2.6
Quality4.1
Difficulty23%
Would Retake114
Reviews23%
Would Retake
114
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
21
4
17
3
16
2
27
1
33
What Students Say
“I felt completely hopeless and frustrated in her lab”
BI210 - 1.0 rating“She's a very nice lady, but failed to make biology understandable to someone who didn't have the opportunity to take AP Bio or a more advanced class than just required high school biology”
BI105 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
52%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.31 avg changeRatings by Course
BI102
5.0
(1)BIO120
4.5
(2)NW121
4.0
(2)BI120
3.7
(6)BI123
3.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
BIO122
5.0
BI120
4.8
BI122
4.7
NW202
4.4
BI210
4.3
Reviews (114)
Starts out and seems really cool, but does not follow syllabus at all, gives extremely hard exams, constantly discusses drugs, sex, and liquor, and doesn't even use exams with the right class number on it.
NOT A GOOD CLASS
She was a great professor! I loved the class and i thought she was very clear in what she said and she went over everything and was available if anyone needed xtra time on the exams or anything!!
Could care less about students
Horrible professor, tests have no relevance to course material, totally off-topic lectures, doesn't even care
Do not take...could not follow the syllabus at all, only gave one ten-question quiz which took her a week to grade, lectured off topic most of the time, and showed no concern at all for her students. AVOID THIS PROFESSOR.
not a good teacher at all
Does this woman even know Biology? She reads off of a piece of paper in class. DO NOT RECOMMEND.
Dr. Meadows is AWESOME. She teaches bio for non-majors and makes it tolerable and even a bit interesting. For anyone looking to fill the Science Core I would say DEFINITLY take her night class - she is fun and knows how to teach!
Marv is amazing!!! her tests are hard and you have to work hard for a good grade but she is funny and keeps your attention throughout class! she is my favorite profesor and i visit her daily!
Does she know anything about Biology? Seriously, we can all read powerpoints... Also, if you like to have an idea what material you are being tested over don't take her course, its a big guessing game.
No, she is not easy but I think that has to do a lot with the amount of course material she's required to cover. Her tests are challenging. She does go over almost everything you need to know in class, though. And she's hoot! I loved going to her class because she was so entertaining and informative!
I think Meadows is a great teacher. She is really interesting, although we got off topic a lot. The tests were difficult, but if you prepare in advance and keep up on reading, you won't have much of a problem. Also, she gave us complete study guides when we asked for them!
she was a very nice lady and was open to questions and helping you on anything you did not get. however in lecture she gets very excited and then talks very fast. class is hard and tests are too.STUDY!
She was extremely helpful and explained things in a way that was easy for college students to understand, especially the harder topics she covered. Very friendly and was always approachable for questions/extra help. Tests are pretty easy as long as you study a know the material inside and out.
Meadows's a great person and maybe a good professor for some but for me it was extremely difficult to follow her tests. Her tests seemed to have nothing to do with what she was teaching in class and she expects you to know EVERYTHING from the book. I wouldn't recomend her but she's a nice person and a good lecturer but not good because of her tests
She is an amazing lecturer and is so energetic about the material that she makes you interested in it, too, and keeps you awake which is nice. Her tests are pretty difficult, though, but if you actually understand the material and not just memorize it word for word, you'll be fine. Plus she will do whatever it takes to help you understand it.
Prof. Meadows is a very energetic professor and will def. wake you up in the mornings but her tests are extremely difficult and are very different from what she teaches in class. Her tests are very long too and you will always be rushed to get through them.
Her tests are so hard, but she's a really great teacher. She does a good job of keeping you engaged, and awake.
She's super nice and really fun, but her texts are ridiculously hard. She moves really fast in class, so you pretty much have to read everything in the book if you want to have a chance. she's always willing to help though, you just have to be willing to put in lots and lots of time..
Horrible, she tests over the most trivial material in the text book. Nice person, bad teacher. Do not take her especially if you are attempting to get acclimated to college.
