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I took General Chemistry 1 with Professor Halpin and I think that his class was moderately easy as long as you understood his (very clear) notes and DID the practice exams before the test. The only difficult part about this class is the recitation quizes, which can be made easy my studying his lecture notes beforehand.

Very structured and organized teacher. Has frequent office hours and hold review sessions before each exam, and has practice tests for each exam which directly reflect the actualy exams.

Great teacher, VERY EASY. Just read his notes and do his practice exams and this class is an easy A for sure.

He can teach

Prof. Halpin is one of the greatest teachers ever. He knows the subject well, SO organized, and he can help you with questions you have (office hours). Definitely do the practice exams and the packages from clinic. Weekly quizzes are hard, but come from lecture notes. Hw isnt graded on correctness, so get a 10 on every HW and it'll will help.

I really liked Halpin. He works all year round (including summers.) He seems to always come across with interest even though he has taught the same stuff forever! He is a very reasonable guy too.

J-Halp (as I like to clal him), is an amazing professor. Yes, his voice is soothing enough to put you to sleep, but he really makes you learn. Go to recitation and clinics and do the practice exams and homework and you'll do well in the class. He wants you to do well and will try and boost your grade as high as possible

he's got a good sense of humor, and he loves chemistry. he's always really fair. he makes it really easy to do well in the class by offering a lot of ways to do well.

If I marry a man like John Halpin, I will die happy! Please future Gen Chem students, go to lecture every time, learn about the beauty of chemistry and fall in love one corny joke at a time...

Excellent at teaching but Tests are difficult!!

Sigh, one more semester of corny jokes and that soothing voice that did make me fall asleep multiple times. He's a great guy though, has the most organized class I've ever taken and it is possible to get an A if your not adherently prone to stupid mistakes on exams. Great class though cuz Halpin loves what he's doing. Tough if u dont like chem.

very fair grader, easy A but only if you study and do all the required work

amazing prof, loves the subject and encourages you to come to office hours

Halpin loves chemistry! Although I often fell asleep in lecture b/c of his monotone voice, I think he is still a great teacher. His lecture notes are a great help and he is a very fair grader. He even drops your lowest midterm and extends deadlines on chem essays.. he does anything to help out the student!

Halpin is wonderful and I think every premed/engineering misses him after gen chem. He cares about students and does everything he can to make sure you do well. People who do bad on his exams are just lazy-- if you put even a little effort you can easily get at least a B-.

Fair teacher, but hard to talk to.

Very very helpful. He definitely cares about his students and loves the subject he teaches.

I LOVE HALPIN! His lectures were my favorite classes to go to, and he's a really nice guy. He's very accommodating to his students. He's just so great overall (he's tough, but fair). Definitely recommend him.

Halpin's class is straightforward and fair. He is dedicated and helpful. He works closely with the TAs and does everything he can to help you succeed in his class.

Prof Halpin knows chemistry and therefore is able to explain the concepts well. Just use the lecture notes to study. I only used the textbook for the homework and read barely any of it. The essays he had us write were rather simple but the tests were somewhat tricky. This class will require effort but if you enjoy chemistry Halpin is a good choice.

Halpin is awesome!

Very helpful! If you just do the practice exam (repeatedly) you'll do fine in his class. Go to clinic AND recitation. He's awesome in office hours too. Love him. Awesome jokes and quotes. Unintentionally funny. basically, he's AMAZING. Celebrity citing if you ever see him on the street.

HALPIN rocks my socks! He is very helpful and accommodating. while he admits he can seem like an old grump. he really isn't and does everything to ensure that you do well! exams are not easy, but very do-able if you do the work! very time-consuming course though!

Awesome Professors. The best on the Pre-med track. Unfortunately, it's all down hill from there. He's helpful and super fair. Everyone loves him just look at the facebook group dedicated to him, "J-Halp is more ballin' than you are."

Halpin is one of the best professors I've had at NYU so far. He's super organized and announces everything ahead of time so that students can plan assignment and study time. He's very fair and reminds students when assignments are due. Although he can be a little tricky on exams, he does his best to prepare students ahead of time.

AWESOME PROF!!!ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT HIS STUDENTS! EXTREMELY FAIR, GIVES ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT BUT EXAMS ARE PRETTY TRICKY AND YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE MATERIAL THROUGH AND THROUGH TO DO WELL...LECS ARE BORING AND HARD TO STAY AWAKE IN BUT EVERYTHING IS IN THE LEC NOTES SO NOT A PROB IF U HAPPEN TO CATCH SOME Z'S DURING HIS CLASS..LIKE EVERYONE ELSE LOL

Prof. Halpin is amazing. end of story

I love Halpin so much - made chemistry make sense, and you really can't get a bad grade if you get your act together after failing an exam. Exams aren't even that hard if you go to lecture. Lectures are concise and he clearly explains what he wants from his students. Homework also really helps in learning the material.

Halpin is a wonderful teacher. His research interest, as listed on the chem dept URL, is chemistry education. If I ever become a teacher, I will adopt many of Halpin's techniques. A fun guy and a great instructor overall.

Amazing, amazing professor, I loved him. Made Chemistry understandable. Never had to use the textbook. The best professor I've ever had. One thing I didnt like were the length of the tests. There was never enough time to finish. LOVE HIS SARCASTIC JOKES

rate my professors won't give him the chili pepper I want it to.

If you want to begin with chemistry, you definitely SHOULD CHOOSE HIM! His lecture is crystal-clear, and you will find his lecture notes (actually you do not need to make notes during lecture) extremely handy except that you have to pay for $200 txtbook & CPS device, youre gonna love his lecture

halpin is awesome in many ways! but what is most most most amazing about him-he drops ur lowest grade! basically you can get a 2 on the first exam and still get an A in the class! get hold of old exams not the practice exam, do problem after problem and you'll do fine on the test..start studying about 2-3 weeks in advance and that A wil be yours :)

He is amazing. He is the best professor I've ever had.

