2.4
Quality4.3
Difficulty5%
Would Retake105
Reviews5%
Would Retake
105
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
12
4
20
3
18
2
21
1
34
What Students Say
“He is very unhelpful (even when I went to his office hours”
GEOLOGY101 - 1.0 rating“I truly hated this class”
GEOL103 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.98 avg changeRatings by Course
333
5.0
(1)10412
5.0
(1)PALEOBIOLGY105
5.0
(1)GEOL101202
5.0
(1)GEOLOGY
4.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
2
5.0
101
5.0
333
5.0
GEO333
5.0
GEOL333
5.0
Reviews (105)
No Comments
Good teacher! His class was difficult, but I learned a lot about a subject I cared nothing about. His tests are VERY straightforward. If you attend class, and put forth some effort, you'll do fine.
Not an easy teacher but very intelligent. He will make you interested in his course and once he does that you'll make a good grade.
some think he's hard, but his tests are word for word from his notes, got an A
Paleobiology: one of the most interesting classes offered in the geolgy major. You will look foreward to it; but be warned...it is the seventh level of HELL!!!!
This is the worst teacher I have ever experienced in all 4 years of college. He is the epitome of nightmare professor. He deserves to lose his tenure.
No Comments
Jerk. Boring class. Hard tests. Attendence freak. Not willing to work with students at all.
I learned a lot from Carew (i still hate geology though). So long as you write down everything he says in class and study it you will do fine. His tests are very thorough but he explains everything clearly in class.
this professor is the devil himself. dont even bother to pay attention. you are going to fail. stay away from this lunitic.
pros: he loves geology so at least he's interested, you get to keep your peo's and stuff for studying, questions aren't too tricky---resemble what he says and stuff. cons: sometimes he makes it seem like he doesn't care about your concerns during class
I hope he rots in hell. He is not only a terrible teacher but equal as bad of a person. Basically he sucks. Dont take his class no matter what.
Good teacher, very clear and tests are so easy. gives plenty of extra credit. Just make sure you go to class he takes attendance and will drop you if you miss more than 4 classes. tests are easy just read the material and go to class and you will get at least a B
This guy is hard as crap! Very cool man and actually gives interesting lectures. Gives extra credit quizes too. But earning an A is almost impossible. I would not recommend taking him if you need an A. Also incorporates a TON of chemistry into the class.
If you are not a genious and dont know everything about geology then dont take this class. His tests are very hard and his lectures are quite boring! He doesnt teach up to the standards that are tested.
His class is structured likewise: There are only 3 tests a sem. plus the final. He has about 10 pop quiz's but any points you earn on them go directly toward extra credit points. His Final is 75% from the past 3 test. The material is hard, just try to pay attention.
Horrible teacher! Stay away. He doesn't care about his students at all, tests and quizzes are really hard no matter how hard you study. Most arrogant guy I've ever met, seems like hes out to see you fail. If you dont like geology stay away. Satan reincarnated!
smart guy but...makes everything hard to understad, not helpful, wants you to fail, awful!
absolutly HORRIBLE....he needs to go join an alien cult or something the way he speaks-o ya, and get ready to hear about his supposid "great" new textbook he's writing-this class sucked--he's very hard to follow and his quizzes are rediculously hard, you'de better study for about 28 hours for tests
NEWS FLASH! Welcome to college; this class does require some work but so long as you go to class and take good notes there is absolutely no reason not to make an A. If you're confused-ask questions, he has no problem answering them. Also, if you are a Bible thumper, this class isn't for you.
James Carew is respected in his field but it is tru he respects very few students. you really have to prove yourself to him. but i found him to be so interesting-- loved lectures. his office hours werent helpful (i felt like i was bothering him) i was once his advisee-- that didnt last long.
Awesome teacher. He will make you work, no lie, but he was very effective in grabbing my attention and explaining very cool ideas in geology and evolution. Just show him you care and are interested. He is more laid back than people think.
I had this man my first sem. at college. He was very unreasonable and unfair. The class average at the end of the term was a D. I had many smart people in my class. My advice to you is to GET OUT IF YOU HAVE HIM! UNFAIR, UNREASONABLE!
