3.0
Quality4.1
Difficulty50%
Would Retake156
Reviews50%
Would Retake
156
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
46
4
20
3
24
2
27
1
39
What Students Say
“I have never taken a more difficult class in my life”
152BIO250 - 2.0 rating“Justin is a tough grader”
BIO250 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
40%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.20 avg changeRatings by Course
181BIO250
5.0
(1)BIO101
4.5
(2)BIO250001
4.0
(2)BIO250
3.5
(63)BIO100
3.0
(5)Difficulty by Course
120
4.8
152BIO250
4.8
BIO250001
4.5
BIO
4.4
BIO120
4.2
Reviews (156)
I took his biology lab class. be prepared to read the lab prior to coming to class and having a 5 question quiz on it. some labs were fun and others were not. overall he was a pretty easy teacher
Cool guy, bad teacher. Sadly 80 percent of the class dropped because they fail the tests. The test and the powerpoint don't relate. Take someone else!
I really enjoyed this class, compressed as it was. I found the subject matter interesting, & the instructors recounting of personal experience in this field fascinating! Thanks for the experience! ISBN# 9781464119279
DO NOT take microbiology with this teacher. Really nice guy - REALLY bad teacher. He has too much ego and does not listen to student's needs. He makes mistakes in lecture and lab - but expects YOU to know the correct answer. Very unorganized and just does NOT care about his student's success. Majority of students dropped.
In response to last post, Mr. Hoshaw has NO ego and is more than willing to help and answer any questions! He is very approachable and knowledgeable! He makes a point to address each and every student's needs. BTW, 3 out of 20 does not constitute a majority of students dropping a class.
He is really cool guy. Nice to conversate with but a bad teacher although he tries. If a teacher has to curve every exam as well as the lab grade it says something about his teaching. Do not reccomend unless you want to spend every night studying for tests that are impossible to get an A on.
BAD TEACHER. His test are impossible to pass. He makes the questions extremely hard, and words them horribly.
Very nice guy but I feel that he lacks confidence. He has had a lot of schooling, knows his stuff but seems to hesitate when answering questions. He will try and help if u need it! his tests are hard, due to wording. he curves tests, which is nice and u can always contact him if u have questions! Good guy, so so teacher.
Empower yourself by being the CREATOR of your own positive experience and personal meaningful goals in Mr. Hoshaw’s class and don’t let others’ victim attitude disempower you. I can assure you that Mr. Hoshaw is a person who is committed and more than willing to see you and help you succeed as he has helped me and my classmates achieved our goals.
Test are extremely hard and contain trick questions. Lectures are long and boring. He knows the material but needs a better way of explaining it to others. Wouldn't take his class again.
Be prepared to teach yourself the material. His lecture style needs a lot of work and he is always second guessing himself. I recommend you to ask a lot of questions and if he says to email him, good luck getting a response. I do not recommend taking his class unless your desperate and other classes are full. Always curves on everything.
He is really nice and helpful and all answer all of your questions. He does a good job reviewing material in class before tests. His tests are not impossible if you study! Overall he is a great teacher!!
Easy to talk to but doesn't real know microbiology beyond the fundamentals.
Mr. Hoshaw is a nice teacher but doesn't seem to care that his students are trying. If you are not even 5 minutes late he won't accept your homework (I worked and rushed over there)and if you miss a lab you won't be able to turn in the assignment (even though it may be one you just need to read the book for). Also his tests contain trick questions.
Needs to understand his students are trying and not take away ridiculous point for ridiculous reasons. That's all I have to say.
Yes, his class is a hard one, but it is necessary to be that way in order to be successful in a University. I loved his assessments even thought they were almost impossible to pass. The reason why I liked his tests is because the given questions are asked in a manner they would be in a situation outside of school.
He is a good teacher and nice person. His exams and assignments are hard, but i learned a lot in his class.He is fair with everyone. I definitively would take another class with him. Take his class if you want to learn!!
A lot of notes, was a friendly guy but not that great of a teacher.
He is a good teacher who is very helpful. His lectures were what one would expect at a college level science course. He offered extra credit and curved tests. His tests were more on understanding the concepts, not just definitions. To succeed in the course you will have to learn
Justin is really strict on his homework and takes points off of every little thing. grammer counts in his class.his lectures have nothing to do with the tests. he literally tells us not to study because there isn't anyway to study for his tests I regret taking this teacher because I am paying for this class!!! don't take this class with this teach!
Hoshaw is a rough one for sure. He will help you yet you must ask. Very smart about micro.. His test a VERY hard and usually is not consistent with the lecture portion. However, if you read and do his homework you will be fine. Make no mistakes on his lab handouts. You will pay for any type of error. even a . missing he takes points off.
