1.8
Quality4.5
Difficulty10%
Would Retake174
Reviews10%
Would Retake
174
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
12
4
9
3
22
2
25
1
106
What Students Say
“Avoid this class if you're looking for an easy GE course”
BIO101 - 2.0 rating“Very hard grader, she tries to make you fail the class”
BIO101 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
50%
Textbook Required
17%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.31 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO10O
4.0
(1)BIOL305
3.1
(12)BIOL360
3.0
(1)BIO101HYBRID
3.0
(1)BIOL101
2.4
(9)Difficulty by Course
BIOLOGY101
5.0
FALL2013BIOL
5.0
HESC360
5.0
BIOL360
5.0
BIO101ONLINE
4.8
Reviews (174)
DO NOT TAKE HER! Your grade will depend on it. The tests are the hardest I have ever had at Fullerton. You have a test almost every month it seems like. Information gets crammed, with a lot of terms and ext. The essays are graded so hard, barley anyone even passes them. She doesn't curve anything, doesn't give any extra credit.
Horrible teacher! She treats you like you are still in preschool, but the tests are hard!! She gives you 6 possible answers for every test question. Grades hard on essay tests. Doesn't give extra credit.
She is an amazing professor with a lot of knowledge of the subject. She does give out extra credit & she is willing to work with you if you need the extra help. Notes are easy to help make subject more understandable!! Her study guides, along with the notes taken in class, are exactly what you need to study for her tests...which are not that hard!
This professor is really nice & fun as long as she is respected. She presents the material in an easier way to understand it by her ppt's & excercises. The essays given are graded by the Biology Department, she is not in charge of those grades. There is no reason why anyone should complain about her because she is there to help to you & she's nice!
What more could you ask for? A cute lady teaching Biology of Human Sexuality. Mrs Menvielle's lectures are crystal clear and she uses power points which make for easy note taking. Tests are hard because you need to be good with cramming info and memorizing diagrams. Very reasonable course load for those not looking to spend long hours studying.
My bio class with Menvielle was well organized and easy to follow. She updates your grade to keep them current (so many teachers dont!) and the class blackboard is full of helpful materials. Class isnt mandatory but if you go and study maybe once or twice before the tests you should be fine. A good teacher!
terrible teacher. goes over 10 chapters for an exam. lectures too fast and not precise. questions had to be answered from text. lectures are boring and dry. too, too much info. i hope she knows this. obviously she doesnt. cannot wait to never see this lady ever again.
She is a really hard teacher. She goes too fast and gives a lot of information. Her tests are hard and questions are complicated. She is awkward but always offers to help. She grades by the book, no exceptions, so don't expect pity. Knowing the information is not enough, accuracy is most important. People with bad test skills, don't take her!
This class was SO HARD. Professor on the other hand was actually really good. She was super knowledgeable, and made the class interesting. I mean, it is biology after all. Tests were SUPER HARD, but the papers weren't bad.
She is very energetic and loves what she does. Her powerpoints pretty much give you everything you need to know for her tests. READ THE DIRECTIONS ON THE TESTS. She does attendence through in-class activities so be there. She answers all quesitons knowledgbly. Great teacher to take this class from.
Very interesting, but difficult class. Exams were very difficult, but there are plenty of worksheets to help you prepare/buffer your grade. She is very knowledgeable and loves teaching this class. Her energy made the class a little easier. Didn't use textbook that much, but do recommend it for studying purposes. Definitely recommend this class.
Professor Menvielle definitely knows her material and she is very passionate about it. You need to attend class because she randomly assigns worksheets. She's a helpful person but her exams were extremely hard. Do not rely on just the study guide
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! She is extremely hard. I took this class online and she wants you to complete something every minute of the day. There are too many assignments, you have to listen through her online powerpoints, complete weekly quizzes and discussion board postings and the three extremely hard test. & everything has a different due date
Don't take her! I took her web class and there is sooo much work. You have to check in frequently because she's constantly posting assignments. This class requires 7-10 hours a week. Too bad because I was interested in the subject before taking this class.
This class was so much harder than it should have been. Her tests and quizzes are all very opinionated and confusing. She expects you to know things that aren't in the lectures or textbooks. Do not take this class.
WORST CLASS EVER! it was soo how hard for me to pass this class. i got a D so i passed with the bare minimum. I actually tried too. Even though i kind of understood what was going on in the lecture, you still need to do all of the reading or you won't understand anything on the test. she doesn't understand that this class is for NON-bio majors
Warning if this is your prof drop the class. She overloads you with extra work that isn't necessary for a general ed. She doesn't understand that this is for non-bio majors. I honest drop with a W since i knew that i wouldn't be able to keep up. Good for bio majors not for a general ed.
Hard class but passable with high grade if you work at it. I had a solid “A” but the WIKI assignment killed me. Matched 52% thru turnitin which resulted in a zero on the assignment. I took the on-line class and you have to stay current to keep up. I devoted about 15 hours a week to get an A and then lost it because of the group assignment!!
