2.4
Quality3.8
Difficulty13%
Would Retake323
Reviews13%
Would Retake
323
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
323 total ratings5
55
4
47
3
27
2
58
1
136
What Students Say
“it was my the hardest class I've ever had, I could not understand what she wants me to do so I did bad on a paper and she used that as a sample to show to not do like this student, but she crushed me with her words”
ENG124 - 1.0 rating“One the rudest woman I have ever met”
ENGLISH124 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
76%
Textbook Required
73%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.42 avg changeRatings by Course
ENG126
5.0
(1)ENG110120124
5.0
(1)ENG120ENG122
5.0
(1)ENG7218
5.0
(1)ENGLISH122
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
METHODOLOGY
5.0
ENGMYTH
5.0
ENGL121
5.0
ENG125
5.0
english221
5.0
Reviews (300)
Jesus Christ! What a temperament!
i love this teacher she is real, she dosen't take what so many teachers put up with. i had no problem with this class
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Just take your essays to the reading writing center and you should always get an A. Really nice lady.
shes great!
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Has her favorite, and also her not favorite's, very high temper! Accent makes things hard to understand.
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I suck at english, really really bad, but i tried and did all my homework, every essay and showed up to class all the time and i got an A. she's great
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She is really a great teacher!! I took her for Eng 110, 120, and 124 because of it. I would highly recommend her if you want to learn to write papers. She is there to help all the time on anything.
This teacher is not helpful at all. Be prepared to show up for each class, very strict attendance. People may find her accent off putting aswell as her teaching style. Fail research paper FAIL THE CLASS inspite of recent efforts.Loves her favorites!!
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She is extremely honest about her thaughts on her students. Her class isn't that difficult if the student shows up and completes all the required assignments.
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in her class you get very stress out. she is very moody, and makes you feel stupid. do not take her class.
okay, i know she acts mean and tries to intimidate you, but if you get to know her she is actually a nice person and wants her students to succeed. i took 120 and 124 w/her and got A's! she really isn't that hard.
One of the best teachers I've ever had! Very helpful. She likes it when you go see her during her office hours. Extra credit on EVERYTHING if you let the English Writing Center check your essay. Easiest A I ever had!
My favorite teacher so far. She lets the class know what she expects from them, and if you show up and do the work you will be fine in her class. Slackers need not apply. If you're serious about learning, you will have a lot of fun.
This teacher is mean folks. Find out for yourself the first week of class.
She definatly makes you work...but it I still got an A in her class. As long as you don't try and pass off B.S. excusses she is cool with you!
She likes to put students on the spot and likes punctuality. She just loves making her students feel pretty stupid. Mainly, go to class early. Shes not joking when she says she'll kick you out if you're late. Don't take her if you want an easy A.
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This instructor is very mean, cruel and nasty.She humiliated me when I didn't understand things. She is the worst teacher I have ever had.Her teaching style is horrible.IF you want a fantastic english teacher who cares then take Roxanne Dapper!!
It was kind of scary to discover that a lady from India was going to teach me English, but she treats people with respect and has good stories to go with her teaching. She does tend to be unclear when giving assignments.
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As long as you come to class on time and turn in your work, you will do well.
She's an awesome teacher and very helpful.
From the begining I was nice and kind to her, but then the demon from India showed its head. She picks favorites right away!! Don't answer her questions unless you fully know the exact answer,she will look at you as if you are an idiot the rest of the sem
I thought her format helped me master the MLA format and I thought that she had some constructive things to say
I had english 110 so it was pretty easy. Shes nice to you if you come on time, go to class, and turn in assignments on time, but she has a fat accent, and is incredibly boring.
She tends to be unclear when she gives assignments and confused a lot of the students most of the time. I recommend that you NOT take her.
Hard to understand, she grades really hard and inconsistently
She is very helpful, and if you do the work she will be good to you. Go to class and you will pass. She will make you laugh...just respect her views.
horrible teacher who sounds like Apu, and will easily drop you if you miss 2 days, like she did to me.
Not a professor, not a teacher but an instructor. She is very mean to students.
The class today was horrible. I am so sick and tired of hearing about her personal stories in class. Does she think that we care! She yells at students and I am tired of smelling the alcohol smell every Mon and Wed in class.
Dropped me after two absences although syllabi indicates three are allowed...stay far far away.
She's a push over if you know how to work it. Just go to class on time, turn in assignments, and make a sappy story about being at the doctors to miss a day or more. The year I had her she got hit by a car!
Horrible English teacher. She uses the class room as her personal soap box to walk about her opinion on politics instead of addressing course work. During one of her tangent speaches, I put my head down and she kicked me out of class for 'disrupting'
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My spouse stood up for her when something was going on. Then my spouse found out it was Kamalas fault. It put my spouse in jeopardy then. I don't want to talk to her but am forced to act nice for fear she will makeup stuff about us and then sue us.
I enjoyed her class very much. I learned a lot, but I still don't think the horse is the listener in Frost's poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
She expects a lot from her students, but is very understanding. She is only mean to those who are disrespectful. Don't be late and don't miss more than two classes and you will do fine.
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She is very, very mean to students. She doesn't want any critism in class. If someone says some question on the exam was ambiguous she gets really mad. Do not ever take her and beware of her for she is not normal in the way she acts.
she's very hard to understand because of her heavy accent. She's really nice to the students that she likes but if she doesn't like you she'll give you hell.
Expects too much out of students and is not understanding nor helpful.
I would be more likely to buy used toilet paper than to take another class with this teacher. Painfully boring lectures. She stumbles over every word that flies out of her mouth. RUN!!!!
She is demanding, however, it's the class, not her. If you can't handle her, then you're not ready for Eng. 120.
i wouldn't recommend taking this professor.REALLY!
Fair teacher. She justs wants to be respected and will in return respect you. She comes off as very strict and unforgiving but she really does care and isn't as hard as she may appear.
shouldn't a person who speaks the english language well- teach the english language? she is very hard to follow and understand-
STEER CLEAR OF AT ALL COST! IS NOT AFRAID TO FAIL HALF THE CLASS
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Mrs. B is one of the best teachers in the truest sense of the word. She not only teaches english, but love for knowledge. She has a wonderful outlook on life and a deep and beautiful wisdom. Class is NOT easy-but she always helps & cares for her students
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Mrs. B is very helpful, the key to winning her respect is to be ready and to ask her what she thinks. She does not mind sendind an hour with you to proof read your paper or to talk about anything else.That is why she has office hours is for her students
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the best teacher I have had at grossmont!
