4.5
Quality3.4
Difficulty81%
Would Retake95
Reviews81%
Would Retake
95
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
78
4
9
3
1
2
0
1
7
What Students Say
“She is very funny and engaging”
BIO10 - 5.0 rating“Kirsten is an amazing bio teacher”
BIO10 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.33 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO25
5.0
(5)BIO1
5.0
(1)BIOBIO
5.0
(2)BIO6306
5.0
(1)BIOLO100
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
BIO3962
5.0
BIOBIO
4.0
BIOLO100
4.0
BIO9328
4.0
BIO100
4.0
Reviews (95)
Kirsten made the experience of something that should have been exhausting, relaxing. Fun field trips to the beaches and extremely cool labs! She couldn't have broken things down any easier. The tests are simple and explanitory. A few writing assignments, but not a headache! Her enthusiasm for marine life shows with her big smile.
Nice person and I know she cares about her students, but her labs were a waste of time. I enjoyed her lectures, she's very clear and easy to understand but the labs need to be reevaluated. Some days you finished early and on other labs, you wouldn't have enough time. Very few of the labs felt "organized" in regards to the time restraints.
Great, well planned lectures, gives reviews, always there for you when you need help.
This was the best teacher i have ever had. She is very effective with her lectures and she tells you exactly what you need to do to pass the class. She is also willing to help you when you have questions. You have to read and listen to the lectures in order to pass the tests, but her teaching style is very clear and organized. I highly recommend he
Kirsten is an excellent teacher. She is very knowledgable about Biology and is clear at the same time. I highly reccomend her!
This lady knows her stuff! She's ALWAYS willing to answer questions. She gives quizzes almost every class to prepare you for the exams; which is very helpful. She's a superb lecturer, and great for lab also! You'll love biology once you see her enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject.
Couldn't have asked for a better teacher! If you don't mind working for your "A" this is a GREAT class. Kristen is always prepared for her lectures(which I love) and conveys material with incredable clarity. Her passion for the subject will rub off on you. Why else be in school?
I only had her for half a semester and I absolutely LOVE her teaching style and her preparedness prior to class. Easy to understand, makes material easy to absorb and has a lot of very interesting tidbits about biology which kept us students interested! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed Kirsten's class. She has such a love for biology that its contagious and makes learning allot more enjoyable. Make sure to take good notes because thats what she bases her tests on.
You must take a class from this teacher! She is amazing. If you just need to get a bio requirement done with (although you'll probably want to switch to a bio major after her class), she's great because she's so clear in the concepts, is really organized and is just a great lecturer! I was fascinated the whole time!
WONDERFUL TEACHER. ALSO A VERY NICE PERSON. JUST GO TO CLASS EVERYDAY IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL LIKE ANY SCIENCE CLASS
She is very helpful. If you go in during her office hours she will gladly help you understand anything you need help with. Her lectures are clear and aren't boring. She gives 3 question essays at the beginning of every class. With the lab part of the class Kirsten makes everything interesting and fun. You learn so much from her!
I've had a lot of instructors in my college career, and she was one of the best. She's not cold blooded like a lot of boring professors, she's got a pulse. Better pay attention to her lectures and whatever you do, don't miss classes!
She is an amazing teacher and will help you with anything ... shes extremely clear and knows what shes talking about ... and if you get a low grade on a project or test just talk to her and she will give you extra credit or help you raise it some how theres never homework just study for the test and make sure you go to lab.shes really understanding
A wonderful, engaging and accesible teacher who helped me realize that yes, indeed, I can succeed and excel if I put in the work. Don't take this class if you're looking to cruise-your butt will be royally kicked. However, if your willing to put in the time, the experience is quite rewarding.
Take this class for a cruise...
I really like biology so I enjoyed the class but it was really easy for me. Show up, pay attention, make flash cards and you'll breeze through it. I learned a far amount but buying the book was a waste of money. She's really nice and super clear with her lectures. I recommend her for any bio class.