For a GE class, it was extremely difficult. I took the class online, there's always something you have to turn in. Be prepared to be on your computers a minimum of 4 times a week. Also, the exams are very hard. The assignments are fair. She did offer 30 points extra credit.
Quizzes and worksheets are high-school level. Did not use the book at all. HONESTLY, just memorize her powerpoints and you will get an A or B in the class. No concepts to master, just pure memorization. The only challenging assignment was the writing assignment, just don't plagiarize and you will get an A.
She always knew what she was talking about, BUT HALF THE CLASS DID NOT. I'm not going to bash her because I went to her office hours and she makes every effort to help you and work with you. I just would not suggest taking her class if you struggle with sciences. The course was much too hard for a G.E. SHE WAS NICE THOUGH :D
SUUUPER HARD. Omg she assigns so much stuff. The tests are insanely hard. Don't do it.
I liked this professor's class. She is very helpful if you need help with your assignments, and she will help you with them and give you feedback on your essay in her office hours. Her tests are very hard, and there is a assignment due every week. But she gives power point lectures, unlike some teachers.
Don't take her course online. You might as well go to a class. Her material on the test doesn't match her lectures and she grades very hard especially for a 100 level course. I am a senior in her GE Bio 101- saved some easy courses for later.so I thought. However, I swear this is the hardest class I ever took. GEEZZ
Hardest teacher/ class I have taken at CSUF. Is in no way at a 100 level. Very nice lady and willing to help at any time, but the toughest grader I have ever had. Would not recommend this class at all. Do anything to not have her.. trust me. Constant assignments, prepare to study everyday for this class. Tests are ridiculously hard
Horrible professor. This class was way too hard for a GE. She treats you as if you are a BIO major. Loads of assignments that's unnecessary. Exams are so hard because its not straight from the book or assignment.I found myself looking things up online because she didn't cover it.
Worst Teacher ever at CSUF! She is only interested in getting her paycheck, seriously. As a senior took her course bio 101 with a 3.25 gpa - I did all the work and failed the course. This was one of my two classes left.
So many people are right about her! I started taking this class a month ago and she seriously takes grading way over the top. No matter what you do you will fail every assignment. She is not clear on her lectures and she doesn't know how to teach. I don't know if I will pass or not, but so far its not looking good. Not advised to take her.
Very hard grader, she tries to make you fail the class.
Way to difficult to be a 101 course. Probably one of the hardest courses I've ever taken. I can't say I learned much either, but I did pass. Avoid this class if you're looking for an easy GE course. If you want an overly challenging course, this is your teacher.
Don't take her. The course is so much work for a 3 unit lower division general ed class. There's a ton of tedious work and questions and assignments are very vague. She expects you to be able to dedicate 6+ hours of work to this class alone each week. There's just something wrong with Bio professors in general at CSUF.
This online class is pretty tough. Every week, an assignment is due on the Thursday and a quizdiscussion on Sunday. The tests are in three parts and are hard unless you pay attention. She assigns readings and leaves you to it with no video lecture interaction. However, she is always emailing back with any question you have really quickly.
Professor Menvielle's teaching styles were really helpful for me. It was the lecture, then either a worksheet to do with a partner or as homework. The powerpoints and worksheets were very useful study tools. She is also very friendly and helpful. I would definitely take her again!
Exams are really tough because her lectures are very vague and things that are put on the exams are not always what are found in the textbook, lecture, or assignments. We have assignments, discussion, and quizzes due every single week. She's also not very helpful and doesn't seem to care for her students.
Please take the easiness rating into consideration. She thinks everyone taking her class wants to be a biologist. AVOID HER. Especially if you think her online 360 class would be easy because it's online.
One of the worst instructors I've ever had. She is not a good lecturer and doesn't make things clear as they should be. She tests on info that is not included in lectures or the text. Don't know where it comes from! Weekly assignments, quizzes, discussion, and lectures (some long). Just an awful instructor. Very nice, but she isn't clear.
Also wanted to say, it feels like too much work for a 3 unit class. Beware of the WIKI project, make sure you know how to correctly paraphrase/cite your work. She tests on WIKI pages written by students, which made the final a little ridiculous. There was conflicting info. Expects you to know and tests on basic bio, NOT included in lectures/class.
She was such a hard grader! I would understand the lecture in class, but once I would get to the test, I'd have no idea what I was doing! Her tests are insanely hard. I agree with everybody would spoke before me, when I say that she is TOUGH
Self-taught class. one-page essay every two weeks. assignments do every friday by 8pm. Exams on a sunday stay open for 24 hrs. You have to read the textbook; hardly any lecture. you have to read up to 3 chapters almost every week. Textbook was easy to understand. Appreciated what I learned but it should not be an online class.
Took this just so I could take the lab since my community college class couldn't fulfill the GE portion. There's a good amount of reading, discussion post required every week, paper every week, 3 exams that are split into 3 sections. Treated it like an upper div class, and I did not enjoy having to deal with that on my last semester.
