2.9
Quality4.1
Difficulty45%
Would Retake147
Reviews45%
Would Retake
147
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
44
4
20
3
15
2
19
1
49
What Students Say
“Class is very test heavy, and the exams are super hard”
CHEM232 - 1.0 rating“Does not care about you at all”
CHEM233 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
81%
Textbook Required
5%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.07 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM201
4.3
(4)205
4.0
(1)CHEM234
3.9
(24)CHEM232
3.1
(49)CHEM121
3.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
CHEM233
4.2
CHEM234
4.0
CHEM333
4.0
CHEM232
4.0
CHEM201
3.5
Reviews (147)
She is a great teacher and has helped me tremendously this year. If you want to learn chemistry as easy as ABC's then I recommend her class. Not only is she knowledgeable about the subject but she also adheres to each students individual needs.
It was Dr yermolina's first sem teaching and in the beginning, it was tough adjusting to her style of teaching. She's always there for you if you need help and she puts in the extra effort to make you understand the material. Office hours or not, she's there for you. Tests we tough and she expected you to know a lot. Take her class!
Dr. Yermolina is a professor that really cares and wants to see her students succeed. She responds to emails promptly with answers to questions regarding homework. She even met with students for study group for review right before finals. This was a very hard class for me however, she was supportive and helped her students however she could!
She taught the Basic chemistry class as if everyone knew chemistry already. Her lectures are just slideshows that she reads out loud, doesn't explain, and moves on too quick for you to take notes. She is rude to the students, and makes asking questions scary bc of how she responds, like you are stupid. Really hard class and she made it 100x harder
Dr. Yermolina was a great professor. She is very helpful during office hours and is very engaged with her students. The class is very difficult. If you put enough effort you can do good. The key is to do good during the entire semester, so that since the curve is so big, you can get away with doing bad on the final and still get an A
Professor Yermolina is extremely knowledge in Chemistry although, her class can be difficult she will work with you during and after class to get you up to speed.
She was terrible she had things on her syllabus that she just blatantly ignored. She made me hate organic chemistry. She is not helpful, is sarcastic and rude. I did everything to avoid having to take her for organic chem 2. She just doesn't care about the success of her students. Said exams would be normalized and then last second decided not to.
Shes amazing. If your ta in orgolab is giving you a tough time, just talk to her. Shes also very attractive
She is amazing. One of the best teachers that i have ever had. Her skill in teaching is remarkable. She is willing to help, and she wants you to improve. I f i have to take her class 100 times, i will. I highly recommend her class guys. If you work hard, ask for her help and do the problem set, your A is guaranteed.
Dr. Yermolina was a fantastic, helpful professor. People had issues with her but the content can be difficult. If you don't seek out help, it can be too much. That's just the nature of orgo. Most of the people who complained were the people who never asked questions or went to office hours. I know because I was always the only one at office hours.
pretty smile. very stylish and great professor
I was very intimidated by Dr. Yermolina coming into the class because of complaints I had heard beforehand, but her first lecture immediately changed my mind about her. She is amazing, plain and simple. Her sense of humor can catch some students off guard, but she has never been rude or mean. I really wish I could take another class with her.
I had academically-sanctioned travel and a family medical emergency come up during the semester, and Dr. Yermolina was so difficult to communicate with and so unreasonable about make ups that my grade (and GPA) suffered as a result. Her pedagogy also sucks. Many chem profs don't really like to teach/share knowledge, and she is one of them.
One of the worst classes I ever took. High averages on lab reports dont mean anything when the exams are so difficult they bring your grade down. Ill take my D grade and never look back.
She's a funny and a down to earth professor, also makes her lectures not too boring. It's a lot of new material so that makes her class tough. Something that could've helped me earlier in the semester is not relying on her to teach, while she goes over the material. The lectures are packed, so actually go over the material and read!
As I near towards graduation from the University of Illinois at Chicago with my Biological Sciences Bachelors Degree I have come across many amazing classes but non as good as Orgo Lab. The class is indescribable and unimaginably amazing. Throughout my time I have not experienced a more enjoyable feeling taking this class.
Orgo I is hard no matter who your professor is. Dr. Yermolina was great at staying on topic and only teaching us the important concepts for each topics. She was low key funny too. Sit towards the front if you can, she has a pretty quiet voice so it's hard to hear when the mic doesn't work.
Dr Yermolina is an angel that we do not deserve. She is the most caring, funny, and engaging prof. who really cares for her students. However, you have to do your part as well. Orgo is not easy but her doors are always open for OH and consultations, and it definitely makes it less painful. She is a professor I will truly miss and please, take her!
