2.6
Quality3.5
Difficulty29%
Would Retake83
Reviews29%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
11
4
16
3
14
2
28
1
14
What Students Say
“Ryzhkov is an awful teacher”
CHEM131 - 1.0 rating“always available for help and loves to help”
CHEM331 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
53%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.05 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM212
4.0
(1)CHEM112
4.0
(1)ORGOI
4.0
(1)ORGANICCHEM
4.0
(1)CHEM331332
3.7
(3)Difficulty by Course
CHEM330
5.0
CHEM112
5.0
OCHEM331
5.0
ORGO332
5.0
ORGO331
5.0
Reviews (83)
interesting guy
His lectures have nothing to do with his exams. Watchout!
Nice grading scale but hard test, quizzes.. so it balances out
Terrible Professor. Insults students. Focuses more on being intimidating.
Brilliant man. What are all the complaints for?
Brilliant person but he teaches to fail. Test have nothing to do with lectures.
Very educated, but lacks people skills.
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Interesting guy, doesn't explain things very well
Very hard teacher but strangely funny. Alot of learning on your own.
Very hard class... the most work I've ever done for a C. Not a bad teacher, weird sense of humor but a nice guy, tests were quite hard, but I learned a lot. He's ALWAYS wearing a sweatshirt and it's rumored that it's to hide his tattoos.
Strange sense of humor. doesn't teach very well though. goes through things too fast in lecture and seems to want to rush labs so they get out an hour before scheduled. very smart, but hard to understand. Tests are alright, and there are bonus questions.
Very smart and makes you work hard in order to pass. Several students dropped class. Be ready to study a lot if you want to keep your head above water.
Very intelligent, but doesn't teach well at all. Test are nothing like the lecture. Weird guy-- wears lots of crazy rings.
This man is a horrible teacher. He uses power point to teach everything even mathematical problems, to get him to actually do a problem is like pulling teeth. He can hardly be called a teacher, he doesn't teach. He relies heavily on the textbook. His te
He was the worst. His powerpoints didnt help at all. I had to teach myself most of the material. He is a very intelligent man, but he doesnt know how to teach or communicate with students well.
He uses powerpoint to try and teach organic chemistry. He knows his stuff very well but can not teach at all, I learned more in two days of Organic 2 with another teacher than I did the entire time he was my teacher for Organic 1.
I don't recommend him. He does not seem to enjoy teaching; When you ask him a question one on one, he never looks at you; he is rude.
Yeah, he was wierd, and tough but his russian acent was hot and he always made me laugh.
if he is so annoyed by students then why is he teaching?
He comes off as a mean, but he is a nice guy. You are going to have to work hard in his class. Read ahead, ask questions in lecture and you will be fine. That is what I did and I have an A. so he is passable
he is a weird man but he isn't that bad. You have to work at it meaning you must read all of the chapters. if you can read the book and understand it going to class is pointless becasue his test are stictly out of the book
he refuses to answer questions, work problems, assist you when you are struggling, etc. He teaches all off of powerpoint and constantly says.."As you remember from Chem I last semester..." even though there are students who didn't take them back
He is a nice guy one-on-one and seems to go out of his way to help you if you ask. He is very fair. However, you do have to read the book and understand the material before going to class.
i just hate him. 4.0 before i took his class. got a C. don't think that YOU will be ok, because you won't.
Ouch, enough said.
This man will never b.s. you; he will tell you when the book and your your old chem teachers lied to you. Very vivid imagery and unforgetable analogies. But, who is he talking to half the time? His pedantry is ridiculous, talking in foreign languages and speed talking through new, jargon.
Also had a 4.0 before this class...No words to describe him.. Just AVOID,I don't care if u have to graduate late..AVOID. Unless u're interested in the rectal temperature of a cow..
had a 4.0 before also... I have never gotten such bad grades in my LIFE. Its NOT too fun whenyou sit to take a test and realize you dont know if ANYTHING you put down is right. He is funny and interesting, but I feel like Im going to****myself when I ask him a question!
I think he is good looking and he likes Rasputina, so he must be a cool guy outside of class. However, I do read and try to do well and I am still not doing too well. He does know his stuff. I just think he doesn't do a clear job of teaching it. Avoid his class unless you are super smart at chem
Follow up on the third comment down: I forgot to mention he's an awesome guy though,he's just so brilliant it's hard for him to teach the ABCs of orgo.
In actuality there is very little work to be done in this class. Automatic A for everyone in lab. A few tests, which he gives a ridiculous amount of E.C. on. The class is also extremely interesting and funny. Just study and ask questions, he is very helpful when you go to him.
It is I, the one who will break the plague that ryzhkov has put upon us. He is an interesting guy, but a little too corky. He is very brilliant, but he put fear and pressure on you so much that you cant but be intimidated by him. Basically, he suck big time,but you can overcome, it, I did...yay!
i loved, loved, loved his class. he's hilarious, adorable, helpful, and amazingly brilliant. but know your stuff before class or he'll make you feel like a moron. his stories and analogies keep the class interesting--take him, but be prepared to do LOTS of work on your own.