She uses double negatives when talking. She uses double negatives on the exams and quizzes which can be very confusing. Exams and Quizzes do not relate to the material of the week or section. Her lectures, powerpoints, and book do not match up with quizzes and exams. Quizzes and exams are unrelated to class material and extremely confusing
Each week there would be a tremendous amount of work. Assignments, quizzes, exams, scorm packages, and discussion boards into one week, every week. This class consumed more time than any of my other core or track classes. The professor gives a lot of busy work. The last assignment, the peer to peer learning, for this class was not necessary.
Written parts of the exams are extra-long and require more than the 1 hour allocated time. Professors grading of that part of the exam are not fair. Even when all was answered, points were still deducted. She would require more out of your answer. Again not enough time. There were 3 parts to one exam which is unnecessary to test your knowledge in
Tough grader. Way to much work for an online class. I had more work from this class than my analytical chemistry course which was way easier. Four to seven online assignments per week.
Professor Menvielle was a good & kind teacher. She did assign a lot of homework, but they were useful tools for studying. Her lectures were interesting and clear. I enjoyed taking this course. It is not easy, but as long as you put effort, read the textbook, and do the assignments you will do good.
There's something like 20ish homework assignments throughout the semester... BUT if you come to class and do the simple homework, you'll be fine. Exams are based on powerpoint lectures mostly, so STUDY those and you'll make an A. Takes a little work but good class. Fun, cheerful teacher. Would take again.
There are several homework assignments which help when studying for the exam. It is important to attend class because she gives out the homework in class and at times has in class assignments. Despite several hours of studying, her exams are difficult if you are not great in Biology.
Truth be told, Menvielle isn't all that hard like her reviews precedes her to be. I think she just requires that you are quite knowledgable in the topics covered in class, which is why her exams can seem hard if you're not sure of the material. She could do a better job prepping for tests however. Rote memorization will not help you pass her tests
Way too much work for a 100 level class that is online. I should not need to spend an entire day to finish two assignments.
Overall, I liked the professor, but the class was very hard. She is always well-prepared to teach. She does give her home weekly, but it is useful on the exams. This subject is hard for me, so I did poorly on the exams. If she was a CHAD major professor, I would totally take her again.
The fact that this was a hybrid class made it more difficult than it needed to be. You basically have to teach yourself because she doesnt lecture, she just gives in class activities and goes over them at the end of class. Therefore, you cant miss class because you will lose points.
The class was okay. I don't like biology to begin with and this class didn't help. The exams are very specific and difficult. There were matching questions with over 15 possible answer choices. She also grades very harshly on papers. She is really nice though and encourages you to attend office hours.
This teacher is an amazing smart knowledgable teacher. BUT this class was SO hard. Who ever says here"just study, try, you'll pass" is either a bio, math, or engineer major. The tests are detailed & long, you must know the material forwards & backwards to pass. Yes the teacher is nice but she is testing us as if we have known the material already
She is very nice, BUT TESTS ARE HARD. You must know the material like the back of your hand. This class is way too hard for a GE class. Super specific and was a flipped/hybrid class. If you messed up once on the online homework you were screwed. You must spend 15+ hours studying a week. Do not take her!! Especially if bio is not your major.
Very frustrating online class. You're given a lot of info at once so pay close attention. Check graded writing assign. She is very specific about what she wants, however, it is very easy to miss something. Create a bullet list or something for the writing assignments. The central concepts were great but the class was annoying. I'm honestly pissed.
This class was way to hard to be a level 101 class. She is very nice but I would never take her again. She grades your written responses on test way too heavily even if you understand the content.
She is a great nice teacher but her tests are so hard.
So much work for a class I didn't want to take. She was very nice. She drops the lowest writing assignment grade. Look closely at the rubric and everything that's due. If you miss one thing, it was clearly listed somewhere. There's a lot of info though. It can be very frustrating. The overall topics make it interesting.
The most AWFUL class ever. She makes a 101 way too difficult. She grades extremely hard. You want to take this online class, think again. She will make your life miserable with the amount of work she makes you do.
Took this as a hybrid class, but definitely would not recommend. I took this class to gain GE credits, but it was wayyyyy too hard for a 100 level class. The in class assignments do not correlate with the exams, and the exams were extremely hard. Don't take this class if you want to get a high grade in bio.
This was the worst professor i have ever taken my college career. She gets off on failing students even though everyone is nonbio majors. She counted a question wrong because i was "too specific" like what? what professor does that? She comes off as friendly but dont let that fool you. She will fail you. Take anyone but her. CSUF, do better.
Seems nice, but gives way too much work. Ive taken other online classes & this has been the hardest. Every week theres an online activity due along with a discussion post. The next week you have to reply to at least 2 people & do the quiz for each module along with a writing assignment. All of this plus the reading takes up a lot of your time.
