3.3
Quality2.8
Difficulty48%
Would Retake223
Reviews48%
Would Retake
223
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
223 total ratings5
67
4
54
3
36
2
28
1
38
What Students Say
“Avoid this class if you can”
MA115 - 2.0 rating“He does not explain the concepts clearly in class”
MA116 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
42%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.70 avg changeRatings by Course
MA588
5.0
(1)MZ115
5.0
(1)MA123
5.0
(2)AT743
5.0
(1)MA124
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
MA781
5.0
MA582
4.7
CASMA116
4.5
MA588
4.0
MAB1
4.0
Reviews (220)
everyone complains because he has a very thick accent and can be hard to understand at first. don't let that psych you out- you get used to the accent and learn the material. you don't ever have to read the textbook and the class is just generally pretty easy.
Everyone seems to hate this guy, but he's not bad. If you go to class, pay attention, and do the hw, you'll be all set, he TELLS YOU EXACTLY WHAT WILL BE ON THE EXAMS! He has an accent, but it's really not that hard to understand. Student's problems in this class are likely their fault, not his.
He is the best guy nad teacher I have ever seen before.
He's obviously a very new teacher, and he's probably a smart man, but this class was unbearable. Sure, if you can stand going to lecture, it's pretty easy, but I honestly couldn't sit through it. He assigns and exorbitant amount of homework, and you have to struggle to understand what he's saying.
HORRIBLE, DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. HARD TO UNDERSTAND, COMPLETE JERK, GRADES TESTS AWFULLY, LOTS OF HOMEWORK, AND WILL ARGUE WITH YOU IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION. ITS LIKE HE IS FROM A DIFFERENT PLANET.
Nice and a good teacher, but unclear and hard.
Students who have a problem with him can't understand his heavy accent, but if you exercise patience and read the textbook, the class is a breeze, but if you need help go to your TA. He tells you what's on the exam, and if enough students complain, he gives hints.
His accent really isn't hard to understand after a couple lectures, it's just that he is so boring. He basically reads the book to you during lecture, but he takes attendance so you have to go. Also, his tests are way too long and you don't have time to finish them. I wouldn't recommend this class
His accent is very difficult to understand at first, but once you get used to it, you realize his lectures are soooooo boring. He does not explain concepts any better than the book does, and is not very helpful when you ask questions.
One of the better professors in the Math Dept. He may not explain concepts as clearly as others, but he has a passion for teaching and is always willing to help students outside of the classroom. His lectures are often exciting and he encourages student participation. Highly recommended.
I think he tried to explain things well. His accent is bearable and actually quite entertaining... but to be honest I slept through lectures. Relatively little homework if you pace yourself, or save it all till right before the exam and you won't need to study. Tests were just like the homework. Not too bad.
Statistics isn't very jolly, but Gonovyan is! On the first day one thinks the language barrier is insurmountable, but it gets easier to understand him with each passing class. He remains enthralled in what he's discussing, even if the class isn't and he's quite amusing, even though he's not aware of it.
Take this class!! I hate math but i'm getting an A in the course. He tells you exactly what's going to be on the exams and is very helpful. I'm going to miss mamikon...
I'm not a fan of math but I thoroughly enjoyed being in Prof. Ginovyan's stats class. His accent is overcomable and makes for a much jollier instructor as he laughs over our not too frequent misunderstandings of his words.
Mamikon was an AWESOME professor. I don't understand math at all, and I ended up with a B in the course. Go to lectures and copy the notes and the class will be easy (DON'T fall too far behind--it's very hard to catch up). Basically tells you the problems on midterms and final. He was funny and the language thing seemed like nothing after a while.
One of the better professors in the Math Dept. His lectures are often exciting and he encourages student participation. Highly recommended.
EASY stat class. If you go to lecture and copy notes you will be A-OK. He goes over the exams word for word the lecture before so if you go you can easily succeed. TF wasn't helpful but did goes over the homework problems he graded.
his accent is very hard to understand, and he gets confused easily if you ask him questions. he's entertaining though, and he really tries hard. the class itself was very easy.
The material for this class is very difficult and he is not a great teacher. He has a strong accent, but it is possible to adjust to it. Fortunately, he really cares about the students and will really help improve your grades, as he knows it is a difficult class. Quizes and midterm ate tough but curved. He gives questions for final in advance.
He knows he has a deep accent, so he will repeat himself a ton of times. If you copy the notes and go to class you should get an A, really. Just do the HW and go to class.
Easy class. I now have trouble saying probability the correct way.
his accent should not be a minus. i sometimes have trouble understanding him, but that not so much of a huge thing. if you go talk to him and ask for help, he will always be there. he really has passion for what he does and is a sweet person.
If you go to class and do the homework this class is a breeze... the average in our class on the first midterm was an 85 and only like 10 people got below that... he has an interesting accent but he speaks slowly and repeats himself so its not difficult to understand him at all... overall he's a really sweet really funny man who loves his subject!