Took class in sp02'. Had to come back here to type how HORRIBLE she was. If you answer any q's, she'll just look@you like you're the dumbest being on Earth! STRONG ACCENT and mean. Picks fav's RIGHT away,barely pull a B-.(from a 3.56 GPA student)
This prof was a fair english teacher and grades you on what you earn. I got a B with minimal effort and didn't have too much difficulty understanding her. She is after all still speaking the same language so learning her accent is a part of the class.
I would rather squeeze my zit onto a piece of bread and eat it rather than take a class from her. She does not treat students with respect even when they are really nice to her, come to class on time and do all the work. She does not have what it takes!
I took a class with her in 2002. She was boring. I dropped the class because she was teaching stuff I learned in 9th grade. Absolutely no challenge and no fun.
She is very helpful and always treated me with respect
Above all else she always acted bitter, probably because she couldn't speak english let alone teach it.
Mrs.B was the worst english teacher i ever had because #1 i couldn't ever understand her and 2 she was very bitter. she taught the class like she was teaching 6th graders. #1 tip don't flip through your notebook while she is talk you might get dropped.
SHE WAS A HORRIBLE PROFESSOR. SHE WAS RUDE AND UNHELPFUL. IF YOU ASK QUESTIONS SHE WOULD SPEAK TO YOU AS IF YOU WERE A SMALL CHILD. YOU CANT UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE IS SAYING. WHEN YOU ASK FOR HELP ON ASSIGNMENTS, SHE WILL MAKE YOU LOOK STUPID IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE CLASS. DO NOT TAKE HER FOR ANYTHING.
Pure hatred for teaching and her students. Miserable. This is why tenure is retarded.
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She was hard, but fair.
Good teacher but doesn't like students who goof off. Does not suffer fools lightly. Do the work and she is fair.
Mrs. Bala is very clear about her expectations. You can choose to follow directions and get a good grade, or you can do your own thing and suffer the consequences. There are no surprises in her class, so if make an effort -- you will be rewarded.
An aweful teacher, she is unhelpful and doesn't have clear expectations... She failed me because my final paper had a few grammatical errors, other professors I asked to read my paper said it definately deserve an F, so if you take her, be careful.
Not sure about here ENG 120 class, but she's an easy teacher for 110. Sure you can't understand a word she says, but the assignments are short essays that you can whip out in 20 minutes if you're decent at writing.
Mrs. B was a fair and firm teacher. She doesn't hand out A's for pathetic work. This tends to make her unpopular with some students. I got a B on the research paper and it wasn't that hard. Do the work and you can pass. It's not a high school class.
This is the worst teacher that I have ever had. She is very unpopular because of how she treats students. I would question if the people writing good things on this site are really students or someone else. Everyone in class says horrible things about her and nothing positive. She is disrespectful
She is very pathetic and not her students. Students who do badly are a direct reflection of their teacher. I took the c paper she gave me to a PROFESSOR in the ENGLISH department and they stated that the paper was A work. I am an A student and I do not goof off. Also this prof stated this teacher h
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Two words; Pure Evil.
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If she likes you, you probably will have an easy time, but if she doesn't like you-you will fail. I recieved B's on every essay, but on the research paper (which is a composite OF YOUR PAST PAPERS) i failed and I recieved and F for the class. Terrible teacher- do NOT take her class.
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Mrs. B is a great teacher. If you love english as I do she can teach you a lot. Do not expect to slide by in this class there is real work. If you do not do well on the first essay, talk to her she will tell you what she expects. She is very smart and loves this subject. Try and you will succeed
Mrs B. is not so bad I thought. She was always very polite to people who showed her respect and showed up to class on time although she often was late herself. If you just do the work you'll be fine. She's willing to help any student that wants it. In retrospect I should have picked another teacher.
she is a demanding teacher. very helpful during office hours.
educated in english, but obviously not a native speaker.Very uncreative her assignments and teaching style.Told students to read chapters on their own during class time while she graded papers for another class.class felt like each lesson was thrown together a the last min.will drop for 3 absences!
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The class is great, but Mrs. B is a horrible teacher. She was rediculous. Did not listen to the concerns of her students, and had an extremely strick grading style. She allows for no creativity in her class; you have to write her way or no way at all. Save yourself the frustration and discomfort.
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I could not understand her accent(it is an english class, right?) Very rude to students, like they were in middle school.
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Ms. B is a great teacher, if you need help with any essay, she'll help you. She made the subject intersting and fun. I really being in her class. Just show up on time, and try your best and you'll do well.
I enjoyed the subject matter and the videos shown, but class always felt like a waste. Too much group work. Tests were really easy. Bala's grading criteria for essays is ridiculous though. She gives you the option of writing personal essays, but if you chose it she allows no room for creativity. Just write rigid high school level research papers.
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I really did not like this teacher. She was hard to understand and boring. She does not seem to like teaching and her assignments did not help me learn anything. She frustrated me so much as a English major that I finally dropped the class.
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Do not take her class, It is a waist of time and she is not willing to work with any of her students. find another teacher, any other teacher will care and teach more then she does
She's a really good teacher but it's hard to keep up with her. In class she explains herself well but when you go home, you'll feel lost. She requires that you know your stuff. Make sure you read the book and know the terms. Also read over the important stuff and you'll pretty much get by.
Great material being covered, she's somewhat critical of written work. She's a composition teacher, I realize, so I wish I would have taken composition together with this class.
She's a nice teacher and very easy to get along with as long as you dont show up late to class and dont fall asleep. If you finish an essay early, she'll correct it for you and have no problems doing so, so you can get a better grade on the final draft. Shes remembers who works hard and who put forths effort and if your one of the people who do work hard, the class would be very very easy for you
Accent can be a bit distracting, especially when she mispronounces words or uses confusing grammar on tests. If you can get past that (I did!), you can pull an A easy.
