2.9
Quality4.0
Difficulty36%
Would Retake519
Reviews36%
Would Retake
519
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
519 total ratings5
101
4
107
3
113
2
82
1
116
What Students Say
“Don't take her unless it's last resort”
BA370 - 2.0 rating“I would not recommend her if you are not a marketing major because this is going to hurt your GPA real bad”
BA370 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
27%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.04 avg changeRatings by Course
MRKT340
5.0
(1)MKT100
5.0
(1)MKT350
4.0
(1)BUSE370
4.0
(1)BA270
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
MKTG1
5.0
MARKT370
5.0
MRKT370
5.0
370
4.8
20423BA
4.7
Reviews (300)
Great lecturer, fun class. Not hard to pass, just do the reading and the homework and you?ll be fine. Although attendance isn?t mandatory, you can?t miss class ? as others have said lecture material not in the book will be on the tests, which are curved.
great examples, knows what shes talking about- first time i actually learned something at state, got 50% on all the exams and received a B, TAKE HER!
Due to this site I was initially very wary of Dr Olson. But like most other classes, if you do the reading and keep on top of work, you can succeed. The way she curves grades can really help you out. I got low C's and B's but aced the course. I took it online over the summer. I would say there is a lot of work, but it is not hard. Do Xtra cred!
Im currently enrolled in her class, and i have not taken any exams yet so i dont know how they are. but she is not as bad as many people say. Attendance is not mandatory, she actually makes the class interesting. she makes 2 hour 40 min class tolerable. she offers extra credit also !
Avoid! Hours are spent on doing homework that has NOTHING to do with the exams. Extra credit is available in the form of online marketing experiments that fill up before you can apply. Seriously, don?t do this to yourself. I believe she designs this class so there is no more than a C average so don?t do it if you value your grade point average.
This class isn't as bad as everyone says. As long as you go to class, take notes and skim the chapters in the book you will be fine. The tests are extremely hard but all you have to do is score higher than the mean and median and you will be fine becuase of the huge curve. The quizzes and HW aren't that bad either.
Very interesting class and good teacher. However, she is VERY rude! God forbid you e-mail her and ask her a simple question, she'll chew you out at the drop of a hat. Class is kinda hard, read the chapters and do the online Learnsmart flashcards that come with the text book and you'll do better on the tests than everyone else.
Horrible. She teaches as though the class is advanced instead of intro and then belittles students because of her incompetence. It seems she?d rather be doing anything but teaching. There are three very difficult exams worth 75% of final grade and are mostly based on lecture material. I wish SDSU would replace all the rancid professors like her.
Professor Olson knows a lot about the subject and makes the class interesting. Exams are hard and she doesn't cover all the material during lecture so you do have to read and study out of class. This is NOT an easy class; I recomend a study group if you want a good grade.
Very dense material and she will use every minute of class time. Quizzes and homework on connect (Don't neglect). Stay ahead of the schedule to keep sane. Expect the unexpected on exams and pay close attention to little details during lecture. Fat curve at the end. Got a B. Do out of class assignments in groups.
Tests come out of nowhere. I read and read and read for the pricing assignment and still failed it, horribly (4/16)!!!!! She smart and cool but these comments are rite, this is NOT a easy class.
She is a very interesting person. She is highly knowledgeable in her field and has a lot of experience. Lectures are fascinating. Tests are difficult b/c there is no real way to study since it covers 5 chapters and material from lectures. Alot of work required, but you will learn alot.
Ridiculously hard class. You'll kill yourself to get an A. The curve has to be huge because the test are mostly incomprehensible. Average score last 2 exams- 26 of 50. I'm in the pocket for an A but I am putting in 50 hours before an exam. Most students quit trying after they experience the first exam. She does give excellent lectures.
She is a great professor with vast knowledge in the field of marketing but as a business student not majoring in marketing, this class was not the easiest! All her exams are difficult and you never know what to expect. Pretty much study only her lectures and know the concepts. Goodluck!
Everybody hates on Olson because of her exams. Yes they are hard and I know because I got below the D average everytime. Her class had an awesome curve though and even though i failed every test, I still pulled out a Sold C by doing all the learn smarts and doing fairly well on the quizez Do the 4 point extra credit experiments Overall Good Teacher
Very interesting course! You really learn a lot from it. Professor can be mean and call out students that send her "dumb emails". The tests are ridiculous hard! DO ALL INTEGRITY HHOMEWORKS, CONNECT QUIZZES, AND THE EXTRA CREDITS and you will pass with like a B-! I failed the pricing assignment and a couple of midterms and still got a C! Do EC!!
First off her lectures are interesting. She not a teacher who just reads off powerpoints but adds way more material. Take very detailed notes, because her tests are difficult. On all of them I got a D or C-. but with the curve I ended up with an A in the class. Do extra credit. Tho attendance is not mandatory it HIGHLY recommended.
Olson's awesome! I was totally worried at first bc of all the scary reviews. Yeah, it's hard, but it feels like the first real college class I've taken. It was just enough of a challenge. And the curve makes sense. I wish she taught more business classes!
This class wasn't the easiest, but what I learned goes way beyond the classroom. Not only do I feel like a smarter person in general, but I know what I've learned will be useful in the real world. Great great teacher...and a pretty good class too!
Hard class! Exams are extremely hard but Prof. Olson grades on a curve so you won't do that bad after all. Very interesting class. Lots of videos, slides, online quiz for each chapter, 1 pricing assignment, 3 exams. No cumulative final. You will learn a lot. Prof. Olson is the best. Highly recommended if you want to really learn marketing.
I was scared going into this class after reading all the reviews about Olson, but trust me, she's not that hard! Exams are but she grades on a really fair curve. There's LearnSmart assignments before every chapter and even though the final is online, you really have to study and know your stuff to be able to do good. but yeah exams are really hard!
Before I took this class I had no real interest in Marketing. I loved it though and she was really interesting! It is hard if you don't go to class or study because the tests are pretty difficult but the curve is great so its really not hard at all to get a good grade. I would defiantly recommend her to all marketing majors.
Please, please, if you are smart enough and really want to boost your GPA, do NOT take this class with her. I am the perfect example of a victimized student. She is not helpful, she is rude, and her tests are the worst I have ever seen in my life. I spent hours studying to find that the tests didn't have anything to do with what she taught!
Took over summer, glad I did. MOST of EXAM questions come from her lecture - do NOT miss listening/taking notes. Exams are FREAKING HARD as heck. Study with someone and it will help!
Very good teacher. You'll learn a lot and the textbooks are good. The exams are real hard though!
Go to class, read the book, get a good grade. Olson's tests are not as difficult as people like to whine about them being. Her curve is more than generous, and she's happy to help you go over your exams. People who get bad grades in this class are people who didn't put it the work.
Very interesting class. Spend a few hours studding for the tests and you'll do fine. There is ample opportunity to earn extra credit, most of the points are gimmies on assignments, and the tests are rather hard, but they are also curved at the end.
Olson is a great professor, her lectures are really interesting. Go to class, her exams are based on her lectures and the book. The exams are somewhat hard but she is very generous with the curve. Do all the learsmart exercises and quizes, and the extra credit, get a decent grade.
Olson seriously deserves a higher rating. Yes, her exams are extremely difficult but this is college. Olson is always willing to help during office hours and she explains everything extremely well! I honestly do recommend her to everyone! She had the BEST lectures I've ever listened to in my life, so interesting! She really knows her marketing
Olson is a great professor Her class is pretty hard if you want an A, but its not too bad if you wanna get a B. Just do all the learnsmarts & do well on the quizzes. Her exams are difficult but then again this is college & she does have a huge curve to help! Really wants to help if you go to her office hours. Lectures were AMAZING, I recommend her
Do not put yourself though the hell of taking this creature. I literally worked my butt off and truly deserved an A. At the end I finished with a 89.25, only .75 away from an A-, not even a point away and she gave me a B+. I would never take another class with her if she was the last professor on the planet. Don't do it to yourself.
Yes Olson, you're tests are HARD. I enjoyed everything else about this class. Prof. Olson is a nice teacher, strong opinioned at times, but a good teacher. The tests are multiple choice, but many usually have 2 good answers which appear plausible in different circumstances. Put in an A effort but barely cleared with a solid B after the tests.
I am very surprised nobody has mentioned her tendency to go off on extreme right wing rants during class; I think she literally pulled a slide off World Net Daily. My advice is go to the test rested instead of staying up late and read each question carefully. Most are poorly phrased and you have to focus to see what she is actually trying to say
Impossible. Her tests are neither covered by the textbook nor her lectures, it's as if she pulled her test questions from thin air. Went to every class and studied hard,and gave my soul for this class. I'll be lucky to pull a solid B. Avoid at all costs.
I spend more time on HW assignments for my major than studying for a 370 exam. Paying attention during her lecture will be your key to success. Take notes, but not to the point were you aren't engaged with her lecture. Review the notes before the exam. Don't studying too much for this class. Easiest "A" I got this semester.
Olson is a great professor. I appreciated that her lectures were a supplement to the textbook (rather than teaching straight from the book). Attend class, read the textbook for quizzes, review lectures online for tests and you will be fine. Her curves are generous.