Last semester I was on the Dean's List. Thanks to this class, I can kiss Dean's List goodbye. I think that almost says it all. I'm a good student. I take notes, and I study my butt off using the textbook AND supplement CD/DVD. Still make 70s on tests. This is not college. This is torture.
so yeah, hardest teacher ive ever had, do not take his classes lightly, pretend whatever you have him for is twice the credit hours it says
FINAL WAS 50% OF YOUR FINAL GRADE!!!!! however i somehow managed to get my only A in this class...I think it was only a miracle, DO NOT TAKE HIM I STUDIED A LOOOONNNNGGGG TIME FOR THIS CLASS
I took his Intro to Geology class in the fall of 1999. I don't understand the complaints. Maybe things have changed since 1999. If you attend class, take notes, and study a little bit daily, it's not so bad. Keep up with the material! That's not a lot to ask for the average student. He's very approachable for help if you give him a chance.
this guy stinks! he puts the most random stuff on his PEOs (point earning opportunities). he thinks he's so intelligent with his possitive grade reinforcement psychobabble. only person he respects is himself. will point blank shoot down anything he doesn't automatically agree with. if you're a suck up in the front row you might pass.
His peo's are horrible. He has only a few things that he believes in and everything else is crap to him. He is unfriendly and is not a help. Ask him questions and you still don't understand. aviod.
No Comments
He is a very difficult teacher. Although you do learn an extreme amount of information.
I took Hnrs Geo in high school so luckily I knew a lot of the material or I would've never passed. Doesn't communicate well with his students, when I would try to ask him a question indiv. he would never even look up at me to acknowledge that someone was speaking to him. Lectures are very boring and don't coincide w/ PEOs. VERY close-minded. AVOID
His peo's are all horrible you must really know the material and be able to apply it to everything possible. He seems very close minded Avoid if possible
carew was one of the toughest teachers i've had. He knew what the hell he was talking about, but his tests (PEO's) were really tough. If majoring in Geology, take him, if not, I'd stay away.
This class is the worst class i've taken..it is extremely hard and i suggest you stay away! as for the hotness...well...those hawaiin shirts are really really hot...JUST KIDDING...no really...stay away..he sucks
HORRIBLE! The tests are so hard and the class is sooo boring! He definitely doesn't try to make rocks interesting. There are 4 tests and extra credit quizzes. Make sure you read the text! I would read it twice to make sure you dont miss anything. My note from class barely helped me.
WORST TEACHER IN THE UNIVERSE! IGNORANT, AND THINKS HE IS THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE WORLD..why isn't he famous then???
For those who think Carew is a difficult teacher. Well he is, but it's college you can't expect handouts. He will help you as long as you go and ask. PEO's are difficult, but you come out of the class knowing a lot more than you ever expected.
horrible teacher. he is not clear at all. his lectures are not understandable. his tests are the worst. alot of his questions come from the picture descriptions out of the book. do not take him. he is not interested in helping. if you email him, do not expect a civil answer. AVOID
NOT A CLASS FOR NON-MAJORS!!! He knows too much about the subject to teach it on an entry level. He is very passionate, but it is by NO MEANS easy!
No Comments
No Comments
Poor teaching methods, and evaluation (PEO) questions that have no coorelation to the chapters read in the book or material covered in class. Generally hostile towards students.
He is tough and kinda hard to follow but the tests are easy and the grading system he uses means no pressure. you always know where you stand. He loves what he does and a man that wears hawiian shirts certainly can't be all bad
You need to come to class for lecture notes because his tests are not based on the book- only extra credit is. Helps at beginning of class by asking for questions and clarifies anything. Helpful if you talk to him after class
EXTREMELY difficult. You need to spend a LOT of time out of class sketching fossils.It's hard to be passionate when you feel as though the prof could care less about you. When you ask him questions outside class, you feel like you're bothering him. Subject is neat, but class is HARD! DO NOT TAKE IF YOU CAN'T DEVOTE A LOT OF TIME!
He finds it funny to hand back tests with a bad grade (which are most of them.) I believe he takes pride in making sure he remains more knowledgable than his students and therefor doesn't teach them well!! Wouldn't it click that if most of your students aren't getting good grades that it is a problem with YOUR teaching skills??!!!
I never opened the book but I did go to every class and got an A-. I don't know why he has such bad reviews on here maybe you people should pay attention in class and see where that takes you. Take him.