Halpin is the best professor I've yet to have at NYU. While his lectures are a bit dry, he actually gives you all the lecture notes, so there really isn't much note-taking at his lectures. He's very knowledgeable in his field and is very clear and concise. His jokes aren't bad either.

i am in love with John Halpin. He obviously loves what he does and it really makes the class a lot more interesting. plus he's just lovable. halpin demonstrates why nyu needs fewer research scientists as professors and more teachers. this class will really teach you a lot and if you read his notes, it's not even that hard.

he is an absolute cutey! you'll fall in love with him! he really wants you to succeed. lecture notes are a concise version of the textbook.

Halpin is a funny lovable guy. His lecture notes basically eliminate the need for note taking (as well as eliminate the need for the textbook, though its a useful resource). Even though the lecture hall has ~400 students, he tries to encourage questions. He wants everyone to do well and is passionate about chemistry.

Halpin is adorable and amazing! You can really tell that he cares about his students! He prints out the notes so that you can just follow along in the notebook. It makes studying so much easier! LOVE HIM

super cool professor who really wants you to do well. he's so nice in office hours! the lecture is really boring and 600+ people, plus you MUST attend because he uses the CPS system, which sucks. TAs tend to be horrible, and quizzes are a ****. the sample exam usually has nothing to do with the actual exam, but he drops the lowest exam grade.

Most awesome professor at NYU. Excellent teacher, totally fair with grading (drops the first exam as long as you do 25% better on the next one). Exams are tricky but just do a million practice problems and you're golden.

Great Professor. Learned a lot from him.

I found this class really hard. But maybe it's because I took it in the summer and it's only 6 weeks long. You really need to keep up with textbook readings and homework to do well. If you miss a few readings/homeworks, you're done for. Keep up and you'll do fine. I don't recommend that anyone take this class over the summer. You'll need time.

Halpin's seems genuinely interested in getting students to understand chem. Tests really are difficult, but the final grading at the end it definitely fair. If you want to perform well in this class, do a million practice problems, and get to the point where you can do them without your notes. Tough class, but doable.

Halpin was awesome, he most definitely cares that he students know the material rather than memorize the book. This approach to teaching is reflected in his tests which are very hard if you do not actually understand the material but rather memorized how to a problem. Awesome prof all around, and has awesome corny jokes.

Halpin is absolutely amazing because he loves what he does and genuinely wants you to like it too. Hilarious jokes, personality, and an all around great professor. If you study notes and do practice problems for the tests, and do the other things, you will have no problem getting an A. I love this class!

Very easy class im taking it right now and am acing it. His exams aren't hard its just that most NYU students are good at only memorizing facts so when it is necessary to become applicative and calculate they struggle. Class Avg about 75-78, To do well just work on practice problems and disregard too much memorization just learn the general concept

Now a student of Jones, I sorely miss Halpin. Just go to lecture, follow the notes, and do his practice exams (don't use the textbook). He hardly throws any serious curveballs (unlike Orgo). As long as you nail the math, you should be perfect for every exam and get As. TAs grade very fairly and try to give as much credit as you deserve.

Halpin's lectures are extremely helpful and informative. He is truly passionate about Chem and tries to engage his students as well. My only complaint is the iClicker he uses to take attendance, since many students come in a minute too late and are marked absent. But the class made me much more interested in Chemistry.

No doubt he cares a lot about helping students learn. The exam averages are around 75 in a class of 600 people, but he drops your lowest exam if you score a certain % higher on the other ones. The problem is attendance is mandatory. All he does in lecture is go over the exact same material already found in your notes (which you must buy).

He's really sweet. Tests are easy if you do the homework problems he gives. Truly the best professor I've had so far.

Overall going to lecture is pretty much useless but it is mandatory because he has a device that keeps track of attendance. However, Halpin cares about his students a lot and wants them to succeed in his class. I screwed up royally both semester on at least one test and ended up with an A-. Great Professor!

he was great and it was not at all a hard class. He has been teaching this course for so long, its like second nature to him

He is a great, great teacher. First of all, forget all the stuff about him just reading the notes. He doesn't do that. He add lots and lots of examples and details to whats already in the notes. The notes are simply outlines. He just wants you to do well. All the negative reviews are from people who don't do the work and complain when they do bad.

Really great professor. He definitely cares about his students and it's clear that he wants them to succeed. He loves chemistry and wants his students to truly understand the subject, which I love. But maybe I'm biased because I'm a chem major lol. Exams are difficult but very fair. Grading's a little crazy though. I recommend him nonetheless!

Great Professor. Very clear, very helpful, loves chemistry with a passion. Will do anything he can to help his students. He spent a LOT of time helping me even though he has so many students. He really opened up my interest in chemistry and is the best teacher I've had so far.

Halpin is the easiest professor in the chem department at NYU. He is super fair with grading, and really helpful in office hours. For the midterm and final just do the practice exams in Bobst and you should be fine; most of the questions on exams are exactly the same but with different numbers. Take his class!

Perfect professor. Best man at NYU chem

Not hard at all, and I used to hate chemistry. Practice exams in Bobst are all you need to prep. Recitations are helpful, but only depending on who you get. Overall, pretty easy class.

He takes his lectures very slow so it is comprehensible! He is very educated in the subject and he treats his students as his very own. He grades fair and understands everyone has their ups and downs. I highly recommend taking his class! It is also important to attend PTE'S!

This guy is the man! Not only does he love Chemistry, but also he loves teaching too. I expected all of his tests to be hard, because Chemistry doesn't come naturally to me, but they were pretty easy. Halpin actually cares about his students and wants us to do well. If you're doing poorly in his class, it's more likely your fault than it is his.

He's okay.

Very clear on what he wants from you and he is the best teacher you can get in the science dept of NYU. If you study, you'll do fine. His tests are pretty fair.

Very fair classs. If you know your stuff, work hard, and will be rewarded. I love how he gives plenty of time on tests, and tests are very straightforward, not tricky.

Best teacher in the science department of NYU and possibly one of the best in the whole university. I believe this guy can teach anything, just because of how eloquent he speaks.

