2.7
Quality4.3
Difficulty53%
Would Retake96
Reviews53%
Would Retake
96
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
18
4
21
3
9
2
13
1
35
What Students Say
“This is by far the worst professor I have taken at OCC”
BIO1511 - 2.0 rating“Avoid her at all costs”
2630 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.66 avg changeRatings by Course
26302640
5.0
(3)BIO1510
4.0
(6)2630
3.6
(5)BIO1600
3.1
(8)BIO1511
2.8
(20)Difficulty by Course
APBIO
5.0
BIO2630A1502
5.0
BIOLOGY
5.0
AP
5.0
BMS250
5.0
Reviews (96)
Thorough, detailed, organized, orderly. Difficult Exams, tricky language on lecture exams, not enough time for lab exams; 3min/5Q, 100-150Q's. Must be snap answers. Labs are not explained in enough detail for L-exams.
trick questions on exams. lecture material, is different then exam questions.
Her tests are immpossible,especially lab tests.She just goes through slides on Power Points and has an attitude when students ask questions.
She is a very straight forward teacher. Her lectures are right out of the textbook. Hard to study for but if you put in a effort you can get an A. Overall just a harder teacher to get to know.
I recommend that you do not take this course with this teacher... she does not make it easy. But if you don't heed my warning now, I would at the minimum recommend not to take it in a 3 hour block, no breaks, no stop, no mercy. Also, every other week is a test day and when finished you jump into a 2 hour lecture. also 58% dropped by the 3rd week.
Knows her stuff. Not an easy prof or class, but if you work hard and put the time in, you'll understand the material and walk away with a sense of accomplishment.
If you ask her a question she will ask you one back. She wants you to stress. Don't expect much help from her. She enjoys making things difficult to learn. I asked her what we needed to know for the lab test and she said everything. Take another instructor. I retook the class with someone else and got an A.
Very hard teacher, if you have her as a teacher make sure you dont work full time or take any other classes.Everything she does is straight from the book. I studied 2-4 hrs a day, had only her class and was lucky enough to get a B, half of the class dropped mid semester.
very difficult teaching style, I didn't get her? took second half with another Professor and easily aced it!
Kerry is the BEST!! This is her gift this is what she was born to do...teach Bio. If you want to understand the human body this is who you MUST take! I will follow her anywhere. Had other professors that did a piss poor job had to drop them and take Kerry again drove 55 miles one way for her class! If you're looking for an easy "A" forget about it!
she was not a good teacher. talk to us like we were all 3rd graders who did not know what was going on and made us feel stupid.... would not recommend her to anyone...
So far I do not like her. She talks down to you when she lectures. The homework and lab prep is VERY demanding and time consuming. Exams are very difficult. I'm taking BIO2640 at the same time with Dr. Aretha and am doing better in it.
Very confusing and her test does not match her lectures. If you HAVE to take her then I would say read the text book, thats where all the test questions come from.
Very difficult professor, tests are very tricky and hard to understand, she is pretty strict and doesn't make learning interesting. Her lectures do not match the exam. To do good you have to self learn from the book.
If you have other classes or work full time do not take her class. she is very demanding. You must give her class full attention. She is condescending when you ask questions in class. Half of the classed dropped by mid-semester. You will learn ALOT, but you will be beyond stressed with her class. she makes it harder than it has to be.
Very difficult, took summer session 1. Condensed class. Get ready to study and work hard, but her grading scale is more than fair. She added bonus questions to every test. She was condescending at times to other students, so always be on time!!!!
If you come to class every day and pay attention and ask questions then you will be fine. There is homework every week and DO NOT miss lab. The tests are an overall understanding of the material, you have to get the material in lecture and the book in order to understand the questions she is asking. She is more than fair and I would take her again!
She is a great teacher and if you ask for help, she will explain. I think that some students expect to go and get an easy A, she makes you work hard and that is only fair to learn all the material. Perhaps if you cannot handle it, you should leave science courses out of your curriculum.