Mrs. B is very concise yet is willing to explain a concept until you get it. All she asks is that you are respectful to the class room setting.
If you are a serious student who puts forth effort, you will do well in the class. Don't expect to pass if you aren't willing to work for it. Mrs. B. is very helpful when she knows that you're trying.
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She expects you to write like a middle schooler, and anything different (aka - good) is graded poorly. Do not take this class if you don't want to take a quiz EVERY single day. And don't think about being late -- she'll mark you absent sometimes, just for fun.
I am in this class too. She expect you to believe that the India method is the best to write English. What a fool!
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I dont remember her talking too much about india honestly but she wasnt helpful and she made u seem like a fool for asking a question. one of the worst teachers i have ever had! i wouldnt recommend her.
professor B is a great teacher, and she is not that easy. But, she will make you do your work and she cares about your education. one thing is for sure is that she is very serous teacher and passionate about her culture and the world.
she is very hard to understand. Dont waste your money.
Very kind and helpful. Expects you to work but will help you if you go in to her office and ask. I spent several hours working on my final draft with her help and got a good grade.
If you miss more than two classes even if you have a doctors note, she will go out of her way to drop you. She won't even talk to you first about making the absences up. This class was a world mythology class, yet she seemed to only want to talk about her heritage, Indian. Her accent made it very hard to understand her when she was talking.
I really like Mrs. B she was very helpful if you went to her with your questions. She does however expect you to act like you are in college, which can be a problem for some students. She holds each of her students to a standard that ensures their success in future coursework which I think is important in college. All in all a great teacher!
This class was pretty good she is very hard but if u know how to write or can **** an essay take this teacher for the frist 3 weeks she is very tough on attendence and showing up early and turning things on time after that it's a smooth ride with a few speed bumps
If your looking for a class to slide through, keep looking, Mrs. B is a true teacher, who cares about you and teaching you things you need to know. If you want to learn, and respect people for who they are, then this is the teacher for you! Slackers don't bother waisting yours or her time...DON'T get into her class!!!
If you earn her trust and don't take advantage of her, she can very easy going and lenient. Show up on time and ready for the first couple of weeks- she won't hesitate to drop people for missing class early on in the course. I found her to be informative and insightful in her teachings. I wish I had more of her classes.
VERY unclear with assignments. each class session she changed or added to guidelines of the assignment. Struggled to get a B and I'm an A student. Wants you to succeed. offers help & XC. good at teaching. bad clarity of hmwk even tutors didn't understand it. like hi-school again when she punished & yelled at tardy ppl or talked back to her. strict.
I'm gonna try to offer the most unbiased rating concerning Balasubramanian. Pros she cares about what she teachers, nice, expects you to work, prepares you well if you try. Cons: EXTREMELY tough on deadlines, she WILL find cons in your essay even if it's perfect, does not explain assignments well, talks behind students backs. Overall dont take her.
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The worst professor I have EVER had.
If you follow directions and do the work on time you will do ok.
She is very good.
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she needs to take an english class i hate the way she asks"do u understand what i'm saying?"after she explain something i mean, do we ****ing look dumb! she kicksome girl out for reading EXTREMELY strict on attendance don't plan on being late for ANY reason EXTREMELY strict on deadlines to sum it up she pretty much makes you feel stupid (warning u)
i feel bad 4 people that ask her questions cause i don't want them to get yelled at. it's not their fault they didn't understand the first time. it's hers. she does not know how to grade essays. the class goes by pretty fast but it's not worth it. teachers are suppose to help their students not punish them or embarrass them in front of the class.
this teacher isn't easy at all so if you want the A don't take her. I had trouble with her all semester and i even went to her for help and i got nothing. i missed one class due to ilness and i informed her ahead of time but she still ignored me after that. i ended up dropping her and i've never dropped a class before, think before you take her!
If you are going to take this teacher; prepare to fail. Prepare to get yelled at. Prepare to be inadequate. Prepare to work on your assignments for HOURS and get maybe 10 percent of the points. Prepare to end the semester angry and yet apathetic to the F on your report card. Try to prepare ahead of time so you may avoid this!!!
If you are a good student, and want to learn she is the one for you. Her assignments are demanding but this is COLLEGE! If you put effort into this class, like you should any collge course, you will pass. She is very organized and she teaches english well.
okay she is super hard for beginning people. If you are a good writer and english is your strongerst subject take her, if not stay way!!! really stay away and never miss her class and never ever be late or she will kick you out.
You have to do a lot of small meanial assignments and she grades them scrupulously. She also comes off has mean but if you show effort you should have no problem passing the course.
Great teacher. She's very helpful and enjoys teaching. She likes when her students take time talk with her.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!
Mrs. B is GREAT! She makes the class interesting! The essays are only a page and a half max, quizzes are tricky but not worth much, and the Joseph Campbell videos are crazy! Take it!
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SHE IS TERRIBLE DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS A TOTAL ****
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Do not take this class. Her directions are very vague and she is not helpful. I do not ever look forward to her class. Absoultely horrible!
Absolutely horrible as a teacher!!!! She is a ridiculously difficult grader. She also makes students a subject of the class in a negative aspect. Her test questions are the most vague and pointless I have ever seen. Prepare to fail and be extremely angry if you take her class!
I had this teacher for mythology and for English 120, if you want an esay A take mythology, she is great and extremly helpful, if you want to fail a class then take her English 120 class, I love english and this is the worst class i have ever taken, DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER! she is really nice but a horrible teacher, very confusing in everything!!!
I foolishly took negative comments posted here from previous semesters as Sour Grapes, and took her English 215 class anyway. It was a grave and fatal academic mistake. She may well have mastered the technical and grammatical aspects of english, but has missed the boat completely in oral communication. Absolutely avoid her at any all costs.
I do not recommend this teacher. She is a hard grader. Wants everything perfect, if not she will fail your paper no matter if you put some effort into it. DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR...DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.