I never took AP Chemistry back in high school because I sucked at it. Yet, I was able to pull off an A with 100 on a midterm. It is quite possible if you put your mind to it. To study, I read each chapter that he lectures and LEARN to UNDERSTAND how the problem works NOT MEMORIZE ALGORITHMS. Halpin stresses this as well.

Great professor. Hard exams, many times challenging students with questions that force you to bridge the gap between his lectures and where he wants you to be. He also rambles a lot in lecture, which is a challenge, as well. But overall, I think he is great at what he does.

He's a great professor. Go to him for help if you need it. He really wants his students to learn and do well. He is a great professor!!

Halpin himself is really helpful... that's probably the only pro of this required course. He is charming at office hours if you can get past lines, and earning an A in this class is harder than you think. A B+? Incredibly easy. Attend lectures once in a while to get a grasp as to what you're learning, but if you go to all, you'll sleep thru them..

The class wasn't terribly difficult, but you need to do the work and understand what you're learning. Lab had more work than I expected; and it even had it's own final! Go to lecture even though you will probably fall asleep, but he does say important things that may be on quizzes or tests. He really wants you to learn and is very approachable.

Great professor, AMAZING chef. Even though the lecture size is over 700 students, he sometimes brings homemade snacks for everybody. His baklava is to die for!! Knows chemistry very well, and applies his knowledge of chemistry to the art of making chicken tenders. HW not graded for accuracy, which is a plus. Ask him where the best chinese in NY is.

I really enjoyed his class. If you need help, go to him after lecture and he will more than willingly help you. Also the TA's are spectacular! Along with everyone being really helpful and actually wanting you to succeed, they grade every test withing one weekend! That's effieciancy.

Lectures were rather boring, didn't help me at all. Recitations were great if you have the right TA. You get easy points just for showing up to PTE, and the worksheets are extremely helpful. Overall, Halpin is a teacher before a chemist, if you struggle, go have a talk with him and he'll do his best to help you out and give you a fair grade.

Amazing professor especially for chemistry. Helpful and funny. Just wants to see an effort from students and grading reflects that.

Great teacher; easily the best in the whole science department. Has a clear love for his job!

Halpin will do everything that he can to help you, but in the most efficient way. He wants you to do well and thus CHALLENGES you to think for yourself, seems like he cares about his students. Great professor, fair, knows his stuff, very straightforward. Love the fact that he has lecture notes and cracks a joke every now and then

Once you get used to the class, his jokes become a thousand times funnier. Exams are difficult but fair. Three exams, a lab final, and mandated extra help for at least seven hours per semester. Weekly quizzes are annoying, but really do help. Overall a pretty great HS-to-college-transition professor!!

Absolutely amazing. I feel like he'll be the best professor I'll have in my college career. He explains everything in his lectures perfectly, and his notes help soo much. He's a really cool guy too. His class wasn't the easiest, but like he says, it's possible for everyone to get an A. People who didn't just didn't connect somehow.

Prof. Halpin is easily my favorite professor so far in NYU. His style of teaching is over 9000. As long as you read his lecture notes and do the practice exams, you can easily score at least an A- on his exam. In fact, the practice exams are particularly the exact same thing as the actual exams. HALPIN really knows what he's talking about!

Great professor. Very clear, and very straightforward, and although he sometimes speaks in a monotone he can also be pretty funny. He seems to not like the textbook very much, as he contradicts a lot of the things the book says. However, if you read his notes and explanations and do all the homework the class will be pretty easy.

Great Teacger

Definitely the best professor at NYU. Very clear, very helpful.

One of the best at NYU. If you're not doing well just go to him. He set me straight. Very fair. Know practice exams in and out. He sets up the course so that you can do well. Premeds this is the easiest it's going to be!

Great professor. Explains concepts well and provides many opportunities to bring up your grade such as easy online essays. Funny professor as well. Highly recommend

Awesome professor!

One of the best.

I took this class because I thought I wanted to be pre-med but that was a mistake. However, I enjoyed John Halpin as a professor so much I contemplated staying on the pre-med track. He really wants the students to learn the material and even though is voice is droning, he is an awesome person and professor!!

Professor Halpin gives you every chance to succeed in his class as well as doing everything in his power to help you succeed. If you do the work and go see him for help (if you need it) there's no reason you shouldn't do well in this class. Plus, there really are no (or at least very few) surprises on his exams. ;) Very fair.

Halpin gets a bad reputation because he has the challenge of teaching 600+ students Chemistry at 8am on Mondays. But he is a genuinely kind person who understands that school is difficult and does his best to be clear, fair, and helpful.

Professor Halpin is really the best. As a post-bacc student 8 years removed from college, and having never took any hard sciences before, I figured I'd really struggle. Struggle I did, but Prof. Halpin is very knowledgable, helpful during office hours, and his exams are tough but fair. The old exams from previous semesters are really helpful.

Yes, it is a challenging course, but that's because Halpin genuinely wants you to understand the material. He is very fair and understanding. Do (and understand!) all the problems from the practice exam and you will be well prepared for his tests.

amazing professor

Halpin is an great professor who teaches well. Go to him whenever you need assistance with anything, really! He's very caring towards his students and always sticks to what he says. A wonderful professor overall.

Halpin is an great professor who teaches well. Go to him whenever you need assistance with anything, really! He's very caring towards his students and sticks to what he says. A wonderful professor overall.

Prof. Halpin is a wonderful man. He really cares about his students and wants them to excel in the future, which is why he is so tough. His course is designed so that you must understand the material, not just memorize the book. And if you have any questions or concerns, his office hours are a great way to get things sorted out. He is always there

His test may be tricky at times but he always warns you on what to look out for in class. He isn't the friendliest or easiest teacher, but he is fair and always stops the lectures to make sure he answers questions. He also breaks down the way you are going to be graded really well and is almost always available during office hours for extra help.

Probably the clearest science teacher at NYU.

This guy is Papa Dio in Chemistry, take him at whatever cost, you would love the subject eventually.

He's good at what he does. He loves chem, so it's good to see a professor who's truly and honestly passionate about the subject they teach the students. A very caring man, as long as you go to lectures and try to understand chemistry, you'll get it.