Dr. Yermolina was one of the best professors I've ever had. She is kind, compassionate, and dedicated to her students. Even though our class was large, Dr. Yermolina made it a point to know as many students names as possible. She is always available (and helpful) during her office hours. I would absolutely recommend Dr. Y to anyone taking orgo!
Class is very test heavy, and the exams are super hard. Averages for tests 2 and 3 were about 50-70 out of 125 and there is not even 1 point of extra credit offered. Lectures way too quickly for you to process any information and then gives you only 30 seconds to answer clicker questions. Textbook hardly helps bc it's so basic compared to her ?'s
She is the WORST professor ever. I took her for 232 and 233 since I didnt have another option. I had to start going to other lectures to understand what was going on. Her tests are insanely hard and her way to explain the reactions is not clear at all. She is so confusing and it seems like she doesnt know whats going on herself. Do not take her!
Organic chem will never be an easy cheesy class whoever professor you plan to take, but Dr. Yermolina just made that time more enjoyable for me. She has a very unique humor, come to her class and you know what I mean. She is caring and easy to talk to. Her class was small so the interaction between her and the students was amazing.
Worst teacher at UIC. Does not care about you at all. If you want an A in this 2 credit hour class, forget about it. Prepare to spend at least 15 hours a week just for lab. Midterm and final are insanely hard, and are on a bunch of random sh!t. She does not care about her students. Unfortunately she is the only lab teacher... so good luck...
Biggest issue is the lack of material covered in the lab manual and textbook not being present in the exams. Class is certainly not 2 credit hour workload. To give a perspective, I got an A in organic chemistry but a C.
The amount of stress and doubt you have over a 2 hour class rly isn't worth it. DO NOT take lab if you have no reason to. Average on the midterm was a 50%. Lab reports are graded harshly and if they are being graded leniently, TA's will be told to grade harsher. This class is meant to set you up for a C. Don't count on a curve.
Terrible. Class is only 2 credits but she literally sets her students up for failure. The only lab professor so ur stuck. Midterm was ridiculously hard, didn't reflect ANY of the labs. Final was hard too. Nothing connects to labs. Reports have to be 9-12 pgs, detailed. She tells TAs to grade rly hard, if avg too high she makes them bring it down.
Dr. Yermolina is the best professor I have ever taken. I took her 232,233, and currently taking her 234 class and must say she is hilarious, professional, and carrying professor. Yes, organic chemistry is hard, and yes you need to work REALLY HARD FOR IT, but if YOU put effort in this subject, it will worth everything at the end. RECOMMEND HER!!!
Yermolina is one of the best professors i have ever had. she makes lecture interesting and places an emphasis on not just memorizing but knowing why a reaction occurs. overall i found her way of teaching very helpful by not just reading off a slide but actively writing out the notes with the class
Okay, so the CHEM 233 lab is run by TAs, not Yermolina. It is hard, it will make you cry, but it is not her doing that. If you visit her for office hours you will realize she is the sweetest person ever, and cares about your learning.
There is stereotype about Yermolina that she is terrible solely based on her image outside of class. Try going to her office hours and you'll realize how much she cares about your learning. The earlier you start going to office hours, the more sympathetic she will be towards you and the more you will be rewarded. Don't believe everything you hear.
I guess there is no other choice but to take it since this is the only organic lab, and I hope they put another one, but they should with a different teacher, this class requires work as if it is a 4 credit but it is just 2 and it is hilarious how you are required to do work as if it is 4 cred. This class is not fair.
It was unfair how the department handled the transition to online learning for CHEM 234 as exams and quizzes became noticeably more difficult without a sufficient upgrade in teaching or PSet quality. There were often contradictions between peer leader teaching, instructor lectures, and TA grading. That said, she's an effective, informed lecturer.
Prof. Yermolina is an amazing prof. She is very interested in chemistry, and her passion for the course is evident. There is no easy A's in his class. However, studying and hard work pays off because tells exactly how to get that A if you want to. Exams may seem hard, but if you study, there is no surprises. By far the best orgo prof here.
The professor discourages students and is very rude to them during office hours. Occasionally refusing to answer questions and instead commenting how the student should have studied better. She demeans many students, but it accessible outside of class. Communication through emails works better and will often help out if students have online issues.
Orgo II and orgo lab are the most draining classes I have ever had. TA's just grade orgo lab, and they are very inconsistent. The exams she gives for orgo lab are the most draining, defeating, alcoholic-inducing exams I have ever taken in my adult life, especially being online. If you don't have all your time to focus on this, you'll be screwed.