I took Meadows for 120 and 122 and got A's in both, so it's manageable, but not easy. Who needs coffee when you have meadows? She has more energy than a nuclear bomb, so be ready. Do the study guides she provides and you'll be fine on the tests. I recommend her for lecture.
She is a great professor, but her tests are extremely hard. If you study though, it is possible to get an A in her class.
I had her for lab. I found her lab very difficult and more complicated than it should have been.
Very nice person, but her tests are difficult. Would not recommend.
This teacher just reads slides from previous years with very little information going off the slides. She gives practically no other points other than exams which are usually a c or below average. Do not take this professor if given the choice.
Meadows is a good teacher, yet her tests are sometimes impossible. Expects you to work your TAIL off. Fairly entertaining during lecture though.
Do not listen to comments below. If you have somewhat of a biology background, an A is definitely doable in this class. Tests were multiple choice and essays. If you miss it though, you miss all of it. I received at least a 94% on every test and one was 112%. VERY ENERGETIC. Definitely worth taking her.
Absolutely amazing teacher. She is very good at explaining hard concepts and obviously loves what she does. She truly cares about her students and will do whatever she can to help! Definitely recommend taking her class!
Such a fun teacher! She is the biggest sweet heart too. I had a hard time in the beginning, but you get the hang of it and you just coast to home. I had no background with plants and this class taught me so much. So glad I took it, definitely recommend it!
She is an amazing teacher. I didn't care at all about plants before I started her class and she really got me interested. her class truly made me decide I wanted to be a biology major. I definitely recommend If you enjoy biology. Although the class is definitely tricky, an A is possible.
Meadows is a great teacher, but her exams are not as straightforward as her notes. You have to use all extra sources (mastering bio, etc) to understand everything. shes very helpful though! But I would take someone else .
You must take notes during class. She talks about points which will be on tests that are not on the power points. I suggest using the textbook and study guide companion. If you meet with her outside of class, she is very helpful. Overall, I would suggest taking her for BI105.
Meadows is a wonderful lady and incredibly nice and passionate. That aside, World of Plants was not an easy class. Her tests were hard and especially the practicals. For a core class, this is incredibly hard. If you're looking for an easy grade, this won't be it.
She is really passionate about plants and willing to help her students succeed. You will need to study hard, but the class is very interesting.
She doesn't help at all and her tests and quizzes are graded EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. She's really laid back and loves the stuff, but it's not an easy A or B by any means.
Good teacher. Study the material and you'll do fine on tests. I thoroughly enjoyed having her, and I did perfectly well in her class. One of the best professors I've had.
Her lectures were random, and it was impossible to tell what she was going to test on. Also, on the tests she has a written section with a question one something we spent less than 3 minutes on in class. Her tests are hard, and she is only helpful if you go in to see her. Avoid her if you can.
I am not a biology fan, but she loves it so much that the class was enjoyable.
Meadows is amazing. She can be unclear about what she expects or how she grades, but the class isn't too hard. She is incredibly passionate about the subject and lectures are more than entertaining. Plus, she's really really nice. Highly recommended.
DO NOT take this class!!!! I absolutely hated this class. She really does too much when it comes to the Indianapolis Community Requirement. She never really reviews or talks about tests before. It is definitely a lot of unnecessary work.
My absolute favorite professor from freshman year. She was consistent, fair, and reliable. She was always there to answer questions and give you study tips. Marva rocks!
I am a pharmacy student and I took her freshman year for cell bio. I loved her, but most of my classmates didn't. She loves what she teaches and to me that made a subject that I found boring, interesting. Her tests are straight from her powerpoints. Some studying is necessary, not much.
She is extremely weird and quirky but that's why I loved her so much! She made the boring lectures much more fun- she is hilarious! Her tests are really hard and you have to study to do well, it's not an easy A, but she won't let you fail. She's given us 3 Extra Credit opportunities already. Take her if you can, she's great!
Professors Meadows is really funny and this class is certainly bearable, however I would NOT recommend it to anyone I like. You have to learn an unnecessary amount of things about plants. If you do take the class, DO NOT GET THE TEXTBOOK. Its $200 and you won't open it. Her tests are REALLY hard and it's way too easy to fail this course.
