Good O Chem teacher

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Sometimes can be confusing, but over all pretty good.

He is a generally nice guy, his lectures are basically reading through the powerpoint slides he gives you. His tests are fair and best of all the final isn't comprehensive. Overall a good teacher, but don't ask for a letter of recomendation-apathetic

Very nice guy. His lectures were very clear, but his test are extremely hard.

Very good teacher. If you like organization, he's the professor for you. He is into detail and he is very clear about what will and will not be on the tests. Tests are still hard, though. Lots of studying for this class. READ THE BOOK!!! DO THE H/W!

I liked this class. I thought he was very organized and outlined exactly what we needed to know for the tests. He's a funny guy too. However the course is tough and you'll have to study a lot to do well.

One of the better teachers I've had. Very clear on what will be tested and what won't. He made the best of a tough class.

He made a boring class more interesting by making jokes and applying chemistry to everyday life. Yet, his multiple choice chemistry tests are frustrating and result in a lower grade than a written test. It is hard to know what will be on his tests, because he sometimes pulls questions out of nowhere.

This is one of the best chemisty teachers that I'd ever had. He is by far the best O-Chem teacher. He knows what he is talking about and explains it in a manner where the studentes can uderstand. His tests are write on and some problems come from the homework. Very approachable, he even wrote me a letter of recommendation for med school. TAKE HIM.

One of the best chemistry professors out there. His class was very entertaining, and I learned so much. His tests are free response and he is extremely friendly and approachable. Such a great teacher, I would most definitely recommend him.

Don't take anyone else, his lecture notes make it so you don't have to take a single note all semester. Very straight forward tester, and really a nice guy. Best teacher I've had at BYU.

Understand his notes and you'll understand the book. Understand his notes thoroughly and you will get at least an 80 on the test. I found his teaching style rather simple and easy to understand. I gave him a 5 on easiness but I'm not one of those genius kids that gets A's (C in 351 and C- in 106). Great professor!

This was a very hard class. I took it summer term, which meant that Dr. P's 5 tests (and a midterm), came out to something like a test every week. That being said, I enjoyed the class. I was mostly frustrated because I got 92-94% on all the test except one (and the final), but he still gave me a B+. 95% is an A, which seems a bit extreme to me.

I never went to class, just studied the lecture guide and did the homework for as many hours as i could in the two days before each test, bought the acs final review book and studied it for two days straight before the final and got an A. Its all memorization of reactions and mechanisms. He puts questions directly from the homework in the book!!!

Well, I thought it was a decent class. I barely went and still got a good grade. This class was a cake walk compared with Flemming. I really loved Flemming, but it was nice not to have to go to class: Tips: do the homework, study the recitation packet, and read if you don't understand. Class wasn't all that useful or interesting.

Dr. Peterson is very straight forward with his teaching and is not trying to trick you at all. The tests come almost directly from his packet and the homework from the book. If you can memorize mechanisms this class is very manageable.

He's not super exciting but his class is straightforward. No graded homework which is nice. He follows the book very closely. If you understand the reading there's really no point in going to lecture because he just repeats the book.

Dr. Peterson makes organic chemistry entertaining. Teaches strictly what you need to know for his tests as well as for the MCAT or DAT. As long as you can learn from the book, attendence isn't mandatory in my opinion.

I thought Dr. Peterson was hilarious. His corny jokes keep you paying attention. He was reasonable and not on any type of power trip. His tests vary in difficulty, but he changes the grading scale according to class averages. The class is hard, but this is OChem, it's just the nature of the beast, it has nothing to do with Dr. P.

He's a great guy, and pretty funny, but the subject is super heavy. I never fully understood a couple concepts, but that's only because I didn't read the assigned reading before coming to class. He assumes that everyone has read and teaches like that. If you don't like that, don't take O-chem at BYU, at all. They all teach that way.

