2.8

Larry Kotman

Computer Science - Grand Valley State University

2.8
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
24%
Would Retake
171
Reviews
2.8
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
3.1
Helpful
2.4
Clarity

24%

Would Retake

171

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

31

4

41

3

25

2

28

1

46

What Students Say

Do not take him if you would like to learn anything about Java

CIS162 - 1.0 rating

Kotman is a nice funny guy

CIS251 - 2.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

65%

Textbook Required

55%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 48 grades
Most common grades:
A (32)
A- (6)
A+ (4)
Grade Distribution
A(36)B(4)C(1)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(7)
Based on 55 reported grades
A: 32
A-: 6
A+: 4
B: 3
Common Tags
Graded by few things (13)
Caring (8)
Skip class? You won't pass. (7)
Lecture heavy (7)
Get ready to read (4)
Participation matters (4)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (3)
LECTURE HEAVY (3)
Rating Trend

Declining

-1.28 avg change
Oct
Dec
Jan
Apr
Nov
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

150351

5.0

(1)

CS362

5.0

(1)

CS251AKA

5.0

(1)

CS150351

4.0

(1)

CS462

4.0

(1)
+18 more courses
Difficulty by Course

JAVA

4.0

CS162

3.1

CIS60

3.0

CIS163

2.5

CIS162

2.3

Reviews (171)
4.0
2.0
CS150
Nov 18, 1999

Lectures make me sleepy. A really nice guy though, decent teacher

2.0
4.0
CS351
Nov 18, 1999

DId not use a book. Often responded with "I don't know. You'll have to look th

4.0
1.0
CS150
Nov 19, 1999

Almost too smart for this class. So advanced doesn't remember the basics

5.0
1.0
CS362
Nov 24, 1999

Object Orientated Programming ROCKS!

4.0
2.0
CS150
Nov 30, 1999

Seems like he knows programming really well, but this is not a programming class

4.0
1.0
CS351
Nov 30, 1999

Very nice Prof,easy going,doesnt worry about duedates but forgets details/syntax

3.0
4.0
CS351
Dec 1, 1999

Good philosophy of ed, but presentation not explicit enough, too many tangents.

3.0
2.0
CS351
Dec 1, 1999

Nice guy yes, but I went through the whole class without learning anything

4.0
1.0
CS150
Grade: A
Mar 24, 2000

Very easy, laid back guy. Didn't really learn anything and fell asleep alot

4.0
1.0
CS351
Apr 22, 2000

Knows his stuff, but tends to wander a lot. Put me to sleep often.

3.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 30, 2000

I got an "A" and I still don't know how to turn on a computer. Attend but sleep

5.0
2.0
CS351
Aug 1, 2000

Made a 300-lvl class look like a 100-lvl class. One of the better CS profs.

5.0
2.0
CS150
Oct 20, 2000

I love the teacher who teaches understanding and not just knowledge. He's great

4.0
3.0
CS461
Oct 24, 2000

didnt learn a thing, midterm impossible, changes our base code every week..PAIN!

4.0
2.0
CS351
Nov 15, 2000

Great guy. Tries to actually help you understand stuff. Kinda boring though

3.0
1.0
CS351
Dec 10, 2000

Confusing yet easy -- he's a cool guy, sometimes Im not sure if he's all there..

5.0
1.0
CS351
Dec 11, 2000

A little boring, but his philosophy of teaching is right on target, knowledge...

4.0
1.0
CS351
Dec 25, 2000

boring class, easy assignments, doesn't know how to turn on the right lights

1.0
4.0
CS150
Jan 9, 2001

evil, thinks the computer is GOD

5.0
2.0
CS351
Mar 11, 2001

Very nice guy! Tries to make things simple. Gets boring at 10a.m. sometimes...

4.0
1.0
CS150
Mar 17, 2001

The most boring class. I fell asleep everyday.

4.0
1.0
CS150
Mar 30, 2001

knows his stuff, is understanding and easy

3.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 1, 2001

Loves his COMPUTER!!!!

4.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 4, 2001

HILARIOUS, lectures put you to sleep, there are no deadlines, easy tests

5.0
1.0
150351
Apr 13, 2001

Total blow off... we laughed more than we learned!

2.0
2.0
CS351
Apr 19, 2001

Boring as hell, but doesn't require much work. Very lenient on due dates.

4.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 19, 2001

This guy is really boring but if you have a pulse you should get an A

2.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 25, 2001

Snored every day. Learned absolutely nothing.

1.0
5.0
CS150
Grade: Not_Sure_Yet
May 7, 2001

confusing, bables, constant talking, creepy looking

5.0
2.0
CS351
Apr 26, 2001

If you like programming, this guy is GREAT. I'll take any class I can from him.

1.0
3.0
CS461
May 31, 2001

very intelligent but can NOT teach compiler design to save his life.