For a student who loved chemistry, this professor ruined my love for chemistry in 3 short months. Such an uninspiring and rude professor. No one likes online courses and its upsetting that during a global pandemic, this professor has decided to give exams exponentially harder than semesters in-person. STAY AWAY from this professor at all costs!
She's rude, unapproachable, inconsiderate, condescending, + disorganized. Her exams are ridiculously difficult and have errors on them. The class should be worth more credits cuz of the workload. She lacks clear communication. Not much normalization/curve + no EC which can hurt some grades. She lacks the resources to help us succeed, too.
In UIC there is no option in an organic chemistry lab, and most likely you will take her. She is definitely the worst professor in UIC. Get ready to write 10 pages lab reports, and get shocked every exam how confusing exam can be. She is very unorganized, yes she posts old exams, but don't expect anything even similar, it going to be much harder.
I just began taking her this semester, BUT, as a matter of precaution, I will give her a low rating in advance. Tough labs, tough teacher, tough everything. Avoid her like the plague. She needs to learn what it means to be a human being, and not a cold hearted robot. We are in a pandemic for crying out loud. Be nice!
The exams test your ability to memorize and to solve problems fast. The class is online though. So what does Yermolina do? She gives exams that are exponentially harder to compensate, for the integrity of the course. She couldve restructured her exams to make them more comprehension based. Out of touch, cold, and boring
CHEM 233 is very hard, however Dr. Yermolina is great. The TAs are also super helpful. The labs are difficult and you will have to spend a lot of time comprehending them and writing lab reports, however they are very interesting. Exams are difficult, however questions are fair. Read lab manual!!!! Textbook also helpful.
Yermolina knows her chem, but I think she forgets that this is the first time seeing this material for her students. Had her in-person for orgo lab (also tough) but got so much feedback from office hours. When I had her online for orgo II, things suddenly got 100x harder and I couldn't get help like before. You basically have to master it for an A.
I had her for chem 233(lab), and even though i was in another professor's class for orgo2, I switched to her lectures (online) and started doing twice better in class. I love how she repeats things many times because it helps you memorize. Has helpful tricks and her lectures are not boring. One of the best chem teachers I had, also seems very kind.
Workload required for this class is insane considering it is only 2 credits. Exams are difficult and you will NOT pass without studying! The TAs were more approachable than Prof. Yermolina. With online classes, it is difficult to judge her teaching but overall she seemed uninvolved as the TAs were the ones to review lectures and provide feedback.
Hardest class at uic (so far). Its all run by TAs and so if your TA is bad, goodluck surviving the semester. Lab reports and prelabs will take up one full day so make sure you set aside one day of the week to do them and make sure you know what you are writing about because it will show up on the exam in some way.
The required digital lab manual that cost over fifty dollars was a book that she wrote. TAs lead the class and determine grades. There were no in-person labs, yet we had to write 2000+ word lab reports. The experiments were fascinating, but we did not practice science at all; we just twiddled our thumbs and did busywork. Nice lady, terrible class
The issues with the entirety of CHEM233 lie in the fact that students do not receive feedback on lab reports in a timely manner. By the time that I had submitted my 4th lab report, I was finally getting feedback for the first three.. meaning I had failed my first three lab reports. The professor is a nice woman, but needs to change class structure.
Pre-lab quizzes that are taken on respondus. At first, the quizzes were hard but became easier once she noticed the course average was absolutely terrible. The midterm and final were also hard and taken on respondus. Weeks of preparation are needed for exams! TAs make or break your grade in the class, but grades will be normalized at the end.
Dr. Yermolina is the best professor for both Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry Lab. Her lecture notes are comprehensive and organized. She is clear with what she expects and cares about her students. She is also accessible outside of class.
One of the best professors at UIC, HANDS DOWN. She is a super tough grader and it's super tough to get an A, but you will actually learn with her. She's amazing and if you have any issues, she's the first to try and help. Honestly I would have given her a 5 instead of a 4 because she deserves it but I feel like she can make Orgo 1 Lab better. GL!
TA was great, but the issue with this course is structure. There are 9 reports, weekly quizzes, a midterm, and a practical for 2 credit hours. What makes it even worse is that details matter even more than concepts. Spent most of my time working through contradictions and collecting information from the many scattered sources she gives us.
For 2 credits this class makes you WORK. The content itself isn't impossible, but the structure of the course and discrepancies across different sources make it unnecessarily confusing. Ultimately, your TA will make or break your experience. Start the weekly work well ahead of time, and begin reviewing for the midterm/final WEEKS beforehand.
