2.9

L Cui

Physics - University of Maryland, Baltimore County

2.9
Quality
3.7
Difficulty
90%
Would Retake
118
Reviews
2.9
Quality
3.7
Difficulty
2.9
Helpful
2.7
Clarity

90%

Would Retake

118

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

34

4

18

3

9

2

29

1

28

What Students Say

Professor Cui's class is very straightforward

PHYS111 - 5.0 rating

Otherwise, she is great

PHY121 - 4.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

100%

Textbook Required

67%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

74% confidence
Based on 8 grades
Most common grades:
A (3)
A+ (3)
Not sure yet (1)
Grade Distribution
A(6)B(1)C(0)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(1)
Based on 9 reported grades
A: 3
A+: 3
Not sure yet: 1
B+: 1
Common Tags
Clear grading criteria (5)
Gives good feedback (4)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (4)
Participation matters (3)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (2)
Skip class? You won't pass. (2)
Hilarious (2)
Caring (1)
Rating Trend

Improving

+0.88 avg change
May
May
Jun
Nov
Jan
Nov
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

PHYS121H

5.0

(1)

PHYSICS121

5.0

(1)

PHYS112

4.4

(8)

PHYS111

4.1

(15)

PHY112

4.0

(1)
+7 more courses
Difficulty by Course

PHY122

5.0

PHYS122

4.2

PHYS121

3.9

PHY121

3.6

PHY112

3.0

Reviews (118)
5.0
3.0
PHYS111
Sep 17, 2006

No Comments

5.0
1.0
PHYS112
Nov 21, 2006

She is beautiful.

5.0
3.0
PHYS111
Nov 25, 2006

all her lecture notes are online and is extremely helpful ... curves if class does really bad, you're allowed a notecard on all exams and quizzes, quizzes can sometimes be open-neighbor

4.0
3.0
PHY112
Nov 26, 2006

Very Beautiful (Lucy Liu?). Her English is HORRIBLE, but she tries. Her exams are fair, but the explanations for some of the stuff is confusing as hell. Just gotta read and review and study really hard. It also sucks that her classes are all 8AM classes. But her beauty can be a terrible distraction to keeping your eyes on the powerpoint.

5.0
1.0
PHYS111
Dec 3, 2006

Good, straightforward, easy class. Like a good teacher her first and foremost goal is to make sure you know the material, not that you can pass her tests. Although her English isn't perfect, it makes no hinderence. She has no problems explaining concepts, and does so with enthusiasm.

2.0
4.0
PHYS111
Dec 16, 2006

she makes it hard to not fail but i managed to do it somehow. I had trouble understanding her, but shes very pleasant. Read the text, understand it, take advantage of all the extra stuff she gives out, do the hw, and youll pass the class with flying colors.

2.0
4.0
PHYS111
Dec 23, 2006

Very nice professor, has an accent, but it doesn't usually interfere. The quizzes were a mixture of hard & very easy ones, some of them had tricks that no one got. The tests were very difficult & the level of difficulty did not match up between hws, notes, quizzes and tests. PP slides very helpful, although her explanations weren't always clear

5.0
2.0
PHYS111
Apr 25, 2007

Pretty easy prof. She knows her stuff. Gives HW 3 times a week, quiz about once a week and exam about every 2 1/2 weeks. So you cannot take breaks. But if you do the work, guranteed grade 75%=B!!

5.0
1.0
PHYS112
Oct 29, 2007

Lili is the cutest and best prof ever! She does have a bit of an accent. Just like in math you have to do the homework problems and understand them if you want to do well - of course she is always ready to help explain things if you are confused. She plays music to start her class and has cartoons at the end of her slides - all physics related.

5.0
2.0
PHYS112
Nov 3, 2007

Very good preofessor. Alwyas willing to help and very enthusiatic about physics. I never took physics in high school, and got A's with her in 111 and 112. Has a slight accent, but still easy to understand. Gives a LOT of homework, but stay on top of it, and you'll get an A.

5.0
3.0
PHYS111
Dec 29, 2007

Extremely organized, and very helpful teacher. Gives lots of assignments for both homework and lab, but it's necessary to really understand the material. Overall, one of the best professors I've had at UMBC.

