3.1
Quality3.8
Difficulty46%
Would Retake188
Reviews46%
Would Retake
188
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
44
4
48
3
32
2
29
1
35
What Students Say
“Probably the worst class I've had in my academic career”
BIOL2107 - 1.0 rating“I am a straight A student and this class is killing me”
BIO1107 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
64%
Textbook Required
22%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.70 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL2108
5.0
(2)BIO1130
5.0
(1)BIOL5239
5.0
(1)BIOL1230
4.8
(5)BIOL1210
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
BIOLBIOL
5.0
C
5.0
BIOL5239
5.0
2107
4.3
BIO2107
4.1
Reviews (188)
Lace Svec is a very sweet and understanding woman. Her class is easy if you read or skim your chapters. Quizzes online and you get a lot of time. I made high A's on her tests b/c the material comes straight from the book/notes. take her!!!
suuuper easy. very nice!
She is a pretty easy teacher. She takes attendance with a clicker thing you have to purchase from the bookstore and we were allowed to miss 5 class this semester. She has not ever gotten mad at anyone in our class. She is a pretty chill teacher though sometimes asks unclear questions. She is new and definetly worth taking. Easy grade.
Dr. Svec is a very sweet lady and honestly very attractive. She's not a great teacher, yet, and her questions are a little hard to understand but I do like her class.
Great teacher! She will answer any questions you have and is always patient. I made A's on all her tests' and even the final. Her questions are sometimes unclear or confusing on tests. She's really cool!
VERY good teacher. Super sweet and really loves the subject she teaches. Makes material easy to understand. Presents material by powerpoints and shows videos to help students understand information. Offers a good amount of extra credit which is great!
Great teacher!
Dr. Svec was a very great teacher! She is such a sweet heart, and really cares about her students. She uses powerpoints, so you barely had to use the book. Great teacher! I'd take her again!
Ms. Svec is a very good teacher. She may be somewhat boring, but she tries really hard to make the class interesting and understandable. She goes out of her way to make sure you understand the material. I would definitely recommend taking her. She gives many opportunity for extra credit as well. My final grade was a 98 in her class so I say TAKE HE
Dr.Svec is a VERY nice teacher! She's younger than most professors so she's a little more relatable. If you do your journals and study for each test with you BOOK AND NOTES, you should be able to get an EASY B. I made a B+, but i missed alot of journals, and didnt study as hard as I should. TAKE HER!
Professor Svec is really nice, but she is EXTREMELY unhelpful! She tries her best to explain things, but she is horrible at explaining things! And, if you are confused and ask a question, she is completely unhelpful because she just rambles. Everyone I know in this class has a hard time understanding her during lectures. I had to learn from the boo
Svec is a cool lady. her class was hard tho. there were more than 200 kids in the class so you would need to go to her for help. about average work. couple quizzes and four exams. i would recommend going to class.
Her classes are very boring, but you get a lot of points from clicker questions so going to class is very important if you want a good grade. She's a nice lady but I found myself dazing off most of the time. Also if you take advantage of the extra credit you'll do well.
Dr. Svec is so awesome. I had her for lab. She is very helpful in preparing you for 2108. I definitely recommend her for any Biology class!
I had General Bio. She was reallllly Nice. Not very helpful. Tests were fair. Memorize Clicker Question and Mastering Biology stuff.
Had her for General Biology. Easy, sweet, really cared about what she was teaching. Tried to make it fun with little stories. Fairly easy tests if you study. Only downside is that she's not too good at explaining things in more than one way. But it's an easy class, so can only recommend her!
Svec can be kind of scattered brain but she will go over what is on the test in class and give you study guides. She is very helpful and quick to respond to emails. She made me more interested in biology, she loves what she teaches.
She is very giggly, very happy, always energetic in class. She never comes to class pissed off. That is a definite plus. She doesn't go over much of the material that is on the test, so if you take her be sure you are comfortable as an independent learner. I did well in this class, it's not difficult.
I really recommend taking Ms. Svec. I had a real hard time paying attention to her, because she talks way too fast and rants, but it's an easy grade. You get two attempts on quizzes online and the tests are by clicker and are pretty fair. Take her!!
Shes really sweet but her lecture class is boring. The information she goes over doesn't pertain to her tests. She includes other things in grading scale to help improve test grades but the tests are difficult and really conceptual. You have to read and understand on your own,The tests are hard.
I don't recommend taking her for lab unless you're an expert in excel, like to do useless and stressful busy work, and never want to get out early!
Dr. Svec can't explain biology in a way that is easy to understand. She is a know it all. She makes you feel dumb for asking questions. I would not recommend her class to anyone! She is not willing to help, even though she says she is!
I had her for bio 2107 and liked her a lot. The class isn't easy, but she is super sweet, never (and I mean never) in a bad mood, and will help you out after class as much as you need. Also, if you are into strong, itelligent, slightly nerdy women, then Dr. Svec will not disappoint in the sexiness department. It can be quite distracting. lol
She is very enthusiastic about teaching and is rarely in a bad mood! I recommend her for lab! She lectures in the beginning of each class and it really helps to understand the lab, but there are quizzes every class and they can be challenging so study. Her tests in both her lecture and lab are hard and require you to think. This class is WORK.
Dr. Svec is so sweet and bubbly! She was very helpful and always made sure I was on track. The tests are challenging, read the text book!! I also had her for lab, it was more difficult. Do all lab HW and read the lab before class!!