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First off, yes Mrs. B is a HARD grader & YES you need to work really really hard in her class. But at first i didnt like her one bit but the more i would go and talk to her about my essays she was really helpful and understanding. if you are lazy and just like to slide by with a passing grade.. dont take her. take her if you like english.GOOD teach
even if you are a straight A student, you'd have to work even harder in this class. she's takes everything seriously. majority of my classmates including myself got D's on our first essay and 2nd. you tell me who did something wrong? small grammar mistakes can hurt you dearly. just don't take her.trust me. save yourselves the humiliation.
I took AP English for two years of high school, never got anything worse than a B. Took the AP tests, passed with no problem. I come to her class and on my first essay get a F! Do NOT take her! I dropped her class because she would have murdered my GPA. SHE TOLD ME A WORD I USED DIDN'T EXIST! By the way, look up senescence. It's a word.
Mrs. B is a pretty decent professor. At first it is difficult to understand her (both speech and thoughts) but she ultimately makes sense. Loves a good short story, an easy A there! Make sure to take advantage of extra credit and ask if you are confused. Treat her with respect and she will do the same for you!
I got her our of default, she was the only professor left for the class I needed. At first I disreguarded all the things that I read here, but ther are all true. I got B's on all my essays at SDSU and she faild me on her essays and said that I did not know how to write. She is so rude, and grades unfairly, dont take her!!!
Honestly the class was hard but if you're willing to put in the effort you can get an A, I did at least. However the thing that bothered me the most is she talks about students behind their backs. Also she constantly reminds the class that she has tenor so even if we complain to the dean she is safe. Respect has to be earned, she did NOT earn mine.
I don't know why people complain about her, she is highly intelligent (has two Masters degree) and I found her class to be very interesting. She is a stickler for attendance so don't even think about showing up late for class.
Because I hadn't taken an English class in a very long time, I was initially lost in class. Mrs. B invites all of her students to visit her during her office hours and in that time I found her extremely helpful. She spent all the time I needed to explain answers to the questions I had.
She was tough but only because she wanted to see us succeed. If you show up and try, you will get a good grade.
Not a bad teacher. Heavy accent
She has a very steady and even pace, but her teaching is verry unclear. It is possible to get an A in the class (I did), but she will drag you through the mud to get it!
Professor Balasubramanian is definitely not the class to take if you want an easy A. She is tough but probably the most qualified English teacher on campus. She will prepare you for any university you want to transfer to and if you do all your work it will make the class so much easier on yourself. Going to her office hours will really help out. :)
If she fundamentally disagrees with you in your essay you will NOT receive a good grade. Spends the majority of class time telling stories to explain points a 12 year old could understand, or making sure she is not offending anyone. I really didn't learn a thing i didn't already know from my English 120 class.
TERRIBLE teacher. Does not mind humiliating you in front of class for trifles. If you do all the extra credit, and go to the Writing Center for every single essay, you MIGHT get a B. If she disagrees with your point of view, you've no hope for anything higher than a C unless you did the extra credit. DO NOT TAKE ENGLISH WITH THIS TEACHER!
The professor seems to come to class unprepared and class time does not seem relevant to what we should be learning. Tests are confusing and too difficult for the class. If you're an English major, you might leave the class annoyed every day.
Could not understand what she wanted you to do
She confuses the students with her way of speaking. She is very hard on students that are late it does not matter the reason. Student will be humilliated in front of everybody for any error in class, being late or even for asking questions related to assigments. I don't recommend her, unless you are willing to take the challenge. Good luck to you t
SHE IS THE MOST HORRIBLE TEACHER EVER. IF YOU WANT TO PASS THEN I RECOMMEND A DIFFERENT TEACHER I HAD TO DROP HER. SHE HUMILIATES YOU AND IF YOUR LATE FOR ANY REASON SHE YELLS AT YOU. SHE NEEDS TO TEACH SOMETHING ELSE SHE IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND AND YOU WONT GET A GOOD GRADE EVEN IF YOU TRY YOUR HARDEST AND PUT ALL YOUR TIME INTO IT. DOTN TAKE HE
1. Unwavering to a fault 2. Lectures are insultingly simple, students remain largely self-taught 3. Unclear directions 4. Does not honor agreements due to flighty memory, then adds insult to injury by finding fault in otherwise responsible students. 5. Least impressively: lacks basic respect for others.
She gives zero dirction. She is a very hard grader
Yes, she is a hard teacher, but I find that extremely refreshing. In a community college environment where most students tend to not take things too seriously, high educational standards still need to be maintained, and I think she is very good in keeping that up. She's a stickler for punctuality so avoid being late, including with your papers!
Her constructive criticism on my essays really helped me improve my essay-writing skills. She knows she grades hard on her essays so she gives dozens of opportunities for extra credit work. She also makes her quizzes relatively easy (multiple choice). If you take her class seriously, she will definitely give you credit for it.
This class was extremely difficult. She is a very tough and picky grader. She is also not very good at explaining the directions for assignments. She tends to unnecessarily humiliate kids as well. Let's leave it at this: her class started out with 35 kids, ended up with only 12. She's alright, you just have to not take anything personally.
The first day of class she was rude everyone for talking among ourselves while she was getting ready.She grads harsh. I dont recommend. So told us that our class was put on the back burner and her other classes needed her more. The videos were painful Joseph Campbell old and out dated information. Read directly out of the book..boring
If you're looking to learn how to write well and prepare yourself for the real world then this is the class to take. Her interests are definitely in her students. She is tough but with hard work comes great rewards. She is strict on her rules, but they're all stated in the syllabus. Follow that, and you'll be on her good side.
She's very rude and has a real issue with prejudging people. She blames people for doing things that they aren't doing, such as texting or talking when they're completely silent and working. She's hard to understand and loves to ramble about the most simple things and then not explain complex instructions in any amount of useful depth. Stay Away!
Mz Bala is a great teacher, she's sweet natured, loves what she does, and makes class fun. I learned a lot from her class. Yes she is a tough grader but no she is not rude. Her accent is a bit difficult upon fist ake but after a few minutes its clear. Take her class.
Mrs. Bala is an excellent professor. She knows her material and teaches it well. She is very demanding. She is there to make us better writers. She takes this very seriously. If you are looking for an easy ride, go somewhere else. She is hard but fair and gives lots of opportunities for extra credit. If you don't want to work/improve goe elsewhere.