This teacher is incredible. She explain things very well and is extremely helpful. She really loves the subject and her passion is contagious. It's not an easy subject, but she does her best to help her students understand it.
very helpful, very passionate about water related issues. Easy to get a hold of , willing to go the extra mile to help you understand. make sure you do your homework it will be on quiz.
The classes pace is accelerated. Each and every class, fresh new material is introduced and isn't covered again (usually). It is very important to come to each and every lecture and lab. Kiersten is clean about the demands and expectations of the class. If you put out the effort, it is not hard to get a decent grade. She's hot and dresses to impress
Im currently in one of her classes and although i bombed the first test shes really helpful and loves what she does. I'd take her again, its not her fault that biology is really hard. :)
Dr. Swinstrom is brilliant, organized and prompt. She can go fast during the lectures because there is a lot of material to cover--she expects students to come to class having already read the chapter that she'll lecture on.2 chapters of reading per week. Web quizzes on those chapters due that Sun. 4 lecture exams. cumulative final. 3 lab tests.
Really amazing teacher! She knows her stuff and is very helpful. If you miss class or aren't a very fast writer she always puts the lectures online. Super great class :) loved it
Amazing teacher. I highly recommend her class. I'm still in her class (ends in 2 weeks), taking the summer course. She explains everything and is very nice. Highly highly highly recommend her. Best teacher I've had at SRJC so far.
Kirsten is an excellent teacher. She is very passionate about Biology, and I loved that about her. She is very clear in lecture and lab. Makes the class as easy as she can, given it's not the easiest clas. I took the class over summer, and overall I enjoyed the class and especially Kirsten as a teacher and as a person! Highly recommend!
She knows her stuff and is very clear, I cannot deny that. That aspect of the class was great. What frustrated me was how inconsistent her tests were. One test would be so hard it felt like it wasn't written in English then the next test the class average would be 90%. That is my only complaint though, I would recommend her.
Awesome teacher! I took her class for the summer semester. 3 lecture multiple choice exams, 3 lab exams and cumilative final. Quizes are online. If you put some effort and time for study, you'll get an A. Kirsten has a very positive attitude and always available to help you one-on-one. Take her!
Bio is a hard class and theres no getting around that but she is such a great teacher! She wants you to pass and will take any question, no matter what it is. I recommend her to anyone!
Before this class I had little interest in biology. After I wanted to a Bio Major. Kirsten has a true passion for biology which shows through in her teaching. She expects you to be present and ready to learn. I recommend her to anyone that is looking for a great teacher who loves to help you learn.
Fabulous teacher - a smile that goes on forever. Enthusiastic about her subject, very knowledgeable in her field, helpful - a grea professor to have BIO10 with!
Thi teacher is super nice. Im so glad i took bio with her. She knew her stuff. She is so friendly
I took bio 100 and 10 from Kirsten. I loved taking both of them from her. I was new to the world of Bio before taking her class. Through her I feel in love with the subject matter. She is extremely passionate about the subject matter and is very helpful for those that truly want to learn.
Ms. Swinstrom is a very good teacher. The class is a bit challenging, however she makes sure you understand the stuff and helps you individually till you get it. She is very nice and one of the best teachers at the JC. I reccommend her class.
She is very clear and consistent. I Never took a biology class before, or highschool science and I am managing an A in her class. The material is very hard but she makes it very doable if you do the work and follow instructions. She's helpful! I suggest doing the reading and frequent study groups. Study a few hours weekly, and weeks before exams.
Kirsten is so awesome, truly one of the greatest instructors I've had throughout my college experience. She is incredibly knowledgeable & offers a lot to her students through the passion she has for the subject. She is always willing to help, & is super clear regarding descriptions of material you need to learn. She's a gem, take 1 of her classes!!
Kirsten is an amazing teacher. She is very clear with the material and helpful. I read the chapters before lecture and that seemed to help. The reviews she gives for her tests are whats on the test, no trick questions. Pretty easy A however science is my strong area. I highly recommend Kirsten even if science isn't your interest.
Amazing teacher. Very hard, but she tells you what you need to do to succeed and if you do it (it's a LOT) you can get an A. There are always tricky questions on the tests, but if you know your material, you will do fine. Ask questions, go to office hours, stay for the full lab and make sure you understand each question and you will do just fine.