This new professor really likes Micro, and seems to be knowledgeable on the subject. Very ambiguous when it comes to due dates, his tests were difficult and he didn't really prepare anyone for them. I did not enjoy the class at all! Lab reports must be peeeerfect as well. Going to lecture seemed to be a waste of time, because he reads his pwrpts
Worst professor ever. Your lab reports had to be perfect and the tests were aweful! I didn't learn anything in his class his lectures were so boring because he talked off his PowerPoint's. If your trying to get an A you can forget about it. You'll be lucky if you pass with a C.
Hoshaw does nothing but read powerpoints taken from the book. It is your responsibility to learn the material before class from the book and "review" in class. Difficult concepts are not explained during lecture. Tests are very difficult and rarely have much to do with material from the book, but understanding the concept as a whole.
he knows what hes talking about but doesn't know how to teach it, so be ready to teach yourself. would not recommend!!
He is AWFUL. if you want to pass, do not take this class. I am an A student & I am currently at a D in this class. YOU have to teach YOURSELF. all lectures are online and it is up to you to understand the information. he is not understanding AT ALL and does not care. lab reports have to be PERFECT to even get a B. he will not let you make up test.
his tests are nothing like the information that he attempts to teach us. his tests are based upon applying each concept and you have to be a biology genius to know the answers to the test questions. he does not care about his students and will not accommodate if you miss a class because of illness or a family emergency even though he says he will.
Awful.
I just finished this class. It was hard, but Hoshaw was willing to help and answered emails quickly. You get what you work for.
Mr Hoshaw is easily the worst teacher I have ever had Going to class was a complete waste of my time Hoshaw has no idea how to teach, especially in lab where he looks like a deer in headlights His grading is asinine and expectations are far to high Rarely gives feedback Tests are tough, and he does little to nothing to prepare you for them.
He has absolutely unreasonable expectations, one may be able to pass this class if they are taking no other classes and do not have a job. Be ready to dedicate hours a day to his homework, labs, and readings. It was more like taking an online class, as all the material is expected to be self-taught before class. No lecture is given.
Awful! Had the worst experience in his class. I was a 4.0 student and it was his 1st semester being a full time professor. He expected way too much work. He thought that was the only class students were in and sent us home with unreasonable amounts of homework. His tests are very hard, lectures are dull. He read off the power points the entire time
Justin Hoshaw does not convey information well at all. Attendance is mandatory but you will have to teach yourself the material if you take his class. He doesn't answer questions directly, he beats around the bush. His teaching style is minimal, at best.
Yes, the class is tough considering that it is a freshman level course but it is not impossible. He does not spoon feed you answers and that seems what everyone in the class wanted. He is fair and I feel I learned. alot. His tests are not definition based and require you to actually know the material not just be able to quote the book.
Mr. Hoshaw is not a terrible teacher. The subject is horrendous and bc it's a "flipped" class it makes it hell. I had to drop the class bc I didn't try and study & bc I didn't care since it's not part of my major even though I should have cared. It's not H's fault, it's the student who doesn't try. You have to devote your life to this class.
This was the hardest class I have ever taken, but it was well worth it. You have to read the chapters in order to do good on the tests, but it is college so it is up to you. I got an A in the class, but I did work for it and he does give you extra credit and is more than willing to help you after class. I would take him again.
The class itself was very difficult and I feel as though he presented the material in a clear and concise way. He is definitely there to help if you ask him for it. There was nightly homework but if you paid attention in class and read the chapters at home is homework and exams were easy. DO NOT MISS THIS CLASS, YOU WILL FALL BEHIND VERY QUICKLY.
Okay DON'T take him.. he basically makes this on online class and doesn't help you at all. It is sink or swim with him. His tests make no sense no matter how much you study and he expects you to study 12-15 hours a week. Cool dude outside of class but not a good teacher acts like a newbie. End of the year is a test over the labs don't miss any labs
He is the worst and hardest professor I've ever had. His lectures are boring, he reads directly off the slides. Doesn't answer questions in detail at all. Be prepped to teach yourself. Do all the nightly homework, you need all the points you can grab for this class!
Mr. Hoshaw has the hardest class I have taken yet. He is very organized and committed to the class. But every single class there is some kind of group project and most of them are a waste of time and the class is mostly social hour. He taught it as a "flipped" class so no lecture, the lecture is youtube videos watched outside of class.
This was the hardest class I ever took, hands down. Expect a lot of work..... A LOT! His tests are very hard. On the bright side, all of the work he assigns pays off. I never did good on the tests, but I did every assignment and received a B. He expects a lot from you, but he does want you to do well. Do the assignments and you'll pass his class.