1.0
5.0
CS150
Jun 4, 2001

forgot it'sa low level class & we're bored 1/2 way through. creepyugl

1.0
4.0
CS150
Aug 27, 2001

forgot what he was teaching, not clear, not helpful, arogant, creepy plus 10.

4.0
1.0
CS351
Oct 8, 2001

Easy class, but does not know how to use a computer...lol!!!

4.0
2.0
CS162
Oct 26, 2001

Does his best to draw analogies, gets a little sidetracked sometimes

4.0
1.0
CS351
Nov 3, 2001

extremely boring and yes, he should learn to use the computer!

1.0
3.0
CS351
Dec 8, 2001

Learned nothing. Doesn't care about his students.

3.0
1.0
CS351
Jan 9, 2002

my drawing ability increased dramatically, didn't learn anything about assembly.

4.0
1.0
CS150351
Jan 9, 2002

Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day in the neighbor hood...

2.0
3.0
CS162
Jan 29, 2002

Looks like Chis Kattan on Crack and teaches like it too.

5.0
2.0
CS351
Jan 31, 2002

He made Assembly EASY! Began with basics, and built on them.

1.0
5.0
CS162
Apr 6, 2002

No Comments

4.0
5.0
CS351
Apr 25, 2002

Class was extremely difficult and boring but Kotman is a nice intelligent guy

4.0
2.0
CS162
Apr 26, 2002

No Comments

5.0
1.0
CS351
Jul 6, 2002

actually remmembers what it's like being a student. great teacher

4.0
2.0
CS462
Oct 10, 2002

Wonderful teacher, yet strikingly resembles a childhood favorite!

3.0
1.0
CS461
Dec 6, 2002

Makes class not stressful. You learn as much as you want to put in

3.0
1.0
CS461
Dec 7, 2002

Don't expect to learn anything, but expect an easy A.

1.0
1.0
CS461
Dec 9, 2002

Nice guy, easy A, but you wont learn anything. Waste of time and money.

5.0
2.0
CS251
Dec 16, 2002

Learn the fun stuff, test the easy stuff -Dr. Larry Kotman

5.0
2.0
CS251
Dec 17, 2002

Funny, respectful, wants students to learn, genuine

3.0
1.0
CS461
Jan 4, 2003

Nice guy, way too lost in his PhD brain, doesn't communicate simply or concisely

4.0
1.0
CS
Jan 6, 2003

Nutty and crazy. When I listened I learned and had fun.

5.0
2.0
CS251AKA
Feb 21, 2003

easy on grading but genuinely wants you to learn, made assembly fail to suck wow

2.0
4.0
CS162
Feb 28, 2003

He's very unclear and very scatterbrained. Several people in the class had to purchase books on how to learn Java, because of his lack of teaching. Had to drop the class.

4.0
1.0
CS351
Mar 12, 2003

Knows his stuff, genuinly intersted in student's learning, poor teaching style/class management. He should be in industry; he's a genius but not the greatest teacher.

1.0
1.0
CS150
Mar 24, 2003

Not the best teacher, but a really nice guy. You get points for showing up and likes you to get a good grade. If you wanna learn, read the book.

4.0
2.0
CS150
Mar 25, 2003

He can talk forever about nothing. The class is easy, but I didn't learn anything

4.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 11, 2003

DEFINETLY THE CLASS YOU NEED TO BE IN!

4.0
2.0
CS251
Apr 18, 2003

ok of a guy, easy grading but boring stuff.

3.0
2.0
CS251
Apr 28, 2003

Assembely still sucks, but he made it at least somewhat bearable.

4.0
2.0
CS251
Apr 25, 2003

Nice guy, teaches well when he stays on task, but drifts easily. Attendance is a huge part of your grade, don't overlook it.

3.0
5.0
CS251
Dec 2, 2003

This class was terrible- boring material, worthless textbook. He is a nice guy, but learning was tough with his brief and cursory teaching style and lack of a textbook. Online lecture notes from the equivalent class at another school saved me.

5.0
2.0
CS251
Dec 9, 2003

Makes the best of boring, not very useful material. If you show up for class and do all the homework you should get a good grade.

5.0
2.0
CS150
Dec 22, 2003

All you need to do is go to class, tests and assignments are easy. Just do the homework and its an easy A.

1.0
4.0
CS251
Jan 2, 2004

Terrible class and prof. Assembly language is not fun, and paired with kotman's terrible off subject teaching style grades are sure to slip. Not Recomended!

2.0
1.0
CS251
Jan 5, 2004

Teaching Style is hard to follow, but if you attend class it'll be a piece of cake. DON'T BUY THE BOOK. You'll never use it - HONEST - And I'm one of those people who reads the book even when I don't have to!