"Prof Sprout," as she signs her emails, is such a passionate person that she makes learning about plants interesting! I have recommended this class to my friends. I also want to note that I am a person that likes to always be prepared, so I got the textbook, but listen to me - you do NOT need it. Tests are straight from powerpoints.
This class is just a bunch of lectures and career panels. For every class period there is an assignment due, which is usually a reflection. For this class, Dr. Meadows took off random points and didn't give a reason why. The class is outright easy, and impossible not to get an A in if you show up. I've heard plenty of other complaints about her.
PLEASE do not take this class! This class asks for so much more than you think. Her tests and practicals are extremely tough. She is super nice, but expects you to dedicate 2 hours of studying a day and won't help you with the actual subject, she will just help you prioritize. It is the hardest class I have taken at Butler. TAKE ANY OTHER NW PLEASE
DO NOT TAKE HER. She has ridiculously high expectations but is SO unclear about what they are. I felt completely hopeless and frustrated in her lab.
She's a very nice lady, but failed to make biology understandable to someone who didn't have the opportunity to take AP Bio or a more advanced class than just required high school biology. We ran out of time in the class and were forced to take a regular exam and the final exam both during the 2-hour final period, which totaled 40% of our grade.
Marva is super nice but her class is extremely difficult for a class for non-majors. Wouldn't recommend if you don't have a strong interest in plants.
Doctor Meadows is a genuinely nice person but her class is extremely difficult. There are a lot of assignments, including online, but it does not seem to help. Her lectures make the class seem super easy but the tests are ridiculously hard. She is very accessible outside of class and is very passionate about the subject.
Constantly behind in the syllabus-however, the due dates of the online work never changed, so you'd be taking online quizzes on topics you wouldn't cover in class for another week. It got so bad that she moved our 3rd test to the same day as our final, screwing everyone. Tests were difficult, online work took 2+ hours per assignment, at least 3/wk
Just don't take this class. Opposite of a GPA booster. The work load is heavier than any 300 level classes I have taken.
Meadows really cares about her students and is super sweet. Lectures directly pertain to exams so if you study those you will be good. She is a great professor!
I highly recommend this class to anyone. Professor Meadows is very nice and caring for her students. Many people over-exaggerate this class, but it is a pretty easy and interesting class.
Professor Meadows is hard, but her lectures are very informative. If you don't stay on top of things, your grade will reflect it. She's also my academic advisor and she's very personable and sweet. If you put in effort to participate in class, she won't forget it and she will check on you every single class period.
she is so sweet! I love her sm. she gives lots of extra credit and is clearly passionate about what she's teaching. if you do the work and study before tests you got this! she's an absolute angel!
She is very confusing with the way the course is laid out. She does not put all grades in Canvas so be sure to email and ask what your actual grade is. Tests and quizzes in this class are nearly impossible to pass even with extensive studying. Lots and lots of online homework. If you have the option I would pick a different professor for the course
Dr. Meadows was my instructor for the Intro Bio course and she was always super nice. The class itself is super straight forward and an easy A. I didn't talk to Dr. Meadows much but she is super responsive and is good about answering questions!
Dr. Meadows is very sweet, but her lectures are extremely long. Her exams/quizzes are very hard and nothing like the study guides. She gives a lot of homework, which can take up to 3+ hours long. She gave out some extra credit, but has no correlation to the course and she lets you drop one quiz. Its hard to keep a good grade, dont take her class.
She was the worst professor I have ever had. I took AP bio in high school and was still completely lost when it came to her tests and quizzes. If you are not a bio major or extremely good an cell biology DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!
Dr. Meadows is a nice person, but her class structure is awful. We only meet once a week out of three days were supposed too, and she gives over 2 hours of lecture videos to watch every week. Tests and quizzes dont correspond with the lecture, and she gives weekly assignments that take 2+ hours for only 10 points.