I mean this when I say this, I have never received below a B on exams...and for some reason after putting ien tons of hours of studying, I did horrible on all her test. I have confidence during it but still receive a low score. I have a feeling its the connect site we use for her online class.
Olson knows her stuff and is a good teacher, minus the powerpoints she uses which are pretty difficult to take good notes on. Lots of reading if you want to do well on the online connect stuff. I read every chapter before the quizzes and went to every A plus review (which helped insanely) and got a 96% in the class. Tests suck but huge curve helps!
Class is great. Read book and listen to lecture. The hard questions deal with detailed vocabulary. Overall she offers a lot of knowledge so taking class is worth it.
Her lectures are super interesting. I went to every single class, A plus review, AND read the book in detail but still got a B barely. I come to class and a question on the test is "How many dogs are in there in the world?" I think she skimmed over it once.....but do the extra credit! 4% is a lot. Curves are generous. Just be aware tests are hard
Weekly hwk & quiz for each chapter (online), extra credit "study" (there is 2, possible 4pts), exams are ridiculous -- each exam(3, final not cumm.) was different. One emphasized practice quiz ?'s & another on in class material. She is insightful but if you want an A, good luck. Reviewing your exam will help to know what she is looking for.
Very wise professor, she knows a lot about the field of marketing and class was always interesting. The tests are very tough, but she does use a curve. Make sure to remember to do the learnsmarts and quizzes because they do help your grade. Give it the time it demands and you'll do fine. I'd definitely recommend Olson, very nice lady.
Great class for people interested in international business. You learn a lot without even noticing. The books are not marketing books but books about global culture and cultural anthropology which make the class really interesting. Huge group project towards the end of the semester. Have to present it to class. Winner gets extra points. Take her!
If you are a marketing major I HIGHLY recommend taking this class with Olson. Like the other reviews, this class is not easy but if you do all the reading, learn the material (rather than just memorizing it), and generally keep up with the class (learnsmart, extra credit, etc.) you will do fine and learn a lot. Got an A (without A+ review).
Best Marketing Professor, I made Marketing my specialization just because I enjoyed her classes so much!!! Not easy but I learned a lot.
I failed all 3 tests and received close to 100% on the quizzes and online homework but the curve was so high i received a C in the class. the tests are 98% based on her lectures The tests are ridiculous and nearing impossible but just go to class and do the experiment participation
Her tests are confusing and she will say so herself. Do the learnsmarts & quizzes. Do the extra credit participation experiments. Easy 4 points. I got 2 C's, a D on the final, almost 100% for the quizzes/learnsmart but I did those dang experiments which helped me get a B. Super entertaining class, I really enjoyed her a lot.
Really great class. You will need to put in a lot of work for an A but very doable. Her curve is very generous. Do the extra credit!! I did pretty well on all the quizzes, did all the hw, and scored a B average on the tests. Class is tough but an A is very achievable
I LOVE Lois!Lois gives good notes if you are there to take them...i.e. go to class. She will answer all questions and isn't rude about answering them either. The tests are extremely difficult but the curve is also extremely generous so if you do decent it turns out fine.
I studied a lot for this course but that's because I was determined to get an A, and I did. Her curves are extremely generous because her tests are so hard and the average for our class was like a 60%ish. But this class was interesting and you'll do well as long as you stay on top of all the assignments.
Even though I took this online I was able to tell that this professor is chill and nice. The course was enjoyable for a summer semester (I actually learned alot). Her curves are so generous, I barely tried and got a B. I highly recommend Olson. For an online she was not that hard but idk about her in class...
Exams are hard, but the curve helps. Lectures are actually very interesting, which is nice since there is a lot on the exams that come straight from the lectures. The class only consists of exams, online quizzes, learnsmart, and easy extra credit studies. Great professor, enjoyed her class a lot.
Her class is quite difficult. I went to every single lecture and while it is interesting and entertaining at times, she is confusing. The homework and quizzes are super easy but the exams are extremely difficult. I feel as though some of the questions are based on her opinion and not from the lecture or book at all. I put a lot of effort in.....
Her tests are difficult and a lot of times opinion based. You always think okay, what is Olson trying to say here? That does not mean I did not like her as a person. She was hilarious and lectures were amazing. But those tests are brutal and didn't pertain to book really at all!! Seriously do the extra credit, it is a life saver!
Olson is very knowledgeable about the subject. Her tests are extremely confusing and often contradict what is in the book (that you still need to know for the quizzes). Lectures were draining, as it was necessary to write down every word that comes out of her mouth, because something she briefly mentions is probably on the test. There is 4% E.C.
Best professor I've had at San Diego State. It is really easy to get an A as much of her tests are curved very generously. Exams are 65% lecture 35% book. Do homework, and quizzes if you want to pass. She gives extra credit even though she curves tests. No reason to fail class unless you don't do much all semester.
On 3 Exams I got a C, B+, and B-. Killed it on all the online quizzes (also hard like exams) but open book "KEY" to do good on them. Do Learnsmarts and extra credit market research (super easy). I received a solid A in this class and was shocked! Tests are 80%, quizzes and Learnsmarts 22.5%, extra cred 4% so 106 possible but out of 100% feel me?
Olson was one of the harder teachers I have taken but hands down, who I've learned the most from so far. I ended up with an A- in her class by taking REALLY good notes and going to every lecture. She is pretty funny and knows everything about everything. Although she's hard, you can learn so much from her.
wow this class is hard. I went to every lecture and she contradicts the book alot. However she does lectures different than the test material. Knowing what things are will not get you C's on the test. Her tests are next to impossible because they are different from lecture and book material. In the end she gives a massive curve .
Awesome teacher. Good lectures and she is entertaining. Tests are pretty difficult but she grades on a curve. I got an A- in the class and got Bs and Cs on the exams with the curve. Does not check attendance ever. Overall a fun class.
The only good thing about this teacher is the huge curve and extra credit. Her tests are ridiculously hard. I went to every class, A+ review, and felt like I knew the material but still bombed every exam. I got 2 Ds and 1 F on the exams and still got a B- in the class after her curve and the 4% extra credit. Avoid Olson, its not worth the stress.
She is a friendly upbeat granny who is entertaining in class. I would only attend class a few times but she never sweated me over attendance. I still studied her lecture slides and homework online and passed with a B-. A good portion of the exams have questions that are tricky or even confusing. I dreaded taking Marketing but glad I waited for her.
I'm just glad it's over! Her tests are way too hard. The averages were as follows: 64%, 52%, 54%. It's just ridiculous! There's something wrong w. the professor & the exams when the class averages are this low! Her lectures were interesting, & so was the book, but none of that matters because her test questions are pulled from I don't know where.
There are 3 tests. Her lectures are interesting; however, her tests are very difficult and sometimes all of the answer choices are very similar. There is a huge curve. Got an A on all exams, but you only need about a B curvedD or F uncurved average on her exams with good scores on the HW and online quizzes to get an A. Make sure to do the 4% EC.
I failed all the tests, did well on the homework, and passed the class! Phew!
Great class. Tests are a joke because they are so difficult (felt like I was taking the LSAT). She curves the tests though so that helps. Then she curves your final grade! I thought I was going to get a C but I got an A-. She's pretty funny too and the lectures are interesting.
Dr. Olson really got me excited about Marketing. She warns you early on that the course is fair and not an easy A, but it is so worth it to take the course. You can learn so much if you really apply yourself. She also really cares about us finding our way in the marketing world and her lectures REALLY help. I learned so much and am so satisfied!!
One of the few Professors around who truly know's how to be a REAL professor. Doesn't sugarcoat anything and won't feel sorry for ignorance. Hate lectures in 300+ crammed rooms, usually skippem, but her's were so interesting and mind-opening that I had to go, pretty funny too. TONS of reading, do learnsmarts,quizs,xtracredit & yu good! Take her!!!
Took Olson for 370 and 371. Lectures are interesting and entertaining and she encourages class participation. Exams are pretty hard. 20 fill in the blank from about 200+ vocab. She has a few projects which she grades easily to boost your grade. Good class overall, exams are just harder. Attend class because a lot of the exam is based on lecture.
VERY HARD TESTS JUST DO ALLL WORK REQUIRED AND ALL VIDEO LECTURES AND YOU WILL PASS
Amazing professor! She taught me marketing during my semester abroad at SDSU as part of my degree in Denmark.
Exams full of errors and typos. Very different from online hwk and assignments. Test prints are illegible at times. Class needs more extra credit
The exams are multiple choice each with three possible correct answers, choosing the correct one is almost like gambling. Unfair for the students
I have a love/hate relationship with her class! It's my 1st semester at SDSU (transfer student) & I find that Olson is truly amazing when it comes to her lectures. I learned a lot from reading the book & never skipped a lecture. She was that entertaining to me & full of knowledge! But exams are difficult, I wish I could write new exams for her!
3 exams are so hard. I failed 3 of them. No study guide and no review before test.
She is an amazing marketing teacher, provides real world examples. I had no interest in marketing but she changed how I feel about it. BUT... her exams are crazy hard, and no clear guidelines on what to expect. If you want a content filled class take her, but if you want an easy grade I suggest someone else. I have no regrets.