Probably the nicest man ever. He makes sure everyone passes the class because he is an easy grader. I'm horrible at math so had to teach it to myself. You get used to his thick accent. Lets you have formula sheet for every test. Only reason I rated him poorly is that I never understood concepts.
Stats is not really fun. It doesn't matter what professor you get. That being said, professor Ginovyan is very intelligent and will help you understand the concepts, especially since the book is not very good at doing just that. All you have to do is go to the lectures, pay attention, and take notes. It's not that bad or difficult.
Good professor, his accent is nowhere near as bad as it's made to seem here- he speaks very slowly and clearly. I really enjoyed this class.
No Comments
AVOID THIS PROFESSOR AT ALL COSTS. I was forced to drop this course after the first two weeks of class because I could not understand a WORD that he said. Talks quietly and in an extremely thick accent. Not to mention that his explanations were unclear to the point where students would just not even know where to start with questions.
Funny but horrible accent. The material covered isn't that hard to grasp and as long as you come to lecture and hand in you're homework he won't fail you. the TF was pretty useless. I guarantee you will never say the word probability or arithmetic correctly for the rest of your life.
Can't understand what he is saying because of the accent but the class is not hard. Tells you half of the problems that are going to be on the exam. A good TA is helpful. This is not a hard class to teach to yourself. Proba-bababababalittyyy!
Essentially this professor is one of the best professors I have ever had in my entire life, he is so funny and his grading is awesome and his lectures are so entertaining. Calculus II is a challenging course and this guy knows it inside out you only need to learn the examples he gives and do the HW period.loves essentially-develope-make a break
A little hard to understand but a great guy. He is extremely generous on the curve and really wants the class to do well. The only thing that keeps him from a perfect rating is his thick accent.
He's a sincere guy, but is misunderstood. He's Armenian, so he has a thick accent. He's also impatient. He assumes you know 581 really well, but in 581, the terms were different from what he uses. Therefore, he thought we knew nothing.
Everyone complains about his accent, but it's really not that bad. He does speak a little on the soft side, but sit in the first 10 rows and it's not a big deal. He gives you all the formulas you ever need, the only time you need your book is for homework.
seriously, he's not that bad at all. the class is pretty easy and i've never taken stats in my life. My friends and I came to a conclusion that we like him and it's not that bad as everyone says. he says essentially like every other word its soo funny!
Good teacher...wants you to do well...kinda funny sometimes too
Great professor. I dislike math and was able to do well in his class. He explains concepts well and if you do the homework and come to lectures you will do well. He is very funny and sincere. He wants you to do well.
I don't know why everyone is giving him a bad wrap. This class is insanely easy and the professor makes it easy by going through examples clearly. Sit within the first 5 rows, and you'll hear every word.
he is precious!! he talks like the count from sesame street and goes over what's going to be on all midterms and final! basically, i want to put him in my pocket!
He's such a sweet guy. He tells you exactly what will be on the midterms and he curves it just to make people happy. He wants everyone to succeed. I think math is hard and I got a B+. He's kind of hard to understand sometimes but just go to his office hours if you need clarification!
He's a really sweet man and unintentionally funny. Says the words "essentially" and "too important" probably 30 times a lecture and kinda sounds like Borat. Gave everyone 5 extra points on the 2nd midterm cause the average was 78, I don't like math at all but managed an A- in the class. If your good at understanding accents, def take stats w/ him
This man is absolutely adorable. I enjoyed coming to class because he is just so precious. He truly does not want to see anyone fail. He lays out EXACTLY what is going to be on the exams and he even scrapped our last homework because people were struggling. I am currently in MA116 and I STILL use his notes because they are so clear and helpful.
Great professor. His lectures are clear and easy to understand, he will do anything to make sure you do well. Enjoys teaching. Do the homeworks and you will get an A. He is a very smart, dedicated professor.
This was a great professor teaching a tough class.His accent is more than understandable so there should be no complains. He is very helpful and accomodating. Of course, students had to work hard in this class, even though there were not that many of us
He has an accent and you definitely have to get used to his teaching style. He tends to say the wrong word when describing things, but if you pay attention and do the homework you'll be fine. The TA understands his style and is very helpful, especially in decoding some of the things he says.
He's a nice guy and goes out of his way to give the student a chance to get a good grade. The difficulty of the course should not be mis-interpreted as him being a bad teacher. Sometimes, students just can't "get it."
Great class, his notes are fairly clear and has an entertaining accent that isn't too difficult to understand. He wants you to do well. Do the homework, they're easy points. I had a B+ and he bumped me to an A- for no reason. Highly recommended.
Great class, great professor
Professor Ginovyan goes over all the examples he wants you to know on the exams. If you pay attention in most of his lectures you will definitely do well. Sometimes he is hard to understand because of his accent. But he really is helpful and wants you to do well. He curves every exam average to an 85!
So NICE and knowledgeable!!! Lots of examples-almost no surprises on the exams. he CURVES. homeworks (long but helpful), midterm and cumulative final. TAKE THE CLASS WITH HIM!