5.0
2.0
PHYS111
Jan 2, 2008

In the beginning, everyone was scared b/c they did poorly on the tests, but once we all figured out what her teaching style and testing style was, for the most part people did fine.

2.0
5.0
PHYS111
Jan 10, 2008

Very difficult class if you are not good at Physics. Ask for help if you need it, she'll give it.

5.0
3.0
PHYS112
May 22, 2008

You're pretty much guaranteed a B unless you're retarded. Work hard and you'll get the A.

5.0
2.0
PHYS111
Aug 11, 2008

She is a really good teacher I had her for 111-112. Her exams are straight out of the book examples, and she makes it clear exactly what is going to be on the test. Her lectures are also very clear and the only problem might be her accent, but even that is not so bad. If you do practice problems and actually study, this is an easy class. Next

5.0
4.0
PHYS111
Aug 26, 2008

her accent is such that she doesn't pronounce hard syllables well, so if you have trouble hearing, sit up front! Assigns lots of homework online. I had to use the book extensively to figure out homework. Exams aren't terrible; usually problems are straight out of class or homework. Very nice lady and easy to talk to! Too bad labs are a bore.

1.0
5.0
PHYS111
Aug 27, 2008

She was helpful in the beginning of the semester, but she always told the class how terrible we were doing. She would tell us what would be on the exam, and in the end it's something we've never seen before. If you have to take this class take it with someone else.

2.0
5.0
PHYS122
Sep 15, 2008

Difficult to understand sometimes, needs to get a better mic, constant static booming from a pos mic gives you a headache by end of class, does not assign hw to be due on the same day of the week, which makes it hard to plan accordingly

2.0
5.0
PHYS122
Sep 15, 2008

Difficult to understand sometimes, needs to get a better mic, constant static booming from a pos mic gives you a headache by end of class, does not assign hw to be due on the same day of the week, which makes it hard to plan accordingly

2.0
4.0
PHY121
Oct 5, 2008

Avoid! She doesn't give a care about her students at all. If you have a question for her, the best thing she can tell you do is to go ask a classmate....tests are entirely too long and difficult for the time you are allowed to take them.... no heads up about what types of problems to do...my first class at umbc and I am entirely unimpressed.....

3.0
5.0
PHYS121
Oct 14, 2008

Hard exams. Hard class.

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Oct 28, 2008

Even though she keeps saying "I do care for all of you guys," she never cares for her students at all. She doesn't accept early homework turned in at her office a day earlier than the due date. Whenever you ask her a question, she will say go talk to your classmate. Stupid lengthy exam problems for 50 min. Her TAs do not help either. Don't take CUI

2.0
5.0
PHYS122
Nov 2, 2008

Very knowledgeable but doesn't communicate well with students. homework due on random days, tests are hard, homework is hard. many of the students ended up hating her, but i think there was just a lack of communication. do not take if you are looking for an A or a B. and do not talk in her class, she hates that.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
Nov 16, 2008

Cui is just the worst. She is incomprehensible on multiple fronts: her accent is hard to understand, her microphone is usually off and her grammar is terrible. She is petty and will hold grudges, and most of what she teaches has no bearing on the tests given. Do not take this class if you want a good grade or you want to learn anything.

2.0
4.0
PHYS121
Nov 17, 2008

Gets frustrated easily.Acts like a highschool teacher in class, will stop the class if she hears someone talking.CPS use in class.I learned most of what I know from the TAs in discussion.Dont bother trying to talk to her after class, shell just say you need an appointment or see her during office hours. Will not go out of her way to help you.

2.0
5.0
PHYS121
Nov 18, 2008

I heard good things about her from her 111/112 classes, but she seems kind of overwhelmed for 121 and I've heard the 122 class complain as well. It's not so much she's a bad lecturer as she doesn't know how to teach this class yet, hopefully she'll get better. She does get angry easily, and we go to the class because of stupid CPS requirements.

2.0
4.0
PHYS122
Nov 19, 2008

Very unhelpful. If you ask her to for help, or to slow down in her lectures (she talks VERY fast and does VERY difficult and specialized problems for examples), she'll try to find some nit-picky reason why it's your fault you're not keeping up, and will brush you off if she can't. No help at all, very hard lectures and exams. Does not curve at all.