Menvielle makes this class harder than it should be. you teach yourself basically, she just posts a list of things you should know and the list is really long. every week theres a discussion post & an assignment & either a writing assignment or a quiz, it switches weekly. theres just a lot to keep track of so make sure you're on top of it
I wish she understood that we are college students taking other courses as well, not just her class. There are discussions, papers, and quizzes due every week, so you definitely have to put a lot of time into this course. BIO 101 is only a GE, but she makes it feel like a major class. I would say it is best to find another professor.
class is super difficult and exams are extremely hard, the class is a get but she makes the class harder than what it needs to be. leaves a lot of work a lot of notetaking for it not to be on the exam. overall, she sucks as a professor would definitely hope they switch her for a better one
She is a very sweet professor! She really wants you to learn the material, and even answered questions up until right before she passes out the exam. Coursework is excessive and exams are definitely tough, however, she always encourages you to attend her office hours or see her after class. Extra credit opportunities as well!
JUST STOP. STOP SCROLLING BECAUSE THIS REVIEW IS ALL YOU NEED READ. DO. NOT. TAKE. HER. !!! JUST DON'T. !!! TOO MANY ASSIGNMENTS. HARD GRADER. TOO PICKY. THIS IS NOT A MAJOR CLASS BUT SHE ACTS LIKE IT IS.
Do not take! If you do beware! I am a student who typically gets a Low As and Bs but each exam I received Ds. She is a tough grader & most students who do take this course are Non-Bio majors. I purposely sat in front of the class but still have trouble understanding her. She is a nice person but needs to lower her standards we are not scientists
I agree with the other reviews that this professor is nice, but she is a tough grader and the subject is tough material. I do agree that she could simplify a few things in which would make the tests easier. Tough grader on the wiki project when she kept adding new requirements up until the last day its due. Transition online with COVID was rough!
I thought she was fine, but everyone isnt exaggerating. She grades too hard and is too strict. She does not cooperate at all. She didnt want to round up my grade which was a 69.95! She ignored all my emails. What a horrible person.
Professor Menvielle is the worst professor I have taken at CalState Fullerton. Her grading is too harsh and you never get positive feedback from her or constructive criticism. Please do not make the mistake I did and not listen to the reviews because you will regret it. WORST PROFESSOR EVER!!!!
4 Exams. group project (easy), 1 paper (easy)lots of extra credit and hw. Had to take this class for the B5 section. I love this teacher but not a fan of the subject. I struggled the whole semester but the professor really goes out of her way to help you pass. The class is not hard if you study and read. Group project and paper were easy.
4 exams, 1 group project, 1 paper, few online quizzes, tons of homework to help you understand the material. There are 2 things I recommend to pass this class: Write down what she is saying instead of only coping down the powerpoints and try to start off the class with a passing grade, it is very hard to come up from a low grade in her class
Professor Menvielle is the worst professor at CalState Fullerton. The worst part about this is that she is the only professor that teaches BIO305. She is so mean and harsh when it comes to grading exams and papers, she's a cold and condescending professor and I would not recommend her. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS WITH THIS PROFESSOR!
While I am sure she is a good person, she is not a good professor. Be prepared to spend at least 20-24 hours a week studying for this class. She is an extremely harsh grader, will not round grades by even .05%, and gives extremely vague answers to any questions you might have. All in all, do not take this class unless it is your last resort.
Prof Menvielle will be one of those professors where you are not looking forward to doing work because there's so much work to do, but it is easy if you know the concept, but she's harsh on grading. Would not take this professor online, i don't know how she is in person, but, I would not recommend her at all. Good luck if you're taking her class.
THE. WORST. PROFESSOR. EVER. I know youre reading this and thinking oh she has a few good reviews. You better nope out of that mindset real quick. She expects us to be like grad students and be able to spit out her version of the material. She grades SO difficult on essays and short answers and you cant go back once you answer. DO NOT TAKE HER.
NEVER TAKE HER CLASS. Even though many people say the rating scale is a bias based on people's opinions, but trust these students. She makes this GE class like a major class and she grades very difficultly on exams, papers, and projects. DO NOT TAKE, even if this is the only GE course left to fill, wait next semester for another open class.
Please listen to us if you will be taking BIO305 with her. DONT. Doesnt follow the objectives. There's a reason why the majority of her reviews are terrible. Because SHE'S terrible. She grades WAY TOO tough and thinks we're graduate level students. She doesnt give us enough time on exams. SAVE YOURSELF AND RUN. Take a different GE class! BEWARE
Don't even bother scrolling, you can see all the relevant recent reviews. Do not take her class. DONT! She grades papers harshly and limits us to how many pages and tells us to "elaborate more" or "explain". I CANT WHEN YOU LIMIT OUR NUMBER OF PAGES. Tests are tough and she grades too harshly. This is a freakin GE class not a graduate level course.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. For being a 101 level class, this professor has assignments that are nearly impossible to get a good grade on, and grades extremely difficult. Oftentimes gives 60% on papers and gives knowledge checks that take the average of both attempts. The questions are all of nothing so if you miss 1 matching item, you miss all point.
No words. Just don't take her honestly. She's so hard to please with papers and a terrible grader. I've never hated biology more than now.
Worst professor ever, only posts random youtube videos, and gives 30 pages of reading. Weekly quizes. Dont think the professor put any effort into the class. She will grade papers as if it is a 400 level english class.
if you want to torture yourself then this is the class for you.
