Best teacher of my freshman year...and I'm approaching my 2nd year

Jose (as he has his students call him) is a fabulous teacher, his style may throw you for a loop at first but he genuinely cares about his students. He is great with one on ones.

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Funny!!!

The nicest man you will ever meet. Extreemly concerned with how his students are doing, and what they are getting out of the class. I am a junior and he is the best teacher I have had at Emory

Jose is a great teacher! Although the class is very difficult, he is very funny and helpful.

Awesome

I absolutely love Jose. Although the class was difficult the material was challenging in a fun way. I came into the course already hating orgo from its reputation, and came out loving it. Take him if you can.

Outstanding teacher and mentor. I highly recommend taking him when you are at Emory. He always looks out for his students best interests and monitors their growth and development. Very helpful!!!1

Absolutely AMAZING! I cannot say enough good things about him. Yes it is a challenging class. But it changes the way you think about learning and understanding. He pushes you past where you ever believed you could go. If you aren't up for the challenge, don't take Orgo as a freshman. Enough said. I love him!

if you take this class and aim for A, there is no guarantee that you are it even if you work hard. you will have no life.

Absolutely amazing. Very passionate about teaching. Extremely engaging class - each one is truly a unique experience. Would recommend him hands down. Granted, it's a lot if work but it's one class that I didn't mind working hard for. Excellent class!

Jose is a professor that not only teaches the material but really helps you learn how to problem solve. His class is hard, but it is definitely worth it!

Professor Soria is a great professor. He is more about the learning than the grading, so as long as you demonstrate your knowledge and show him that you have learned the concepts, getting a good grade isn't difficult. A very funny professor who does his best to get to know all his students.

I LOVE JOSE. He never uses the book and doesn't go into unnecessary details. You are provided with all the tools to do well on his exams, the key is to know when to use what. He's hilarious. We played volleyball and soccer for bonus points. Fell in love with orgo, decided to be a Chem major also. Take him!!

Awesome professor & advisor. Must take!

He is a great professor. Willing to help students who care about the subject.

If you're interested in chemistry, TAKE JOSE (especially his lab). He will push you to your limits, but you'll come out knowing a lot. Grades aren't his priority (therefore he doesn't curve), learning and community are. He's into calling people out who don't seem active in the class, and is strict when he comes to policies, but he really cares.

AMAZING professor. The best teacher I have had at Emory thus far. You will learn a ton, it won't always be the easiest but if you put in an effort you will come out with a A- maybe an A. He's hilarious and makes Orgo fun and interesting. Hands down a wonderful class but don't expect to cram the night before and ace his exams. You need to prep well.

Dr. Soria is a fairly good lecturer and is always willing to help. He makes the class interesting and tries his best to connect with students. However, his tests are no joke, so a lot of effort must be placed into the class.

I loved him! He really creates a community! Usually it's hard to make friends in a chemistry class and having friends in a hard class is a plus. It was scary at first to be called on, but then you get used to it. Everything on the tests is from lectures, so you better take GREAT notes! Overall, he's a good orgo teacher. He gives a lot of bonus.

Excellent. Actually builds community by not grading on a curve. Offers extra credit for participation instead. Exams are very challenging, but his teaching style and problem sets prepares students to tackle more difficult problems than do the other sections. Applied content and rigorous problem solving is a norm in the class, not an exception.

Jose's Organometallic class is taught differently from his traditional orgo course. It's mainly for those who have a keen interest in synthesis problems. It's definitely a course any potential or current Chem-major must take.

So I don't know that José liked me particularly, but I loved him. He's a great lecturer and keeps the class extremely engaged and entertained. The lectures are short and to the point, which is good, but it also means that everything he says is fair game. There were things mentioned in class as a passing comment that showed up on tests.

Never expected chemistry to be creative, but organic with Soria is. Really enjoyed pushing my mind to think like that. The tests are hard and graded seemingly arbitrarily but it all works out and if you're understanding the material, expect to get around a B+/A-. Read the textbook. Also really like the friendship/camaraderie aspect of the class.