Could not find any other professor to take anatomy with. Her quizzes are crazy hard and she words them so difficult. Her lectures are very different than her quizzes . Skip her if you can. She knows her stuff but her teaching skills are extremely poor. All she does is read off her slides No review papers or anything I wish I had a diff professor.
She doesn't explain the information very well. This teacher expects you to know your information right out of the gate. She talks down to her students if you are confused by her lectures. There is a massive ammount of online homework. DO NOT plan on passing this class if you have other classes. Avoid her at all costs
She is the absolute worst teacher I have ever had. She explains things in class that have nothing to do with the online homework. The worst part about the online homework is that you can't even find half of it in the book. Also, her vocab quizzes sometimes aren't even vocob.. She puts scientific method questions on them. Don't take her classes.
Current nurse career and had to retake A&P because sciences were expired. This teacher does not lecture but gives quizzes on material that is not In the book. On several occasions students had to explain to her that the information provided was straight out of the book. She looks of disgust when you ask her a ?. Would not recommend to my enemy.
This was the second time taking this class. I took it at a university the first time and earned a B in it. I retook it an OCC this summer , in hopes to receiving a better grade in the class. NOT THE CASE. I was appalled how rude she was. Doesn't post grades. Have to ask her (which she acts annoyed about). Quiz 2 times a week, hard exams.
Group work is every class and worth 25 points. If you don't do it all, she'll mark you down 50 points and kick you out of class for the remainder. Quizzes every class and they're all fill in the blank. Half of the class dropped by the end of the semester. She doesn't and won't lecture unless you email her questions before from the readings.
This is by far the worst professor I have taken at OCC. She is very rude and her lectures are so long. I thought maybe her bad ratings on ratemyprofessor were an exaggeration, but believe me they are not. Do not take her!
she is the typical monotone teacher who sits behind her desk and lectures for 4 hours. she is rude to students who ask her questions. she will just tell you to look it up yourself. tests are really hard and her notes are no better than just reading the book. pretty much have to teach yourself. never take her! seriously..
Honestly, she's the worst teacher I've ever taken! She's unapproachable! Good luck asking a question with out getting a rude response! Start ready your book because her notes are useless.
This class is a disaster, there was no specific textbook. Her lectures did not follow the homework or the book. The online homework is really long and due every week (120-180 questions) and take hours to do. She is very rude when you ask for help and does not explain the material very well at all. The 6 exams in this class are awful. good luck....
Ok, this class is hard to memorize, but ok to understand in little increments. It's the data dump that made it a difficult class for me, as someone with a B.S. in Biology. Dr. Smith is a very dry lecturer, but is nicer during office hours. Gives lab exams too. 3-5 hrs/ week of online h/w. Take notes, study PPs & exam reviews. Got an A, died for it.
Really difficult class, which is kind of awful because it a lot of kids first time taking an anatomy class. Rambles on for hours and doesn't care if you comprehend any of it, but gets Very annoyed if you ask questions. She even got upset at a special needs (ACCESS) student for asking too many questions. Take literally anybody else.
Very hard class, tests are difficult and diagrams are almost impossible. You must do homework or you won't pass. Dissections occur at least once a week, and you must participate. Online homework is due by Sunday noon and is anywhere from 80-200 questions with diagrams and videos. If it wasn't essential for my program I wouldn't have taken the class
She is a serious teacher - Does her part and expects you to do yours. Her notes were helpful, but reading the book augments them and made me feel more ready for the exams. She gives a lot of extra credit on exams. Bio classes are very informative, so do not expect an easy A or else you're not really learning anything :) She is a bit cold but fair.
I work full time and I had to drop my other two classes to keep up with this one. Homework every week and half of it isn't in the book or notes. Exams are insanely difficult and cover things we didn't learn. I got a 4.0 in the first half of A&P and am barely passing this class. I wouldn't recommend her to my worst enemy.