She is a great teacher!
Kirsten is the best teacher I honestly have ever had. She is so passionate about Biology, is so knowledgeable, and is so kind on top of that. She's always willing to help you, is very clear and patient. She expects you to know your stuff, but her lectures are extremely helpful, and there are no trick questions on tests. TAKE HER class! :)
Ms. Swinstrom is a marvelous teacher! Easily one of the best teachers I've ever had. She is always willing to help you and makes sure you're on page with the rest of the class. I would LOVE to take a class with her again. Also, she is extremely good looking!!! (Might make it a little difficult to concentrate on what she is saying.)
Mrs. Swinstrom is a great teacher but her class is really hard! Your grade depends solely on tests, and the tests are hard believe me! You have to really step up to your game if you want to succeed in her class. I say go for it!
Kirsten obviously loves Biology and it definitely shows during her class sessions. She's reliable and helpful and really wants her students to succeed. I am now 10X more interested in Biology than I was prior to taking her class.
Kirsten is a great teacher (she is interesting, she knows her stuff, she is approachable, she has a flaming chili....). I would not say this class is hard if you pay attention. She even tells you some questions that will be on the test suring lecture. Very fun, very nice, very intelligent, TAKE HER :)
Kirsten is really organized, sweet, and SMART! She knows what she is talking about. This was my first science class out of high school. I found it challenging but if you put in the work you will get an A. We had around 6 Lecture exams and 6 lab exams. Clicker questions in class so read before going or you will lose points.
Kirstin is a great teacher, she reaffirmed my love for bio (bio major here btw). Her class was pretty easy. You do have to study though but the tests werent too hard. i wish i had gone to more of her office hours because she's really helpful outside of class. its easy to get lost in bio sometimes so make sure you keep asking her questions!
I have a B.A. (non-science) and am going into medical field. She is by far the best professor I have had, and that's counting college. I would highly recommend her. Come to class prepared to learn. She is passionate about her subject and is super smart. Wish she could teach all my science courses!
I just love Swinstrom. Her class was so much fun. She's sweet and funny, and a really good teacher. You can tell she's very passionate and knowledgeable about her subject. Lots of field trips for Marine Bio, which are tons of fun. I highly recommend this teacher.
Passionate, more than helpful, loves to teach, absolutely gorgeous, inspiring. Unless science in general comes naturally to you; you must work for your grade. I am more interested in Biology now than I was before. Take her class, she will be a teacher to remember and thank afterwards and years to come.
Ms Swin is the best biology teacher, especially for marine biology, she is so knowledgeable gets the information to students effectively and can answer all your questions. Take lots of notes and study well and this class is an easy A, also final is nearly all review with some new info. Overall she is great! and pretty cute!;)
She is an amazing teacher and I highly recommend taking any of her classes. Before taking Marine Bio I took her BIO 10 class and loved that also. Marine Bio was easier after already taking BIO 10 and it seemed like people who hadn't had Bio knowledge didn't succeed as well. As long and you show up to class/ field trips and listen you can succeed!
I thought that she was a great teacher though she is difficult she wants to see her students succeed and even offers private tutoring to those who want it.
Kirsten is AMAZING! She is so passionate about what she's teaching. Of course this is a hands on course and Bio is tricky. You need to show up to understand the material. She does not throw any curveballs on the tests but most of the questions will reflect in class work. Lab work is made simpler if you are following along in lecture.
Kirsten is a great teacher. very knowledgeable and informative. little bit of a tough grader though.
Kirsten is a great professor! Her lectures are very interesting and she lets you know the things she wants you to remember. There is a lot of opportunity for extra credit in her class and she is really willing to help students succeed, if they are willing to put in the work. She gives study guides before each exam so there are not surprises.
Kirsten is an awesome Bio professor. She grades fairly, offers extra credit, and is very organized. She clearly loves Biology (Marine Bio is her specialty) and makes each subject covered interesting. I had her for Bio 100 also and study habits are very important. Be prepared to spend a min. of 10 hours a week for a A or B.