Carew is the filter of the department. He screens for who can cut it and who cannot in geology. He is tough, but extremely fair. Take him if you really want to learn geology because he takes you through the whole damn thing, from the beginning of time. I learned more from taking his course than I have from any other course. He's tough, but good.
wow! you will do more pointless work in this class than you ever dreamed. Tests are impossible, he will ruin your spring break by having an insane lab midterm the day you get back... and oh yeah, start practicing your drawing skills now. In summary- get the lube out, you're going to need it!
This class was unnecessarily difficult. He really never encouraged help and it always felt like he was against you than with you when it came to grading. If you want your GPA completely ruined by a subject that basically everyone isn't majoring in, then by all means take this class. The average in my class was a C at best.
Hmmm, Dr. Carew isn't so bad! Lecture is much better than lab. However, to get through lecture you must navigate through the text because he skips around a lot and doesn't mention - EVER - where the info he's talking about is located; fortunately in the end it only helps you. Lab sorta stinks and the PEO's are tricky! Pay attention.
He's very knowledable, and you learn a lot! Sometimes it seems a little much though. Tests are pretty fair. He is accessible by e-mail for questions and answers back fairly quickly. If you focus and take it seriously you should be just fine.
Don't be intimidated by the comments here. He IS tough, but he's fair. You will learn A LOT. He is harder in lab. He is not as evil as he is made out to be. Take good notes, DO THE READING, and study like it's your job. Anyone can do well in his class, you just have to work for the grade. Slackers beware, this is not the instructor for you.
hardest teacher i have this semester... all my other classes i have straight A's... i have a D in his class... the class average in a 62, and he refuses to curve the grades... i study so hard and the questions on the test are impossible!! he is ridiculously hard and boring... he looks like santa claus on vacation
ok kids, here's the deal. Carew has a perfectly oiled system for allowing students to earn a decent grade without having to become a geology major. he gives quizzes that are pure extra credit which he takes and turns into real tests which in turn become the final exam. everybody whines that he's so hard and evil, if u cant figure it out, go home.
You must go to class or you wont do well at all bc he does not put powerpoints online. You have 3 tests and questions pulled straight from those are your final!!! If you study you will do fine in this class. He grades on a point system which is better than averages. Each test is worth 200pts plus 40 extra credit. 1000pts is A at end of semester
This man is horrible!!!! DO NOT TAKE HIM! I studied so hard for his tests and always bombed them. He is not helpful in office hours either.
I do not recommend this class for people who are not interested in Geology. His lectures are very boring and there are a lot of notes. The test can be very difficult but he does give good opportunities to receive extra credit. No matter how much I studied for the tests, I never did very well. Pop PEOS are very helpful.
WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT TAKE CAREW. His tests are completely impossible. He told us the class average was like a 60. He does not treat this like a 101 class. I couldn't even pass this class and now I have to re-take geology. Please save yourself and stay away from Carew.
he doesn't care about his students and is one of the worst professors I've ever had. he has powerpoints, but goes extremely fast, and when you ask him to go back to a slide, he just says that you don't need to know that information. tests are extremely hard and very unclear-they're mostly comprised of questions with 10 different answers.
Could be a great class. He needs to work on his teaching skills. If a test average is a 55 then something is wrong with his teaching skills. He seems to take an odd sense of satisfaction in handing back bad grades. As a Palebiology Journal editor he is extremely tough on grading anything written.
Advice for paleo students: Go to every single class, hand all assignments in on time, don't be afraid to ask questions in office hours. Basically, you should be able to pass this class. Just show that you care, if you show you are making an effort it won't be overlooked. Oh, and DO A ROUGH DRAFT FOR THE PAPER!! You need a good grade on it.
Prof Carew is great. He can seem arrogant, but you get used to it. Class was super easy to get an A in. Pop quizzes that just give you extra points, all multiple choice tests (some questions from the pop quizzes),TONS extra credit on the tests, and you only have to study the past tests for past material. Read the book and take notes and it's easy.
Earth History - Best professor ever. The bad comments here are from whiners and slackers. Pay attention, study hard, and an A or B is easy to achieve.
Carew was the best teacher! He answers any questions you have, gives a TON of extra credit, and gives a lot of partial credit on test. You don't need to read the book because he foes over everything in class. Just pay attention and you'll get a good grade!
Don't expect to learn anything, make a good grade or get any help. He is a smart man but a horrible teacher. Don't take him.