She gives you a reading guide and you basically have to teach yourself the material using the book. She only goes over application problems in class. Her tests are difficult but the grading scale is easy.
Easy class if you already know everything there is about biology. You basically have to teach yourself if you don't. If she likes you, you'll do fine! If not, then expect a C.
Good professor!! Her lectures are very helpful and she makes them as easy to understand as possible and seems to genuinely care about students, unlike many professors. Most of what she puts on her tests is from lectures but studying notes and from the book is mandatory!!
I think the class is just hard; Dr. Svec is extremely nice and keeps you interested but the material is hard. Take this teacher.
Svec is a nice person but overall is probably one of the worst teachers I know. She explains very little of the material so you might want to review chapters a good 2 weeks before her exams. She's all about application so make sure you know the material. READ THE BOOK, that's the only way you'll survive. She wasn't my original teacher.
Makes good slides to follow along with in class, gives optional reading guides before every class, study guides before every test, and explains well. She is ALWAYS in a happy mood. This class is hard, but if you are willing to work and study then you should have no problem. I recommend her but only if you dont mind putting in half the effort!
She is very nice, and always attempts to be very helpful. This class is very difficult. Do not choose plan 2 unless you know for sure that you'll do well on the test. Read the textbook and do all of the homeworks.
Svec was a great professor & warned us in the beginning that her tests were going to be difficult. I suggest picking plan 1 if you aren't too great at taking tests. Also, really read your book and attend as much class as you can! If you study your notes after every lecture it really helps! Work hard for the grade you want in this class.
Very nice and she tries to be really helpful. Gives lots of classwork points, HW points and other points to fluff your grade and help with test area. Pretty easy if you go to class and review the text book
Although it is a huge class of about 250 students, going to class was very important. The clicker questions usually gave you an idea of what the test questions would be like. Plan 1 was the best. Sure, the tests were not the easiest, but Dr. Svec was very helpful and ALWAYS in a good mood! Stop by her office if you ever have any questions.
I love Dr. Svec. Her power points are pretty clear and even if you do not understand she will make sure you will. She is very helpful during office hours. She holds review sessions before the test for any questions. Work load a little much, but manageable.
She was a great teacher! She gives you numerous ways for you to have a good grade in the class. You just have to actually do them. Clicker points, reading guides, SI attendance and more are GREATLY recommended. They help out a lot!!
Svec's tests were HARD, but if you read, do the reading guides, and mastering bio, you will do pretty good. You cannot slack in this class. Lots of homework & studying. She is helpful during office hours though. PLAN 1! Plan 2 is designed to make you fail. Don't get cocky.
She is no help at all. Her tests are beyond hard and she doesn't help to prepare you for them at all. You basically have to teach yourself everything. It might be easier if you've had AP Bio. If not, take it somewhere else because you won't learn anything and you'll screw up your GPA in the process.
Dr. Svec is a good teacher with impossible tests, it's as if she goes through information in the class and picks out the most nitpicky questions to really challenge students. I'd recommend coming to class everyday and paying very close attention while printing out the online lecture
Her test are IMPOSSIBLE! UNLESS you are an extreme bookworm and love to study I consider you take a diff. professor. She's extremely goofy and seems to not take anything serious. Plan 1 is very helpful to your grade. You could have a high F average on test and still pass with a C. But a C could ruin a good GPA.
I liked Dr. Svec . She had a good bubbly personality. she showed a lot of videos in her pp. Her tests were a little hard but she gave opportunities for "extra credit" and the point system and all other work helped balance out if you didnt do too good on the test.
The plan system she used SAVED me. I made Cs on all the exams but with the extra homework and other assignments, I passed her class with a B. She's super sweet and bubbly and you can tell she loves Biology. I recommend her.
She is very ogod at teaching you the material, but one thing that people don't understand is that she wants you to REMEMBER this material a decade from now it seems. Because of that, her tests are designed critically. You need the book for her reading guides, but also to study more in depth.
tests suck! be prepared to learn a lot on your own and study for hours! she is caring and a nice lady but the class is difficult and she is extremely picky on details.
Great teacher! Her grading system is very helpful. If you do all of your work and go to class (for clicker points) you will be fine. If you do your work and get Bs on your tests, you will get an A in the class.
Her tests are very hard. The tests are all application questions. She gives reading guides once or twice a week. Textbook is required for reading guides. Mastering Biology homework is hard. DO NOT TAKE HER!!!
You have to go to class everyday for clicker points because you will seriously need them! The workload of this course is intense. There are 7 required SI sessions, mastering biology, reading guides, and her tests are hard. She treats you like you are an idiot if you go see her in office hours.
Dr. Svec is super nice and smart lady, but with that said, her tests are IMPOSSIBLE. Be sure to study and even though she does assign a lot of work, it really helps you do well in the class. It's definitely not an easy coarse, but you learn a lot!
Her tests are impossible to pass if you can do not get her!
I enjoyed listening to her lectures, though the course was extremely hard. Take it seriously and do well on tests and you should be okay. GO TO CLASS. She gives 5 extra credit points if you have perfect attendance.
She gives little assignments and quizzes in class BEFORE teaching the material. If you don't have a background in chemistry you WILL NOT PASS. She expects you to know biochemistry. She talks to her students in a patronizing voice, as if talking to a bunch of children. Dropped the class. If you don't attend, you'll have a hard time passing.
