3.3
Quality3.6
Difficulty51%
Would Retake169
Reviews51%
Would Retake
169
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
49
4
41
3
28
2
30
1
21
What Students Say
“Dillon is a terrible professor”
BIO152 - 3.0 rating“If you can find another professor then do it”
BIO152 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
85%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
148
5.0
(1)INTROBIO
5.0
(1)BIO151152
4.9
(8)BIO 151
4.0
(1)BIO152
3.4
(38)Difficulty by Course
BIO101
4.3
151
4.0
BIO151
3.7
BIO152
3.6
SCI230
3.3
Reviews (169)
she is a very 'blunt' woman who takes an introductory biology course and turns it into advanced biology. She is unnecessarily mean and made several people cry in the class. Do not take her for the life of you!!!
Well...she's a moody woman in her late 40s. Some days, she's really nice, sweet, and helpful. Others, she is a beast. And not a good beast, if you know what I mean...I am an honors student and still found her class challenging, given the level. GRADES HARD! And you learn really pointless detail
I thought she was a very good lecturer and very accessible. My grade was much higher then high school bio.
i loved bio before this class...i had a 3.8 gpa and ended up with like a c in her class and now hate bio....avoid her at all costs she is a very mean, unfair, and moody teacher...first bad review i have ever given of a teacher...do not take the EDU section...you become her ****...
If you took biology in high school and liked it then take her class. There are daily homework assignments, you're treated like a kid, and you learn ridiculous amounts of pointless information. I would not suggest this professor to anyone who is at the collegiate level. Dillon should really be teaching high school where kids tolerate her antics.
I thought this class was very easy to get a good grade in. I think people are too hard on MED. While she's very hard to get a hold of outside of class, it's so easy to get a good grade if you do the work.
you have to work hard and keep up daily w/ study guides and lecture guides and she will be the best teacher for you. test arent hard and she is always willing to help
Great teacher! Very willing to help if you need it. Class is very easy if you have regular attendance and keep up with the (very short and easy) homework assignments. She is a sweetheart and is very enthusiastic, even at 9 a.m.! Take her if you can!!
This woman comes off as scary at first, but you get used to her antics. The class isn't hard as long as you show up to class and stay on top of her assignments. She's very helpful if you're ever lost with the material. Take her as long as you don't mind doing some work. It's an easy A
Hated her. Every 2 seconds she has the class "discuss" a question, which the answer is completely obvious and pointless to "discuss". She has due dates for assignments like high school and then doesnt collect them. She talks to the class like were in 8th grade. Shows little animations all the time like somthin out of teletubbies. Avoid her.
She is a great teacher. You'll only think she's annoying if you have no sense of humor! Makes a point of telling you what you need to know. Makes herself available to students & quick to respond to emailed questions. She genuinely cares about the students. This was a great way to take bio!
I had Professor Dillon for Bio 151 and Bio 152. I thought she made many of the larger concepts easy to understand and gave her students every opportunity to succeed. I would recommend her completely for Bio 151-152.
Straight up one of the meanest profs on campus. Goes WAY too fast, asks if people understand and when they don't she moves on to the next topic anyway. Always lets out late- thinks her class is the only class people take. Makes people feel stupid. Biased grading on whether or not she likes the person. Doesn't directly answer questions. AVOID.
Professor Dillon is a great teacher. She gives study guides and if you study those and come to class it will be very easy to get a good grade. She is so nice and puts things in a way that are very easy to understand. It may seem like a lot of busy work but it really does help you and pays off on the tests! Take her if you can :)
Prof. Dillon teaches a little fast, and always runs over time, but other than that if you take notes on lectures and pay extra attention to things she tends to repeat, the tests and quizzes will be easy. She took attendance randomly, and there were simple worksheets for homework occasionally. I recommend her, though.
She is a very nice and fun teacher.
a great professor. Gives you study guides for reading the book. She gives you weekly quizzes, which motivate you to study. Her tests are difficult, but you learn so much. Her teaching will definitely be helpful for tests such as the MCAT!
Prof Dillon is a brilliant woman and sometimes thinks the students are as smart as herself and teaches way to fast. Se does give study guides that help alot and gives lots of extra credit. Take Dillon if you will have lots and lots of time to devote to Biology.
Professor Dillon uses metaphors that make things really easy to remember and understand. To pass this class, you do have to do the study guides for every chapter. But, if you are willing to do the work, you can learn a lot from her.
It's either her way or no way at all. Grading is ridiculous and she is not open to others' ideas. Avoid at all costs.
Very good professor to take to gain a foundation of biology. The class is somewhat difficult due to the large amount and variety of material. However, if you stay up with it and do all the assignments, including extra credit, you will find the course helpful for later classes. She is well organized and very helpful!