I love Dr. Carew - if you can go on his Bahamas trip do it! Loved his class even though I spent about 50 hours out of class studying. the hardest i've ever worked for sure
He forgets that GEOL105 is not a graduate course! He takes things way too seriously & goes into too many details that he focused on biology/chemistry instead of geology.We seriously learned chemistry formulas and biology stuff instead of GEOLOGY! Why not teach biology or chemistry then?? Test questions are ridiculously hard! Worst class ever.
Don't expect to learn anything about the "history of Earth", you'll learn more about cells than you will in a biology class. Boring class, prof. doesn't care about students - if you ask him anything he'll pretty much laugh in your face. Good luck with this class! Take someone else!
Wanna know how a geology intro -100 level - can become a course that you would probably take during graduate school? or maybe something you would research for your Phd degree? well then, take this guy. Ridiculous.
Incredibly difficult for a 100-level, but massive amounts of extra credit (normally 52 points of EC on a 200-point test). But that's because the tests are meticulous, over-bearing and more suited to the 300-level than an intro course.
No lie, his class is hard but you can pass. Go to class, study your butt off and you will pass. He has 3 exams and a final. Your final is half of your grade. He gives extra credit with pop quizzes. Attendance is not mandatory but if you skip you will be lost. If youre lazy do not take him.
He is the worst teacher I've had yet. His class is boring and hist tests are insanely hard! Don't expect to get a grade above a C. I liked geology before I took this class and now I hate it. You learn about biology even though this is geology, and he think's this is an upper level class when it's a 100 level intro class. AVOID AT ALL COSTS! NO LIE!
I made over a 100 in this course. That being said I came to class every day and wrote notes as fast as I could the whole period. The extra credit is so easy if you know where to look. (pictures in text book) But be prepared, and if you don't want to work don't take him!!
I am an A student and I had the hardest time with this class. I had to drop it. He is very unhelpful (even when I went to his office hours!), test are extremely difficult, only three test, and he words the questions difficultly. If the class average on a test is failing, you may want to rethink your teaching strategy.
Do not take this class with Dr. Carew. This semester I was forced to drop his class because it was insanely hard. Our class average was a D half way through the semester and even seniors were failing. His tests had multiple choice questions with 12 answers! We were all laughing at our grades. Don't take him. You'll regret it!
This class is difficult, but if you take good notes, you'll do great! He gives 20+ point extra credit quizzes every week. But you really have to be paying attending to his detailed lectures. At first I thought this class was hard, but its very easy to get an A if you work hard!
WORST class and professor I've ever had. Who knew that a D class average would be something to celebrate? I've never almost cried of happiness for receiving a 71 on a test. We had 3 tests or "Point Earning Opportunities". He gives one pop quiz every week. He is VERY strict on attendance. If you miss four classes he WILL drop you, with warning.
I truly hated this class. Carew was honestly one of the worst teachers i have ever had. He does offer a lot of extra credit but the tests are extremely hard. No matter how much I studied or payed attention in class I never got above a C. This course is way too hard for a hundred level. I do not recommend it what so ever.
He doesn't believe in grades so he gives points. Tests are called "point earning opportunities". There is a pop quiz almost every class which is the way he takes attendance. Pop quizzes are for extra credit only but every point counts in this class if you want to get an A. It's really difficult to know how you're doing throughout the semester.
Awesome geologist with amazing work history. He doesn't waste time on people who are not interested in the class, but has a massive well of experience to draw from and will happily share it with any student who actually goes to see him.
I can honestly see why this class is difficult for most. Professor Carew is an extremely tough, but fair teacher. This approach does not gel with most college students, but after being in the Marines, it was a familiar approach to learning. You cannot slack your way through this class, having said that, if you just build an interest you WILLpass
Ridiculously specific in everything he wants. Lab exams are impossible.
Terrible teacher, DO NOT TAKE!
Don't take if you are not willing to work for it. An A can be received if you put in an honest effort. Carew knows his stuff, but asking him questions is hard because of that: he tends to be self righteous. I had a C in his 103 class, but an A in 105, once you know his system, you should be good to go.
Long lectures, goes through slides too fast, "pop" quizzes every day, and like a few tests and a giant final. It's a point system, so the quizzes don't hurt you--they are just an opportunity to earn more points. But quizzes are HARD and detailed!--tests too! I recommend him only for geology majors --cuz you will learn a lot. Everyone else beware.
