3.6

Mark MacLean

Mathematics - University of British Columbia

3.6
Quality
3.2
Difficulty
51%
Would Retake
162
Reviews
3.6
Quality
3.2
Difficulty
3.6
Helpful
3.5
Clarity

51%

Would Retake

162

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

80

4

16

3

16

2

27

1

23

What Students Say

Mark is a funny and encouraging guy

MATH104 - 2.0 rating

Helpful guy, total sweetheart

MATH101 - 5.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

27%

Textbook Required

26%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 62 grades
Most common grades:
Not sure yet (17)
A- (15)
A (13)
Grade Distribution
A(24)B(7)C(8)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(22)
Based on 86 reported grades
Not sure yet: 17
A-: 15
A: 13
A+: 11
Common Tags
Caring (34)
Respected (20)
Test heavy (16)
Hilarious (13)
Inspirational (11)
Tough grader (11)
Lots of homework (11)
Amazing lectures (9)
Rating Trend

Declining

-1.02 avg change
Feb
Apr
May
Sep
Oct
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

SCIE001

5.0

(7)

SCIE1MA

5.0

(1)

SCI1

5.0

(1)

SCIENCE001

5.0

(1)

SCI001

5.0

(1)
+12 more courses
Difficulty by Course

MATH100

4.0

SCI001

4.0

MATH217

4.0

MATH101

3.5

MATH104

3.4

Reviews (162)
5.0
3.0
MATH105
Jul 30, 2002

Super nice guy. Seems to actually care about students doing well.

4.0
3.0
MATH105
Grade: D+
Aug 2, 2002

nice teacher

5.0
2.0
MATH105
Grade: A-
Aug 4, 2002

he always has a happy smile on his face

4.0
1.0
MATH105
Aug 4, 2002

very easy mid term

4.0
2.0
MATH105
Aug 12, 2002

No Comments

5.0
2.0
SCIE001
Dec 10, 2002

very nice happy teacher that will hopefully make ice cream for the final :-P

5.0
3.0
SCIE001
Dec 12, 2002

Great prof who actually wants his students to do well

5.0
2.0
SCIE001
Jan 8, 2003

very nice and helpful; explains things well

5.0
2.0
SCIE1MA
Feb 19, 2003

Mark is so funny and happy, and he has a really caring attitude towards teaching

5.0
3.0
SCIE001
Apr 28, 2003

Not many other profs will bake your class a bunch of cookies to outdo another math prof. :) - Great prof. Very clear, and cares about your mental sanity too.

5.0
2.0
SCIE001
Apr 30, 2003

Mark is truly a good person and cares so much about students' success, not just in studies, but in life. Yay Mark!

5.0
3.0
MATH105
May 2, 2003

Outstanding. I think he actually remembers what it's like to be a student.

2.0
1.0
SCIE1
Jul 7, 2003

Nice and easygoing guy. but I don't really like his teaching style. It's like he expects you to know linear algebra (nullclines and stuff) when you don't even know what matrix is!

2.0
2.0
SCIE1
Dec 9, 2003

Not approachable and not very clear in many lectures. Not all of us come with the same advanced level of mathematics from high school and it would be nice if he wouldn't go off on so many tangents.

5.0
4.0
SCIE1
May 8, 2004

most approachable prof at ubc. really cares about students. his exams are tough and scared me sometimes but they were fair. be prepared to work a lot.

4.0
1.0
SCIONE
May 27, 2004

Mark is very approachable and caring. His exams are easy if you do your fair share of studying.

5.0
3.0
SCI1
May 30, 2004

great prof, lectures are very clear (if in fact you really did the pre-readings assigned). very approachable and helpful when you need help.

5.0
3.0
SCIE001
Jun 3, 2004

Seemed to genuinely care about us. Lectures can be fun but sometimes hard. Great to talk to if you need to feel better.

5.0
2.0
SCIONE
Jul 12, 2004

mark is amazing. he cares so much about hte students. so approachable. really good at extra help, and good for encourgement and advice as well. definitely need to do your readings before hand to get the most out of the lectures...

5.0
2.0
SCIEONE
Jul 27, 2004

Mark is MY HERO...enuf said...but he kinda reminds me of a giant teddy bear for some reason....

4.0
2.0
SCIEONE
Sep 24, 2004

Besides being a very patient and thoughtful prof, Mark is a great philosopher. He makes Science One a truly unique and unforgettable experience.

5.0
3.0
SCIONE
Mar 5, 2005

My comment here is going to parallel so many others already posted. Mark is an awesome teacher and a truly amazing guy. He really cares about his students and loves it when they succed. His tests can be tricky but are nothing compared to the rest of the Science One experience.

5.0
3.0
SCIONE
Apr 11, 2005

mark's so awesome and intelligent, and so incredibly good at teaching. he's really passionate about what he does, which is the best, and he's great to just converse with, as well.

5.0
3.0
SCIENCE001
May 4, 2005

WOW! Mark is the coolest prof ever! He even has MSN! His lectures are interesting and, if you work, you are guaranteed a high mark on his exams!