If you have the option do not take her class. She is very rude and treats you like little kids. Her teaching methods are odd and her tests are very hard. Also gives online assignments meant for 10 year olds. Horrible class.
Was just awful. We determined that narcissism had built an insurmountable wall that impeded her lessons from being clearly communicated. Rather than understand the material, one's had to memorize small easily forgettable specificities for each topic, rather than strive to understand the big picture. Really failed to teach "conceptual science".
Definitely not like any other college courses i've taken. She is very organized and if you keep up on assignments and quizzes its fairly easy to do well. Going to class is necessary because tests are based off notes. She has lame jokes that get annoying and treats you like a little kid, but if you get past that its not so bad
I really like her but I think you have to have a strong interest in Bio. She has a lot of material that is helpful like her study guides and she has many study tables and office hours. Her teaching methods keep me interested in class and she has study guides for tests which are extremely helpful. Not too much work and I do recommend her.
I took Dillon for both 151 and 152, and she is a great teacher. She keeps the lectures intresting, but I do not recommend missing any. DO THE STUDY GUIDES!!! Anyone who has a bad thing to say about her class most likely didn't. Do your part and it's an easy A. Bio/Med majors take her!
wow.. had her for Bio 151, and first things first it was a very hard class. I never took AP bio, and she assumes that everyone has and sort of looks down on students if they haven't. I was always afaid to ask questions because she would sort of mock people who asked obvious ones. We got literally 5 min for long quizes too.. dont reccomend!
quirky personality, but GREAT teaching style. she always makes class very interesting! relates it to you. Attendance not mandatory, but CRUCIAL!! Good deal of work, but it helps prepare for tests. soooo worth it!! Take if even slightest interest in bio, great professor!!!! 151 AND 152
Dillon knows what she is talking about, and she is a great professor. HOWEVER, she is very difficult. Her class is tough and you have to make it your number one priority. In all honesty, I would take Professor Fetherson. She's funny, easy to comprehend, and overall a better professor.
I'm not a Bio major, but I didn't want to be in dumbed down bio. This class is hard and you will have to work for it, but it's worth it in the end. Sit in the front, raise your hand in class, and volunteer and she'll like you. Do all of the study guides and follow her tips for studying for the tests. Go to the study tables, too-she sees who goes!
Easily one of the best professors I've ever had. If you don't understand biology than this class is perfect for you! i love her, she makes class awesome :) i used to hate biology but she makes it so easy to understand. TAKE HER!!!!!!
When I switched majors, my adviser screwed me and put me in bio 152 before I took 151. After knowing this she told me I shouldn't have be taking her class and how I had to work twice as hard than everyone else. B- on the final and somehow that resulted in an F in the class. No response/explanation for it either when I emailed her. HORRIBLE teacher!
She's kind of crazy, but she's a great teacher. Relates everything to practical situations. Her study guides are great. If you put effort into the class, you shouldn't have a much trouble.
Stay away. She calls you out and makes you feel like a complete idiot if you don't know the answer. Dreaded going to class.
MED is awesome!! Her class is somewhat demanding in terms of keeping up with study guides and the difficulty of tests but I would suggest her to anyone and everyone. She is quirky and fun.. taking her class convinced me to switch my major!
Stay away. Seriously worst teacher. If you don't like biology DON'T HAVE HER
I personally loved her as a professor! She definitely knows what she is talking about and I learned so much from the class even after taking AP bio in high school. People who don't like her usually go into the class thinking they don't have to do that much work. I would recommend her.
She isn't very nice...It seems she enjoys calling on students in class and making their answer appear stupid instead of encouraging them.
Honestly, never take this teacher. She is terrible. She never takes the time to know anyone. She will call you out in front of the class if you don't know the answer. Honestly, I would tell you to drop if you get her, she's the worst teacher I think I've ever had. She expects that you are OBSESSED with bio and already know a lot about it
Calls people out in front of class and never lets class out on time. Going to class gets repetitive and annoying, but she is very passionate about Bio and is very good at teaching the material. She applies it to real life circumstances and really gives you all the tools you need to succeed. I learned the most from this class ever.
Dr. Dillon is great. She gives out study guides and test reviews, so if you keep up with those and notes you will have no problem getting a high A. She gives bonus on every quiz and test. She encourages participation. She does not make you feel bad if you answer incorrectly, she just asks someone else. Makes bio very understandable
Professor Dillon keeps you very interested in the class and is very animated. Her class is pretty difficult, but you really understand everything you learn after taking her class. I really recommend her for Bio 151 as long as you keep up on the reading.