DO NOT TAKE HER CLASS!!! It will affect your GPA. All exams are hard and she will not rounding your grade at the end even she curve the final grades but you still get very low grade. Studied the final for a week but still failed. Recommend to take someone else!!!!
I wish I could take a look at rate my professor before take her class. I was cried when I saw my grades. I tried so hard to study before the exams but I still failed. The exams were tough and I have no idea how to answer those questions because they were difficult for me. She will not rounding your grade, even the curve if you fail, still fail
She is a great teacher and explain things every well in the lecture. Exams are so difficult not relate on the quiz or homework. Just guessing your answer and hope they are right because those answers made me confusing and some I didn't know because they are not from lecture or homework. Must do EX 4points of Experimental.
Took it online and didn't really like it. Lectures are too long with way too many examples. Textbook has too much fluff as well. I guess it's a class you'd want to take in person.
Olson is amazing! never thought I would like a marketing class but I love it now! I looked forward to every single one of her lectures. I highly value what learned in her class. There are only 3 exams and online HW. Do the extra credit. I got a B without studying too hard. I would take her class again & recommend her. Outstanding professor!!!
Do all the work on the Learnsmart and quizzes and you will be fine. I read the book and took notes as well that helped me do well on the quizzes. The exams are not easy but she curves them at the end and you should do ok. I got a C-, D, B+ and the three exams and ended up with a B+.
Marketing majors you have to take her. She gives the best lectures, you sit there getting your mind blown the whole time. Yes the tests are hard I got an A and 2 B's thanks to the curve otherwise they would have been a B and 2 C's but honestly I learned SO much to apply in the real world from her. Not an easy A but you'll learn a lot!
Just don't take Olson. I studied harder for this class than all of my others, and still got B's on all of her exams. Almost every question on them is completely subjective to her opinions. With her curve you can get an A, but it takes a lot of time reading and studying. She's also very negative and just attending her lectures can ruin your day.
I don't understand why people give such bad reviews. Her lectures are some of the best I've had at SDSU. If you actually read the book and do the Learn Smarts, you can easily ace the quizzes and get B's on the tests. She offers 4% course extra credit, which is insane. Tests are tough but not impossible if you study. Definitely recommend her.
Olson doesn't test on whether you are an A+ memorizer she tests on whether or not you can apply concepts to the real world of marketing. Her lectures are really entertaining and the homework is through Connect and is pretty easy. She is well aware that her tests are not easy so she puts a huge curve on every test.
Very practical and relevant teaching style. It's not all happily ever after though: I got a D in her class (exams are very tough), that's because I didn't do the extra credit. Moral of the story: DO THE EXTRA CREDIT SHE OFFERS and you're likely to pass. I don't resent her though, I learned a lot. Isn't that the whole point of college?
Great professor, knows a lot about everything! Very inspirational, loved her class. Test are hard though, study and do the easy extra credit. Has a curve, most likely you'll pass if you go to class and do homework
Olson is a raconteur who incorporates personal experience into her everyday lessons. Loved learning from such an accomplished professional. Truly a wonderful overall experience. Tests are difficult, but attending class and recording good notes will ensure you do alright. I'm gonna miss this class.
Tests are extremely difficult and the class average is usually around a c-. Curve is very helpful in the end though, so don't stress out about the actual grades you receive!
Avoid at all costs - hardest class/prof. I've taken. All she lectured about was in-n-out & coke, then tested us on material we never saw. I have absolutely no idea where the good reviews came from but if you don't want your GPA to fall like mine did, take another professor (literally any other one) because they can't be worse than her.
If you are a Marketing Major you should take Olsen! She makes the rest of your classes easy because after her class you really understand the concepts. Its true her tests are hard but she does offer extra credit and a huge curve. You can fail all the tests and pass the class.
hard teacher. but if you go to every class, take really good notes and pay attention then you will do fine. A+ review helped with this class.
Do not take this class! The homework was very time consuming with over 60 questions each assignment, but worth 1 point total. She had specific inconvenient dates and times to take exams when an online course is supposed to allow for flexibility. Info and due dates were wrong on 4 different occasions. She does use a huge curve a lot though
Her tests are very difficult. 1/2 comes from the book and the other 1/2 from class lectures. Nevertheless, I would definitely take her again! Her lectures were very interesting and inspiring. She made me want to switch my major to marketing! She might seem a bit mean during class but you'll discover she is friendly & caring if you visit her office.
I took her spring of 16 as an HR major i did not care too much about marketing however she did open my eyes to the seeing the world differently I got a B on the first test and Ds on the next 2 but i aced all the online quizzes & did the extra credit and ended up with a B For minimal effort on my side i am quite pleased with the results. TAKE HER!
I think she's an amazing teacher with fun and interesting lectures. Test aren't too bad if you pay attention in class and make sure to write good notes while you're there. You get a good bump up on your grade from doing the weekly quizzes and Learnsmart as well as some extra credit. She's my favorite teacher from this semester!
The lectures are pretty interesting but the tests can be tricky, especially for the questions that don't come from lectures. Luckily the curve really helps, as well as the easy points from doing the online learn smarts and quizzes.
No reason not to get 100% on the HW, suck it up & and do all the LS questions cuz they're easy points that u may need at the end. Try to get an A/B average on quizzes. W/ curve, I got D+, C+ on tests & B+ on final. W/ curve, my exam avg. was B-. Extra credit 4% super easy DO IT!! Ended with an A- with not a ton of effort & I studied from quizlets.
Exams are HARD! take good in class notes, you will need them to also study for the exams. All of her exams are curved because without them almost no one will pass, but do not rely on the curve because you still need to do as well as you can. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT, it really helps you in the end. She has amazing lectures. take notes in computer
Tests are primarily from lectures, go to class and take good notes to pass. She offered 4 points of extra credit (4% of your grade), and curved a whole lot. I got a C average on the exams but ended up with an A in the class. Make sure you do well on the connect quizzes!
Never went to class and still managed a B+. Didn't find her interesting like everyone else and she's kind of rude. 3 HARD tests, non cumulative. Last test final. Read the book & redo the learnsmarts over again. She curves every test & curves the overall grade at the end. Went to A Plus but didn't help, don't go. Lots of cushion for grading.
Her class is extremely difficult. Exams and the online quizzes are rough. learnsmarts for each chapter take a very long time. Lectures are long, even though 90% of what she says in them will not be tested on. Read the book, and you should be fine. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT! Use the book! She has a massive curve otherwise everyone would fail hard.
Ok, here's the deal. The exams are very hard. I question where the questions come from - it's an odd mix of the lectures and book. I'd say 50% fail the exams but she curves very fairly. That being said, she's an amazing professor! This is a class I actually feel like I learn and can take away from! Don't be intimidated and TAKE HER CLASS. TRUST ME.
Olson is a great teacher and teaches godsend marketing. Now the real problem here is getting a good grade in her class. Learnsmarts/quizzes are only 1 pt each. Some questions on test get random questions based off your memory of a video she presented. Irony is she argues that is mastery over the subject over memory. Take another marketing class
The lectures are interesting and easy to pay attention to. I was able to complete all the learnsmarts and quizzes before the trial period so I didn't have to pay for access. The less class you skip, the better you will do on the tests.
3 exams from lectures, learnsmarts, and quizzes. Go to extra credit experiments, easy points. The exams are curved. So don't trip. There hard but you'll be fine. I studiedly average amount got medocre scores on exams and finished with a high B.
DO THE EXTRA CREDIT! Olson's lectures are interesting and its a great class. Exams are very hard. 3 exam scores: 48%, 48%, 62%. Ended the class with a high C+. The extra credit adds 4% to your grade, so do it. Overall, really good class. Her grading system helps you out a lot so don't let her exams scare you. Again, do the extra credit.
The Material is easy but nothing you read on the textbook will be on the her Test's. A + review did not help at all . Her test questions are so ambiguous . I had an easier time in Calculus . Skip this Professor she's been there 30 + years
As the last review said, tests are just so ambigous and full of errors it really feels as though she made it up the night before. Average test score for the class was 52%, but she uses a giant curve.
Super easy class! Attendance isn't required, learnsmarts are due before each class, chapter quizzes for each section are due right before the midterm. I never went to class and only went to A+ reviews and did fine
I had Olsen for MKTG370 and MKTG371 and in both classes I found her to be extremely knowledgeable in the subject as well as other topics. Don't take her class if you get offended easily b/c she speaks her mind w/o fear! Love her, would always recommend. ALSO take good lecture notes, that all her tests focus on.
Olson is very knowledgeable about everything she teaches. The online class is fairly easy if you watch the lectures. I learned many marketing facts that I don't think most teachers would care to talk about. She is also good at applying real life examples to concepts taught in the class. Her lectures were also funny and she does not hold much back.
60% of tests are based on lectures. The other 40% of tests are based on the textbook. I learned a lot about marketing that changed the way I view a lot of things sold. She does a good job at applying real world examples to anything we learn during the class.