AMAZING PROFESSOR! explains very well! I am taking exp psych now which is based on stats and I remember and understand everything thanks to him!!! He is an A+++++++ Professor!
He is wonderful! He loves teaching and his students. The class really isn't hard if you go to lecture and do the homework. He is fair with grading tests as well
On the first day of class Professor Ginovyan told the entire class that he teaches because he truly cares about his students. This stood true through out the entire course. Ginovyan is a good professor and a wonderful person. If you go to his lectures and take good notes you will not get behind.
no one should take a course based solely on the comments on here there is no easy math course no matter who taught it for those students bad at math AND without good work-ethics those who post here are those who wants it to look bad (those who did really badly) or look good (professors?) and rarely those in between. it is the most useless invention
his lectures are confusing, but he tries to make you understand. take notes, but GO TO DISCUSSION. without the TF i would have surely failed. homework is mandatory but if you do it, you will spend less time studying for the exams and helped me understand what the prof lectured. if you took calculus, this class isn't too bad. grades will be curved.
Seriously, even if you don't enjoy math, Ginovyan makes it easy to understand and really tries hard. If you pay attention in class and do the homework, you will do great on the exams and ultimately receive a good final grade! Examples he does in class are VERY similar to exam questions so pay attention!
Tough to understand a lot of the content, TA helps a lot, but still rough. Do the homework ahead of time and get good grades on it, it will carry a lot of weight on your overall grade. Tests are curved.
Very useful class.
Lectures are exciting and he encourages student participation. Take this class.
If you go to lecture and copy notes and examples you will be OK.
I enjoyed Prof. Ginovyan's stats class.
He explains concepts well and if you do the homework and come to lectures you will do well.
He is very good professor. He gives everything on his lectures, so don't miss them at all! He goes very fast through slides, let him know that you haven't finished copying the material from the board or just simply take a picture. He doesn't post slides online. Overall, he is very nice,makes things simpler and more approachable! Recommend him!
Ginovyan is a great professor, he's funny and as long as you do the work you will get a good grade. He tells you what will be on the tests and curves a lot if the class average is bad.
Ginovyan's 116 class was enjoyable.
Great professor. His lectures are clear and easy to understand, he will do anything to make sure you do well. Enjoys teaching. He is a very smart, dedicated professor.
NO. NO. NO. Ginovyan is impossible to understand and his slides are super confusing. Don't go to lectures, they are a waste of an hour and a half. DO go to discussion, the TA's are great and explain things a lot more clearly than he does. He does give pretty easy tests, though.
A nice guy. Lectures and slides are super confusing and hard to follow. He also has a heavy accent, which makes even harder to understand him. But his homework (he will assign you a LOT of homework) will help you understand the concepts very well. But as long as you work hard, you will get a good grade, because his tests are easy.
Ginovyan is nice
Good professor, his accent is nowhere near as bad as it's made to seem here- he speaks very slowly and clearly. I really enjoyed this class.
Accent not difficult to understand, but wouldn't recommend. Very rude and unhelpful during office hours. Homework is both on and offline. Textbook useless, except for problems. Tests are homework and in class problems. Buy online access code for half the price and use eText for problems.
Good professor I really enjoyed this class.
He is rude and laughs at questions. his slides are super confusing and he is awful at explaining anything. I received an A in the class only because i read the textbook and the TA was really good. Expect to teach yourself the course
If you go to lecture you will be OK.
very nice teacher. you can drop 2~3 of your lowest hw grade lol
Very nice and helpful. Good teacher and friendly person.
He's a nice guy, but his slides are confusing and he makes the material more complicated than it needs to be. Use the textbook to succeed in class.
Very clear. Straightforward and easy to understand.
He has a super thick accent and is impossible to understand in class. Doesn't help that he uses confusing power points but if you read the book go to discussion and do the homework the class is pretty easy. Goes into detail about exactly what will be on the test and is pretty fair.
Ginovyan is really a good teacher
Excellent professor, makes the material super easy to understand and tries to make it interesting. If you need to fulfill a math requirement take this class!
Very approachable Prof and nice person. Hard material for most people - that's the nature of the course though....
Oh where do I start. If you have the option, TAKE 115 AND 116 WITH ANOTHER PROFESSOR. Ginovyan is difficult to understand but that honestly isn't the problem. He cannot effectively teach. I relied on the TAs for the most part, but that was unreliable at times too. Pretty much taught myself.
Best stat teacher I've ever had! His lecture is way clearer than the textbook.
Professor Ginovyan is a great professor and a nice person. Take as many classes with him as you can.
He is a really great professor, and he seems to really care that everyone does well.
Ginovyan is a great professor. You will enjoy time series with Ginovyan. Highly recommended!
If you listen carefully, you can get past his accent and see that he's a wonderful professor. He teaches very clearly, and before each test he'll literally tell you what each exam question is. Easy A. Just be careful of answering/asking questions. Only answer quest. in class if you're 100% sure of the answer. Ask quest. but don't be pushy.
Professor Ginovyan is extremely knowledgeable. He really wants every student to perform well. His accent does not hinder comprehension at all, but I definitely used the textbook to clarify some concepts.