2.0
5.0
PHYS122
Nov 20, 2008

This teacher has poor grammar and is often unclear. I lost 3 FREEpoints out of 70 on a test because the question was worded poorly. Talked to her for 5 min after class, she admitted in being wrong, but would not give me back credit on test. Unreasonable. Class is extremely difficult if you have no one to help you. Do not take unless your confident

2.0
5.0
PHYS121
Nov 21, 2008

it's her first time teaching calc based and it may just be way too much work for her, she tries making the problem easier but just makes them harder on top of that she changed the text and it sucks so you're pretty much screwed if you have to take 121/122. apparently it just gets worse in 122, so I've heard....

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
Nov 22, 2008

Very hard to understand her English or read her handwriting. Moves through content very quickly and assigns a ton of homework. Her test questions are legit but she covers way too much info in a test (4-5 chapters for 50 min). Often tells students that they should drop the class or change their major.

2.0
5.0
PHYS121
Nov 24, 2008

I cannot stand this woman. Too hard, too much work (Mastering Physics every other day), and the exams were insane. Writing looks like Chinese characters (it looks pretty but hard to read) and gets mad easily. Approached her for help but sent me to the book...which is why I went to her in the first place. Examples/lectures are useless study aids.

2.0
4.0
PHYS121
Nov 24, 2008

Lectures are irrelevant and unhelpful; vast majority of the material learned was from the book which, like most other math textbooks, is awful. Tests are are unreasonably long and she doesn't curve, even with half the class failing.

3.0
5.0
PHYS121
Nov 30, 2008

This woman is a nightmare, do NOT take her class if you can help it. She doesn't go over assignments which wouldn't be so bad if not for the fact that her exams always contain the hardest homework questions she can think of.

1.0
4.0
PHYS121
Nov 30, 2008

If she's genuinely interested in helping students, she's going about it in entirely the wrong ways.

5.0
1.0
PHY121
Dec 4, 2008

She taught very well and she is also helpful when you need help.

4.0
4.0
PHYS122
Dec 12, 2008

her first time teaching 122. bad at first, and is improving. exams derived from mastering physics and discussion. holds review sessions. clicker attendance used, for grade. slight accent. powerpoint based lectures. arrogant at times and moves too fast if class doesn't stop her. does not curve, 250/400 = c. lots of mast phys. she's improving.

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Dec 18, 2008

This woman is toxic, and just about the worst teacher I have ever had in my life. She is incomprehensible, and she possibly imparts negative knowledge onto her students. She is unpredictable and quick to anger. Her curve is not reflective on both the difficulty of the class and her teaching ability. I would honestly state that if you have to take a

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Dec 18, 2008

Something needs to be done about this class. I thought it was bad with Anderson, but I was so wrong.

5.0
1.0
PHYS121
Dec 25, 2008

She's a wonderful teacher. Don't know what's up with the previous reviews but her class is definitely doable. Her exams questions are literally what she goes over in class or assigns in the homework so it's kinda shocking how angry people are towards her. The curve could be a little better maybe an 86 or 87 being an A but aside from that it's fine.

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Dec 29, 2008

Cui was not a flexible professor, and she was a horrible communicator. Both of these aspects, combined with the fact that the class was at 8:00 am meant that an abnormal amount of effort was required to understand fairly basic material. Her erratic and ornery nature also made it difficult to predict what the tests would be on, and resulted in the f

1.0
5.0
PHY121
Jan 2, 2009

Anyone on here that is rating this disgrace to teachers everywhere with good things to say about her is honestly sucking up completely. I got an A in Cui's class but it was only because I had algebra physics, and am able to teach myself very well. This class with her will break your spirits, drown you with inadequacy, and make you doubt yourself.

4.0
4.0
PHYS121
Jan 26, 2009

Don't Slack Off in the Begining, SHE will make you pay for it. She does not show mercy when it comes to grading. You earn what you get.

4.0
4.0
PHYS121
Jan 27, 2009

Dr. Cui has a slight accent but it is not bad. Her tests were hard but you will do well if you have a good understanding of the subject material. The mastering physics homework is helpful but it can get monotonous. The discussion gets boring at times but it helps with concepts. Overall Dr. Cui is not as bad as some typed. She just needs to relax.