Dr. Soria's class effectively teaches teamwork and creativity in orgo along with the actual material. Must be prepared for class and on your toes, as he often calls on people randomly to answer questions. Exams are challenging, but finding a solid study group and racking up bonus points will help you pass.

Dr. Soria has a great sense of humor and really cares about getting to know his students. His class was awesome. Whatever you do, don't ever skip class. Pay attention to the notes and you should do fine.

He made chemistry so interesting that I wanted to switch to be a Chem major. Orgo was indeed hard, but he made it manageable.

Jose is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Jose art with me.

Jose is unconventional & will be hard on you, but teaches chemistry in such an immersive way (he'll call on you!). I find chem to be the only class I stay awake in, and I feel I've learned/retained more in his classes than all other chem courses. I came in hating chem, & now it's my favorite class. Take him if you're up for the challenge ;)

Jose is the best professor I have ever had. He's a g. He is all about creating community and making all the students think for themselves instead of memorizing useless things. Tough grader but straightforward. Would recommend to anyone who is willing to put in the work.

Soria for chem lab is incredible. Labs are not too difficult and the TAs as well as Jose are very caring in helpful in lab. Going to this class from Mulford was a huge difference, as I was never stressed and actually enjoyed going to lab since the experiments were actually interesting.

Soria teaches for mastery. He lectures without slides, which I like. He is not afraid to point out either stupidity or intelligence, but nicely. He encourages you to think independently and make conclusions on your own, but not in a lazy way. He is one of the most genuinely friendly teachers I've ever had He spends lots of time for office hours.

Jose shines a light on my life.

Such a great lab instructor to have. He's hilarious and, if you choose a lab section later in the week, he'll tell you all the mistakes other students made so you can avoid them. Sometimes, I left the prelab lecture feeling a little unclear on the instructions but he is present and observant. I looked forward to going to lab.

Soria is the best. He is so funny. I took him for chem lab, and he never required any pre-labs, always set-up and cleaned up for us, and made the class so great. His class was out of 100 points so every assignment matters. Highly recommend for lab.

He's very funny and caring. Sometimes he would joke with students and makes the class really chilled. But, he can get scary if you did not listen to his instruction. Also, make sure you do your homework.

I loved Soria! He's very funny and easygoing, and the labs were interesting. Soria may seem intimidating, but he'll answer any questions you ask him directly! He also seems to genuinely care. But, grades are based on only a few things, and I didn't know how I was doing until he posted our final grades since he doesn't use CANVAS much.

Love this man. Super funny, helpful, and always in a good mood. Makes my day every time I go to chem lab. Highly recommend this champion.

His class was by far my favorite this semester. Very easygoing, hilarious, and overall an entertaining person to be around. You do have to pay attention to the post-labs and make sure they are correct, since an A is 95 points out of 100, so every point counts. He doesnt really use Canvas, so it was hard to know my grade until the end.

Soria was an amazing lab professor, and a good role model for future labs I will take. He's kind, funny, and caring. He might seem intimidating at first, but don't be scared of asking him questions if you're confused. He also puts his own spin on labs (we made slime for our last lab! ;)

Lovely man. Low stress, high learning. Funny, fun, but the class is still very productive. He is super effective with your time.

His lectures are not using PowerPoints and things, which I prefer. His tests can be a little challenging, but it's really nothing impossible as a he does a great job explaining everything during class. He also gives a lot of bonus points that can be added to the tests.

I am really glad I was José's lab. He did not give us much pre- and post-lab work. Most of the time, whatever we needed to learn was taught to us within our lab time. He gives clear instructions and what to do and what not to do, so it is not hard to do well in this class.

Dr Soria is very good at explanation but his tests are HARD! Moves through content FAST Gives out bonus points but really scoring good on tests are super important. Super accessible and sacrifices own weekend for office hours but picks ques u can ask Love doing lab w him, which is easy & fun, but I'd be hesitant about doing z track lec w him.