I couldn't stand her! She was rude and constantly blamed people for doing stuff when we were listening to her. I work on campus and she came into my office and was even rude to my supervisor, coworker and myself. She's not a nice person to be around.
Mrs. B is great! sure the class is not an easy A, but she lets you rewrite essays, gives tons of extra credit, and the essays get easier as you go thru the class. So if you can make it through the first essay, your golden! just follow her rules and be respectful and the class is great!
I enjoyed the professor very much. She is strict and her accent is difficult to understand at first, but she is very intelligent and very passionate about Mythology. She is a VERY strict grader with her essay papers and tests are kind of hard. Videos are boring but you get credit for a short note sheet. Still enjoyed the class overall.
Professor Bala is strict with attendance and she WILL drop you after you have more than 3 absences, but she makes this VERY clear from the get-go. This is college people. Time to grow up and show up. There are four relatively easy essays and a variety of quizzes. Do all the work well, be respectful, communicate with her, and you'll get an A.
Professor was rude and self-righteous. If you disagree on something, even if you present a well thought argument, she gives you a poor grade. She always thinks she is right, no matter what. Attendance was only an issue because I could not stand her.
Gets way behind in grading. Failed the one paper I actually received a grade for, with no help on what to improve. Thick accent is hard to understand, assignment instructions are poor. She was absent 4 days already, I was absent once and had to explain in front of the class why I was. She doesn't teach, just talks and assigns work. NOT recommended
she is one of the worst teachers i have ever had. she cant teach to save her life. she is rude and disrespectful. she lets her students dictate her class and i never knew when assignments were due. she is all about structure and not about content.
Not really rude unless you are disruptive. Kicks people out for being literally 10 seconds late, and then is late herself nearly everyday. Syllabus is a mess, always whines about it when we email her, and you never know when things are do and what things are supposed to be cimported, etc. Harshest grader I've had, tutors at the EWC say she's unfair
She was strict on attendance and completing assignments. However, that is understandable because we are in college now and high school is over. She did make us do a lot of work, but it was worth it. Her grading scale is also based on how hard you work, which can help if you actually try hard. If you want to slack off, don't take her.
Mrs. B. is a very helpful teacher. Attendance is a top priority for her. She cares about her students and she is very comprehensible. She has a lot of knowledge and her class has a lot structure. She is firm when students mess around or when they don?t do their assignment. If you care about learning Mrs. B. is the right teacher.
Reasons this professor might not be for you: (1) You like to come in late. (2) You need your hand held through EVERYTHING. (3) You don't understand something, so instead of going to her office hours/emailing her, you just do your own thing and complain about your grade later. (4) you don't like doing the reading you were assigned. ETC. She's great.
Great teacher but hard grader. Try your best and get all your work turned in. Study for the test and listen to what she expects from you.
Kamala is so amazing. English isn't her first language so she approaches it with the utmost precision and care. Her teaching style reflects her passion for language and expression, which is rare in a professor at community college. It wasn't an easy class, but now that I am at UCSD, I appreciate having the challenge.
Don't take her Mythology class. She doesn't really teach much as its all mostly just videos and student presentations. Essay topics are vague, and even then she grades unfairly for reasons that do not impact the point of the essay at all.
She is no help whatsoever. Her essay promts are vague and she is a hard grader. Doesn't help and she has a very strong accent that it is hard to understand.
Lisen, at first you won't like her because she's going to come off as disrespectful and even rude. That's just her though. The class itself is not that bad. The assignments are relatively easy and once your research paper is done, the class is basically done. She becomes very easy going and as long as you show up to class, you might like her.
At first, I HATED this teacher. But I got some pretty good advice that she likes to see the students who go the extra mile to pass the class. So after she projected my paper in front of the class and destroyed i (not literally, she red ink'd the whole thing), I went back to her office hours for more assistance, 100% on the paper :) easy.
This class was difficult but I learned a lot.
GREAT teacher but you have to put in some effort though. Professor B is extremely helpful and is willing to work with all of her students. You have to go to every class and actually try on all the assignments. She loves her job and shows it though her teaching.
You will hate her in the beginning. I've never wanted to drop a class more than I did this one. But if you stick it out and you work hard, it will become one of the more rewarding classes you can take. If you finished well, then you will come out feeling like you really accomplished something. Good teacher and a good class but be prepared to work!
Mrs. B is a great teacher; she is so helpful and really cares about her students. Very understanding that people have a life outside of class as long as you are putting in maximum effort. Don't expect to skip class and assignments. As long as you show up and do all the assignments to the best of your ability, you will be fine.
Professor Balasubramanian has a wealth of personal experience and is a very well-rounded educator. My one critique would be that of clarity. However, she will readily clarify any misunderstanding. Her course was not an easy a but it was definitely worth the effort. The subject was fun and creative.
Never ever take any English class with this professor. She only criticizes your work and talk no sense non-stop. If you take her class, I'm 100% sure you will regret taking her class. She never clearly explains anything and kicks you out of class for simple reasons like looking at your cell phone, using bathroom, etc. Worst professor in the world.
Please NEVER take any course with this professor. I wish I can go back in time and just change having this professor as a English teacher. She makes rude comments toward her students. She lowers your-self-esteem and humiliates you front of the class when you ask her question or email her for help. Lacks the personality most teachers have
she is not nice if she does not like the main topic of your paper. She Flat out told a student that their paper was crap in front of the entire class. i have seen her make multiple students cry.
I had her for Mythology and absolutely loved her class. She has an accent, but is very clear with her instruction and has great knowledge of her subject. VERY interesting. She grades papers a bit tough, but that is to be expected with college level English. If you need help, just ask. She truly cares for her students. This class changed my life.
I don't know why Mrs. B gets a lot of heat here, maybe because her teaching style may come off as being "a hard ass" to students, but that is not the case. She tends to challenge her students by being a hard grader; however because of her "harshness," I became a better writer and I got a 10 on the WPA. Challenge yourself: take her class.
She's really unclear with her directions and she is an extremely tough grader! She always gets off topic and talks about things that are completely irrelevant to the class. I did not learn a single thing in her class.