Very hard class and if you fall behind, you'd better work harder than you've ever worked before to catch up. However, his office hours are a great time to ask questions and really clarify anything you don't understand.

He is a very good professor with sense of humor. I took his general chem II class. He doesn't use blackboard,and you have to take a lots of note during class. You have to finish all his homework problem, but the test isn't that hard. He gives partial credits,and extra credit question. Great to study chem with him. i missed his chem joke.

I saw him during office hours and he was really nice! He gives great lectures and I actually think his jokes are funny! Gen Chem is a hard class but it is totally possible to get an A in it if you work hard enough. Very fair grading system.

Great lecturer. Everyone carries around his notes like they're the bible. Super clear during his lectures and very fair exams. There's alot required (hw, quizzes, pte's, essays, attendance, exams) but if you do all of them, it only helps you learn the material and you should do well.

No doubt he is one of the best professors at NYU, and maybe even in the country. His lecture notes are extremely clear, and he cares for his students. Gen chem is an essential foundation for advanced science courses, and he has done a fantastic job. Seems very strict but deep inside he's a very loving person.

He will give you tips on how to pass his exams and quizzes.

I thought he had a good sense of humour and was super nice. His tests aren't easy, but they are definitely fair! I got an A in the course, so I was pretty happy. He seems quite approachable and I know many of my friends visited his office hours. I enjoyed his class (well, as much as one can enjoy gen chem!)

Great professor. Does everything he can to help you do well. Tests are sometimes tricky but, there is no reason not to do well. All of the resources are available you just have to use them

Halpin is an amazing prof! He really knows his stuff and can teach it well too. He made Gen Chem make sense. His tests are pretty straightforward, and he offers chances to drop low test grades. Would definitely recommend!

He's good but, Chemistry is supposed to be taught as something beautiful. Unfortunately, the large class size makes that impossible. Also he has this silly rule where the only way you can drop your lowest test grade is if you score 50% better on your next test. So that means if you want a test grade dropped, make sure to fail it.

Fantastic lecturer if you can stay awake through 8AM lectures. Though he provides notes, it's important to pay attention to actually understand what's in the the notes. Go to PTEs, recitations, and study with friends and you should be fine, but you definitely have to work for your grade. Drops low test scores with certain conditions (lifesaver!)

Halpin is one of the most competent professors at NYU! He knows his chemistry and is very picky. He drops in funny jokes here and there and makes it clear of what concepts will be on the tests. He strongly demands for correct number of sig figs. Tests are thorough and require studying. Recitation is fun and quizzes are easy. Overall a useful class.

This guy is really good. He makes it so that you do great. I loved pte and recitation, it was so helpful. Lectures were kinda boring, but i like this dude. He is a cute little pumpkin.

Professor Halpin is the most straightforward teacher I've ever had. Truly a gem. The class has no curve but an A is very attainable if you pay attention to lectures and readings.

I found his lectures very, very helpful. I didn't have the opportunity to take Halpin for Gen. Chem. I and I had to basically learn all the information on my own from the textbook. Taking part II with Halpin was a relative blessing. He provides you with lecture notes that were constructed to help you follow along with nice meaty margins for notes.

Probably the hottest teacher at NYU, hands down.

Halpin is one of the friendliest professors at NYU and teaches chemistry in an enjoyable way. The tests are tough, but if you study you should be fine, because his grades are dependent on multiple factors (quizzes, lab, etc.) and he will even drop midterms :)

Halpin is great. He is course is very organized which is really helpful when your a freshmen or if you have a lot on your plate. going to lectures help because he explains things very well. the tests were hard, but he makes it really hard for you to do bad in the class because there are so many opportunities for you to bring your grade up.

Halpin is an excellent professor but his exams are the hardest exams I have EVER taken. Even with studying I struggled but he is very knowledgable and if you work with him and your TA he will help you out. He is very fair and even drops one exam. I really enjoyed his class and I wish he taught another one because I came out so much smarter!

I've had the privilege of having Prof. Halpin for CHEM UA 225 and UA 226, and he is a wonderful lecturer/Chem professor with clear grading criteria. Also seems to genuinely care about his students. Many opportunities to make up for your grade with the way his course is set up. Do the homework, attend lectures/read his notes, and you should do fine.

The best chemistry professor at NYU, hands down. You are provided with lecture notes that guide you through everything he teaches. Tests are based on things you learn from the notes. Every test has a section at the back for matching up terms and definitions, so be sure to study that. Full of self-deprecating jokes, and really knows his stuff.

Incredible prof! Thoroughly knows all of the material. Lecture notes are incredibly useful in understanding the subject. I did not think it was a particularly hard class, but how you do in GenChem depends heavily on your chemistry aptitude.

Legend. Taking him again for Gen Chem II next semester. If you're pre-med or interested in chemistry, he is amazing!

Nice person and best lecturer I've had at NYU. Iconic

Best professor ever. Lectures are very easy to follow along. Course is designed in a way to prevent falling behind due to regular quizzes and homeworks assigned. Wish other science professor were half as good as Professor Halpin

Halpin's a clear explain and also understands that in Chem101 we mainly care about grades and getting a foundation for harder stuff and does teach to that. That being said, he also takes its status as a weed-out class seriously, with time-consuming homework and tricky test questions (go for partial credit!) It's an easy pass, but not an easy A.

Took Halpin's gen chem sequence two semesters in a row. The man is a legend. Highly recommended!

honestly a very straightforward prof, about grading, exams, etc. lectures are kind of unnecessary, textbook is p good and he provides notes anyway. quizzes make a difference, so actually try for those. repetition and practice are key in his class, do all problems provided - he models his questions off of other ones previously asked.

Very nice and caring. I definitely recommend Halpin! A great professor but definitely have to work hard to get A in his class. Lectures are fine as long as you pay attention and do homework.

General Chemistry is a very heavy class that requires at least triple the amount of time and effort of your average class at NYU. His quizzes are tricky, but the midterms are OK. I am not premed, so taking this class was a mistake, but I am learning a lot more than I did in High School chemistry. The class isn't that difficult, just A LOT of work.

