2.4
Quality4.7
Difficulty35%
Would Retake111
Reviews35%
Would Retake
111
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
24
4
13
3
4
2
14
1
56
What Students Say
“Terrible professor doesnt give any practice questions throughout entire semester and then is surprised by a 40% class average mark for the midterm exam”
FIN301 - 1.0 rating“I bawled after his final exam and midterms”
Fin201 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
41%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
FIN418
4.3
(4)FIN501
3.5
(4)FIN413
3.4
(14)FIN301
3.0
(40)Fin201
1.5
(48)Difficulty by Course
FIN654
5.0
FIN418
5.0
Fin201
4.7
FIN413
4.6
FIN301
4.6
Reviews (111)
Professor Keith Godfrey is a really intelligent guy with an engineering background. Make sure to understand the concepts and practice how to solve the problems as finance can be pretty tricky. Assignments were pretty tough but you only needed 60% for full marks. The average was pretty low but I guess that is where the curve comes into play.
Finance is a pretty difficult subject, to begin with, so be prepared to study. The class was pretty good in terms of Keith explaining key introductory finance topics such as time value of money, and answering questions in depth during class. I would advise spending time doing problem sets in the textbook and on his website that he created.
Terrible professor doesnt give any practice questions throughout entire semester and then is surprised by a 40% class average mark for the midterm exam. Goes far too much into concepts that arent even supposed to be covered in an introductory finance class. Made it through the class but his presence wasnt necessary, taught myself it all. Avoid
Keith decided to create his own (unfinished) software, Grade Chaser, which was used for the homework (15% of your mark). However, since he made it from scratch, that left no time for him to make any decent questions, mark assignments/exams, prepare decent slides and give any feedback prior to some of the most difficult exams. Avoid at all costs.
Godfrey is a really smart professor with a lot of insight on financial topics, making his lectures fairly interesting. Hes a tough prof but hes happy to help you through any questions you might have. Grading is a mix of individual and group assignments, participation, and 3 exams. Definitely one of the better profs that teach 400 level FIN
Keith is a very smart individual, however as a professor he was not up to par. He flies through the lectures, and rarely does any problems in class. Finance is something you learn by doing, not just listening in class. Also, he assumes that you already know a lot of the stuff. Assignment and GradeChaser are not reflective of exam difficulty. Avoid.
If you are thinking about think this course next term, here are some tips: This is one of the hardest finance course in Uni, period. So only take it if you wanna challenge yourself; Curve was generous; You can get a good mark with 60%; HEAVY MATH; Better to take it after FIN 413; Helpful Prof
Really nice guy who really knows his stuff. Unfortunately his exams are very difficult and often very different than the materials in the lectures, especially his long answer questions. Luckily the class gets a pretty big curve so you can get a D with a mark well below 50% (if that's all you're hoping for).
It's clear that Keith is very knowledgeable in the field, however; his exams are vastly different than anything in the textbook or on Gradechaser. You must know the information inside and out and be able to apply it in any situation. Anything he says in class is fair game for the MC on exams.
This class is difficult for me. But I think the seminar is helpful. Professor Keith's PPT and his website's homework questions were really helpful. If you don't want to do more exercise in the textbook, at least do your homework carefully. And this class curve, which is good.
Keith is great, he takes the time to answer everyone's questions and his slides are concise and walk you through the topic. He takes teaching seriously and really tries to help his students. He is fair though, which means sometimes you won't be happy if you make an actual mistake like not having enough decimals for example.
Super tough exams but the legitimately cares about helping his students and provides tons of feedback and help. The websites he creates are gold and your key to doing well.
I cannot emphasize this enough: DO NOT TAKE FIN501 with Professor Godfrey. Take it with Vikas Mehrotra. It will make all the difference. Professor Godfrey tried to cover SO much material, that none of it is covered well, and really should be spread over multiple classes. It is well beyond the foundations and will crush those without prior history.
Great prof, challenging tests. You'll have to know your stuff if you want to do well!
