One of the most dynamic professors ever!

Nicest teacher/advisor i've had, makes class interesting

Interesting, lots of stories, good intro comm course

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very good professor!

I really liked him. Take notes on whatever he says, and do the online quizzes. I studied fairly hard and got an A.

Nice guy. The TA's were harder to deal with than him. His lectures are not completely boring.

Easiest class ever if you just go to class and take notes. He is so nice and is a great professor. Material can be boring but is easy.

what a great guy! enthusiastic lecturer. clear and precise. available for office hours. organized. deeply passionate about subject matter. fair grader, but is a bit more demanding on papers in this writing course. no regrets with taking his class.

interesting lectures, subject matter tended to be vague, tests pretty straight forward

He's a very nice guy and a good professor. I would recommend him.

best professor we have at pitt. you will lvoe the class guaranteed. lectures are awsome, and i dont usually say that. he is definetly a winner, and a total nice guy all around. go jack garies!

One of the best teachers at Pitt. He is very helpful towards the students, always willing to discuss any questions/problems. He is very enthusiastic, so even if the topic is kinda boring, he makes it fun. Plus he is a very nice guy on top of it all. I would definitely recommend him!!

he's definitely a nice guy, but i feel that he is just so into the material that he actually wants to trip you up on the exams-- lots of ambiguous questions that definitely lowered my grade.

awesome guy. will go out of his way to help you. interesting classes and material.

Wonderful professor.. probably one of my favorites while in college. No interest in the class beforehand, but he totally changed my opinion about it. He was very interesting and such fair, and nice man.......... Highly recommend any class he teaches

Amazing prof. Any class you take with him is great.

this dude is sweet!

This professor is great; I wholeheartedly recommend him to everyone.

Gareis is freakin sweet. His classes are fun and he keeps it interesting.

I loved Dr. Gareis...such a nice guy and a wonderful teacher. I had him my freshman year..6 years ago and I still talk about him to people.

Gareis is seriously the best professor I've had here at Pitt. Makes boring and inconsequential subjects interesting with good examples and an exergetic attitude. All comm majors MUST take him or you're missing out

This guy gives great examples, and is a dynamic lecturer. You can print out outlines of the lectures on courseweb before class, so taking notes is a breeze. Tests are so easy as long as you review a bit. Definately recommend this class for anyone interested in communication, or if you just want an easy class to boost your QPA.

This guy is the man. He explains things really well, and although you have to study for his tests, the recitation requirements, ( writing easy papers) make up a ton of the grade. He is a really nice guy and you will do alot better than you think you did in his class. One of the few proffesors who could keep my attention for a full 50 minutes.

Dr. Gareis is the man. Whoever said that he can keep your attention for the whole 50 minutes was right on. I took this class to fulfil a requirement and it was a breeze. Just pay attention in lecture and write down the examples he gives, because they often re-appear on his exams.

Great teacher. Very interesting, tests are a breeze if you just take notes and pay attention, i didn't read the book at all and got an A+ in the class.

Gareis was awesome, great guy, knows how to keep everyone's attention, made the class interesting.. tests were pretty easy if you study, only downside is the amount of writing you have to do in recitation, but the class was easy overall

Makes lectures very easy to understand. You actually pay attention because they're also interesting.

Knows his stuff and knows how to lecture. The TA's are usually great as well. It tends to be a lot of work, and sometimes tedious group work can be involved but you'll score well if you try. Tests are easy too. Go for it!

Go to class and take the notes and the quizzes are pretty easy. Lots of writing in recitation on lame topics, but overall not that hard of a class.

Seriously the best prof out there. Knows what he's talking about and keeps things interesting.

Awesome prof. makes dull info entertaining. quizes are simple. go to class and take notes. no need to read the text.

VERY EASY teacher! you don't need to read the book at all, just know his lecture notes and you are guaranteed an A. a lot of the material is common sense as well. the only downside to the class was all the work we had to do in recitation.