Basically, if you're a crappy student, you will do very poorly. If you are a good student, it will be almost impossible not to get an A with all the extra credit and the grading curve. One of the most enjoyable teachers I have ever taken to be quite honest. You will definitely have fun.
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At first you are going to think it is a really hard class but he is actually ok. I f you are wiliing to work with him and mind him thinking that your question are elementary , then you will be ok. Don't let your pride and fear stop you from asking questions. Study the powerpoint lectures like the back of your hand and you will be ok.
He was not helpful at all. He would not answer any question if he thought you should have learned it already.
Ryzhkov is a really cool guy. For every question on a test he will have 2 bonus questions. This means it is possible to get a 300% on a test. However the questions are pretty hard so the grades very rarely go over 100%. He also counts everything over an 85% as an A. He can be confusing but is willing to meet with you after class if you need help
study and u should be fine, if u don't understand something, he will help u. test can be challenging if don't study. take him instead of Macks
he is the by far the coolest teacher i ever had. he knows everything about everything. i wish he could have taught all my classes.
The class is hard but you can get an A if you actually try. Studied more for this class than ever before. If you want to learn intense chemistry, take Rawn. If you want to just memorize what is on tests and don't care about understanding, take Ryzhkov.
If your an independent, studious, hard working student then you are capable of taking his class. He is not a hard teacher. He does not assign hw and his lab is easy to do. He is an acceptional professor. On the exam there are many extra credit questions on every page. If you want to learn everything from his lecture, your in the wrong class!!!
I'm a premed cell bio major. I found Ryzhkov's class to be 1/4 OChem, 1/4 him talking about himself, and 1/2 useless side material. He seems to be angry @ the world and arrogance seems to be the preferred coping mechanism. Like any other Chem prof @ Towson he knows his stuff. But he veers off course & is not generally likeable. Take another prof.
gives only 3 exams and a final.Exams contain only 5 problems that he tells you ahead of time that are going to be on it. Only reason this class is hard is bcuz he doesnt go over the problems thoroughly. Print his powerpoints and bring to class for lectures. I dont recommend him unless you can do book problems yourself.
Pretty good professor. Loves the subject. Tends to ramble about random information sometimes. Tests are hard but alot of extra credit. Hardworking students will be fine.
Lev is a Genius but he is also CRAZY. He is funny as hell but he is seriously out of his mind. I didn't find the class to be too difficult, i studied a lot for the tests and did well. Sometimes I wish that I had Discordia. She is known for preparind her students well for the Mcat. I'm still not sure if I'm prepared for the Orgo section.Lets hope so
Ryzhkov is an okay professor if you like tangents, chem speak, and learning about things other than chemistry. His arrogance is perhaps the biggest downfall when it comes to his teaching style. Resultantly, when it comes to studying for tests go by his lecture notes, not the book, which is there only as something for him to discredit.
Avoid this guy if possible. He is brilliant as others have stated and you will do well if you work hard. However, after sitting in on other instructors lectures, I feel pretty cheated. He manages to make an enjoyable, interesting, and relatively ordered subject into a stomach churning free for all. A narcissist to the bone and intent on proving it.
He's tough. He talks a lot of chem lingo which sucks since it's organic 1 and you have no idea about anything anyway. He doesn't explain anything well. I failed and am taking Discordia now and it's so much easier. But he is really funny and wears a red Members Only jacket.
Dr. R is a brilliant guy. It shows in his lectures, beginning with his intense chem lingo, followed by his tangents. These include everything from his love of cats to world history. He is a communist. I took him for 331 and 332. Did great in both classes because i read the book, he gives so much extra credit on tests. study, organic is a hard class
very frustrating teacher and course-he knows the material but cannot teach it, he is rude and tough to talk to. does not give adeaquate practice problems with answers. half the class dropped, and most of us left felt hopeless.
He knows the subject well but manages to make it very stressful and difficult to comprehend no matter how hard you work, his tests are ridiculous, people got grades in the single digits! He is also a cold and rude person who doesn't care about the students.
Ryzhkov makes it pretty easy to understand. This was the first semester that he only made the grades one midterm and a final. Kind of scary but he gave practice tests that were pretty much the exact same thing, and lots of bonus on the test! He is extremely funny, knows Orgo, and we only had around 3 labs, which was nice. I'd strongly recommend.
I wrote how he really treats students and it was removed. enough said.
Very rude & mean professor. He does give lots of extra credit (EC) during the test, but the tests R long you won't be able to answer any (unless you are really fast and know the subject like the back of your hand). Plus, the EC only count if you get every part of the problem right. No partial credit for EC. Midterm & final only. Pick someone else.
I took CHEM 331 and 332 both extremely easy provided you study.