The topics discussed in this class are not so much complicated as it is tainted with a foul class structure in which class was originally held one day per week but as April approached class was held three times per week and this professor decided to cram as much as she could in a short amount of time. Also, the exams do not match info from the text
Marva, Marva, Marva, I am a business major trying to slide through this mf program and I got stuck in some fu*k-all plant class... If your plants get in my way I might just have to commit genocide on the green house. The ball is in your court honey, watch yo plants.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. I'm a psych major that needed to take a natural world as a graduation requirement. This class is so unnecessarily hard and full of useless information if you aren't going into bio. Prof expects you to remember everything she says and the powerpoints are organized horribly. I'm smart, but not in this class. DO NOT TAKE!!!!
Professor Meadows is extremely nice but World of Plants is the hardest class I have ever taken. We went over so much material, the tests were pretty hard, and she expects you to put a lot of effort into her class. I would not recommend taking this unless you are extremely interested or knowledgable in Botany.
Everyone scares you about Marva Meadows. Yes, her class is tough and I cannot speak for World of Plants but for genetics (BI210), she is actually a really great professor! She is always making us laugh and finding out different ways for us to understand information (even if she talks a bit fast to get the information out at first).
Dr. Meadows knows what she is talking about, but teaches in a terrible way. She covers about 35 slides per class for the entire semester and the slides are filled with too many specifics that aren't even on the test. Her study guides are way too broad. The tests are too long and worded differently than material in lecture. DO NOT take Meadows.
Professor Meadows is a very nice lady and cares about her students, but it does not seem like it in her class. I have never felt more dumb and so much like a failure in a class. She goes through the information way too fast and expects you to know every piece of information in the class. I have never studied so hard for an exam just to fail it.
I'm not sure if she ever learned how to teach. All of the information is presented in a confusing manner and I spend more time trying to depict what she is trying to convey than actually learning. She gives extra credit on tests but that doesn't matter because you won't score over a 90 even if you have photographic memory and study for days.
She recycles powerpoints, tests, and everything that she uses from previous years, so none of the information lines up and often contradicts itself. I would call myself a good student who put a lot of effort into this course, but it was essentially impossible to receive a good grade because all of the course material was inconsistent. Terrible.
There is nothing good about Dr. Meadows. She is a hard, stressful, and confusing professor who can only read the slides. If you have no other option but Meadows for a course, take a different course. DO NOT TAKE MEADOWS AT ALL COSTS.
Good person, bad professor. Grading was very random. Professor was nice but made course way too hard.
Do not take Marva. She is a very nice woman, but an awful teacher who does not help you learn or give you advice on how to improve your scores. Terrible.
Dr. Meadows was an extremely tough grader. Even when I studied for over a week in advance of the tests, I still couldn't achieve my desired grade. She had me stressed until final grades were released because there was no indicator of what you would get. Also, she often would grade an exam and then go back and regrade it to take off more points.
DO NOT TAKE MEADOWS!! She is awful and just reads off of a powerful which anyone can do. The study guides do help at some extend, but not a lot.
Absolutely horrible. Reads off of PowerPoints (that aren't even made by her) and glosses over very important details, sometimes even brings info onto exams that weren't ever discussed. We're behind on lecture/lab material by 2 weeks. If you like following syllabi, don't even bother with this class; she doesn't even follow them. Avoid, save yourself
I had Professor Meadows for my NW last semester and she was amazing!! She is such a lovely person. When she talks about environmental issues, you can tell she's incredibly passionate. The class is mostly lecture but invites participation and input. She is detailed in her descriptions and is very clear. She provides study guides and study sessions.
Marva was a good person not a professor!! There were countless times where she would meet to "talk" and would never give you s straight answer to yur questions. She was also notouriouse onputting things on the exam that we never talked about. I dont understand howe she is still teahing this class when there is only 15 students in two sessions.
She is a very nice person, but World of Plants is an extremely hard class for a Natural World. She gives out a lot of homework, and the exams are super hard especially the practicals. I would look for any other NW if I were you and, I would try to take your NW in a different semester if this is only NW. Look for quizlets if you take this class.