As a person who struggles in math, he was barely any help during office hours. You TA is your best bet. He has a very thick accent, and his lectures are very boring and disengaging. Fair amount of homework, TA will walk you through it if you struggle. Tests are hard, and time is of the essence.
great class
Great lecturer. Explains concepts you need to know, tells you exactly what will be on the test. As long as you do exactly what he says, you'll get an A.
Take MA115 class with professor Ginovyan
Sat in the back on my laptop every lecture. Will drop lowest homework for good attendance. He seems alright, but I still ended up teaching myself everything through the online homework. Kinda thick accent. I can't say much because I didn't pay attention in lecture, but the homework load was moderately heavy but reasonably doable
If you don't understand the basic of statistics, do not take this class. He is a very poor explainer, and the TFs don't understand what he expects either. If you can learn from homework then you should do fine.
You will enjoy statistics with Ginovyan. Highly recommended
Highly recommended, great professor
Excellent professor, makes the material easy to understand and tried to make it interesting. Take this class!
If you listen in lecture, you'll learn everything you need to know. Print out or bring the slides to annotate, he goes quickly. He wants you to understand and participate, but if you need extra help go to a TA. Very clear on what he is covering and if you pay attention and grasp it you'll do fine. Drops lowest HWs for good attendance.
Professor Ginovyan is actually exceptionally thorough in explaining his concepts. Just pay attention in class, do the homework, show up to discussion and you will pass. Class is not an easy "A" but it isn't difficult either as long as you understand all the material in his slides.
Professor give easy exams the entire semester and then decides to give the hardest exam ever given for the final. He has a very thick accent, which makes him hard to understand as well as difficult to pay attention to in class. Very very boring lecturer and makes class very confusing. Avoid taking if possible.
Ginovyan is the professor I love most at BU. Clear lectures with interesting examples. Take this class.
Professor Ginovyan is such a confusing lecturer. If you are someone like me who understands information through lectures, I would high recommend avoiding this teacher at all cost. He is a very genuine teacher and loves when students participate and show up, but his lecture are long, boring, and unclear.
If you are a math person like I am, you don't even need to go to lecture that often to get an A. He takes attendance, which will give you extra credit at the end of the semester, but I couldn't sit through lecture so I ignored it. I only went on days that we had to hand in homework, and studied at home to do the homeworks. Chill class.
His multiple choice questions are the worst cause they dont make sense yet they count so much so you end up losing twenty points cause of that. The homeworks are kind of long but easy. Honestly its an easy A class but just make sure you work a little hard.
Great lecturer, explains concepts you need to know, tells you exactly what will be on the test. As long as you do exactly what he says, you'll get an A.
I hated this class. Maybe it is because I don't like statistics, but for a lower level statistics class I thought the material was quite difficult the second half of the semester. A lot of HW (online and offline every single week), 3 exams total, and discussion sections are mandatory. I thought the lectures were hard to follow.
Professor Ginovyan does tell you what will be in exams, but only the easiest part. Exams are tricky and some of the questions are tiny details in textbook or lectures which can be easily ignored. The average was D+, and he curved to C+. But if you study and memorize everything in his lecture, you will get good grade.
Lectures are extremely boring and unclear. He has a thick accent and is not a dynamic speaker. I only go to class when homework is due or I have to take an exam. (He does give extra credit for good attendance but its not worth the boring lectures) If you can learn by doing the hw you should get a decent enough grade. Avoid this class if you can..
Overall he has to be the worst stats professor I have had. Its tough when he is not clear about how to do the homework and you end up teaching all of the material to yourself. His homework is a pain and he usually assigns even numbers for the book and then you have stat lab. IF you were good at 115 you can coast through this with a B.
He does not explain the concepts clearly in class. When you ask for help he rarely answers your question. It is very hard to understand what he is teaching. I ended up having to teach myself the concepts. The tests claim to be similar to the homework but it isn't.
Great lecturer
Recommended
Excellent professor
Ginovyan is indeed a good professor
Ginovyan wants his students to do well but he does a really horrible job teaching. He uses weird notation in his lectures, he always talks about how much he hates the textbook, he is condescending when someone actually asks a question and then he wonders why no one is "active" in class. It's an easy A, but I would avoid him if possible
Very approachable professor and nice person. Recommended.
Take this class with Ginovyan
I can't deny he is a sweet man but he is simply not an effective professor. His lectures are no more than him reading off powerpoints (which are hard to follow and formatted differently than the homework assignments!) I had to teach myself how to do everything in this course by doing the online homeworks. Manageable difficulty for math requirement.
How could he become a professor? He is so bad at teaching. No one knows what he is talking about all the time.
Take this class
MA116 is a good class, and Professor Ginovyan is a great professor.
His lecture notes are good and he cares about students understanding the concepts.
No need to go to class. You really have to learn by yourself because the lectures are impossible to understand. What really matters is doing the homework questions in order to prepare for the tests. And take advantage of being able to write on your cheat sheets for the tests when he says you can!!
