I liked him as a teacher, definitely better and easier to understand then the Orgo teacher I have right now. I wish he tought organic chemistry here.

Great teacher, explains concepts very well. He really understands organic chemistry at a fundamental level and can answer any question. Tests are challenging, but in a good way.

He knows how to teach Organic chemitstry II. He is very helpfull and he is always there for you. However, his exams are superrrrrrrrrr hard!!! You will learn in his class, but you might not get the grade that you want unless you burn your eyelashes studying(even then is not sure). I f you want to learn take it, if you only want a very good grade do

My class was chemistry-challenged so the curve was ~71% was an A. He wasn't a bad teacher at all because the material itself was just infuriating. He'll help you outside of class if you need it. Voice cracks a lot too which adds some humor to otherwise boring lectures.

He's really funny and sometimes inappropriate. He's clear and works through examples in class. As long as you keep up with the work, then you'll do fine. I am actually going to try to take Chem231 (Orgo) with him next semester.

Decent lecturer, decent guy. I learned a fair amount of organic chemistry. However, I can't recommend him. Here's why: His exams are RIDICULOUSLY hard, and he brags about how hard they are and how he makes them impossible on purpose. The practice exams resemble the actual ones only in that they're printed on paper.

I am currently taking Dr Lee for Orgo I and have really enjoyed having him as a professor. As long as you attend all classes and take good notes, you'll be fine. Textbook is pretty useless, I've gotten B's on exams all year and didnt open the book once. The Klein book helps a lot tho. Overall, pretty straight forward porfessor. Very funny and loves

Good class and really clear lectures. Homework is an easy way to make points but tests are really hard, though the curve helps a lot. Great teacher who explains the concepts very well.

A wonderful teacher and should be teaching lectures, but unfortunately his exams were extremely difficult (looking at past exams didn't help at all).

Dr Lee is hilarious! He was a good lecturer who always allowed time for questions. However, his tests are very tricky, and it's important to study A LOT and know the material inside out. Luckily there is a huge curve, so as long as you get above the average you'll be okay. He made me actually like chemistry!

I thought he was the most interesting teacher ever. He made chemistry really fun! Unlike some other commentators I thought his tests were very straight forward. You have to study a little and attend all of his lectures to understand the material, but he is an EXCELLENT teacher!

Nice guy who is willing to help his students but exams are IMPOSSIBLE and lecture notes/examples don't help at all because he just shows easy examples in class and then throws the hardest most complicated problems at you on the exams. Take someone else if possible.

Seriously avoid him if you can. If you are naturally gifted in chemistry you will be fine. Most students do not do well with him. The exams really are a wash. I have never had exams that bad in my college career. The problems he does in class are easy, but the ones on exams are insane. He teaches 3x more info than the book does.it is not worth it

Dr. Lee is a really nice guy and a great lecturer. He's clear and knows what he's talking about. the tests are not that bad really. He has good online help and teaches to the exams. The book is barely needed. Definitely go to lecture everyday. If you do, exams are fine.

His tests are extremely unfair, and are never similar to what he does in class. He is easy to understand and is extremely helpful. The book isn't needed at all if you know what you're doing. His past exams give you an idea on the difficulty level, but usually don't give you accurate topics.

Wasn't planning on commenting, but when I saw that professor Friedman was rated so low, i was so confused. He is literally the best professor I have had in college thus far. I have taken many science classes, and he is the best that I have had. Very very hard, but if you put in the effort you have a shot. Expects a lot, but also teaches you a lot.

He makes the exam extremely difficult and even jokes about it in class. He speaks so quickly about each subject you barely have time to comprehend what what he is talking about when taking notes. the textbook is necessary and worth reading inside and out to get a decent grade in the class.

He really gives you every resource to pass. The tests are hard but it is always stuff you have learned and gone over. His class is set up very well with a lot of practice problems. GSS is very helpful. He is very good at explaining things so office hours are very helpful as well. Awesome curve for tests so just worry about being at the average.

The class is hard, but chemistry is for most people. Be sure to go over practice problems and understand them. I never went to GSS or office hours and did fine. He is kind of hilarious.