Dr. Peterson expects his students to study like they actually want to learn about ochem. A struggle for many, but I thought he was awesome. There are 5 midterms, which I thought were better than 3, what others do, because of the enormity and detailed nature of the material. Only 3 would make studying for just 1 near impossible. Pete's the best!!

He is a nice teacher, very helpful..

Dr. Peterson was the most helpful professor that I had at this University. He is by far the fairest teacher in grading policy, and he taught in a way that kept me awake. TAKE HIM. You will learn OChem as long as you actually study (and yes, you should go to class, you will do better.)

He's good. I liked him for Ochem

No matter who you take ochem from at BYU, it'll most likely be one of the hardest classes because of vast amount of material. I liked Peterson, his lectures kept me awake and I sometimes learned to appreciate organic chemistry. Go to class and read the book and you'll survive!

Dr. Peterson is the best teacher that BYU has to offer in the Ochem department. I am a premed student who doesn't have a huge background in the subject, but he was able to make it interesting and made the tough work more bearable. Because he taught me in a way that was down to earth, I ACED the ACS exam. Way better than everyone else! TAKE HIM!

Best Ochem professor at byu! I know because I had all the other Ochem professors as substitutes during the semester. Ochem is hard no matter who you take it from but Peterson makes it interesting and tests fairly.

I don't know why everyone else has a problem with him. I took organic chemistry from him and from another professor and preferred Peterson. His tests are very straightforward and you will get a good grade if you study hard. I also liked how he doesn't collect homework and I felt like I had more control of my learning that way.

The only thing I didn't like about Dr. Peterson is his grading system. He grades in deciles, which means that the top 10% of the class gets an A in the test, the next 10% get an A-, and it goes down like that. So sometimes even if you get over a 93% on a test it won't be an A. But he explains the material well. Focuses on premeds often in lectures.

Dr. P is a good professor. Lectures are less organized than some, but still understandable. Funny guy, which helps. Always available for questions. Grading policy is fair- offers regrades on each exam. Posts practice tests for each exam, sometimes are nearly identical on actual exam. HW questions often show up verbatim on exams.

Peterson has been my favorite chemistry teacher. You have no homework but if you do the problems you will be set for the tests. OChem is a class where the amount of time you put into it determines your grade. If you read the chapters you will be good and if you don't just look at the summaries. You need to go to class to get iclicker points.

Dr. Peterson gets a bad rap because Ochem is difficult and students don't put in the necessary time to do well. He is great, office hours are helpful for before and after exams. Find a TA and have them help you through the sample exam. It's a different amount for each person, but if you put in the time you will do well. Straight from the book.

I honestly don't understand all the bad ratings for Dr. P. He has by far been one of my favorite professors at BYU. He takes a class that has a rep for being a nightmare and breaks it down into something that seems completely doable - and it was. He is pretty clear-cut on what he will test you on. Put in the time, and you'll do fine! HILARIOUS too!

His lectures are pretty clear and enjoyable, but he often spends too much time on easy topics and not enough time on tougher ones, but the book covers those areas. The book is your best friend. His tests are reasonable; just put in the time and do the homework problems (even though he doesn't collect the homework), and you should do fine.

Dr. Peterson really cares that people do well. The dectile system he uses can only help you. Work hard, do the homework, and you should do OK. The material is tough, but he is a very fair teacher.

Great teacher who knows the material and expects you to know the same. His tests are tricky so be careful with them but if you study and prepare for his exams then you should do well in the class!

Ochem is tough, however dr P made it enjoyable. He's very helpful during his office hours. Also love how he teaches eternal concepts of why chemistry is important :) His tests were multiple choice-- except for the final. Non- comprehensive final which was nice. Do the practice problems in the book and pay attention to what he emphasizes in class

Dr. Peterson knows this class is hard and expects you to put in a lot of work, and a lot of time outside of class to succeed. I love that he doesn't get carried away in obscure, difficult material - he makes most content understandable. Study his PowerPoints before class if possible and make flash cards. Generous grading system.

