2.5
Quality3.2
Difficulty30%
Would Retake177
Reviews30%
Would Retake
177
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
20
4
23
3
41
2
53
1
40
What Students Say
“Lee was useless as a professor for this course”
MIS220 - 3.0 rating“Lee was the worst professor I have had at Western Washington”
FIN215 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
14%
Textbook Required
43%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.15 avg changeRatings by Course
FINANCE
4.0
(1)FIN440
4.0
(3)OPS360
4.0
(1)FIN442
3.5
(11)DCSI305
3.4
(8)Difficulty by Course
FINANCE341
5.0
FIN341
4.0
MIS330
4.0
FINANCE
4.0
FIN216
4.0
Reviews (177)
Took him for Finance 341 & he didn't seem to understand that this class is EXTREMELY difficult & students actually need to be taught the material. Rely on the book for clarification.Tests are much harder than assignments.
No Comments
Took class in summer. Wasn't clear on the material and didn't give in depth details like he should have. Pretty easy teacher though. Currently taking fin 341 again and learning 100 times more with new prof.
Very unhelpful and likes the fact that students don't like him. He expects the class to do very poorly on tests then adds in a curve to compensate for his bad teaching.
Very condesending and rude. Luckily the tests were open-notes so exams were relatively easy without having to attend lectures. Likes to argue with students who have questions instead of help them. I would avoid....I WILL avoid.
I enrolled in class knowing he's a tough teacher; however, throughout this quarter I'm kind of changing my mind. He teaches with an assumption that you've read the textbook (fair enough) and understand the general concepts. If you are not intersted in finance - u'll find this challenging.
Gives you a page of notes for each chapter on the test, and also gives a decent curve for it. Doesn't seem to like answering questions much though. Seems to give the students attitude when he knows he is right, and doesn't give them a very good explanation about the answer for the most part.
McClain seems sort of ornery at times, especially early in the quarter. His teaching style was quite intuitive and easy to follow, and the tests were as could be expected based on the book, class material, and homework. All in all, an interesting class, though McClain sometimes ridicules students asking questions.
Don't ask questions if you don't want the entire class to see him make you look like a moron. If you're going to NEED to ask questions, I suggest taking another professor.
He is very pompous and thinks his class is the most important in the world even though it's just required business core class. He will try to trick you on the exams, example: on his multiple choice test, one answer was "transaction" and he put another answer to be "translation". With a 60q test he enjoys catching those who know the answer quickly
He truly expects you to study 2hrs for every 1 hour of lecture. Super organzied syllabus, you know what is expected (HW, points, due dates). Does allow page of notes for tests. Textbook site has sample questions that are on exams. Nicer/more helpful via email/office hours - avoid asking questions in class cause he will try to embarress you.
No Comments
Hard teacher, but good. The only time I saw him get ornery with students asking questions were when the questions were stupid. Whenever a question forced me to roll my eyes, he gave them what they deserved. Overall, I liked the guy
He's tough in the entry level classes. But, his upper level stuff is good. He's alot more helpful too.
No Comments
Tough subject, stats 205. Tests are multiple choice. McClain is a nice guy and will take time to explain concepts if you make use of office hours. Overall, difficult subject, so ask questions to get full understanding.
BOO TO YOU!!!
Absolute horrible teacher. If you want a decent grade do not take this teacher. Very unhelpful when you need help with homework or a concept in the book. Although he seems to know what he is teaching, he just simply CAN NOT teach it. His tests are very hard and lengthy. Be prepared to run out of time.
Worst... ever.
I thought from day 1 that his classes were going to be a nightmare. It almost seems like he thinks he is too good for this or somethin. Doesn't explain at all. Stats he would just read the slides and not explain, MIS there would really be no structure. HOWEVER, I got A's in BOTH!! HE LETS YOU USE NOTES ON ALL EXAMS FOR BOTH CLASSES! GOOD NOTES=A
By far the worst teacher I have ever had. He is incredibly condescending to his students and completely unwilling to go out of his way to help. This isn't a difficult class to get in A in as you can use any hand written notes on his test, just be aware you're being taught by a person who isn't even worth one calorie of your energy.
Worst professor ever. Super Boring....pretty much spits out whats on the slides. Also, takes roll everyday which is stupid.
just dont take him.. doesnt teach anything.. but you need to go to class if you dont wanna lose your participation point
I agree with the other negative comments here. In addition, not only can you use notes on the test, you have to. The questions are so word and detail specific that you need to match definitions up word by word. Also the questions are from very obscure parts of the book and he doesn't give a study guide so you have to take notes on the entire book.