Good professor but Orgo 2 is just intense. Get ready to PRACTICE. The amount of material learned is about 5 times that of Orgo 1. The lectures are fair and you are provided with everything you need to succeed. Yermo has office hours several times a week so go to her for help. Grades consist of i-clickers, quizzes, and exams. Do the problem sets!!
This class is a lot but the material is not difficult, just time-consuming. Yermo is available during office hours if you need help. Quizzes are based on the slides and the exams won't include any information that you do not have available to you. The lab reports make up a large chunk of your grade so focus primarily on those.
Chem 234 is a very difficult class with so much information to memorize, but Dr. Yermolina makes this class managable. She is accessible during her office hours and by email, and she replies very fast (also very straightforward), but she made the class enjoyable! I enjoyed learning with her, and the orgo 2 experience is WAY better than orgo lab. GL
Overall, Prof. Yermolina really cares about the material. However, because the class is very content-heavy, make sure to not fall behind because she moves pretty fast through the material. Miss one topic and then it sets you really behind. Sometimes she doesn't communicate well so just be cautious as sometimes she has a temper.
Professor was alright. She did not teach, just held office hours during "class time" and made us watch pre recorded lectures that added up to more time than the class itself. Nothing bad to say, just don't expect tons of attention. Test reflects HW.
Dr. Yermolina is awesome! Definitely take her for your organic chemistry courses because she is very knowledgeable and has a great ability to teach!
I know a lot of people are giving bad ratings, but she is actually a really good teacher. In chem 233 you do not see her a lot because TAs do most of the work but if you got to office hours, she is super helpful.
Dr. Yermolina was probably the worst professor I've dealt with in my entire life. I've taken hard classes like this before but nothing comes close to this one. This class is supposed to be a 2 hour class but I found myself working about ten or more hours a week and I am not joking. Yermolina doesn't respond to emails and the grading is very harsh.
Beware of this class guys. Late grades so you don't know how you are doing. Exam is extremely difficult and contains problems you will not be taught how to do. She will NOT answer your emails unless she feels she has to. The lab procedures are combined with lab videos, manual, and textbook and they do not tell you this. Take Orgo at a CC. Good luck
When you talk to Yermolina in person she seems to be respectful but the coursework she assigns is a bit outrageous considering this is a 2-hour class. The exams and quizzes seem to be very unrelated to the reading preparation. Some questions will be related but the majority of the questions will have you asking yourself "Where did this come from".
This lab course is done by the TA. You have to attend in person lab every other week and the other weeks are done online. Try to grab all the max points you can on lab reports and post labs. This course is intense for a 2 hours credit course. The class is curved at the end of the semester. For this semester a 60% and up was a passed.
This class is totally dependent on your TA. I know many students who ended with a C in this class But fortunately what I think worked for me was that I went to my TA's office hours before submitting my lab reports.
This class is wildly known for being hard. A 55 percent for fall 2022 was a C but that goes to show how many students would have failed if it was a normal grading system. The curved basically saved a lot of people but this class JUST depends on your TA. If you get a hard grader then good luck.
I am happy I picked her as my professor. Super funny. However, I do not enjoy this class. Lectures are asynch and are not helpful. During "lectures", we go over the problem set packets which could be helpful depending on the person.
Professor is very fast paced. She goes through the problem set pretty fast. Also the practice exams are nothing like the actual exam which affected my grade a lot. She very light hearted and makes jokes and calls you out during class which can make you feel a little intimated especially if you don't really understand the material.
Prof Yermolina is great. She is motivated to help students and shes very approachable. Her teaching style is great and she is able to explain difficult concepts in simple terms.
In Orgo 2, you have to spend a lot of time studying in order to get an A in this class. Many people said she was difficult, yes but for Orgo 1 Lab (CHEM 233), but not really in Orgo 2. Don't expect to get an A when you do not spend time practicing Problem Sets because Orgo 2 has a lot of mechanisms to remember. She's funny and passionate, goodluck!
Professor Yermolina is a VERY rude person and talks badly about her undergraduate students to her colleagues. It's obvious that she does not have the passion for teaching and does not have the time of day for students struggling in orgo chem. She has a great way of making you feel less of a person. Prepare for a horrible semester with her.