Dr. Friedman always goes above and beyond for his students. I emailed him once on a Saturday and received a lengthy response within the hour. He does exam review sessions online and you can ALWAYS find a way to get your questions answered if you are willing to reach out. GSS is a huge help!

such a nice guy and extremely intelligent professor and lecturer. he's probably the best orgo 1 teacher

Dr. Friedman is a great professor. He is able to explain orgo concepts very well and uses helpful analogies. He is also very funny and going to his lectures was almost fun. His tests really aren't that bad, I would definitely recommend for orgo 1.

Professor Friedman is passionate about teaching chemistry. His classes are entertaining and he explains concepts very well, although he moves very fast so it is helpful to come to class having looked over the textbook first. Everyone complains that his tests are too hard but in the end there is a huge curve so it ends up fine. Don't be scared off!

He's tough, but fair. There's always a big curve for the exams but that doesn't mean you shouldn't work for the grade. Everything he covers in lecture is on the exam one way or another and he follows the textbook to a T. If you actually want the help, he will be there. He's great if you're going into Orgo2.

Dr. Friedman is a great lecturer and really wants you to do well. There are plenty of opportunities to do well in the class (GSS, online review sessions before exams, HW and participation clickers). The biggest knock against him is how hard he makes the class. Orgo is a beast as is but his tests are ridiculously hard at times. Curves well tho!

I just took Dr. Friedman's CHEM231 class as a freshman (I tested out of CHEM131 with AP Chem). Going into this class I was quite scared, but Dr. Friedman was a fantastic and hilarious teacher who made the class easily manageable. Go to class, do the homework, do the practice exams, and study your reactions. That's what I did and I pulled an A.

Friedman is EXTREMELY attentive to his students and very organized. Replies to emails within the hour and goes out of his way to help students with any questions. Easy to talk to, great sense of humor, very prompt in uploading grades and notifications. He works VERY fast in lecture, so I HIGHLY suggest you read the chapters before going to class

Friedman works very fast. However, he provides so many resources that will help you better understand the concepts. It is very helpful to do old practice exams - try to understand the CONCEPT behind the practice exam problems, and you will most likely do fairly well on the exams b/c the concepts don't change. Understand rather than try to memorize.

After two semesters with Friedman I have learned his value. He's not going to cater to you, but he doesn't want you to suffer. He is accessible and helpful during his office hours, and rlly tries to get you to think about why something happens instead of memorizing. Useful for chem majors, useful for life. His sarcasm can be mistaken for rudeness.

This will be my fourth semester with Dr. Friedman. He is an excellent teacher and is always willing to spend time with you in office hours. He is known for being "tough," but his class taught me to think critically of reactions- an aspect critical to chemistry majors and pre-health degree majors. I encourage you to take him and challenge yourself.

If you are a slacker, you won't like Dr. Friedman. If you are serious about your academics, and really want to learn the material, then take Dr. Friedman. If you want to take a class where you can earn an easy A, perhaps take another professor. If you want to nail the MCAT or become a successful chemist, then take Dr. Freidman.

Dr. Friedman wants you to do well but, you have to work for it. He emphasizes doing a small amount practice problems daily. This is crucial when it comes to synthesis, NMR, IR, and mechanisms. He has videos on ELMS which are very helpful. He is very fast at grading and easily accessible out of class.

Friedman is the best Orgo 1 professor I could've had. He lectures quickly, but effectively. He is organized, explains anything you have questions on, & is incredibly knowledgable about orgo. He's also pretty sarcastic in a great way. DO YOUR HW, SHOW UP TO CLASS FOR CLICKER ?s. Put in time and you'll learn tons and have a great basis for Orgo 2.

If you want to learn organic chemistry, take it with Friedman. Like any Organic Chem class, this class was tough too. Simply said, you must put in the work to earn the grade you want. Friedman was very helpful at office hours and held reviews before each exam. He wants students to succeed! If you are looking for an easy A, not the class for you.

I've had all the basic chem teachers, you know who they are. Dr. Friedman is hands down the best. He lectures in a way that you understand and is extremely accessible outside of class. Instead of a tutor, I went to his office hours everyday. Tests are very hard but he will tell you what to expect. So helpful, great teacher.

Dr. Friedman is very good about explaining chemistry in a way that's easy to understand. He is pretty funny and very approachable. However, his tests are very difficult with averages in the 50s, but a generous curve. For the exams, you will need to know the concepts behind each topic and be able to connect more than one concept in each problem.