Professor Meadows is a wonderful woman, but a nightmare of a professor. Her lectures are meandering and her actual schedule very rarely matches the syllabus. Soooooo much homework that isn't relevant at all. At least her assigned reading is interesting. Being out in the field with her is incredible. Being in her classroom is not.
I took great notes, studied a ton, went to office hours, and had to withdraw from this course. She is a harsh grader and takes 5-6 weeks to get stuff in, her exams are not the information on her slides. She is an extremely sweet woman but her are class will cause such unnecessary stress to your life, just wait to take this class if you can.AVOID IT
She mainly reads slides that are not posted beforehand which makes it difficult to follow. She is a very sweet lady, but her exams do not align with lecture. I have never studied harder for a class and still received an A-. Do the study guides.
I think Meadows is a great person who really loves lecturing and enjoys the students. Most of the time it didn't seem like she made the study guides, exams, and even lecture slides. Her quizzes are quite easy, but when it comes to her exams it is quite the blindside. She doesn't do much partial credit and grades them harshly.
Marva Meadows does not give lecture material that is equivalent to her exams. I am a very active student and still severely struggled in this course. Her course is only graded on exams and quizzes, and even assignments performed in lab are not graded very fairly. Its hard to get feedback that is actually helpful to learn more as a student.
Extremely difficult course with an equally difficult professor. Horribly organized lecture slides. Exams and lab practicals include information that was never discussed in class. Extremely slow grader which leads many students to stress about passing the course when final exams roll around, and the last exam and practical are NOT in the grade book.
Professor Meadows is a very bad professor. I'm not sure how else to put it. She is very strict and unfair with grading for assignments and exams. She is nice, but not a very good teacher. I would put my grade on here, but we have 2 days until our final exam and still have assignments from early February that are not graded (it's May).
I loved Dr. Meadows! If you go to class and take in her lectures, it is easy to do well on the exams, as long as you do have somewhat of a background in science and like the subject. If you need help, ask her and form a connection with her, and you will do well. Her lab is pretty easy as it is mainly graded on participation. Study for quizzes!
Professor Meadows is a great person and is very nice, but the NW is so much harder than what it needs to be. I found myself focusing/stressing on it more than my actual major classes. For your sanity, take any other NW. From what I heard, they are a lot easier and not as much work.
Professor Meadows is super nice. Some people do not learn as well with her teaching style, but I found the class to be easy if you do well with lectures. I would totally take another one of her courses.
Professor Meadows is so sweet! She definitely assigns a lot of homework, so if you feel you need a lighter workload, this isn't a good class for you. However, I have really enjoyed getting to know so much about plants and being able to identify almost every plant I see now. If you are passionate about plants, this is the class for you.
Probably the worst class you could take for your NW requirement. Lectures are honestly interesting but tests rarely have anything to do with them. Only material you're given to study is the lecture slides but unless you write down everything she is saying you'll have a hard time doing well on the tests.
The absolute worst natural world you can take. The only thing that is given in class is power point slides that are very hard to study with. She talks a lot in class and it is not being able to write down everything is a major disadvantage. Do NOT take this class as it requires a lot of background information that many do not have.
Sigh, I wish I had better things to say, but Meadow's class is so hard. She's an unbelievably tough grader and assigns so much. Take extra credit anywhere you can get it. Also do the unit worksheets and study guides. I really liked her as a lecturer and found her easy to understand, but many disagree. Just be prepared to work hard.
Rarely were topics simplified even if students asked, and little to no partial credit was given on exams. Her teaching style is unorganized, and I honestly have not met a single person who is doing well academically in her class. I did more work for BI210 than for multiple 400-level courses that I have taken. Save yourself. You have been warned.
Take this class if you hate yourself. I am doing amazing in all my other classes but awful in this one. I put way too much effort and time into studying when quizzes and test are always unclear. She will put random stuff on the test so be prepared. Takes 10 years to put anything on canvas. She is hard to understand and is never able to help.