I took him a while back when I was at Western. Easiest class in the world--lectures like a good 'ol BSing highschool teacher in my opinion. TAKE THIS CLASS FROM HIM, whatever its called now. He was interesting, engaging, and would often cancel class or just let us go early. Cool guy IMO.
mea. . . this guy is ok i suppose. He really sucks when it comes to when he planned his tests. He had one the day after halloween. ****ty. I don't know how i did well on the last test. they're all multiple choice so i must have guessed right. I think doing the homework helps because then you can get help on the stuff you don't know before test
I liked him. He was straight forward and if you study/make a good cheat sheet for the test, you should do pretty well.
Everyone says hes a horrible teacher, but he actually did a really good job teaching. People who are rude or disrespectful to him will recieve it back a hundred fold.
McClain only reads the slides provided by the textbook publisher. Don't expect much of an answer to your questions. Overall, the class is not difficult, you just need to put work into it. You get a page of notes on each test, though. I got an A.
No Comments
He is a terrible teacher. Sometimes I get the feeling that he does not even test on what he lectures on, but just on his knowledge, without teaching it to us! A lot of material that comes up on tests is definately not in the book, and he did not even mention in lecture either. He does not use any notes or visuals in class either-he just talks!
he's a cool guy and knows what he's talking about but he makes his tests unreasonably hard. he'll throw in stuff from lecture so you have to go to class. for a class intended for nonfinance majors i think its way too tough. honestly i don't know anything more about finance now than i did before taking the class
This is the second time that I have taken McClain. He is definitely a lot more laid back in his upper level class, and makes it known to his students. If you are late/skip often, expect to make a lot of presentations in front of the class. Make sure to split the cost of the book with a friend, because it is $116, and it is used only twice for HW.
I made the mistake of taking 341 with Mcclain before i went to ratemyprofessor.com big mistake! I actually dropped this class right before the first test. Mcclain missed two 2 hours classes thats an entire week's worth! and to make up for it he flew through some chapters with slides not explaining anything. AVOID!
Easy class. Attendance is really only required on due dates. Completely based on writing and two assignments. Book is worthless except for the assignments. I reccomend this class.
This guy is flat out bad. He is rude and dislikes answering student questions, more often than not being snide and making you feel stupid. Tests are difficult and detail oriented and no amount of good notes will make up for not understanding the concepts. Don't take his class. Period.
Mcclain's lectures weren't very clear. Students had difficulty with grasping onto his explanations. He's a pretty relaxed guy. Not intimidating at all. But if you find statistics hard, you might need to find another professor.
Lee McClain is a great guy. He has a ton of "real world" experience and IF YOU ASK FOR HELP he is more than willing to help you. He's one of the most well rounded teachers I've had at WWU. I'd highly recommend him for any finance or stats class.
Great teacher. Very helpful if you ask. Clear in his lecture.
The worst teacher I have ever had. He was rude and could care less if you learn or not. he is more about trying to get a good image than teaching. The one day I learned ANYTHING was ask questions day. He said, "It feels like I am giving away the tricks." please you are teaching, obviously he does not do it enough. Never take his class!
worst prof. i have EVER had...EVER. He refuses to work fully through homework problems and won't give the answers to help us...even though the homework is bases on effort. He's really rude and can talk for an hour about nothing. If you still decide to take this prof. don't bother going to class, just read out of the book.
Easy class overall, but lectures are mandatory and completely worthless. Discussion based lectures are quite a bore. Textbooks are quite expensive, but you do need them to do well on the test.
Well this was a hard class. The first day of class McClain stands up and essentially says, "I don't like Stats, but they make me teach it". The quizes and tests are identical, very hard multi-choice with often less than 1:30 per question WITH COMPUTATIONS. He doesn't seem to like to lecture for the tests.
Be prepared to teach yourself. He doesn't teach the concepts but expects you to know the txt cover to cover. Nice guy he just doesn't teach the material. Grades are curved so passing isn't too difficult.
WORSE TEACHER EVER!! Do not take his class!!
The class was very interesting. You'll learn a lot of real world information. It's more of a current events/economics course than a finance course. The only real finance is two problem sets which everyone gets full credit on. His grading is a suspect, but overall I enjoyed this class.
McClain is a great teacher. Many students don't like him because he teaches many of the hardest business classes, DSCI205+305, and FIN341. His upper division classes are enjoyable and you learn a lot. He uses practical applications to teach.
This class was completely taught in the computer lab which made is a lot easier. It requires a basic knowledge of excel. This class was very useful. He is helpful if you get confused. Attendance isn't required but definitely recommended.
Great teacher, you will have fun and learn a lot of useful information
The lecture class is almost pointless. It is very interesting because you talk about real world issues, but almost none of it will be on the exams. If you put all of the vocab words from the book on your notes, you are guaranteed a B in the class provided you don't really mess up in the lab.
worst class at western. this guy doesnt even know what he is talking about and his tests are completely random. he says things that arent true and tests based on his opinion. avoid him at ALL costs
Impersonal. Consistently late Probably wont remember your name even though you introduce yourself on multiple occasions before AND after class (from experience). Teaches entire lecture with smirk on his face. I think he has good intentions but he just comes off as a jerk. If you pay attention in lecture youll do fine. I don't recommend him though..