I enjoyed professor Hoshaw as a person, but as a teacher he is horrible. He reads directly from PowerPoint with no explanation, and is very indirect when you ask questions. He is very knowledgeable on his material. Tests are impossible no matter how often you study. Be prepared for a ton of homework, and if you don't do it you won't pass the class.
Mr. Hoshaw is a nice person however i hated his class. It's a "flipped" class so you're pretty much teaching yourself because his video lectures don't really help you since he reads them verbatim. labs are long and a waste of time and lectures are just play time really.
He is a very understanding & nice person. Too succeed in this course you need to prepare yourself by being able to take good notes, reach out if your having trouble understanding a topic or assignment. Mr. Hoshaw is always willing to help you& is very good at staying organized. The class is a challenge, but i promise if you do the work it pays off
Justin is a tough grader. He had us do presentations where we couldn't read off of notes or slides yet he teach by reading word from word of his PowerPoint so you don't really learn in class. If you have the option don't choose him.
Professor Hoshaw is easily one of my favorite teachers. He was clear on what was expected of us for exams and on labs. Exams were on the powerpoint, and the powerpoint was based off the book. This is the bases of all science college courses. What impresses me is when professors actually have some passion on the subject matter and for teaching.
I have never taken a more difficult class in my life. Hoshaw is NOT accommodating like he will claim to be. You have to literally beg for help and if you're lucky he will help you out. I am a science major and I enjoy biology very much, but after this teacher I never want to take it again.
Worst teacher I have ever had. Tests seemed impossible to pass, no matter how much you study. Doesnt seem to care much of how you are doing in the class. Knows what he is talking about, just very bad at teaching it. Waubonsee needs to do something about him!
DO NOT TAKE HIM!!! HE is a cool person, but when it comes to teaching, it's the total opposite. He does what ever he can to make this class good but the only thing that bothered me was that his tests were not what they were expected... It's like you need to read the book and memorize the EXACT thing from there.. the tests are unfair.
Justin Hoshaw is an excellent teacher. He gave amazing lectures and explained difficult knowledge in an easy way. His lectures attract students' attention. He always inspires students and cares about students. Students learned not only knowledge, but also presentation skills and critical thinking methods.
He is a great guy but his classes are extremely hard to pass with good grades.
I really liked Hoshaw as a person but as a professor is was an awful experience. He does seem to be a nice person but he has very painful lectures. All the homework was online & did not come in to play every & all questions that would be asked are dodged by him. He tells you how to do a lab report then tears down the work he taught you. DO NOT TAKE
I toke Hoshaw's BIO120 course and ended up dropping it. This course with this professor requires your whole life and time. The homework is ridiculously long!
He is a difficult teacher but his class is not impossible. You have to do the homework and the reading if you want to succeed. Make sure that you are actually understanding the material and ask questions during lecture or go to him on your own time. He does hand out a lot of extra credit opportunities. His class takes a lot of dedication.
Do the chapter objectives! Had I done this sooner I could have gotten a better grade. A&Bs are possible, you just need to do the reading. He's more than willing to help and has definitely prepared me for higher university courses.
He doesn't teach the class. It's more like, here read this entire text book learn the material on your own than ask me anything you want. I thought a teachers job is to teach you the material, not a do it your self thing. He tells you that it requires 8-12 hrs of outside study just to get a C (so true) this is intro to bio. Not a level 300 class.
He is mot good at all. Yes he tries but he is very confusing and the test questions are like a paragraph each! Lots and lots of continous lab reports and lots of homework. Very time consuming.
This class is extremely fast paced, if science /biology is not your strong suit I wouldn't recommend this particular professor because there's not a lot of reviewing for tests, you are expected to read all of the textbook and remember everything because it may or may not be on the test. Felt like another number on the assembly line.
Just awful. He likes to assign a great deal of material before he's even gone over it in class. I understand the need to read material before its taught in order to have a grip on whats going on, but this guy gives you online homework and ONLINE QUIZZES before hes even lectured on the material! Its ridiculous. I had to drop the class.
Professor Hoshaw is an amazing professor who gives NUMEROUS opportunities, both inside and outside of class for you to boost your grade. Do the Mastering Homework, go to class & lab, & you'll be JUST FINE! I have never had a professor who adjusts the way he/she teaches the class for the students as much as Professor Hoshaw does b/c he really cares.
Professor Hoshaw is MUCH better than his rating suggests. I would not consider Biology my strong suit, but I would HIGHLY recommend Professor Hoshaw. I managed to get an A, and so can you! It required a lot of hard work, and even though I struggled on the exams, Professor Hoshaw gives SO MANY other opportunities for you to do well in his class.