She is very funny and engaging. Not too hard, and not too easy, kinda fits right there in the middle. The lab exams tended to be harder for me than the written ones were, but YMMV. Needed this for RN school, but I can see how if one didn't need this class as part of a core requirement, lack of motivation would make it hard to succeed in it.
Kirsten is an amazing bio teacher. I had her for 100 and 10. shes super clear, answers questions and very helpful in lab and office hours. If you don't study for exams you wont do well. her test are straightforward and they are all from the lecture. Her study guides are super helpful. Ask a lot of questions.
She is a very interactive with the class, even though her class could easily be death by powerpoint. She is a excellent professor.
The class was great. Kirsten was interested and passionate about the subject. She always took the time to answer questions and was diligent about letting you make up quizzes and tests if you weren't able to make it. She's great.
It's a difficult class make sure not to miss class print out the powerpoints she posts before every class it makes it easier to take notes! She's really passionate about the subject and I feel prepared to take harder classes!
Kirsten was an incredibly fun teacher to have. She is definitely demanding, but really inspires you to work hard and get excited about science. She made the class fun and engaging.
Swinstrom is an amazing teacher and I highly recommend her class. However, you must show up to class, so if you plan on missing class frequently, don't take her class. I haven't read a single chapter of the book and still get A's on the exams. There is online hw that is kind of long, but she gives extra credit questions on all the hw assignments.
Take advantage of her office hours as well as the study group she sets up. Take your time in lab. I also suggest printing her lectures and taking notes of what she says rather then what is in the power point. She is a great teacher but you really have to work for the grade you want.
Kirsten is the only teacher I've ever had to use 100% of her given lecture time, never falter or say 'um', and still be interesting. She is understanding, funny, and very passionate about biology. Weekly online homework + tests every few weeks worth 100 points. Extra credit available. In class clickers are used every class. Definitely recommend.
The best teacher I have ever had! She is personable, funny, and so passionate about teaching biology. She is always very prepared, confident, and trying to improve her teaching skills. She requires u to learn some in depth stuff but provides tools to help u succeed. She has on-going curiosity and is an admirable person. She is genuine and solid.
She is such an amazing professor who is so clear about everything. Her lectures are easy to understand, overall an amazing teacher. She's one of those professors who are rooting for you to do well in her class. She gives lots of studying tips for different topics, thorough study guides for every exam, and is so incredibly patient.
Swinstrom is by far the best science teacher I have ever had. Her lectures are amazing and explains everything very thoroughly. Her teaching style is very unique, but great. She makes sure all her students are prepared for lecture exams and lab exams plus everything in-between. Homework load is very light in comparison to most science classes.
Amazing teacher! I took a BIO class with another instructor a couple semesters ago and failed. Was nervous about retaking this course, but once I got a bit into the semester I realized how much the teacher made a difference. She really helped me understand the concepts and grasp them. I am so grateful I was able to take her course! Recommend!
She was so great. A great speaker! I feel like she made the material interesting in class. I loved the clicker questions !!!! She really made the material interesting! Also shes really sweet and soft spoken :)
She was super cool ! I almost developed a teacher crush.... Very articulate, personable , and sweet!!! I could see she was definitely for the students passing !! Very fair and really caring for her students!
I would NOT recommend, she laughed when I asked her a question.
One of the best teachers I've had at the SRJC. She is kind, caring, concise, and genuinely seems to care about her job and her students. She does things in a timely manner and her lectures are not only clear, but easily accessible. But, don't be tricked, her class is difficult, and you will need to study and take good notes to get a good grade.
hands down one of the best teachers here. take her if you get the chance! lectures are super clear and clicker questions are easy points that really help in understanding. don't slack on the online hw its really easy and helps your grade a lot! there's lots of extra credit too so do it because it really helps in the end. textbook reinforces lecture
AMAZING. One of the hardest classes I've ever taken, but Professor Swinstrom is an incredible teacher. She has tips and tricks on how to be successful in her class, offers extra credit, and although attendance isn't technically required, you will lose points. Fun stories, clear direction, and very kind.