5.0
3.0
SCIONE
Jul 13, 2006

Mark is an awesome prof! He is so nice and approachable. He is also a really far marker. Go M^2!

5.0
2.0
MATH100
Jan 3, 2007

Super nice guy and moreover - he is passionate about mathematics. If you do the assignments and suggested homework you'll guaranteed succeed in his course. Midterms are easy if you prepare and finals are fair.

5.0
3.0
MATH101
Feb 20, 2007

His lectures are very enjoyable and tries to entertain the class with jokes from time to time. He is very enthus'ed with teaching (or so it seems!). Parallel to previous comments --- Mark is very approachable and will happily answer your questions in and out of class. MT can be difficult.

5.0
2.0
MATH100
Apr 18, 2007

Great Teacher, level of difficulty is very balanced and with studying and his teaching you can easily get a good mark.

5.0
3.0
MATH101
May 1, 2007

Extremely helpful guy lol his exams are kinda hard though ><

5.0
2.0
MATH104
Nov 27, 2007

He is a very dedicated prof, he emails reminders about assignments and other important news updates. He is also very helpful and his MT's have been fair but require a solid preparation. He's an awesome prof!

5.0
1.0
MATH104
Dec 2, 2007

This class is the most enjoyable course since I entered university til now! He always make sure that his students are in the correct pace, and he often offer help session even though there is no tutorial for this course. If you took Calculus in high sku Calculus, TAKE HIS CLASS!

4.0
1.0
MATH104
Dec 10, 2007

AWESOME PROF! easy midterms man! didn't listen much in class n still did well

5.0
3.0
MATH104
Dec 24, 2007

great prof, good communication, interesting class, nice guy in general.

5.0
4.0
MATH104
Jan 7, 2008

Mark is really helpful when you ask. A fun prof which tries to make the topic (math in my case) fun for the class, however sometimes he does a bit TOO much explaining

5.0
3.0
MATH101
Jun 9, 2008

great classes, great prof. altho i failed, haha

3.0
3.0
SCIE01
Jul 11, 2008

He's so dedicated. He sends student emails from time to time (seems like the only prof that does that). Quite approachable. Exam is very fair and straightforward (no weird wordings or anything!). Try to enjoy his class; funny guy.

5.0
4.0
SCI001
Oct 11, 2008

Amazing dedication

5.0
2.0
SCIE001
Dec 8, 2008

A highly intelligent professor. He knows exactly what he is talking about (the same cannot be said of many professors). He has a wonderful sense of humour, making the class very interesting and engaging. He explains things extremely clearly.

5.0
1.0
MATH104
Dec 18, 2008

DEDICATION. Wonderful sense of humor. Useful emails around. Always ready to answer questions. What else can a university prof do? He's the best prof I've met so far.

5.0
3.0
MATH104
Dec 21, 2008

He's very helpful and really wants his students to succeed. His first midterm was pretty difficult but he made sure that everyone was prepared for the second one. At the end of the term he wrote a bunch of encouraging emails as well. He's a pretty great prof, although I think he needs to do some harder examples in class.

3.0
4.0
MATH105
Mar 30, 2009

He's probably one of the better math professors you will meet, although I found his midterm to be much harder than what I was prepped for. Overall, he is a good professor; his assignments and quizzes are fair (exams, not so much!). Also, he's a pretty funny guy and does try to make math entertaining: not that easy!

5.0
1.0
SCIONE
Apr 4, 2009

He is the best. He explains everything, is very approachable after class and via email. Absolutely my favourite. Besides his tests are fair, not hard at all. If you do your work, your fine. WE all love mark!

5.0
3.0
MATH104
Nov 15, 2009

fantastic....can be slightly unclear at times but hey its math!! Exams are fair but challenging....Very nice and helpful!

5.0
4.0
MATH104
Dec 28, 2009

Mark is a fantastic prof in every sense of the term--he is interested in the material (which comes through in his teaching);is clear in his lessons and what he expects of us, and he is (most importantly)approachable and helpful (and friendly!). Also has a good sense of humour :) Only downside? 8 AM classes. I'd HIGHLY recommend him as a prof

5.0
2.0
MATH104
Jan 5, 2010

HES A REALLY AWESOME AND FAIR PROF! Entertaining at times during lectures, his notes are easily understandable and they help alot! His midterms are fair and hes a really nice person in general! I highly recommend him for math 104!

5.0
4.0
MATH105
Mar 12, 2010

Hard midterm. 8 am classes suck. His sense of humor is a bit strange, but he is a math geek. I find his notes ok. Easy to talk to when you go to his office. I'd take another course from him.

5.0
4.0
MATH105
Apr 15, 2010

Would not recommend if you're taking Math as a pre-requisite that you need to get out of the way. If you're interested in pursuing a degree in Math, he's great. Stresses conceptual learning, is knowledgeable and quite passionate about his subject. Really pushes his students, hence a tough midterm. Does not follow the text closely.

1.0
1.0
MATH104
Oct 27, 2010

What he teaches, is not tested. What he doesnt teach, is tested. Reason? because he doesnt teach what is required to know in Math 104. He teaches whatever he wants or whatever he finds interesting. Enough said.