Nice teacher all around her class can get hard if you get behind and dont do homework but otherwise if you do the work, go to class, and study some for the tests its an easy class
She means well...that being said, be prepared for A LOT of work. You will spend 2-3 hours doing homework or studying for each class and if you fall behind it is very difficult to recover. The class also doesn't feel personal since she only gets to know her best students. Although very entertaining, this class is a tough one.
Fast/unclear.She will literally go over five different, complex concepts in one sitting and then expect us to know every little thing about it by the next class.Her quizzes are timed horribly and we get about 5 minutes for long quizzes with short answers.Even if you know the information perfectly, you can still do horribly on her tests and quizzes.
Dillon means well, but prepared to do a lot of work. She can be all over the place and attendance is mandatory.
Professor Dillon is a lovely women, but she needs to emphasize on her teaching skills. She moves through the material extremely fast, doesn't stop to clarify, and disseminates a huge amount of daily work for a general biology course. The assignments and tests are very rigorous as well. International, freshmen and sophomore students DO NOT take her.
Worst teacher ever. Made me switch from health major to business, because she was so bad. Avoid if possible, and take rhoads
Very straight forward and does give a lot of work, but it is clear what is expected of you for all tests and quizzes. Quizzes every week really help! Probably one of the best professors I have ever had. You really learn and understand the material
She teaches very quickly, but if you read the textbook you should be fine. She gives quizzes nearly every other class period, which I found annoying, but the one before each test is open study guide. However, if you don't like overly excited and peppy teachers, don't take her. She is exceptionally cheery and always makes you talk in groups.
She can be really rude. Asks questions and if she doesn't like your answer will argue with you. Some units are hard and some are really easy. Class is boring though. You do a lot of work that seems useless. Overall alright but be prepared for every class period or she gets upset
DILLON IS AWESOME! Do your study guides, if you dont do them good luck getting an easy A! You never know what is going to come out of her mouth, she is hilarious! Ask questions and go to office hours! Go to SI sessions, she always picks great SI leaders! You will learn to love her quirky style teaching!
Professor Dillon has yet to go through a class without saying "you're getting your tuition dollars worth today!" That usually comes after someone answers a question wrong and she says "you couldn't be more wrong!". The study guides she makes you do suck and they barley help but if you don't do them and the readings, you're screwed. testsimpossible
She's awesome, kinda sassy, but a great teacher
Prof. Dillon is a really fantastic professor. It's clear she really knows the material and is passionate about it. She gives great analogies to help you understand concepts. Never a dull moment in her class. She does expect a lot out of you though. Only take her if you really like biology. If you do, she's great!
very hard grader and gives unfair questions on tests. Don't take her unless you're a bio major
Do not ever skip class, always be organized and spend time studying every night. If biology isn't your thing, get ready to work
Prof. Dillon is great! She is the best explainer I've had. Her tests are challenging, but if you put in the effort, you'll be fine!
She can pick on you at times but it's because she wants you to really understand the material. Make sure you have tough skin and a good sense of humor. Book is only used for Study Guides. Be organized. She has her own method but it's not necessary to do all that. BUT SERIOUSLY. BE ORGANIZED!
It's clear she knows biology really well and does a good job giving examples in class to help her students understand it. The tests are hard but if you study hard you will do fine. Sometimes in class it can be confusing and you have to spend time learning it yourself. She is always there to help. This class is hard but you learn so much.
I LOVE Professor Dillon. She can be tough but it is college lol. She gets really in depth with the material but has great examples, metaphors and analogies for what we learn. She also has about one awful joke a class. It's so bad that its actually hilarious. Im taking her again and don't want any other professor teaching me bio!!
Kind of goes quickly through some parts of the lecture but covers what she thinks is most important during class. Gives you study guides for each chapter that are incredibly helpful. If you do the study guide, you'll get at least a B on the tests. If you skip lectures you'll fall behind very quickly. She makes difficult concepts very understandable
Professor Dillon may seem off her rocker to some - but she does silly things and gets people in class involved to make sure you understand the great amount of knowledge that's required to be thrown at you in BIO 151. If you take the time to study and do the mini-assignments to help review, you'll definitely be successful in her class.
Professor Dillon, is overall one of the best bio 151 teachers to have. Yes, she may be alittle hyper for morning classes and gives assignments. But everything she does really helps you to get good grades on her tests. Depending on how hard you work, depends on what grade you will get.
Her lectures are always hilarious and pretty interactive. If you sit in the front, be prepared to act out skits of biological processes. She gives a quiz about once every other week and open study guide quizzes before every test. The book is only necessary for these study guides because she does such a good job explaining in class.
Dillon is great. I can't even begin to tell you how quirky she is, but her heart is in the right place. She is one of the best explainers of a prof I have ever had, and she will make you learn the material. Her tests may be a little challenging, but if you put in the work, you'll be fine. Overall, great prof (best for 151-152), would take again!!