Tests are insanely hard for such simple material. she gives alot of extra credit (check syllabus). overall shes a nice person and a good lecturer, i like the way she presents her material and ive learned alot. but her tests are hard
Her test as many of you have read, are hard, but the lowest I've made is a 60 on one - without studying. She gives two plans, Plan A saves the grade. It includes clicker points, masteringbiology which isnt hard if you read the material, Si sessions (7) which are a waste of time but worth the points. She gives extra credit, 10 pts for meeting her.
She is a very sweet lady who loves what she teaches. One thing that saved my grade was her mini lectures, THEY CONTROL YOUR FATE IN THE COURSE. The mini lectures are basically where the information comes from, lecture in class is her applying the info to real life situations or going more specifically on important topics. She is overall not bad.
Difficult tests, condescending when you ask for help. LOTS OF CHEMISTRY IN THIS COURSE (not just intro chem). Biology gets easier once you survive this course. Just get through it.
Took for both BIOL Lab and Lecture. Barely scrapped out of both with a low A. You will have to work for that grade, but is very possible to do. Especially, for BIOL lab you will have alot of assignments for a 1 credit class. She gives a lot of extra credit, which everybody should do. Do reading guides. Out of all of the BIOL professors, take her
Her are a nightmare. Do the homework, watch the mini lectures, but you still won't get an A unless you TRULY understand the material. Her test questions are 250% application questions. Made a B in the class and went to class everyday and took really good notes. Good luck.
Lots of assignments but she does cap grades so you can made 100's on homework assignments. Test are hard, she says don't expect a A. It's true.
Dr. Svec is a professor who prepares you for the rest of a STEM career. She is not easy. You have to pay attention in lectures, and the tests are complete application, no definitions. If you need help go to office hours, but she will not make sure you understand. She is my favorite professor. Homework will save you.
I loved Dr Svec from day 1. She was always bright, bubbly and very enthusiastic about the material. She challenges students to think in a way that is more than just memorizing the material. She is always available to students and gives extra credit. Her exams are really hard, but a B is doable if you do All the work and make at least Cs on exams.
She has this accent that makes her seem like she has peanut butter stuck in her mouth at all times, so it can be amusing to listen to her lecture. She understands what she's talking about, and is always down to get to know her students. She has two grading options for you to choose from. I recommend her.
Shes a nice lady but her voice is annoying. Attendance isn't mandatory but you don't want to miss class. The clicker questions during her lectures offers a ton of extra credit, you even get credit if you answer the question wrong. If you cant make it to class, she posts mini lectures on folio which pretty much summarizes the previous lecture.
Welllll, she wasnt easy and she wasnt hard. Great personality. Dont take her if you dont like doing assignments because she gives plenty of those. Test are ridiculously hard and 99% application which she talks about in class but the questions are more complicated on the test. Wouldnt take her again but she is the worst.
Svec is a genuine person and if you take the time to actually talk with her you will be able to enjoy the class more. Not gonna lie, her assignments can be difficult, but if you read, do the work, and come to lecture you should pass. She is always open to help out at any time, but she will not just hand answers out. I would take her again anytime.
Probably the worst class I've had in my academic career. The work load is too much, with the reading quizzes, mini lectures, and mandatory SI sessions which weren't helpful at all. Her tests were ALL application, which would be fine if she actually knew how to teach the material. I love biology, but this class came close to ruining it for me.
People complaining about this teacher are absolutely lazy. First of all she gives you the choice in the beginning for your grades to be based on just the 4 tests or include all the other points like SI, reading guides, ect. Second she is very clear about what you need to know to get good grades. She is always helpful and understanding.
Shes super nice and I genuinely enjoy biology, but this class is HARD. Tests are all application questions and even if you know the material like the back of your hand, the questions almost are designed to trick you. Can be kind of frustrating. But she does offer lots of other opportunities to boost your grade so thats good.
Absolutely mind blowing. Make sure you do all of the assignments & do average on the tests & you'll make a B. All she wants to do is trick you
turns even the most active students into discouraged and degraded students. She gets absolutely fed up with questions. She likes to hear her own voice and no one else unless they're asking a question at her intelligence level. At the end of the semester I had every extra credit point possible, perfect attendance, & went to her office often. Got a C
I dropped her class to find another professor that teaches the course and found she was the only one. Her test are very difficult, even with lots of studying. If you don't watch her pre-lectures, you will not pass and be lost in lecture. Her study guides are sometimes challenging. This biology isn't for the weak. Homework is a must. Get Textbook.
she does not teach. i am an A student who she turned into a student who wasn't even sure if they were choosing to pursue the right field. her tests are super ridiculous and I would not recommend her to anyone.
Mrs. Svec Would be a great teacher if she didn't try and teach Comprehensive Biology during Intro to Bio. I have never seen a Biology class have so much O-chem and application. She barley helps, and really doesn't seem to care to help. She has online video lectures that she requires you watch, because they explain 98% of the material she goes over.
Dr. Svec genuinely cares about her students and does offer extra credit. She's also very helpful if you come to her office hours. As long as you read the chapters, watch the mini lectures and go to SI sessions, you'll be fine. She teaches how to apply information and that's what her tests are mainly compose of besides definitions.