4.0
2.0
CS251
Grade: Rather_Not_Say
Apr 2, 2004

Assembly sucks, but you got to take it so get over it. Kotman is a nice guy, do the homework and play with spim. He tells you exactly what questions are on the test. At first the class seems way to difficult, its not.

4.0
2.0
CS150
Apr 8, 2004

This class is easy! Kotman lets you turn in assignments late and still gives full credit. Tests easy if you understand lab. He's definitely a little spacey though, but he's cool.

4.0
3.0
CS251
Apr 22, 2004

If you pay attention, and go to his classes, you will do really well on this course, if you don't attend, you will fail! Can go off on a tangent at times, but makes up for it with easy credit.

1.0
1.0
CS251
Apr 28, 2004

Kotman is horrid!

5.0
2.0
CS251
Nov 17, 2004

Best professer next to grissom. you wont code mips assembly in real life (I think they should teach IA32 assembly) but it gives you great insight on the fundamentals of computer design, etc.. making it 100x easier to learn another assembly language on your own.

5.0
1.0
CS251
Dec 14, 2004

Easy A, just go to class, tells you everything on test, do not buy the books

3.0
1.0
CS251
Jan 6, 2005

If you are looking for an easy A take him. If you are looking to learn something don't. He should have retired long ago.

2.0
4.0
JAVA
Mar 17, 2005

Worst prof I've ever had. His teaching is totally unclear and a bunch of people ended up buying "Java for Dummies" books because there was no way we were going to learn anything from him.

5.0
2.0
CS251
Apr 16, 2005

Kotman is great. He really wants everyone to get an A and understand the material. He lets you know what is on the tests and does everything he can to get everyone an A

2.0
1.0
CS251
Apr 19, 2005

Not very interesting often fall asleep during class. But nevertheless easy. Very little office hours.

5.0
1.0
CS251
Apr 27, 2005

Great professor for a really easy class. In general if you pay attention and take notes you'll be all set, no matter what. Doesnt care about due dates, curves on tests are awesome. He is extremely helpful and enthusiastic as well. His eccentricities can get a little annoying though.

4.0
1.0
CS251
Apr 27, 2005

Weird guy, but easy class. Explains things well. Class moves really slow. Take notes, do the work, and it's an easy A. As others have said, don't buy the book. You'll never use it.

5.0
1.0
CS251
May 9, 2005

Kotman is a very nice prof, and is extremely flexible on homework. Don't buy the book, take him, and enjoy your A.

5.0
2.0
CS251
Grade: A
Apr 27, 2005

He is the perfect man to teach this class, he is REALLY into low level abstractions, like assembly. He has no due dates basically, easy attendance points and curves like crazy. Honestly, he is just a nice older guy who really wants his students to do well.

5.0
2.0
CS160
Grade: Not_Sure_Yet
Nov 4, 2005

Knows that beginners are slower at programming. Takes his time, and makes sure you understand it. Allows you to turn assignments in late if you are not understanding it. Very concerned about your learning the material. good professor.

5.0
1.0
CS251
Dec 2, 2005

Don't buy the damn book. It's really not even that useful outside the course, if you wanna learn assembly get something else anyway, class is easy as funk, as long you dont have it at 8am. nice guy, but really weird. "alriiight?" "did you learn at least one thing today? mkaaay goooood" haha he needs a soundboard online.. i'd use it

5.0
1.0
CS150
Dec 16, 2005

Kotman is a good guy that wants everyone to have fun and succeed in a class that could have easily been very boring. He also makes sure that everyone is doing their work because in the end it is a great grade boost. Definately take this guy.

3.0
1.0
CS150
Nov 15, 2006

Nice guy, honestly cares about his students and understands that we have a life outside of class + other classes. Easy to talk to, a little boring, but so nice you almost feel bad for him that the class isn't paying attention. Definately will make you smile, if not at his bumbling happy self, but at least at his jokes. easy A.

4.0
1.0
CS150
Dec 3, 2006

What can you say about this guy. He told our class "If you show up for class everday and do alright on your tests and lab exercises you will get an A or a B." He wants to make everything as simple as possible. It is a great class.

3.0
1.0
CS251
Dec 7, 2007

Ah, bumbling yet jolly Kotman. Probably the only CS professor who has yet to master simple tasks like double clicking. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll get an A and then wonder what the point of the class was. He's way too freakishly senile to be teaching, but it's an easy A and you have to take it, so I wouldn't complain.

4.0
1.0
CS251
Dec 20, 2007

Don't buy the book. As long as you understand the SPIM simulator, you'll do well.

4.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 22, 2008

He's an excellent professor, I didn't really go to class because I know the subject well, but when I did it was enjoyable. He doesn't give much homework aside some easy problems that take about an hour, and some reading which is about the same. I recommend taking a class with him.