Jose goes fast (you cannot miss a beat) and doesn't give practice problems, so take notes like your life depends on it. His exams are hard and he knows it. He DOESNT curve but he is generous with bonus points. This class was damn hard to do well in, but if you really, really study the material, you'll be alright. Good luck y'all is all im gna say

Minimal out of class work when I took him; everything happened in the lab, on the day of. And we had fun! Jose is a great instructor for lab! You learn to be pretty independent and comfortable with different lab techniques, and usually we got out pretty early. Highly, highly, highly recommend him- he's a riot!

Great engaging lectures, but the tests are very difficult. He doesn't curve the tests, but he gives a lot of bonus points that aren't mentioned in the syllabus. The labs for chem Z track (also Soria) are very easy going w/ minimal work outside of class, which balances out the difficulty of the lecture. Nonetheless amazing professor.

The heck are these recent ratings?? Soria is great: lab with him is easy, very few assignments outside of the allotted class time and he makes sure you have a foundational understanding of what you're doing. He can be gruff and give students a hard time for asking questions, but he always answers them. You just gotta learn to roll with it.

To succeed with Soria, you NEED to take notes and participate in class. Go to his office hours! Tests are hard, use quizzes/group assignments to prep. Bonus points available. Soria doesn't require textbook reading, but do it anyway so you're prepared for 203Z. Not everyone will like Soria's vibe (i.e. cold calling), but he's a really good teacher.

Jose is such a funny professor. Definitely intimidating at first - his cold calling on day one was scary but you get used to it. Overall, he genuinely cares about the students and tries to get to know them. He is tough, you really need to study because he will call you out if you don't. Has some of the hardest exams but lots of bonus. Love him

Jose shines in the lab. There is no setup, no cleanup, and very few assignments. You show up, do the experiment, and get an A. That's pretty much it.

chill. sooooo chill. soooo simple. fun experiments. low pressure

great man

soria op

His class is hard. But I disagree with some of the ratings here. There is no one else I would have taken the class with. I was interested in the topics because things like the exams actually challenged me.

take him if you can

His labs are easy, and you may not learn things like the principles of a reaction (which you can always just look up online if you want), but you do learn how to perform fundamental lab techniques, which I think is more important for a lab class.

Very chill lab.

Chem202Z is a weeder class and Jose will tell you this on the FIRST day. There is no curve and a good chunk of your grade is from tests and some from team assignments. But he gives out ALOT of bonus points. Be prepared to spend extra time outside class. David Klein's Organic Chemistry as a Second Language is a good textbook for this course.

Chem202Z L is meant to balance out the harsh grading in Chem 202Z (lecture). You share a work bench with another lab partner and have a pre-lab (10-15 mins long) then the lab. I've never used the entire class period to finish the lab. Everyone leaves 1-2 hours early. Easy lab and Jose is very social during lab periods.

Only take this class if you are genuinely interested in chemistry- it won't be an easy class if you're looking to skip gen chem. The tests were very hard and I personally do not think they reflected the in-class material well. Jose answers questions and is a great professor. Work hard, get bonus points, and it will pay off!

The lab is much easier than lecture. You'll rarely use the whole time. Jose is very chill in lab and it's a great time to get to know classmates. A great intro, low pressure environment. Just listen to directions, ask questions, and stay involved!

Professor Soria has a unique fast-paced lecture style and encourages us to answer why, instead of following textbook questions. Although the content is difficult (especially exams), don't be afraid to take the class. The professor is readily available at office hours. Be prepared to spend time looking over class notes. 202ZL (lab) is more relaxed.

If Professor Liotta is not teaching Chem203Z, this beast still teaches this course. Unlike 202Z, Liotta makes the test so his lectures are more laid-back. Still follows the same teaching style as 202Z though. Charish any moment with Lord Jose for it can be your last class at any moment with him (besides the lab)

If you have a genuine interest in chemistry and have the AP credit, TAKE THE CLASS. There is very little AP chemistry that you need to remember for 202Z. As for the class itself, it is one of the hardest classes out there, so a lot of time is needed to study. Amazing teacher though. Very interactive.