Very great personality for a professor... keeps the class interesting... relatively easy class but also a very helpful and informative class... the recitation work was a bit tedious though

He is very passionate about his subject, knowledgeable, really energetic, funny and engaging. The reason Communication is my major.

lectures were interesting and easy to pay attention when hes so energetic.no final just 3 or 4 easy quizes.only downside were the recitations. Joe Sery, the ta,is a great guy,but the harshness with which he graded papers didnt match the ease of the tests which Gareis gave. that said, im thnking of pursuing cx at least as a minor because of Gareis

he's awesome! best teacher I've had so far...engaging, energetic, funny, and knows the material/makes it easy to understand. he's head of the communications department too which is convenient if you are a comm major. prob the reason im a comm major.

Lectures give you pretty much everything you will need for tests. If you think you need an A+ on every exam, read the book for the very few test questions that are left out of lecture. Recitation is a pain in the ass, but the reviews in it were a good help for tests. Gives extra credit, and really seems to want his students to do well.

Garies is a riot in class. He's ridiculously entertaining and makes his students feel at ease when they speak during class. His CommProcess class is pretty my laid out to a T in his online notes. --Very helpful to print out the online notes then just add some details from his lectures to them. Book not 100% necessary. I passed with a B- and no book

Gareis is AMAZING!! You will have a hard time finding a better teacher than him through out all of college. He's energetic, kind, funny, and really helpful if you are ever struggling on anything. He's the head of the communications department as well and really knows his stuff, he definitely makes you want to take comm as your major!

Dr. Gareis is a great teacher. He knows his stuff (heck, he wrote the textbook!), and does an awesome job at communicating the material to the class. Recitations are annoying, but the class is an easy A if you go to lecture, do all the work, and read the book before the test. There are no trick questions on the tests! Definitely take Gareis!

A lot required in recitation but overall good class.

Dr. Gareis is the best professor I had at pitt. His upper level classes are harder to get into because everyone wants to take him. HIGHLY suggest taking him.

Dr. Gareis is so amazing! I absolutely loved his class: not even for the subject matter but just because he is a great lecturer. He makes class so enjoyable. Recitations require some busy work but it's not bad. His tests were very straightforward & he wrote the textbook himself so it correlates so well to his lecture making it that much easier!

He is a great teacher. I loved coming to his class and he got me interested in the subject. The tests are easy if you study and there is a lot of work but his class is so much fun. He loves his job and it shows.

his class was also entertaining! we watch star trek!

Amazing professor! So interesting and loves what he is teaching. Gave a review sheet for each exam which helped so much. Engaging and genuinely wants you to do well. Exams were fair and if you study should have no problem getting an A. Book necessary but only what is on review sheet, which isn't much .

Great and very energetic lecturer, clearly explains concepts, and tests are easy. Just study the study guides he gives out and he should get an A. Definitely would recommend Gareis

I LOVE Dr. Gareis. He is an incredible professor. He is very clear, engaging, fun and relatable. He loves what he does and it shows. I wish he taught all of my classes. Tests are totally easy if you study the exam terms that are provided in recitation. Overall, Dr. Gareis is an incredible professor and you won't regret taking his classes.

Best professor at Pitt by far! Even if you don't think you're interested in communication, take COMMRC 0300 and Dr. Gareis will no doubt entertain you through the semester.

Dr. Gareis is a great guy. He's really enthusiastic about what he teaches. Lectures are never boring. There are some extra credit chances where he asks the class 2-3 questions during lecture and we write down the correct answers on paper for 1pt each. Recitation is a bit tedious, but almost all assignments are with partners. Tests are pretty easy.

great guy, great class!

Great class and professor. He really keeps the class interesting. Tests are not hard if you study. Make sure you read the textbook. Would highly reccomend this teacher.

Professor Gareis is a wonderful teacher who clearly loves what he is teaching and is sure that everyone understands the topic. It is a fairly easy subject and if you pay attention and attend lecture (I even missed a few) you should have no issue getting an A.

Dr. Gareis is a great Professor. He uses many helpful examples that make tests easier, and is very fair when grading. He lectures with so much energy, making the class even more interesting

Gareis is by far one of the best lecturers I've ever had the pleasure to listen to. You'll find yourself laughing during this class, becoming interested in the content, and while tests aren't a piece of cake, they don't present too much difficulty either. Overall, great professor who really knows how to interest and inspire students.