You can tell Keith takes his job very seriously. His course is the last one you'd want to take for an easy A but if you want to enhance your knowledge hes a great pick. His tests are fair but very challenging. Partially due to the content and partially that Keith doesn't make any "easy" exams. Study hard, go to class, retain info and you'lldo fine.
Very smart/ intellectual person. I do not recommend this class unless you have a very deep understanding of risk management already. Teaches overarching theories and concepts in class which seem alright but on test he gives very specific and detailed questions that you've never seen before. VERY HARD CLASS. SLIDES,TEXTBOOK, PRACTICE NOT HELPFUL
Knowledgeable prof and serious grader. Challenging class with him, exam are super hard and average is quite low, around 50% but will be curved. He builds a website to test students, this is where you will take online test. If you want to learn, then go with him. If you want higher grade or a enjoyable class, then find others.
If you're somebody who works hard and wants to be tested on whether you actually understand the material, this will be one of the best finance classes you take. If you're somebody who's lazy and who just wants to be tested on whether you can memorize your formulas and lecture slides, this will be one of the worst finance classes you take.
Very knowledgeable professor. He covers a ton of content in each class and uses helpful examples - it is important to go. While this class is not easy, it will truly expand your knowledge. Ask questions if you do not understand - he is very happy to help.
Hard course but really nice and knowledgeable guy. He really care about students success and available outside of the class. Feel free just ask question or send any request through email.
If he is online again next semester, DO NOT take him. The "light board" he uses to teach his online lectures is atrocious, essentially him scribbling on 1/25th of the screen. All of the calculations he does are impossible to decipher. Not terrible as a professor but instead of using one note or something reasonable he uses a stupid window.
Keith Godfrey seems like a nice man. However, the way he taught & structured his notes was ABYSMAL. His lectures were theory & had few examples. He did not teach any useful information to solve the assigned questions. Half the time, he didn't provide the necessary formulas. The notes were meager & my understanding was reduced bc of his explanations
when 7% of the class gets a midterm question right, he doesn't see that as an issue with his testing strategy. there's your red flag. expect to see extremely in depth questions, with multiple parts meant to trick you, on material he breezed over and did no examples on, with no practice problems even SIMILAR in his homework. smart guy, meh prof
I was terrified to take FIN 301, but professor Godfrey made it digestible and I was able to get an A- in this class. The grade chaser questions for homework were amazing for preparing for exams, the textbook helped me to understand concepts like options. Overall a good prof as long as you put in the work to practice!
I enjoyed his self-written and coded online practice questions on his website, and all the feedback that I received from the online exam website that he coded. His exams are challenging, but due to the pandemic's necessary measures for more difficult exams for open book and open computer conditions, this was understandable.
Any course he teaches is going to be difficult but he will always make sure you understand a concept if you take the time to ask. He's really good if you care about your degree and your education, however I definitely wouldn't register in any of his classes expecting an easy grade.
Notes are quite confusing and difficult to unpack. Understanding gradechaser questions are key to doing well in this class. Says a lot of stuff not in the lecture notes that are very important and sometimes talks way too fast. Overall good prof but notes definitely need an upgrade. Get ready to sweat because this course is hard
Godfrey was a decent professor for an online lecture. He offered office hours prior to each of the two exams, and was cognizant of the fact that many students couldn't write exams at a specified time if it conflicted with a work schedule. There was lots of homework, and many concepts not entry-level, but he covered a lot of topics in good detail.
Very sweet man with really good lectures. Be prepared to work hard for this class though. I took it in my first semester at uofa and the difficulty set me back. A hard class to keep up with but the straightforward midterms help. I recommend not skipping his lectures and using his gradechaser website to practice every day.
This course was really difficult but somehow he simplified and condensed a vast amount of concepts into a series of short videos. Overall, he was a great professor.
I was sour on Keith after the 1st midterm - the average was 56%, followed by a 60% 2nd midterm. However, doing all the grade chaser and textbook questions is key to success. His formula sheet is essentially useless, so memorizing the appropriate formulas will serve you well. He's a nice, extremely smart guy, but this class will make you sweat.