5.0
1.0
CS160
Oct 22, 2008

Easy, vary helpful, doesnt rush ahead when you dont understand

4.0
2.0
CS160
Nov 20, 2008

Easy class for mathematically minded people. Larry is an old math guy himself, so I connected well. He doesn't push deadlines, is extremely relaxed, and is willing to explain things over and over. Good class.

1.0
2.0
CS160
Dec 11, 2008

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS (if you actually have an interest in learning VB). I was so excited about learning this, but he was SO unclear and I hated it. The book was terrible, and I honestly did not enjoy this class at all. He also changed the final exam at the last second, without telling us. So no one knew what they were supposed to do. HATE IT!!!

1.0
1.0
CS150
Feb 3, 2009

Larry is a very nice guy, but it's kinda scary how little he seems to know about computers, especially since he's the teacher. As a person, he's great, but he's quite unclear and doesn't seem to know what he's doing.

4.0
1.0
CS251
Mar 17, 2009

It's almost worth getting up for 8 AM to watch his amazing displays of senility, such as failing to double click or taking 2 minutes to copy and paste. Beyond that, the class is mostly easy (projects range from easy to moderate, exams aren't too bad), and what you learn will be useful in many classes to come, so take this early on.

2.0
2.0
CS150
Mar 20, 2009

He really got on my nerves. He NEVER answered the numerous e-mails I sent him. When I would submit assignments on blackboard, I had to actually approach him and tell him he needed to grade them and he would act like he didn't know what I was talking about. Just an all-around dead-from-the-neck-up person and should not be teaching.

4.0
1.0
CS150
Apr 23, 2009

He's a pretty easy going, easy professor. In his own words, if you complete all the class work it is reasonable to expect an A or a B in his course. We barely ever used the text but for his midterm and final he will tell you specific things to study out of the book. This class was a breeze.

2.0
1.0
CS150
Jun 29, 2009

Larry is a character. He doesn't really have much common sense, but he tries. You don't learn much in his class and it can be difficult (learning binary code conversions). I took it as a 6-9 and sat on Facebook the entire time.

2.0
2.0
CS251
Dec 16, 2009

Easily the most incoherent professor I have ever had. Shows up late to class, rambles off on tangents endlessly, and didn't grade any of the homework until the second to last day of the course. However, he grades incredibly easy which is likely because no one knows what he's talking about. Avoid if possible.

1.0
5.0
CS162
Mar 29, 2010

Awful. Teach yourself out of the book. Going to class makes you more confused that you were to begin with.

5.0
1.0
CS162
Mar 29, 2010

He is quite a character! This class was pretty easy. If you show up to class and do the homework, you should easily be able to get an A or B. He gives points almost each class time just for you attempting to take a "Learning Exercise" or just attending lab. He can get things confused sometimes, but overall he is a nice guy, and is willing to help.

2.0
2.0
CIS150
Apr 25, 2011

Quite the character, but besides being fun to watch not good for learning. What he taught in class had nothing to do with the exams- had to teach self for exams because we never read the book nor did he cover anything on it until the day before the exam! Easy grader htough because he had no idea what was going on. AVOID.

1.0
1.0
CIS162
Mar 22, 2012

If you would like to get an A and learn absolutely nothing, take CIS 162 with Kotman. If you have to take 163, do not take it with him. You won't learn anything. Don't have to turn projects in on time. Can use full page cheat sheet on exams (only reason I did well). Don't bother asking him any questions, he will not understand you at all.

5.0
2.0
CIS150
Mar 25, 2013

definitely a character! pretty easy class, nothing too exciting. take him for an easy A. go to class and do your homework and you're golden

2.0
3.0
CIS150
Apr 23, 2013

He kept extending deadlines, which is nice for people who slack, but for those who don't it's annoying. He seems very confused at times and is stuck in the early 90s computer-wise. Nice guy, but he made me roll my eyes a bit.

3.0
2.0
CIS150
Grade: A
Nov 17, 2013

Very, very nice man who really goes out of his way to make sure everybody earns an A. You actually would have to try to do bad, or completely ignore the assignments all together. Will push back deadlines if you ask and will help you in any way he can. If you need this class, I would recommend him simply because it is easy and he is kind.

2.0
1.0
CIS162
Grade: A
Nov 18, 2013

Good professor if you want to just rush through not learn anything and take an A. Besides that he confuses himself which confuses you. Hardly learned anything from him though, take this class with a different professor if you really want to learn programming.

2.0
1.0
CIS150
Nov 21, 2013

Basically teaching yourself as you go. the course content is not hard. but if you actually need help HE WILL NOT HELP YOU! his favorite phrase to say to me whenever i asked for help was "make sure you look through the tutorial" ive been stuck on the same assignment for 3 weeks now

1.0
2.0
CIS162
Dec 7, 2013

Kotman is not useful at all. His teaching methods are terrible and all over the place. He seemed very unsure of what he was saying and his questions were confusing. Deadlines were not held strictly. Tests had material on them that we never covered in class.