McClain really is NOT that bad. Yea, its not a easy class, and you have to study for tests. But unless you don't try at all, its almost impossible not to pass the class. I barely attended class, and turned in all my assignments late. I studied for tests a couple days before the test, and I passed. He does waste class time though...
He is really relaxed in his upper division classes. All we did were article reviews and one 10 page paper. So the class wasn't difficult. no tests/quizzes. You had to come to class everyday to turn in something. It was not a hard class, which is different when he teaches DSCI 305. This class with the same teacher was rather difficult.
Took DCSI 305 good teacher. Have to work hard but it is worth it.
I know the ratings I gave him are low, but yeah, McClain is cool. Class was not that rough. I never read anything outta the book, went to every class and pulled an A, can't complain
Pros? Okay the exams are easy, and you can keep your notes for them. Cons? Many. This guy has NO IDEA what he is talking about in lecture and relies heavily on asking the class questions. Not once---ONCE did he actually go into the nitty-gritty of the subject material, instead giving dull advice or tips that are common knowledge. Guy is a tool.
He can be kind of cranky but his class isn't that bad. Th class is mostly done on the computer which make the tests easier. You don't have to memorize all the equations or even compute numbers. You use programs to come up with the answer. Which makes the test's easier. the vocab is the only real hard part to the test's.
Very rude. Good thing the class is easy.
He is knowledgeable in lecture, but when it comes to clarifying for individual students and showing a little understanding if someone is having problems with the material, he is terrible. There were several times where I found his responses unhelpful, vague, and downright rude. He clearly isnt here for a love of learning. Would not attend again.
Completely worthless in lecture, used 2 hours up by making students present projects everyday. boring. has a lot of experience, very knowledgeable, and OK at lecture. He's just lazy and would rather have the students present. very big on writing and treating students like a manager would his employees.
Pretty helpful! one of the better business teachers i have had here at Western. Classes are extremely important becuase he shows you how to do the HW, which in turn will show you how to do the test. If you do everything that is asked, and read the vocab on aplia, and repractice how to do the HW on excel, you will be fine! Got a B+, hardly no studyi
Literally no use going to class. None of what is taught in class is helpful or useful for test purposes. That being said you can have as many notes as you want on the test. 70% of the questions are striaght vocab, and the others are hidden somewhere in the book. Got a B+ with absolutely no reading or studing.
This is the worst professor I have ever had...ever. He has no lesson plan, talks all class and hardly accomplishes anything. He uses no visual aids for his lectures and is unhelpful when asked for help. NEVER TAKE ANY CLASS WITH HIM OR YOU WILL REGRET IT
Very rude and arrogant! He thinks he knows everything. He doesn't teach anything in class and only talk about random things. Worst professor ever!! Don't take him!!!!! BAD!
THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST ANNOYING AND LAZY TEACHER. HE DOESNT TEACH ANYTHINGS. MAKES YOU LEARN EVERYTHING ON YOUR OWN. DO NOT TAKE HIM. I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE HIM! SMART ASS....SMART ASS....SMART ASS. THIS IS NOT BECAUSE I DID BAD IN HIS CLASS, I ACTUALLY DID WELL. I JUST CANT STAND HIM.
McClain assumes students understand everything he reads off a powerpoint. Get a clue! You need to go over sample problems on the board and answer questions. Not sit at the computer and say "You all get this right, easy enough." You basically teach yourself and do online homework. He is lazy, but probably better than Zhang for 205.
Horrible professor. His students don't comprehend his teaching at all. He is really lazy. Its Statistics and you have to teach yourself. Not taking DSCI 305 with him at all!
BIG DOUCHE BAG. We call him Dr. Dickhead for a reason. Not helpfull, class is all on EXCEL which is very nice. But he is a poo poo head. CAnnot ask questions.
Teacher is not helpful. Pretty much have to teach yourself. Class is passable if you do the hw. Take a different teacher though, you might learn something.
As far as MIS 320 goes, take it with McClain. The three exams are 90% vocab words, and you get as many notes as you want for each test. The lectures are pretty dry and worthless, but you can get participation points while there. The lab portion of the class is easy as long as you just do the work.
McClain isn't as bad as people say. He's not the best professor by any means, but he CLEARLY demonstrates what will be on the test during the lectures. You don't have to use the book really except for the case assignments, which can be a ****, but as long as you go to class and study, you will do fine in the class. PS. note cards for tests!!