Probably one of the most interesting classes Ive taken at SDSU. I learned so much about marketing and Olson truly engages her students during her lectures. Her tests arent difficult, but what you think is the right answer sometimes isnt. Come to class and pay attention cause some test questions come from her lecture and not in the book/homework
Professor Olson has the best lectures at SDSU. They're both informative and hilarious. Attendance isn't mandatory, but if you don't show up you won't do well on the exams which are based on both the book and class lectures. Extra credit can give you a 4% grade boost. I would definitely recommend taking BA 370 with this professor.
You learn a lot in class BUT her tests are crazy hard & majority of the questions on the exams are from her lecture. Her tests are more about test taking skills than anything (all the answers could be correct but pick the BEST one). Most likely, taking her exams will put you in a bad mood.
Awful professor. Majority of grade comes from three exams that she writes herself. All of them lack context, have tons of spelling errors, and are ambiguous questions. A majority of the exam is on lecture/random applications from the textbook. I didnt think she was funny either, most of her jokes were offensive and stereotypes of races/genders.
Great lectures and funny too. Very confusing exams with spelling errors and ambiguous questions. Grading criteria not clear. If you would like to keep your GPA up, I'd recommend taking another professor. Good luck !
Olson has one of the most interesting classes I have taken. She uses tons of actual examples that are applicable to what's being learned. She is also blunt and "speaks things the way they are", so don't be offended. In class notes are important, test 2&3 had tons in examples only used during lectures. Online textbook means you don't need book.
Exams are DIFFICULT as they are 70% from her lectures and 30% from the book. My exam scores were 48, 48, and 48%. Yes, triple 48. Ended up with 65% test average with her giant curve. Her grading is 78% tests, and 22.5% hw. for a possible 104.5% total with the EC included. I barely passed the class with 75%. A+ review does not help for this class.
Olson is a fine teacher. She's lively in class but at times the material is repetitive and boring. She uses prezi instead of powerpoint, which is hard to follow along to. I stopped going to class after a month which dropped my grade a bit. Tests are difficult but A+ goes over all of the material if you can afford that. Not horrible but not great
Yes, her exams are extremely difficult, BUT she curves like crazy. This class is SO worth it. I absolutely adored this class, and I was excited for it each day. I know we all want to get an easy A, but this is a class that is just fun and leaves you talking about it at home. An A you have to work for, but the content couldn't be taught any better.
She's extremely knowledgeable about the business/marketing world and gives excellent examples you'll remember. The EC barely got me an A so do it. I'm sure you always hear people say her tests are difficult--they are but they're so curved, a 36/50 is sometimes an A. If you want to learn a ton, take this class. I was actually sad when it ended haha
Olson is known for these things: Very hard tests (which she curves) Gives extra credit, and has lots of easy homework Her lectures are entertaining and you actually learn things from them, she also includes random things from her lectures on the tests. Be ready to actually study and be ready for her sneaky questions on test
I really enjoyed going to Olson's class. Her lectures are very interesting and engaging. Make sure to pay attention to lectures because a lot of the exam comes from them. Tests were very hard but she curves it generously. Just stay on track with the work and you'll do fine!
Incredible professor and person. Took this class 3 semesters ago and its still something that I rave about and miss a lot. Tests are hard, but only if you dont go to class. Youll regret not taking Olsons course. Seriously. Shes amazing
Professor Olsen is in the top 3 of my professors of all time. She truly is great. People like to harp on the fact that her exams are hard, but theyre incredibly curved so Im to sure what people have to complain about! She is so knowledgable and funny, and she truly makes the course so enjoyable! You'll seriously regret it if you don't take her!
I stopped attending class after a few weeks. Her lectures are entertaining, but waking up at 8 AM is a no for me. I got low A's and high B's on her exams just by reading the book before exams. Keep up with the hw and take advantage of the extra credit, not a lot of instructors offer EC. Easiest BA class I've taken. Difficulty is exaggerated on here
Honestly all you have to is go to A+ to do well on the exams. Also do the LS, the quizzes (found on quizlet), and do the 4% extra credit (you just take 2 surveys), super easy points! Her lectures are very entertaining but you don't have to show up to do well . Her exam curves are insane, i got a 61%, 78%, & 78% & ended up with a B+
Yes, the exams are hard. BUT HER CURVE THO. You can pass this class given her generous test curves, assignment points, and the extra credit. However, will you come out having learned useful and insightful marketing concepts? Probably not.
Difficulty is not exaggerated here. She does have huge curves- but her exams are very hard and heavily based off her lectures. I attended every class and still averaged C- on her exams without the curve. I did much better in my MIS courses than I did in this class which was not expected.
If this class was based off the textbook alone I'm sure all of the students would do great. However she likes to create her tests based off of her lectures which lead to dumb questions that barely make sense. Her class is sort of entertaining but i would recommend going to the classes and taking notes to study for exams.
This was very hard class. The material is not hard but she makes it difficult. her tests are very hard and is based on her lecture, nothing from the textbook. The textbook is useless. you would not learn anything ! her lecture is heavy and very boring and she is not even funny. Take another class and you will thank me! bc they are much easier!!!
It is only week 5 and I lowkey hate that I've drank more coke in these weeks than the entire year. She talks so much about unhealthy foods/companies that I end up truly craving them.
Entertaining to listen to, but her Prezis are all over the place & hard to follow. LearnSmarts and online quizzes for each chapter, and 3 exams total (no cumulative final). She does offer EC. Her exams are hard but have a ridiculous curve. Would def recommend reading the textbook to understand terms and definitions.
Honestly a very hard class. She lectures all over the place and uses examples but you dont understand where shes going with them. Makes a lot of jokes during class that are very culturally insensitive. She thinks she knows things about countries just cause she visits them and is pretty racist. She curves a lot for the exams so that saves you
Do yourself a favor and don't take this class. Her lectures are not organized, and it doesn't help that she uses Prezi. She doesn't correlate her lectures with the textbook, and her exams are extremely difficult.
Her exams are beyond this world and mostly from lectures. Lectures are all over the place, but enjoyable at times. Her curves are huge, but i recommend doing the experiment extra credit just for assurance you'll pass the class.
Don't take her unless it's last resort. Tests are all based off of her lectures and her lectures are messy. She talks about the same examples: McDonald's, Coke, etc. every single class. A lot of her stuff is opinion based too. The tests are almost funny because of how hard they are.
If you are a marketing major, she is the best professor to take for this intro marketing course. Olson gives insightful and enjoyable lectures. She makes her exams difficult for her students to master the content. Had I taken another professor, I would not be prepared for my next marketing courses. Challenging course but worth it.
Lois uses shock marketing to make information stick in your brain. Learned a lot from this class, which sadly can't be seen from my grade. Tests are curved, and test on...??? honestly I'm still not sure. Show up and listen. If you want to learn marketing take her, but beware your GPA may suffer.
I would not recommend her if you are not a marketing major because this is going to hurt your GPA real bad! Lectures were interesting but Prezi was messy, the tests were SO hard, I was really scared for the first time since freshmen year lol. Go to A Plus review and do the extra credit experiments (4 points )
Probably my favorite class I've taken so far. Her lectures are packed with real world examples and her own experiences. Tests are difficult, but there is a huge curve! You really need to go to class and write down ALL the examples she talks about, they really for the test. If you don't want to really learn Marketing this isn't the class for you.
Completed connect coursework to 100%, average grade for quizzes, and failed all three exams and there was a curve to give me a C, C, and D but ended up with a 65% so now have to take class over in order to get into Consumer Behavior. Computer lockdown required for your exams. No extra credit to help grade. Study hard for exams.
Exams are worth 69% of your grade so it makes it hard to pass the class even with 100% on quizzes and homework. My final grade in the class was .55 of a point to be a letter grade up and she wouldn't round it. Lowest grade I've ever received, and ruined my GPA. No extra credit offered. Exams are ridiculously hard! Avoid this class if possible!
Whether you show up to class or read the book, your efforts are useless. I have straight A's at SDSU over the past 3 years, but I scored a C and D on the first two exams. A+ review helped me get a B+ on the last one. Lots of extra credit is offered. While the curve is VERY VERY VERY helpful, I would not recommend this class to my worst enemy.
She's pretty entertaining, but attendance is not mandatory and she posts most stuff on Blackboard or you can get it all from the textbook, so I didn't actually attend the lectures all that often. The tests are pretty hard and I felt like she included a lot of random/confusing examples, but there's an insane curve on them.
This class could've been named "The History of Everything Ever". Prof Olson's class was the highlight of my week, even if her tests are SERIOUSLY impossible. I recommend going to the classes (you don't have to take notes, just absorb everything she tells you), aim for 100s on the quizzes and LS (having a hard copy book helps here), and A+ Review.
BA370 requires a C to pass and go to upper division classes for MKTG. Professor Olson makes passing very difficult. Exams are hard and she assigns a lot of HW. She is straightforward and is no-nonsense. Not very understanding when it comes to personal matters so don't look for sympathy when it comes to grading.
I had her for an 8AM, never went to class only went to A+, and pulled off an A. Exams are 78% of your grade (3 exams no final, nothing accumulative) Learn smarts & quizzes make up the rest, all easy and all online. Heavy test curves I would recommend the other teacher forsure, but if you get Olson its not the end of the world, but she is rough.