Dr. Svec is a professor who likes to challenge her students. She is not going to spoon-feed you into passing or succeeding in her class. She wants you take the initiative to learn the material yourself. Don't be afraid to ask questions or for help. I have taken Dr. Svec for both BIOL 2107 and Neurobiology. Study hard, work hard, & you will do well.
Her class was tough and frustrating at times, but she is very fair and even changed my grading plan at the end of the semester so I could get a better grade. If you choose the first grading plan, be prepared to have a ton of extra work, if you choose the second plan, know that her tests are very difficult.
Its bio 1, get ready to work.. she will help you if you have any questions. do not miss SI... pay attention in class and you should be straight
She happy to answer questions and give help outside of class. Her tests are hard b/c the questions are application-based. The class is very difficult and there is a lot of independent studying needed to do well. She uses online mini-lectures for majority of the info, which I don't like. She then reiterates the info in class and adds some.
Lace is very devoted to what she does, but the work required outside of class is pretty heavy. Tests are difficult because they are so application based. The quizzes you have to take before class require that you watch 30 min videos and do vocab words and 6 open-answer questions as well as multiple choice. Concepts are often difficult to grasp.
She has two options for grading, either only off of the test grades or off of several things. I chose the option with many things, and ended up having alot of work. It can be overwhelming at some points, but if you go to SI and study it should be fine.
Dr. Svec is a great teacher, but it is hard to teach such a large class well, so going to her office hours and SI units are extremely helpful. Maintaining her class is extremely hard, and I am a biology major. If you don't come to class or read the textbook, you will not do good on her tests. She cares, but you must be willing to put in the work.
This class was tricky but if you figure it out it gets easier. You HAVE to do the prelectures and take detailed notes on them and learn them. It's a lot of teaching yourself, but theres quiz every week and if you do well it'll help a lot. She really cares ab the material and in her office hours she is very personable and helps explain things more
This class was really tough for me and I am a biology major. I suggest that you study hard because the test are application based and there is a lot of outside work .
I loved having Dr. Svec and I am really glad I was in her class. It is not easy, the tests are all practical and she makes you work to understand the information. However, I learned SO MUCH in this class and Dr. Svec has given me a whole new appreciation for Biology. If you're at all interested in the subject and are willing to work a little, do it
I liked Dr. Svec as a person, she was very nice and outgoing, however, I don't think teaching is her strong-suit. She LOVES giving lots of work around lecture and you have at least one pre-lecture quiz every week. She's beneficial when you have questions but I think she's a good professor to go with if you are comfortable with working hard for an A
Dr. Svec is an awesome Biology professor. In order to do good in the class, you have to be prepared to work for your grade. The lectures are very interesting because she ties the material in with real life situations. If you go to class, go to SI, learn the material, and talk to her on concepts you don't understand, you should do fine.
Dr. Svec is a very kind and intelligent person. As a professor she pushes her students to learn and step outside of their studying comfort zone. This class isn't impossible it just takes hard work. My biggest tip is to go to SI. Dr. Svec is so sweet and will help you as much as she can. I would recommend her to anyone.
Dr. Svec is a great professor. She has plenty of buffer grades such as Online homework, Online lectures, online quizzes, in class work, and attendance to SI classes. It sounds like a lot of work, but it really prepares you for the test and helps your grade if you don't do well in other areas.
Dr. Svec's class was one of my favorites. She is a great professor and is always willing to work with you if there is something you don't understand. There is a lot of outside work, but if you actually watch the lecture videos and do the pre-lecture guides, you will know what's going on in class and an A is definitely possible.
She's a great professor and really cares about you doing well in the class. It's a lot of work but none of it is extremely difficult if you make sure to always do the pre lectures and assignments and study.
I LOVE HER. She is super quirky and I enjoyed talking to her in office hours. She has two grading options so you can choose for your grade to reflect how well you do on tests or on tests and homework (always choose tests and homework). She has alot of MasteringBio and her tests make you apply the knowledge, not just regurgitate it.
Provided office hours and helped as much as she could.
SUPER clicker and content oriented. If you don't know the material, you will not pass. Clicker questions every class, so if you don't go your grade will show. She does offer two separate grade, one where only tests counts, and the other has extra credit, homework and quizzes built in, I did appreciate that. Make sure to take notes!!!
Dr Svec is by far the most interesting professor I have had. She bases her lectures off of real case studies, so you can see where the topics fit into real life. She is going to make you work for a good grade, but I feel like I learned so many things in this short time. Shes brilliant and very helpful if you seek her help. Attend review sessions.
Her class is easy, it is just her test are extremely hard. They are all application based questions. One of the hardest classes I have taken so far. There are a lot of things that she grades and so you do not have to just rely on your test grades.
This lady has so many clicker questions it's ridiculous. Don't show up to class then you will fail. Exams are the most difficult and at her review sessions she will not directly tell you what is on the exam and she will say "that might be a possibility on the test." She is just an aggy professor. Work hard and go to every S.I. session, they help!
She is by far my favorite professor that I've had. She structures the course in a way that makes it easy to succeed and is conducive to learning. Her tests require lots of critical thinking but very little memorization. She is very passionate about teaching and has helped me to refine my study habits.