He is a great professor. He prints out all the materials for you beforehand. There are many presentations and other activities that Professor Hoshaw uses to boost your grade.
Challenging, not impossible.
Hoshaw is a professor who will go above and beyond to help you succeed! Bio is a difficult subject his classes are challenging but he will do everything he can to help you and your class succeed. Go to class, read the material, do your homework, extra credit ,use the extra tools he gives you & study! I wish I could take another one of his classes!
Justin is very clear from the start of what he expects of you. At first I was overwhelmed because it was a "flipped course" meaning you read and do the homework and then go to lecture and take the quiz. It's a VERY HELPFUL tool in learning the material. While he expects a lot from you he also rewards you for your hard work. Great guy over all!
Great! He has clear expectations and really goes above and beyond in providing students with a variety of ways to succeed (including plenty of opportunities for extra credit!) If you go to class and do what's assigned, you shouldn't have a problem. It's clear that he cares a lot and he's also very accessible should you ever need extra help.
great helper and awesome teacher!
Great teacher!!! He gives you so many opportunities to boost your grade.
awesome teacher and is really helpful!
great instructor! Easy grader! He does give lots of homework, but I took him during the summer so I dont know if that is why, but the homework does help alot. I like how the hw is online and he gives lots of x-tra credit. He explains labs very well. This was my 3rd time taking micro and for once I got a B. I wish he taught A&P. Def recommend him!
This class requires lots of reading. write your own notes , and write more notes during lecture. I found this class very difficult. test are heavy and detailed. teacher does give lots extra credit. hope he would of just told us what to really focused on instead of making it so broad. Mr. Hoshaw did however always try his best to help us all pass.
This class was probably one of my favorite classes. Hoshaw is a great teacher. You can tell he is very passionate about microbiology. He was very helpful in lab and in class. I would definitely recommend taking him as a professor- he is very student orientated and wants you to succeed.
Mr. Hoshaw is smart. Who wouldn't be, with a triple major. However, teaching is not his cup of tea. He reads the PPT slides, which is disappointing. Bio 120 is already a difficult class, and him being unable to explain the topics well makes it even harder. I wish he'd do a better job at explaining the concepts.
Mr. Hoshaw is one of the best professors that I have had the privilege to learn from. He ties his lectures to everyday life which I think is very important especially in a science class. He is very detailed, intricate, and he cares about his students success. He encourages you to participate and he makes you feel comfortable in his class.
Mr. Hoshaw is a great professor. Everything is clear from the get-go. He can be humorous at times therefore makeing the class much more comfortable or bearable to be in, however you want to interpret it. He has many extra credit opportunities, so don't waste them if you need it. Would definitely take another one of his courses if I could.
Really easy to work with and super accessible. Works very hard to make sure his students succeed. Lots of opportunities are made accessible for you to succeed. Tests are somewhat difficult. Definitely make a cheat sheet even if you dont use it. Definitely show up to class to get the notes. DONT MISS LAB you cant do any of the homework or points
Prof. Hoshaw is great. He teaches flipped courses, but that only helps you learn the material better. This class has so much info that 1 hour and 15 minutes twice a week is not enough time for him to teach everything. He really has an interest in micro and he adds a lot of interesting stories. You'll learn things that aren't in the book.
Microbiology is a tough class, however professor hoshaw made it very interesting and fun. Read all the material, and make sure you ask questions. Always do all the extra credit he offers, which is quite a bit . Mr. Hoshaw really cares about his students, I highly recommend him.
He was an amazing professor that simplified difficult concepts and made microbiology a lot easier and more fun. I would highly recommend taking microbio with him.
Mr. Hoshaw is a great Professor! I got a B in his class after taking micro with 2 other profs. Mr. Hoshaw cares about his students. Replies to emails right away. Lots of easy points with the online homework. His lectures were interesting, he knows his material very well. For the first time ever, I enjoyed science! He made labs easy and fun!
Good prof BUT WOW THE HOMEWORK!!!! get ready to work your butt off guys i think the shortest homework he gave me was about 1 hour long but, you really know the stuff on the test and it gets easier as the year goes the first few weeks he scares you with the amount of homework. did i mention he gives a cheat sheet on the test:D
Bad feedback on one of my top 5? MicroBiology was fun, hard, and extreme. What some people don't get is that when taking this course is best to have similar classes to be more focused on healthcare, if not you'll be miserable trying to get A's on different subjects! Lot's of HW, but it's practically studying and easy points. No lab reports! -DannyZ
i had this teacher for a summer course. i had an online class an was forced to take the exams at a physical campus. something that wasn't said in desc. of class. he took forever to grade any of my assignments and i dint find out my finally grade until it was too late. granted i missed some things. but still worse teacher i've had for online.