Unclear grading criteria, put 0 effort into class (doesn't even use her own lectures). If you are prepared to put in at least 24-30 study hours a week for one class alone then this is the class for you.
No offense, but she shouldn't be a bio professor for undergraduate. She expects way too much from us and the way she grades makes it difficult for us to succeed. She doesnt tell us what we got wrong on our tests but expects us to know the information like medical students. I cant in good conscience recommend her. BEWARE.
I'll keep it short. RUN, don't walk, to a different GE class.
Avoid this professor at all costs. She expects way too much for a Bio 101 class and her grading is way too tough. There way too much homework each week; it is doable but it is exhausting. Writing assignments are graded way too harshly and her feedback for them is not useful. Run as far away as you can.
Unclear grading criteria. Doesn't give you back your exams nor tells you what you did wrong. Same with the papers. She doesn't tell you what you did wrong. Some call her straight forward and she is anything BUT, especially if you regard all her other ratings. Avoid her at any and all costs. Not worth your grade or your life.
Don't take Biology 101 with this professor. This class is ridiculous and way too difficult for a GE. If I could rate a 0, I would .
Now that class is done. I can clearly say she is the worst professor Ive had as a bio major. Difficult instructions, and unclear. Tests were ridiculous and hard. Sequential answering only and cant return to change answers. Unfortunately shes the only professor teaching this class
Youd think this was med school bio by the way she grades. Shes a tough grader and her tests are difficult and complicated. She grades harshly and her lectures are powerpoints. You have to basically learn it her way or risk being failed. Instructions on assignments were unclear and ambiguous at best. Avoid this class. Avoid this prof.
I just cant with this professor. I cant believe this was a 101 class. She is the toughest grader by far. Worst bio professor at csuf. I have to retake this class again and Im a pretty good student. Lots of assignments. Lots of reading and just overall a lot of stress. Dont take her if you need a gen Ed class. Too difficult to deal with
Doesnt give feedback on papers or tests. Her rubric for them is unclear. Overall unhelpful and willfully ignorant. Caused me so much stress and anxiety. Tests are sequential meaning you cant go back to change your answers. Multiple questions for each one question. Terrible teacher.
AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE OTHER RATINGS PLEASE AVOID TAKING A CLASS WITH THIS TEACHER! She does not care about her students. This class has caused so much stress and anxiety that I almost wanted to go bald! Her exams have about 5 things you need to answer in each question within such a short amount of time. Also, the dean is doing nothing about this!
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR ALL THE REVIEWS ARE TRUE. This course has made 2020 worse than it already is, it has given me constant anxiety, stress, and has just been awful. I have never had such a horrible experience at Cal State Fullerton until this class. There were HUGE issues between students and the professor. Dean hasn't done anything about it
just DONT take her. dont even consider taking her. RUN THE OTHER WAY!!!! she doesnt even teach. i could probably take her place!
Professor Menvielle is a very calloused professor. She has her own agenda. That is to get her material into the students hands. She does not have an ounce of compassion. For example, I contracted Covid -19 during the semester in her class, she could care a less. Just wanted documentation for proof. Displayed no empathy for her students at all.
DO NOT TAKE!!! She grades way too difficult on the group project and paper as if we should be perfect and know everything like its not a GE class. Shes doesnt care about her students and doesnt help at all. She acts like were all bio majors and should already know the information.
She really doesn't care about what her students ask about. You teach yourself and you don't get to work with other students. Unforgiving and unreasonable
The course was asynchronous but we had weekly check-ins for 15 mins. Read the textbook provided and take notes to pass the class. Weekly quizzes and a one page paper every other week. The material isn't hard if you've taken bio in high school. There is a good amount of work to do (varies each week). Just keep up with it and you'll be okay :)
So I actually took this professor in 2016 and grade dropped due to personal issues. Just wanted to say this professor told me I would never graduate with the way I seemed to care about my school work and to find something else to do with my life path. Well, I just wanted to say I graduate in a week with a 3.0 GPA :) She teaches terribly by the way
DO NOT TAKE HER!!! Truly so disappointed with this professor and class in generak. Grades extremely hard, weekly quizzes that if you don't do well on will tank your grade. Graded extremely hard on the paper due at the end of the semester, dropped my grade by about 8%. AVOID!!!!
Insane workload, especially for a GE class. Get ready to self-teach, she occasionally posts lectures of herself teaching the material but most of the learning is textbook based. Do not take this professor, take this class at a CC instead. Save your time and mental health.
Synchronous class through zoom with weekly quizzes, homework, group project, and a paper. Gave very unclear instructions with a paper and was very particular about formatting. Very "guilty until proven innocent" mentality toward her students. Any study aids that were asked of her made it sound like it was an inconvenience to her. Avoid her.
Avoid this professor at all cost! This class was way harder/stressful than my upper division class. The material is simple but the workload can be a bit much, especially for a 101 class. Quiz every two weeks. Make sure you know APÁ format for the writing assignments. If you do decide to take her, I wish you nothing but luck.. CSUF do better.