His lectures are boring and his accent is hard to understand at times, but he does care about his students. He sometimes misunderstands student's questions, so that is another downside to his lectures. The TFs are available to help you with any questions on the homeworks, there is a lot, and graded tests. His tests are fair but difficult.
he seems annoyed when students ask questions, and just reads from slides for the whole class. I think he views his method as "clear and easy" since he says that it is, a lot. grading is fairish for the lack of teaching actually done. I had to re-teach myself everything online after classes, and spent most of my free time trying to understand topics
he seems like he cares, sometimes, but please if you actually want to get your math requirement and you're not a totally in love with math DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS WITH GINOVYAN!!! absolute NO ONE can learn from someone reading from a slideshow for several hours. he doesnt understand students' questions, and youll most likely end up confused
His accent makes him difficult to understand and I basically had to teach myself everything. The lectures I did attend only made me more confused and all he does is read off the slides.
Take MA115 class with professor G.
Ginovyan is one of the best professors at BU
MA115 is not a hard class. I got an A and can say he over complicates the material. Probably due to things lost in translation in my opinion.
Very knowledgeable and flexible with grading, deadlines and attendance. Understands that students are only there for general requirements. His accent can be difficult to understand at times, and occasionally misunderstands students' questions, but always stays after class for any misunderstandings. I hate math, but his class was accommodating.
Ginovyan is a lazy professor. He just reads from the slides and you can tell he is not passionate about what he teaches. First two exams were easy but last one was surprisingly challenging. Overall not a hard class, but one of the most boring.
I truly enjoyed this class
Honestly I didn't pay attention in any lectures, I pretty much just taught myself everything from the book. Weekly homework, and the exam questions are based off of these, so do the homework and understand how to solve those specific problems, and the exams should go alright. He also can be difficult to understand at times.
Ginovyan wants his students to do well and he does a really good job teaching.
I would say he cares about students and wants his students to do well. Though his accent is not easy to understand in the beginning, the explanation on the concepts is comprehensive and ppt is a good study material. You will know what's on the exam, but make sure you know the concept really well in order to do well. Exam not too hard.
He really cares about his students and wants them to succeed. However, sometimes his teaching does not come across well because of his accent. He focuses a lot on definitions of terms in lecture rather than examples, but his tests are straightforward. You can do well if you do your homework and do practice problems in the textbook.
Professor Ginovyan is a great professor. Take this class.
During my year, the averages were at the C-B- range WITH CURVES. This class is not an easy A that people make it seem. The tests are difficult. That year, I got a higher grade in CH102 than I did in this class.
He seems like a nice man who loves math and cares about his students, but hes just not a good teacher! He spends the entire lecture reading off of PowerPoint slides that are difficult to follow due to each slide having way too much text and strange notation. He also says he hates the book and yet gives SO much HW from it (online & offline).
Nice, smart, funny guy. Cares about his students and wants them to do well. Gives a very helpful and detailed formula sheet for exams. Tells you clearly what to know for exams, which are fair and straightforward. Definitely take Stats with him if you can!
He cares about his students and is passionate about teaching. Most of his exams are homework based (basically the same questions). In addition, he tells you what questions to expect in exams. TBH accent might be hard to understand the first few lessons but it's all good once you get used to it. If you're looking for an easy A take a class with him.
Listen, statistics sucks. You are gona have to work for it, but with Mamikov you might actually understand the material. Go to class, do the homework, and go to his office hours. I think he is a solid choice, the material is just difficult. I found the "cheat sheets" confusing, so i would just add on to them.
Professor Mamikon Ginovyan is a really nice guy!! He really cares about his students and hopes students enjoy his class. He is really clear about what is going to be on the exam and what to study to prepare for it, which is really helpful. You can get easy A if you do all the homework on your own!!
Ginovyan isnt a good lecturer, he just reads formulas off of slides. I definitely learned everything from the textbook. Its great that he provides formula sheets for the exams, but theyre very confusing, so I recommend adding whatever you need onto them. Coming to enough lectures will get 2 extra low-score homework assignments dropped
The man is a saint. Before the exams he'll give you the formula sheet which has everything needed and he'll tell you what each question is specifically about. His homework is short but good and his lectures are great. Attend lectures though as he does surprise attendance check and if you have good attendance he drops HW grades for you
Hi is the best
I enjoyed this class
I have had my fair share of professors in the past with thick accents, and I haven't had any issues with it. Prof Ginovyan is a different level. I can not follow a thing he says except for when he checks in with "Please, you have to be understanding this!" He strictly follows pre-made slides, but the ones he posts online aren't the same ones either
Reads a lot off the slides, only reason to attend class is because he let's you know when something might be on the exam. Buy book for offline homework and it's also helpful if you didn't understand a concept from lecture. Exams are too long for just an hour in my opinion, but he makes you use a formula sheet with everything you need for the exam.
all you need to know is that when classes went online, only 20 people showed up for his lectures and this is a big 100-level class. you can mostly teach yourself from the homework, similar to MA115 (half online, half offline). his slides are a mess honestly they're impossible to decipher.