If you are a Finance major, I'd recommend taking FIN 301 with Godfrey as you will learn a lot w/o access to MS Excel. Midterms are quite difficult but the Final seemed relatively easier. GradeChaser and Textbook questions are the key to success but you'll still be lost on some tested questions. Put in the work and you'll do just fine in the class!
Incredibly smart guy who definitely cares about his students. This course was so incredibly difficult majority of students dropped it by the final exam, would not recommend if you are going for an easy or filler class. If you are interested( or already are knowledgable) in derivatives definitely a great course that will teach you a lot.
Brilliant man, great lectures but be prepared to put in the work. I would recommend doing the textbook questions to do well in his exams.
Amazing professor, he actually helps you understand how finance works in the real world without just helping you get a good grade. Though it's not the easiest class, with a little review every day, a good grade is very achievable.
Personally, struggled a lot in this course especially during 2 mids but aced during finals. He is a caring prof and accessible outside his office hours. I would suggest doing recommended questions, attending his office hours for any questions and solving the grade chaser questions. Read the book for MCQ's.
Very tough but fair Prof. If you are willing to put the work in, you will receive a good mark, but do not take this class if you think it will be a walk in the park. His use of real data is cool to compare theories to the real world. Midterms are hard/a time crunch but average all works out in the end.
If you want to have a deep understanding of how bonds and fixed income streams work in the real world take this class. If you want an easy A class that you don't have to show up to and get a good mark, keep looking. You can tell he's extremely smart, and he truly does care about his students if you are willing to also put in the effort.
Godfrey's FIN 201 lectures are absolutely amazing, they are meant for you to ACTUALLY learn about important financial concepts so that you will understand what is happening in the real world (i.e. why financing a car is a mess!). He never went ahead in his lectures until concepts were grasped fully by everyone in the lecture. Best prof I've had!
Phenomenal lectures! He never went ahead until everyone in the lecture fully grasped the content. GradeChaser is an absolute blessing, more than enough practice to study for the tests. Tests were challenging but fair, all content was covered at some point. Great prof, very understanding, caring, and SUPER intelligent
Keith is a genius. I haven't seen a prof this sharp in a long time. His lectures are super clear and straight to the point. For an online class, it doesn't get better than this. He is very responsive to questions and genuinely cares about your learning. GradeChaser questions and his videos are key to doing well!
By no means an easy course, but Prof. Godfrey really cares about teaching his students and is willing to help out if you take the initiative to ask! If you are looking for an easy course then I would avoid this one but I would highly recommend every student to take a class with Godfrey.
Godfrey is a great prof! Just go to lecture and stay focused no matter how lost you feel (I felt so lost at times but I just kept going to lectures). Also, he uses practical applications for examples in lectures (i.e. buying new car) so you can better understand the unnecessary (dumb) purchases we make and how much they cost you in today's dollar
Good professor, but almost too smart for his own good. Clearly cares about his students, but will often explain difficult concepts quickly as if they should be common sense, as they are to him but not students. Finance being a generally hard course doesn't help with that, but he is generally more than happy to explain when you have questions
Quite literally the most bland lectures and notes I have ever seen. Keith does not care for the success of the masses, but only the top 1% who are willing to sink 10 hours a day into his classes. The formula sheet provided is the most basic sheet of paper, with only a fraction of the formulas "taught" in class appearing on it.
Keith is way too difficult. He is super vague in lessons and doesn't cover enough in class. He's good outside of class, but it's hard to visit him every single time. His exams are insanely hard (RIP midterm 1 2025). The grade chaser helps, but he doesn't do questions in class, so you are lost when attempting them. Much of the content is not intro.
This professor neither teaches well nor let us pass. He assumes everyone learns as fast as he does and ignores our struggles. The class average was 51%, yet he focused only on preventing cheating and the top 10% students who get above 90. The formula sheet is useless, and even the grade chasers aren't much help in this course.i cried after midterm2
Midterm 2 was super hard. I'm a very smart person and I failed it. Class average is super low around 50%. The professor seems to not care, more people failed then passed.