I WAS EXCITED FOR THE MATERIAL BUT HATED THE PROFESSOR :( I felt like I was being judged by her anytime I asked a question. No matter how confident I felt during the quizzes I still ended up scoring a 70%. Her class is very lecture heavy and she doesn't like being slowed down. She is alsonot compassionate for worldly obstacles we face as students.
DO NOT TAKE!! This lady is the worst!! I hate her class with a passion. So so much work! Its unbelievable what this lady assigns. She is honestly the work educator I have experienced in my entire life. She doesnt care about you and wont respond to you. I am so stressed out bc of her. Lady needs to chill. Class is way to hard. Wanna drop out
I wouldn't reccommend against the class, but there are better options. There are weekly tests and bi-weekly group projects. There is also a LOT of reading that you need to do, more than any other class I've ever taken.
The work load is not unreasonable due to it being an online class but man is she a tough grader. She gives group projects that kinda suck and is super harsh on deadlines. I would not take her class again.
Quizzes every week! And its worth 50% of your grade. She gives us study guides but when you take the quiz, none of the questions were in the study guide and she writes them differently. Do bad in one quiz, your grade drops a lot.
AVOID AT ALL COST. Hardest GE class ever!!! Thought she was nice and caring about her students but i was very wrong. If you asked a question she would giggle and disregard you expecting you to know it. Not enough time for quizzes. Green super harsh. And for an online class wasn't allowed to use any notes on quizzes
Toughest and most confusing GE class that I have taken, quizzes every week! The study guide provided isn't helpful and she manages to make the questions on the quiz unrelated to the lectures! This professor is also a tough grader! Really wished I had listened to these reviews
Terrible teacher. Not only does her weekly quizzes contain material she doesnt go over (basically teach yourself from the textbook), she doesnt give enough time. Students brought up concerns regarding their grades and the tests and the first thing she does is put the blame on the students for not turning on webcams. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE
I normally give professors the benefit of the doubt when it comes to ratings on this site, but trust me when I say this, this professor is not the one you want to take. When multiple students brought up concerns, she laughed and blamed us. Her tests do not match what she teaches and you do not get enough time to take them. Just avoid her class.
This is a ridiculously difficult course for a 100 level gen ed class. many quizzes and "knowledge checks" which are just quizzes with a different name. She is also a tough grader. Also some group assignments.
I thought this class would be easy boy was I wrong. First of all one of our assignments was a draft for a final paper which she gave me 5/10 which totally dropped me 2 letter grades. I had a B then went down to a low C almost a D. There are quizzes also every week which also impacts your grade if you dont do well. TOUGHEST GRADER TO SAY THE LEAST
Don't take this class!! I saw the reviews beforehand but I had no other option but to take BIO 101 with Menvielle. 2 quizes due every friday as well as discussions and sometimes papers or group assignments. There is also a lottttttt of note taking. Everything is due at 9pm which is very inconvenient.
I wished I looked at the ratings before taking the class. Lots of group projects and very inconvenient because we were expected to meet on zoom on our own time. Depending on the people you get it could suck. Assignments are due at an awkward time and no late work is ever accepted. Lots of discussions. Tough grader.
The Exams and Genetic Journal are going to drop your grade because she expects way too much, she is very unclear with her study guides so you'll just have to learn everything from the textbook, I wish I would've looked at other reviews before taking her class and wasting my time. Had a 3.6 GPA before this class so I'm pretty bummed overall.
Doesnt provide any information on group projects, overloads repetitive work, and has a horrible graduation by system
Only gave her a 2 instead of 1 because she's actually very sweet and nice. For a 100 class it is taken too seriously. Exams are very hard and lectures are so broad and do not help with the exams. I really do not recommend.
Do not recommend taking her. She gives out a lot of group assignments and weekly quizzes and the modules are too broad and never correlate with the quizzes. (busy work) She grades harshly and quite frankly, she doesn't care if you fail or pass She takes intro to BIO too seriously when more than half of the kids are taking the class as a requirement
She is very sweet, but the class is just okay. She does a survey during the first week and bases lectures off of interests of students, so it is interesting. No homework, textbooks aren't really used. Tests are a bit difficult and review questions she recommends don't help a lot. Attendance is required, most of the graded work is done in class.
The teacher is very lecture heavy and test heavy, so her lectures normally take the whole class time until the last 10 mins she does a little worksheet or activity. There are a total of 4 exams and one big writing assignment. Honestly you can pass her class with a B as long as you actually try and put in the effort, not an easy/ simple 101 class.
I arrived a few minutes late to a class because I commute to school, and the exits were blocked off. She told me I should have found another route and would not give me credit for being there for the day even though I was present for most of the class. I asked if I could do the work, and she said yes, but when I asked again, she changed her answer.
She is not understanding of her students' situations and makes the course wayyy more difficult than it needs to be. I have straight As in all of my other courses, and I worry about passing this simple 101. I recommend finding any other biology teacher.