Trash professor who is rude and gives lots of unnecessary busy work. No passion for teaching and second rate human being in my opinion. The midterm and final had nothing to do with the rest of the class.
really wanted to like her cause shes so silly in person, but the class needs a serious overhaul. they're errors in the lab manual that don't reflect what were actually doing in lab. the sheer amount of work needed to be done for a two-hour class is insane. unknown grade cutoffs, poor communication. make sure you get a good TA, ask around 2 find out
Organic chemistry is a very tough course and requires a lot of effort on your part to do well. I took lecture and lab together and would definitely not recommend. The org curriculum at UIC could use some restructuring, but Dr. Yermolina does her best to try and make the content understandable for students. Getting a good grade is possible
You don't interact with Dr. Yermolina during chem 233 as it is mainly TA taught. That being said she does hold office hours but they are more helpful during exam season. There is a lab report due every week and 2 tests, but I recommend reaching out to your TA for specific requirements as they do the grading.
Dr. Yermolina truly cares about her students and is one of the best professor's you will encounter. She will always be open to helping you and explaining something to you as many times as you need it. Go to her office hours. Lecture attendance isn't mandatory but I highly recommend going because it makes a difference.
The best chemistry professor I have ever had. Lectures were not required. However, it was beneficial to make yourself known to her as she is willing to work with you and help you succeed. Has a great sense of humor and though lectures are extremely fast paced, she always made sure to make them fun and interactive.
If you want a high grade you should prioritize the problem sets and attend office hours.Some questions from problem sets are on exams. Organic chemistry is hard everywhere, but I really enjoyed her lectures and felt that the exams were relative to what we went over. She is always willing to help, just actually put in effort on your end.
She may have an interest in chemistry, but certainly has no passion for teaching it. Perhaps it's due to cultural differences, but her demeanor in lectures comes off as rude, controlling, arrogant, unhelpful, and unsympathetic to her students. Prepare to learn everything on your own. The textbook is infinitely more helpful and interesting than her.
0/5 Avoid. You won't know what grade you have until the midterm. You don't interact with her because the lab is run by TAs, but AVOID even going to office hours as she will make you feel useless and stupid. Never seen a teacher treat a student like this. Also, the midterm has nothing to do with the labs. You'll feel happy if you pass this class.
She's funny but a little intimidating. Quiz every week, exams every 3 weeks or so. Watch lectures before class because class is time for problem-solving/examples. Actual learning happens in discussions if your TA is good. If you go to her office hours, she will cold call you which is awkward. But she's pretty nice about it.
Worst nightmare ever. I got an A in orgo I lecture, and going into lab, I thought this class was going to be good. pre lab quizzes were fine but the midterm and final are nothing like the labs. She makes you feel stupid. my whole semester was ruined just because of this two credit hour lab. if you want to take orgo lab, don't take it with her.
The structure of orgo lab is HORRIBLE. She's the only prof available this semester, which sucks. Every time she came into our lab, my entire body was trembling bc why is she so intimidating. Choosing a good TA is rly important because most of my labs weren't graded until after the final like what??? Make sure you have a smart lab partner!!
Never again in my life. So happy that I survived her. Worst professor in my life. Be ready to just sit there and watch her just write on her ipad. She does ask students questions but her method of teaching is horrible. I am so sorry if she's your only option.
orgo chem at uic needs to be restructured. You basically teach yourself watching 3.5 hour videos each week and then come to lecture to do iclickers and watch her draw on her ipad. To pass this class, i suggest actually working on problem sets b/c the exam and quizzes are the exact same. Use orgo chem youtube channels to better help you.
Dr. Yermolina is a phenomenal professor and is the reason why I am continuing with my degree program. She is incredibly enthusiastic about organic chemistry and is always willing to answer questions. Organic chemistry is very difficult, but she makes the material clear to understand. As a word of caution, a lot of effort is required for the course.
Idk even know what to say. The class in general is so bad and she sure dosent do a good job teaching it.
Worst professor I have ever had. Utterly shocked by the quality of the course. She recycles old materials so that nothing is up to date or accurate. Never had a question about chemistry that she was able to answer because she refuses to actually listen to the question and gives an unrelated answer. Her having a PhD shows how low the standards are.
Yermolina is possibly the only fantastic prof in the entire UIC chem department. Orgo lab is HARD, but going to Yermolina's office hours saved my grade. She is hilarious and she cares so much about her students! You can't do well in the class if you don't put in the effort, but she will help you in any way she can. I wish I had her for orgo 1.
The most poorly structured class available at UIC. You have no idea what your grade is until the last week of the semester, if your lucky. I've emailed Yermolina about 8 times, haven't got a single response the whole semester. If your premed, take this class at community college, you will save enough time to improve your app in other ways.
Unreasonable amount of writing. Description of lab reports says one conclusion paragraph but Labflow makes you write anywhere from 2-12 paragraphs, plus the rest of the report. You can't see how many until after the lab is done so you have only one week to write. The course itself was so sloppily slapped together. There is no help, she is awful.