Great professor! I learned a lot in his class. Definitely recommended.

Halpin is my man. By far my favorite professor this semester. He explains things so well and doesn't go fast in lecture. The tests test your concepts, so you have to memorize nearly nothing. And they're pretty easy as long as you go over the practice exam. I hope I get professors like him in the future, I cant say enough good things about him.

Our class textbook is word for word what he says in lecture. You can nod off during class and won't miss out on too much. He has a clear lecture style and is a pretty funny guy. The exams are pretty lenient - as long as you show understanding, you will get partial to full credit. Homework is a lot but isn't a big deal as long as your TA is chill.

If you pay attention in class, there is a high likelihood that you'll get a good grade. Explains concepts well and grading policy is fair.

He was really good.

Teaches both Gen Chem I and II, so you'll probably have him for both semesters. First semester, I didn't like the class at all and struggled really hard, but that's honestly because I'm not that good at chem. As long as you really put the effort in and realize that he REALLY just wants you to learn, you'll do fine.

Best Professor, great teacher!

He's amazing. Although it's really easy to skip the lectures, they're worth going to because Halpin's great at explaining the material.

The key is to attend lecture! Tbh, I didn't because I figured out that as long as you click in once before 9:15, you're present. But his explanations and examples are important. Do the homework, DO THE PRACTICE TESTS, go to his review sessions. I had a really hard time, but he wants you to learn. Great guy, just be ready to work for your grade!

This man is a god. For all you freshman out there, do not fret, this man is a lovable bear on this inside even though he seems cutthroat. He'll make you love chemistry. Do all the homework and practice exams (UNDERSTAND the problem, don't copy formulas), and this class is an easy A. Lab was more tedious honestly.

Tough class, lots of homework, over 20 questions a week, ask questions go to his office hours, Im afraid to but I should go!

Professor Halpin is very caring and drops one of your tests (including the final), but last semester decided to make us self-teach ourselves 2 chapters of chemistry. I took this class confident that I could finally do well in chemistry (I've always hated it), but this just made me struggle more in the final as I didn't understand anything.

he explains material super well and wants you to succeed! he is very acessible outside of class and helps break down complicated chemistry. this class forces you understand the concepts behind chemistry instead of just memorizing how to solve problems.

Great prof who wants his students to succeed. Attend lecture, do not fall behind and stay ahead of what he is teaching. He might seem cutthroat in the beginning but he is great and go to his office hours and work with him. Chem can be tough at times but if you put in the effort and learn how he teaches the class, it won't be too bad.

This class is massive. Halpin is a great professor who is there because he genuinely cares about his students. He does not respond to emails unless you talk to him personally and he tells you too. Has plenty of office hours. The homework is completion and the quiz is out of ten points. Midterms can be tough, but he removes one of them each semester

Professor Halpin is generally a good professor. His lecture notes are clear. He goes over things in moderate speed. But he often falls back in schedule, and you might need to self-learn some concepts, although he won't put untaught calculations in exam. The class is also at 8:00 am, which is relatively early.

Average professor. He's clear enough for you to learn the material, but is monotone at times so it's hard to stay awake at 8 am. His lecture is almost verbatim the lecture notes. For the exams, read the textbook, do the exam practice equations.

Gen Chem sounds hard at first but its really not that bad. The material is super clear and pretty straightforward. If you took chemistry in high school you'll be fine because it felt like a repeat of that. the only bad thing is the lectures are super boring and at 8am so I stopped going. if you want to ace this class just TAKE THE PRACTICE TESTS

corona had us going home and he was super understanding and reasonable about hw and attending online lectures and even cancelled one of midterms and gave us a 50pt handicap on the final. great lecturer and he truly is passionate about chemistry and cares about his students (esp ones that struggle a lot w chem like me). best chem prof!

He really showed up and showed out for us at the end. Thank you Halpin, God bless.

Halpin is a gem. He cares about his students and actually lectures really well. If you work hard enough and try, it's not hard to do well in this class. Very helpful if you are struggling and go to his office hours. I'm so glad I took his course.

Hes probably one of the best lecturers Ive ever had. Make sure to always come to class or watch the recording cuz he tests mostly on what he said, not the textbook. Hes definitely not easy but super fair and makes you work hard.

Halpin is an absolutely amazing professor. His lectures are straightforward and informative. Chemistry, and his quizzes/tests, can be kind of hard though and you are given a truly massive amount of homework, especially when Lab is considered. Halpin is still awesome and super forgiving and he can be really funny. Awesome dude.

He is excellent at explaining hard processes. He is strict though and wants an even distribution of grades (he doesn't want everyone to get As he wants us to really work for it). His exams are very hard especially the 2nd midterm. Make sure you study weeks in advance for the exams. And you have to listen to the lectures closely.

Prof Halpin was an absolutely amazing Gen Chem professor. He found a way to make learning chemistry easy and exciting. His lectures were filled with incredible examples and explanations of some complex topics. His class is structured in a way to help all students succeed by giving them the resources they need.

Attend lecture, do lots of practice problems, and make sure you get the concepts. You'll work a lot to do well, but he's flexible with his point system--will drop your lowest exam if you show marked improvement. He throws in some pretty funny quips in the otherwise tiring morning lecture. Overall do your best, chem is hard, he makes it a lil better

Halpin is so great, he cares so much about his students and makes the class 100% manageable if you put in the work that he is putting in. he's lectures are very straightforward, I found I could read a text book in an hour and not understand something then have him explain it in a minute. really made me love chem by the end. what a winner

Great professor, the content is hard but his lectures definitely help you understand the material. Don't be afraid of his office hours and study more from his notes than the textbook, I did the opposite and struggled on some of the test questions which were similar to his practice problems. All in all make sure you work through problems slowly

Professor Halpin is tough but he really cares about the material and seeing his students succeed. Make sure to get the class notes and pay attention in lecture, try not to skip them. Overall hes a great professor and if you are struggling, meet with him, its really helpful. Be prepared to work .