I like this teacher as a person, but hated her as a teacher. She is very set in her ways, and is a very harsh and sometimes rude teacher. She does not tolerate absences or being late. She is a slow grader and seems disorganized about grading papers: a couple times I did not receive my graded paper until the next one was due. DO NOT TAKE.
She had lost one of my assignments, and wouldn't work with me afterwards. Totally unfair for something that was out of my control.
She is very strict with her grading and excepts things done a certain way. The biggest problem with Mrs B though is that she is not clear with her expectations. The prompts do not give enough information on what she expects and her lectures on them do not help. She's fine as a human being but terrible as a teacher. Do not take her.
Mrs.B gave me my only C on a paper in college. I took her for 3 semesters in junior college and I went on to get my BA in Literature and Writing. I'm now a high school Engish teacher. Mrs. B was one of my strictest writing teachers and made me work hard. At first, I did not like her teaching style, but her classes grew on me. Study and ask for help
She's difficult to understand and goes off on tangents that aren't related to the class at all. This is the only class I have ever fallen asleep in and Mythology is one of my favorite subjects. She doesn't give very good feedback on papers either, but she will give you some slack on grading if you talk to her.
Her class is confusing at best. Her lectures cover what the readings cover word for word. She has the class meet in groups to go over what they have read with out any addition lecturing, so pretty much she wants the students to teach each other. She even has your fellow students grading your test, so she doesn't have to. Disappointing.
Extremely hard grader. If you do not attend she WILL drop you.
Very nice lady but extremely confusing during lectures. It hard to understand what she wants to be completed for an assignment.
Her class is pretty easy although she can go on tangents about other stuff but sometimes this subject can make you do that. We all failed the first exam so every exam after that was a written project. Overall the class is very interesting and keeps your attention. She cares alot about her students but you must communicate with her. Straight Forward
She is a nice professor, though not very specific on homework and changes what's due many times.
Go see her during her office hours for help!!!! I was so scared I was going to fail this class and even thought about dropping it. I'm so glad I didn't. I truly do believe she gave me an A for going to her for help. I didn't even go see her until halfway through the semester too.
assignments are unclear, goes off tangents with personal stories, disrespectful to students. says she want you to ask questions but will make you feel like an idiot if you ask the "wrong question." barely managed to get an A bet the class was unnecessarily difficult. Show up to class, do readings ahead of time, have papers proofread.
I was really looking forward to taking this class, but it turned out to be a complete disaster. Her tests are ridiculously hard and focus on obscure details rather than the important stuff. She made it seem like they'd be easy, but they never were. She was completely disorganized and none of us knew our grades until they were posted on Webadvisor.
Tests were impossible, never enough time to finish it. She was rude to many students during class and was always making excuses. She can be very nice and caring too, but sometimes not. Few essays that weren't too hard. Told some people struggling with presentations to sit down in the middle of it. Super interesting subject but not he best execution
Ms. Bala taught me that hard work DOES pay off. She is very professional and does not take her job lightly in educating her students. I am a better critical thinker than I was before her class! She is a good person with a real message to share.
I am sorry to say that Mrs. B did not work out for me at all. Her lectures unfortunately always side track to her talking about herself, she gives off an attitude to the entire class, she DOES NOT explain her assignments or expectations at all, and she wouldn't help me even though i attempted several times to talk to her. Needs to be addressed...
Very hard professor, she is rude so be ready for that. Very tough grader. I had my essays looked at by tutors as well as people with degrees in English and still received a C or below. She allowed me to redo my essays but it was just a lot of unnecessary work. I don't recommend if you are not up for a tough challenge.
I loved Professor B. She is an English teacher, so you have to expect reading & essays. She is funny and caring. If you have a problem in the class, talk to her outside of class! She wants you to do well. You do 1 class presentation, you pick the subject. She is strict at grading and doesn't put up with unnecessary drama. YOU MUST ATTEND or dropped
One the rudest woman I have ever met. She gets side tracked and talks about herself way too much and she always makes English mistakes herself. She ruined English for me and I'm sad that she will continue to ruin it for other students.
She really isn't a good professor. You have 4 essays, and fails everyone on the first one. And gives low C's on all the others. She does give extreme amount of extra credit because she knows without it, she wouldn't be a professor because everyone would fail her class. REALLY tough grader, don't recommend. :)
She does respect students, but don't miss a lot of classes. She's serious about missing class and will tell you to drop.
VERY tough grader. Makes you go into deep depth with everything. Takes attendance every class and will drop if you do not attend. Never got about a 75 on a paper. Hours of homework and still get about half credit.
Professor B set her expectations high from day one. This wasn't a guaranteed "A" type of course; however, my writing really improved and I am grateful for the challenge. I took Professor B's course back in 2002, and it helped prepare me for higher-level writing courses and more demanding courses - I graduated top of class in law school in 2012.
it was my the hardest class I've ever had, I could not understand what she wants me to do so I did bad on a paper and she used that as a sample to show to not do like this student, but she crushed me with her words!!! also she told me I am wasting her time and told me to get out of her class even though I was paying for that class! she is very rude
Mrs. B wants her students to pass. as long as you show her respect, she will show you respect.
Extremely strict her grading rubric is ridiculous. You can't even come late because she will count it as a absent and if you exceed 2 absences she will fail you and kick you out of her class. Not a recommendation.
This class is no easy A. She is 1 of the strictest teachers Ive ever had. At first I thought some things were ridiculous however this class gave me a push I definitely needed in the responsibility category. She has the same expectations any job in the real world has. It's not impossible to pass, do the work w/ 100% effort and be there and on time.
She gave 3 essays, a presentation, and a final in my class. I didn't have the book the whole semester and somehow got by fine. I am pretty sure her essay grading is biased being based on the topic you choose and the side you defend. For my essays I got two 90's and one 80 so it seems her grading is clear cut for some reason. Wouldn't recommend.
Decided to take her class since I needed it to continue into a higher English class. She is so unclear, that some of her lessons are close to impossible. She expects everything to be done they way she wants it, or you fail that assignment. I had two charting assignments where I made my own table, and she failed my assignments.