He is definitely a character. He treats the class on a "You should know this already" aesthetic. Has funny tangents and can be mean at times, but if you approach him with a question he will help. Prepard you use your text book, google, and youtube ALOT to study.
learned a lot in this class, but not what was supposed to be covered. I feel unprepared to take a class with 332 as a prereq. However there is a ton of extra credit on the tests and he didnt even look at lab reports. Easy teacher if you dont care about learning orgo
After reading these comments I was expecting the worst from this class,but I was surprised. He gives practice tests which are set up the exact same as his tests He drops your lowest test grade and curves often, extra credit on every test and he never gives hw. However he's got a rude demeanor. You need the book! He'll help if you see him one on one
Worst teacher Ive ever had. You may scrape by with an OK grade but you will not understand anything. He gives 4 exams, the lowest is dropped. Every test has EC but the problems are impossible and nothing like what he goes over in class. He told my class he would curve the 1st exam and he didnt. And you wont ever get any of your lab reports back.
Not a bad guy at all, but let me inform you. He is rude, he has no format as a teacher, meaning there is no power point, no guidelines. You simply takes notes from his talking.You will have to read or you will fail. If you need orgo to succeed in life, I would HIGHLY recommend someone else.
I liked him. He is a very nice man and will help you if you talk to him after class. He can be demeaning, but he has a great dry-sense of humor if you appreciate that sort of thing. He teaches very slowly so there's plenty of time to play catch-up. He even skews his grading scale so anything above an 85 is an A. He has a special way of teaching.
He is the best professor at Towson, and is probably the funniest
Tough material. He's not clear on the material that will be on exams. Condescending when questions are asked. No study guides or homework, grading is based off quizzes and exams. Sometimes he will follow the book but the last half of the class was all lecture based. If you don't want to study on your own, I recommend taking someone else.
I wouldn't advise taking this lab with Professor Ryzhkov. If you absolutely have to, you'll live, but he's not the clearest professor I've had. Labs aren't hard if you read the pre-lab reading and have a decent partner. Post lab assignments are strictly graded so I never did well even though I followed all of the directions.
This was the worst professorI have ever taken. Spoke softly so sometimes you couldn't hear what was being lectured. Was very condescending when questions were asked. Did not follow similar schedule to other orgo 1 classes so Towson tudors/pal sessions were no help. Often was not at his office during office hours. Harsh grading/unfair on tests.
He had a great sense of humor. I could not stop laughing the entire class. Very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. tests are a cake walk and there is a take home exam. The final exam was full of easy point questions and there is extra credit on all of the other exams which are worth over half of the exam! Could not ask for a better orgo teacher.
could be a little more clear on the take home points but exams are very easy and littered with extra credit. always available for help and loves to help.
Tests are easy but you must study. Always there for help and gives review sessions.
He is an amazing professor. he is always there for additional assistance. Make sure you use your book as a reference.
This man knows his stuff. very helpful and gives plenty of problems for additions and eliminations to help. Very funny and will recommend to anyone. Just study and you should be fine.
He is a very fair teacher and gives a take home exam plus drops the lowest exam. also there is extra credit on the exams. Enjoy his class because he teaches at an easy to handle pace.
plenty of opportunities to improve grades. His finals are easy and NO HOMEWORK
Tough grader, but not the worst. SUPERRR Chill guy. Pre lab lectures are boring but what can ya do. Not the best but not the worst. Lab professors don't really matter as long as you know what you're doing. He has dry humor which makes class funny.
Dr. R is one of the most interesting professors at Towson. He is a master of organic chemistry and demonstrates it with his lectures. Study the textbook prior to lecture, take amazing notes, ask questions if you don't understand in and out of class. The rest is history. Drops lowest exam and grading scale is low.
Professor Ryzhkov is an interesting person. However he is not a very good teacher. He over complicates things and confuses himself on a regular basis. He also speaks very quietly and it is hard to hear him unless he is standing right in front of you. He is a nice enough guy with a very dry sense of humor but I would not recommend taking this class.
Dr. Ryzhkov is an awful teacher. I was never able to fully understand him. He speaks in a very monotone voice and is overall boring. He is very disorganized and never plans to teach a certain amount of material. The whole course grade is based on tests and quizzes... that's it. I dreaded going to class every day.
Worst teacher ever, can't understand anything he says ever
Yup, not the best professor! i had him for lab, and the lecture portion was dreadful! he confuses himself a lot and we always went over the 50 mins. I pulled a B- because i went to the tutoring center for help on the post labs. go to the tutoring center !!!!
AVOID!!!! He does not explain the lab clearly, harassed all the students and says some pretty hurtful things. He does not update blackboard at all and he loses all of the quizzes and post labs! Basically gave out zeros for the lab reports he lost! He is simply very rude. He also has a staring problem. AVOID! He is a very tough grader on post labs.
Dr. Ryzhkov is the most brilliant professor I ever had. He does not have a staring problem, take it as a compliment his genius even noticed you. His lectures are absolutely stimulating and if you can't appreciate them it is simply because they are over your head, and if you don't like him its because your shallow or intimidated. Very systematic.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
53%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.05 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM212
4.0
(1)CHEM112
4.0
(1)ORGOI
4.0
(1)ORGANICCHEM
4.0
(1)CHEM331332
3.7
(3)Difficulty by Course
CHEM330
5.0
CHEM112
5.0
OCHEM331
5.0
ORGO332
5.0
ORGO331
5.0