Dillon is by far the best professor I have had so far. She is very passionate about her teaching and it makes you want to learn. She makes it very easy to pay attention in a lecture. Bio both semesters was by favorite class. She tells you exactly what you need todo to do well in her class, and is always willing to help you and explain anything.
Prof. Dillon is amazing. Her lectures are never boring and she really knows what she's talking about. She is very passionate about her subject and loves calling out text books when she doesn't agree with them. She uses great and funny analogies to help you understand the material. Very peppy and an overall great teacher.
I took Prof. Dillon this summer and I highly recommend her. Very nice and funny. From the beginning, clearly states what is expected of studentsto do the homework in order to be prepared for testsquizzes & to be able to talk about the material in class during lecture. She gives extra credit assignments & e.c. points on tests. She works with you.
She's interesting and funny. The class is hard, but that's because it's BIOLOGY. She explains concepts well and encourages you to go to SI, which is extremely helpful. I plan on taking her again because you know what she expects from you.
Professor Dillion is quirky, passionate, and a great teacher! She wants you to pass and does everything she can to help you. She knows a lot about learning techniques so she does some weird things to help us remember things but they really do help. The class isn't easy but if you pay attention and work at it, it isn't hard to get an A.
do the reading guides, go to class and SIs, and sit near the front and you'll be fine
3 tests + cumulative quiz grades + final. Reading is mandatory and she gives out 2-5 page reading guides per chapter which you will be quizzed on. She can be condescending and rude but I don't think it's intentional. Lots of trick questions and short answers on tests and quizzes. I learned a lot but I think there's a lot of unnecessary work.
If you really want to know biology well, take this class. Good for people who are visual or hands-on learners. Make sure you keep up on the RGs as soon as they are posted! Don't get behind in this class because the most important things she teaches are in lectures! Come to class prepared (i.e. notecards, colored pens).
Loved her. If you do the work she gives you and pay attention its not hard to do very well in her class. She's good at explaining things and has good ways to help you remember info. She gives everyone an extra point on every quiz. There is homework but its not extremely time consuming. Would def recommend and I'm taking her next semester!
Professor Dillon is a really great professor and you can tell she really wants her students to learn. She's pretty engaging, which is good because you really need to pay attention in class. Also, expect to have a really good amount of homework- she assigns mandatory reading guides for the chapters in the book.
Lots of reading, lots of quizzes, lots of memorization... One of those teachers that believes her class is the only one that matters
I had Professor Dillon for 151 and 152 and she is one of my favorite profs ever!! Her lectures are interesting and she really knows what she is talking about. Definitely take her if you're willing to work and want to actually learn biology. She is so funny and really tries to get students involved.
Dillon is a terrible professor. She made us do reading guides to teach ourselves the material. She makes students feel bad for getting answers wrong in class. She wouldn't provide help unless you took notes and organized them the way she wanted. Didn't follow her syllabus for looking at factors to affect the final grade.
If you can find another professor then do it
Could be a little more friendly
Talks about her bike too much
Favorite professor during my entire freshman year. Many students found her to be quirky and even rude, but I instead find her amusing. More outgoing than other profs and does give out pop quizzes, yet she is approachable. Be prepared to work for your grade, but you will definitely learn the material when said and done. Does offer extra credit.
Dillon assigns a lot of homework per week; definitely more than the other bio teachers. She makes you work for your A but its possible, just prepare to spend a lot of time looking over notes, doing a lot of homework, and study a lot for her tests. Tests are pretty straight forward but in order to do well its essential that you do ALL the homework
I wasted so much ink on this teacher and I am not even done with the course. RG are pain in the butt, she is a good teacher but very corky at times. Not sure how I would feel if I did not take AP in high school.
She's a good teacher but I would not recommend. Some of the things she says make her seem crazy. Expects you to print 10+ pages a week. Lots of homework that is very time consuming. The material isn't too difficult if you have time to put in work. The tests require a lot of studying. She explains things and teaches well if you can get past the rest
Prof Dillon was my favorite class freshman year. She made the information very interesting. If you do what she tells you and do her reading guides you will be able to get a B without studying for the test. She hold personal test review sessions on the Sunday night before the test where she basically tells you the test.
Professor Dillion did a really good job explaining the material in class but her reading guides are annoying and don't help very much. Your grade is highly based on 4 exams and there isn't any homework credit. She has a very quirky personality and her jokes are pretty bad but overall she is really good at explaining the material.
Prof Dillon is sassy, but has clear criteria and the quizzes help prepare for tests. Stay on top of reading guides and do your homework and that's pretty much a B already. She has plenty of opportunity for extra credit! If you're in pre-health she's amazing for bio 151 and 152!!