Be ready to read the textbook and powerpoint slides like crazy. He doesn't do any reviews except handout an outline of the chapter that I can already find myself at the end of the section. I was scared to take biology and he made it worse. The lab was even worse he would sometimes not even know what he was doing. There's a ton of lab reports!
Prof. Hoshaw's microbiology class is where I found my major! The class is demanding but that is how you get the most out of the course. He uses his experience in the field to apply the contents of the class to real life in lectures/assignments, which makes them memorable. He is very approachable and easy to contact.
Microbiology is not an easy subject but Prof. Hoshaw makes it enjoyable. Yes you will have to dedicate time to study and ready the book but he is straight forward in what needs to be learned. He allows for you to have 1 cheat sheet per exam! Super responsive and always willing to help, you will get an A if you are willing to put in the work!
His tests are so concept heavy and he expects us to know every little thing about every type of bacteria or virus. I tried different ways of studying, asked him for help and he didn't do anything to help. I feel that we had to teach this whole class to ourselves because all he did was read off of slides he had printed out and gave to us already.
The tests are hard but you get a 2-sided "cheat sheet" and he drops the lowest score. Once you get used to his style and types of questions he asks, you can do well on the exams. There are SO MANY points available in the class that you can make up for low test scores if you struggle with those. He wants you to do well and I learned a lot.
If you are familiar with Bio AND you know how to time manage, you will do fine. If this is your first bio course, first year, or first science class DO NOT take him. You must have the discipline to sit down and study/ time manage. If you can do that you'll be fine. Also, You must be very detailed with everything you turn in.
Mr hoshaw is a really nice guy and always there when you have a question. He is very detail oriented so you must know EVERY detail about EVERY chapter. Exams are TOUGH but is willing to go through them with you after you get your score. LOTS of homework and reading so make sure you stay on top of everything in order to do well in the class!
Hoshaw is a nice guy I'll give him that but he's also insane. His tests are crazy hard. He has a lot of trick questions or answers that are so similar it is hard to pick out the correct answer. He also loves questions that make you identify what is NOT the right answer. Extremely concept heavy and VERY detailed. You need to know everything in depth
He is great but his lecture is so hard to understand and for the test he makes it harder. I end up dropping class and made me rethink that if I had to change the career. his study guides doesn't match or its too difficult to study.
This course overall is very Mcgraw-Hill connect "heavy". If you stay on top of those assignments, and listen to Professor Hoshaw's lectures, you should be fine! He is a very nice guy who genuinely cares about his students.
One of the hardest classes I've ever taken, and his tests are really hard. Gives you 1 loose leaf front and back for cheat sheet though. Have to put in a lot of time and effort towards this class, but really rewarding! His grading/policies can be frustrating but I appreciate that he really knows his stuff. I learned a lot.
Really nice guy, awful teacher. Gives out a full sheet of paper front and back for a cheat sheet and most students still fail his exams. Half of the information he makes you learn is not on the exams. Save your gpa and dont take him.
Going into this course I was a bit nervous because I had read the reviews. I can honestly say that those reviews are far from the truth. People come looking for easy classes and ways to pass doing the bare minimum. Professor Hoshaw has a passion for microbiology and is so willing to help outside of class as well as offer extra credit. I enjoyed him
Mr. Hoshaw's class can be a lot to take in but a majority of the time is really just asking a lot of questions to understand certain concepts. He's really easy to talk to if you have a problem and will help find what he can do to help or direct you to someone who may have for info. He also has extra credit opportunities but it's best to do the hw.
Hoshaw provides an organized class with clear instructions. For a good grade, do the work and you will be fine. He provided a number of resources for different learners throughout the class and was happy to meet with me to answer any questions I had and replied quickly to email. My friend had to reschedule an exam and Hoshaw was very helpful.
Professor Hoshaw is a wonderful Microbiology teacher & cares about students success in the program but also professionally outside the classroom. Tests are challenging, but given enough breathing room to plan ahead and study you will do fine. Utilize resources given to you & be prepared- dedicate time & effort to excel (ask questions, be critical).
He's a great guy--HOWEVER, I took him for the summer semester right when the COVID switch was done. Probably the worst decision ever. Basically no EC (5pts EC in a 1,300pt class). You basically have to memorize and understand EVERYTHING the textbook and PPTs say in detail. Wish I could give him a 0.