2.0
5.0
CIS162
Dec 13, 2013

He grades lackadaisically, gets plain awkward during lectures and doesn't teach very well. For a guy that works with java for a living, he doesn't seem to know a lot about computers in general. Interesting guy, but confusing and just gives participation points. You're probably better off with the book if you wanna learn something. Not recommended.

4.0
3.0
CS162
Jan 2, 2014

I'm gonna try to keep this not-hostile. Basically, if you think you can learn java on your own and dont even care about the class, take Kotman. If you struggle with it, don't take Kotman. His instructions are absolute jokes compared to the other professors. He doesnt even look at your code, so theres no point in proper layout. bad habits amock.

3.0
2.0
CIS150
Grade: A
Dec 10, 2014

CIS 150 has a bunch of tedious work. He is definitely one of the easiest professors I've had, but that's not because he's a good teacher, he's actually kind of a strange fella. This class is strictly homework based and self taught, no need to even show up to lecture. Also lets you use the textbook for all exams.

2.0
1.0
CIS162
Feb 7, 2015

Don't take Kotman for a difficult class; he is a really nice guy but a poor professor. I learned more reading the book for an hour than I did in lecture the first month and a half of his class.

2.0
5.0
CIS251
Apr 2, 2015

Prof. Kotman is a nice funny guy. But he manages his class like bumbling old fool. He gives you notes, but for lecture he just reads them to you. He assigns work sporadically and grades them when ever it suits him. During his lectures he goes off on tangents and some times speaks way too fast.

3.0
5.0
CIS162
Grade: A+
Apr 9, 2015

CIS 162 under this professor was a confusing nightmare for me. The content is like learning a whole new language for the first time(because it is). His lectures are extremely long and drawn out and no one can pay attention. He crams way too much work in the week to the point where you give up on most of the stuff. The guy wants to help though.

1.0
1.0
CIS251
Grade: A
Apr 14, 2015

Nice old man. Rambles incoherently about god knows what. Taught myself all the material needed for homework and exams from the book. Easy A, but if you actually care about learning the material, take it with someone else

1.0
5.0
CIS251
Grade: C+
Apr 16, 2015

This guy doesn't seem to know what he is talking about. He corrects himself often, more then once he took nearly the entire class time on a demo only to discover he was totally wrong. Avoid him at all costs.

3.0
1.0
CIS350
Apr 16, 2015

Kotman is a very nice guy, and he honestly wants to see his students succeed. That being said, his lecture is extremely hard to pay attention to, and his responses to questions are rarely relevant to what was asked.

2.0
1.0
CIS251
Grade: A+
Apr 28, 2015

Easy professor. Gives very basic, simple homework (when he gives it). Kind of wish there was more homework and a higher complexity to the class, feels like I might not be ready for the next class, but I don't know yet. Sit on the left side of the class because he stands in front of the board on the right and doesn't move. He's a nice guy and OK.

2.0
2.0
CIS251
Grade: B+
May 5, 2015

VERY confusing. I got lost so many times in lectures. Just avoid if possible, yeah you'll pass with an easy A or B if you complete the homework. Tests were very easy. Basically if you want to do better in 451 take someone else. They may be more difficult but at least you'll be more educated. I learned almost nothing.

4.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A+
Dec 8, 2015

if (you are a programmer true) take a different prof; else (you are a programmer false) take kotman, he is easier than the others and helps a lot; Kotman can be confusing sometimes but he goes above and beyond to help outside of the classroom. I think too many majors have to take java. HE is your guy if you are not CS major

4.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A
Dec 12, 2015

He isn't the greatest teacher, like I needed a lot of help from a friend who had already taken this course. His class is easy, but if you really want a good understanding of what to do, I advise you look elsewhere.

3.0
1.0
CS251
Grade: A
Mar 31, 2016

If you are like me you are taking this class because it is part of your major requirements and is a prereq for CIS451. Don't worry about all the crap you dont learn in this class. Show up read the book on your own time and knock the homework out as soon as you can (but he gives you the whole semester to do it). Test are the same as study guides.

1.0
1.0
CIS251
Grade: A
Aug 2, 2016
Wouldn't take again

We went over the same few things for weeks on end. The mid term was on the first half of class and the final isn't cumulative. It's super easy but it's also super boring and a waste of a class. If you take him, you won't be prepared for future classes.

2.0
1.0
CIS162
Dec 12, 2016
Wouldn't take again

This prof will either be your guy, or your worst nightmare. If you know programming already like I did, I'd say take him because the class will be literally show up and pass. However if you don't know coding, stay far away. Just rambles all lecture and learning will be very difficult. You will not be prepared for later classes.