Shes such an amazing teacher. The class requires a lot of reading and understanding the topic and she makes it so much easier in the lectures, so always go to the lectures. She also gives study questions at the end of each lecture which helps so much for the tests and the final. So always do those!
she was very passive aggressive and i didn't find her helpful during office hours, i would not recommend.
Not very helpful. Makes you look dumb.
Not very helpful. Pointless to go in for office hours.
She is the best teacher Ive had. Her lectures are crystal clear. Her study questions are golden. If you understand all her study questions, you will get an A. As I take my prenursing classes, I cannot help but wish she was my teacher for every class. I learned SO much from her class and the way she taught!
Her slides are very scarce. Everything that is on the quizzes is said verbally, once. She "recommended" a textbook that's not an actual textbook and not consistent with the content she actually teaches throughout the semester.
Kirsten is the best professor I have had at the JC so far. Her lectures are amazing. She is very organized, lectures very well structured and clear. Study guides are super helpful, not easy to answer but if you work hard, rewrite your notes, check your answers with her, you will succeed in this class. BEST BIO 10 teacher!!!!
I miss Professor Kirsten. She is caring, kind, a wonderful person and hands down the BEST PROFESSOR! I learned so much with her. Take her!
Best professor at the JC! Not an easy class but I am pretty sure youll love to have Kirsten as your professor.
Very passive aggressive. wont help during office hours. very rude. the ONLY "C" i got in my WHOLE college career was with her. Back then I won the biology fair in our whole college and she still managed to find a way to give me a A- on our project and a C in her class. I highly do not recommend.
Best Bio 10 teacher!!! Not an easy class. Do the study guides and homework and you will be fine .
If I could of dropped out of this class for another teacher I would. She made it SO difficult to make an appointment with her office hours, I taught myself the entire semester. She also made it so hard to speak to her after class, she always had a condescending tone and any questions I asked I felt dumb.
Her lectures were easy to follow and she was great at explaining confusing concepts. Very understanding of being overwhelmed with other classes. The best science teacher I have ever had.
Kirsten is an amazing professor. She's super sweet, helpful, understanding. She's fun and isn't boring. Labs are hard to retake so it's better to not skip them. Her lectures are thorough and what she teaches are on the exams. She also gives ton of extra credit opportunities. Would recommend her to anyone!
I took this course just. to gain some knowledge, but I was so surprised to learn how attentive she is as a professor. Where feedback is necessary, she gives it and gives you the guidance going forward. Very responsive and timely in responding to anything whether it be a question or something you thought was cool.
Swinstrom was amazing, even just in an online course. Per week, you'd watch videos with imbedded questions, then take a quiz. The videos could be quite long, but were straight to the point and informative and answered all questions on the quizzes. The final is generally simple if you take good notes on each unit.
She is an amazing professor who cares about her students. I took her hybrid class and it was nice being able to rewatch the lectures. She provides a study guide for every exam, which is really helpful. The class is hard, but if you put in the work you'll do fine. I'm a single mom of 2 young kids working full time and I dedicated 10+ hours a week.
Swinstrom is the best professor I've ever had at the SRJC! She made Bio 2.2 very interesting and simple. She's clear on what will be on the exams & her lectures are engaging and straight forward. She is super caring and available to answer questions in class/office hours. Do the work, you will do great in her class :)
Kirsten is a sweet and understanding professor. I enjoyed her lectures and whenever a concept needed clarification, she'd be more than happy to explain further. I loved her having learning objectives for each lecture which served as a study guide to prepare you for the exams. I do wish I put more time into the class, which reflects my grade.
An amazing professor who made a challenging course easier due to her kindness and understanding.
Professor Swinstrom was amazing! She is very caring and kind and was ready to excuse me when I got sick for an exam. This class, and I believe all the Bio 2.2 classes, are graded mostly on exams and projects, so make sure to keep up and STUDY!!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.33 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO25
5.0
(5)BIO1
5.0
(1)BIOBIO
5.0
(2)BIO6306
5.0
(1)BIOLO100
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
BIO3962
5.0
BIOBIO
4.0
BIOLO100
4.0
BIO9328
4.0
BIO100
4.0