Firstly I love his accent. Secondly, the tests are not difficult at all. As long as you have a basic grasp of the content, and you bring the formula sheet that he gives you in advance of the tests, you will not have a problem whatsoever. Furthermore, he's pretty fun to be in lecture of, even though he tends to drone on with examples at times.
He isnt active. He tells students this is the ideas now go learn them. His accent makes it almost impossible to understand him. He does go slow so that might be if it you if youre falling behind.
Take MA116 with Ginovyan
Honestly, if you took AP statistics in high school and did well, this class should be a breeze. I also took MA116 with him and literally the the first third of the class is just review of MA115. He's pretty clear about what's going to be on tests, and I promise his accents isn't as bad as people are making it out to be.
His slides have more letters than numbers. almost no in depth examples and his lectures consist of reading thick paragraphs from premade slides. lucky i had taken AP stats or i would have failed. probably spent more time self teaching than learning from his lectures.
Ginovyan is not terrible but not amazing either. In lectures he just reads off premade slides and shows a couple example videos provided by MyStatLab, but he does answer questions in lecture so go if you're confused. Tests and homework are easy to get a good grade especially with StatCrunch.
Homework on MyStatLab every week, open note exams and final, very lenient in regards to the pandemic. In lecture, he goes quite quickly. I stopped going to class, and would just use the homework to teach it to myself.
I learned EVERYTHING through the program used in this course. Didnt learn a single thing through lectures - he reads off of slides (thick accent too, I couldnt follow) doesnt answer emails, or even grade anything. He just leaves it up to the computerized program. Not worth the education were paying for.
Professor Ginovyan is such a sweet person but in terms of teaching not the best. He just reads from his slides the whole time and via Zoom it was very difficult to follow. I stopped going to lecture after the first month and taught myself through MyStatLab/Textbook. Maybe it'd be better in-person but this class online was rough for me.
During lectures, Mr. Ginovyan always makes sure that no one has any questions before moving on. It can be hard to understand his accent, but he is very caring. The class has recorded zoom lectures, and Mamikon uses powerpoint slides to teach, which can get boring. This class is an easy A as long as you do all the homeworks. Tests are open notes
The professor is not the best at explaining concepts and it is hard to reach out to him as he often does not reply to his emails. You might have to teach yourself parts of the course so it definitely helps having some stats knowledge.
Professor Ginovyan is such a sweet guy. It's clear how much he cares about his students, and checks in to make sure that everyone is following along. Lectures are good but you can basically teach yourself the material through the homework (mystatlab can teach you). Found it helpful to take notes before class and so could I pay attention to examples
This class was fully remote. Exams took over 5 hours. So did weekly homework assignments. Professor Ginovyan rarely responded to emails and I taught myself most of the topics using StatCrunch. His lectures consist of him reading off the powerpoint slides, so you might as well just teach yourself the information outside of class.
His lectures are mostly him reading off slides/playing videos, and exams took anywhere from 4-6 hours. He was helpful when I emailed him with questions on homework problems and he's a kind person. There's weekly homework and three exams, it's not exactly hard, but you may benefit more from teaching yourself through the textbook before lectures.
Professor Ginovyan is super sweet and obviously cares about math and his students. The only complaint I would have is that the homework and tests are through MyStatLab and Pearson, so the computer automatically grades your answers and Ginovyan does not fix rounding errors or accidental mistakes when reviewing your exams. Overall he is so nice!
The lectures are rather boring as he simply reads off the slides and uses MyStatLab examples. This course was fast paced because I took it in the summer, and I have to say the homework, while there is quite a bit of it can be managed if you don't procrastinate. Overall, this professor, while nice, wasn't the most engaging.
Lectures are extremely dry and boring. The homework takes over 8 hours a week, tests are long and cumbersome, and when you turn in homework expect to get it back 2 weeks later. truly a terrible time in this class.
Ginovyan goes through lectures very fast and does not explain concepts well in my opinion. There are two midterms and one final and the final is cumulative unlike the other MA115 classes. I would take another professor if you have the option. Very kind and obviously cares but a bad lecturer.
The key to my success in this course was using the textbook; Ginovyan is nice, but the content is difficult and not always well-explained. Combining lecture information with my knowledge from the textbook helped me to better understand what was going on. Although the final was cumulative, we were allowed to use formula sheets (and mark them up).
I dont like giving bad reviews, but this class was something else. The lectures werent useful- he just read slides you could read online, and they made the material more confusing. All you need to do is read the book and do the homework. He was condescending towards student asking questions, and got angry when the class average was low on tests.
Possibly the worst lecturer Ive ever had. Prof loved to run through the slides, learning in class is almost futile. Gives way too many questions on the test for the amount of time. Talks during the entire exam. Best advice is to study from the book and make sure you understand everything in the midterm reviews!!!
I didn't take MA 115 and did fine in this class. His slides were excellent. He tells you exactly what's going to be on each exam. Very reasonable class and not overwhelmingly difficult.