1.0
3.0
CIS162
Mar 1, 2017
Wouldn't take again

I can't stress enough: don't take this professor. The positive is that he gives no homework but I'd prefer HW at this point. He teaches projects not concepts and he's not even good at that, his tests are based on his ideas of how to do projects which students never follow, he's disorganized and going to class is an absolute chore.

Skip class? You won't pass.
GROUP PROJECTS
1.0
2.0
CIS163
Apr 7, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Don't take this professor. He talks about the projects instead of teaching the concepts. He changes the projects so much that you can not get help from the Success Center, they are just as confused as you. No clear grading criteria and disorganized.

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
1.0
CIS251
Grade: A
Apr 10, 2017
Wouldn't take again

He's an easy A but that's all you'll get out of this class. You probably wont learn much if anything even though he loves to ask at the end of every class if you've "learned something today". I would avoid him at all costs.

Skip class? You won't pass.
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
2.0
CIS163
Apr 26, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Professor Kotman is a really nice guy, but he cannot teach. It was impossible to actually get anything out of his lectures. He struggled with answering even the most basic questions. It is now the end of exam week and the only grade he has up is the midterm, so I have no idea what grade I'm getting. He was very frustrating to have as a professor.

Skip class? You won't pass.
GROUP PROJECTS
1.0
4.0
CIS162
Nov 29, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Do not take him if you would like to learn anything about Java. Although coding experience is not required for CIS 162, the only people in class who had any idea what was going on were those already familiar with programming. Although he encourages collaborating on projects (making it easy to share code) that doesnt help during exams.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Tests are tough
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
5.0
CIS162
Dec 19, 2017
Wouldn't take again

You will not learn anything from this Prof. Some people have said he goes out of his way to help but that is only because he tells you shouldn't go to the help center. Sometimes he will repeat whole lectures multiple days in a row. His class is only possible if you know about JAVA before you take it. (textbook is helpful but prof never read it)

Skip class? You won't pass.
Tests are tough
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
5.0
CIS160
Grade: B
Feb 7, 2018
Wouldn't take again

unorganized and very hard to follow. I have never taken any coding/programming before so its such a struggle. never teaches just lets you figure it out on your own. don't get me wrong, hes a good guy and very nice but as a prof stay clear

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
2.0
1.0
CIS162
Grade: A
Apr 2, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Very nice guy. He means well, but not a good teacher. He goes through the same material over and over. His class is an easy A, even if you didn't learn anything. Thankfully, I went into his class knowing a lot of coding because if I didn't, I would not have learned anything.

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
1.0
CIS461
Oct 9, 2018
Wouldn't take again

If at all do NOT take this prof for an important class like 162. He doesn't seem to make lesson plans and just rambles all class. He seems like a very kind and intelligent guy, but he's probably the worst *teach*er I've had at GV. It's an easy A, and a mildly fun challenge to try to understand even a little of his compiler despite his lectures.

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
2.0
1.0
CIS160
Grade: A
Apr 16, 2019
Wouldn't take again

This class is one of the easiest classes I have ever taken, but also, I didn't learn a thing. The class was very disorganized and hard to follow and most of the time, his lectures didn't make sense. Overall, he's not a bad guy. He's really nice and caring, but do not take this class if you actually want to learn visual basic.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Lecture heavy
1.0
4.0
CS351
Apr 17, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Graded 1 thing the entire semester. Had no idea what was happening half the time. The student helper consistently taught labs better than Kotman

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
1.0
4.0
CIS163
Apr 25, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Final grades are due in less than 24 hours and half of my grades are not inserted yet. Barely taught us anything the whole semester, including giving us the majority of our code for assignments, and left us very ill prepared for the final exam. Literally the hardest exam I've ever taken in my life. A very nice guy but take someone else

Graded by few things
2.0
2.0
CIS163
Grade: A
Aug 5, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Professor Kotman is a humble guy. He's very nice, but not a good teacher. If you need a professor who will answer your questions and help you out he is not the one. His answers will usually not answer your questions and he likes to ramble. He also brings C# example code to a Java class. Facepalm. You will be on your own for the most part.

Graded by few things
Test heavy
Caring
1.0
3.0
CIS60
Grade: A
Nov 15, 2019
Wouldn't take again

He's ok

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
1.0
1.0
CIS251
Grade: A
Mar 23, 2020
Wouldn't take again

It was very frustrating to have this professor. He rambles a lot and a couple of times, he picked up his phone during our class while he was lecturing. I did not feel like he understood what he was teaching.

Graded by few things
1.0
2.0
CIS443
Grade: A
May 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

He assigned us 3 projects. We could only get A's if we completed all three perfectly, and he gave no tests. He often refused to help with code we were stuck on, saying "if I tell you what to do, you won't learn." (I learned close to nothing). Repetitive lectures on random topics. Had us follow Microsoft tutorials instead of really teaching content.