While Dr. Svec is a very awesome, outgoing, and caring person this class is hard!!! It requires a lot of teaching yourself and making sure you know the information before you go class. this is one of the hardest classes I've taken.
definitely knows what she's talking about. class is difficult but she helps in any way you might need and is friendly when you go to talk to her for help. for a hard class its good to have a teacher like her
I took Svec for my Principles of Biology lecture and lab, lecture is not mandatory but lab is. It's a lot of material in lecture so make sure you pay attention and study your notes! Lab was pretty easy, just show up and do your work.
Clicker questions every class. Lecture quiz every week. Read the textbook. Test are trick questions, mastering biology homework. Everyone says she's nice but it gets annoying when she won't tell you exactly what's going to be on the exams. Take notes and attend every class or you will not succeed. Bio lab is surprisingly harder than the lecture. :(
get ready to put in alit if work . Between clicker questions . Prelecture quizzes every week and mastering biology , its alot . Do take pictures of the clicker questions and the examples given in class as they may be mentioned in the test . Good luck
PRINT OUT THE LECURE OUTLINES BEFORE CLASS AND KEEP THEM ALL IN A BINDER! This will keep you organized, you want to be organized. Attend review sessions before the test and SI sessions. Master the material as you learn it in class this will make studying for the final extremely easy. Your hard work WILL pay off. It is a very rewarding class.
Dr. Svec is by far one of my favorite professors. Going in, I had heard bad things so I was very nervous and intimidated. She knew all her material, was very organized, and loved helping students out if you needed it. A lot of people do not like her, but I would take her for every class if possible. I got an A but studying is very necessary.
She is a very invested professor and wants to get to know you. However its a flipped class so you teach yourself everything through videos and prelecture quizzes (which take hours). Her class isnt helpful if you cant teach yourself the material before hand and her tests are hard. Shell try to help you if you go to her but the class is a burden
Easy clicker questions; she explains a concept right before giving a question on it. A little bit of extra credit, always willing to help through office hours. I love bio so I'm passing without much stress, but I do hear of other struggling a lot in the class. Gives you the option to either get a grade on only tests or on tests + assignments. Love!
VERY DIFFICULT CLASS. I am a straight A student and this class is killing me. I always think that I understand the material until I get to the tests. They are very tricky and contain information that we never talked about in class. This lady makes me want to cry.
Svec was a great teacher. The way she teaches is, she sends you home with pre-lecture videos and questions that she makes before you come to class. When you come to class, she wants you to apply what you learned at home. This teacher makes it really easy to visually see what the subject is on. These two things really helps with her exams.
Very good professor, going to office hours are very helpful, lots of extra credit.
I was in my last semester of school and taking this intro level class as an elective in order to get my degree. I was two points away from making a "C" and she didn't care despite me reaching out. Stopped me from getting my degree. SAVE YOURSELF, DO NOT TAKE THIS EXTREMELY HARD CLASS.
Dr. Svec is really kind. As long as you do the work in both lab and lecture, you will pass. She will see your effort and acknowledge it in her office. She is a tough grader in lab, but, as long as you follow her feedback, you will pass lab. In lecture, she gives out some easy and tough clicker questions. Apply yourself!!! Apply, apply, apply!!! ^-^
Show up to class everyday because she will have a link to a google form at the beginning of each class that you will have to fill out and turn in for attendance. and throughout class she also uses iClickers for questions which are also graded. This class is a lot of work but worth it. Svec is a good teacher and wants to help you
Shes a super nice person but Everytime I went to class she barely taught anything. We would just spend all of class talking about one thing and sharing our thoughts with classmates. We had to teach ourselves everything outside of class and it took up a lot of time.
Svec makes everything harder than it has to be. If you have to take this class, take someone else. She has a great heart but you have to teach yourself pretty much everything. If you know you slack (even just on one prelecture), prepare yourself for a tough course. Studied an insane amount just to get Cs on tests. Lectures dont help for tests.
This is one of the hardest classes Ive ever had to take! I was in her office at least twice or something three times a week, but she saw the effort I was putting in and helped me out! If you put in the effort, and show her you care, you will do fine! Its all about how you study. If you arent an active studier, consider taking a different class
She's nice BUT this is an application & analysis based class. NOT def based. If ur a slacker meanin u won't take Pre-Lecture sryusly or don't g2 class.. YOU WILL FAIL! Unless u are a GREAT guesser. TRUST ME I failed. If BIO is ur major class is perf! If u jus tryin 2 pass w min effort NOO pick a diff prof!! iClicker ?s every class. No official roll
She'd introduce concepts that we weren't familiar with, then explain them later (like numerous chapters later). Her class lectures aren't super helpful. She teaches everything on video lectures, which she then asks you questions about (for a grade) before you can even ask her about the concepts in person if you're confused about them. Wouldn't rec.
Svec makes things much harder than they need to be. If you are a freshmen bio major do not take her.
Dr. Svec is an amazing person and is very willing to help. I have to warn you! If you are not a bio major DO NOT take this class. She will tell you on the first day of class, that it is for Bio majors! She does not go into detail in class but does on the test! She mostly teaches through videos. If you are looking for an easy class, this is not it!
Dr. Svec really cares for her students. She makes it clear that if you do the reading and the prelectures you will be fine. Some students will not read and then say she's a bad professor because of their grade. She has been super flexible with the online transition. I have nothing but respect for her.
You have to read and put in the work. It is not terrible. I am a business student who knows nothing about science. This is my first science course and I have received a B on all the tests so far, which I have studied hard for. For this class, I will take the B though. Dr. Svec is super flexible and caring. If you put in the work you will be fine!