3.0
4.0
MATH104
Nov 26, 2010

Maclean is a nice guy and can be funny at times, but I found that his style of teaching didn't really work for me. he often went on tangents that had nothing to do with the material and it was very easy to lose focus. he loves the clickers too but I found that they didn't help me learn anything. not a bad prof, but not to great either.

2.0
5.0
MATH104
Dec 11, 2010

Seems like such a nice guy, but he doesn't teach you anything you will actually be tested on. If the clicker questions weren't essentially grading my attendance, I would never have gone. The textbook is what taught me. I hate paying for a prof when they did nothing!

4.0
2.0
MATH104
Dec 14, 2010

Mark's a really nice guy, and I loved the emails he would send to encourage us. He likes to make jokes during lectures, and can be quite entertaining sometimes. I'd recommend him to anyone who is taking MATH 104.

2.0
4.0
MATH104
Dec 26, 2010

I'm pretty sure the people on here who gave him good ratings are good at calculus to begin with, and knew everything before lectures. Mark is a funny and encouraging guy. I definitely benefitted from his inspiring emails; but when it comes to teaching, you should NOT rely on him!! Reading the textbook and working through the problems is the way to

2.0
2.0
MATH104
May 4, 2011

Mark did not teach very much. All he did was use 1 example to show 1 question in the chapter each class. His mid-terms were very easy which made the final hard. don't rely on him to teach you math if it's not your strong point.

5.0
2.0
MATH317
Sep 8, 2011

Wonderful prof, made you think about the fundamental applications of everything you were doing, his writing and mathematical notation is absolutely beautiful (might not be enjoyed by a first year as university notation is different then high schools. He made us ice cream! nicest prof on campus in my opinion, helpful during office hours too

3.0
4.0
MATH217
Nov 2, 2011

Very nice man, kinda funny too. However, I do not like his teaching. Very little examples(1 example) for some of the harder topics. Online homework (not fun at all). With right sources, possible to teach yourself instead.

2.0
4.0
MATH104
Nov 2, 2011

He is great if you are actually into doing math and earning a math degree. But he is a definite no if you don't understand calculus prior to lecture and is just doing the course to get to year 2. Also purposely made the first mid-term impossible (class avg. 55%) which destroyed many people's already limited interest in math at all

2.0
4.0
MATH104
Sep 30, 2013

A very nice and funny guy, however, he doesn't teach!!! He spends a whole class on one problem( weird ones). Must admit that he's a smart guy, but doesn't help with studies at all.

5.0
2.0
MATH104
Dec 2, 2013

A very nice man, interested in student learning and made a strong attempt at trying to encourage students to think conceptually (but this may not be the right approach for all students). Try to sit near the front to see and hear better.

5.0
3.0
MATH317
Grade: A+
Jul 10, 2015

A great professor, and an awesome guy in general. He takes the material nice and slow to allow students to solidify their understanding of a normally difficult topic. He uses a grading scheme that allows students who had a rough start to still do well in the course, and is extremely friendly. I would definitely take a course with him again.

5.0
4.0
MATH101
Jan 18, 2017
Would take again

A gem in the rough. The math department gets some, albeit warranted, flack for the lecturing capabilities of their professors, but Mark should be the standard they are all measured against.

Respected
Inspirational
Caring
5.0
2.0
MATH101
Grade: A
Jan 18, 2017
Would take again

Literally the best. He honestly cares so much about his students, and is so passionate about what he teaches.

Hilarious
Amazing lectures
Caring
5.0
3.0
MATH101
Grade: B
Jan 18, 2017
Would take again

Very respected, caring teacher, also eye candy

Respected
Caring
5.0
3.0
MATH101
Jan 18, 2017
Would take again

Helpful guy, total sweetheart. I wish I was his derivative so that I could lie tangent to his curves.

5.0
1.0
MATH101
Jan 18, 2017
Would take again

Incredibly caring professor who goes out of his way to help others. Funny sense of humour. I highly recommend him!

Gives good feedback
Respected
Caring
5.0
5.0
MATH100
Jan 20, 2017
Would take again

Excellent

5.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: A-
Sep 29, 2017
Would take again

What an amazing professor! Math lectures have always made me nervous but this is the wonderful exception. Mark is a very warm person and is very clear and concrete with his teaching, he goes into just the right amount of detail and infers and answers almost every question or doubt that pops up in my head when teaching the material.

Inspirational
Hilarious
Caring
3.0
3.0
MATH253
Oct 3, 2017
Would take again

An alright teacher but a super sweet guy! <3

4.0
3.0
MATH253
Oct 3, 2017
Would take again

He's a Sweetyyy

5.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 13, 2017
Would take again

Initially I actually believed this class to be mediocre since I already had previous experience in calculus, not the best teacher but not the worse. As the days progressed I recognized how caring and considerate this individual is, teaching us different ways to approach problems. I need to take maths again with Mark and hopefully 200 level courses.