Mr. Hoshaw is a very smart professor, his knowledge of biology and science in general is very advanced, his lecture videos were very informative, the only thing that was challenging was the tests, although we were allowed to use a 2 sided piece of paper for notes, many people failed the tests, the average grade for the tests was a 45.2
Would never recommended anyone taking his class. It is hard, not matter how smart you are. the study guide and cheat sheet do not help. the test are wack, the labs are wack. take any other professor but this guy.
THIS TEACHER IS THE WORST!!! SMH! I have never gotten bad grades in any course. And no matter how much you know the terms and read the book, you will fail the exams. He requires application that is not given and we are supposed to pull it out of thin air. Those who say he's good are cheating! SAVE YOUR GRADES, SAVE YOURSELF THE TROUBLE!!!
He was really nice, and willing to help, but going to him for help made things more confusing for me. I took his class online, and I have never struggled with online class before. He told me he expected me to work on his class for 12-18 hours a week just to get a passing grade. The exam averages was a 54% for each exam.
This was the worst class I have ever taken. He is terribly picky on everything! Confusing. Does not explain things on the level a college student understands. He acts like he wants to help you and everything and then doesn't. Do not take.
Professor Hoshaw is nice and is available to students and tries his best to help. I think the issue is that the exams are not consistent with the material learned and the study guides dont help. You have to memorize absolutely everything to get a good grade. He also grades really harshly. The good thing is there are a lot of point opportunities.
If you want to make an A or a good grade, then you have to be ready to work hard for it. Professor Hoshaw is very knowledgeable and he helps you actually get good grades by providing so many assignments to help you make up low exam scores and the exams usually have a cheat sheet. I will encourage you to attend more office hours it really helps.
Professor Hoshaw provided me with everything I needed for my Biology class and more. He was respectful of when I couldn't attend and helped supplement when this occurred, and had many great assignments involving present day issues/concerns. I honestly was inspired through his use of these facets.
As a pandemic course: too much time consuming homework and is no more than 5 pts each (minus labs). Class is roughly 3000 points. Material itself is not hard to concept; its just a lot of info. Offers 1% overall extra credit. Prof is willing to discuss hw and help - def helpful if u struggle! Sometimes explains concepts better via zoom than video!
Class is a LOT of work, could lessen the homework load. Long lectures w mult parts -a lot of info; meaning you'll put a lot of work in, even for an avg grade. The exams and SGs could be better written to reflect the material. Not a bad guy, just a demanding prof for a CC. Responds to email in timely matter, more helpful during 1-on-1 zoom-use it!!!
Professor Hoshaw was an excellent professor. I took the class completely asynchronous, and I really liked the organization of the class. The assignments were very clear, and were always due Sunday's and Wednesday's. If you do your work, you shouldn't get less than an A or B. If I needed help, it was not difficult to get it at office hours.
everything is on you. labs are straight forward but the exam are extremely heavy and very specific with the answers he's looking for. He just reads the lecture slides and doesn't explain. Has lot of assignments to do.
if you want to watch youtube videos from 6 years ago and be expected to take tests, he's your guy. he did drop your lowest grade in multiple categories including a test that saved my grade. that's the one thing I love him for.
Professor Hoshaws class was very difficult to get an A. The tests were mainly multiple choice and were the some of the same questions used for homework grading. He lets you use a notecard for notes during tests which was a tremendous help for the small short answer portion. While the lecture was interesting he got off topic frequently.
You are expected to take weekly exams using the lockdown respondus. He gives study guides but they have little to nothing to do with the test. With the lab class included, I have around 15 assignments to do per week just for my biology course. This is definitely the hardest class I have ever taken. If you don't prefer biology, good luck.
I am not the best with science courses so I was worried I would fail right away. He gives you plenty of work. It isn't too hard if you read the chapters. He makes you work for a good grade. He truly wants you to learn. I had an unexpected loss during this course and he was very understanding and caring. I appreciate the compassion he showed me.
The class relies heavily on textbook readings. If you didn't understand it the first time, the PowerPoint, and the "lecture" won't help either. The organization of the course was put together but there is only one way of teaching in his classes
Weekly exams were hard because of all the info. you need to know in little time. Quizzes/lab questions were similar or the same questions on the exams which helped. He would just read the lectures with little or no explanation. He is available for help. It was a struggle to get a C , have to work for an A/B. I had to use other resources to pass.
Definitely wants you to learn than memorize but It felt I had to memorize every little detail of the textbook to learn. The class is organized and clear on what is due from the start. Quizzes/Lab questions were helpful for the weekly exams. If you dont need this class for a program or credit in general I would not spend your money.
