4.2
Quality4.1
Difficulty71%
Would Retake83
Reviews71%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
50
4
19
3
8
2
4
1
2
What Students Say
“Vitha is an amazing teacher who makes an effort to get to know his students”
CHEM002 - 5.0 rating“Overall one of the best chemistry teachers at Drake”
CHEM002 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
52%
Textbook Required
0%
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B+
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QUANT
5.0
(1)CHEM2
5.0
(2)CHEM182
5.0
(1)QUANT1
5.0
(1)QUANTSECT
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
QUANT
5.0
CHEM182
5.0
QUANT1
5.0
HONR100
5.0
CHEMCHEM
5.0
Reviews (83)
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Nice to you if he likes you.
not going into pharmacy or medicine? good luck!
Favorite professor at Drake. Is able to compare chem to real life. Will answer any question. Holds review sessions before exams. Do the practice exams- they help.
He is ok. His class is really not that difficult. The class atmosphere is pretty serious. He can be a little up tight some times. If you study and work at it, an A is not that hard to get. Ok proffesor.
He is over rated. Pretty easy professor, but not that great at teaching. He is also not that good looking.
He explains everything and unlike the rest of the professors in the Chem department, he actually teaches.
took his class couple years back.most ridiculously long class ever.take home test of 2weeks thattakes forever.they're extremly difficult.labs go full/overtime.good for overachievers.prof is clear but expects a whole lot.an A is poss if you're supersmart or its the only class you take for a semester
He is a very good professor. Makes it easy to get an A by giving you practice problems and old exams. Make sure you do them becuase most of his tests are based of the homework or practice problems. He is hard but good, one of my fav professors.
Lectures very well, and the practice worksheets and tests are helpful because he often takes test problems right off them! However, he rarely ever gives partial credit on problems, and often puts surprises on the test that are much harder than anything we went over, making it a fairly hard class
Excellent teacher, but challenging class. Lectures are thorough and energetic. Somewhat intimidating, but he honestly does everything he can to help you learn. My advice: do the homework and practice tests. The questions often show up on the test verbatim.
Good teacher. An A is possible if you do the work (I didn't). But he actually teaches. Lectures are interesting and he really tries to relate it to real life, which can sometimes be hard because it's science. He's extremely helpful outside of class.
My favorite teacher at Drake so far! Very nice guy.. willing to answer any questions you might have and go out of his way to help you out! Interesting lectures compaired to my other science teachers so far! Great guy! Highly recommend! Do your work and you'll do great!
I loved the class at first- but taking it my freshman yr, I didn't study for the exams appropriately, taking a more H.S. approach. I went in for help, and he was NO help at all. His lectures are good, but his tests are much harder than he makes you believe, and you have to study WAY in advance. Also, he looks like Arnold Schwartzenegger(sp?)-bad.
Make sure to not space off during his "tangents", they tend to show up on tests!
Dr. Vitha was the best teacher I've had at Drake. He explained things very well and actually made chemistry interesting. You'll have to work hard, but it is well worth it.
Good lecturer and smart but very tough grader. At least when i took him, he wouldnt give partial credit.
Avoid this teacher for gen chem if you can. I took AP chem in high school and got a 5 on the test but took it here just to get an easy A. (Got a B). His tests are unnecessarily tough and although he seems to be a better teacher as far as learning goes compared to other chem teachers at drake, I really disliked his class. AVOID HIM IF YOU CAN!!
He's a nice guy, good teacher, harder though, especially 2nd semester I had some trouble.
Really Hard, but a good teacher...
I wish I remember what it was like to have free time...or what it was like to get good grades....
Took for gen. chem and now taking for quant.Really smart guy, explains stuff well, hard on grading but will help as much as he can and I always learn the most from him.
I really liked this professor. He makes classes relevant to real life and truly loves his subject. If you go in for help he gives it to you and really wants his students to do well. You still have to work hard though, but if you do its easy to get good grades on his tests. ?'s from practice exams, hw, and the book show up on tests, so do those.
He's very intelligent & has huge expectations. As long as you're not a moron, you should be ok. Do the work (and work and work and work). It's time consuming to do all the suggested problems, but it helps so much. He is intimidating but he will answer questions. Be thorough and careful on labs; they take a long time and they're a pain to screw up.