Learned a ton however, the tests are pretty tough. He is a good professor and great lecturer. Available outside of class and pretty helpful in office hours

OK, YES, his exams are hard, BUT all you have to do is get above the average and you're golden! I usually get in the 70's, tbh could have worked harder, but I should end up with a B+ at WORST with the curve. He is an AMAZING teacher! He moves slowly and explains everything in depth. I've never even opened the textbook.

Yeah, Dr. Friedman gives hard tests but he is a great professor and really makes sure you learn the material. He really just wants everyone to know chemistry and what the concepts are behind the topics so you will do well in much harder chem classes. If you actually want to learn and enjoy chem take Friedman hes the man!

Tough grader but really cares about his students and wants them to succeed. If you work hard you will pass. His curves are wonderful.

Dr. Friedman has a reputation of being a difficult professor. I'm not going to lie it was a difficult and a very lecture heavy course but the way Dr. Friedman taught was great. If you pay attention in lecture and take advantage of his practice exams you can do really well.

Grades are mostly based on exam scores. There's a lot of hw, 20 questions with multiple parts but each hw is 10 pts and there's 12 total. Lots of clickers. I got a low C on the 1st exam, low B on the 2nd, and flat 50 (yikes...) on the 3rd. The final is a different version of the same questions on the 3 exams. I got a D on the final (above avg)

Friedman's a really good teacher. He moves really fast during lectures, so if you doze off even for a minute you'll miss a lot. He's super helpful during office hours, but as everyone else said his exams are HARD. Study everything we did in class, but he'll throw a curveball at you just for fun. Only take him if you're willing to work really hard.

I honestly really enjoyed being in his class, but you have to work hard and come to lectures and discussions in order to do well. He is very fun and knowledgeable, however his exams are pretty hard. Even if you study everything he will still put something in there that you will most likely not have seen before, but the curve will save you!!!

Probably my best professor during the Undegrad years. Very good lecturer and honestly cares if students understand the concepts. Exams can be tough but if you pay attention in class and study consistently, you will do fine.

Organic chemistry is a hard class no matter which professor you take. However, Friedman is a very good professor who knows how to effectively teach the material. However, his exams are tricky and require a considerable amount of studying to master. Thankfully, he gives out old exams before midterms. With a some studying, you will pass his class!

Dr. Friedman is the best professor I've had throughout my time as an undergrad. This is the second semester I've taken him and he is by far the best orgo teacher at UMD. Is his class hard? Obviously, this is organic chem what do you expect, but he teaches it well enough where if you work hard you will do well. Would take him again if I could!

Dr. Friedman is the man! He teaches Organic chem in a way that makes it so easy to learn. He doesn't want you to memorize things just cause like other professors, he'd rather have you understand things fully so that you can be successful down the road on things like the MCAT. His tests are hard, but if you work hard and study you will be fine.

Friedman was huge in helping me understand orgo. He is super approachable and can help you understand any problem, he even puts in effort to learn most students names. He definitely is tough and pushes students, but it pays off in the long run as you will have a much deeper understanding and be better prepared for orgo 2. Just dont procrastinate!

His exams are pretty difficult but in general I think he's such a good teacher. He explains things very thoroughly and breaks everything down for you so you can genuinely understand. His lectures go by quickly and if you study for his exams and thoroughly know the material, you're going to do well.

Amazing teacher with great lectures. His exams are hard af tho, but he posts past exams that help out a lot. I do all of them before the exams and usually score around a B on them (without a curve). His class is harder than others, but you really understand the material. There's a curve at the end of the semester and its super generous.

I had to retake this class ( I took it first with a teacher who was actually considered easy). I didnt put in much effort and didnt pass by a hair. I was obviously scared to take it with Friedman, but he was amazing. Such interesting lectures, funny, yes you must WORK but youll be fine if you do just that. He really cares about his students.

Amazing professor with really great lectures and super helpful/accessible outside of class. He explains stuff really well. You'll definitely learn a lot if you go to lecture and keep up with the practice and homework. He also does late night live video reviews before tests. The only catch is that his tests are very hard, you gotta study past exams.