Had Olson for an 8 AM. Didn't go to class, mainly because I didn't like her personality. I went only to A+ and tests were not too bad. There is a VERY nice curve to her tests, which is nice. She uses the same examples throughout the entire year, which can get repetitive.
worst professor i have taken at state, her teaching style is old fashioned and her marketing methods are out of date. pretty useless class if you ask me, your better off learning the material on your own. tests are curved but expect them to be completely different from what you learn in lectures and in book
I got a B in the class. As a bus major I've taken a number of marketing classes yet somehow she made this was difficult for no apparent reason. The exams pretty much make or break your grade. You don't need to watch the lectures to pass. Textbook is helpful but not necessary to pass. Didn't care for her as a teacher.
She is a very respected, reasonable professor here at SDSU. I took this marketing class online and I'm glad I did it during the summer. This class has been made way too difficult for anyone who doesn't plan on being a marketing/IB major but you get to learn a lot. You better study for the tests.
Took this class over the summer. Make sure to read the textbook thoroughly and listen to ALL the lectures at least twice. Take notes on the lectures. The examples she uses are really helpful. Study the vocab, apply it to situations. Practice the Learnsmart material several times. Exams are hard. But if you prepare you should be fine! Good luck!
The content of the class is not hard and the work is fine. However, if you are looking for someone who is clear and cares, she is not the professor. I did not understand her grading criteria and i emailed to clarify and we went back and forth until she sent me probably the rudest email I have ever gotten from anyone
Professor Olson is good at delivering the content. The class is very interesting and you wont get bored, and half of the questions on the exams are from the lectures. Exams are hard just like any other exams at SDSU. Her curve makes a huge difference in the grade. Read the book and go to her lecture and youll do fine.
very relevant. this was taken online and the lectures are kinda lengthy. I didn't watch them and still was able to get a decent grade.
Olson is a very knowledgeable teacher, but her info is inaccurate and very old in regard to cultures in other countries which is annoying. Her tests are 50 q in 45 min, open book but you do not have time to look at it. Everyone does bad on her exam so fat curves but barely helps. Even if u read everything you won't get over 65%. Avoid!
Not a fan of this class, but if you do wind up taking it, there is the benefit of the curve she implements on exams, which can bring an F to a C. She adds an additional 4% extra credit (2% each activity) that you can do throughout the semester. There are 16 quizzes but only 15 are required. Each quiz is 1% of your grade. Chegg will be ur frien
Take BA 370 with Gaffen you will thank me later:)
The class is interesting because the material itself is interesting but the tests are really hard. There were so many times I thought I did well and did not. You really have to study thoroughly, and work for your grade. Her as a person.. RUDE. She is so rude and does not care about students at all. Ugly personality.
Olson is a character; take the abundant advice from her that is unrelated to marketing with a grain of salt. Uses current and relative examples which is nice. Tests are curved; both midterms averaged around 30 out of 50 questions. Be prepared for that not being reflected on blackboard/canvas(pilot FA2019) grade until the end. Study.
This class is awful. She is very nice. But the test are terribly structured. You need to read like 8 different chapters (1 country per chapter) 15-20 big, long, annoying readings that do not even help for the tests. Projects are so annoying as well. Maybe could be a better class if tests were turned to weekly quizzes. overall this was hard.
Olson is a character. Tests are curved, and a lot of easy but helpful homework. The tests are hard and have a lot of material on them, but possible. She is super passionate about marketing and her students. I would recommend.
Olson is nice, very charismatic and effortlessly funny. However, you must go to lectures. She uses prezi instead of powerpoints for some annoying reason so you can't access her slides online. Even if you study the book perfectly you will find yourself extremely confused on the exams. Hard exams. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT, TRUST ME. Don't forget ur hw.
I was scared on the first day of class but there was no need to be. This was my most enjoyable class this semester. I looked forward to lectures every week. But the tests are sooooooo hard. Understand the material dont just memorized. Got an A in the class and got 100% on the exam I went to a plus review for. Good extra credit opportunities.
She is a knowledgeable teacher, but Exams are very hard 3 Exams are 78% of your grade. She has a big curve and 6% extra credit but still the class super hard if marketing is not your major. She is very rude. Don't take this class, you'll be stressful during the semester. if you have to, so my advice is going to A-plus review and record her lecture
She's not as bad as the other reviews make her seem. Her lectures are really enjoyable and interesting and be sure to take good notes on any concepts! Tests are kinda hard because of it the application of the problems, but she curves likes crazy and gives extra credit. Read the highlighted portions of the textbooks and recharge before exams!
She is the worst professor at the marketing department and also SDSU. She needs to retire and get her lectures organized. She shouldnt teach this subject. She isnt nice either. She doesnt help students, makes them fail just like me. Her exams are only 3 exams and are very very hard, and she makes it uncomfortable for some students like me.
Her exams are very stressful on exam day and arent helpful either as I heard some students say. She doesnt know how to teach and should retire immediately. 3 Exams that are 50 questions that arent related to the subject and her lectures. Her tests are heavy and exhausting to take, and she doesnt understand how to prepare exams and teaching.
The material in Olson's class is straight forward. A ton of homework but nothing out of the ordinary. Tests were difficult and confusing. Median scores consistently 28/50 with a SD of 3-4 points. Requires LockDown browser which was super intimidating. Grades on a curve but it doesn't help. Don't go off of the grades in BB as they mean nothing.
The material is actually interesting to learn. Reading the textbook, I understood the concepts easily. However, Prof. Olson creates her own terms for the terms inside the textbook, so you have to memorize two different terms with the same meaning. She purposely makes her exam tricky, don't be surprised if you get a low score.
you will learn more in this class than any other class. she lectures very well and is one of the most professional teachers there is. There is extra credit offered for 2 points and the rest of the grade is online quizzes, readings, but mostly tests. the material is interesting and she has a very heavy curve. you will love this class!
I understand that this is college. It's not always gonna be easy. However, Professor Olson is a sorry excuse for a teacher. Her exams have little to do with the lectures, homework or required reading material. And to top it all off, her ability to write an effective and reasonable exam is on par with that of a middle school TA.
Prof. Olson has the most incredible presentations. If youre a marketing major this is the class for you! Lots of pictures to help you understand. Fast pace, but very exciting. Study hard, but enjoy the material especially with all the incredible examples she has.
Consumer behavior was my favorite class at State! As most of the other reviews have stated her exams are difficult but if you pay attention, participate, and take great notes you will be fine. She's a great professor, you can tell she's passionate and extremely knowledgable about marketing and I recommend her to everyone that asks.
Professor Olson has very interesting lectures that really draw you into the topics. The problem is she has a lot of homework and the content is a lot easier than her tests. Typically weekly smartbook homework and quizzes. However, on every test, the class average is VERY low. Each time it averaged about 31/50. Thankfully she curves, but be weary!
Really amazing teacher. Hilarious and she gives great lectures. The only downside is that her tests are ridiculously hard.
The homework and quizzes do not relate to the tests. The test are based on real-world questions and answers. Her marketing lectures don't touch whats on the test because the test has nothing to do with her lectures and the book.
Professor Olson is a hard teacher. Her exams do not relate to what she teaches in class and what is in the textbook. She also does not teach how companies today market and it also gets a tad annoying listening to her talk about Coka-Cola 24/7. Take another teacher for BA 370
Professor Olson was a horrible professor that I have ever had in my college history. Her tests are nothing like her lectures. All she talks about is how she likes Coca-Cola. Don't pick her to be your professor.
The class is not that bad. Her lectures are interesting and homework is fairly easy. The exams are really hard but everyone does bad and she curves. Do the extra credit as soon as possible!
I like Olson a lot more now that I've taken a class with her other than BA 370. This class was interesting and as long as you watch the lectures and understand the concepts you'll do well. The format for the papers were kind of confusing to me, but I think she cares more about content than anything.
The material wasn't bad, but she made it harder than it is, she never provided any study guides for the Exams so you need to go to A+ to do good on them because otherwise you wouldnt have the slightest clue of what to study. Make sure to do the EC it helps a lot, she curves the exams and the class at the end which will help your grade.
I'm not a marketing major but I LOVED this class. Her lectures are relevant, engaging, and you really learn a lot. But her exams are incredibly hard. She does have connect homework and quizzes that help your grade. I would absolutely take her class again. You can tell she knows what she's talking about and keeps the class really interesting.
The exams are pretty difficult and very specific. She does curve a bit and offers extra credit, which helps a lot. If you want to just pass, then this is the class for you, but if you want an A take another professor.
Her tests aren't terribly hard like others say, and she curves very heavily for the three tests. They're based on lectures and textbook. They are worth a big chunk of your grade. Homework can be time consuming sometimes but not too bad, but you can work ahead. Homework is a helpful study tool to learn the concepts. I'd take her again.
There are only two professors for this class... If you have to take Olson, Good Luck. Tests are extremely difficult, and homework is very time-consuming. Take the other professor if you can
Currently taking. Started off the semester with a passive aggressive email about students asking too many questions (more unencouraging emails have followed). Lecture vids are an avg. of 3hrs/chpt. Exams seem easy but the avg. on the 1st exam was 35/50. Curved, 35 B+, but she reminded us that's "still not great". Don't take if you value your time.