Respected
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Caring
5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: B
Nov 21, 2017
Would take again

A great prof and a real sweetheart!

Gives good feedback
Respected
Inspirational
5.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Jan 9, 2018
Would take again

i LOVE Mark. Not exaggerating, i LOVE him. He is hands down the best professor I've ever had. He made my first year manageable because he is ridiculously nice and caring and the most supportive person I've ever met. Midterms were hard but fair, final was super easy. Mark put gold star stickers on our 2nd midterm if we improved from the first, CUTE!

Inspirational
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Would take again
5.0
2.0
MATH253
Grade: B+
May 2, 2018
Would take again

SWEETUUU!

Clear grading criteria
Amazing lectures
Caring
4.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A+
May 29, 2018
Would take again

Mark is such a genuine and nice guy. Math is not my strong suit, so I really struggled on the midterms. They were quite difficult to complete in the time given, but the final was super easy. I didn't find the lectures all that helpful; I did most of my learning through the textbook.

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
5.0
2.0
MATH317
Aug 17, 2018
Would take again

Reasonable exam difficulty considering it is a summer course.

Respected
Amazing lectures
Caring
5.0
1.0
MATH104
Grade: B+
Oct 5, 2018
Would take again

i love you mark i want to become like you one day

Respected
Hilarious
Caring
1.0
1.0
MATH104
Oct 13, 2018
Wouldn't take again

This is the worst teacher I've ever had, Doesn't teach, short office hour, and the most of all, can't explain anything! Its mostly damn history and symbols in his class, no example, and practice Q are not remotely close to the real test Qs. Not a hard course but a waste of my time and tuition fee.

LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Dec 12, 2018
Would take again

Mark Maclean is the sole reason I could come to class at 9AM. He genuinely cares about students and tries to learn their names, his lectures are pretty understandable and clear, and section-specific work was super easy (just participation). He also gives out money to students who participated or corrected his mistakes lmao.

Inspirational
Hilarious
Caring
5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Jan 4, 2019
Would take again

Definitely a professor who knows what he's doing. As an incentive, he would give out money to students who answered his questions correctly, which was a nice bonus. Mark genuinely cares about his students and his sense of humour made even 9am lectures enjoyable. He is super communicative with students, especially on the UBC subreddit (r/UBC).

Respected
Hilarious
Caring
1.0
4.0
MATH101
Apr 3, 2019
Wouldn't take again

nice guy, super charming and actually cares about his students but he can't teach for at all! I took AP calc and got a 4 on the test. I forgot a lot of the info because I took a gap year but wow when I see him explain things I just remember how simple it was explained to me in high school and how much more complicated he made it.

Respected
Hilarious
Caring
5.0
2.0
MATH317
Grade: A+
May 24, 2019
Would take again

Overall, he was a great prof, and he made MATH 317 very interesting. He encouraged students to thoroughly understand the concepts for the course. Although the midterms were stressful, the final exam was very easy. My suggestion to anyone who plans to take MATH 317: study the concepts carefully and look for past midterms to test your knowledge.

Test heavy
Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
5.0
MATH101
Jan 2, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Great human being. But cannot teach.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
Test heavy
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Feb 5, 2020
Wouldn't take again

hes really nice and seems engaging but is really bad at teaching. doesnt do any examples and goes off on really weird tangents during lectures. i think hes the worst math teacher ive ever had. i used to go to his lectures solely to finish work for other courses. his voice is like white noise. he has really nice handwriting though:)

5.0
2.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Feb 21, 2020
Would take again

One of the best profs I've had in UBC. Fun lectures and helpful office hours. If you have a chance to be in his sections don't switch out -- his classes are worth it.

Accessible outside class
Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
5.0
MATH101
May 9, 2020
Wouldn't take again

DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS!!! He explains simple concepts in the most complicated way possible. His class was almost always half full during lecture as most students went to other sections of the same course taught by another professor.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: A+
Jun 17, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Overrated. Awful professor as he lacks the ability to professionally and efficiently teach a first year course. Goes off on a tangent during lectures.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Tough grader
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: Rather not say
Sep 30, 2020
Wouldn't take again

I learned the same concepts in high school. This prof explains the same concepts 10x worse. If I hadn't learned it in high school, I would have absolutely no idea what he is talking about. He is unclear and always drones on about something for a long time, and then would say "you'll learn that later so just ignore what I said". What is the point???

Lots of homework
Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
1.0
MATH104
Grade: A+
Oct 6, 2020
Wouldn't take again

The online class is a joke and professor MacLean is a comedian. Do not take this course online no matter what. The worst choice I ever made was taking this class. I generally love calculus but the transition to online learning was horrible.

2.0
2.0
MATH104
Dec 6, 2020
Wouldn't take again

He seems to have a weird obsession with Greek letters, which can make notes hard to follow. He also likes starwars, which I dont have a problem with, however having chewbacca bobbing up and down in his virtual zoom background is rather distracting.

1.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: B
Dec 11, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Really poor teaching - often gets lost when he explains a concept, but also over-complicates simpler concepts.