Was FIN201. Our class average for the midterm was 51 with the mode being 45. Most atrocious teaching style I've ever seen. Tested on stuff we never did in lecture or in any of the practice questions. Avoid at all costs
Is Keith a good prof? Yes - but makes his classes extremley challenging for seemingly no reason. The formulas on the sheet are mentioned a few times, and then tested in ways that have not been explained in class. His lectures are organized, but extremley challenging. The class average should not be sitting at a 50% in Finance 201.
Made writing the first midterm as hard as possible by having it on his website, which had endless bugs. Put nothing he taught on the second midterm, which had a median of around 42%, and went on to say that it was "expected". Also has a stupid rule that if you do better on the mid-term than the final, it does not count.
Bro needs to learn how to make a test
worst exams. doesn't explain anything properly. tests on stuff we didn't go over.
Sure the averages are low, but the class is curved so it doesn't even matter. If you pay attention and actually do practice questions, the material is not hard like other students make it sound. He makes everything very fair unlike other teachers and is very passionate about the material. Would strongly recommend if you actually want to learn.
Lectures make no sense whatsoever and his grade chaser are nothing like exams. And the stuff in the textbook are nothing like he teaches in class, basically have to learn the course by yourself
What ceases to amaze me is that this dude sends out emails at 4 am in the morning and then teaches a 8:30 am class like does bro not sleep?!!!
When over half the class fails a midterm i think it's time to retire buddy. He has more fun trying to scare kids by threatening to catch them cheating than he does actually teaching his class. Very cocky and clearly not meant to teach this course. Go home bud
1) Midterms: #1 about 133 students failed, #2 about 279 failed. 2) He teaches like this is a higher level Fin class, skips content. 3) I rarely say this, but HUGE ego with this prof. 4) Only online prof I've had not record his classes 5) No practice exams, no study guides, only GradeChaser questions that are no help 6) Changes syllabus a lot 7) RUN
While I loved listening to Keith talk about finance topics, his long answer questions on midterms were on topics mentioned for all of 2 minutes. Did not accurately test my knowledge. Group assignment undoable. I knew he was a difficult prof before taking his class but he was 10x more difficult than expected. Will not be taking a class of his again.
Many of the topics that Keith taught were too advanced for an introductory course. Some of the concepts that appeared in his exams were not even explained in his recommended textbooks. His slides were also of no use. It merely piled up concepts without any definitions or explanations
Before spot surveys he mentioned “issues” we had this semester. He mentioned AI and the timer glitching in midterm one. BRO DIDNT MENTION OVER HAKF THE CLASS FAILING THE SECOND MIDTERM?? THE ONE ACTUAL CONCERN EVERYONE IN THIS CLASS HAS HAD??Oh my days
It is honestly awful being in the class. His teaching is not too bad, but everything else is awful. His midterms are brutal. He offers you to come and see what you got wrong in a post-midterm review but you can only write down the topics you messed up on then study on your own, which is the dumbest thing ever. Avoid him, run, far and fast.
honestly he's just too smart to be teaching an intro course, lots of concepts were not thoroughly explained bc they're second nature to him. his tests are hard, the GradeChaser questions were 10x easier than the exam and as other people mentioned the mode for the 2nd midterm was literally a failing grade and the average was barely a pass.
This class has made me reconsider my career path. It's not entirely because of the professor, however it has definitely played a factor. This class is extremely difficult. We are given no practice exams before midterms and finals, the notes are inconclusive and the general practice questions given were way too easy compared to the exams. Torture.
the one thing that would be this class a million times better is just more practice. i think the difficulty of this class is similar to other classes but its only harder cause we dont have enough practice. yes, there is grade chaser but we need more. if you look at other classes, we are given so many past exams and the results are usually better.
Just dont take his FIN 201...its terrible unless u want to self study
Very hard to study for. Didn't provide many materials to prepare for the tests
Terrible teacher. Avoid at all costs
What's worse than everything else is how unmotivated this course has made me. I'm studying for the final with low confidence and barely any resources to succeed knowing the prof said the final will have questions we've never seen before. A professor should want students to succeed, not set them up for failure themself.
he aims to give us “questions you've never seen before” on every exam, provides a few practice problems that are 100% easier than exams, calls the $90 REQUIRED textbook misleading, and has had a technical problem with every midterm we took. he treats this class like a 400 level class for no reason. We were genuinely told to be scared of the exam.