I like this professor as a person and she actually cares about her students. Provides review exercises and feedback surveys. Class is very lecture heavy. Attendance is taken by random in-class activities. 1 paper, but she did not require much for it. She responds to emails fast. I can tell she has a great understanding and interest of the class.
do not take her class. I am telling you that there is so many other better professors than her, she is so lecture heavy for a 101 class and expects you to remember everything on it, she does not give study guides so you are on your own to find out what certain topics are going to be on the exams. DONT TAKE HER
There are 4 exams, two extra credit assignments, and a big journal assignment at the end. She is a caring teacher that provides feedback and is accessible outside of class. Putting in effort is important, you can't just memorize the topics, but you have to actually understand them.
There were 4 exams and each was hard. She's a tough grader. You will get OVERWHELMED.On top of trying to grasp the material in each lecture you also have to do a journal.The class is already hard as is with trying to understand the lectures, and looking back, I strongly believe the journal was a complete waste of time.
Should not have this amount of work for a 101 class. There were so many discussions, knowledge checks, and group projects almost every other week. As an asynchronous class we should not have to do as many group projects as we did. She only grades the discussions post everything else is automatic and she grades those horribly, the average was 12/20.
We had group projects every other week and HAD to get in contact with them because she looks at the version history of the google doc when grading. Would not ever take again.
Professor Manivelle makes Bio 101 5x harder than it needs to be. The assignments are frustrating and she's very vague when it comes to feedback. I wouldn't recommend her to anyone. Discussions (4-5) are worth 20% of your grade with quizzes being the only thing outweighing discussion. Non-school emails give you a 0 on group projects as well.
Maryanne Menvielle is a very kind professor who does respond to questions and emails, however, there are several assignments in which the workload gets tedious. I've never gotten anything below an A in Biology until I took this class. There were so many assignments that it got overwhelming.
This class has so much work that it gets overwhelming if you do it last minute. I hated this class but it was bearable to a certain extent. You have to do group work and do your part or else youre going to fail because it gets graded based on how much work you did. Every week its the same things. Moral of the story dont take this class please.
She seems like a good professor, however, the workload was overwhelming on top of my four other classes and work. The study guides, which were long, (not graded but if you don't do them you won't do well) would have been fine every once in a while but there was one each week. Good material, but hard class.
The professor gives out a lot of unnecessary, large amounts of work. Her grading is weird and she usually does not give specific feedback. She gives out group assignments pretty often, which was a burden since it's an asynchronous class. She is pretty strict with deadlines and does not usually accept late work.
Hated this class. She made it seem like we were bio majors. Pay attention to her lectures. Tests are extremely hard, study well in advance to do well. No extra credit. Please avoid!!!!
workload is so overwhelming she thinks we dont have lives or other classes. also has triggering lecture that involves counting our calories and weight. will never take her again.
I GOT 100 ON A TEST AND SHE REFUSED TO LET ME HAVE A 20/20 SHE TOOK .5 A POINT OFF BECAUSE SHE COULD !!! AVOID HER AT ALL COSTS SATAN COULDN'T REACH ME SO HE SENT ME TO CAL STATE FULLERTON AND HAD ME GET STUCK WITH THIS CLASS she acts nice at first but then gives the worlds hardest quizzes and group assignments in an online class
Group project for every module, terrible grader.
Terrible professor and very heavy on group projects, so make sure to type in the documents actively, or she will give you a zero on the assignment even if you contributed in other ways. Does not respond to emails or messages. I would not recommend her in the slightest, would rate them lower if there were negatives available.
Would not recommend taking this class. Lots of assignments, tests/quizzes, and group assignments. She's a very tough grader and doesn't understand that we have lives besides this class. For tests there were a ton of all or nothing questions, so if you get that wrong it was like -8 point already, so it felt like I was going to fail either way.
Listen to the ratings, you should drop this professor ASAP if you still have the chance. She is a tough grader regarding group assignments with the class average being about 39 percent, which should tell you something. I score high on regular assignments and quizzes, yet it still feels impossible to receive an A.
DO NOT TAKE!!!!! JUST AWFUL!!!! When it comes to grading group assignments, she grades you individually on what you did on the doc instead of grading the "GROUP" assignment as a whole. She's just a tough grader in general and is very picky about what she wants. Would not recommend taking her.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PROFESSOR AT ALL COST! The lectures are so long. Her grading is probably the worst grading I have seen from a professor, and her group projects make no sense as you get graded for INDIVIDUAL work and not GROUP work. If you need to take bio and this is the only professor available, save your sanity and do not take it.
WORST PROFESSOR EVER!! She wants u to write like you have a PHD in Biology. She expects you to know the textbook like you have been reading it your whole life and include it in papers that should be "short. I asked her to revise one of my essays, and when I corrected it and turned it in I still got a 60/100. Stay away from her for your GPA's sake!
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. WORST CLASS EVER. This professor was the worst for a 101 class. She was not clear and expected that you knew everything about biology like the back of your hand. There are group projects you have to complete but it's an asynchronous class so it was hard to get in contact with classmates which also made it hard.
This was the worst teacher in Cal State Fullerton. Her grading is very difficult and unclear for a 101 class. Avoid this class, I wish I dropped out sooner. My bf is a bio major and took harder classes and couldn't help me. Students had argued with her on her grading and she is not at all considerate, it feels like she wants us to fail her class.