Lots of homework
Skip class? You won't pass.
2.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

I can't tell if its because courses are online but I had such a hard time with the lectures from this class. He also can be a bit vague sometimes with quizzes or lectures because I have no idea when he uploads them and there wasn't much quizzes but its a little stressful when they appear randomly.

1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: Rather not say
Dec 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

The exam is incredibly hard, can't focus on the recorded lectures. Always goes uh ah uh and lost himself halfway explaining.

Test heavy
5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 17, 2020
Would take again

Unlike everyone else on ratemyprof I genuinely enjoyed 104, it wasn't perfect but Mark did a great job of getting it close. I really liked the lectures but I think they could be broken up a little more to keep attentions! I would strongly recommend Mark, please take the others with hesitance! Yes the final was hard but do not attribute it to Mark!!

Hilarious
5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 18, 2020
Would take again

Mark is one of the best professors I've ever had. He did a great job delivering the material and explaining various math concepts. I wish I could attend some of his in-person lectures. Very professional instructor and helpful office hours. Probably it is true that he goes a bit slow in prerecorded lectures but X1.5 or X2 speed does the job.

Accessible outside class
Inspirational
Amazing lectures
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Dec 18, 2020
Wouldn't take again

You can tell that he's a good person, but unfortunately, he's also an incredibly awful professor. Maybe he doesn't even know how to teach properly& efficiently, always explain something in the most complicated and perplexing way possible even for a simple concept. EVERY TIME !! Overall, probably the worst teacher ( at least for this term)

Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: Rather not say
Dec 18, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Highly overrated. Such a bad professor and doesn't know how to teach. The test is so much harder than the examples in his lectures. He is the WORST math teacher ever in my opinion. Honestly, take him if you are good at math, or if you are capable to read and learn everything completely by yourself. Otherwise, run !!!!

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
2.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: Rather not say
Dec 18, 2020
Wouldn't take again

So bad at teaching! Can't understand anything he explained, often over-complicated a simple concept.

Skip class? You won't pass.
3.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Dec 23, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Nice guy but goes on unnecessary tangents explaining simple concepts. Passionate about math, but I think most COMM students are more concerned with general concepts and less with nuances of math. Tests were reasonably fair. Textbook was terrible and also confusing, never used it. Use khan academy if his lectures don't do it for you.

2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Dec 26, 2020
Wouldn't take again

He is very nice and caring but doesn't know how to teach. Often over-complicated simple concepts and I have to learn from other online sources because his lectures are so confusing.

Lots of homework
Caring
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Jan 12, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Professor Mark really killed my. passion for math. I thought I was pretty good at it in highschool, but after taking MATH104 with him it really killed my confidence. His lectures were really long and confusing, and it often didn't match with the exercises we did at class. I passed this class because of solely A-level maths and TA office hours.

5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: C
Apr 1, 2021
Would take again

He was the coordinator for the course that also prerecorded the videos. Sometimes the lecture videos were a bit confusing because of the proofs, but overall the pace and content was great! If you took Calc in high school, you'll be set!

Lecture heavy
5.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A+
Apr 28, 2021
Would take again

Professor MacLean is amazing. He is so patient, and he cares so much about his students. Make sure to do problems from the textbook in advance, and then attend his office hours he is always willing to answer questions and offer extra help.

Accessible outside class
Caring
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 24, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Mark is a great guy and I love how he likes to interact with students, especially on Reddit. However, I found his lectures actually made the course content more confusing for me. You can easily do well in the class without watching any lectures and using Youtube as a teacher.

Accessible outside class
Test heavy
Caring
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Dec 1, 2021
Wouldn't take again

This class was by far the worst educational experience I've ever had. He's a nice guy, but his lectures and teaching style are terrible. Lectures provide no useful information and complicate the material more. He spends the entire class going over his theory rather than actual problems or examples; you're totally on your own for the final/midterms.

Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
5.0
3.0
MATH253
Dec 3, 2021
Would take again

Very cool prof. one of the best

Respected
Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Dec 16, 2021
Wouldn't take again

One of the most difficult and unnecessary courses I've taken. Lectures did not relate to course content, and Mr. MacLean did not add value to any aspect. You are better off watching youtube videos and completing practice questions than watching any of the live online lectures. Overcomplicated simple subjects , would not recommend this professor.

Accessible outside class
Get ready to read
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Dec 16, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Don't expect to learn anything from his lectures you basically teach the whole course to yourself. Goes on about definitions and origins of words rather than teaching the material and teaches as though you already know Calculus. If you didn't take Calculus this class is an absolute nightmare.

3.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: C+
Dec 23, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Maclean is a great teacher. However, his exams are brutal. At the very least, I will walk away from this class knowing how many years it will take to pay off the compounded interest for my therapy sessions. I am sure that my basic ability to calculate the rate at which espresso drips into a cup will be useful in my barista career.

Test heavy
Caring
Tough grader
3.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A+
Dec 23, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Very nice prof overall, his exams are very difficult though. You can tell that he cares about his students with the course policies.