Participation matters
Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
1.0
1.0
CIS162
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 1, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Truly among the worst that Grand Valley has to offer. Do NOT take him for any classes, but certainly not a foundational course like 162. If you get stuck with him, be ready to rely on the textbook and external resources because he rambles, gets confused, and legitimately does not understand how to use a computer. Awful, awful professor.

Get ready to read
Caring
1.0
3.0
CIS162
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Freshman year of college. Absolute worst experience ever. He seems to barely know how to even use a computer, and his teaching is inexcusable. Absolutely DO NOT take this class with him unless this isn't for your major or you have previous coding experience. The only pro I can think of is that he's nice.

Participation matters
Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
1.0
2.0
CS160
Grade: A-
Dec 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Professor Kotman's CIS 160 is a very easy class to pass, but you will learn little to nothing. His lectures are all over the place and usually don't pertain to the content that you are currently working on. But besides all of this, Professor Kotman himself is a very kind man who seems to be very invested in his field.

Participation matters
Skip class? You won't pass.
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A
Dec 22, 2020
Would take again

Professor Kotman was excellent. He did a great job explaining the material, and he really put forth an effort to develop quality lessons. He was kind, caring, and was always available to answer questions and help solve problems after class or during office hours. He communicated effectively through email and through in class announcements.

Gives good feedback
Respected
Caring
3.0
1.0
CS351
Grade: A+
Feb 5, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Take the class if you want an easy A. Very nice guy and is caring, BUT don't take him if you want to learn. Not ideal to have CIS162/163 with him if you are a CS major. Very important concepts are taught in those classes, and you NEED to have a good grasp on the concepts to survive the major/career.

1.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A
Mar 23, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Worst prof I've had in 4 years and it's not even close. I was told to take this class to help a bit with upcoming grad school. I've learned almost nothing. No notes, little communication, and boring and aimless "lectures". I've never posted on this site but felt obligated to say avoid at all costs.

1.0
1.0
CS
Grade: A
Apr 26, 2022
Would take again

I didn't go to class once this semester after the first day nor talk to him....and I still got an A, if this doesn't tell u anything idk what will...

1.0
4.0
CIS162
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Sep 8, 2022

I am a freshman and Grand Valley and have had Larry for about 2 weeks, he is an absolutely horrible teacher, he is completely clueless about computers and technology. I would not take this class if you are interested in computer science. He made me reconsider my major.

1.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: Incomplete
Sep 20, 2022

Larry has no clue how to work code let alone teach it to students. In taking this course expect to teach yourself everything.

1.0
3.0
CIS162
Nov 28, 2022

Avoid this professor if you are taking CIS 162. You will basically be self teaching yourself everything.

Graded by few things
1.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A-
Dec 17, 2022

Had to learn most course material on my own, taught very little. Did not grade any assignment until last minute after finals. Very stressful and unorganized.

5.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A-
Feb 8, 2023
Would take again

I love Mr. Kotman. Very nice, caring, and loves to teach us and interact with students. He's very lenient on grading and turning in assignments on time, but he might go a little fast for the material presented. All in all a great experience.

Clear grading criteria
Gives good feedback
Respected
4.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A-
Mar 1, 2023
Would take again

Though he may lack sometimes in clearly teaching the material. He makes up for it with his understanding and his willingness to work with students on getting a good grade.

1.0
1.0
CIS162
Grade: A
Mar 16, 2023
Would take again

He hands out free As for everyone and their grandma, but terrible teacher

1.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: A-
Apr 6, 2023

I genuinely feel really bad for any new students that want to go into computer science and have to take this guy. This is supposed to be an entry-level course, but if this class was the first time I have ever touched programming, I would have instantly dropped the course and switched majors. Take him for an easy grade, avoid if you want to learn.

1.0
1.0
CIS160
Grade: A
Sep 22, 2023

Incredibly ineffective professor. DO NOT take if you are interested in actually learning python. You will create 0 original code. Professor just stands at the front of the room displaying code HE created while giving 0 explanation of what/why. I have not learned a single thing about coding from Larry, ZYBooks will be your only source of knowledge.

1.0
5.0
CIS160
Grade: B
Oct 19, 2023

he doesn't answer emails or grade things on time. not very good at explaining code to people who don't already know how to code which ruins the point of being a teacher.

3.0
2.0
CIS160
Grade: A
Dec 8, 2023

Perfect if you just need to take one computer science course, if not then I wouldn't recommend. Maybe a total of three assignments where you actually have to write code. Midterm was multiple choice and pretty easy. If you genuinely want to learn to code don't take this professor.

Caring
3.0
4.0
CIS160
Grade: B-
Dec 23, 2023

I would give him a lower rating but Larry did not do me dirty with my final grade. He is very kind and focuses a lot on his students passing, and he wants his students to learn, he's just a little ineffective at it. I think he said he only learned Python the year previous? So I don't think he's the best at instructing others on it yet but he tries.