Like everybody else has said, Lee McClain is lazy. He is arrogant and condescending, which makes it difficult to ask questions. I attended every class period except one and still found it necessary to teach myself everything. Avoid taking classes with him at all costs. It was a waste of money (ironic, because it was a personal finance class...).
While I pulled off an A- in the class, it was SUCH a waste of money & time! He had 2 hours to lecture and never talks about anything useful. If you take this class be prepared to teach yourself EVERYTHING. The online homework is frustrating and time consuming & the few times I had questions he was rude & unhelpful. Take with someone else!
The bottom 20% instructor at Western. He will remind you of the value of self learning, that you shouldn't hire people just because they got a degree from an Ivy league school, because these guys could just have been a Lee McClain.
Unlike most comments, McClain is not lazy or condescending. Lectures are long and sometimes boring, but he is not a bad professor. Have to read a LOT. Each lecture is over a chapter and may or may not correspond directly to the text. He is a wealth of finance knowledge, so if you want to know ALL about insurance or stocks and bonds, he is for you.
Contrary to other courses i've had with him, he is really knowledgeable when it comes to finance. Still have to teach yourself the material. he just basically asks questions from the textbook during class. Exams are easy and he curves your grades a lot. Not helpful at all when it comes to the term paper though. Wouldn't answer any questions. Tough
Took this class online. Requires silly SAM online system that grades the tiniest mistakes. Discussion questions are from the book and are just time consuming. Mid term and final were hard and contained very silly questions. You must take it proctored which was inconvenient for an online class. Teacher was not very helpful or understanding of issues
Class is only taught by him this year. All HW is done in mylab. Dont bother asking him for help, he wont be of much help. Friday lab is not required. Attendance isnt required except for proctored lab tests in mylab with 1 page of notes. 2 mid terms and a final. Almost no equations need to be remembered anymore, all hw and tests are done in excel.
Going to class is pretty much pointless, all he does is talk about current events and then quickly go through the slides so you don't even have time to write notes.. I spent my class time better just in the lab with phStat and doing the homework with some help from the slides.
He wasn't that bad. He knows what he is talking about, but his lectures are boring and he goes through his slides pretty quickly. I found it easier if you just read the textbook. I recommend downloading PHStats onto your computer, so you can do the homework from home instead of staying on campus to finish it.
Worst professor I have had at western. He is rude and makes it clear from the start that he likes to see students scramble. His class is unorganized and he is no help in his office hours. His TA is nice but so many people show up to the help sessions she doesn't have enough time to explain anything. Avoid this teacher if at all possible!!
There is obviously something wrong when every exam given needs to be curved 7-12% and the class average for the final is around a 64%. Maybe the lack of a lesson plan and the high level of arrogance is the root of that problem.
McClain might be the worst professor I've ever had. He doesn't care if students learn at all. He is offended if students have any questions and refuses to clarify himself when they do. I shouldn't have gone to any of his lectures; the lab was much more helpful and where I learned the majority of the material. Try to avoid taking him if you can.
Like others say, DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER! this class is ruining my GPA. I do not know a single person in the class who doesn't want to drop out. tests are curved because they are almost impossible to do well on. he teaches you nothing, so don't bother going to class. tons of reading, all self taught. when students ask questions he is horrible
LOL Easy prof. don't understand the low rating. Took him in ops. 360 and dsci 305. Test are exactly the same as the HW and HW is online and tests are on the computer.
Lectures are interesting but will do little to help you on the test. Much of the class is self-taught out of the book and online homework contrary to what the prof might tell you...You're allowed one sheet of notes on tests so make good use of it..
Don't understand the hate. McClain knows his stuff and if you go to class, he shows you exactly how to do the homework which is a huge part of your grade. If you don't go to class, your homework will take 3 times as long. Tests are exactly what you would expect based off the homework. Way better class than I expected.
I have a background in statistics that is the only reason I did well in this class. Lee McClain is the rudest, unhelpfel excuse of a teacher I have ever had. His class has a lab component taught by Sue Su, she should teach this class. Everything I learned was from her insight. Avoid McClain at all costs, he is a terrible terrible teacher.
Seriously...... just don't. He thinks a 60% is a good score on an exam, which is a perfect representation of his general demeanor towards class. He refuses to take responsibility for his students doing badly. He will tell you at the beginning of the quarter this class isn't self taught, but it's entirely self-taught. Avoid.
Great teacher! Super helpful if you go to class, but if not he will also answer any question through email. Take all the classes you can with this professer he is great!
McClain is a good teacher, you just have to go to class and pay attention. If you don't study hard, you won't do well in this class. He's condescending sometimes, but other than that he's fine. Study HARD for the exams because there's only a midterm and a final.
Do not buy the textbook or even pay for the etext. Attendance is not required whatsoever. Just work on the assignments and use google to help you if you get stuck. Very easy class that I hardly even consider one of my classes here. Leave maybe two hours for each homework assignment and you'll be fine.