You basically have to teach yourself through videos and pre lectures. She is a very tough grader in the lab. Her lectures seem sooooo long and she tries to make the class a discussion style class even though there are 250 people in the class. The tests are veryyyyy application based. Unless you LOVE biology, take someone else.
I swear in this class its impossible to get a A on an assignment. Everyone that I knew always got Cs and Bs on homeworks and quizzes. The lectures are super long and boring, but if you have good partners its not that bad. If you want a A, then you really have to work for it. Quizzes every week, hw assignments, midterm, and a final.
She teaches this class for people who already have a good understanding of Biology. Friends who are in 3000 level classes have told me they are just now learning the material we learned in 1107?! She spends class time asking questions, expects you to discuss with classmates, then moves on without giving the actual answer. Do Not Recommend!
I would do anything to make sure that I never have Svec as a professor again. I have never found a professor that has made a course so hard. I wish my advisor had told me to take a different science. I struggled so much no matter what I did. NEVER TAKE SVEC, find another professor.
Dr. Svec told us, in our intro lvl bio class, that we should expect to put 40 hours into our school work -- at minimum! -- if we wanted to pass because "school is a full time job!" She acts sweet and says she wants to help but seems completely incapable of understanding that we have jobs and other classes outside of hers. Will never take again!
The bad rumors about Svec are 100% true. She is a very tough grader and does not are about your grade in the class or lab. Do not expect an A at all.
Dr Svec was so passionate and caring about this subject. She lets you chose your own grading plan which is GREAT. Her class wasn't difficult and if you study & ATTEND SI her exams are fairly easy.
Here's the run down. PRELECTURES ARE DIFFICULT. Clicker questions are easy points. Homework is ridiculously easy. SI HELPS A LOT. She literally lets you CHOSE your grade plan. Her lectures go over the pre lecture so PAY ATTENTION. This is a self taught class--so BE PREPARED. Study and watch the videos she provides and this class is very doable.
I would not recommend this professor. She was extremely difficult and does not care about your personal life. Her class matters over your other classes and your life. She gives too much homework and she grades unnecessarily too hard. She is beyond impersonal. I would not take her again.
she was very nice, but I struggled all semester. lectures didnt help at all, and neither did the textbook or tutoring sessions she tells you to go to for one of the grade plans. the only thing that helped me were the videos she put out on folio. definitely take concepts of biology before principles.
She's not the easiest professor you'll take. However if you put in the work you will pass this class. If you slack off and put little effort into it you won't. She offers two grading plans that you can choose from. The test are difficult so study, study , study. she gives a lot of work but it does help your grade, participation is a must in class.
I dont even know how I have a B tbh, the class is SO DIFFICULT now with everything being online because of COVID-19. Attend the SI sessions for extra credit, and do your best with your pearson, because its definitely hard to make an A on the quizzes and most DEF the exams. Doesnt calculate your final grade as the class goes on either.
Prof Svec most definitely makes you work for your grade but she is the most caring professor I've had. She gives great feedback and even lets you chose your grading plan. If you want the A I would suggest plan 2 with weekly quizes and homework because it forces you to learn the material for the exams. I would definitely take her class again.
she really makes you work for your grade. Her prep work quizzes are difficult but as long as you do your work you should be fine. I recommend studying a week ahead for the exams because they are challenging and really made you think. Get to know her, email her when you need help, she'll help you with what you need help with.
In my opinion Svec is the bet professor i have ever had. All of the bad reviews of Svec come from students who slack off and do not apply information. This is defiinietly a course for people who are passionate about the study of biology. Go for grade plan 2.
Dr. Svec is a great professor, and I would definitely take her again. If I didn't understand a module, I could email her to get extra help. I emailed Dr. Svec about a hundred times throughout the semester, and she was always friendly, caring, and respectful. Keep in touch with her about any issues, and you will do well. Choose Grade Plan A!
Teach yourself first and she will then ask you questions to "better your knowledge". Tests are applied knowledge questions so you must know the information very well and be able to apply it to scenerios. She does seem to care about her students and is very caring. Just a tough class overall.
I had Dr. Svec for Bio 1107 and Bio 1107L. If you attend the lectures, participate with the iClicker, attend SI and do all your assignments you should be fine. Be prepared to read a lot because she does have prelecture readings that come with a quiz. If you do the work and reach out for help, you'll be fine. I also recommend choosing Grade Plan A.
one of the hardest classes I have ever took while in college! Truly difficult for no reason and you don't know your grade until the end.
Dr. Svec gives prepwork every week with prepwork quizzes. Sounds normal? NO. Those prepwork modules teach you, she does not. She lectures for an hour and 15 minutes and sometimes it doesn't even match up with the prepwork. Her quizzes and tests are impossible. She gives a lot of point options but if you take her.... GO TO SI! its how i learned.
WORST TEACHER IN THE WORLD. if you want 90% of your semester taken up with not getting feedback or answers then take her. ive never had such a terrible teacher and does not help even when you tried to reach out she has the worst attitude and hands down made me so miserable, i rather die than ever take her again worst teacher ever.