Dr. Gareis is a great professor, especially for an intro course. He makes the concepts really easy to understand, and he makes the content really interesting. You don't take a final, either. Any papers or projects we did were with the same partner all semester, which makes the workload significantly less. Overall, he is great!

Great teacher! He very good at what he does and he makes sure your comfortable with the material. His grading for Pub. Speaking was a little strict, but overall a good guy.

Dr. Gareis has been my favorite professor at Pitt thus far. He is engaging and exciting to listen to. He provides practical examples and if you come to class and take notes/skim the text before each test, you will do well. I would recommend him to any student curious about Communication! His class solidified my decision to major in comm!!

Dr. Gareis was awesome! Make sure you go to lecture and there will be extra credit opportunity galore. There are assignments in recitations which are not too bad, and three exams which you need to study a little for. If your TA puts out a study guide just go over that. Go over the lecture notes and you'll do great.

To put it simply: Dr. Gareis is amazing. He solidified my decision to be a communication major and I would recommend him to anyone and everyone, no matter your major. The tests are not too difficult, but he uses material from both lectures and the textbook, so be sure to go to class AND read the corresponding textbook chapters. Overall, he's great!

Jack is a great man. He's my advisor and is helpful, honest and REAL. He cares about you as a student, which to me is a truly valuable trait to have in an educator. He gives you advice like your his own kid, and wants you to do well. I really suggest this guy as an advisor and teacher. Definitely take him if you get the chance.

Jack was a great professor who really cared about the class and seemed genuinely interested in helping us produce our best work. I would recommend taking any of his classes because he is a fun, interesting guy.

Dr. Gareis really helps students understand what he is saying by relating more complex topics through common examples and expressions. He's very easy to listen to and is a fair grader. I would recommend his classes to all students, regardless of their major.

Awesome professor! Made me fall in love with communication as a major. As long as you put for some effort, you will get an A. The projects are fun and the tests are decently easy.

Gareis is an awesome professor. I'm a computer science major and I love the class. He's the most engaging professor I've had at Pitt and makes the lectures very interesting. He is also really good at making the concepts clear.

Jack is THE BEST. He's been a teacher FOREVER so he knows what's up. He's easy to talk to both about class and just about life. 1732 is a little class where we have group conversations, projects, presentations, and papers but his grading is reasonable and he gives clear guidelines. He also allows us to revise based on his comments for extra credit

Gareis is a thoughtful guy who is very passionate about all things to do with communication. In the Intro to Communication Process class he uses his own book, which actually was great because it's an easy read, and he was able to explain things in great detail. Recitation attendance is required, but it's an easy class overall.

I love him! He makes lectures very interesting and teaches with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement... he does a great job of explaining and describing the material. His tests are not difficult, but you do need to pay attention. If you have the opportunity to take one of his classes definitely do it!!

He is a great professor! You can tell he loves his job and is passionate about communications which directly correlates to the students performance. He wants to help and will do anything for you to succeed as long as you put the work in.

By far one of the best lecturers I've ever had. It was an easy class, but it was also an introductory level class. Read the book. You don't need to go to every lecture. The tests are easy. Expect some work from recitations.

Dr. Gareis is a gem! He is very knowledgeable and passionate about communication. He relays information well and explains concepts fully in a way that is easy to understand! Highly highly recommended! His lectures are fun and he is extremely entertaining! TAKE HIM! One of the best professors I have had at Pitt by far!

Gareis is great! Really fun guy that gives engaging and informative lectures. Tests do require studying and some book reading but aren't too bad. Definitely a professor to take if you have the option.

Prof Gareis is a nice guy and uses a a lot of good examples and anecdotes to explain the course material, which is entertaining and helpful. There were some fun elements of the class and it's a solid choice to fulfill your social science gen ed. However, there were a lot of group projects, so be wary if you don't enjoy working with others often.

The class itself isn't bad but the recitation is killer. There are so many papers in recitation and it is more work than the actual class. While class isn't mandatory, if you attend,its a fairly easy A. Definitely take it if you are looking for an easy gen ed

Great class with interesting course material.

One of the best professors at Pitt. 10/10 would take again. He makes it very clear that he genuinely cares about his students and his lectures are entertaining.