Respected
Test heavy
Caring
2.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: B-
Dec 24, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Prof. MacLean and UBC Math collectively make Math104 harder than it needs to be. I found the lectures to be mediocre at best; the textbook was arguably better at explaining concepts. The midterm and final were both real challenges. No doubt a nice person and also very knowledgeable, but this course was incredibly difficult.

5.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Dec 28, 2021
Would take again

I enjoyed attending Mac Lean's lectures. The online textbook also helped me understand the concepts better. However, I believe that the Final Exam was a lot more difficult compared to the past papers.

Respected
Participation matters
Tough grader
4.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Dec 29, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I didn't enjoy this class because of how it was delivered, the homework was tough sometimes and very boring. Final exam was absurd. I don't blame Prof MacLean for how horribly Math 104 was delivered since there are 2 instructors for 1K students. I recommend never attending lecture(online) and reading the learning goals and learning it on YT. GL :)

Respected
Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
3.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A
Dec 30, 2021
Would take again

do go to the small class and get the free 10%. his lectures were just an introduction to the topics, nowhere near enough for the tests. be ready to grind out the textbook and the small class worksheets if you haven't done calc in hs before. final was kinda tough but the midterm was pretty easy. def gotta rack your brain in the final

Lots of homework
EXTRA CREDIT
Tough grader
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Jan 2, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Judging by the rating, I guess a lot of people liked him, but I did not. This partially is because the course is fully online, some materials are delivered in an unfamiliar way. Regardless, I do not enjoy this class, attendance was encouraged but as you progress it became less and less important. Overall, good intentions bad execution.

Inspirational
Test heavy
Tough grader
2.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: B+
Jan 10, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Found that the homework/textbook questions were much harder than what he taught in class. Don't rely on the lectures to give you enough information; in fact its perfectly possible to watch on 2x speed and just do the webwork / textbook questions to make sure you understand.

Test heavy
1.0
4.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Jan 11, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Never replies to emails, lectures are so abstract and have no relevance to course material. Prefers to talk about COVID rather than any actual mathematics.

3.0
3.0
MATH104
Grade: A-
Jan 19, 2022
Wouldn't take again

Although Mark is quite knowledgeable, his lectures cover only the basic concepts and ideas. He has high expectations of knowledge. I recommend working on the textbook, small class problems, past exams and webwork to do well on exams. His grade weightings are great - around 30% is easy to achieve. His exams are hard but fair if you practice a lot!

1.0
5.0
MATH104
Grade: A+
Mar 5, 2022

Mark has no clue what he is talking about. Im pretty sure he would be better teaching arts students rather then Sauder.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Participation matters
5.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: B+
Nov 6, 2022
Would take again

Great lectures. He goes over concepts thouroughly and gives concrete examples afterwards. He is also a very sweet and caring prof :))) would take again!!

Amazing lectures
Caring
Online Savvy
4.0
4.0
MATH100
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 23, 2022

His lectures are a bit draggy and hard to understand sometimes, but other times it's pretty clear. He doesn't use slides or notes. He does seem like a sweet and caring prof who loves his subject, though. However MATH 100 is structured in a really unpleasant way. 50% of your grade is the final, which was monstrously difficult and traumatising.

Tough grader
Group projects
Caring
1.0
5.0
MATH100
Grade: A
Jan 4, 2023

Did he really teach anything?

Tough grader
Group projects
Hilarious
2.0
4.0
MATH100
Grade: A-
Jan 9, 2023

Very nebulous in his lectures, seems to talk around the topic we need to learn, which could be useful to expand knowledge further except that he doesn't teach the basic concepts first. seems like a nice enough guy though

4.0
3.0
MATH100
Grade: A-
Jan 12, 2023
Would take again

I was in the online section of math 100 taught by Marc. He talks a bit slow so I had to speed it up every time I watched a lecture recording. Nice and funny guy, knows what he's talking about. If I had any gripes about math, it'd be with the horrendous math 100 syllabus and weights instead of Marc.

Respected
5.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: Rather not say
Jan 14, 2023
Would take again

Excellent at explaining course material in a straightforward and engaging way. I even stopped doing the pre-readings and textbook examples - says a lot about the lecture quality, especially for calculus!

5.0
2.0
MATH253
Grade: A
Nov 3, 2023
Would take again

This guy is a certified legend. Zoom was bugging and the screen was flipped so he wrote and drew diagrams inverted so it made sense to us, and still had the time to crack jokes. Absolute chad.

Amazing lectures
Hilarious
Caring
5.0
4.0
MATH253
Grade: Rather not say
Nov 10, 2023
Would take again

An email sent out a week before Test 2: "Given the crush of midterms, etc. at this point in the term, I have decided to tell you exactly what topic the three questions on Midterm 2 will be on:" Prof. Mac Lean is very understanding and accommodating; all my complaints I have with MATH 253 are really with the course structure & math dept themselves.

5.0
2.0
MATH253
Grade: A
Nov 16, 2023
Would take again

Amazing

Amazing lectures
Caring
Respected
2.0
4.0
MATH253
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 29, 2023

I have no idea what goes on in lecture because it's so theory-focused. When I open the Webwork, I might as well have never attended class. That said, he's very understanding and will take student feedback into consideration when it comes to midterm timing. He also told us specifically what each question on MT 2 was about. Goated.