In BIOL 1107 I had her for lectures, you HAVE to show up for the clicker points. grading is based on points and there are "so many opportunities to earn points" she will say but I'm telling you there is not. ATTEND THE SI SESSIONS (5 points a session) DO THE PREP WORK (8-10 points) DO THE MASTERING BIO ASSIGNMENTS (25% off per day missed)
Y'all, this is the worst experience I have ever had with a college class and I only get 350 characters to describe it. She believes her teaching style and class setup is innovative but it is a one way ticket to failure. I have studied all semester and learned nothing except for what was taught in SI. Avoid this class at all costs.
easiest class ive taken at GSU. people who rate her poorly are entitled children fresh out of HS who didnt study and just complained instead. show up, do the homework and the prepwork, easiest A ever. 630 points is an A in this class and you have a total of 785 to score.
You have to work for an A in this class. Make sure you go to ALL of the SI sessions and do ALL of the mastering assignments. She makes it seem like a lot of stuff is optional, but nothing is optional if you want to finish with a good grade. Lots of material is covered, so spend lots of time studying. Wouldn't recommend taking this class at all.
Unless you want to spend 3 hours doing prep-work the night before lecture, teaching yourself ALL of the material, then DO NOT take her class!! She barely teaches you anything during her lecture, she expects you to learn everything from the modules on folio. She does not seem to care about her students or their grades. DO NOT TAKE HER CLASS.
Not a bad teacher though the way the class is set up you will end up teaching yourself most of the material. Very possible to still do well. Attend SI and use all your resources. Her lectures are long but she will help explain if you dont understand something.
Svec's the one thing pulling down my GPA. I have a high A in every class yet failed hers. She makes you think everything is optional, but don't be fooled you have to do everything offered to even attempt to make a decent grade. Makes you pay for an additional subscription-based app. No remorse for family emergencies and deaths, no remorse for you.
You have to learn on your own through prepwork. The teaching in class is useless. Mastering assignments are due every Sunday and there aren't reminders so I missed a few (25% deducted everyday late). She makes everything seem optional, but its not. To get enough points you have to attend SI, class for the clicker q's, do prepwork, and mastering.
If you show up and do what is expected, you will have no problem in her class. Very outgoing and gives good vibes. Lectures give a better understanding of material
She tells you things aren't mandatory but it's impossible to get a good grade without doing those "optional" things. Supplemental instruction is required and is an extra hour per week for a class only worth 3 hours. The MasteringBiology is impossible to score 100 on and she usually doesn't remind you when it's due. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!
I'm not a fan of her. The lectures never helped with completing any of the outside work and you will have to teach yourself everything if you want a chance at a good grade. Don't be fooled when she says there are things that are "optional." Don't miss a single lecture or SI session. Don't bother emailing her- she won't answer. Take anyone else.
You are teaching yourself everything and are expected to already know most of the information.
This class was actually pretty good for me. If you show up, and take notes you should do well. Be aware that missing a single class will leave you lost for weeks, everything in the prepwork will be covered in class, and when she says everything is optional don't believe her. I did extremely well on every single test and quiz but almost failed.
Don't get me wrong, she's such a nice person, but not a good teacher. She knows a lot about it, she just can't teach it. The amount of paper WASTED in this class is crazy! Make sure you attend SI because it is very helpful.
Dr. Svec's lectures aren't the usual lecture at you from a powerpoint. Instead she expects you to come to lecture having done the prepwork and knowing what's going on. She gives you lots of handouts which are basically your notes and uses the prepwork as a backbone for her lectures. Very generous with points and accessible during office hours.
Dr. Svec was absolutely amazing! She was very accessible during and outside of office hours. Her lectures were very helpful in understanding the content and she was an all around fun person to be around. Prepwork is super important and can really help you to understand the content so make sure to always do it.
I loved this class! It was tough but her lectures and prepwork made it interesting. It is very heavy on memorization and I highly recommend attending SI both for help and the credit points given. Meeting with her during office hours were very helpful and I would recommend using all the given resources for the assignments.
I had her lab section but not the lecture. She is very passionate about biology and also very eager to help students who care to ask her for help both in and out of class. The exams were very memorization heavy which can be difficult but if you study the process for the experiments you will be fine. Like all other labs, attendance is important.
She is a very friendly and nice person- but the worst professor i have ever taken a class from at southern. Had her for lab and lecture, and barely managed to pass the lab. She asks way too much of her students and then gives you an F on the homework and has no actual corrections or ways to do better. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!!!!!
Looking back I should have paid more attention to the ratings on this site. Svec knows what she is talking about, she just doesn't know how to teach it to students. You have to teach yourself through prep work and mastering. The posting of assignments is sporadic and inconsistent. The clicker questions are also misleading.
She is a very nice person! However, the class itself was horrible. You have prep work where you have to teach yourself with very little information provided. The lecture is not that bad but doesn't detail what is needed. Her office hours do not help. I went, and said I was struggling she told me to go over the prep work again.
She is nice and cares about her students, however her lecture classes are messy and have no clear ideas. Class never ends early. You have to teach yourself through prep work and mastering, which is time consuming. Tests and quizzes are extremely hard, but she does offer SI sessions to get extra points. If you put in the work it is possible to pass.
The majority of this class is prepwork which is usually unrelated to the lectures. The lectures are mandatory and even if you go you can only get so many points on the iclicker system. She does not give study guides for her exams.