She is a nightmare. Clearly not all there because I have no clue what leads her to act the way she does. She ridicules students for genuine questions. She ignores emails till the end of the class. She scribbles in terrible cursive on her iPad the whole time and calls it a "Lecture." I aced this course through sheer grit, I can only imagine others!
Amazing professor, cares about her students and helps us as much as she can. Definitely recommend her. If u study everyday you should be fine
She's nice in class and says to always ask her if we need help but when you ask for help she's rude and doesn't help. No one ever knows what's going on, the only way to learn is to ask TAs and sometimes they don't know. Take this at a community college if you want any chance of learning chemistry, you won't get it here.
Made orgo fun the exams where like the reviews and problem sets. She also was great at teaching content in the short class sessions that we did have when it came to specific problems.
Orgo lecture (both 1 and 2) was horrible with her. The lab was surprisingly easy simply because the exams are multiple-choice and have no mechanisms. Labs themselves are a lot of work and prep but it's a 4 hour lab class, so it's fair. Never expected to get an A but here we are. Never had to contact her or see her cause my TA was pure gold.
Huge curve for every Orgo class. The tests are just like the problem sets just easier. If you actually got to class, she will literally tell you exactly what will be on the test which makes studying for the exams easier. People who did poorly in this class are those who fell behind early and weren't able to catch up. Yermo is great just do the work
Prof Yermo is awesome tbh & shes very underpaid! Look, Orgo 2 is hard, its a lot of material to remember and it takes a lot of studying to do well. But she knows what shes doing, answers emails, questions, etc. Exam & quiz heavy, but very homework light. The course is very curved (I think a 40 is a C). I would def take her again.
Organic Chem is notoriously hard. I think a lot of students blame their difficulty with the subject on the professor. Yermrolina graded our work extremely fast. Was slow to upload our assignments making the class difficult to stay a head in. Besides that I think she is knowledgeable in the material. Didn't have set office hours.
I have had many professors during the past 3 years in college, and Dr. Yermolina is definitely one of my favorite. Her style of teaching is writing reactions and mechanisms in a very organized way in which when studying for exams you are able to locate reactions and make logical connections for mechanisms (highly suggest doing practice sets)!
No just no
Yermolina graded a student's makeup lab exam for full points even though the student continued to write in her exam book past the allowed test taking time limit. I saw the student fight three TAs saying she was just transferring her answers but it clearly was not the case. I assumed she would get an automatic 0 but Maria still graded for full point
Dr Yermolina is a very generous and good-hearted person. I think the racist review that is two posts below me is uncalled for and is a reflection of how evil the hearts of many have become... Keep in mind that UIC has a large body of students so it's important to put ourselves in her shoes when rating her. Her salary deserves to be triply increased
First off, she's reporting bad reviews to get them taken off! That should tell you all you need to know as far as her character and values go. She is condescending, rude, and acts as if she knows it all even when corrected on her course's own subject by her students. Avoid at all costs, and try to spread the word. And I got an A, enough said.
she does 3000000 iclickers every lecture. shes a great teacher. it wouldve been nice if she at least recorded lectures. however, she is genuinely so so so unkind to students. just rude to be rude. laughing at someone for asking a question that she thinks is stupid. she was rude to someone with an accent like girl you have an accent too.
Genuinely the worst professor at UIC. Does not care to answer emails or answer any questions regarding material in the class, grades, anything. I wish no one had to take her, but she's the only orgo prof for the lab section. Don't even know how she has a job still. Good luck
she's so funny bruh,,, just stay on her good side and she wont pick on u,,, i only came to lecture for the iclicker points,,,, her teaching style is too fast-paced for me and its important to make sure that you don't fall behind at all,,, chads prep is ur best friend in this course,,, they provide lecture vids but they can be too complicated
The instructor was unresponsive to emails and did not address student concerns effectively during interactions. Additionally, their tone in conversations sometimes came across as dismissive.
Any class as difficult as Orgo will suppress a prof's reviews. The truth is Dr. Yermolina is a fantastic professor. She's funny, she loves the material, and she works so hard with students who engage with her. In lectures, sometimes she will straight up tell you which mechanisms will be on exams. GO TO OFFICE HOURS. You need the repetition.
Lab sections depend a lot on your TA, but Yermolina is a great prof. I got a B in 233 and an A in 232 with her and I think the biggest difference was that my work and class schedule prevented me from going to office hours for 233. 233 is a huge workload relative to its credit number. Go to office hours! She wants to help you!
she isn't the worst teacher for orgo but near it. her classes were just clickers, you had to watch the lectures online before the actual lectures? she has a crazy attitude problem that was funny at first and then become mean. protip fr: watch youtube videos and do problem sets.