I had Gareis as my professor for Communication Process. This class was an easy A if you do the work (and do not have to put too much effort in it. The assignments for recitation were really annoying but not time consuming. An easy gen-ed.

Had Gareis for Communication Process and he's great. His teaching style is good enough and allows you to get the right amount of information while not being overly confusing. Overall the class isn't super difficult though some of the recitation assignments can be a little tough. Even then if you take competent notes and pay attention should be fine

Wonderful lecturer. Very animated and easy to understand, and was always there to help and elaborate on everything. Information was easy but tests can be difficult even with studying. Everything else about the class was relatively simple. Minus the three tests, the rest of the grade was recitation. Would take again.

He does a great job of making lectures interesting and the material on the exams is all clearly stated in either the lecture or the book. There are a few group papers which are tedious but overall its a reasonable class where solid work will get an A

His lectures are great. He makes it clear what he's looking for on exams. The recitations for my class were almost entirely group-project oriented, but it's really simple. Overall, his class is really good and it's easy to get an A as long as you show up and pay attention.

I took professor Gareis' class freshman year, and then TAed the class for a year because I loved the course material and working with him. The class is a good mix of exams, projects, and recitation work. Definitely recommend.

So rhetoric and culture can be a toss-up. Some days are really interesting, others make you wonder what the class is even about. It focuses on Nationalism mostly. 4 papers, one big presentation, one group chapter presentation.

LOVE Dr. Gareis's class. he's very entertaining and uses great examples to explain concepts and terms. 10/10 recommend.

You need to go to his classes. While he posts notes online, he goes in depth in class and that is super important for the three exams. You can do exam corrections and earn up to all your points back if he likes your case. The textbook isn't super useful but it helps. He gives extra credit during class sometimes.

I absolutely loved Dr. Garies!! He is very passionate about the content and makes lecture so intriguing!! There are 3 exams (+no final). The test content is based off notes from class (HIGHLY RECOMMEND ATTENDING LECTURE) and content from the book. If you skim the chapters prior to the exam you'll be fine. Recitation requires some writing, but easy!

3 exams no final all other assignments are group projects. Exams are worded like "in lecture we discussed this like...", or "the books states that...", so read the chapters and take notes in lecture. 3 diff EC opps (pop quizzes in lecture). says TA's can bump your final grade if you participate in recitation, which I did, ended w/ a, 89.4% no boost

Dr. Gareis is super interesting and experienced. We only had 3 exams with no final, 2 group papers, and a few pass/fail worksheets. All incredibly easy. Show up to lecture and pay some attention and you are almost guaranteed to get an A+. He offered 15 point of extra credit my semester so you can make mistakes on the exams and still get an A easily

Professor Gareis is very passionate about the material being taught which makes the lectures more interesting. Exam questions come straight from examples in lecture and from the textbook, so going to class is key. Recitations consist of mostly group writing assignments and participation.

Dr. Gareis is a great professor and I enjoyed taking his class! His exams were very straightforward, and if you attend lecture, you basically don't even have to study for the exams. He uses great examples during lecture that make the material stick in your head, and he makes sure that everyone understands what he is talking about.

Dr. Gareis is the best professor I've had so far at Pitt. His lectures are incredibly interesting and informative. He uses entertaining and relevant examples that make it really easy to remember. The exams aren't too bad and there's no final.

Dr. Gareis is a great professor who makes lectures interesting by using modern examples to explain them. I really enjoyed the class and his teaching style. There was no final and what exams we had were graded fairly.

This class is a great gen ed and not difficult at all. Just go to lecture and you wont have to read the book. Most of the work comes from recitation other than the 3 tests. Dr Gareis is so nice and always willing to answer questions. Plus theres no final!

Prof. Gareis is one of the better professors at Pitt. He knows what he's talking about and encourages you to do well. Recitation projects can be annoying but are definitely doable. He doesn't take attendance in lecture BUT he does give out extra credit randomly so you should try to go! Definitely buy the textbook, readings are a must.

Dr. Gareis's class allowed me to look at the world differently. I was really impacted by his lectures because I really got a lot out of them. He's engaging and eccentric, and it's a great class to take if you want something interesting and easy. I LOVED going to lecture, and I used a lot of what I learned in other classes.