I'm not sure why Professor Menvielle has so many bad reviews. She was my favorite teacher I had all semester but take the class IN PERSON. Its a lot of information if you don't have a biology background. She really breaks it down and makes it interesting! Questions are welcomed and she really wants her students to be successful.
Tough grader with unclear grading criteria. Even if you follow the rubric, your work will still be incorrect. You truly need to alot 10-15 hours a week to this course, but even then you probably will not get an A. Do not take this class, unless you want your hair to fall out.
THE REVIEWS ARE NOT LYING! She knows that students of all majors have to take her class and she either purposely or ignorantly makes her class a living nightmare for all of her students. Don't even bother with the group projects, you'll fail. Crazy amount of homework. Please do NOT put yourself through this like I did thinking it wouldn't be bad.
This prof is fr the devil bruh. Just listen to me do not take this class. I literally completed every single assignment in the class and put in hours and still failed cuz this bih grades like I am supposed to know everything about biology.
Avoid this professor's BIO101 class if you can. While the material is engaging, the grading is harsh and the workload is overwhelming. unstuckstudy and study groups helped me get through it.
There are group projects and writing assignments, and she grades insanely harsh on these for no reason. She leaves a comment on every little thing and marks you down a lot for little mistakes. Even after getting all A's on the exams, I didn't get an A in the class because of these projects.
Tough grader, docks points for very little mistakes and isn't a professor you could expect to be understanding of situations even if it's her mistake. A lot of assignments including group projects and writing assignments that she grades harshly. don't take this class...
This professor is just simply sad. DONT TAKE this class, you WON'T pass. If you try, your sanity will be gone by the first group project where she will most definitely not give you anything higher than a 50/100 no matter what you do. PLEASE do not think these reviews are exaggerating, she is simply THE WORST. DONT TAKE THIS CLASS!
Worst professor alive
This Professor is the harshest grader I've ever seen. You will never get full credit on writing assignments or group projects. I had 100% on all the lecture assignments, but the group assignments brought my grade down so much, even though everyone did good, thorough work.
I should have dropped her class...I am having a hard time believing As and Bs students are getting Ds on her exams. Something is not right...
idc how smart you are YOU WILL NOT get a grade you are hoping for. group projects are the worst and she nitpicks every. single. thing. I am constantly ripping my hair out bc of this woman, i got all 100% on every lesson/quiz she assigns but the group/writing will drown ur grade. 101? No. You are expected to know everything about biology.
grades EXTREMELY difficult and does not teach whatsoever. there is multiple "lessons" posted every week, but they are essentially quizzes on videos. she has an "additional resources" module but its literally just Yt video links. also multiple group projects for a fully online class making it really hard to communicate with everyone. save your gpa
Whatever your situation is, even if you have to stay an extra semester, DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS WITH THIS TEACHER. You will have to do lessons quizzes (20%) group assignments (30%) writing assignments (30%), & module quizzes (20%). THE WORST TEACHER AT CAL STATE FULLERTON. If you want an A or B for bio, you won't receive it in this class.
honestly a lot of the other reviews are a bit harsh, professor menvielle was honestly a straightforward teacher. some say its "heavy" but then again it is a bio class so make sure to actually apply the stuff u learn. there is one big semester project but pretty easy if u start early. tests are confusing tho so just actually study
If you weren't religious before, well, pick a religion and start praying because this professor will have you paying for sins you committed in your past life—one of the worst teachers I've ever had for a class ( elementary to college). None of the reviews are lying, even if you have to stay an extra semester, don't choose this teacher.
beyond speechless...
She is very harsh and carries no empathy. She is not understanding throughout any scenario and will make you feel less than. Oftentimes when she annotates your work, she will add "?" instead of helping you out and will accuse you of plagiarism if you do not cite what SHE wants. I see no point in group projects for online courses.
i strengthened my relationship with God bc this professor was that awful. gave so much homework/papers and she grades so harshly, her feedback on papers/assignments consists of her putting "?" instead of actually saying what she was looking for, and your grade is determined by like 2 assignments for the entire year. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. horrid
Lots of homework every week and yet it doesn't benefit your grade. Your BIOLOGY grade is determined by your WRITING skills. The feedback will be "?" and you'll be accused of plagiarism because it's not what is expected from her and she won't clarify. Do not take her. She won't let you withdraw
buns. Writing SHOULD NOT be such a big part of your grade.
She is the most harsh grader ever, your grade is mainly based off a couple of writing assignments in a BIOLOGY CLASS and she expects perfection. She is a danger to the 7 seas, a menace to society, a hazard to the nation, and a threat to the 9 realms. If you're religious or even if you're not you will be by the end of this class.
As others have mentioned, the writing part will tank your overall grade. I have no words.
NEVER take this Professor. She somehow manages to use so many words yet still can't clearly convey instructions. She grades like we're all training to be doctors and her feedback is vague. Assignments are abundant and tedious and her grading is SO late. Do everything possible to avoid this professor. Worst one ever.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
50%
Textbook Required
17%
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C+
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