He's a great professor. He's always available for help and responsive. He's more interested in knowing how much students understand basic concepts. Derive equations yourself and understand why. Pay attention to review session before exams. He's a tough grader, but he's going to curve grades after the final.

Dr, Jerry Shi is so smart for us. He lectures heavily on the concepts and theories. All three exams are focusing on how we understand the physics and how to apply in solving problems. He gives the sample practice questions and answers before the exam. His exams are similar to those but have some twists.

He's very knowledgeable and really cares about the student's well-being. However, when he explains certain concepts, he expects you to already know how to do the math involved. A lot of the physics concepts are fairly easy to grasp but the calculations require a strong foundation in calculus. As long as you ask questions he isn't too bad.

This class was hard and fast paced. It's a summer class, so it was hard to retain the information. Overall, plenty of stuff to read and youtube videos to help.

If you love physics and want to go beyond what's in the textbook, take Prof. Shi. He's very smart and really knows his physics. There's a lot of online videolectures, but some are optional. They're all well-prepared and easy to follow. His tests are not easy, and there aren't many problems, but quizzes, labs, etc. are easy.

Professor Jia, Shi is an exceptional teacher whose dedication to the field of education is truly unparalleled. His enthusiasm for teaching is contagious and he consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that his students understand the material and succeed in their studies.

If you know what you're about to be dealing with, you'll survive just fine. Rope some friends or two to sacrifice for lab reports and grind that HW and online quizzes, and you'll be alive by the end of exams. Everything is exam based and also lab based. TLDR: If you like challenges, most likely you'll be alive on his exams.

The professor is truly exceptional, dedicated to imparting profound fundamental concepts to his students. He does not rely on mere memorization or formulaic approaches in his tests. A solid comprehension of the core principles holds immense significance in his class. The professor's lectures are meticulously structured.

If you want to learn physics, take Prof. Shi. Extremely knowledgable about physics and you can tell he is passionate about teaching it. Very good at explaining difficult concepts. The tests were decently hard, so definitely have to study. Quizzes for every chapter (which are annoying and do not help for tests). But overall great prof.

Great lecturer who knows how to communicate physics in a way that is engaging. He is heavy on calculus and differential equations and his exams can be pretty tough. But you end up learning a ton and getting a feel for the way physics at higher levels works. He knows how to teach and tell a story at the same time. Dr. Shi is simply a great educator.

He is a very incredible instructor who knows physics. He expands a lot beyond textbook but exams are based on his study guide and in class discussions. There are total 3 exams weighted 50% of your grade. He offers a lot extra credit. You grade might boost as many as 10% if you get all the extra credit.

One of the smartest professors. Must have a solid foundation in Physics 8A to do well in this class. Really difficult and time-consuming class. Only did well because of the generous extra credit adding full percentages to your final grade. Do the homework to do well on the exams. Exams averaged around 65% but he curves final grades. Good luck ;P

One of the best professors I have ever had. Lectures were so good. Very difficult class. But I have learned so much from him. Prof. Shi is a true educator.

I hate physics, but took phys10 as an alternative to chem lab, def do not regret it. This was an online class so I didn't interact much with Prof Shi, but the workload was manageable with my 3 other classes. Physics is a difficult subject, but this was relatively simple given that context. Still a lot of heavy material and frequent quizzes.

Fall 2023 An excellent professor and inspirational grad student of a descendant of Ohm! He is passionate about physics and truly gauges understanding. Do the assignments and you will greatly enchance your grade. The tests may be hard but the class is designed with that in mind. Do the extra credit! I usually hate hybrid but his course went well!

After Taking his course in 8A, being prepared for 8B with him made his class allthemore enjoyable. Despite it being a little difficult to keep up with the hybrid course load, many manage to get by by skimming the lectures. Overall I loved the class and despite the challenging exams, the class is designed for you to get an A

Lots of extra credit opportunities, given that you have time to complete them. Professor has a great sense of witty humor that keeps his lectures refreshing. Grades will mainly be based around the 3 major tests, and the rest will be simple online work and labs. His lectures are pretty dated, with a handful of them playing audio in only one ear.

Challenging but rewarding class with Prof. Shi. Lectures are engaging and he knows the subject well. Exams can be tough, but extra credit opportunities help boost your grade. unstuck ai was a lifesaver for studying.

My grade is my fault, not his. At the start of the semester he gave an enthusiastic speech about the importance of physics and its applications in everyday life and other subjects. He even made us create our own study schedule. He truly cares. Even though this is the first physics engineering class, you need to not be like me and actually…. *TRY*

He makes the labs super easy, and can often finish them in an hour. His online lectures can be a bit boring, but they do a pretty good job of explaining everything. 2 midterms and a final which are 3-4 questions and are rough, but they are very doable if you study enough. Can get up to 10% EC, which is great, but it is hard to get more than 5-6%.

very little workload, most of the grades are based on online quizes and discussions. He is also a fast grade publisher,LOL. Many extra credits. I got 99.8% finally.

His video lectures are great but long, and there's lots of them. Exams are almost exclusively based on lecture examples + in-class problems. You'll need all the EC you can get. Look elsewhere if you want an easy A, but if you rise to the challenge, I guarantee you will be a much stronger student and person for it.

Class is structured. Lots of lectures each week, frequent quizzes and extra credit quiz. EC quiz was harder than the chapter quiz. Papers required a lot of research and solid understandings of the course. Overall, a pretty fun class and caring Professor!

Great assignments, accomodations, and methods of asking you to apply yourself. He heavily cares that you learn the topic. He is also funny, relatable, and up to date.

He is a pretty approachable and understanding prof, and he communicates relatively quickly. While some required assignments of the class, like frequent chapter summaries and discussion posts, didn't always feel especially necessary. The overall structure of the online course was straightforward to navigate.