2.0
5.0
PHYS121
Mar 11, 2009

Not enough time for the sizable exams, but they were always graded by the next day. Lots of homework with inconsistent deadlines. She is completely and utterly unwilling to compromise with students on anything. Mandatory attendance was unnecessary torture, especially with the long discussion sections.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
Apr 5, 2009

Dr Cui is very temperamental. She is often unapproachable and it is difficult to understand her accent. Her exams are never written good.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
Apr 8, 2009

Her third exam was written soooo badly. Her teaching style is a mess. Just take 122 at the community college or settle for phys 112 with Anderson because you'll regret ever taking 122.

3.0
5.0
PHYS122
Apr 9, 2009

she's an okay teacher

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Apr 9, 2009

Sounds like she has marbles in her mouth. Clicker questions aren't graded, which is good b/c they're impossible. You will live on the discussion board, which is where you'll get your answers to how to do the HW from other students. My advice is to print it out and take it everywhere in case you run into someone else who knows how to do it.

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Apr 9, 2009

WARNING!! DOES NOT CURVE! Lets you use index cards on exams though, although I doubt that'll help you. She gets irritated if you have a laptop and you're not in the front 3 rows. If you don't memorize equations in this class, you're screwed. Lecture won't help you. Try to make friends with the nerd who does all of the online HW early.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
Apr 9, 2009

I realized that I made the biggest mistake taking this class with Dr Cui. I now know why everyone who repeated physics 122 from the fall 08 semester retook it at the community college.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
Apr 10, 2009

I'm nearly certain that I am a better physicist than "Dr" Cui already, and this is my second physics class. I ended up teaching 10 to 15 people at a time outside of class because of her shi*** teaching abilities. She is truely the worst teacher I have ever had the misfortune of listening to. If you can teach yourself everything - go for it.

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Apr 12, 2009

Dr. Cui is not good at teaching physics. You will have to teach yourself the majority of the material by reading the book and working on the online homework. The discussion board is very helpful, but Dr. Cui -- not so much. She is not a very approachable professor, and is temperamental.

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Apr 12, 2009

She is not good at teaching physics. You will have to learn the majority of the subject by reading the text and by using the discussion board for online homework. She is not a very approachable professor and often seems to be temperamental. She herself is not helpful -- although she mentions that she is willing to help you.

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Apr 12, 2009

She is not good at teaching physics. You will have to learn the majority of the subject by reading the text and by using the discussion board for online homework. She is not a very approachable professor and seems to be temperamental. She herself is not helpful -- although she mentions that she is willing to help you, it sure doesn't seem that way.

4.0
1.0
PHYS121
Apr 14, 2009

Her lecture notes are helpful with lots of examples and explains the concept clearly. She is not that friendly in the lecture but if you go to her after class she is happy to assist her students. She takes interest into the students. The discussion for the class might seem useless but it provides a better understanding of the concept.

3.0
5.0
PHYS121
Apr 29, 2009

I learn the most from the text, homework,discussion section and lecture in that order. Unfortunately the lectures are difficult to follow with the professor's accent and the noise of 275+ students. Her review sessions (with less than 50 students) are much easier to follow. Also, 50 minutes is not long enough to take a physics exam.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
May 2, 2009

I think that Mandarin 101 should be a pre-req for this course because the teacher can neither speak english nor write english. This makes her exams very difficult to follow.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
May 7, 2009

I expect to be able to get an A in every course, even the ones like Physics 122, for which I don't have the talent or discipline to succeed. My only satisfaction is to anonymously rage, like a barking dog, at my prof on RateMyProfessor.

5.0
1.0
PHYS122
May 25, 2009

Even though she moves through the material quite quickly in class lectures, I still feel that she teaches quite well. She grades exams with lightning speed and she posts the solutions to the mp homeworks, both of which are helpful.