McClain makes this class very do-able. THe midterm and final are open note as long as you handwrite your owns notes..I had 17 pages! He is super helpful if you go to his office with questions on the assignments or just send him an email. Best teacher at western!
This class isnt easy, but McClain does his best to explain everything in detail. You dont have to go to class but he does demo how to do each and every type of problem. Study the assignments for the midterm and final and you will do great. Love this teacher.
Easy to finish homework in class when you go to the lab, pretty easy overall until the very end of the quarter you are rushed to learn the most difficult chapter. On the exams you get notes and so the test seemed easy as long as you know how to do the homework. McClain isn't too bad of a teacher, I thought.
Class time is a waste of my time. All homework is online, as well as the tests, but they are monitored in a computer lab. You get to take handwritten notes to tests... Overall I would not take him again. He is monotone and very boring. I learned more doing the homework than listening to him.
Hated this class. Lectures are very off topic about 80% of the time. His average test scores are very low. Don't expect an A in this class. He makes his tests hard on purpose.
Despite his bad rep around campus he is a great teacher! The class overall was easy and from what I hear he took out a chapter and 2 assignments this quarter due to students struggling last quarter. Take him you won't regret it!
Loved McClain, those that complain/ get low grades are often kids not willing to put in real work or who always want to skip class. I have no idea why people seem to think he is rude, I find him very understanding though he certainly will not hold your hand or try to be your buddy. He always is willing to answer questions in class. I got over 100%
Mcclain is an awesome teacher, even though he's certainly criticized on RMP. His expectations are very clear and he uses lots of real world examples to make the class interesting and applicable. The homework and tests from the class are all from Pearson My Lab which gives you tons of help on problems and lots of practice questions for the test.
McClaine is a rad professor I had a great time in his class but spent much time reading the textbook and doing homework online. I would highly recommend McClaine but be prepared .
Lectures can be long but as long as you don't leave during the break you should be fine. as long as you go to class and read the textbook you should be fine.
I guess this review isn't much for Mcclain himself because i had a student teacher named Katherine Baker and she did all of the teachinggrading. This class has two options the actual class one or a 'self-teach' both with lab. I had the self-teach one and i did just fine. its a pass or fail class, tests are pretty close to the homework.
Lee was useless as a professor for this course. The online textbook cost $100 and I never used it, because it's easier to use how-to videos online. Assignments and Assessments are graded by the computer. I asked one question all quarter and he didn't answer it. The class is very easy, but I would not recommend this professor.
I tried asking for help several times but got no answer. Thank you western for the awesome professor....
I tool the class online and it ended up being fairly straight forward and easy. He isn't very helpful as a professor though and sometimes comments come off in a rude way. Class was pretty much just using excel and some newer features so make sure you have access to the tools the instructions talk about because you need them for almost everything.
After reading his reviews on here I was pretty nervous to take his class, especially knowing that FIN 341 itself is hard. At the beginning of the quarter he makes it clear as to what to expect on tests and his class overall. Grades very fairly and lectures are interesting! Really enjoyed going to class!
He mostly teaches to the textbook and you have to figure stuff out on your own a lot.
I really liked Mcclain a lot. He is very straight forward, everything is on the slides, the homework isn't hard, the tests are fair, and he does answer questions and you get a note card on tests. I have emailed him and he promptly replies, also very helpful in office hours. People complain that he's rude but he really isn't at all.
No. Just no. Take a different prof. He's a cool guy but his lectures and the homework do not prepare you for the tests which are online in class. He lets you have one page of notes but do not be fooled, they will not help you.
This was one of the hardest classes I have taken and McClain is no help. Everything is done online. His lectures were boring and did not prepare me for the tests. You are allowed a page of notes for the tests, but it's not much help. The tests are nothing like the assignments, and are really hard.
McClain gives lectures that are based on the concepts for the book, but barely discusses the computational side. His lectures don't enhance the understanding of the book. The tests and homework are 100% on MyItLab. It felt lazy to me. The class could benefit from more classroom feedback or group projects, or even small quizzes to gauge progress.
McClain is a straight forward teacher who has real world experience. If you want to know exactly how to solve a problem, he's your man. He's not there to be your friend, he's there to educate you. He'll go over the homework in class which is good because it is time consuming so start early and go over it to study for the exams.
I took his FIN215 class as a backup GUR and totally regret it. Don't take this class if you don't have background knowledge on financing, he uses a lot of terms that a beginner would not know and he doesn't go in to detail on anything. The tests are worth 75% of your grade and you will be fine as long as you go to class and study. There's also "before class assignments" online that are on things we haven't learned yet, but you can redo those assignments until you get 100%. The class itself is pretty expensive, so don't take it unless you have to
I came into this class knowing very little about finance. While this is supposed to be an intro class and a GUR, I found it very confusing. He tries to teach a ton of material without explaining much of it. I found coming to class was not very necessary, as the classes were just powerpoints of the chapters we already had to read.