Olson is the worst teacher I have ever had in my entire academic career. Not only is she extremely rude but she makes the class impossible to pass. Homework is 2 points, quizzes are 1 point, and test are 50 points. If you do bad on one test you are screwed for the rest of the semester. She belittles all her students and makes them feel dumb.
She has a good sense of humor and her lectures are interesting and informative. I don't understand all the negative reviews about her. She has a very direct sense of humor so y'all are probably just sensitive. Good teacher, makes you work for an A but it is definitely reachable.
Assignments are extremely time consuming, but they are typical Smartbook assignments so they are not difficult. She uploads lectures so attendance is not mandatory. Lectures are long and consist of multiple videos that must be watched for the test. Tests are incredibly specific. Not a very approachable person and is rude, but teaches decently.
I was very excited to take my first marketing class but Olson crushed me. I wanted to review my test after not doing well and she basically said that she couldn't do anything for me because I could not physically go into her office and view the test. COVID has made everything extremely difficult and she did not accommodate. Very rude and negative.
These reviews speak for themselves, she'll never be remembered as a great professor. Instead she will be remembered for being someone who makes her exams super difficult and then giving out a curve that bumps up your grade a letter grade or two. Maybe make the tests a little bit more inspiring and knowledgeable or else you wouldn't have to curve.
ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. Olson is rude, does NOT care about student success, and just goes through the motions. she used pre-recorded lectures from 2017, we had ZERO professor to student engagement, and she could LITERALLY care less about your concerns when you email her. she is horrible. take the chance on a waitlist for another prof. im beging you
Worst professor that I ever have
Olson doesn't use powerpoints, she makes Prezis that students can't download for notes. Lecture videos were often very long. Tests were worded very difficultly with very similar answer choices. Final project had very vague grading criteria. I'm an A student but barely got a B- in this class. AVOID taking this instructor for MKTG 371 at all costs!
Studied hard, countless hours of homework, & professor does not help when you reach out. The most frustrating class I've ever taken- please avoid at all costs. I wish I was exaggerating. No extra credit offered. Exams/ quizzes are worth 85% of your grade, homework worth 15%. Screen recorded, mic'd, and visually records during each quiz/ exam. AVOID
Honestly the W O R S T professor there is. All her lectures are completely dated (back from 2017) and never communicates with the class. For this course, she is paired with another professor Brooke, who doest not offer any help and copy/pastes same thing to everyone. Ended up getting my grade rounded down in the end. Truly out to get students.
Prof Olson is not as bad as her reviews make her seem. You definitely have to read the textbook, and then you have to do Smartbook assigments and quizzes for every chapter, but those things help you with the exams which can be pretty difficult. She does curve a lot too. She's also kind of funny and her lectures are interesting, so don't avoid her!
Needed MKTG 370 as a prereq for 371. She gave me a C- when you needed a C to take 371. When I took her class, it was the beginning when we had to switch from in person class to online class. She was not lenient. I had to retake her class the next semester. I was waitlisted no. 1 and asked her for a syllabus. She said no and wait till I get in.
One of the worst professors in SDSU She is only here to torture students there is no way a person could be this mean She uses a useless proctoring app with microphone and camera on. Which is a privacy issue for many but she doesnt care. Her lectures are outdated and the tests are so tough there are actual videos in tests and the tests are timed.
Lots of lectures but the class itself is not bad. 3 quizzes, 6 meetings on Zoom, and a big project that you work on with your partner throughout the semester. Do you work and you will be fine. HUGE curve on quizzes btw.
She's is very knowledgeable but be prepare to read a lot. Buy the books ahead of class read the small one first. There is a huge project, pick a country that you either know about a lot already or do some research before. Heavy class but not as bad as others.
Took her class then covid hit. Had to adjust and do online learning. Went from a B average to a c- average. (Need a C to pass as a prerequesite). Had to retake her class. I asked her for a syllabus before the class began and she denied me that simple request. Retake consisted of the same videos and slides from her summer session. Lazy, doesn't care
This whole class basically consists of a group project and tests. Everyone does horribly on the test (used lockdown browser) so she curves the class like 2 letter grades. Most of your grade comes from the marketing plan project which is lots of work, but this would most likely be used in the real world. She knows of many good internship and job ops
This was 10x worse than BA-370. The bulk of the class is a semester-long marketing plan that you do with one other student. It ended up being 60+ pages with citations. The submissions for the marketing plan felt more like I was doing research for a history class than a marketing class. Every exam results in the class failing with a 50% average.
Do yourself and take Gaffin if possible, avoid Olson at all costs! Exams are 78% of your grade, extremely difficult, and will be on material that was covered for 30 seconds during lecture. Unfortunately shes just another sh*tty tenured professor. The only way to pass is to go to A+, which is honestly so classist of Olson. Just dont do it okay?
Lectures are interesting and shes actually kind of funny, but her exams are just absolute garbage and she does no guiding whatsoever. She says the exams are based on her lectures and the book, but also says to not believe what the book says about some terms and believe her definition instead. Like? Our test average is 31/50. What does that say?
Her lectures are interesting and marketing is a really good, common sense subject and the material is straight forward. With Olson though, learning the material and passing an exam is two separate entities. Exams are 75% of grade, 5 super similar answer choices, where knowing the material doesn't mean sh!t. Avoid at all cost.
Olsen's class is actually interesting and I enjoy watching her lectures. On the other hand, her grading system is completely flawed and tests are ridiculous. You will take a test in her class and think you did good, just to find out you got a 50%. I wouldn't take this class if you care about your GPA.
TAKE GAFFEN. I have a D in this class and I'm an A student. Exams are RIDICULOUS, questions are worded horribly, worth your entire grade, almost all lecture based. She offers ZERO help to improve. Our average class grade has been a D every exam. Homework takes hours, quizzes suck, worth about 1 point and practically unrealated to exams. AVOID
Most of the questions on exams are from lectures. She lectures fast & uses Prezi to lecture. HWs due before class. Exams have grammatical errors; quizzes are difficult. I don't recommend taking her unless you don't want to pass. Sometimes, even if you read the book, think you understand, you'll walk out of the exam room sad with your grade.
2 chs/wk: Read text, smartbook HW (about 2hrs/ch), watch lecture videos (3-6hrs/wk), quiz, repeat. Per syllabus "exams 40% from text questions, 40% lecture, 20% 'similarly' in both". Proctored. Time to do requirements took away from time to actually make own notes, then study and do other classes. search her in youtube for her teaching style.
Professor Olson gets a bad rap because her exams are extremely difficult (averages around 61%, but she does curve). It's kind of ridiculous that she doesn't curve until the end of the semester though. While her exams are rough, her lectures are amazing and you will actually learn in this class. I would definitely take her class again
I hate this teacher!!! Shes literally the worst!! If your about to take her for marketing 370 dont. The average score on the tests are a 60% and she only curves by a few points. Her. Tests are hard for no reason and worth 78% of your grade!!! Worst of all even if you have a .9999 she wont round you at the end of the semester.
STRESS! That's all I felt with this class the whole semester. 3 tests, weekly chapters, smartbooks and quizzes. Tests are hard, quizzes are reasonable, and smartbooks are easy. However, I did learn a lot in this class. Olson can come across as aggressive and demeaning, but she does know her stuff. Be ready for panic attacks and do the extra credit.
If you're going to take this class, be prepared to study and really absorb the material. You need to understand it to where you can teach it. There are weekly HWs, readings, quizzes, and lectures. The questions on the quizzes and exams can be tricky. I'm not the smartest, but I worked HARD and got a B+. I feel like I can take on any class now...
As hard as her class was, I actually enjoyed it. Just get a good partner for the mktg plan and don't wait till last minute to start it and you'll be fine. It's a lot of work and the quizzes are very hard, but she curves a lot. Such an entertaining class, you'll learn a lot and the mktg plan is a lot easier if you go to class and take good notes.
Professor Olson is a very awful professor. She uses prezi for notes instead of a traditional slide show which makes it very difficult to write and follow along because she goes very fast during her lectures. She also does not upload her notes on canvas. Her test are incredibly hard and her average for each test is about a D-, take someone else!
Professor Olson is very knowledgeable in her craft of marketing. Her lectures even though were in the Prezi format, were helpful when it came time to study for the tests. The tests are hard and she accounts for this by curving the grades at the end. As students have mentioned before, get yourself a good and reliable partner for the semester mkt prj
Very tough class. This class is notorious for being known as one of the tougher business courses. Olson's tests are what makes the class so tough. The tests are conceptual and seem to be based on her personal opinion, not right. Can't really study well when tests are like that. Homework is brutal also. HW takes forever. At least she curves tests
Horrible test writer. I am a good test taker and I knew the material super well. But she will trick you then blame the class for being kids still and not realizing her tests are "application." They aren't application, they're subjective, biased, and sometimes, totally incorrect. No, Olson, 'senior citizen discounts' aren't illegal! Look it up!