Runs through material quickly and responds rudely to questions. Spent half the class after midterm 1 calling out those who got bad grades, emphasizing how "easy" the exam was and how unsatisfied our grades left him (avg was in the 80s). Don't go to lecture unless homework is due. Do homework and review his slides on Blackboard.
His lectures did not help me understand anything. It was an extremely heavy course and the discussion section did not help at all. It was really hard to figure all the math out by myself.
Material itself isn't very difficult but Ginovyan made it seem impossible. He read directly off powerpoint slides full of definitions and technical jargon and never did problems out with us. It was hard to follow along with conceptual ideas, and it didn't help that he kept reminding us how easy it should be. Save your sanity, don't take his class
Actually such an easy class but filled with idiots. Everything needed is on his slides and he literally tells us what questions are on the exams. Somehow a classmate will still manage to get 14% on the test anyways.
Ginovyan is a great teacher
You will probably still pass if you do not go to lecture but do all of the work, since he posts all of his slides on Blackboard. However, he adds in details during lecture that are not explicitly on the slides, and attending lecture gives you more insight on the subject. The exams contribute heavily to your overall grade.
Professor Ginovyan does not teach. He will pull up a 125 slideshow and point at the screen reading directly off the slides instead of teaching. His exams are also not made for the 50-minute time limit that is given, all 3 exams I barely finished. If you can avoid taking MA 115 that is your best option.
He is probably one of the worst teachers I have had. His teaching style is terrible. You will end up having to teach yourself the entire course, as he simply reads off slides. The HW takes hours and exam grades average at ~ 60-70 with the curve. He makes students feel bad for asking questions and calls people out for it. Do not take him. TERRIBLE!!
tests are very hard and homework can take hours, he reads off slides but they are very clear and he posts them, im going to be straight up, even if you do not do well on the first midterms but you consistently do homework and really study for the final you can pass, it just takes a lottttttt of effort
I took this class for "fun." Needless to say, my definition of fun changed. Tears are guaranteed in this class. Weekly homework takes around 4 hours. Prof pulls up to class and reads from 300 slides and that's it. Call me professor the way I self taught myself this class. Going to TA's office hours was helpful. Study from review slides for tests.
Ginovyan is a sweet prof but his lectures are useless. I would give him a good rating because I could have had an A- from exams, but my homework grades were awful. Homework would take over 4 hours each time. In mystatlab, you can redo similar questions, one time this took me 8 hours. There is also written offline homework, another 4+ hours a week.
I was lucky enough to have taken AP Stat before 116. Lectures are not mandatory and frankly, useless. He is patronizing towards questions and barely turns around from slides. Tests are fairly easy if you go to lecture, he'll (over time) give out hints to basically every question. 2 midterms and a final make up 80% of grade, homework 20%.
Always seemed like he cared about students' abilities in the class. Lectures were detailed and helpful, although can be easy to get lost. Was mindful of how students were doing and would give helpful tips.
This professor is literally hilarious. He didn't curve the exam, and the percentage for two midterms is extremely high. Also, LOTS OF homework. He is not always available to answer questions. If you propose a new solution and ask for his opinion, he won't answer you. Would never take this professor for MA116 class ever again!!!
If you go to lecture you will benefit from his teaching and his kindness and willingness to help. He is extremely flexible with students and regularly gives extensions on homework and in his review will tell you exactly what topics will be on the exam. If you have to take Stats take him.
Statistics is boring, so you can't expect this class to be fun. It is easy to tune out of the lectures, but he posts all of the slides and they are very useful. He knows the content well and explains from the slides in class. He also tells you exactly what is on each test so you really can't fail. If you are going to take stats, take Ginovyan.
He gives a lot of HW on Pearson, which actually will help you prepare for the exam. He has a lot of things that don't come out on the exam, just make sure you do the practice questions from the homework because similar questions come out on the exam. He also tells you during midterm review the topics he will give for each question, easy class :D
Professor Ginovyan is someone who cares about his students, and loves statistics so much. I can't believe that I understood a single concept in this course. His powerpoints are amazing, and easy to follow. I struggle with math, and I really felt okay throughout the entire course. Do all of the homework, and study the slides, and ask questions.
He has so much enthusiasm for the class and makes sure that you understand everything you need, it really made the class and topics easier. He explains everything super clearly and his slides are super helpful. Make sure to ask questions and attend his classes also take advantage of his office hours he appreciates if you show interest in learning.
Ginovyan has a traditional style of teaching that is blunt. His lectures are insightful, but I found his office hours to be more useful. He was always available during that time slot to answer any questions, and when you were clearly lacking basic knowledge, he wouldn't be afraid to call you out. Funny guy and great prof!
I averaged 97% on all the homework but ended up with a B because his (uncurved) tests were TOO LONG! Like only 5/60 students would finish on time. I'm a fast test-taker, questions were easy, but 7 PAGES of show-your-work questions in 50 minutes is INSANE. He also stopped us during exams to make random announcements which took away even more time.