Great professor all-around. Very likely the best prof in WWU's CBE. Seriously.
Ben doesn't actually teach- he reads directly out of a book and slides. If you have questions beware- he will not help you. He will get irritated if you come after class- as it does go into his personal time! Terrible professor! Two thumbs down!
This class is the easiest finance class that I have had so far. There are no tests, and your grade comes from 3 group projects, problem sets and article summaries. McClain's teaching style is abrasive and he seems like he doesn't want to be there. He has real-world experience, and is very knowledgable.
Lee was the worst professor I have had at Western Washington. He is lazy and abrasive, plain and simpale. I had somebody from my class request for me to tutor her because she felt like she was at such a loss. This might as well be an online class because McClain offers almost nothing to the dialogue.
Probably the least engaging professor. His lectures consists of reading off the slide and adds nothing much to it. He never showed us exactly how to do the problems. Don't waste your time reading the textbook, either. I know lots of people who stopped coming to class and still passed. Weekly homework but very easy to get 100%. Tests are close to hw
Easy class as long as you do the homework and show up for the exams. It's basically a self-taught online class. You only meet 4 total days throughout the quarter. You need at least 80% in the class to pass. Nothing exciting but I learned a lot about Excel.
Death by participation, irrelevant lecture, and group projects. Other than those few things, the class is relatively easy, especially if you have taken FIN 441/449. There are no exams, 3 case projects (group) with presentations for each the day they are due, and two easy problem sets, and five article reviews (you will present at least 2 times).
His lectures are THE WORST! There isn't a moment when he doesn't stop talking and lectures are completely pointless considering how he's basically telling us about the chapter we already read the night before! This class is basically a way for me to get ahead on my work that's not even for this class!!
He honestly seems like a cool guy and I found his lectures very interesting and entertaining but they were seldom relevant to the tests or homework The homework and tests use the same online system which is just terrible. Will give you no credit if your answer is like .01 off Don't take this class. I've learned more about finance from youtube
Uses a terrible program for all assignments, offers no leniency for impossible grading criteria assigned by a computer, boring, and I'm not actually sure why he gets paid as he contributed absolutely nothing to my learning.
Mcclain makes the class super easy. all calculations are done through PhStat, which does 95% of the work for you. You get unlimited tries on the homework and a full page of notes for exams, which are almost exactly like the homework. He also does examples of almost every problem in lecture on Wednesdays (is a MW class)
This professor allows you to have a 1 page cheat sheet for the midterms and the final exam.
Exams are just like the homework! As long as you either watch his videos or go to class its a pretty easy course!
This class was such a bore. I usually did math or French homework. You definitely get your $200 worth from the textbook though because thats your teacher, not McClain. He makes you read the LONG chapter and do the online homework before coming to class only to then give an abridged version of the chapter. He doesnt give any new insights.
This professor grades you on two things; homework (25%) and 3 exams (75%). Homework isnt usually anything like what he lectures about in class. Allowed to have a cheat sheet for exams but youre on your own on trying to figure out what may or may not be on the test. Likes to talk about himself and his family when it comes to finances.
I don't understand why WWU requires this course or pays an instructor to "teach" it as it's entirely self-taught via Pearson software. Other than that, easy to pass if you score 100% on homework, 75% or better on tests, and have a firm understanding of formulas. You only meet four times during the quarter and all exams are open book/open note.
I credit myself because most of the class is self-taught through demo videos he posts. As long as you go to class, understand the homework should be fine for exams. I tried to ask alot of questions but he would be rude in responses. Go to the help sessions on Friday with Sue Su. She's absolutely amazing
Very boring lectures. But I took Lee twice for 205 and 305. The tests are the same as the homework and if you do the homework every week and do it again before the exams, the class is very laid out and easy. Nothing else required. I went to about half the classes. The textbook is online and the same for both (take the classes sequentially).
He really doesn't teach the class because he uses a tool called PH stat and it does 90% of the work for you. If you can understand his demo videos then you really don't need to attend his lectures. First exam is all multiple choice. Then the final two exams are only 8-12 problems but with partial credit. Exams 2 and 3 are almost exactly the HW.
Professor Lee is great. I've taken multiple classes with him. Attendance isn't required. I barely show up to class, class time is mostly for questions and going over the chapters; it won't take 2 hours. Homework and exams are online, exams are all multiple choice questions and he curves!
Teacher bases all assignments, and tests online using Pearson technology. All lecture is based off of Pearsons generated power points and nothing else. Rushes through slides extremely fast, if taking notes on paper dont bother trying to keep up, just listen and take notes later. The exams are taken online in lab and is generated by the computer
McClain is a nice guy but a pretty poor lecturer for a finance class. For some subjects, I'm sure he is knowledgable, but he rambles in lecture. He rarely works examples, which is what I look for in a finance class. Means well class is pretty easy if you do the HW and our exams were online which helped. Nice guy would love to grab a beer.