I have taken this professor for other classes also and love her lecture style. Print out the lecture slides, go to class and pay attention and study. She is straight forward with lectures and explains things so they make sense. Can tell she knows her info and is passionate about teaching. I am taking her class again next semester! Highly recommend!
She is a joke. Anatomy is a hard class, as it should be. However, she makes it so incredibly difficult and goes out of her way to make you feel stupid when asking questions during lab; she just sits in the front of the classroom and offers no assistance. Take someone else and you will actually have a professor who respects and wants you to do well.
She's a little intimidating. Lectures are straight forward. She doesn't like being asked questions. Homework is online and can be very frustrating/ time consuming. Test are 100 questions plus EC. LAB PRACTICALS ARE 135+ POINTS DO WELL ON THESE. I would expect putting 4-5 Hours a week in addition to lecture to get an A. Good Luck
She offered little help outside of class. I was scared to ask questions because she would make me feel very stupid for asking. She doesn't give study guides, she just says you have to know everything. You get 1 point for going to the lab and doing all the work. Half of the exams are naming parts of pictures. Wont go back if you miss what she wrote.
She's a serious teacher! She makes you work for your grade, which is how college classes should be. She gives plenty of extra credit if you slip up on an exam. The homework really helped me learn the material, and her labs are extra relaxed. It's up to you to learn! If you skip class, you won't learn the material and will do poorly on the exam.
Kerry Smith is a very good teacher, when I first read these comments I was so scared about the class but if you do the work and study you will do great!
She doesnt answer your questions but only leaves you even more confused. Her tests are extremely difficult and most of the stuff on the test are what you need to study on your own. Her notes arent very helpful for the test. Overall, a tough teacher.
Avoid this professor at all costs! I had her for a Friday Bio 1511 Lab/Lecture from 8:00-1: 20pm and it was absolute Hell. She's rude, sarcastic, and has the most boring voice ever. She constantly talks to everyone in a demeaning tone. She doesn't go in depth as to what's expected of you and her tests are HARD.
She is a very awful professor. Her lectures dont make sense she just rambles on. She is very unapproachable and make you feel dumb for asking questions. There are no study guides for the exams all she hands you is the chapter outline which is only chapter headlines. Test cover 3+ chapters with no real study guide. Tests are extremely difficult
Prof. Smith is tough but fair! A&P is difficult and she expects you to take it seriously. She has no tolerance for people who skip lecture or lab. She splits the class into 7 units... which means you have 7 exams! Prof. Smith gives clear, informative lectures, and is helpful to people who want to learn. Minimum 20 hours a week studying... good luck
I would not recommend taking her anatomy class. Her lectures are very vague and you have no idea what would be on the test. Anatomy is a hard class but she made it impossible to get a good grade. She is not a bad person but the way she teaches and formats her tests wont help you learn. She gets extremely upset when you ask her a question.
Just by reading the review here, I would not have taken that class. It was a GREAT experience! Of course, you have homework (it's college !!!) but they are graded more than fairly and are half of your final grade, plus they are a huge help for the quiz! Prof Smith is Knowledgeable, interesting and yes she is accessible! I loved her and her class
Professor Smith was a great teacher Im very thankful to have gotten her. She doesnt want to give you the answer because she wants you to learn and find the answer yourself, for me its a great technique because I never learn by someone telling me anything. I think a lot of the comments are based of students who are being lazy and careless. Loved
Not a good professor at all. you have to teach yourself.
Professor Smith is very kind, funny & smart. A&P requires lots of studying so get ready to spend at least 2-3h a day reading chapters and writing notes. She has a ton of extra credit opportunities and grades fair (90%A). As long as you read the book and take notes in lecture you will pass. I would take her again! Tons of exams & quizzes though!
Take her!! This A/P 1 class was not nearly as difficult as I was anticipating. Online homework every week, difficult quizzes every time you walk into lecture but extra credit made up for them. Exams weren't bad, material and questions were straight forward. Knowledgable prof and interesting class. Study time for me was 10-15 hrs/week, use book!!