Graded by few things
1.0
1.0
CS
Grade: A
Feb 10, 2024
Would take again

Only take him if you want good grades, do not take him if you want to learn, dude is too out of date with the real world to teach. Honestly probably should just retire. But he is a very nice person, I do not have anything against Larry.

3.0
1.0
CS
Grade: A
Mar 26, 2024
Would take again

CIS260. Take him if you want an easy A, he basically gave out free As. The catch is you won't learn anything because he's not good at teaching, half of the class is about his life history learning how tech was like 20 years ago. Multiple choice exams. You won't retain anything, he doesn't explain his own code, just that it works...

1.0
1.0
CIS260
Grade: A
Apr 24, 2024

Larry is very nice and cares about his students. However, he is terrible at teaching coding, you will retain nothing from his course. He only put grades on blackboard a week before final exams so we had no time to change them before the final.

Graded by few things
4.0
1.0
CIS260
Grade: A
Apr 25, 2024
Would take again

I didn't know my grade the entire semester, only feedback I get was "youre doing good dont worry". He only finally graded everything near the end.... It seems like he gives everyone A, he's not a bad person hes just a bad teacher. Exams were easy multiple choice questions. This class only runs once a year by the way, in the winter.

5.0
2.0
CIS260
Grade: A
Apr 27, 2024
Would take again

Didn't grade anything until after final exam... Take him if you need a gpa booster, he basically made everyone pass with an A. Easy multiple choice tests. I like his old school teaching lecture style more than those younger professors at GV where they nitpick everything or god forbid do flipped classrooms group work, that's just my preference.

3.0
2.0
CIS162
Grade: B
Oct 20, 2024
Would take again

The professor is quite lenient, but the course material can be challenging to grasp on your own. Using resources like unstuck study, ChatGPT, and the free textbook can help fill in the gaps. Attend class and stay engaged to succeed.

2.0
1.0
CIS160
Grade: A
Dec 19, 2024

Larry was an alright guy, but not a great teacher. I solely relied on the textbook for learning, since he doesn't teach in class. The lectures go off topic often, so I tuned them out whenever I was actually present... but he makes sure everyone passes. Attendance is counted but never actually put in as a grade, and there's very few assignments.

Caring
Graded by few things
2.0
1.0
CIS160
Grade: A
Jan 25, 2025

Professor Kotman was a great man, but not a great teacher. He was very kind and understanding about anything you had going on and it was an easy class to pass as he graded on a curve to ensure that everyone at least passed, but I was able to pass the class without obtaining the textbook or listening to lectures at all.

Caring
Lecture heavy
5.0
1.0
CIS160
Grade: A
Jan 25, 2025
Would take again

This dude was one of the nicest professors I think i've ever had. Pains me to say but often lectures nearly the entire time & hard to keep up, easy to comprehend concepts if you use outside resources. Aside from that, straight up, one of the nicest dudes i've ever met, he really cares about you.

Respected
Graded by few things
Accessible outside class
5.0
1.0
CIS260
Grade: A
Apr 26, 2025
Would take again

Easy A. Pay attention you will actually learn stuff if you get into it.

Inspirational
Hilarious
Caring
2.0
2.0
CIS160
Grade: A-
Nov 28, 2025

He's a very sweet guy but he should not be a CS prof. He asked us if we knew how to copy and paste. He always says that we teach him more than he teaches us and he means that, I feel like I know nothing about python. Lectures are kind of all over the place and hard to follow. He also cancels class quite a bit. He gives out A's like candy though.

Participation matters
Graded by few things
3.0
2.0
CIS160
Grade: A
Dec 15, 2025

Professor Kotman is a very kind teacher, but I felt as though we learned how to read code and not how to write it. Lectures in class were short, and we were often let out early. I learned more the textbook labs than from class. Kotman rounded my 88% to an A which was nice, although I don't think I leaned as much as I would have hoped.

Get ready to read
Caring
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

65%

Textbook Required

55%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 48 grades
Most common grades:
A (32)
A- (6)
A+ (4)
Grade Distribution
A(36)B(4)C(1)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(7)
Based on 55 reported grades
A: 32
A-: 6
A+: 4
B: 3
Common Tags
Graded by few things (13)
Caring (8)
Skip class? You won't pass. (7)
Lecture heavy (7)
Get ready to read (4)
Participation matters (4)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (3)
LECTURE HEAVY (3)
Rating Trend

Declining

-1.28 avg change
Oct
Dec
Jan
Apr
Nov
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

150351

5.0

(1)

CS362

5.0

(1)

CS251AKA

5.0

(1)

CS150351

4.0

(1)

CS462

4.0

(1)
+18 more courses
Difficulty by Course

JAVA

4.0

CS162

3.1

CIS60

3.0

CIS163

2.5

CIS162

2.3

Similar Professors