Lee rambles a lot in lecture which makes the class feel super long. It's clear he's knowledgeable but the lectures don't always prepare you for the hw, so often times I retook better notes based on the hw. The exams and hw are online and use the same format so it makes it pretty easy to prepare, plus he gives you a sheet of notes.
Lee's lectures were a bit dry with some attempts at humor. He read off of his slides and gave a few examples here and there. The slides were very helpful during the hw which was through MyLab. There were one or two chapters due each week with 10-14 questions per chapter. The hw had unlimited attempts and the exams were fairly similar to the hw.
Lee's lectures can be a bit overwhelming but his supplementary material helps out a ton! His classes are not required attendance and you get what you want to out of them. That being said, I would recommend going to all of his classes. The HW is not too difficult, you can mainly just follow his videos alongside them. His tests are similar to the HW.
This class was pretty easy. If you understand the homework, you will do fine. The tests are worth the majority of your grade but the homework is basically identical to the tests so if you understand that then you will be fine. Go to class he gives very helpful hints that are not given in the demos.
This is pretty much a flipped classroom. In class he sporadically reviews various formulas that will be useful on hw/exams, but since he makes no connection to the book or his PPT slides it makes it seem like hes just thinking of things as he goes. In a 2hr class you can expect at least 25min to be spent rambling on about various unrelated things
COVID-19 REMOTE LEARNING. Homework heavy (not too much) but took lots of time. Considering it was online, the "learning" was done through lecture slides which I found difficult to apply since it was summarized into big equations that were confusing. Not enough guidance or structure. Tests were hard with NOT enough time, not lenient about BLM at all
I took this class during COVID-19 where everything was online so it was not his usual class. I found him to be completely useless, we did all our work through an online system. Professor McClain failed to offer help or seemingly do any work for his students.
COVID-19 Class. Asynchronous. Need to purchase My IT 2019 Software. You learn essentially just from this software, McClain does not do much teaching at all. Most chapters were easy but with the hard chapters McClain was hard to reach on office hours/ made it difficult. Google and the tutoring center helped a lot to understand some Excel Concepts.
Probably the least respectable and unprofessional person I've dealt with at Western. The class isn't too difficult, everything is done and learned through Pearson and his lectures aren't very helpful. He doesn't care to accommodate students and is extremely rude whenever you ask or reach out for anything. Who gave this man a job?? yikes
If I could give 0 I would. This is the second time I have taken him not by choice. Worst professor at WWU. He doesn't instruct, and is inconveniencesd, and rude when you need help. He always suggests you are stupid and doing the assignemnt wrong. I don't know why they pay him to verbally harass students and not instruct. He is so rude, awful person
Taken summer quarter, online because of COVID. Would not take again! He did the lab part of the class, lots of homework completed in excel and access and turned in on Pearson MyLab IT. I emailed him questions and he replied with rude feedback. Limit contact with him as much as you can! Don't take if possible.
McClain has to be the worst professor I have had at WWU. When I took his class he was using old lecture videos from Spring 2020, and uses systems that grade our assignments for him. Considering this, he could have provided students with much more help than he did. Our class scored low on a test and all he did was tell us to do better with no advice
Online class. None of the work is difficult, but it was VERY time consuming, 2-3 hours PER ASSIGNMENT. However, I did not read a single word of the book and I got 96% in the class. He takes 100% of his homework and test questions from the book. Make sure you never ask for help though. He will get upset and tell you that you can figure it out alone.
The lectures are long, and the material in the homework is often entirely different than what was in the lecture or the reading. I understand that this could be more of an issue with MyLab or the textbook itself, but I am so exhausted taking twelve pages of notes per week just to be blindsided by new and different info on the homework.
He is a really charismatic person and can talk about a variety of subjects and ways to help you in finance. Although I don't plan on taking any more business classes, I'm very grateful that he was the professor that guided me through that class.
This class was online! McClain was a professor that expected you to attempt the assignment first before offering any help. Even though when that was done, he expected you to have extra exercises done that he "needed" to help you with your question. I worked around it though when asked, otherwise he was a ok professor. Though would not take again.
Took McClain's self-paced MIS 220 course. Though the material is a bit dry, the class was pretty easy to complete. Note that all work is submitted through MyLab IT, which costs about $100 on top of the tuition price. If you want to reduce the amount of time you have to learn in person, McClain is a solid choice for this pass/fail graded course.
lee is absolutely no help in anything, his lecture videos are like 5 years old and they are not helpful. youre pretty much own your own, then he blames you for not using your resources for not doing good in his class. good luck
Lee is a dick, plain and simple. Dislike him deeply, but what can you expect from a finance professor.