John, or Jack, so far was was easily my favorite professor at Pitt. His lectures were so fun and intriguing and I was only taking this class for a gen ed. You really do not have to go to lectures for an easy A but they're so worth it. Jack is a great professor and the only bad part about his class are the TAs (in my experience). Take this class!

Amazing teacher. Lectures are super interesting. Exams are simple if you pay attention to the lectures you will pass.

Dr. Gareis was great. Lectures were always engaging and he's very knowledgeable about the subject material. Only grades were three non-cumulative exams and some smaller group projects. Recitation assignments were annoying, but manageable. If given the chance to take his class in person, do it.

Professor Gareis was definitely a great professor. I really enjoyed his lectures. Gives good examples during lectures.

Simple public speaking course. Have 3 graded speeches, midterm, and noncumulative final. Exams were very easy. He grades speeches a little strictly but not bad at all. You can choose the speech topics. Gareis is really fun to listen to and is a great teacher!

Very descriptive and engaging in his lectures. My favorite professor I've had at Pitt so far!

Dr. Gareis is a great professor and clearly passionate about what he teaches. His lectures/exams are very application focused, so definitely pay attention to examples given in class. Not a hard course by any means, but be prepared for a lot of busy work/group work in recitations.

Prof. Gareis is a super nice guy and a great teacher. The class is obviously lecture based, but he keeps it pretty entertaining throughout. There are three exams but as long as you study the quizlets and read the chapters from the textbook the night before, you're good to go!

Gareis is a great guy and professor. I had trouble getting in contact with him sometimes but he tries his best. The class as a whole is barely any work and I could finish the entire week's worth in about 30 mins. His quizzes come straight from the lecture. Just make sure you fill out the study guide for the exams.

Dr. Gareis is seriously such a great professor. So kind and caring, and the class is really fun and interesting. Tests weren't too bad but I never did as well as I thought I would. Regardless, lots of extra credit opportunities and room for points in other simple assignments. TAKE HIM!!!!

Class was not that hard but recitation is what will bring your grade down due to the fact all the assignments in recitation were group projects where everyone won't pitch in. Lots of busy work and uses examples from textbook not taught in lecture so make sure to the read the textbook

Dr. Gareis is a gem! He means so well, lectures aren't that bad, and exams aren't too difficult. Each exam gets easier as it goes. Recitation is annoying with group papers, but if you organize yourself well and get it done, there's no way you won't get an A.

Dr. Gareis is an outstanding professor. His lectures were always engaging and understandable. The recitation consisted of easy group projects.The class had 3 exams, no final. Pay attention and read the textbook and you wont need to study much. Dr. Gareis gave a lot of simple extra credit opportunities in class too. Take this class!!!!!!

Professor Gareis is a professor that was straight forward with information. All of the exams given were based off of his lectures and what was learned in recitation. He is always available for meeting during office hours. There is no final exam which I enjoyed. Overall, I would definitely recommend taking his class!

Dr. Gareis is a great lecturer, the exams are based heavily on what is said in lecture and less on what is in the textbook so be sure to go, you don't want to miss out on notes as well as the extra credit that is given in lectures. Besides that your grade is half group projects done in recitation, so it is an easy grade boost from it.

Great professor with enjoyable lectures. Exams had lots of questions from lecture, so although attendance wasn't necessary, you should definitely go. Exams were easy too, just know your stuff. I had fun in this class despite it being an earlier morning class!

This man is a wonderful professor. It is clear he likes his job and does it well, I love listening to all his examples. However the slides are not very comprehensive so you do need to listen to everything he says and take careful notes to do well on exams. In class he gives many extra credit opportunities that boost your grade a lot.

The dude was great, simply impossible to fail. Cool guy too who actually cared.

Great dude, class was a breeze, best class I've taken

A very great professor worth getting up at 9 in the morning for. Only 3 exams and no final, but exams are based off of what Dr. Gareis says in lecture, so pay attention and write down everything he says. He gives a lot of extra credit to boost your grade, so go to lecture. Recitation is super easy and every assignment is done with someone else.