I think he means well but his class is the hardest I've ever taken. First, there is so much homework every week. He recommends 12-17 hours a week just to pass. His lectures resemble someone who has no knowledge of a subject reading off slides. If what is covered in the lectures is a boat on the ocean, the exam topics are the Mariana Trench.
BIO120 with Hoshaw is definitely one of the hardest classes I have taken at WCC so far. There is an insane amount of homework due multiple days a week and most of it is only worth 0.25 or 1 point. However, I have learned a ton of biology concepts from this class and he is open to helping you understand the material outside of class if need be.
Bio120: Hoshaw is very knowledgeable and passionate about biology. There are a lot of challenges and drawbacks to his course. A typical week in class looks like this: avg. of 15 assignments/week w/ test every week. All assignments are worth .25-7 points - most being 2. Tests worth 40 points. Labs can't be made up. Nice guy. Beware of rigor of class
There is a ton of assignments but if you wanted to you could finish them all at once. Most assignments you could retake until when it is due for a better score. This professor is always willing to help as well. The labs were sometimes a little confusing but if you just ask questions or for clarifications he will definitely help.
He is a very tough grader. I would consider myself a lover of biology but after taking this course I am rethinking that. He never explained how he wanted his lab reports to be structured and that has confused the class.This course was interesting but made me rethink.
Assignments every week with quizzes and tests. Assignments are short. The professor isn't the best. I had a difficult time in this class because of him. His directions for lab reports were not given at the beginning so you'd just have to write and hope. Overall I would not have him as a professor again as he was not helpful.
He expects you to study 40 hours a week to get an A, where am I going to get 40 hours to study if I have more classes? It takes a long time to grade the lab reports, so you don't know if you are doing it right or wrong. The only good thing is that it offers good office hours. He's a good person, it's just that the way he teaches is not for me.
Professor definitely sets up the course so he doesn't have to give anyone a grade higher than a B. 20% of the each of the tests are on information that wasn't covered in lecture, assignments, or the textbook. There are so many assignments that take an hour or more that you can't learn any of the information and remember it long term.
Do not take this professor if you are in any other class. You will be CONSUMED with assignments and political ones too. You will have to write multiple reflections that have relatively nothing to do with the course content. You will always feel lost and overwhelmed. As someone who has taken microbiology more than once, this class is ridiculous.
You will be CONSUMED with work in this class. You can expect to have relatively no time for other classes. The busy work is VERY political and not relevant to course content. As someone who has taken a microbiology class before this course was rediculous.
Full points on multiple assignments, 2 weeks after the due date passed he changed the grades for these assignments to 0 points with no explanation. He clearly doesn't want his students to succeed. I loved biology, but the methods he uses ruined it for me. He just reads off slides with no detail, I can do that, i'm not paying to teach myself.
There is a study guide that is given to help understand the material that is going to be on the test which I used to make my reference sheet for the first few exams. I did bad on those exams even when doing all of the assignments. additionally, these exams are every week making it a quick turnover especially when someone has other responsibilities.
He changed grades that were completed and had points to a 0 AFTER the end of the semester. And he won't change it back because it's not big enough to impact the letter grade. Since when are teachers allowed to simply decide that an assignment with full points is really a 0 with no explanation? This teacher clearly doesn't want students to succeed
He does not know how to teach or lead a class. I find it surprising he's been teaching so long and yet still just reads off slides with little to no explanation. As someone who's also taken a different major biology course, the course load is a ridiculous amount. He clearly doesn't understand the average amount of time students have.
His coarse load is INSANITY. No reason to have 20+ assignment weekly as a prereq. You will have 0 time for anything else; class work, sleep, work, truly LIFE. He requires more work than when i took 7 classes. His keys are wrong ALL the time. If you object, u will be gas lit & still fail. Be ready to be miserable and hate life! TAKE ANYBODY ELSE!!!
This guy is very passionate and knowledgable in what he teaches, I believe he cares for his students from my experience. The only issue was all the homework every week, it can be done but if you are doing full time classes as well as working lots of hours be ready to have almost no time or no time at all.
honestly, when he is frustrated -- he projects it out on the students. instead of treating us like a person, he just rants. I find it unprofessional that he is blatant about comparing his RateMyProfessor results with another faculty member and doesn't understand how someone can get a 5. If you didn't take 120, take it before 250.
Worst college course that I've ever taken. Heavy on coursework including weekly quizzes and exams. Weekly errors in his answer keys for quizzes/exams/etc. Students had to catch errors to get credit for those questions. Lack of fair assessment in that he could check his answer keys ahead of time. A significant number of students dropped the class.