Gives the bare minimum as a professor. Would probably like to never return to in person. I'm not sure why this guy is a professor at a University. Seems like a waste of money.
Synchronous -> 45-60 minute long lecture videos did not relate to the homework assignments, and neither related to the tests. Videos wouldn't always be up in time to go to the optional zoom meeting. Textbook unclear and unhelpful. Professor not really willing to help much. I would spare the agony and not take this course or any by this professor.
Professor does not care about this class in the slightest. Lecture videos are pre-recorded videos of Pearson's slides, assignments and exams are taken directly from Pearson. The only thing the professor does is send out a weekly accountment. I would not take this class if you genuinely care about learning about personal finance.
I chose this class to learn more about personal finance in order to aid in my future. I didn't learn anything in this class that I didn't already know. I paid $200 on a textbook that I never read. It wasn't connected to homework and tests. He gives 2 assignments each week that are 2-3 hours long each. Terrible Experience.
Expect 90% of the class time to be incoherent rambling about life. Very little reason to attend class. Slow talking and nothing worth taking notes on. All of the course materials are available from the start, so you can complete it at a fast pace. Recorded lectures are all available to watch at 2x speed. Really didn't like it.
I want to like this prof, but I feel like he's lost his steam over the years of teaching. I would have liked to see him actively talking about the content instead of his divorced wife for the time i sat in class. One good thing is he let us out early when he "finishes" the lecture.
If your gonna take this class do yourself a favor and get a different teacher. This teacher doesn't do anything. His recorded lectures are super old and out of date for excel. If you do attend class, he has a terrible attitude, is rude when you ask questions and basically doesn't seem to want to help his students at all.
He was a good professor and was entertaining. the grading was 10% participation 30% homework and 60% exams. the exams were quite hard so you really do have to study somewhat to get a passing grade. overall good class.
Class was okay, most of the things were online so you just had to manage your time and you'll make it though this class.
Everything is so bare minimum it hurts. It is all through Pearson's online textbook, he doesn't even grade it himself: terrible late policy, no extensions. Everything due 8:59pm Friday so you're caught off guard, as if he WANTS you to get 10% deducted. Some HW requires a PC so you're screwed and can't do a 100 pt assignment; final straw tbh.
Dude was the most boring professor i've ever encountered. His lecture were all in hour long videos that you would have to watch while in lecture he just sits and tells personal stories and answers questions. Basically you teach yourself the entire course. Not worth showing up to class.
He makes you pay $100 for a website that teaches you everything, doesnt prepare you for the computational parts of HW. For a class this content heavy I didnt feel i learned anything. And in the one time we met during the week it was almost 2 hours of him talking about nothing content related. "class" was just answering homework questions, thats it.
Please do not take this class if you struggle with video lectures. He expects you to watch every single one of them for the homework which wouldn't be that bad if he went over them in class, but he doesn't. We met only once a week because Monday was reserved for the video lectures. I also wouldn't be as mad if the textbook didn't cost 120+ dollars.
From reading the other reviews, this is definitely a professor to take with higher-level classes. Lectures are almost never on the tested topics, but he gives very fun insights and anecdotes. Avoid this professor if you are not good with self-study, but I highly recommend McClain if you are interested in finance history and its inner-workings.
This class is a mixed bag. The professor relies heavily on video lectures, which can be tough if you struggle with that format. The textbook is pricey and not well-integrated. However, unstuckstudy can be a helpful study tool alongside the course materials. Overall, the class is manageable if you stay organized and engaged.
i suck at math so i did not do very well. textbook is integrated but poorly. lectures kind of suck, they're video format, and a lot of the test questions are not covered in the slides or powerpoint notes. i did the majority of this class just skimming the slides and then doing the assignments, but i would not recommend it (just look at my grade)
Professor gives two assignments each week from two different chapters and expects us to be able to learn two chapters of information in one week. The slides also aren't always very helpful when doing the homework, for example with the chapter 3 slides and corresponding homework. The questions barely matched the slides, so I had to use the textbook.
Lee McClain's MIS 320 class is so easy. You have online assignments to do that are (for the most part) due every Friday, and his exams are online, open note, open textbook. He does not care if you use ChatGPT and his lectures are really not important if you read through the chapters. There is group work, and you just meet up and answer questions.
Pretty easy class, the only problem is that some of the exam questions don't relate to the info in the lecture slides. It's also annoying how there's two chapters of homework per week but it's not unmanagable.
Attendance not mandatory, responds to emails in like five minutes, and the optional lecture will help if you are stuck on part of the coursework. Lee McClain is a nice guy who wants to see his students succeed, and his classes aren't hard. Now I know how excel works!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
14%
Textbook Required
43%
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