Absolutely not clear whatsoever with explanation and grading, Failed an assignment because I wrote in pencil and not pen even though it was done on time. Do NOT reccomend!
I read some really terrible reviews and was horrified about having to take her class but she is the complete opposite of what some of the bad reviews say shes really nice and amazing and theres a ton of extra credit options so your grade is never that low
This is my first semester of college and I am dishearted by the fact I picked this professor without reading the reviews. She is not good, she is a nice lady for sure, but the way she grades makes no sense. I pride myself on writing well, but I do make grammar errors and because of that I got a C. Also doesn't post grades. Just take someone else
If you want to be confused and never know your grade, this is the class for you. She constantly overexplains the same thing, but no matter how well you listen, you're wrong. She'd always tell me "this is correct", but when I got it back it was wrong. She never inputs grades. She's nice sometimes. Not much work, which was nice. Just don't take her!!
prepare for headache
When writing an essay assignment, I answered every question for the prompt and followed basic guidelines, but a few grammar errors lowered my grade dramatically for that essay. I think she wants everything answered and written her way or it's clearly wrong. She clearly favorites whoever participates and goes off on a tangent during lecture.
She can be really nice at times, but the class is overall kind of hectic. Grades get put up very infrequently and there are some miscommunication issues. I do not recommend the class, but if you take it be prepared to work overtime.
This is a teacher that cares but also treats you like an adult, meaning the responsibility to do your work, get to class, and pay attention is in your court. She is willing to work with you during office hours and even checks up on you if you have a problem. I like a teacher that doesn't let you skate, but expects you to do the necessary work.
I had a terrible experience in this class. In this class, I had to email the teacher many times on assignments that she had graded unfairly or formatted wrong. Worst of all she change the grade on an assignment I submitted at the beginning of class right as the class ended for the term. Overall find a different teacher for English!
This was my most challenging class at Grossmont. Mrs. B talks a lot, and her lectures can be dry at times. For essays, you get two options, one subjective topic and one objective topic. The subjective one is always the easier option. Her tests are incredibly difficult, so pay close attention to the readings (even for things that seem insignificant)
Professor Bala is a very kind but strict teacher. She grades you on the effort you put in. Just make sure to be in class and on time. Lot of annotating but overall she is very helpful! Definitely would recommend.
Took this class in the spring. Lectures are not the most organized, slightly irrelevant and some topics were almost uncomfortable. Ignores her zoom chat and does not read them accurately. Easy grades, some extra credit, and paying attention is not always necessary. Rely on the textbook. The lectures were long and repetitive. Her essays were vague.
One word: RUN Avoid this teacher at all cause. I was in an online course due on waiting for the vaccine, but I instantly dropped her class and got the vaccine. Her format on the online course is confusing and for an English professor, there were so many typos and grammar as well as the way she explained things did not make sense.
Im a recent Magna Cum Laude grad from SDSU. I took her class about 10 years ago, and its still the hardest class I ever took. I did everything I could possibly do just to barely get a low B. She gave us a 10 page essay for our final, and none of us were English majors lol like cmon. 90% of the class dropped her by the end of that semester.
Rude, unhelpful, vague & confusing are words I'd use to describe her & her class. So much grammar errors, which made it harder for me to understand her feedback. Kept asking myself "why am I still taking this class." I had better luck asking a classmate help. Take this class only if the other English classes are full or just wait till next semester
HORRIBLE. Gives awful and aggressive feedback on EVERY.SINGLE.ASSIGNMENT. She is never positive.EVER. She shows zero support and assistance to students. She never explains and elaborates on what should be done or how she grades essays based on the student's mistakes. PLEASE DON'T TAKE HER UNLESS IT"S YOUR ONLY OPTION.
She had us do an asmt called Student Info Sheet which is you telling her anything she may need to know if you're unable to get your work in on time. Something came up and I let her know why I would be turning in an asmt late and got an email back telling me to look at the syllabus saying no late work and that I shouldnt be emailing her about that
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. She is horrible and very very rude. You will not understand a word she says and she will not reply to any questions you have, she is very unhelpful and gives rude feedbacks followed by weird comments. There is nothing loving and caring about this professor.
She was not nice! I emailed her about an assignment that was late for like a day I explained to her I have 3 jobs and I'm a full time student, she told me no late assignments and she will not be answering my emails anymore. I had a low grade in an outline and her feedback was very rude , when my topic had everything to do with her prompt. Avoid.
Very rude. Gave really unclear feedback while being extremely mean about it. Did not offer any help at all. Unclear instructions for assignments and no syllabus. She would ignore my messages but when she did answer they were not nice. Failed my first essay. I am a straight A student and have never failed an assignment ever. So rude for no reason.
Horrible, absolutely literally and utterly the worst professor I have ever had in my worthless nineteen years of living. DON'T TAKE if u dont want to off urself
The worst teacher of all time. I'm surprised she still has a job. I've ALWAYS passed English and reviewed A's on papers...until I took this class. Some of the best writing in my entire life and I would get a C at best. She was an absolute nightmare. I deeply regret taking this teacher. DO NOT TAKE!
Don't know where to start. Professor B has made herself as inaccessible as possible. Her office hours are not flexible and she often grades work AFTER her office/messaging hours have closed, so you can't really ask for feedback or clarity. This class is less about learning and more about guessing. Do not take.
Professor is rude! She does not help you correct mistakes. She is not available and she takes forever to grade. Please do not take her unless you have no other choice.
SHE WAS AWFUL! I would give her a 0 if I could. She accused me of harassing her when I asked about an essay she gave me a bad grade on. Apparently I asked too many questions. I said my favorite book was the Bible and after I said that, she gave me all bad grades. They should fire her!
1. Takes forever to grade. 2. For someone who's an English teacher she sure doesn't spell right in her feedback and responses. 3. Her logic and reasoning is so flawed just like her teaching style is. **If you have another option for the class don't take her. If you have a class you need to take and she's the only one that's available just wait.
Her feedback on essays are confusing.. she gave me a C just for being...specific. And she didn't even let us do rough drafts for the second essay, just a final draft which made it more challenging.
She was very vague on what she wanted for assignments, and she would ramble on about things that didnt have to do with the subject at hand.