Orgo lab is difficult so be prepared and stay on top. Lab Reports take time so plan ahead weekly. Two exams: midterm and final. The exams are very different from lab reports and difficult so I don't know how she expected us to know such minute details. Pre-lab slides were not as detailed as they should be to correlate with exams.
The worst professor ever to have existed. She is mean and not helpful at all, she thrives on making life harder for her student. Just dont.
One of the better orgo profs imo. She actually teaches well but her lectures go very fast. Taking this class and only needing a 40% on the final to get an A my advice is this- repeat problem sets and go to tutoring/office hours once a week. Chad's prep for all units. I never watched lectures. Yermolina over Mohr any day.
Orgo 1 was by far way easier than expected. An 80 is an A and I think a 60 smtg is a B. Many easy points include WileyPlus, Iclicker/bacon, and video assignments. If you do the problem sets and go to tutoring/office hours there is no reason you should fail. The kids complaining just don't try and defer to crying and blaming Professor Yermolina
Orgo Chem with Yermolina is no easy feat, but using resources like unstuck AI alongside the textbook and TA help can make a big difference. The labs are a lot of work, but the exams are manageable if you stay on top of the material.
Yermolina gets a bad rep from people not willing to put in even the bare minimum. For Orgo 1 a B was around a 60%. Roughly 30% of the grade came from homework's and videos which are free points! You could bomb every test and still get an B if you tried and cared. People who failed just gave up.
Awful professor with an awful ego. Only really cares about her own research project and is constantly rude to students across the board. Barely replies to emails, if youre taking this class prepare to self teach.
She doesn't really teach in lectures just “reviews” but never explains what she's doing. You practically teach yourself the entire subject.
Took Chem 232 after Chem 122/123. HEAVILY SELF-TAUGHT. It feels like if you are not ahead in the class, you're behind. Yermolina does not teach, but quizzes you on the material. Do not rely on her to learn information! You must go to class because there are iClickers every class. Horrible professor but (somewhat) nice person.
I got an A.Not a hard class if you study and aren't lazy. Don't blame the professor because she won't give you an A just for showing up.
Her teaching style in lecture is better than Ayitou, but she is not really a nice person. Even when I went to her office hours, she just made me feel worse than I already feel about the course. She will not answer your questions directly, she will just respond with "Idk you tell me". Not very helpful at all. Basically have to teach yourself.
Extremely rude and condescending behavior whenever you ask her a question. Unapproachable. Avoid orgo lab at uic if you can. She hasn't changed lab flow lab report questions. Midterms are nothing like the pre-lab slides. Videos of her demonstrating the lab is nothing like what you actually do in lab. Yells at the TAs in front of the students.
The provided videos you need to watch before class were outdated and cover stuff you don't need. Learned more on my own outside of class than in class. Reviews had content that wasn't even in the exam. People DO put in effort but the professor likes throwing curveballs for no reason. Organic chem is not hard at all. Professors make it hard.
Great lecturer and good with answering questions. You're expected to have watched the lecture in advance, which is mostly beneficial for the clickers, so if you're willing to lose some points on that, then don't worry about taking notes before the lecture. Orgo 2 is more about the memorization of reactions, similar to the second half of orgo 1.
If you weren't religious before, pick a religion and start praying. The class overall is extremely exam/quiz heavy, so if you're having life problems... think again. If you put in a lot of effort, you'll be fine, but if you're taking any other core classes, have a job, or aren't a good test taker? You'll be fighting for that B or C. Good luck.
class is based off your ta (get a good one) and you dont really know the curve until the end of the semester (its different for each ta based off grading). 233 was a lot easier than 232 imo, just be extremely PREPARED for lab!! its a lot of work for 2 credits!! plan to spend lots of time on pre lab, preparing for lab, and post lab
i had a nice ta who graded us super lax, nearly A's on everything. did bad on the exams b/c half the answers are "none of the above" and her study guide is so unhelpful and im ending w a C. curve didnt exist this semester and we didnt know until finals what it would be
Horrendous outline for Orgo I, almost seems as if she's trying to do the opposite and make you learn how not to understand Orgo. TA's are absolute bullies and pick on everyone (unless they like you or you kiss up to them) and make the atmosphere so tense to learn. Am I here to learn or get disrespected because I want a better life? 0/10 Yermolinda
Most negative recent reviews you'll encounter here are from students who lack discipline and accountability. There is so much filler work, it's ridiculous. You can bomb every test and still obtain a B. I know students who learned nothing and pulled away with a C. If you are self-sufficient and don't procrastinate, this class is easy.