Terrible class. So hard to follow. He goes into specifics that are completely irrational for an intro class AND for a general education class!!!!! Respect the guy on a personal level though. He's too smart for his own good. Do not take this class unless Geology is your major. You can learn alot, but super unnecessary if its only for gen ed.
He is the worst professor in the Geology department. He may have a lot of knowledge about Geology, but he is extremely specific and not a good professor. Do not take his class unless you are a Geology major.
Once again, you reap what you sew in this course. There's simply way too much information to learn without taking notes. He gives extra credit quizzes every few days and the exams are made up of questions from said quizzes. I will admit, the lectures can get quite boring but if you show up to the quizzes and study them before the tests you'll pass.
Very hard tests and pop quizzes, be prepared to study days and day ahead of test just to pass. Lots of extra credit available.
Does not use powerpoints. Does not put ANYTHING online. Everything you need to know or have is given in class. So, if you miss a single class you will more than likely fail. He gives quizzes EVERY single class. His tests are so intense, packed with information. It is too much information to not have it loaded online for everyone to study. DONT TAKE
Dr. Carew is extremely knowledgeable in Geology. His lectures are jam-packed with information. You MUST take notes and pay attention in class. If you do that and study hard, you're going to pass and pass well. He gives so many extra credit points over the semester that if you don't pass you didn't try at all. Difficult but passable for sure.
so so so bad!!! awful for a gen ed and intro class! everyone I talked to in the class was failing.
He seems like a good person, and is really knowledgable of the material. But if you want to pass, don't take this class. Half of the material you are tested on never comes up during the lecture, and you will never hear of it during class. He posts no material online, therefore if you miss class, you're screwed. He does offer extra points tho.
Only has 4 tests, that are incredibly hard with answer choices A-M. Does offer extra credit with pop quizzes. But if you made a 32 on the test, and 10 extra credit points, you still aren't doing that well. Is a very knowledgable professor, just is the hardest class I have ever taken. do yourself a favor. don't take him. currently crying rn.
You must come to class and take verrrry detailed notes of stuff from the powerpoint and what he says as he doesn't post PowerPoints online. Everything is fair game. Few tests and there is a "pop" quiz every week to earn extra points. Goes over the answer to quizzes and tests afterwards.
WORST teacher I have ever had in my life. Does NOT post anything online and gives boring monotone lectures. There is no way of knowing what's on the test unless you take notes in class between is boring rants about how he has taken pictures of rocks. DO NOT TAKE FOR GEN ED REQUIRMENT. Was the hardest class I've taken and I'm a senior in the bus sch
DO NOT TAKE! Does not post ANYTHING online. Goes by a point system, which makes it super difficult to find out what your grade is in the class. Gives POP Peo's as a chance for extra credit, but 5 extra points isn't going to do much if you make a bad grade on the test. Also, test answers choices can range from a to h on a question.
I don't know if he doesn't realize that he's teaching intro to geology for kids who are only taking it because they have to, and not teaching post-graduate geology majors, or if he simply wishes that he was teaching real geologists and wants to role-play, but either way this is the most absurdly hard class I've ever taken. Most fail miserably.
His lectures are very hard to understand and when you ask questions, he seems even more confused by your question. He is not sympathetic, even towards illness with COVID-19 symptoms. He does not wear his mask at all times in college buildings. When presented with a doctor's note, he denied it as it was two days earlier (when illnesses last longer).
Verbally berates & abuses students. Thinks he's teaching trained geologists in an introductory course. Condescending & arrogant. Blames students for his shortcomings, entraps students with trick questions, & insults you when you ask questions. Extra credit means nothing when the class average is still a 52%. I have A's in all other classes. Run.
really damn hard do not take
I don't even know what to say just don't take geology with him. Worst grader, worst lectures, awful teacher, doesn't care about his students.
don't take this class. you won't know ur grade (or if ur passing or failing) till the end of the semester. most people in my class are retaking it because they failed last year. extremely hard for a gen ed.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.98 avg changeRatings by Course
333
5.0
(1)10412
5.0
(1)PALEOBIOLGY105
5.0
(1)GEOL101202
5.0
(1)GEOLOGY
4.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
2
5.0
101
5.0
333
5.0
GEO333
5.0
GEOL333
5.0