I took K. Smith two semesters in a row for BIO 1510 and BIO 2630. She offers several opportunities for extra credit - it is almost impossible not to do well unless you really dont care. Her tests are difficult but fair and again, extra credit offered on every exam.
I LOVE prof. Smith! She gives you study outlines & objectives for each exam, possible pictures and a TON of extra credit. Youd have to be the laziest person not to pass her class. Textbook reading and taking notes is a MUST. Anatomy is tough, so dont expect this to be an easy A. Shes very caring and sweet as well
Overall you have to teach yourself everything in this class. Complete huge packets for hw every week, have a test every week and then to top all of it off you mindlessly copy things down in lecture. You can't cram at all for this class because of the amount of material you have to memorize. Don't bother taking this class if you have a job.
I really enjoyed taking BIO 1600 with Prof Smith! This class is VERY demanding! All hw is graded on completision and theres quizzes before every class. The quizes include labeling diagrams and mutiple choice. Prof is so nice and is always avaiable to help. She is not this scary mean prof that the reviews say she is. work hard and youll get an A
You need a sci. & one of Smith's classes is your only option? Drive to a different campus! SO MUCH homework! She does not seem to understand people have things like other classes, work, or anything. I have her BIO 1600 & I took this class in high school, I love science & do well normally but don't think i'll pass. Is mean also and makes u feel dumb
Presents you the information you need to know for the exams. Spend enough time outside of class- and you'll do well. Labs help a lot. However, I wish she was nicer. Every time I would ask her to clarify something she would make me feel really dumb and call me out in front of the whole lab. Don't punish students for wanting to understand and do well
Class definitely wasn't easy, but her grading criteria was VERY clear. Don't miss/be late for lab, do all of the pre-lab activities in the syllabus before you get to class, and study for the tests. You'll pass for sure. There is a ton of extra credit available. Take advantage of it. Also, grading scale is not as tough. 90% gets you an A.
She sounds annoyed when students ask questions, but if you have good reading comprehension skills you should be fine. Book is a must. All homework was done online. Exams are lengthy but easy/true to lecture notes. Lots of extra credit. Clearly defined assignment/bonus/attendance expectations. Lots of work, but not a whole lot of effort required.
She was a horrible professor. Talked down on her students that didn't understand the material, belittled them. Expected every student to know every detail about every chapter. There was a quiz every week and a new chapter. Very heavy work load with little room to actually understand anything. She was horrible! Extremely rude to all of her students.
She is very organized and teaches in a way that the material is easier to understand. She actually checks that you are doing your labs, but its a good thing because it prepares you for exams. Challenging class, but definitely possible to get an A if you study and put in the work! Ill be taking her again for other courses
I had Prof Smith for Life Science and for Anatomy 2 because I really liked her. Expectations for the class are spelled out clearly. Study from lecture notes and slides and you'll do fine on lecture tests. Labs are mostly model based, a few dissections. Do the homework and use the online study tools. I'd take Prof. Smith for any class she offers.
I dont think its fair that homework points are worth less than the exam points. In most classes homework is more important when it comes to learning. 10 point homework and 100 points exams? Its almost like she doesnt care about work progress and she want her students to feel like failures because they cant get a good exam score.
Exams points shouldnt be higher then homework points. The homework Shows more proof on how hard people study and you should get more then just 10-13 points when it comes to it. If you increase the exam points and dont do so well on exams, then that just means that the teacher is more interested in see students fail then pass class
I took her this semester and she was absolutely horrible. She talks down to you like youre stupid and makes you feel inferior. Asking her questions in lab is intimidating because she looks at you like you should know it already and gets easily frustrated when you do no. She is a personable professor and seems like her mission is to fail you.
This is a Bio class so be prepared to work hard, however prof Smith lectures are well organized and thought out so don't worry about having to teach yourself. She may be intimidating but she's always willing to answer any questions and help during lab. Provided tons of extra credit which will help if your not a good test taker.