As someone that ended up dropping this class, he is literally the worst prof i have ever encountered in uni. RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!
Uses hybrid model but doesn't post/allow recordings, sparse formula sheet, GC is super basic level but exams are so hard (especially considering he doesn't teach/give materials that fill the gap between the 2 extreme levels being given), if you dont have prior fin knowledge don't take him
IS IT HARD TO GIVE US PRACTICE EXAMS???!!! The only reason why I did good during the first midterm coz he gave us a practice midterm. For the second one, I did so bad coz I have no idea what will be the questions PLUS THE TEXTBOOKS HAS 100+ QUESTIONS OVERALL DO YOU WANT ME TO MEMORIZE EACH ONE OF THOSE....
I'd avoid if possible, he was not very kind whenever I had questions. I do not recommend.
His written questions are worth the most, but always test on the most absurd stuff. He takes great, great, great pleasure in reminding us how hard his tests are, and that there will definitely be questions we've never seen before on the exam. I learned more from a 2 hour review session from the Finance Club, then I did from him the entire term.
This course has given me so much anxiety that I've had stomach cramps, loss of sleep, and even gotten facial mussel spasms. This course was horrible for my mental, and physical health. He likes to pride himself on how difficult his exams are, but refuses to put in the time an effort to allow his students to succeed, only has 1 office hour peer week
He continuously emphasis how important gradechaser questions are, but they're either to hard, or to easy. They're just no in between. With him constantly saying there will be questions we've never seen before, I have no idea how or what I'm suppose to study for.
I am really worried I will fail. I do NOT even know what could be tested; his goal seems to be to have everyone fail. I was supposed to graduate in April, but I don't think that will happen :(. Keith might literally delay my graduation date.
I haven't showered in days thanks to Keith. My hygiene is lacking, all I'm doing is studying for an exam that i have no idea what's gonna be on it. Do not take this class
Keith is the sole reason I will not be majoring in finance. Course doesn't even seem that bad as I have a high mark going into the final but I don't want to deal with this again. Wastes all my time having to do textbook questions when the final is supposed to be questions we've never seen before.
This is an intro class yet we are expected to enter his class with extensive knowledge on advanced topics
Keith is a bad prof. Simple as that.
One of the worst professors I've taken completely ruined any hope I might have had for the course. Exams are nothing like the questions on the practice website he created. Prides himself on class averages of 50%. Will not give any practice midterms or finals so you're going in blind. Specifically told us to expect to see things we haven't learned
Keith is a very misunderstood professor. Do the work and your grade will reflect.
I don't even know what my grade is going into this final because he has a rule where if you do 10% worse on the final than the first midterm (which was open book, so obv going to be easier) he takes ur mark away... like come on man.
just stay far far away. this man is single handedly ruining my gpa
I've never written a review before, but Keith is genuinely such a horrible prof. that I felt I had to. Easily one of my most frustrating classes I've taken, all because of him. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
He makes exams impossible to study for. No practice exam no overview everyone goes in blind. Take someone else instead.
Do not take this class if you have to Keith Godfrey's class is like the 32nd degree of masonry. Worst professor in Agartha
Too hard to do exams without any valuable practice material
Not too impressed, partially my fault for performing bad by not going to lectures but not sure I agree with no practice or guidance. He needs to do better IMO
Keith is clearly intelligent and passionate, which I respect, but that does not make him an effective teacher. He skims key topics, leaving students to self-teach, and his examples don't reflect exams. While challenging students on exams is fine, he provides little preparation or resources to succeed. I wish him the best but please be more consider
Keith is a very smart man, but not a smart teacher. He glosses over concepts that should be explained further since they are "simple", but to intro finance students obviously theyre not. He takes pride in making his tests as difficult as possible and does not post any practice or review materials. Keith completely lacks empathy towards his students
Keith does not provide sufficient materials to prepare students for exams. His online practice is too simple and the textbook does not match the style of his exams whatsoever. Moreover, he does not provide practice exams to help us prepare. I also found that he seems to think much too highly of himself and does not accept feedback from students.