PATHS STUDENTS: Do NOT take him for PATHS. He is a good and intelligent guy, but the workload is ridiculous. He also asks students for their opinions about how the class is going, but will not listen to them. He constantly lectures students to expand their way of thinking, but he won't change his teaching or grading style beyond science.
Vitha is one of the hardest teachers I have ever had. He may explain things pretty well, but his tests are ridiculously hard. Honestly I thought Cairns was better choice than Vitha. Cairns will bump your grade up if he sees that your working hard and going in to his office hours to talk to him however Vitha will not.
Vitha is a wonderful teacher and very entertaining.... HOWEVER.... his tests go above and beyond his teaching ability and the book's explanation... I attended class regularly, read every chapter covered in the book, did practice problems, and STILL only scraped by with a C
Very good TEACHER and explainer. He will take the time to explain to you outside of class if you have put in the effort to understand it by yourself first. His tests are MUCH harder than anything he shows in class or anything in the book.
Very clear teacher. Extremely tough tests and grading. Weed out class for pharmacy if I ever did see one. No partial credit so study study study in advance. Accessable by office hours and by mail, and is extremely helpful in both cases.
He is a very good teacher and explains things very clearly in class. He is quick to respond to questions through email or his "question box" and very easily approachable. I will be taking him again in the future if possible. His tests are slightly difficult but I'd rather understand the material than get an easy A.
He skips around in the book unlike the other chem. professors who go through the book chapter by chapter. His tests are very difficult and many students need to spend a lot of time studying for them. Do the practice problems because they will help with the test.
Lectures are very organized and he is very easy to understand. He loves teaching and shows a lot of interest in what he does. He also shows a lot of energy during his lectures, making it easier to follow and understand. His exams are very difficult. However, if you do all the practice problems he gives you, you'll be fine!
I had carins first semester and vitha second semester. both are hard. i like vitha better, but either way you are in for a hard, frustrating time if you are taking chem 1 or 2. just study as much as you possibly can. this does not mean you will necessarily do well, just might not fail.
Great professor... really is passionate about chemistry. HOWEVER, tests are extremely difficult no matter how prepared you are. Doing all 100+ of his practice problems and going in for help constantly are essential to passing. very much a pharmacy weed out class. Doesn't give extra credit or partial credit...and doesn't curve.
the best!
Great Professor. He really knows what he is talking about and is interested in it. He does a good job at explaining things and is willing to answer questions. His test are difficult and he frequently tests on exceptions, makes problems multiple steps, & gives little to no partial credit. However, I still think he worth taking b/c u will learn a lot
Dr. Vitha is a great teacher, His lectures are very clear and he stresses key points and does many examples. But his examples are nothing like what's on the test. His test are very hard and if you don't work a ton at the class you will fail. Dr. Vitha, No Extra Credit, No Curve, No Mercy.
He is an amazing professor who is an amazing teacher. Until you take his tests which are incredibly hard unless you study all the time. If you are a good student you will have limited issues.
Great teacher, but his tests are HORRENDOUS! By far the hardest chem teacher at Drake
Vitha is a hard teacher and you will work your butt off no doubt. But, you are looking at taking chemistry so what are you expecting. He doesn't curve because in his words "one day you are going to need to get it all right, why not start now." Great teacher though, I am taking him for spring semester.
An excellent professor! His class is difficult because he has high expectations for his students, but he is really willing to work with students. Printing out all the notes guides is essential as is going to every lecture. He goes over a lot of practice problems in class that are very similar to the ones on his tests.
His class is difficult but he uses great analogies to help understanding!
He does a good job teaching and helps convey knowledge well. However, tests are very difficult and really force you to work hard. Not an easy class but he is a nice person and good teacher.
Dr. Vitha is an excellent professor! His class is difficult because he has high expectations, but he is very invested in his students doing well. Doesnt offer partial credit on his tests because he says "you wouldnt want a doctor that got by on partial credit" Do the recommended problems and go to office hours..it helps. I definitely recommend him!
My favorite teacher, he is a genius, but he can also help others learn very well. Very clear on his teaching and very though rough. Go to his help sessions!!