I had her for Life Science winter semester and am taking A&P 1 with her summer semester. Shes a solid professor and expects you to get your work done. Absolutely do not show up to lab unprepared. She provides many extra credit opportunities which are clearly laid out in the syllabus. All exam questions are true to lecture notes given in class.
Pretty rude to students when asking a simple question, hums when she walks around, never smiles, I could go on and on. Although, if she wasnt as rude as she is, her classes might be more looked forward to. Its hard to find a science teacher who doesnt have a bad attitude these days.
She is rude, does not answer questions, and is unclear on telling you what you need to know. Lectures are boring. She treats students like 2 year olds. No respect. Only good thing is that she gives lots of extra credit on exams and homework. I wouldve had a B- without it.
Terrible! I've had bad professors and she is the worst! She's head of the bio department so you cant escape her. 12 people were left out of 30+ after few weeks. Homework online is easy, but costs $120 just to use online homework program. Exams she gives 20 seconds to identify 10+ things on a screen then it switches and does it again x 5. Avoid her!
I would not recommend taking her class. she is rude. she has you overstudying and you never know what to expect from her exams. it was frustrating. the only good thing I can say about her class is she offers a lot of extra credits which helped me achieved my A.
She was very tough but did just want you to learn. She knows most people are there because they have to, not because they like bio, and she'll make you correct yourself which can get annoying. Do all the extra credit and you'll get an A, but if you are working or taking too many classes at one time, you won't have enough time for this class.
I really enjoyed taking this course, and during COVID she made things as easy as possible. Fav professor this semester for sure, class is super interesting if you're into biology and anatomy!
Lectures are good, and more detailed than some profs, but gives a lot of homework, and the exam questions are very difficult. Does build quite a few bonus points into the exams and has a lenient grading scale, which somewhat makes up for the difficulty of the questions.
I had difficulties with her timed test. Never was able to complete one the whole semester. she basically gives 30 sec a question. When I went to her about the difficulties I was having she tells me 50% of the class got A's like she's trying to convince herself she's a good teacher. As a paying customer I'm so dissatisfied with with this lady.
I took her online asynchronous 7.5 week course. It was a lot of work crammed into a small amount of time but it was doable. Labs are super easy, TONS of extra credit was given and no surprises. Tests and homework were lengthy & hard. Most questions were "choose all that apply" making it difficult. But the EC covered well over my many mistakes.
I took this class since it was mandatory and I love A&P . BEWARE! this class relies ALOT on homework and be ready to read EVERYTHING. If it wasn't for all the extra credit and hours upon hours of studying you'll fail. Worse class I've ever taken. Now because of her I hate A&P. Exams are so long and gives us ten seconds to read the question
I was honeslty stunned with the online course having a module to complete BEFORE the offical class start date. Dropping this class was the best choice for my mental health. This is NOT for anyone who has difficulty with huge workload (espically ADHD). Was so dissiponted because the material was interesting just did not have enough time.
I really enjoyed this professor for my A&P I class. Although she is very strict on deadlines, she does offer lots of extra credit. Her tests can be difficult and long but if you do all of the work she suggests and actually watch/write her note lectures, you'll do just fine.
If you're considering taking BIO1511 with Professor Smith, do yourself a favor, don't.
I thought Ms. Smith was a great teacher. Her lecture videos really explained the content of the class. The class is a lot of work, but that is to expect for any Anatomy and Physiology class. If you put in the work needed you will have no trouble getting a good grade. She is always willing to answer any question you have.
This professor was suggested by a friend who later told me that she was joking and ended with, "At least you will learn A Lot". Kerry states on the 1st class, (and I agree) this will be a hard class but if you do what is required, it WILL pay off in the future. After taken the class 10 years ago, I utilize my AnP Knowledge on a daily basis. TY, KS!