2.0
4.0
PHYS122
Jul 15, 2009

Let's start with saying I got an A in 121 and 122 so this is objective. Very good at grading things on time. Discussion board is extremely useful and mastering physics while a pain is hwere a lot of exam questions come from. Class is a waste, she is hard to understand and class material is not on exams at all. No curve, if possible avoid

2.0
5.0
PHY122
May 25, 2009

Dr. Cui is a horrible professor. I am a Biochemistry major going to my senior year at UMBC. I always take 18 credits and get straight A's. I did pretty well in all the exams, but I fell short with 2 points. I went to her office hours to see if I can earn my points back, but she didn't gave me 2 points so I can get an A in class. You have to wo

2.0
4.0
PHYS122
Jul 20, 2009

Took both 121 and 122...avoid her if you can. you would feel like you are in high school. class is useless. book is the best thing. without Discussion board, Mastering Physics is impossible. gives too much homework. most of it is very hard. no curve for a hard class. AVOID

1.0
4.0
PHYS121
Aug 15, 2009

She is a terrible professor; even when I approached her after class, she couldn't explain anything. But if you read the textbook (do the example questions) and get help for Mastering Physics, the class itself isn't that bad. Definitely look over old exams as well.

1.0
5.0
PHYS122
Oct 23, 2009

Incomprehensible. This class is too hard for her to teach, at least well. Consistently asks too many questions on tests. Avoid at all costs.

1.0
5.0
PHY122
Nov 1, 2009

Awful teacher. Assumes that we all have no life like her, and that all we want to do is physics in our free time. Assigns way too much work and very tough grader on exams. Can not relate to students and does not make it a comfortable learning enviroment. She would rather assign work, then to have students actually understand the material. Horrible.

4.0
3.0
PHYSI121
Nov 4, 2009

She's a pretty good teacher. Yeah, she has a Chinese accent, you can still understand here though. Her tests are pretty easy if you know the material, or if you just read the book. Half the test comes from here slides, so all you have to do is pay attention in class.

5.0
4.0
PHYS121
Nov 12, 2009

Lili Cui is an excellent professor! She's dealing with a typical class of 250 students, yes every time I've gone to her office hours for help, she has sat down with me for fifteen or twenty minutes and really HELPED me until I understood the concept. She helps in a way that is not condescending or mean. Highly recommended!

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Nov 23, 2009

Calculus based physics does not contain any calculus, poorly organized information, presentation is cut and paste from the text book.

4.0
3.0
PHYS121
Dec 3, 2009

There's a lot of homework, but you need to do it in order to understand the material. That's how intense science classes like chemistry and physics work. You won't be able to understand anything until you've practiced it over and over again. Lili is a fine teacher, and everybody on here needs to calm down and get tutors to help them out.

4.0
5.0
PHYS121
Dec 5, 2009

She is very nice but I do not recommend.She teaches well enough, but she is unrealistic in her expectations.Exams would be manageable but they are WAY TOO LONG for the time allotted.Throws in 1 random thing each exam which automatically drops exam score to a B.Other classes will suffer b/c all time is spent meeting basic requirements of her class

2.0
5.0
PHYS122
Dec 17, 2009

Very Hard Class. Attendance is mandatory and checked via clickers. Grading scale is modified total points, and if you miss 50 points on ANYTHING all semester you can't get an A. She treats her class like they were a bunch of unruly middle school kids. Discussion don't help and are boring. Mastering physics is hard, but helpful. Avoid if possible.

4.0
5.0
PHYS122
Dec 18, 2009

She's a very intelligent and talented professor, but unfortunately it is hard to relate such abstract material as effectively as other teachers when English isn't your first language. This is a tough class. She is lenient in her "curve," and if you put the work in, you'll do alright.

2.0
5.0
PHYS122
Jan 21, 2010

Incredibly hard. Take somewhere else if the option is available to you!

2.0
4.0
PHYS121
Jan 25, 2010

used to love physics, she made me hate physics now

1.0
5.0
PHY121
Mar 12, 2010

worst teacher ever...

1.0
5.0
PHYS121
Mar 12, 2010

Sucks @$$. The best time I had in her class is when she was out for 2 week and we had Dr. Wolchesky. "You probably ask, Lili why you do that?" UGH!!!! Good news was changing over to teaching 111 and 112, bad news... I still have her for the rest of the semester.

2.0
5.0
PHYS121
Mar 25, 2010

I agree with the previous poster. The best 2 weeks of class ever. Mastering Physics is not fun at all. We don't learn enough beforehand, especially now that we're behind. I hate this class and I used to love physics.