I'm so obsessed with Mary Ellen she is my spirit animal. Her lectures are amazing and she really tries to get you engaged. She is an amazing prof and I would definitely recommend her for anyone for Bio 151 and 152!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be ready to do a lot of reading guides and print a lot of papers
Dillon is such an interesting teacher. She tries to make it fun and engaging. Make sure you stay on top of the reading guides and homework or you'll get lost. The tests and quizzes are somewhat difficult, but there's extra credit given at the end of each test/quiz.
Professor Dillon is amazing. She makes Biology interesting and does her best to keep her students engaged. There can be a lot of homework at times, but if you do assignments as they are assigned, you will be fine. She can come off as rude to some people, but she just has a dry personality. Highly recommend her if you are going into a bio field
Professor Dillon clearly knows what she is talking about and her class itself isn't hard, but I would not reccomend taking her class. Personality-wise, is very passive-agressive and sometimes even rude. Makes you feel bad for getting a question wrong. Loves trick questions, starts class early and ends late A LOT. Don't take her class.
Professor Dillon is a hit or miss professor. She's super sarcastic and expects A LOT from her students. She assigns reading guides to go with each section and they can take serious hours to complete if you get behind. Tests are more difficult than they need to be most of the time, BUT you learn a lot and are prepared for a future in science.
Professor Dillon was extremely difficult. Unless you have taken AP or IB Bio I do not recommend taking her. If you do poorly on a test she blames it on the organization of your binder?? She forces you do a ridiculous amount of reading guides that you will only use once. Do not take her!!
I didn't take AP/IB Bio in high school and it was alright. The reading guides mentioned were lengthy but they reinforced some things I had a hard time with. If you do the homework and follow her lectures with the guides she provides online then you will be alright.
It is impossible to fail her course as long as you attend. However, it is also very hard to do great. She makes her expectations very clear and tells you what you need to know. Be prepared to do lots of homework but all of it will help you come test time. She has very interesting lectures to say the least. I would happily take her again.
Had Prof. Dillon for Bio 152. Overall a good teacher, would take Prof. Dillon again. Makes you work hard, but if put the effort in you will do well and get good grades.
Prof Dillon absolutely notices when you don't come to class and will call you out on it the next time she sees you (usually just to you, so don't be afraid of her calling you out across the classroom). She cares about your performance and does not want anyone to fail - she will even go as far as to offer you recorded lectures for classes missed.
Lets start with reading guides: theres a couple pages (they go along with the textbook) per chapter, per 21 chapters, and each page takes about an hour. Its essentially busy work but you get quizzed on them. You must have an organized binder according to her standards but she doesnt tell you what chapter anything belongs in. Tests are hard.
Very smart and knows what she's teaching. Very good class lectures but is slightly standoffish and condescending. Office hours are mandatory if you want to do well. Difficult class that you really have to work for to get a good grade. Take at your own risk.
Shes obvi very smart and knows her stuff. Kinda hard tho. Lots of homework and studying so be aware of that. Tests are very difficult and many people fail them, including me. Its a lot of work forsure and class attendance is mandatory. Have fun :/
It is a tough class but you learn so much and she makes class actually interesting. I enjoyed going to this class. The reading guides aren't that bad considering you have to read anyway and they make it actually easier IMO. For quizzes and tests, she tells you EXACTLY what you need to know. if you like bio you'll appreciate how detailed she is.
She is a very confusing professor. She knows her stuff that's for sure. She was not encouraging in class, and her lectures were hard to follow. She also crammed to much information at the end of every class. There also is a lot of homework that takes a lot of time. Not an impossible class but very difficult.
Prof. Dillon is very clear about what she wants and how to succeed in her class. Getting the hang of how to succeed in her class is hard but she is very helpful and wants you to do well. Meeting with her outside of class helps A LOT, and doing all the work she recommends helps tremendously in the long run. Don't take if you want an easy A w/o work.
Love her! She's a bit wack but a great teacher, definitely take her if you can!
Prof Dillon knows what she's talking about. You just have to make sure that you study and keep up with the work. Do the reading guides ahead of time.
Dillon is one of the worst profs I have ever taken. Super inaccessible outside of class, treated her students and SI instructors terribly. Disorganized, all over the place, and very rude. Office hours are useless. Don't waste your time.
Professor Dillon was a nightmare. Her lectures were chaotic and it was unclear what would be featured on tests/quizzes. You do so much work outside of class and get points for none of it. She spends more time worrying about being funny than conveying material clearly.
The worst professor ever. She is so rude to her students and laughs at them when they answer questions wrong. I dont think I have ever disliked someone so much. The class overall is not too hard but Dillon makes it unbearable. I am literally switching majors because of her.