I failed the course with a D+ but it was all my fault. Dr. Friedman was a great professor and very knowledgeable. Lectures were not boring and he's funny! The only reason I did not pass is because I did not put in the work. I studied 2-3 days before exams and scored poorly on them. Study hard and go to lectures and you will do great! He's amazing

Friedman is a super cool guy and is very willing to help. The only issue is the difficulty of the tests, but the curve will help you enough in the end.

really good at explaining the concepts and preparing you for orgo. the tests are hard with the averages being in the low 60s but he gives a generous curve

I know ppl have a lot to say abt Dr. Friedman but he is my all time favorite professor. I had him for 131 and 231, and he genuinely cares about students understanding. He provides a solid foundation to continue learning chem. his class is hard af but he gives you so many resources and makes videos. you have to put in the work but he genuinely cares

Labs were pretty decent. Post lab questions were relevant to the associated labs but often involved outside knowledge - go to TA office hours for help to improve your grade. Midterm was easier than final, but neither were terrible. Lab practical was stressful but reasonable. Overall, this lab isn't as bad as some of the others.

Very hard, but doable, and definitely one of my favorite professors Ive had at UMD. His lectures are very dense (and he doesn't allow phones), but he's very accessible outside of class and will most likely remember your name. Definitely take him, its an experience.

Friedman is a really good professor that will help you succeed if you put in the work. Organic chem is a hard class, and the material can get confusing, but he does a good job at making it understandable, and doesn't emphasize memorization like some others. His exams can be challenging towards the end of the semester, but he's always open to talk.

Lectures are kept interesting, great at answering questions. Tests are a bit hard, grades are curved at the end of the semester. Homework is fairly easy if you keep up with the material.

Friedman is truly a fantastic professor, and I simply cannot wrap my head around the fact that people dislike him. Orgo is tough, and although he likes to challenge us, he also prepares us extremely well for that. Don't get me wrong: his tests are hard, but he always asks things that we are capable of answering based on what he taught.

Friedman truly does care for his students and wants you to do well. The tests have gotten significantly easier the last few years. If you do all the old exams on his elms you'll be prepared. Most people fail his exams but theres a huge curve so don't worry. Best advice is to read orgo as a 2nd language ahead of classes. I loved his lecturing style.

Be realistic, it's a hard class, you're going to struggle. Also, if you're a professor in a course where half the students are Premeds, you're going to try to be abrasive to scare them off from constantly begging for an A. That being said, if you just go to him with a good attitude wanting to learn, he's super helpful and fair.

Professor Friedman was a great person overall. He was funny and it made his classes enjoyable. Organic Chemistry is a hard course, so no matter what, you are going to have to spend lots of time outside of class studying to succeed. His exam averages are usually very low, but he provides past exams to allow you to study which are super helpful.

I've taken him twice (CHEM131 and CHEM241) and I thought he was great. Of course the class material is difficult, but he made funny remarks that made it fun to learn. We would sometimes have little slightly off-topic discussions about general orgo stuff which was fun. Very helpful during office hours. As long as u respect him, he respects you.

He's a good professor. Very approachable and will help if you need and explain the concepts during office hours. He responds to emails very fast and detailed. Orgo is a hard course. His exams were fair, the final was really hard though for the amount of time given. If you understand the concepts you will be good.

This is my 2nd time taking Orgo and Dr. Friedman was definitely better than my last professor. He and the TA genuinely want you to learn and understand and they provide lots of opportunities for help. As long as you go to lecture, do homeworks, and study you'll do well.

Dr. Friedman has a bad rep for no reason. All orgo classes are hard, idk why people expect an easy A. He has difficult exams, but he provides a LOT of resources to prepare and tells you exactly how to succeed in the course. He genuinely cares about students learning the content and helps a lot in office hours.

His sarcasm and jokes are what made lecture interesting. He has very hard assignments and his exam averages are well below the averages for other orgo professors, but there is a curve to account for it. While it is frustrating at times to have a course so hard, it is not that bad in the end. He was way more caring and responsive than expected

Took CHEM 231 and 241 with Dr. Friedman- and as he put it- "everything you read online is true". Orgo is hard, and he doesn't make the class easy. He expects you to work hard, attend class, and struggle in everything. That said, if you do those things, Dr. Friedman is helpful, patient, accessible, and easily the best professor I've had.