Halpin is an amazing lecturer, but it seems like someone else is writing the tests ( they are really hard). In his syllabus he wrote : " You should eat, drink, and breath chemistry", I think this is a very good description of the course ( especially in summer)

Takes a lot of your time outside of the class itself. 3 hr weekly labs, weekly recitation quizzes, hw collected every friday, 2 midterms and 1 final. doesn't drop quizzes or tests. every year his drop policies vary. required to attend weekly 1 hr learning groups. overall, the course on its own takes a lot of your time weekly.

Prof Halpin breaks down difficult concepts to be much easier to understand. His office hours are really helpful, particularly the group ones where others can bring up some questions you may not have considered. Just make sure you understand the practice problems.

Overall, he's a good professor and does a good job making harder concepts easier to understand. The exams are fairly straightforward if you understand the practice problems. The class itself does require a lot of time from learning group, recitation, lab, and outside work.

Some valid complaints here about how he mostly reads from his notes, but if you start to think of his lectures as supplemental you'll find them helpful. This class is a lesson in discipline. Practice regularly and you will score well. Study from sample exams, HW, LG worksheets, etc. Make sure you can solve each type of problem. Use YouTube!

Halpin is very accommodating if you are having an issue with an area of the course. Grading policy is set up to help you pass by not just relying on exam scores - do well with smaller areas of the course like hw, weekly quizzes, LGs etc and aim for above 50s on the 3 exams and you should pass. He offers to drop an exam if you show improvement too

He is a nicer person than I am. He gave insane curves for exams, extended deadlines and even dropped exams if you showed improvement. I would've just let everyone fail. Students who speak poorly of his character do not realize that he is not obligated to have you pass, but he still helps you out. He also gives you the PDF notes. Please be thankful.

The class is very time-consuming in terms of lab, learning groups, and homework. His lectures aren't the most engaging, but tbh I don't know how engaging you can make chem. He ends up dropping your lowest midterm score, which helps your grade a lot.

I love Halpin!!! He is so cute. Guys just take him. You may think his lecture a little bit boring but there are so many treasures within his words!!! Go for it and it is an easy A if you understand everything he said. He is really caring in his office hour as well! I love Halpin grandpa lmao!!!

Halpin is truly one of the best professors at NYU. He cares an unbelievable amount about his students and makes lectures so interesting and easy to follow along with. It is so clear that he cares about chemistry. The exams are tough, though. But if you pay attention, ask questions and work through problems, youll get the hang of it (i didnt lol)

Halpin's funny and caring. His tests are hard. Attend lecture and read the textbook. Tests are similar to the HW so study from that. If I had done all that I'm pretty sure I would have gotten an A. That being said the professor really comes around with final grades. I was sure I was C or D bound but ended up with a B-. Not the best but I'm happy.

Literally the best professor I've had at NYU. The course seems challenging at first but if you just pay attention in lecture and do the homework you'll be golden. Prof Halpin is super caring and always makes funny quips to lighten the mood of the 8 am lecture, plus he'll drop your lowest exam score if you show improvement! TAKE HIS CLASS IF YOU CAN

Halpin's the fairest, most passionate prof ever. Very clear abt material on exams/quizzes. If he tells u no, he gives a good reason, unlike most profs. 8am lec is fine bc of his funny little jokes. you'll actually understand wtf chemistry is. hw is lengthy but good for exams. LG can be annoying but rlly helps. never read the textbook and got an A

This course is extremely time consuming, but the way Prof. Halpin structures it ensures that you actually understand chemistry, instead of just memorizing. There is a lot of homework that isn't great exam prep, but it helps you practice and understand concepts. Weekly quizzes and exams can be difficult and really test if you understand concepts.

Man I love this old man. He definitely talks mean and scary but he curved our grades SO much. He's invested in your success, so if he seems harsh in the beginning take a deep breath. You got this, it's only chemistry!!! Go to his office hours if you're worried about grades. The material is hard but Halpin always makes it easier! Fav professor here!

Chem is hard but Halpin is such a forgiving prof. He curves up a lot for Chem1 but don't count on the curve for Chem2. As long as u show improvement he'll drop your worst exam. A lot of diff things contribute to your grade so even if u bomb the exams like I did u can still get a decent grade. If you're struggling go to office hours, he's rlly sweet

He is so good. Easy to follow his lecture and he is really helpful during his office hour (there are a lot of them: 3/wk). Really like him and his practice exam. Follow what he asks you to do and you can win w/o thinking anything else.

He was my favorite professor, he really cares a lot about helping you learn rather than tricking you. Love his class and he was an amazing professor.

Chem II is objectively harder than Chem I. You can do badly on an exam, show improvement, and do very well in the course. I bombed a lot of quizzes and did fine bc they are truly for your benefit to see what you know. LG really came in clutch this semester. fair grading and again, you actually understand what you're doing. Love Halpin forever

Halpin taught me a lot about both chemistry and how to study for my other STEM classes at NYU. He emphasized the importance of practice questions, and his exams were relatively similar to the material he provided as homework and quizzes. Chem 2 is naturally harder than Chem 1, but put all of your trust in Halpin and you will do just fine.

He is one of the GREATEST profs in all of NYU. Comes off as intimidating in lecture but is rly an understanding guy (he is SO SO SO nice, you have to go to his office hours to see). Try your hardest, practice practice, and know the fundamental concepts of chem, and you will do great. There are no tricks, just takes a lot of practice. He's awesome

For an 8 am class his voice is very boring, but he is an actually funny professor and does his best to put concepts into context. Chem 1 is just a lot of work because you have to review the material yourself to do well and attend recitations, labs, and a learning group section.

I won't lie; his voice might make you very sleepy, especially for an 8 am class like Chem 125. However, he's genuinely a caring professor who really knows his material. Take advantage of office hours and don't be intimidated! He really wants students to understand the core concepts of chemistry. Overall, a good class.

A lot of components go into general chemistry, but the lecture and exam portions with Halpin went well. He was thorough in his lectures, which were also accessible through Zoom. I like that he gave out notes beforehand, and that he used software for homework that was helpful. Exams were not too bad. Overall, I liked Halpin's teaching methods.