Vitha is a clear and pretty engaging teacher - he loves teaching and really tries hard to be there for his students and help them out, in class, lab, or via email. I had to work pretty hard for my A in Quant, but if you're at all interested in chemistry, you should take the class. I'm in grad school now, and it's been immeasurably helpful.
Amazing professor! My favorite professor ever!!! He's a great guy and really wants his student to succeed! It may be a tough class but if you put in the work and take advantage of the resources he offers you, it's not bad.
Vitha was my favorite teacher at Drake. He listened to your questions and was more than willing to work with you until you completely understood what you were trying to figure out. He is intimidating but GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS!
Dr. Vitha is a fair professor. You will grade will be based on the amount of effort you put into the class, and how passionate you are about learning chem. The exams (especially the written portions) are insanely difficult, but he teaches the material well and expects A LOT of out of class work, especially on memorization. Will help you if you ask.
Dr. Vitha is a really good teacher. He gives you everything you need to succeed including lecture notes, homework, and suggested problems. However, his expectations are outrageous. He expects you to be a chemistry machine: he wants you to crank out problems with little thought. You also will need to memorize all equations and sometimes constants.
While Vitha is a very tough guy altogether, he is definitely a dad-who-wants-you-to-succeed kind of tough, rather than a you-shall-not-pass type of guy. Keep up in lecture, it goes fast. There is not many points outside of tests, so if you are poor at taking a test, beware. Overall one of the best chemistry teachers at Drake.
I enjoyed quant much more than I thought I would. While the tests (even/especially take home tests) were incredible difficult, the effort was well worth it. The practice problems were often similar to test questions. I learned so much in lecture and in labs, which seemed long and frustrating but were so crucial to improving basic lab techniques.
His notes and lectures make perfect sense and he can explain at a level that it doesn't go over your head. But the course is graded heavily on the four tests and the final exam. Uses easy examples in class, but very hard problems on the tests. If you want to pass you HAVE to work outside of class a lot to get a good grade on the test.
Dr. Vitha is an amazing teacher who makes an effort to get to know his students. While his tests are difficult, they are exactly what you would expect if you paid attention in lecture and did problems in the book. He wants you to think logically and gives you everything you need to be successful.
Vitha is the WORST professor. He is full of himself, even made us clap for two students who were the only ones who got a test question right. Lectured us about how we didn't put in any effort when his tests are very difficult. Would show us books he has written to "prove that you never know when you are going to use chem" except chem is his job
Dr. Vitha was the best chemistry professor I could have asked for. He's very willing to work with any student and will take the time out of his day to make sure that you understand the material. He taught me how to work hard for my grade which is paying off now. Overall, great guy, he's like the dad that just wants you to be successful.
Dr. Vitha cares about students. He makes it clear that book problems and Sapling will be on the exam. The tests are hard, but after the first one you learn his style. Half the questions are multiple choice and half are math or short answer for naming. He does not give extra credit. Although he is tough you definitely learn the material.
Although his tests were on the tougher side, he taught the material well. He was very approachable in his office hours and going to his SI sessions were helpful. There was extra credit on his tests but it was usually something small he said in class or based off an event he promoted. There's a good deal of math involved so do the practice problems.
He's really good at explaining the material and I feel like I totally understood everything, but then the tests are so incredibly hard. You can understand everything, but still do poorly on the tests. I would ONLY recommend if you thoroughly understand chemistry before taking his classes.
Vitha does an amazing job of explaining material in an accessible way, but he also expects that you're putting the work in outside of class. If you do book problems and keep up with the textbook you'll do well.
Don't be fooled by the rating for his actual teaching. Its true, he does teach the material very well, but it really doesn't matter if you can't pass the class. He is very nice and pretty funny but his exams are beyond hard. I studied HARD for 2 weeks and still got D's. If you already know lots of chemistry coming in you're probably okay.
He is an amazing professor, however, you definitely have put in the work as well. He can also be intimidating. He knows this topic very well, but his exams are difficult. There was also no partial credit on the exams, which was a real bummer.
Dr. Vitha is a really good teacher who knows a lot about chemistry. He honestly wants you to have a thorough understanding of the content and will work with you outside of class to reach that. He is sarcastic and funny but can come off a little intimidating, but nice. The textbook will help you survive this class, do the readings and BOOK PROBLEMS!