5.0
4.0
MATH253
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 6, 2023
Would take again

A really sweet and amazing professor. He teaches concepts that are quite hard to understand theoretically, but he manages to use visuals and make them easier to understand. Would love to take his course again

5.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 13, 2023
Would take again

Despite having aphantasia, he is the best math prof at UBC for visual learners! Explains hard concepts graphically in 2D and 3D, but can sometimes go off course in lectures. Provides lecture recordings. Has made calc 3 my favourite math course. Invites humour into piazza and lectures allowing students to develop keen interest in mathematical topics

Amazing lectures
Lots of homework
Online Savvy
5.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 20, 2023
Would take again

MATH 253 was entirely online on zoom for 2023W1, and this poor man was stuck teaching inside a glass box but he always made time to answer questions posted in chat, as well as questions asked on piazza. All his lectures are recorded. Very cool and funny guy who makes math engaging and somewhat fun. Would love to have him teach me again.

Caring
Online Savvy
2.0
3.0
MATH100
Grade: B+
Jan 7, 2024

Nice guy. Awful at teaching. I essentially used his lectures as a summary of what to search up how to do. Organic Chem Tutor was my real teacher lol.

Caring
Respected
Online Savvy
5.0
3.0
MATH200
Grade: A
Apr 30, 2024
Would take again

BEST MATH PROF I'VE EVER HAD!! amazing lectures, very accessible and extremely kind! made me fall in love with calc 3 :D

Amazing lectures
Inspirational
Respected
3.0
2.0
MATH253
Grade: A
May 4, 2024
Would take again

I don't get the hype about this guy. I mostly attended his lectures to find out which Professor Leonard video I had to watch for the week to learn the material properly. I will say that he's a nice guy and the exams were more than reasonable for the most part. Either way, 253 is infinitely better than any first year math at course at UBC.

3.0
5.0
MATH101
Grade: C-
May 6, 2024

Honestly prof is not a bad prof, just goes on some tangents here and there. The class itself is very difficult but that is due to the math department not technically the prof. However, despite attending lectures, I still had to watch countless hours of YouTube and still almost didn't pass.

3.0
4.0
MATH253
Grade: C+
Jul 11, 2024
Would take again

The lectures were boring but they were only one hour and online. The online midterms were fair and doable. However, I had to learn most of the material through youtube and doing problems by myself. More examples during lectures would be appreciated. Also, the homework problems were 1000x harder than the material gone through in lectures.

Tough grader
Lots of homework
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
MATH253
Grade: A+
Oct 21, 2024
Would take again

He is the goat, honestly

Amazing lectures
Caring
Respected
2.0
4.0
MATH100
Oct 22, 2024

Unfortunately his lecture styles don't work for me... I took high school calculus and somehow he makes easy concepts seem really complicated. Not to mention the separation of discussion/lecture and the seeming lack of communication between the two meant that implicit differentiation got completely skipped over for me. Disappointing

Group projects
Lecture heavy
2.0
3.0
MATH100
Grade: Audit/No Grade
Oct 24, 2024

overcomplicates things, lectures are not engaging at all, does not prepare us enough for tests and midterms

4.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: B
Nov 23, 2024
Would take again

The lectures can be dry, but Prof MacLean uses great visuals to explain tricky concepts. Attendance is mandatory, but his recorded lessons help a lot. unstuckstudy and practice problems are key to doing well in this course.

1.0
4.0
MATH100
Grade: C+
Dec 2, 2024

When teaching the math lectures, the material was often still left unclear. Often left the class wondering, "What just happened?" Even after doing prereadings, homework questions, etc. Our sections had overall lowest midterm averages that had Mark as the professor. Nice guy but simply doesn't teach math the way it should be taught.

Participation matters
Group projects
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH100
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 15, 2024

Worst math professor honestly. No idea where this guy got his credentials from. I've never met a guy who made math sound like alien language to me, but he somehow did it. Every time I attend a lecture I feel like my knowledge decreased afterwards exponentially. Midterms are stupidly hard as well, and it's terrible how this course is required too

5.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 16, 2024
Would take again

Very cool guy

Inspirational
Caring
Respected
3.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: B+
Dec 23, 2024

Good Prof, however poorly run course this term, lack of organization.

1.0
5.0
MATH100
Grade: B-
Dec 29, 2024

Mark seems like an overall good guy, but his lectures were confusing, not engaging and posted notes were illegible. Midterms and finals were extremely difficult. As someone who did not take high school calculus, Mark's teaching style made math seem impossible to learn. I recommend watching other videos online to be able to pass this course.

Group projects
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
2.0
4.0
MATH100
Grade: C+
Dec 31, 2024

Professor MacLean is a very nice and caring guy, however not a very good teacher. I found his lectures to be confusing and the material to be unclear, especially as someone who didn't take high school calculus. I found that the class was taught as if everyone there already had taken calculus which made me feel constantly behind in the material.