Orgo Lab was not easy. You had to put in time each week to conceptually understand everything you'd be focusing on in your experiments. My advice would be to invest a lot of time in doing well on your reports, the midterm, and the practical, because the final exam will bring you down. The final is very poor and people do awful on it.
Yea so the person that said the people who complain lack discipline and accountability is completely wrong. Yes there's good things, but the attitude of the professor is the main thing. Be aware with your grade too because you still have to perform decent on the exams to pass. She can be pretty rude and condescending.
233 is a lot of work as you really have to understand everything you do in lab. The pre-lab quizzes are very pedantic and the exams are very difficult as "none of the above" is commonly the answer to MC questions. However, the practical's pretty straightforward if you prepare well. She can also be quite condescending if you ask her questions.
If you want to enjoy her class and get on her good side, you have to go to her office hours and suck up a bit—she favors the students who do. A lot of my classmates and I thought she was just plain rude. She can be unprofessional in 1:1 settings and gets openly hostile if you ask her questions. Very low class average and massive curve
Thank god my labs were high and I had a good TA, awful exams, she purposely makes your makeup exams harder bc its more "work" for her(she said this in class btw). Rude professor and enjoys humiliating people, extremely unapproachable. my friend got yelled by her during a 1:1 office hour for asking a couple questions lol. she also thinks she's funny
Dr. Y can come off a little tough, fair enough, but these are high expectations that she holds for every student. Office hours help a lot and she's explains things clearly. Orgo lab had LOTS of work, exams were VERY specific. The class is a LOT, seriously! Don't hesitate to visit her. She cares and wants you to succeed. She IS orgo chem! 10/10 💅🏾
Professor Yermolina is the best and most memorable professor I've had in a long time. Even though it was extremely packed 8 weeks of chemistry, she made the workload bearable, and I would 100% take her again if I needed to take more chemistry.
Very disorganized and a rude person. I recommend going to TA office hours, because she is an awful lecturer and person. Class was disorganized, unstructured and we didn't know our grade for the whole semester until the final grade. She also lost people's finals and failed them. Couldn't pay me to take her class ever again.
Very rude and unprofessional. She makes snarky and insensitive comments to students. Guilty of malpractice in labs (misuse of fume hoods, carcinogens, no lab coats). We have to learn everything ourselves in Chem 233. Her slides have incorrect mechanisms & her syllabus is a mess. All of her classes require 10+% curving b/c everyone fails. HORRIBLE!
Took her for both lecture and lab, hated her in both. Absolutely useless slides, rude, there is a reason both the lecture and lab receive big curves. It is truly a shame that a university such as UIC can hire such horrific professors for their chemistry department.
She is very accessible when you need help and makes sure you understand the concepts thoroughly. The class is definitely tough, but she wants you to do well.
As a student who took 232, 233, and 234 with Dr. Yermolina, she was hands-down my favorite professor at UIC. While it may take some time to adjust to her teaching style, she demonstrated genuine care for the wellbeing and success of students who took the time to embrace the material. Her interest in organic chemistry helped foster my own interest.
Bad professor. We had online review sessions and she would have an irritated tone answering students questions. She also teaches as if we are supposed to know everything that she's talking about. She explains things, but it's unfair to have an attitude if a student doesn't understand something fully and proceeds with more questions.
Dr. Yermolina is one of the kindest professors you'll meet at UIC. It may take some time to adjust to her, as she can seem strict at first. However, once you get to know her and she gets to know you, you'll realize that she's a truly caring teacher who genuinely cares about your well-being. I highly recommend attending her office hours!
You will have to watch online lectures and come to class to do iclickers the whole time. If you are someone who cannot succeed with this format take this class literally anywhere else. This professor is only kind if you are already succeeding, if you are someone who struggles in chemistry prepare to have a horrible time.
Professor Yermolina, is one of the better organic chemistry and chemistry professors here at UIC. She's very accessible during office hours and is willing to help you understand the context, but she will be harsh when she gives you feedback so prepare for that. Please go to office hours and do the problem sets because they will be on the exam!!!
Great professor, If you put in the work you'll do fine. Many people find her difficult but I dont think there is an easy way to teach organic chemistry.
350 words isn't enough to describe Professor Yermolina. One of the most kind, funny, caring professors you'll ever have if you actually put 5% effort. All the bad comments about her are people who are a bit too sensitive. I look forward to seeing her everyday and she makes uic more enjoyable. She really cares about her students if u show effort.
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81%
Textbook Required
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