Participation is mandatory Inaccessible outside of class Lots of hw, most isn't for credit Final grade Totals points for 3 tests, 10 quizzes, and final Reading guides are long af but split it with a bio buddy and they're fine I'll admit- she's a good teacher but comes across poorly. She can be condescending and rude w/o realizing it
Dillon tries to teach too much information into a short time frame. Her tests and quizzes are very hard so be prepared to study. The homework isn't for credit. The reading guides are a lot of work and most of it doesn't count. She gives quizzes on the reading guides and the quiz will consists of 10 questions on 15 pages of reading guide notes.
Professor Dillon forced participation and gave unnecessary amounts of homework. If things were not completed the way she wanted she would not accept them as correct. She seriously lacked communication and ability to keep her word. She kept lectures interesting but for the sake of your own sanity I would NOT recommend this class!!!!!!
She is a queen and loves biology! Super funny and easy to talk to. She loves people who pay attention and ask questions! If you take good notes and read the book. You wont have to study an insane amount before the tests. She drops the lowest quiz grade but youll never know what days theyre happening(except reading guide quizzes)do reading guides
Ok so this lady get a bad rap which I understand sometimes but shes honestly a good teacher just corky. If u follow her instructions u will do well literally whatever she tells you to do just do it. Also the reading guides or annoying so split it with a friend.
I would say her teaching is easy BUT she is was very rude with me and working remotely. She gave me an unfair test giving me a oral test of just straight knowing but gave everyone else multiple choice and short answers. She said I had 90 mins but cut me off at 45 mins because I was thinking for too long???? doesn't make sense if I have 90 mins.
I did not enjoy Professor Dillion at all. She gave us tests on Saturdays, and made us take quizzes outside of class time. There are daily pre-lecture videos and also mini quizzes almost every day. She was very rude, and even told me to drop her class. She is really organized, which is nice, but you have to work really hard to get a good grade.
Professor Dillon is not approachable. She is very rude to students. You have to do huge reading guides that are mandatory, but she never even enters them as a grade. Her tests and quizzes are basically impossible even if you study or know the material. Her questions are super tricky and difficult.
She comes across condescending if you have a question regarding the material and will say "you should know everything in biology." The exams are always on Saturdays and beware of pop quizzes. I felt extremely overwhelmed with the workload trying to manage her class along with my others. She does NOT care about her students and suggest they drop.
Professor Dillon is without a doubt the worst teacher I have ever had in my life. She expects you to learn a chapter in a week and speeds through all her work. Her tests are on Saturday morning which is insane. She is rude and does not care about the success of her students. Do not waste your time with this class, take literally any other professor
I am a Pre Medicine major and appreciated her detail in biology, as it is one of my favorite subjects. If you are looking for an easy A, DO NOT TAKE HER. She will make you work for your grade, but if you are looking to go to graduate school, I would 100% recommend taking her because she makes sure you know the material inside and out.
Prof. Dillon is so knowledgeable and helped me understand concepts I struggled with for a while. She makes bio easy, and although there's a lot of homework it is consistent and not just busy work. It really helps. She's very personable and gives lots of opportunities for extra help if needed.
Heres the thing, shes not a bad professor but she wants you to do things her way or youll be out of luck. Her way didnt work for me and it turned me off from the class because I felt out of control.
Professor Dillon is my favorite professor. She explains topics in a way that helps many students understand and you can tell that shes been teaching for awhile because she knows what she is doing. There is a lot of work in this course, but it definitely helps in the long run. I would highly recommend taking her if you are willing to put in work!
Professor Dillion was definitely not one of my favorite professors I've had at Dayton. She gives unnecessary busy work and we had quizzes every class. She also gave her test on Saturday mornings and was very condescending and made students feel dumb.
She assigns a TON of work. 90% of it is just busy work and she bases most of it off of these reading guides that are supposed to follow the book but really don't. At least every day I spend 2-3 hours just on her class. She clearly has no concept of students taking multiple classes.
I hated her!!! So much busy work and she moves so fast its hard to keep up. She expects you to do do 2 hours 3 days a week outside of class.
She is a very my way or the highway person. The chapter guides are a pain but if you do what shes says and put in the work you will be fine. She does not seem to realize that people have multiple classes other than Bio and she expects 2 hours each day designated for Bio homework.
She teaches in a very specific way, so if you don't like her way you probably won't like her. There is a lot of reading and homework, but if you keep up with everything you should be able to do fine. Her SI's are really helpful, so go to those. She expects a lot from her students, and expects everyone to put in just as much work for a good grade.