3.0
4.0
PHYS122
Apr 10, 2010

She is definitely not one of UMBC's finer teachers. I attribute her lack of clarity more to her lack of understanding than to her accent. Overall you are not likely to come out of either of these two classes with more interest than you went in with, and regardless of your grade a little piece of your soul die in that class. Take it with Anderson

3.0
4.0
PHYS122
Apr 19, 2010

Was not the greatest experience ever....she's really into physics and all but clarity of these advance concepts doesnt come easy in the class. My opinion, if you dont seek outside resources for help, you'll fail

2.0
5.0
PHYS121
Apr 28, 2010

A professor that is interested in what she is teaching but not easily understood. The accent is not what makes it hard to understand the material. The lack of explanation and rushed problems are what confuse the entire class. Overall this class put me into a state of depression. Try to avoid this professor if possible.

3.0
4.0
PHYS122
May 16, 2010

She explains the basic concepts decently, but doesn't explain how to actually solve a problem. She usually gets behind in lecture, so at the end, she writes like 5 equations on the board with no explanation. She can be more helpful during office hours, but only if she understands what you're asking. I strongly suggest just reading the book.

4.0
5.0
PHYS122
May 17, 2010

i had her for 121 and 122. i've always hated physics, but i don't think anyones given her fair ratings. physics isn't something someone can just learn from someone else. it requires a lot of practice. her exams are fair and so is her grading. i'm have a C but i'm not gonna blame her when i don't spend much time trying. she really does care.

3.0
2.0
PHYS122
May 19, 2010

Overall, really not a hard class. Some of the material is hard, and she doesn't explain it very well sometimes, but most who take it only need it for gen ed. Grades are basically curved (if you get at least 80% on class/homework, you get full points), so the only possible way to lose points are tests. Like any class, you have to put time in.

4.0
3.0
PHYS121
Jul 11, 2010

if you do the homework(understand everything) and redo the problems done in class, you'll ace the class. as far as curving goes she curves hw grades only.

2.0
5.0
PHYS121
Aug 25, 2010

First of all her english is horrible. The concepts are hard enough without here enormous accent. Btw she is here on a work visa...get the idea. This will ruin physics for you and the discussion session is 2 hours of hell and you dont get anything out of it except a headache.

4.0
2.0
PHYS121
Nov 8, 2010

Honestly, I don't understand why she is getting negative reviews. If you don't do as well as you'd like, it is probably your fault not hers. She is a great teacher. Her lecture notes are good and her exams are completely fair. Don't be prejudice due to the other reviews. She is great!

4.0
1.0
PHY121H
Mar 16, 2011

Wow her exams are the easiest exams ever! Take the honors section. I'm retaking after withdrawing with Takacs (sp?) who was horrible and this is a breath of fresh air. The exams and homework are actually related to the lectures and what we've been taught, unlike Takacs'.

2.0
3.0
PHYS121
Mar 19, 2011

I can not understand her. Overall, she spends 2/3 of the class talking about the conceptual part and the 1/3 on actual problems. She breezes by the questions and I learned most of the stuff in her class by myself. Avoid her if possible.

1.0
4.0
PHYS121
Apr 23, 2011

I can barely understand anything she says. She doesn't teach very well. She spends most of her time on conceptual questions. When she does do actual problems. she starts off real easy and then all of a sudden the problems get really hard so there's no real learning curve. Her tests are a lot easier than her hw problems and problems in discussion.

5.0
2.0
PHYS121
Sep 10, 2011

I'm not Chinese & can't speak any, & I thought her accent was easy to understand. Discussion questions were hardest, then homework, then exams. Exams are reasonable, provided you study. I was scared of going into PHYS 121 because of the reviews I had read here, but it turned out fairly well. I earned an A, and I'm not even that good at Physics.

4.0
3.0
PHYS121
Oct 24, 2011

Lili is really sweet - she wants students to learn and does her best to ensure that they do. Lectures are good and clear, but Mastering Physics homework is REALLY hard. Use her office hours, she's very helpful there. Good teacher for a difficult subject.

5.0
2.0
PHYS121
Oct 30, 2011

I honestly have no idea why her rating is so low. If you didn't do well in the class it's probably your fault, not hers. She's always available to help and genuinely wants students to do well. The exams are completely fair and if you follow along in class/discussion you should be able to pull off a B easily. But you do have to the work.

5.0
2.0
PHYS121H
Nov 3, 2011

Great teacher, very approachable and explains content very well. As long as you understand the equations the work is fairly simple. Tests were easier than expected. Vpython use is very engaging and makes learning much easier. Teacher takes input and adjusts teaching style through semester.