Dr.Svec isn't a bad teacher, she is always available for office hours and she responds to emails in a timely manner. Do all the prepwork, masterings and you'll be fine. Lot of in class points with Iclicker so go to class. Grade gets curved.
Svec's class has a lot of prepwork, but engaging with it really pays off. Lectures are helpful, and SI sessions are a great way to supplement. Unstuck study was a game-changer for studying - definitely recommended alongside other resources.
Very lecture heavy and energetic about biology. I ended up teaching myself everything because she went so fast and was confusing.
Dr. Svec knows what she is talking about when it comes to science, however she is very snarky when it comes to the students asking questions about the work. It feels as if she just wants everyone to fail her class. She also takes way too much time on explaining things from last class and our lab always lasted all 3 hours.
Not terrible. Lecture was useless but mandatory. 10 point buffer on grade at end of semester so easy to get good grade. Do SI and go to office hours. Not great teacher but nice.
You can know and understand the topics discussed in class then go take a test or quiz and the question will be in extreme detail or about something that was discussed once. Mastering assignments would be due on Sundays and she only put out announcements about them towards the end of semester. Every time I've met with her she's put me in tears.
I did not think her class was that bad. The test were heavy on oddly specific topics and examples, so pay attention in lecture, you will catch things that will be on the test. She is very nice and knowledgable about science, but her teaching style does take some getting used to. Pay attention and stay on top of your work and you will be fine.
Things to know before taking the class - how to navigate the folio page -always take notes during lecture -use the videos she posts on assignments Dr Svec is very passionate and energetic, but a lot of the tests/quizzes are going to be applied knowledge from the prepwork/mastering assignments. She's not a great teacher, but it's not hard to pass.
I don't know how I passed the class. I thought I was failing the entire semester. She put in grades last minute. Labs from September weren't put in until December. She grades homework extremely hard. Cried every week because of this class. If you take her, learn abt excel & don't be lazy. Trust, this class is a work load. She is nice though
This class seems difficult but if you do the mastering lab, SI, prework quizzes, and the clicker questions, you will be fine. There is also a 10% buffer so if you have a C that is considered a B. As long as you study and put in some work, you'll be okay. This is a hard class to fail.
Awful, if you can, do everything possible to stay away from this class and her. Yes, she is a lovely lady who is kind, but her teaching skills are beyond questionable. Somehow she loses whatever is necessary for the students to know on the test, and you're complete screwed. Prepwork, mastering assignments, lectures and test don't match
Dr Svec is such a sweet and caring woman. Meet with her during her office hours and she is willing to work with you and you can tell she cares about her students as people and not just as students. However, lectures are hard to follow as she often just gives examples of what we learned. Take the prepwork seriously and you will do well in her class.
Do not take her. This has been the hardest class I have ever taken, coming from a straight-A student. She uses I I-clicker daily, and it will count against you if you get it wrong. The tests and quizzes do not match anything being taught. There is also only a 7.5% buffer now, not 10%. Honestly, just do yourself a favor and do not ever take her!!
Svec is a kind professor, always smiling and happy, and post more baby animals and tips on how to breath vs helpful material. Her study guides for quizzes/test are not direct, and no amount of studying them will help you as they are completely different from the real thing. The prepwork/mastering bio/SI sessions/ will not help either. Do not take!!
Professor Svec is very welcoming and knowledgeable about her field of study. Her lectures are interesting and keep you engaged. She allows you to earn a lot of bonus points throughout the semester. Her tests are not hard if you study the material, but you have to pay attention to the wording of the questions. I would take her again.
Amazing person, but not necessarily the best teacher. The entire row of my lecture was constantly confused. Attendance isn't mandatory per say, but she does use iClicker and you do get penalized for wrong answers regardless of if you're there or not. Again, lovely person and can be reached outside of class through SI or student meetings.
DO NOT TAKE! Attendance isn't "mandatory" but she uses iclicker in class and you will be penalized for wrong or unanswered polls. She's so hard to follow you have to teach yourself. Impossible to figure out your grade in here until it's too late.
Lace was a great professor. I would 100% take her class before Amanda Conners. She is so nice and sweet and the exams are in a huge class with 100 people. Hard class but amazing teacher.
Svec seems nice but is SO passive aggressive. She is honestly no help because she never directly answers any question. I would NOT take her again. The homework is graded so hard and this class genuinely made me depressed and change me major from the stem field. This class takes all your time, from the bottom of my heart take ANYONE else!!!!!!!
Clicker points are a big part of grade. The points are the only reason I went to lecture since the actual lecture is almost pointless due to her poor teaching, once I realized I was getting almost no credit for answering clicker if I was wrong I stopped even trying. You have to teach everything to yourself too! Don't know anyone who likes the class
Terrible teacher you have to teach everything to yourself. I guess she also didn't plan the course correctly because on our final exam day we are taking a regular exam AND a separate cumulative exam. Do not take
She's pretty nice, but loves to talk about nonsense for the first hour of class, and then gives passive agressive remarks when you ask questions about what specifically you should be doing. Grading criteria was vague at best on homework, and she is a pretty tough grader. She never gave direct answers to my questions, but I did well enough on my own
I might have failed this class due to medical circumstances out of my control, and I already plan on taking Dr. Svec again if I do have to retake the class. She was very understanding and validating of my struggles, and made me feel comfortable. That being said, the class is VERY involved, like a full time job, so be ready to work a lot.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
64%
Textbook Required
22%
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