Honestly he's just not good at teaching. Lectures went on, but somehow I understood every concept better before he discussed it. Assigned weekly homework with hours of the same problem over and over again. This class felt like a war of attrition: basically just completing mindless tasks until he stopped assigning them or I gave up.
The absolute sweetest professor. He genuinely cares about his students' performance and understanding of every concept, even if he has to show "tough love" at times. He's super accessible outside of class and is very accommodating. He also explains topics fairly well and I would love to take another class of his.
Great professor
Incredibly boring lectures. If you are mathematically inclined, don't bother going. Just read the textbook and you will be fine. Discussion is useless.
Essentially AP Statistics with added spice. He focuses more on hand calculations than calculator calculations, which makes things tougher.
The accent isn't that bad, the speed isn't that bad. BOTH TOGETHER SUCK. He runs through the content at 3x speed. If you ask questions he judges you and won't actually answer the question. I hate writing mean things about professors but he was honest to god the worst professor I've had. Also his tests are so long and no one finishes.
Honestly bu's math department just (in my opinion) sucks. For me, I think his teaching style wasn't very helpful since he was fast paced and his lectures were a bit boring. 2 midterms are 40% of the grade and 20% are weekly offline and online hw. Definitely do hw (especially offline) and go to review sessions since he tells you what is on the exam.
The professor's teaching style takes some getting used to, but he cares about student learning. Lectures can move quickly, so attending class and using resources like the textbook and Unstuckstudy are key. Overall, it's a challenging but rewarding course if you put in the work.
i mean if this is not the easiest stat class ever i don't know what is. He teaches and explains everything for the most part, a little weird not my ideal type of lecturer, but he does alright. he literally gives you what's on the exam before the exam, and it really is quite simple.
Too Difficult
Waste of time of a course. Requires paper homework and Pearson and literally just copies his notes to us. If you ask a question, he'll repeat his notes the same way then gets rude if you ask for it in a different way. Don't recommend at all.
Dude does online AND paper homework AND just copies their notes on the board AND answers questions with their notes, virtually a teach yourself class, but yet he makes the class material seems so disconnected from what anyone practical would use, clearly a style from decades ago that shouldnt be allowed at a school that prides itself on research.
exams are the hardest of any professor and each counts for at least 25%
I think he is one of the best math professors here. Though some may find his lectures boring, well, this is a stats class and you'll def have to study. The slides are organized and clear, super helpful. He is kind and caring, always walk us through all the questions that will be asked in the exam at the review class, which makes the class easier.
Tests are complex, and each counts for 25% of your grade. Though he cares, the way he teaches does not make the course palatable.
Lectures are useless, I basically taught myself the whole course. He has a kind of heavy accent, and his lectures and slides are much harder than they need to be. If you took AP Statistics, it should be fine, but do not rely on the materials available. He seems like a chill guy but course assignments and homework are kind of hard and time consuming
Lectures are not very helpful and homeworks are time-consuming but definitely the best way to learn the material. He also tells us exactly what is going to be on the exams, question by question, so if you're smart and focus on reviewing the things he mentions then you should be fine.
Professor Ginovyan was my favorite professor in college! I took Calculus with him in my first year, and it was inspiring and rewarding. He was motivating, clear, and sharp in his teaching, making the material exciting and accessible. Thanks to him, I still love calculus. He truly set the tone for my academic journey. Highly recommend!
Absolute worst. Avoid at all costs. Impossible to understand and his textbook is flat out wrong about stats. So many topics that he actually teaches incorrect info for and he is impossible to learn from. At least he tells you whats on the tests so you can just study those problems, but do not take unless you have to.
ABSOLUTE WORST. DO NOT TAKE. He is impossible to understand in lectures and just reads off the slides. He goes fast too and have THICK accent so taking notes is not feasible. His textbook is also just flat out wrong half the time, and the HWs take at least 3 hours on a good day. At least he tells you what kinds of problems are on the test. Avoid!!!
Wow he's bad at teaching. He's one of those professors that's too smart to comprehend why you don't get it. He skims through massive amounts of content, doesn't explain it even remotely well, and gives trick questions on the tests to see if you comprehend everything at expert level. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!! SAVE YOURSELF!!!!
Very test heavy. But he tells you what is on the test, and it is exactly the same as what he says. Doesn't count attendance but gives extra credit if you go and is nicer to you. He is very chill and kind of funny, a sweet Russian old man.
Stats is so extremely confusing if you don't have a good professor. There is no way an intro statistics class should be this challenging. Everyone I have talked to in the class is struggling immensely and most of us are forced to take it for our major not even an elective. Lectures are just him reading off the slides. Terrible.
I see a lot of bad reviews of Ginovyan but he's really not bad. I did want to give up on going to lecture every week but we're paying 95k+ for these classes. going to lectures helped because he would tell you word for word what will be on the exams!!! #justgotoclass Formula sheet that u can write anything on also. got 100 on both midterms.
would rather have the whole class run a train on me than have to sit through one more of this guys lectures
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
42%
Textbook Required
50%
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