5.0
3.0
PHYS121
Nov 22, 2011

Lili is a sweatheart that will always take time to explain things to her students. To succeed in her class, don't be afraid to raise your hand and voice your concerns; she will always answer you to the best of her abilities. Also, go to the tutorial center, it makes the HW MUCH more reasonable :)

5.0
2.0
PHYS121
Dec 12, 2011

She's a REALLY good teacher for you if this is your first foray into physics. I see that after a few pages, the reviews go sour, but I think she was younger and less experienced then. Tests were graded usually within 12 hours, homework was put up promptly, and there were practice tests galore. Overall, this is an incredibly easy class if you study.

4.0
2.0
PHYS121
Dec 13, 2011

Nice teacher.

2.0
1.0
PHYS122
Dec 9, 2012

She's not at all helpful when you ask a question; she never answered a single email of mine. This is a college class, yet she'll walk around bugging people who don't take notes. I got an A, and I didn't need to take notes. Though lecture is useful, her voice irritated me. All of her shortcomings are made-up for by the ridiculously easy tests.

2.0
3.0
PHYS122
Dec 20, 2012

She is a good teacher, and her exams are pretty straightforward. However lectures are useless, and there is no curve at all.

5.0
4.0
PHYS121
Jan 2, 2013

Dr. Cui is without a doubt one of my favorite professors at UMBC! She's very enthusiastic, extremely approachable, kind, and even funny! I had her for 121, and although her class was hard, it was very doable. Dr. Cui is a great person and an amazing professor! I would wholeheartedly recommend her to prospective students!

5.0
2.0
PHYS122
Jan 18, 2013

Dr. Cui was awesome. She has an accent, but it's not too hard to understand. She's a morning person, so she'll try to wake you up, and she's funny. Homeworks are difficult, but you get many tries. Tests are very easy. I always worried about getting hard questions, but HW was ALWAYS harder than the test.

4.0
3.0
PHYS112
May 18, 2013

Lili is a very inspiring, dedicated, and helpful professor. If one does the work she requires and/or recommends, then the course is easy. I found her lectures to be a good reinforcement of the material. Making use of her office hours will also help one succeed in the class. She is very willing to answer student questions.

5.0
1.0
PHYSICS121
Jul 3, 2013

Amazing! Lots of points to be earned! Clicker quiz every Friday, you can use your neighbors for the quiz. Really helpful. Easy exams. I hated physics before but loved it with her! She completely changed my mind about it! She has a cute accent which makes her a bit more attractive ;) Enjoy!

1.0
4.0
PHYS112
Jul 9, 2013

Class consists of exams, online homework, labs and lab homework, and weekly clicker quizzes. Exams can throw you off due to a question or two not really covered thoroughly in class or in lab. It's very important to practice your timing while working through old exams as the actual exams tend to be much longer and trickier.

5.0
3.0
PHYS112
Grade: A
Dec 19, 2013

Great professor! Her lectures are clear. The tests are very straight forward and are very similar to the past exams that she makes available. She's very approachable so go to her office hours if you don't really understand something gone over in class. Taking the class seriously and preparing for each lecture is the key to success.

5.0
4.0
PHYS112
Jan 5, 2014

I liked her a lot! She's very helpful during office hours and she grades exams really fast. I didn't really care for physics before but I like it now because of this class.

3.0
4.0
PHYS121
Feb 12, 2014

Very nice and friendly, but unrealistic expectations for students. Her lectures were hard to follow, the homework was MUCH harder than anything covered in class, and her tests could be very hard (over half the class got an F on one test) She sometimes tests on things barely covered in class and homework. No curve.

2.0
3.0
PHYS121
Jul 4, 2014

She made it so confusing. I just took it in the summer and it is so much better.

2.0
4.0
PHYS121
Grade: Not sure yet
Oct 5, 2015

Terrible professor. Her accent is way too heavy to overcome and she flies through the lectures as if you've already taken the class before. The homework are very hard, but it's what you need to fully understand the course. Exams are straightforward. I recommend the book and LOTS of practice on your own.

4.0
3.0
PHYS122L
Grade: B+
Dec 13, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Had her for the Physics 122L. Was nice, and could explain concepts across, although she was often difficult to understand and fairly strict with participation and due dates.