I enjoyed Dr. Gareis and his class. I made the mistake of not buying the book and my first exam grade suffered heavily because of it. You can find online versions of the textbook- buy it, 80% of his exams are stuff covered in the textbook. After I discovered this, I did a lot better. Weekly discussion boards & quizzes are also factors in your grade

I'm not a communication major, but this class was my absolute favorite. Super engaging lectures. He made everything seem interesting. Used examples to clarify which often showed up on exams. Provided a notes outline, which was super helpful to just add onto during lectures. Exams were not difficult if you pay attention and take notes. take it.

Prof Gareis is an amazing professor. He is very intelligent and knows exactly what he is talking about. Commrc 0300 was so easy, as long as you paid attention and attended lectures. He offers some extra credit and and is beyond simple. The textbook is very unnecessary and I would not buy it.

Lectures are very interesting and engaging. He uses examples to explain what he's teaching and those help tremendously.

Jack was a great teacher! He clearly enjoyed teaching, has been for long. He uses real life examples which help to remember topics. He offered extra credit during class and test corrections for each exam. There were 3 exams and no final. He said to buy the textbook but I didn't and did just fine; I know he covers everything in it during lecture.

Jack is a great professor and COMMRC0300 is a great class for any major. Three tests, no final. Recitation is required and you do some group projects/papers that also count towards your grade. Jack is a great lecturer. Overall very easy and stress-free experience

Dr. Gareis is the best. He clearly cares and is excited about what he is teaching, and provides great examples and explanations of course concepts. The textbook is not entirely necessary, I did fine barely using it. Recitation is required and additional assignments are assigned to work on there. Overall great and easy class!

I took this class for a gen ed and did just fine. Dr. Gareis is an amazing professor. Pay attention to the lectures and use the study guides and you'll do just fine. Attendance it not mandatory. There is a zoom option and he records the lectures as well. He uses excellent examples in class that help to understand the material.

I really enjoyed Dr. Gareis. His lectures are engaging, easy to follow, and made me want to come to class. Very easy grader and offers extra credit in class. The main assignment of the course is a group paper, which should really be an individual paper, but the rubric is easy.

Very easy class. Lectures are important but if you are there, exams are easy. He gives lots of chances to gain extra credit, so I'd recommend attending class.

Dr. Gareis was a good professor. His weekly recorded lectures were a bit on the boring side, but overall his class is straightforward and you will do well if you keep up with the material each week. Quizzes and discussion board posts each week are easy.

Very nice professor with very entertaining lectures! Attendance is not mandatory, but a large portion of the exam content comes from in-class examples that are not included in the notes. Textbook material makes up about 20% of exam content. Offers plenty of extra-credit opportunities and assignments to buffer scores. Fairly easy course with effort!

He does a great online class. Video lectures each week which expand on assigned readings. Tests are difficult. His phrasing is tricky. Very passionate and fun instructor.

Professor Gareis' class is engaging and straightforward. Lectures are informative, and the exams are manageable if you keep up with the material. unstuckstudy was a helpful tool for studying and preparing. Overall, a great class for any major.

Professor Gareis is a 100% must-take for Public Speaking. He is hilarious, engaging, and very clear in his expectations. Attendance is mandatory, but I looked forward to class each week. He is a great Gen Ed choice, but the class seriously helped hone some of my public speaking abilities.

He grades really amazing for speeches even if you aren't as prepared as you could be. He knows the importance of public speaking, but knows it is a gened. His tests are decently easy just memorize/look over his lecture notes. He had some extra credit. Overall great person very knowledgeable 10/10.

Dr. Gareis is an amazing public speaking professor! He gives amazing feedback and is so respectful with constructive criticism. He clearly wants his students to improve and is fairly generous with grading. I would highly recommend.

Loved him! He's hilarious and such a nice guy. He grades super nicely and the only reason I didn't get a higher grade was because I didn't study for the midterm. Make sure to know the lecture material but otherwise it's super fun, stress-free class.

Great professor and really good guy! Very engaging personality and gave amazing, accurate feedback. Pretty much the perfect course - actually interesting and helpful, generous grades, and not a huge amount of outside work.

Great class! The only reason I gave him a 4 was because there was two written exams with no study guide that totally killed the class, making our grades less reflective of our public speaking skills. Easy grading on the speeches, genuine and helpful feedback. He was very funny and passionate as well. No homework other than speeches.