Did not provide anywhere near enough resources for us adequately prepare for the final exam, try your absolute best to avoid Keith as your prof
I have attended 4 funerals this year and didn't shed a tear at any. I bawled after his final exam and midterms. No preparation resources provided other than grade 2 equivalent practice problems. The class is equivalent to learning addition and subtraction, and being tested on second order derivatives. DO NOT TAKE THIS PROF FOR INTRO TO FINANCE.
I have never seen a greater example of unity than what has happened on this website over the past couple of days. While our reviews may have been taken down, we still carry them with us in our hearts. I am so proud of each and every one of you and I wish you all the best of luck in the future.
He is very full of himself. He was busy flexing his achievements he was also flexing that he is a tough grader. He teaches as if we have a background in finance. This is the worst prof ever genuinely. I hope to never see him. I studied so much, doing grade chaser questions as he claimed to be some exam questions. terrible prof.
I do not recommend taking his class, you basically have to teach everything to yourself, and it is already a hard course. If you ask questions, he will respond as if you should already be at his level of understanding. He spends half of class talking about himself. When the average is barely a pass, he blamed us rather than reflecting on himself.
very smart man who thinks hes a good prof and enjoys watching kids fail. tests were nothing like the practice material. he started the term by informing us that his class is unbelievably difficult, and that students do not like him. told us to be "scared" for the final. negative reddit threads and rmp reviews about him were removed. avoid him.
Most negative reviews here come from students who expected FIN201 to be easy and didn't put in the work. His classes are demanding but fair and genuinely interesting. No shortcuts here - if you want to actually learn finance, he's one of the best professors there is. If you're mad about your grade, deal with it and declare as a marketing major lol.
One person doing well doesn't invalidate students who are struggling. When difficulty is widespread, that reflects more on the professor and course design than on student effort. Telling others to switch majors is a deflection, not an argument. University courses should challenge students while still supporting effective teaching
Really good lectures, incredibly tough exams. If he mentions something for a single sentence in class, make sure you study it. He also tests you on things that do not matter. As an example, in the Fall 2025 FIN 413 final, he asked a history question which he glossed over in class and didn't relate to the course quantitatively or qualitatively.
AVOID AT ALL COST! I have never went into an exam before this under prepared and unmotivated. There was no guidance on what to study and we were told to "be scared." Keith likes to teach advanced level topics in this intro course causing most students to be lost. Class average was practically a fail.
He doesn't give practice exams and puts stuff on exams that we've never done in class. Doesn't explain the hard stuff, makes TAs do it in seminar. Time crunch on exams. Wouldn't take him again
Our marks came out today and I want to mention this class is CURVED. I did do pretty average in the class but a lot of people have overreacted and dunked on Keith's rating for no reason. He is not the best lecturer by all means but I did expect this class to be hard so I had to self teach myself. Alsohis "ego" imo was just his passion for finance.
His exams are hard, but not as hard as people make it look like here. He gave almost no practice which made me felt extremely unprepared. He expects too much from students enrolled in intro finance, I don't think he knows that we're just a random group of business students(plus a few engineering students) that may not go any further with finance
Keith is clutch. Class isn't even that bad, never thought I would touch an A but put minimal effort in and still got by.
solid imo, overhated
Honestly a nice guy who is genuinely passionate about finance. I do think he could improve his formula sheet and note packages, but he was overhated. It can be a hard course in general because its content dense but if you put in effort its okay. Make sure to attend the lectures, they're interesting and helpful when studying for exams.
He is obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about finance, but the way he teaches is very intense for an intro course. Grade Chaser was helpful, although it was similar questions with just a few small changes. That said, for the midterm and final, he liked to have questions in formats we've never seen before, so they were hard to study for.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
41%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
FIN418
4.3
(4)FIN501
3.5
(4)FIN413
3.4
(14)FIN301
3.0
(40)Fin201
1.5
(48)Difficulty by Course
FIN654
5.0
FIN418
5.0
Fin201
4.7
FIN413
4.6
FIN301
4.6