The test questions are a little whacky and hard to understand sometimes, and tests are hard!! She moves quickly through her lectures so don't write everything down, just take some quick solid notes. Her lectures were surprisingly engaging, I would recommend attending them all so you don't miss test info!
Olson is very tough on tests and can be even more difficult if you choose not to study for her class. Be ready to study and you'll do fine.
Alright - she isn't as bad as everyone makes her out to be. Intro to marketing is actually an interesting class - so don't let the professors that teach it ruin it for you. Olson was fine; she references stereotypes a lot - but marketing is all about stereotyping people. She isn't the most polite, but as long as you do the work you'll be fine.
Do not take this class! She is rude, ignorant, and does not teach! Her tests have nothing to do with the book, homework takes so much time and has nothing to do with the exam. You can memorize the entire textbook and fail her exams because they are not written well. Her lectures are all over the place.
Professor Olson is very engaging and makes me want to go to class! She has a lot of experience and stories that make class interesting and easy to learn. There's a group market assessment that is split up in 5 submissions, 3 exams (that are curved) and lots of reading but the reading is very fun and not difficult.
Look at all bad reviews because they are incredibly accurate. Your grade will be screwed from the very start. Everything is out of 1 point yet her exams are out of 50. She makes it impossible to pass with an average of 57% on exams. All she does is reference coke and Hershey chocolate. Olson, you need to be spoon fed a letter of termination :)
Only take this class if you can afford A+ Review for all three exams. Don't rely on Olson's lectures or homework/quizzes/textbook when studying for the exam... and don't freak out if you do poorly on the exams. Her exam curve is generous. Just seek outside tutoring SPECIFICALLY for her class, and you'll do fine.
Professor Olson's classes are tough, but worth it. If you want to get your money's worth and seriously learn the material, I recommend taking her courses. She inspired me to switch from a general business degree to a marketing degree. I have since graduated and am very happy in the marketing field!
Good lecturer but has the worst tests ever. Her test questions have grammatical errors/not enough information with multiple correct answers. The curve is supposedly generous but might not be worth it if you don't know what your grade is for the entire semester. Exams need to be clear and she needs to figure out how to use the grade book in canvas.
Hard class, Be prepared to study! Smartbooks can take forever if you don't read the textbook. Reading the textbook will help you better understand the madness that is Olson. Her presentation all over the place but there interesting makes going to class worth it! She gives a generous curve. Most importantly: Do the Extra Credit.
Not the nicest person. Presentations all over the place. Barley worth attending lectures in my opinion. Honestly just do smartbook assignments and quizzes to best of availability. Most definitely do all extra credit possible it'll help in worst case scenario. Pretty mid overall experience. Credit is credit though.
worst professor I have ever had in my entire life. The material she is trying to teach is not accurate. I attended very few classes and did better by teaching myself than the people who went to class. DO NOT TAKE HER! I managed to get a B+ because I can study on my own, if you need to have a good professor to learn then take ANYONE ELSE
DO NOT TAKE. Please read the bad reviews the good ones are Fake. Olson's lectures are boring and have no connection to the exams. The exams consist of trick questions, grammar errors, and multiple answers that could be correct. She does curve the exam because the average is around 50%. 4 points of extra credit. Grade is a mystery UntilEndOfSemester
DONT TAKE THIS CLASS! 1 to 2 Smartbooks are due each week. Tests worth 78% of the grade, 4 possible EC points. Her lectures are all over the place. You could memorize the textbook and still fail the tests. Test averages are ~52%. However, she does add a generous curve. EX a 76 on test one gave me an A. Almost necessary to use A+ review. Good luck.
I love her personality but I don't love certain things about her class. The tests are poorly-worded and confusing. Her prezis make note-taking hard and just harder to follow the lecture in general. She's super sweet though and seems to care about students. Her assignments are LENGTHY- pray to get a good group!
Extremely hard tests have nothing to do with studying!
heavy tests, nothing from the book, and nothing to do with your studying I think her tests are based on her ideas and knowledge if you want to fail attend her class and enjoy the stress!
Test questions are from her brain, not from the book nor the lectures. Grammatically issues. All multiple choice answers are similar. More than 5 multiple choice answers in one question that confuses. 50% on 3 quizzes 50% on projects Search for another Professor.
Find a way to get another teacher. He leaves too much homework from Mc Graw Hill. It's supposed to be 50 questions but not really. Quizes are videos, and like 2 homework questions. Discussions are worth only 1%, there are only 2 discussions. Mc Graw Hill homework is worth 15%. Quizzes are worth 15%. Exams are worth 69%. No extra credit.
Find a way to get another teacher. He leaves too much homework from Mc Graw Hill. You don't respond to emails on time. The lecture is from 2017. She doesn't put her grade in Canvas. You can have a C in Mc Graw Hill program and she will give you a D. Quizzes are worth 15%. Exams are worth 69%. There is no extra credit.
Her exams are worth 78% of the grade, quizzes are worth 1 point and are still difficult to even receive a 1/1. She said recently "If you're a Finance or Accounting major you can pass this class with a D." Which is not fair for those are not marketing majors that can effect their GPA. Do your best to avoid her class for whatever major you are in.
Forgot to mention A+ still isn't even worth it for the exam.
Final Warning:Do not take this class. She's aware 80% of the class is failing. All she talks about is how she loves Coke or her working for Hersheys. As a transfer student, this was my only option so I took her. If you are a transfer student & saw how this class fits your schedule DO NOT TAKE IT. WAIT UNTIL NEXT SEMESTER FOR A BETTER PROFESSOR.
Very test heavy and doesn't prepare you at all. She assigns a lot of homework thats worth max. 1 point, most being .5. Tests are nothing like the lectures or homework and super difficult with little time. Class is pointless to go to as she only talks about herself and useless examples. If you can take someone else do it.
Although it is true much of the class averages an F on their exams on Canvas. She does not go based off of the canvas scores. This was a very rough class. If you spend the time studying and listening to the lectures, you can pass this class without too much of a struggle. I got a B post curve and never watched a lecture. Use Quizlet if you can.
Her lectures are engaging, but its very hard to tell what she will include in the exams. It's based some off the book, some off lectures, & some off "her experience" whatever that means. I found her to be funny, if a bit stereotypical, but that's what marketing is about. If you read the book and study her outlines you shouldnt have too much trouble
I would honestly get very excited to go to her lectures because they were engaging. The biggest critique of her class would be the tests that everyone would get a 50-60 average. But her curves are generous and you do get the chance of 4% extra credit. Her exams are 40% textbook, 40% her lecture and the 20% is the overlap.
When I signed up for her class, I was worried. However, this ended up to be my favorite class to attend. Make sure to attend her lectures because a majority of test material appears in her lectures. The lecture and presentation is not available on Canvas afterwards. She is very engaging and a nice teacher; just study and do all of your assignments.
I failed two exams with the curve. I clutched the third so that bumped me up good. I stopped attending lectures after the first exam, learning that the only way you can pass this class is through self-studying. Take advantage of the EC since that got me to a C. You might not like her class, but if you gave the bare minimum like me, you can def pass
Professor Olson seems pretty straightforward, not for the faint of heart. Though I will admit she was pretty blunt, rude, unclear, and limited in her email response to my concern about an assignment not opening properly in Pearson. She mentioned that she was a very nerdy/good student, which clearly seemed to have translated into arrogance.
Olson's lectures are very interesting and provide real-life examples. You are graded on smartbooks that are easy, quizzes, and exams. The exam averages were always around 40-60% however she does a big curve. You could still pass just by doing smartbooks her lectures are not really on the exam. The bad reviews are people who didn't wanna try, lol.
DO NOT TAKE HER FOR GLOBAL. Poor class structure. she will make u read 10-15 chapters from main book + 6 ch from secondary book + lectures for you to get a C on the exam. Majority of class fails exams, avg score was 21/50. All 5 deliverables are VERY extensive,she thinks we have nothing else in life. No EC. more of a world history class than mktg.
At first I liked her lectures,. They were pretty entertaining as they had a lot of fun tidbits, so you may love it as a Marketing student. However, her lectures tend to be a little TOO much about fun tidbits rather than actual concepts. Sometimes she repeats her "fun facts" every lecture. Her tests are really hard too, but at least she curves them.
Yes, the exams are hard, but by studying the textbook anyone should pass! I am not an A-plus student and I have gotten above average scores for every exam, and she offers extra credit and curves the exams. If you cant pass, you don't understand the material or are not studying enough. Put in the effort and you will pass its that simple
Initially, I really liked her and the course. Over time I started to realize how rude and disrespectful she is to students. Check her out on Reddit, a lot of complaints about her attitude (she's a tad racist lol). I've gotten an A on every exam so far, study the textbook and lectures. Her exams are worded very strangely so be careful!