Prof Dillon is clearly very educated and has a real passion for teaching. That being said, this course isn't easy and you will find yourself lost if you miss class. She also doesn't give grades throughout the semester so you don't know where you are officially until the end. However, I enjoyed this class and felt I learned a lot.
Notes and organization are huge. She gives lecture guides you have to print out and you take notes on her speaking throughout the lectures. She is very specific about what she wants you to memorize. If you use extra time you have to email her every time there is a quiz, also there are pop quizzes. There are extra credit points. Be punctual.
Can be very rude. Has to be her way in terms of wording material and organizing your binder. Goes too fast teaching and thinks BIO is our only class! I spent hours doing busy work. Reading guides are pointless because they don't help on tests! Only tests go in the grade book and takes the top 10 best quiz scores and makes that one test.
Although her class was a lot of work and I did not enjoy doing multiple pages of reading guides, I have never learned so much in my life. She makes class interesting and gets you engaged and involved in class which forces u to pay attention. Although I did struggle with this class and it was not easy, if you want to learn something, take Dillon
Dillon gets a bad rep from a lot of people, because she assigns a ton of outside work and wants you to learn everything her way. That being said, I have never learned so much biology in my life. I really understood everything we learned in bio, and I would highly recommend taking her if you want a strong biology base.
There is less than a month left of this class right now and the only grades are 3 tests, which are pretty tough by the way. Technically there is no homework, but you have to complete a super long reading guide for each section. She has good lectures, but the work is hard.
If you go to class, pay attention, write notes on crucial details, and listen to the stories she tells, you're bound to get at least a B+. You need to stay engaged tho.
I would never take this class again. Professor Dillion is very rude. The only grades that go in are the tests. She made fun of me in class and told me to quit my job bc I wasn't putting in 2 hours of study time for her class each night. This class is extremely hard. You can totally take her if you are ready to work but I wouldn't recommend her.
Do not take her class!! I am a straight A student and got a C in her class. She's rude to her students when they ask questions and I never felt welcomed or happy in her class.
Is a nice person, but very difficult. Only grades are quiz grades that she averages at the end of the semester and exams. She makes you buy her reading guides and do them throughout the semester and they are super long and sometimes don't even help with the material we are learning. Go to SI! They taught me more than she did.
Personally, I have had an ok experience with professor dillon. She makes the quizzes very hard and takes forever to put in grades. The only grades that go in are your four tests, and quizzes. She means to confuse you with some of her questions which doesn't helps. If you want to put in lots of work then take her but if not, I dont recommend
I have never had to work harder for a class. She was a good teacher I learned a lot but she is a bad person. Her class gave me so much anxiety. She would call out students who she knew didn't understand and make them feel stupid. She called on someone once because they yawned. Quizzed every week and 4 tests in the grade book.
There was so much outside work that she never graded but you needed to do. She expects that this is your only class and you need to focus on this class above everything else. I needed to go to her office hours but she scared me so much that I did not want to go. Her grading is hard and the reading guides suck. GO TO SI
Professor Dillon gets a bad rep with a lot of people, she expects a lot of you, but her lectures are engaging and her metaphors helped me actually understand biology. If you go to every class, do the homework, go to SI's and study before the quizzes and tests you will get a B+ or above. In the end, her class was worth it to me and I learned a lot.
I would like to say that this was the worst class I have ever taken and I would never take it again, there is way to much outside work.
Doesn't teach at all. You have to do so much homework, and you get no credit for any of it. She doesn't lecture, she shows videos and makes you talk to your "Bio-buddy". Extremely lazy professor and felt like I was teaching myself. Im not naturally smart with bio and this was horrible and was SO much homework
She was rather rude on a few occasions and felt like she didn't care. Heavy on notes and loves tests and quizzes. If you have accommodations she makes you take tests with her and in order to obtain any use of accommodations she requires a meeting and a printed-out copy as "she doesn't care for emails". Did not feel supported or successful
If you do the reading guides, study and pay attention you should fair decently in this class. Specifically pay attention during lectures. Her personality often rubs people the wrong way, me included, however if you can overlook that she's a decent teacher.
I took SEE 250 with her and Bill Marvin but SEE 250 isn't listed. Mary Dillion is not a very nice person. She has a tendency to be rude and dismissive to others ideas. She sure does love to spout off her personal opinion as if its fact. Tests are unorganized and answers are ambiguous. Would steer clear.
I would avoid talking prof Dillion if you can. She is very passive aggressive. The SI sessions are super helpful. Her lectures are interesting and engaging. She holds help sessions before the test which is helpful. My biggest issue with the class is that she expects you to come to class 5 mins early and keeps you 5 mins after.
A very hard teacher. She is very harsh on quizzes and even worse on tests. Gives pages and pages of homework that is never looked at and isn't ever used. Except for occasionally open homework tests, which sounds great but the time given is 3-5 minutes to complete a whole quiz. I wouldn't recommend.