Meadows is extremely difficult to understand, lectures are quite monotone and fast-paced. Material on the exams is usually quite different from what is taught in lecture. She is usually available to help outside of class, but regardless the class requires a lot of your time.
She is a sweetheart and a genuinely good person. But, more difficult than it needed to be. The only reason I did well is because I took AP Bio and had a good teacher. If you do well in harder classes and don't mind studying, don't worry. If you don't want to study a lot and don't have bio experience / aren't good at bio, run.
She is an impossible grader, material on tests and labs are often not in the slideshows she posts, and its an insane amount of homework. The lab practicals are the hardest thing ive ever done. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS
Meadows' class is a mixed bag - her lectures can be hit-or-miss, but using unstuck AI and forming a connection with her helps a lot. Exams are tough, so study the guides closely and don't skip class. Worth taking for the right student.
I fear this was the hardest class i've ever taken in my life because of the way she teaches, dont get me wrong she is super sweet but her lectures dont match whats on her exams
Lectures are long but each slide goes quick, little time to comprehend, let alone take notes. Tests are difficult and more based on application than memorization. Many assignments. Harsh Grader.
It's impressive how she can talk so much yet teach so little. I failed one test and was forced to drop. Mind I was a straight A student in high school AND other college classes. She said I answered a question kinda right but not the exact answer she wanted. No partial points. All wrong. Sweetest person, bad teacher. Push it to next semester.
Meadows is nice if you get on her nice side. Lectures are also extremely boring as she just reads off the slides. But, her exams are extremely difficult and you will have to study a lot outside of class to make sure you know all of the material. A lot of people withdrawal or just don't do well. But, if you apply good study techniques you can do it.
Dr. Meadows just read from the slides and jump around a lot. Exams/quizzes covered material that wasn't discussed in class so you had to read a textbook on your own to succeed
I was doing very well in all of my other classes, but had to drop this one. her exams are difficult and do not align with lectures. she gives no partial credit and the extra credit does not help boost your grade. the only people that did well were the people that took AP bio. it is better to take this class a different semester if possible
Never in my life have I studied so hard for a course just to almost fail it. The stress that this course caused me this semester is difficult to even describe. Questions on the exams do not reflect the hundreds of slides you are expected to study. Only about 30-40% of content on the exams come from what is taught in class. Do not take this class.
Professor Meadows is very underrated. I had come into this class thinking I would have a tough semester ahead, but actually had a great one. I find her lectures engaging, she gives a lot of extra credit and gives extra time on tests. The key to her class is to do all the practice problems available, the practice times, the practice on the modules.
Extremely kind and understanding person, fails to realize that this is a check it off NW course and is widely regarged as one of the hardest courses at butler. Literally take any other natural world.
i have NEVER met a professor who cares less about student success than her. i worked so hard and have great grades in every other class i have taken. under NO circumstances should you take this class even if it means having to wait a semester to be in BI210, future you is begging you to not take meadows. your mental health is depending on you.
I have so many issues with this professor. I have gone to her office hours numerous times, and each time it's so useful. She never answers the questions, she reads off the slides, and her exams are so difficult and never align with what she teaches. I recommend avoiding at ALL costs!
Meadows is not that bad. Lots of her teaching comes from reading off slides but not all. There are several study guides for each unit and while it does take a fair amount of work, knowing them front to back will get you an A on her tests. She's a very sweet lady and I do think she cares about her students.
I genuinely love this lady she was so sweet. I would consider her my favorite professor and enjoyed learning the content. In my experience she made sure that the content was easy to understand and was on the tests. Only complaint is the work load, be prepped to work like a dog for that grade. Act engaged and show genuine interest and you'll be fine
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
52%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.31 avg changeRatings by Course
BI102
5.0
(1)BIO120
4.5
(2)NW121
4.0
(2)BI120
3.7
(6)BI123
3.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
BIO122
5.0
BI120
4.8
BI122
4.7
NW202
4.4
BI210
4.3