Racist and self-absorbed. Lectures are just her talking about herself for 2 hours. The average on each exam was like 40%. Read the books all you want, you'll still fail. A HUGE 100+ page group project with next to no instructions. All her feedback was irrelevant and useless. Makes up 80% of what she says. Don't expect to learn any real information.
interesting lectures mostly real world examples and less content based so you need to be willing to put in work outside class read the textbook and memorize vocab/provide examples 3 exams - average is about a 60% online quizzes/smartbooks shes funny and sarcastic can come off as harsh big curve on exams my grade went up around at least 10%
What is she even talking about 95% of the time?
i think she would melt if she ever came into contact with water
I dont understand why people dont like her. I have taken Olson for both 370 and 376 and she is an amazing professor with so much knowledge about marketing and she is honestly a great resource. I took 376 and the class just ended and it was a fun class.Lectures really interesting, project was fine, just study for the exams in advance like be fr guys
So many mixed reviews about her but her lectures are so entertaining, you will not get bored in class. Tests are impossible to do good on but she gives a huge curve and a lot of extra credit. She's not the nicest, but she will keep you interested for the whole hour. You definitely need to read the textbook to pass the class.
The professor does not care about her students passing or failing. You sit through her hour-and-a-half lectures and all you learn is that she used to work for Hershey and likes Diet Coke. More than half the class did terribly on the first test, she said to study better. 78% of the overall grade is based on 3 exams. Take another professor.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! She knows that most of the class is failing, and she doesn't care! Her exams are really hard, and going to lectures is completely pointless. The only thing I've learned from her lectures is that she has an unhealthy obsession with Diet Coke, and she used to work at the Hersheys factory.
She does not care about her students succeeding. She fails you the entire semester so you have no idea if you will pass or not and then does a weird curve at the end. I emailed her to ask her how to succeed in her class and her response was very rude and unprofessional. Her exams are impossible to succeed at. Do not take this professor!!
Very difficult class. She has great lectures, but not all the content is necessary for the exams. The 3 exams you take are mainly situational-based questions and you will get a BAD score if you don't study hard. She does curve each exam, but you won't know your true grade until grades are due. I got 28, 30, and 34 on the exams and ended with a B+.
I graduated 4 years ago and to this day I still remember and love this professor. I took her Marketing and Global Marketing. The biggest advice I can give your too pass this class is record all of her lectures. I would be driving or at the gym listening. I memorized her lectures and that's what helped me pass the class. Good luck.
I would say contents dealt with in this course was boring personally but the professor was friendly so good .
She's nice but mktg376 was more of a cultural stereotypes class than a marketing class. She kinda talks like your extremely white uncle at Thanksgiving when explaining a person from another culture's habits and tendencies. That's why people are saying the racist thing I think, not racist but she does make a lot of blanket stereotypical statements.
Only non-mandatory attendance class that I go to. Her lectures are very helpful if you take notes. A bit slower pace than I would like, but she explains things very well if you're not a fast learner. Grade is 25% McGraw-Hill Connect and 75% Exams (Curved). Spend a day before each exam studying based on your notes and the terms in the book.
RUN!!! 370 class via global campus only 3 things count towards your grade: quizzes, exams and smartbook assignments. she uses 4 year old lectures. doesnt proofread exams/quizzes. material in the exams/quizzes sometimes arent even covered in lectures she is pretentious and says some awfully ignorant things for such a well educated woman.
Her tests are difficult, the average (pre-curve) exam score is 50-60%. Also, any one of her lecture videos exceeds the combined lecture length in all my other classes...and we average 3 per week. BUT...she knows her stuff and I've grudgingly learned a lot of it. Advice: If your goal is the grade, skip. If your goal is the knowledge, take.
This class is very hard through global campus, the quizzes and HW are only worth 1pt whereas the exams are 23pts making it hard to recover your grade if you do poorly on an exam. The tests are proctored and the smartbook homeworks have 50 concepts each (2 a week). I definitely learned a lot but I struggled so much just to get a passing grade.
I loved her class. She did a great job keeping my attention during lectures. However, her exams are very challenging. The tests are also 78% of your grade. However, there is extra credit, and she does a nice curve. I would take her again.
Must know entire textbook and her unposted lectures for her insane exams (78% of grade & class avg. is 30/50) Attendance not taken but you will fail if you don't go. She doesn't care if you pass and will not bump/round, even a 73.5, so I have to retake it. Makes sexist and politically incorrect comments in class; I learned so much but at what cost.
Olson's lectures are interesting, and she definitely keep you engaged, the tests are just near impossible to pass, even if you study. She does do a generous curve at the end of each exam, so don't get stressed if it seems like you are failing. I had a harder time in this class than in finance and statistics.
She was a very informational and good professor, but her test are impossible. I studied for HOURS for her test and still did SO bad.
Avoid if you can. Tests come from only her brain, typos and repeated questions. 75 questions in 75 minutes, you are able to bring the books but they don't even help. The group project does help since it's 50% of your grade but other than that just tests. Goodluck
Got a therapist bc her class was giving me so much stress and panic attacks. Her lectures are fun, but would rather take another professor than cry almost everyday. Test are impossible and she does not care. Emailed her cause I thought I was gonna fail and she said "too much work to take out my computer and go over the exam with me" don't take her.
Honestly one of the worst profs I ever took. Your grade is dependent on 3 Exams that have easy yet confusing questions. Majority of the class didn't pass bc of how her class works. She also made plenty of rude comments to students, called many wh*res or looked like one. Gaffen is pretty similar grading and work but can be unorganized.
Im not even done with the course but I just KNOW I'm about to fail this class. The work is so easy to understand but her tests are what will make you have a hard time getting a good grade. There's easy extra credit opportunities but it won't matter if you don't pass her 3 exams, my grade went from bad to worse. I STUDIED SO MUCHHH, NOT RECOMMEND
Don't even think about it
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!! Exams are 78% of your grade and are the hardest exam I've taken at SDSU. Exams not written well and seems like there are multiple correct answers. Interesting lectures but at what cost.
RUN! Mrs. Olson only works here to hear herself talk and wants to demand the attention of as many people as possible. She seems to think at we were born in 2015 when she reffers to things that surely existed in almost all of our lives. She calls us all overly sensitive in class and recently said it was funny when a kid did blackface on halloween.
When a professor tells the class "I don't know what you guys should study for" that should be reason enough to drop the class immediately. Lectures do not amount to the tests ONE BIT. 50-question, 5-answer multiple-choice tests with content we didn't go over in class—no study guides. Do not recommend.
I have learned more in Olsons marketing courses than all my other classes combined! She is the reason I switched my major to marketing. Exams are very challenging, but its open note!2 books required, but they are actually interesting! I would recommend doing optionb for the gp in this so exams are worth 50% and project is other 50%.I say take her:)
Instead of going to her lectures just read the textbook. Anything said in her lectures makes up about 5% of what ends up being on the exam. Her exam questions are extremely specific things from the textbook, and from what I have heard, most people who scored high on her exams read the textbook multiple times.
Holly-cow Diet Coke obsession. She's a funny woman and probably a Great Mentor, knows a TON about marketing, but as for grading? Locked web-browser even for quizzes on each chapter. So if the exam is based on chapters 1–7, you'll have 7 quizzes, and they lean on the lengthy side. All this stress for them to be worth 0.5 points, pick your poison
She has a lot of energy which is good because some professors make me fall asleep. Responds to email fast. Has 4 extra credit surveys. Exams are difficult but curved alot (a 50% for me was curved into a 69 on an exam). It does seem very hard to earn a B in the class and I'll probably get a C but I'll pass and its not my major. She is nice and funny
Do I think she's the spawn of satan? No. Did I enjoy her class at all? Also no. Her lectures were exactly like the online textbook with occasional bonus info, so I stopped going after the first exam and still did exactly the same on the second one. She just yaps about how she used to work at Hershey and how she doesn't like Chinese food
If you don't have a religion yet, pick one cuz you gonna be praying to God you pass this class. Read each chapter and studied before each exam and still did horrible. These tests are made for students to fail.
This class was the hardest class I have taken in my life. 69% of your grade is based off of 3 exams, which would be okay if there was a study guide and or if notes were allowed for exams. During the exams, the sentences are worded very poorly and sometimes words are misspelt. Overall, I would avoid taking this professor for your sanity.
I passed the class with a C 75%, I barely passed this class. On two of the exams I got a D on the other one I got a C. I did all my smart books and my quizzes on the quizzes i would score from 50% to 80%. and I encourage everyone do the extra credit which is 4 points: 4% of your grade. When she finalizes your grade she does a curve that helped me
Easily one of the most miserable classes I've taken. Quizzes and exams feel intentionally set up to make students fail. The so-called “generous curve” is a joke. Only brought me up 0.2%. Lois Olson is EXTREMELY RUDE, dismissive, and unhelpful. Messaging her is pointless. You'll just get a snarky non-answer. ALSO, her lectures are pointless.
She is rude. I would avoid. Save yourself. Ask yourself...do you want to take this class... Good luck.. you will need it.
You're not getting an A unless you make this your life and even then it's questionable. How to pass with a B or C: read the textbook & practice the smartbooks on connect before tests. Lectures are interesting but add no value to passing the class. If your not a marketing major take anyone else and if you are still reconsider.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
27%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.04 avg changeRatings by Course
MRKT340
5.0
(1)MKT100
5.0
(1)MKT350
4.0
(1)BUSE370
4.0
(1)BA270
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
MKTG1
5.0
MARKT370
5.0
MRKT370
5.0
370
4.8
20423BA
4.7