Gives good feedback
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
Clear grading criteria
5.0
3.0
PHY121
Grade: A+
Mar 1, 2017
Would take again

I was afraid to take physics, but Lili made this class so enjoyable. If you pay attention in lecture, you will do well in the class. Homework is hard, but is great test prep. Expectations were clear, tests were fair, and even the workload wasn't too bad. Great professor for a difficult course

Gives good feedback
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
5.0
3.0
PHY121
Grade: B
Mar 1, 2017
Would take again

Lili Cui was an amazing professor. If you keep on top of the homework and pre-lectures you will do fine. She really helps people understand the concepts and uses plenty of examples. Her accent can be a little difficult, but overall it's not too hard to understand once you get used to it. She also really cares about her students.

Gives good feedback
Participation matters
Caring
5.0
2.0
PHYS121
Grade: A+
May 25, 2017
Would take again

Lili is clear from the beginning about what she expects and how you can succeed in her class. The most important thing is to show up to lectures and discussions, and you shouldn't have to put too much independent effort into understanding the material. She is extremely accessible and cares about her students' performance.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
Hilarious
5.0
3.0
PHYS121
May 17, 2018
Would take again

Good professor? Yes or No? Yes okay Dr Lili has very good lectures and if you don't skip or pay attention, you will learn basically everything you need to succeed in the course (although I still highly recommend reading the textbook!)

Clear grading criteria
Hilarious
TEST HEAVY
4.0
4.0
PHY121
Jun 7, 2018
Would take again

Good professor! Took PHYS121 in her class. Have to say, it is a hard class. Tons of work. I passed it, therefore can't complain. I would take her for another class also, she is a nice person and solid professor. Only minus she sometimes speaks to fast and is not very clear. Otherwise, she is great. Make sure to attend and read the textbook.

Participation matters
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
3.0
PHYS111
Nov 18, 2018
Would take again

Professor Cui's class is very straightforward. There are weekly friday quizzes which can be done with the people around you, but they are very helpful in preparing for the test since most of the questions on the quiz are put on the test. Her lectures are very helpful as well, and reading the textbook is useful as well to do practice problems

Participation matters
Clear grading criteria
5.0
4.0
PHYS121
Grade: A
Jan 3, 2019
Would take again

Lili is the sweetest and one of the best professors I've ever had! Explained concepts extremely clearly and caused my fear of Physics to dissipate. She is VERY clear on what she expects for exams and as long as you pay attention in class and do all the homework you should succeed in her class. She's also amazing at motivating her students.

Skip class? You won't pass.
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
Inspirational
5.0
1.0
PHYS111
Grade: A
Jan 6, 2019
Would take again

Might not apply for everyone's study styles but using only her posted lecture slides were enough to earn an A on each exam. Try not to get lazy and fall behind, but even if you do each exam can honestly be studied for the night before. Very willing to help everyone and has a good sense of humor. Mostly went to lecture to listen to her jokes.

Gives good feedback
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Amazing lectures
5.0
1.0
PHYS111
Grade: A+
Nov 15, 2023
Would take again

You will enjoy this class if you go to lectures, do your work honestly, and go to office hours when you dont understand something. If you don't do these, this class will be exceptionally hard. Second time taking the class and slacked heavy the first time now doing what I advised and have A+ on all exams.

Amazing lectures
Clear grading criteria
Lots of homework
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

100%

Textbook Required

67%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

74% confidence
Based on 8 grades
Most common grades:
A (3)
A+ (3)
Not sure yet (1)
Grade Distribution
A(6)B(1)C(0)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(1)
Based on 9 reported grades
A: 3
A+: 3
Not sure yet: 1
B+: 1
Common Tags
Clear grading criteria (5)
Gives good feedback (4)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (4)
Participation matters (3)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (2)
Skip class? You won't pass. (2)
Hilarious (2)
Caring (1)
Rating Trend

Improving

+0.88 avg change
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Ratings by Course

PHYS121H

5.0

(1)

PHYSICS121

5.0

(1)

PHYS112

4.4

(8)

PHYS111

4.1

(15)

PHY112

4.0

(1)
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Difficulty by Course

PHY122

5.0

PHYS122

4.2

PHYS121

3.9

PHY121

3.6

PHY112

3.0

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