Group projects
Respected
2.0
5.0
MATH100
Grade: C-
Jan 2, 2025

He seems like a very sweet guy, but his teaching sucks. He spends his time going through very simple problems that never show up on anything, and he does them at a speed that is unreasonable. Overall, I think my beef with this course has less to do with the prof and more with the organizers of the course. Avoid Math 100 if you can.

Group projects
Lots of homework
Test heavy
2.0
4.0
MATH100
Jan 5, 2025

Mark is a nice person, but his lectures were very hard to follow. As someone who has already taken high school calculus, I still could not understand what he was trying to teach so I imagine it would be even harder for those who have never taken calculus. I eventually just ended up completely studying off of my grade 12 notes instead.

Group projects
Test heavy
1.0
4.0
MATH101
Grade: Not sure yet
Jan 8, 2025

Straight up did not show up for the first lecture of the semester, with no explanation provided. I also took MATH 100 with him, and he missed lectures several times. If you can, try to avoid taking this professor for first-year calculus.

3.0
4.0
MATH100
Grade: A-
Jan 16, 2025
Would take again

Although Prof. Mac Lean tended to go off on tangents, his lectures were still easy to follow and engaging. He seemed very sweet and genuine. Many recent reviews mention his lack of attendance throughout the course, however, he was undergoing some family issues, so it was completely understandable.

Group projects
Caring
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH100
Grade: A
Jan 27, 2025

Might be the worst professor I've ever had. Definition of "for all the mid." If you want to get a good grade in this class, take it with a different prof.

3.0
2.0
MATH253
Grade: B
Feb 21, 2025
Would take again

Mark is good enough prof, not great not bad. The things are explained clearly and the content is not crazy hard.

Clear grading criteria
Test heavy
4.0
3.0
MATH101
Grade: A+
Apr 2, 2025
Would take again

Mark was better for 101 than 100 tbh. Great music taste

Inspirational
Caring
Test heavy
5.0
2.0
MATH101
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 5, 2025
Would take again

A funny and caring professor! Really enjoyed his lectures.

Hilarious
Caring
4.0
3.0
MATH101
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 19, 2025
Would take again

I was sold the moment he started playing Pink Pony Club in our lecture. (he's also a good 101 teacher and very caring).

Lots of homework
Caring
Graded by few things
2.0
5.0
MATH101
Grade: B+
Apr 26, 2025

Mark is a really sweet old man. He is really passionate about his work and clearly understands course content but fails to make his students understand it too. He isn't very good at clearly demonstrating what is expected of his students nor do his lecture slides make a lot of sense. I would not take him or this course again.

5.0
5.0
MATH101
Grade: A
May 5, 2025
Would take again

A great lecturer who made confusing math topics foundationally understandable (introductions). Has a sense of humor and explains concepts using many examples (helpful). However a single lecture and small class per week is nowhere near enough to do well with what this course expects of you. Most of the course will be self-read and self-practiced.

Hilarious
Graded by few things
4.0
3.0
MATH101
Grade: A+
May 7, 2025
Would take again

Mark is a great lecturer. He covers all the necessary topics in time and gives a short break in the middle of class (as long Math lectures can really fry your brain). The slides are posted before class so you can focus on learning and taking personalized notes. During the break you can ask questions and get help on math topics. Course taken: 2023W2

5.0
1.0
MATH253
Grade: Not sure yet
Sep 19, 2025
Would take again

Hes so cute

Clear grading criteria
Inspirational
Caring
1.0
5.0
MATH100
Grade: C-
Oct 9, 2025

This professor was extremely difficult to work with as well as a harsh grader who would change deadlines frequently without prior warning. He would give only minimal time for group projects without respecting already busy course loads and limited student availability to complete full group projects in less than a week. Funny guy, bad professor.

5.0
2.0
MATH253
Dec 18, 2025
Would take again

By far my favourite math professor so far. Awesome online lectures. He answers questions very well.

Amazing lectures
Clear grading criteria
Lots of homework
5.0
3.0
MATH253
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 20, 2025
Would take again

Mark is a great guy and was very funny in lectures, his examples were a bit simpler than everything on exams though

Amazing lectures
Hilarious
5.0
2.0
MATH253
Grade: A-
Dec 23, 2025
Would take again

Prof. Mac Lean does a great job on using visuals (which is crucial for 253) when teaching and isn't afraid to show his sense of humor by cracking a few jokes every now and then. He also showed a lot of care with the final by giving a higher curve than usual it as it was the last final of the semester for most of us and we were burnt out by then.

Amazing lectures
Hilarious
Caring
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

27%

Textbook Required

26%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 62 grades
Most common grades:
Not sure yet (17)
A- (15)
A (13)
Grade Distribution
A(24)B(7)C(8)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(22)
Based on 86 reported grades
Not sure yet: 17
A-: 15
A: 13
A+: 11
Common Tags
Caring (34)
Respected (20)
Test heavy (16)
Hilarious (13)
Inspirational (11)
Tough grader (11)
Lots of homework (11)
Amazing lectures (9)
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