A month into the semester I got very sick and messaged her saying I was not going to be attending because I was sick. I messaged her 4 class days later saying I was cleared to come back, but without any warning she had dropped me from the class. DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. Her classes are long and boring. Take another professor if you can
Do not take this teacher. She is unhinged and goes off the rails every class session. I have never taken a class that drags more than hers. She will drop you with hardly any notice (canvas notification).
dont take care she is very rude and dont answer her emails many students dropped her class.
She asked me to write with proper grammar, though her own grammar isn't always clear. As an English teacher, I expect a bit more precision. She rarely responds to emails, often replying that she's too busy at the moment and then doesn't follow up. Additionally, she doesn't provide much feedback and sometimes changes her instructions.
If you're able to pick another english teacher, please do!! She grades very harshly and gives unclear feedback. She's very big on spelling but she doesn't use proper grammar either when grading or writing assignments.
BEWARE!! This profesor does not care about your situation at all and shows no mercy. Unclear instructions on assignments and unclear feedback on assignments. Takes FOREVER to grade. Wants us to respect her but does not seem to respect us! Takes until last minute to grade assignments and does not offer any make up which in a sense is reasonable.
Only take if its your last option, be prepared to do a 16 week course in 12, be prepared for online quizzes that will mark you wrong for getting an answer right. The class overall is easy but you will be stressed if you cannot manage work and time. Professor does grade lightly however. Overall a meh choice.
Harsh late work policy, restrictions on English tutoring center visits, and quizzes that don't always match provided resources. Essays are submitted as a thesis and then as a final draft, which means you need to get it right the first time. The workload is fairly reasonable but email responses can be rude and unhelpful.
Lectures can be hard to follow and professor can be quite rude. However, using resources like unstuckstudy ai alongside the assigned textbook helped me prepare for quizzes and stay on top of the workload.
I'm going to be completely honest, don't have this lady as ur professor, if you can avoid her definitely do. So unprofessional, I was literally cussed out by her on Canva for asking if I could take a quiz I missed because I overslept which I know is my fault but like why was she childish and cussing me out cause of it. But hopefully karma exists fr
Professor Balasubramanian was very nice and genuinely cared about my learning. She is a tough grader, but she made herself available to me on several occasions to go over my paper and walk me through improvements I needed to make. Honestly, this is a college-level class and she is a college professor, I think people expect to pass without working.
Unfortunately this professor lacks professionalism and a class I greatly regret taking. Anything that is graded seems to be impossible to pass, the criteria for grading is not clear, and my writing style was not appreciated. This person is an excruciatingly tough grader and made me fear each assignment. I am extremely disappointed in this person.
This professor is the worst I have ever encountered. I chose to get a W rather than carry on. Posted information is often wrong and has TONS of typos and contradicting and repeated information. The quizzes appear to be from a previous edition of the required text. Many links do not work or require subscriptions to access. No teaching at all.
I participate in an in person course and I feel that I waste 4 hours every week. She tends to ramble on about things that sort of pertain to what we are learning but not completly. Her instructions tend to be unclear and what she says in class does not match with what she posts on canvas. Her grading is harsh and she is not understanding.
DO NOT TAKE , she does nothing to help if you are behind or having trouble understanding and will drop you from the class if you miss a couple of days even if you have a very good reason to miss like visiting a family member in the hospital.
Do not take her class!! She will make you do the homework without appropriate material. Grading is very vague. She gives samples to follow, but if you follow the sample, she will say that you have not followed the instruction. She will not help you. She will not teach you.She just posts materials to read so you have to figure out yourself.
Don't take this professor, there are so many better ones out there
She is unprofessional in her emails, and does not care for her students. She does not take real life issues into consideration with her students and expect them to work through serious health issues despite an inability to. Her emails are hard to read as she is blunt and rude and leaves many spelling errors.
I promise u, u dont need this specific class. This professor gives off a feeling of having no consideration for her students and it feels as if she doesn't truly enjoy teaching and just would like to get by putting in the least amount of effort. Her syllabus implies manystudentshavehadconcernsaboutthisandshesuggeststalkingtoherwhensheistheproblem.
Do not take this professor if you can avoid it. She is a very hard grader. She doesn't respond to messages, which was very problematic as I took a fully online class with her. Does not accept late work of any kind no matter the reason.
Do not take for your own mental health. Unfortunately not a positive experience WHATSOEVER. Very rude in her critiques. Could write the best paper of your life and get slammed with comments that simply put you down and pick at the smallest things. Doesn't inspire better writers, rather, makes people stray away from it. Considered formal complaint.
Ive loved writing my whole life, until I met Balusub. Not even going to try there..the same way she didn't even try to acknowledge my hard work. She belittled me and everything I put my soul into. My hard work, my sleepless nights, and my own mental health. She is the reason why I have quit college and have found myself joining the military. Happy?
Doesn't accept work through picture and paper, most importantly doesn't take google doc assignments, it's weird how to submit assignments if she doesn't take google docs work or comments through canvas. Overall makes turning in an assignment harder than it has to be. Passive aggressive.
DO NOT TAKE HER CLASS. She's very disrespectful and does not explain things clearly. Her lectures are not clear and does not explain material well. When you ask her for help she does not explain anything she just rephrases whats on the paper. She also takes her annoyance out on other students. She's not clear about due dates.
Pros: -Responsive to emails and willing to provide feedback before assignments are due. -Class isn't homework-heavy. Quizzes, a few discussions, 2-3 essays, and a final. -Class material is interesting. Cons: -Grades harshly and arbitrarily. No revisions or extra credit opportunities. -Conflicting instructions and due dates. -Rough communicator.
Genuinely please don't take this class. Please. It will ruin you. Extremely snarky - you could write the best paper of your life and she will give you a C. Help yourself and don't take this course.
PLS DONT TAKE
DO NOT TAKE! Incredibly unsupportive and not understanding of situations outside of herself. I asked for a little more time on an essay (that was almost finished) due to a major life-changing event that happened in my life. She gave me a 0 and basically told me that I should have finished it before the accident happened. 0/10.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
76%
Textbook Required
73%
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Your expected effort level
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B
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