Instructor is very knowledgeable and passionate about the course. He cares for the students. Although this class is very heavy in assignments maybe 20+ assignments a week. NO LATE WORK whatsoever as well. If you work a full-time job, Goodluck
The workload is nuts for a level 100 course. Exams for every chapter making up 50% of the course grade, (40 points each). Other assignments range from 2-5 points each. The course checks all the boxes on paper, but it's designed for students to fail in learning and grade. During this course, you'll have no life if you have work, other classes, etc.
If you can get another professor do it. This class basically takes away any free time especially if you work and have a full course load. This class just was very frustrating since things were not graded when they were supposed to at times which led to me not being able to fix mistakes. The tests are half the grade and homework counts for 2-5pts.
Bro gives 20+ every week and forgets that his students have lives outside the classroom. I enjoy the subject of microbiology, but he made me hate it because no matter how hard I studied I still got Dʻs on my exam. All I'm saying is that if my school had a "Box your professor" day I'd call him out.
Good luck passing this class. He does not want to see his students succeed. I have never had a teacher that was so against getting good grades until Justin. His exams are nothing like material being taught.
Professor Hoshaw is very knowledgeable, but the class workload is intense. Lots of weekly assignments and tests, but engaging with the material and using study tools like unstuck AI can really help. Overall, a challenging yet rewarding course.
Tests are kinda difficult but you get a cheat sheet which helps a lot.
I have 5 exams due before the semester ends (one week). Very unnecessary, as I still have 3 other classes to study for. He is a great professor, but if you are taking several other courses while taking his course, GOODLUCK!
This professor can kick rocks.Doesn't care about students and there's a ridiculous amount of work for this course. Good luck to anyone signing up for his course. Take it with someone else. He seems nice at the beginning of the term, but his true colors show.
Professor Hoshaw is great at relating the class materials back to real world events that are happening at the moment. This class is textbook and material heavy but as long as you have a good work ethic it will be achievable to get a good grade in his class. He is willing to help students to understand the material as long as you ask.
He's knowledgeable and seems to be passionate about what he teaches. This class is very challenging but seems to set a good foundation for students taking higher bio classes afterwards. Tests are very challenging and it seems that he really tries to get students to learn rather than memorize. Read the book and take a lot of notes!!
I ended up WD from Hoshaw's class bc he denied an extension due to an unexpected loss thank tanked my grade. Initially I felt it was unreasonable, but he was kind in his reasoning and made it clear that it was based on future career expectations. He is a great lab instructor. Even though he made me mad, I'd retake the class with him again.
Only half of the people that started were left by the last week. I love Biology so much, but I am afraid this is it for me. I miss when teachers were nice, I miss when I enjoyed class. I had nightmares about failing this class. I feel like I just came out of a war. I can't do this again. Just read and ask questions, ALL THE TIME.
Justin is a great professor who challenges students in pursuit of excellence. He's upfront about the heavy workload and prepares you for it from day one. Detailed lectures, labs, and assignments are rigorous but fair. One-on-one exam reviews are valuable for clarifying material and defending exam answers. Highly recommend.
I am grateful to my Professor for all the hard work he did for us. We had a very good teacher during the semester, despite all the difficulties, but the class was very good and I had a very kind and competent teacher who didn't hesitate to help in anyway and was always reaching out to all the students problems. Thank you for everything.
Professor Hoshaw was a tough grader, and his class was challenging, but he was intentional about what he taught and how he taught it. His office hours outside of class were a helpful resource for me to learn the information. I highly recommend taking the time to utilize the resources provided for your benefit in the class.
I do not understand all of the negative reviews on Professor Hoshaw. He truly cares about what he teaches and puts in a lot of effort, so he expects the same out of you. You can't just coast and cheat in this class like a lot of others, you will have to put the work in. He's always available for extra help and keeps classes fun and light-hearted.
Prof. Hoshaw genuinely cares about students, and the appointment was valuable. He reviews test mistakes, explains strategies, and breaks down questions. He is reasonable and listens to those who seek help. Listen to his PowerPoint videos, read the book, and complete the assigned quizzes, and you will be fine!
If you do not do good with teaching yourself, I do not recommend. Especially if you're in hybrid. Otherwise, he is a great teacher. He is very knowledgeable in the biology world. He makes it very clear to reach out to him if you need help. If you read over his syllabus, and follow his expectations there should be no trouble.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
40%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.20 avg changeRatings by Course
181BIO250
5.0
(1)BIO101
4.5
(2)BIO250001
4.0
(2)BIO250
3.5
(63)BIO100
3.0
(5)Difficulty by Course
120
4.8
152BIO250
4.8
BIO250001
4.5
BIO
4.4
BIO120
4.2