Uses analogies a lot to get points across, which is helpful. You have to work in his class, but it pays off. Exams are based heavily on online homework and textbook problems, so doing those problems will help a LOT on exams.
Openly hated our class. Yelled at us because we "didn't try hard enough" How can a class of 80 students collectively not try hard enough? Didn't learn anything from him.
He's honestly the best chem teacher. He's so good at explaining and he uses a lot of analogies to explain difficult concepts. He's a real gem, and he really cares about his students. His exams are difficult but if you do the reading, the book work, and the Sapling homework then it's not so bad.
Dr. Vitha is one of the most wonderful professors I have met at Drake University. He is accommodating and understanding as well as knowledgeable. To some he comes off as really intimidating but I think if you stick with the course material and ask good questions he will help!
Professor Vitha is a great professor. He made gen chem super fun and easy to understand; there's a lot of content to cover so be prepared to read the textbook and take notes outside of class. There is homework due every Sunday but if you work on it throughout the week it's not overwhelming. Always super willing to help when I had any questions!
Overall amazing lectures with a great sense of humor. Just make sure you read the textbook. I hate reading, but everyone that doesn't read the textbook and listens during lecture, fails the class. So make sure to put in work.
This class was definitely difficult but if you want a well organized gen chem class where you will learn a lot then Vitha is the way to go. All of the information builds off itself and he provides tons of resources to do well. Its not easy but its very doable
Amazing teacher! During his lectures, he explains each topic pretty well and it's easy to follow. He also uses visuals and objects sometimes when he's lecturing, which is great for visual learners. The exams are a little bit more difficult but he's clear about what's on the exam and he provides last year exams that you can practice beforehand.
reading will benefit you a lot in the classes! very descriptive and in depth!
I've never written a review before, but Vitha gave me no choice. He is easily the best professor I have had in my time as a student. He is very easily accessible and even easier to communicate with. The course isn't too challenging, but you have to be willing to read the textbook. I will 100% be taking his class again!
Dr. Vitha makes learning chemistry very fun while still being able to teach effectively. There are quizzes every Friday that are pretty easy if you pay attention and read the book, as well as homework due every sunday. I highly recommend having Vitha as an intro level chemistry professor if possible.
Vitha is very clear on what he expects. If you do that, you'll pass. Textbook reading isn't tested on, but reading the book and completing the homework is necessary to pass. If you show up, listen, and take notes you'll pass. Vitha is accessible for questions and help.
He rarely gives partial credit on tests and there are also 2 question quizzes every Friday which can be difficult. He is an AMAZING professor, he wants everyone to do well and he teaches very in depth. Compared to other professors, he expects a lot more and is harder. If you read the book, do the practice problems, and study a lot you'll do good
Just like in Chem 001, Dr. Vitha did an amazing job at teaching each topic of Chem 002. Vitha made sure to make every difficult part clear. Three office hour visits or tutoring sessions throughout the semester are required, though. If you are going to be taking either Chem 001 or 002, definitely take it with Vitha as the professor.
I love Vitha as a lecturer because he explains things very clearly and I feel like I know the concepts well in lecture. My one issue with this class is that the exams are VERY DIFFICULT. you will need to study like you life depends on it because things are weighted weird and there will be questions from the first exam on the last exam.
This class isn't terrible but you HAVE to study A LOT to pass
Dr. Vitha is a very passionate teacher. He certainly knows a lot about chemistry and loves it! Lectures are very engaging, even at 9 in the morning. However, the exams are really hard. He's very particular of what he wants out of you, but I would say he's pretty clear. Exams are hard, but rewatching lecture videos helps!
Dr. Vitha is very passionate about chemistry and a great lecturer. Lectures were engaging and fun, even at 9am. Exams were very difficult. Even though I took thorough notes and paid attention in class, I was still struggling. I also found the homework to be difficult as well. Something I would recommend is rewatching lecture videos! He uploads them
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
52%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.22 avg changeRatings by Course
QUANT
5.0
(1)CHEM2
5.0
(2)CHEM182
5.0
(1)QUANT1
5.0
(1)QUANTSECT
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
QUANT
5.0
CHEM182
5.0
QUANT1
5.0
HONR100
5.0
CHEMCHEM
5.0