The only way to fail this class is actually not to have a brain.

Jose makes the lab super easy. Minimal setup and clean-up. Just show up and do the experiment. Lab reports were pretty easy and the NMR quizzes were not too bad, just learn the material. Much easier in comparison to the lecture!

Jose really shows his love for Orgo and his ability to teach in this class. It's like we never left campus. Cold calling still exists. Exams questions are what you learn in class but are harder. It's basically like the exams in 202Z. The final exam is open collaboration. 30% of your grade is group work and class attendance, and 70% is 3 tests.

Jose is a wonderful teacher! He was a bit offputting at first as he is very honest and will laugh at students, but it is always warranted. The tests are HARD and not curved. The ranges were very wide - like some students scoring single digits wide. There are a lot of great resources for this class and not a lot of homework. You get what you put in.

Despite not getting the grade I wanted, he is one of the most lovely and deeply passionate professors in the chem department. He cares about how people learn, jokes around, and builds great community within his class. 10/10

One of the best lab classes you can take as a Chemistry major. Very nice professor who knows how to balance the amount of work and learning experience. Class is graded by four papers and participations. Make sure you go to every lab so you do not miss anything.

I came into Jose's class super unconfident and scared, but he made me realize that if I commit to learning chemistry, I can do well. You really get out of this class what you put into it; this class definitely requires lots of work, but if you're willing to put in the effort, 202Z will be really fulfilling.

I love chemistry and I love Dr. Soria, but sometimes I got the feeling that neither of them loved me back :). If you haven't had any experience with organic chemistry before, proceed with caution or you'll be like me, scraping and grinding with everything I have to get a B in this class. Jose is a great person though, and quite funny I will add.

The upside of having such a difficult lecture with 202Z is that Jose makes the lab very easy. Just show up to every lab and participate, and if you can get through the NMR quizzes and tests, this class is an easy A.

THE BEST PROFESSOR even though the course contents are hard. He is really caring and accessible. Office hours are super helpful

Jose is one of the funniest, best professors I had this year at Emory, but be careful.The material is dense at times, and you sometimes need to go to office hours to get a good understanding of certain concepts. He also doesn't like going back, and if you ask a question after he moves on from a topic he will tell you to ask after class.

if ur a freshman wondering to take 202z DONT like no matter what i do not think it is worth it. i like jose as a person and 202z has definitely built a community but u have to pay attention to every second of lecture and redo the three examples he gives in class over and over and over again to have an ounce of success.

This class had me in a serious depressive state before and especially after each exam... Dr. Soria knows his stuff, but sometimes I felt like I had to beg him for answers or explanations. Make sure to take great notes and try to find others to study with it'll definitely help. I love Soria though, and he does give lots of extra credit! Good luck!!!

Jose is an amazing lecturer and genuinely cares about his students, nothing against him. The class was very very very difficult. The final questions of each exam were extremely hard and require a very deep level of thinking. This along with the studio sessions took up a lot of time. I do not recommend for pre-medical students.

extremely fast-paced style of teaching. he pushes you to think about the “why” of problems, not just memorizing material. his tests are otherworldly difficult, and he does not curve. however, he gives out lots of bonus points! soria is a great professor, but you have to put in the work and study hard

He makes hard concepts more digestible and gave plenty of extra credit opportunities. I made a 60 on the final and still landed an A-

The lab itself was not bad. Soria prepares everything for you and cleans everything up for you before/after class, so he makes things easy. Grading criteria for everything was not super clear (esp. for lab reports), and information was given last minute. The lab exam was definitely the hardest part of the class--I think it was a bit unreasonable.

The corresponding lab for 202z, this class, is the easier part of the Z-track. Labs are a little difficult to understand, but if you write down the procedure and don't make big mistakes, you'll do just fine. Class almost always ends an hour or more early. Final was kinda hard, but is only 10% of the grade.