Lectures are huge in this class, as many quiz answers come from small points she makes in class. The grading can be harsh as only five grades, four tests, and a combined quiz category go in. You can miss a question on the quizzes and still get 100%, and extra credit is always offered. Spend time on reading guides and textbook problems before tests.
Prof. Dillon's is an amazing professor that really cares about her students and the material she teaches. The only grades in the class where four 100 point tests and 14 10 point quizzes where only the top 10 where graded. She gets a lot of hate for her reading guides, but I never did a single one and got an A in the class.
Her class can be intimidating for incoming freshman, but overall you will learn so much more if you take her class versus other professors. She assigns a lot of work and expects a lot of you, but if you do as she asks you will receive a good grade. She says she makes no exceptions, but will work with you if necessary. I highly recommend her classes
Professor Dillon's personality can be considered very mean. She is a tough grader, lecture-heavy, and gives out amounts of work to be completed in a limited time frame. Printing lecture guides before class is required. Test 1 is hard, Test 2 is the most difficult, and Test 3 is considered to be a recovery test.
Dillon has a very lecture based class and does not always explain concepts well. Tests and quizzes are extremely difficult and specific. Going to SI can help, but it will take a lot of time outside of class to do the homework and study. She is not very fair and never even learned my name. Mean and would not recommend taking her.
Watch what time you schedule your class because she expects you to be there 5-10 minutes early on quiz and test days and is strict about that. She typically keeps you over class time as well and rushes content. She is condescending and rude to students but if you figure out her teaching and quiz style its definitely possible to get an A or B
She was extremely nice and taught the class extremely well. I did well in her class and I did not really study at all. Her lectures are hilarious and very good. She keeps them interesting and very fun. I would highly recommend her she makes the class very easy. A lot of extra credit offered. Only complaint is she can be condescending individually.
I took Dillion for SEE250 but it's not listed. She's a fine teacher but super rude and condescending. She spends more time in class picking on students than teaching actual material. She rushes quizzes/tests and expects you to be there early yet holds you over. Once you get her teaching style and nitpicky preferences you can succeed in the class.
Lectures are very interesting and engaging. It takes a while to understand her teaching style but once you get it you will succeed in the class. A lot of busy work/hw but not the end of the world. Gives out lots of extra credit. Graded on five tests and that is it. Show up to class and do the assignments and you will be good! Definitely recommend!
You will have reading guides so you do have to read a lot, and you are expected to do 2 hours of homework between each class BUT she's the best professor I have ever had. AMAZING lectures, her class is so engaging and she's so funny. If you have the opportunity to take a class with her DO IT!!
Professor Dillon runs a challenging but rewarding class. Her lectures are engaging, and the reading guides are essential. While her grading can be harsh, going to SI sessions and using study aids like Unstuck ai can really help. Attend every class, and you'll learn a lot.
The goat. A great person and an even better teacher. Makes connections to relatable ideas. uses tools and symbols to help with understanding. a difficult class but a fun and rewarding time. highly recommend.
She's a very detail-oriented professor with strict expectations for her students. If you commit the time and effort—attend SI sessions and complete the reading guides—you should do well. However, be prepared for a substantial amount of homework and time commitment for the class. Also, she expects you to arrive a a few minutes early to class.
I would complain a lot but she was genuinely a nice person. She's hard on you because she wants you to try. I truly think she had a strict guideline just to keep people in it and prepare them for grad school. While it is a CAP class it felt very geared for those who more than likely will go on to grad school. Just put in effort.
I learned so much in this class and it was so easy to remember with her way of teaching. Some things to beware of are your final grade is cumulative of all your tests and a test grade of your avg. of your quizzes very few assignments. The SI review sessions helped so much. I recommend her over the other BIO 151 Prof from what I have heard.
Pay attention and go to SI sessions. A lot of homework, and arrive a few minutes earlier. Other than that you'll be fine.
Prof. Dillon is overall a good professor. Yes, she does say wild statements sometimes but overall she does pretty good at explaining things. You will get basically free open reading quizzes before every test that count for a real quiz grade so make sure you do the work outside of class. You also get to miss 2-3 questions on almost every exam.
Mary Dillon is easily the funniest and best biology professor I have ever had. Her lectures are structured in a way that makes it easy to learn the material and I would love to take her again.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
85%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
148
5.0
(1)INTROBIO
5.0
(1)BIO151152
4.9
(8)BIO 151
4.0
(1)BIO152
3.4
(38)Difficulty by Course
BIO101
4.3
151
4.0
BIO151
3.7
BIO152
3.6
SCI230
3.3