His lectures were pretty dry, just clicking through text. I did not print out the notes like he suggested because I felt it was more helpful writing the important concepts down during class, instead of just reading through them.

Professor Halpin is amazing at thoroughly explaining difficult concepts. As he emphasizes, it is so important to understand the material instead of memorizing it. Although he may seem intimidating at times (especially during lecture), he truly cares about his students. He is super helpful during office hours and is very willing to answer questions.

Probably the or one of the best teachers I have ever had, Halpin gets to the point and explains topics very clearly. He has taught the class many times before, and it shows through how he's gotten down every beat of every lecture. While his tone of voice might sometimes come off as slightly sardonic, you can tell he does care for student success.

Professor Halpin is a good professor who goes over the material briefly during lectures, but he has other components that really help you constantly study chemistry. Even though everyone will say this, it's true that the effort you put into this class will reflect in your grade.

Halpin is a very good professor who wants people to like chemistry. This class for me was a lot of work. tips for gen chem 1: start studying for the exam 2 weeks before the test, make sure you do all of the LG worksheets and do them very well, they are often a good marker of how you will do on the exam.

Made Gen Chem pretty easy to do well in. There's a lot of parts to his course that require a lot of work, but that's so that you have as much grade padding for exams (about as difficult as is usually expected for this course) as possible. He's super nice too and cares a lot about the success of his students.

He is the best

Best chem professor

Professor Halpin is truly a gem among STEM professors. He explains concepts very thoroughly and is willing to go over them and answer questions. His class is structured well and he's super comprehensive when teaching. I'd recommend reviewing his notes and doing practice problems to prepare for his exams, which are pretty straight forward and fair.

Professor Halpin is one of the best chemistry professors out there! I was really struggling in the beginning because I wasn't on top of my work, but once you begin to utilize all the resources he provides, and attend office hours, you really can get an A.

Literally my favorite professor. His notes are amazing -- I still look back on them to review material now that I'm in orgo. He explains concepts so clearly and lectures are never confusing. Quizzes and exams are always fair. Overall, Prof Halpin is the reason I decided to major in chem. Love him.

Professor Halpin is a straightforward professor with clear grading standards. Lectures can be dull, but Halpin's exams are fair and nothing he has not gone over in class. Do make sure to review chemistry vocabulary from the textbook.

Overall, lectures done by him were not bad, sometimes a little boring because he sticks a lot to his notes. Exams were fair and quizzes, homework, and recitation sessions prepare you well for them. For being an introduction course, I didn't dislike anything in particular and I did actually learn quite a lot.

Halpin really helped refine my knowledge of basic chemistry. AP Chemistry set a good foundation for this course, but he was also very accommodating towards first time chem students. You can truly see how passionate he is about both chemistry and teaching.

hes a nice guy and cares about students in terms of dropping grades and stuff the actual lectures are just reading off then notes

Appears cold on the outside, but actually very caring about his students. Has funny lectures and has a good amount of office hours. Does not respond to emails though. Very organized and knowledgable of the topic.

Good professor, I just don't like chem

Professor Halpin is a clear lecturer, with well-structured lessons and notes. His syllabus and grading policies are clear, and the assigned reading and homework assignments are helpful. Additionally, his exams are very reasonable, and students are well-prepared for them. While not the most exciting of professors, you do learn in the class.

I never took AP Chem, fell asleep in about half the lectures, and was still able to succeed in the class. Do the homework, go to recitation, and use his practice tests. They're basically the same questions he'll ask on exams. Also, I found making a quizlet with all the vocab terms that were going to be on an exam super helpful!

No recordings of lectures: you gotta go to the 8ams. Other than that, he's passionate and well educated.

Amazing professor who explains from the very basics of chemistry to advanced topics in clear, organized lectures that are also supplemented by his lecture notes in case you forget what he talked about after. Unfortunately, he doesn't post recordings of lectures and you can only get in contact with him through office hours (emails don't reach him)

Notes are clear and very helpful, attending lectures does help but you really dont have to go, hes a nice person and his occasional jokes help to make the 8 am a little nicer. do the practice problems + practice exams and you'll do fine, practice solving for things he usually gives you in the question

Halpin is a very good professor, probably one of the best professors you'll have for a science class. His class is structured in a way that is set up for you to learn. However, if you don't put in the work you will not succeed. You have to really put in a lot of work and time devoted to studying to understand the concepts and his material.

Gen chem was hard for me bc I didn't know how to study well and I was taking it with other difficult stem courses. Even though I didn't do so hot in gen chem, Halpin is a really good teacher. Go to lecture and do practice problems (LG worksheets, textbook). You want to make sure you're exposed to the content several times before the exams.

Professor Halpin is a good professor, but lectures at 8AM are so hard to attend tbh. He's not the most inspirational however his lectures can have funny moments and memorable times/stories. He is insanely organized (has notes already made) and he will teach you chemistry thoroughly. There's so much work and stuff to attend tho (LGs), and labs.

Professor Halpin's lectures are clear and organized. He's passionate about chemistry and accommodates both AP Chem veterans and first-timers. Practice problems are key - unstuckstudy AI is great for supplementary study too.

Such a good professor for an entry-level science course! Very organized and structured, which I really appreciated. He's very helpful during office hours although the material is difficult and the questions can be repetitive. Don't be nervous about taking this class!

While his lectures can put you to sleep at 8 AM, Professor Halpin is TRULY amazing in explaining extremely hard chemistry topics. I haven't opened the textbook once aside from vocab and homework, yet I've been getting 80s and above on my midterms. He genuinely cares about your success and he is SO kind in his office hours.

Halpin really aims for understanding of concepts, and if you attend lecture, he explains them really well for the most part. He acts a bit scary at first, but he clearly wants the best for his students, and he offers some generous deals for dropping midterms.

Professor Halpin honestly desires every single one of his students to be successful, he's very passionate about chemistry, and his office hours are always open to you, whether it's for help with a topic or just to talk. As long as you want to do better, he won't turn you away, however, it's absolutely imperative that you study for this course.