I highly recommend taking this course with professor Smith, lots of homework and extra credit to bump up your grade. Exams aren't that bad since they're online w/ open notes, labs are laid back she just tells you what to do and it's your job to get it done. Lots of study resources. Relatable lectures.
She's okay..I suggest to just observe and really pay attention to the material. For lab she gives instructions and lets you work on your own time and you can leave whenever you finish which was nice. 1 thing i hated was that i was never able to finish her online exams due to not having a lot of time but ig the extra credits made up for them.
This was a difficult class, you really need to have a lot of time to dedicate to it. She does give an easier grading scale and a bunch of extra credit which is what saved my grade. The smartbook assignments take a long time but are so worth it. I also like that you're able to work ahead if you want to.
This class was the easiest class I've ever had. All the answers to the hw and tests are online and the exams aren't even proctored. I used socratic the entire class, got the 4.0, and don't remember even one thing from it. Even the ec questions were on quizlet and chegg. No matter what take your bio class with her
Professor Smith is tough. There is a lot of work, but if you truly apply yourself you can do it. I recommend you take advantage of all extra credit assignments. I had her online, so I can't speak to how she may be in person. She may not be for everyone, but she was great for me.
This course is not your typical lecture and lab on top of that she is not your typical professor. Lectures are prerecorded so the scheduled lecture is more a Q&A. The cool thing about lectures is that she gives out worksheets that help prepare the class for exams. She is hilarious but stern at the same time, really funny.
I am so glad that I chose to take Anatomy and Physiology 1 with Professor Smith! This is a difficult class - She reminds you the first week that this course requires lots of studying and reading on your own time! If you manage your time well and stay on top of work, you will do just fine in this class! I would love to take more classes with her.
Kerry Smith is a very thorough professor. She gives very informative and relevant lectures that really help with doing the homework assignments and the weekly quizzes. I would highly recommend taking her online asynchronous class! There is also extra credit every week if you choose to do it to boost your ending grade.
I usually never have problems with teachers, but she is very rude and unprofessional.
This course was taken in the 7 week format, therefore it was a lot. I took notes for every chapter from her power points,utilized quizlet,and primarily focused on the homework! Exams are long, but manageable. Overall, great experience. I would have ended with an A had I completed all of the extra credit, so be sure you do so!
I took this class in 2009, prerequisite to RN program. Yes she was HARD and challenged you, but she was there to answer every question and wanted you to learn. I have since graduated and practiced in Many areas (med/surg, TBI case mngt, Rehab, Dialysis and Public Health) and there hasn't been a job I've done where I didn't appreciate Kerry Smith.
By far the worst instructor I've ever had in my life. She could be replaced with an AI and the class would actually be easier. Do not expect any clarification, mercy for late or missed assignments, dont even bother watching recorded lectures because its just her reading off of slides. This course had me debating my career choice entirely
This class is HARD no matter who teaches it. Professor Kerry assigns a LOT of homework, but it really helps you understand the material. Class that will consume a significant amount of your time, and she will make that clear from the first day. If you're not good at organizing your time, this class is definitely not for you.
Her class is intense. Lots of in class activities. She is rude, told me with my lack of confidence that I would not make it into nursing school, jokes on her I'm almost finished with nursing school.
Please understand, everyone learns differently so take these ratings with a grain of salt. However, with that being said, Kerry is great. I took an expedited course, it was challenging but definitely achievable. If you're planning to coast thru this class, find another teacher. Study and you'll be fine.
This course is difficult period. I wish I would've taken this course with someone else because I didn't feel like my questions were welcome and literally had to teach myself. Her lecture videos don't further explain anything, it's just her reading the slide. Save your money or take with someone else.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.66 avg changeRatings by Course
26302640
5.0
(3)BIO1510
4.0
(6)2630
3.6
(5)BIO1600
3.1
(8)BIO1511
2.8
(20)Difficulty by Course
APBIO
5.0
BIO2630A1502
5.0
BIOLOGY
5.0
AP
5.0
BMS250
5.0