Mediocre at explaining things. Lectures are just him reciting the notes. The notes are nice, but you'll have to read the textbook for some sections. My main issue with him is that he sped through some later (more difficult) units, which really didn't do me any favors. Practice problems are the best way to study, and he provides a good amount.

Halpin wants you to succeed so if you put in the work and try and establish some sort of personal relationship with him, even if its just going to office hours, he will help you and want the best for you. Lectures are easy to follow and in sync with the textbook. Exams arent easy, but fair in the sense he covers all the material on it.

you can tell he is very passionate about what he does. during lecture he seems very intimidating but is very nice during office hours. I have never had to study for a class as much as for this. Really have to know the material forwards and backwards. will make you question your life choices but i have never learned more from a class in my life.

Really wants everyone to do well. Go to lectures because some stuff in textbook isn't “correct” and isn't the way he wants you to do things. ALEKS is annoying but helpful. Listen closely for his jokes. A grandpa! Takes his time. Exams can be difficult if you just memorize!

Professor Halpin is an entertaining and experienced lecturer. He makes difficult chemistry concepts easy to understand and provides students with prewritten lecture notes. His exams are difficult but absolutely fair. If you do the homework and study, you will have no problem with the course. My only complaint is he did not get through all chapters.

Halpin knows what he is talking about, and if his class were at any other time than 8:00 AM, I would probably love it. His exams are really easy and he curves them, just watch out for some tough matching-definition questions.

Halpin's drop policies are ambiguous at best, thankfully tho I didn't have to drop any specific exam as I did similarly mid on like all of them. Tests are like pretty heavy and doing the HW problem set helps the best I find. Thanksfully tho Lab n HW "kinda" buffers it a little bit but you still gotta cook on tests to actually get an A lowkey.

He is extremely knowledgable and the lectures are interesting and taught very well. The class itself is organized and clear. Although the tests were very difficult, once you learn the style and how to study, it is definitely possible to do well. Understand the concepts, do a lot of practice problems, and go to individual and group office hours.

Lectures are a bit difficult as they are at 8am, and he can be a bit monotonous. But Halpin does a great job explaining challenging concepts and letting you know what he will focus on for the test. His tests are fair, and he does a nice job of giving back points when the average is low.

Amazing professor!!!

He's a great guy and if you put in the effort (and if you're genuinely interested in the subject) you'll get a good grade. I absolutely hated CHEMISTRY as a whole, so I barely studied or went to class, and in addition to labs and recitations, taking gen chem is lowkey exhausting. However, Halpin as a professor is very kind and gives generous curves

halpin and the course is relatively easy if you put the work in. you can't expect an A if your not putting the work in. find how to study and what works best for you. the practice exams help you understand the concepts and obviously won't be exactly like the test. the test is meant to challenge you and see if your actually understanding.

Amazing professor, very to the point. He may seem harsh at first, but as the course goes on you'll understand that it is necessary to teach such a difficult subject. He gives you an almost infinite amount of practice material that is often harder than the exam, which is great practice.

Chemistry is a hard subject, but Halpin does a lot to make it easier for us. His lectures move at a slower pace, he doesn't rush in order to squeeze in material, and if he falls behind, the topics that aren't covered won't be on the test. His class is a lot of work,(lab, rec, etc), but I find that these help you work on your skills and practice.

A great professor passionate about chemistry: explains concepts clearly and teaches very well in his lectures. Very accessible outside of class. Genuinely wants his students to improve and learn what he is teaching.

Ngl u kinda have to cook on the tests to actually get an A, there's a lot of places to lose points and it's easy to get chipped away, but if u can consistently get 90+ on all the exams u basically get an A.

As other ratings claim, a very solid professor. If you aren't going to read the textbook, highly rec going to lectures. Try not to lose too much points on quizzes.

Halpin is very caring and he has 4.5 hours of office hours outside of lecture every week, so it's always easy to reach him. He also wants you to succeed - it's not in the syllabus but he said he would drop low exam scores if you met some conditions on the next exam. He is also very helpful in office hours and he will walk you through problems!

gen chem 2 is way easier than gen chem 1. the one thing that really helped me improve was attending the group office hours each week. for tests, just do endless practice problems. dr. m (his wife) is also good for recitation, and sometimes prof halpin will even sub for her sometimes. hes cold looking on the outside,but inside hes just abigteddybear

He was really an amazing professor but i got a mediocre grade because I was very unprepared in the beginning of the semester with how the class was going to go and my chemistry knowledge wasn't very high. I was able to learn a lot from him and after speaking with him a couple times, he was really caring and genuinely wanted to help me get better.

Exams are difficult, but reasonable. He reverses questions, forcing you to know the content well. While I didn't do great on the exams, I think they are fair. He also gives chances to drop them. Lots of time for one class (lab, lect, recit, LG), but honestly makes it more managable. He will let you do ALEKS late if you miss it (go to office hours).

lots of work but such a vibe.

Lectures explain things very well and go through practice problems. Not accessible by email but has lots of office hours. His exams feel very fair. My only complaint is he teaches a little too slow, so we had to read a chapter independently in order to finish the content in time. He's also just a funny guy, he made lectures pretty entertaining.

Great professor out of the other professors

I have heard a lot about Professor Halpin, and by the end of the semester, I agreed. He pretends to be tough, but he's really a softie and wants the best for all of his students. Compared to PoB1, they should canonize this man as a saint. Chem actually became somewhat enjoyable for me midway through the semester after I truly locked in.

Caring and funny, but requires a lot of time with labs, recitations, LGs, quizzes, etc. I have prior chem experience so the content wasn't hard, it was just the time put in. Pretty inaccessible as class is 800 people so he won't respond to emails, and his office hours can conflict with class times, so use rec and lab instructors for that

If you have prior chemistry knowledge, then this class will be easier. His earlier lectures are not helpful, but later in the semester it depends on your knowledge. He is not accessible outside of class, but recitation instructors are helpful for that. His exams require practice.