OCHEM is hard but Dr. P doesn't make trick questions or anything on the test. You just have to pay attention in class, study the hw problems like crazy from the book, and you will do okay on the tests. Plus, he does a grade curve at the end of the semester, where top 10% grades get an A, second top 10% gets A-, 3rd top 10% B+, and so forth

Ochem is just a hard class, no getting around it. The tests were really tricky. Dr. P is there to help! The textbook is your best friend. Focus on what he emphasizes in lectures and work hard. His grading system helps you out at the end.

OChem is naturally a difficult subject, but I think Dr. Peterson is the best person to take this class from at BYU. His tests are based heavily on what he says and emphasizes during lectures.

I took both part 1 and 2 from Dr. P. Organic chemistry is tough. You need to put in the time. Read the book and do the assigned problems and you should be fine. COME TO CLASS. He gives so many hints for the test. He's such a nice and funny guy, and I think he teaches really well. He's very accessible outside of class. Loved this class and Dr. P!

Once you accept that OChem is going to take much more effort than your average 3 credit class it's great! Dr. P is hilarious, loves OChem, loves Monopoly references (and many other references), and loves to give Christmas presents to students, i e tells you specific things that will and will not be on tests. Took 351 & 352 from him, dont regret it!

I was really nervous going into OCHEM, but I made the correct choice in choosing to take it from Dr. Peterson! He is a good professor, and he really cares about his students and their success. He is constantly giving us hints ( "this'll for sure be on the test"), and really knows his stuff. He has a good sense of humor as well.

Dr. P is a great choice for OChem 351. He tries hard to teach in an understandable way instead of textbook language like most professors. He is approachable. Your grade is just iclicker and tests. I've taken ochem before with a different professor and withdrew, and Dr. P made the experience way better. Tests are hard but thats Ochem for you.

Definitely the easiest choice as far as O chem professors. With Dr. Peterson I got an even better grade than in gen chem. Very straight forward about what is and isn't on the test. The homeword isn't graded but was super helpful.

Dr. Peterson is a great professor and a very kind professor which isn't typical of most science professors. He really cares and wants to give as many hints on what is important for you to know as a chemist in the future or for future grad school exams. For us his tests were free response and worth your grade. Homework is not for credit.

Dr. Peterson is a solid professor for 352. He gives lots of hints as to how to prepare for tests. Free response tests were pretty fair, but the online MC tests after the COVID-19 pandemic started were much harder. OChem is a difficult class in general but Dr. Peterson teaches it well, loves the subject, and wants students to succeed.

I really love Dr. Peterson, he is a kind, funny, and smart man. His free response exams were very straight forward and he would give you hints on what to study. After corona hit, his MC exams were really hard and only had a 2 hour time limit. Overall I really enjoyed him and he ended up giving us a nice curve at the end of the semester.

Go to class for the HINTS! OCHEM is a really hard class and Dr. Peterson made it a lot easier. I'm not sure why people are hating on him but I think he is one of the most caring ochem professors I have had. The online exams during COVID were hard tho. I'd suggest taking him in person if you can. I got lost on some of the online lectures.

I enjoyed the ochem series. I personally thought that his free-response tests were not too hard. He gives you hints in class as to what will be on the test. His online tests after Covid-19 were hard, though. I would recommend taking him only in person. The grading is almost 100% tests, so if you get a D on one test, you're done. Solid choice.

I took this class entirely online during COVID-19. Dr. Peterson had everything posted way ahead of time, and he was very specific about what we needed to know for the tests. The only tests I took were multiple choice because the testing center was closed, but they were very fair and based off of lecture material. I would definitely recommend!

Dr. Peterson teaches a hard subject, but explains it very clearly and simply. Online classes needed a lot of self-motivation to do well, but he was very helpful in the problems he assigned. Grade was based off of just tests, but after each test he would go back and add in points for nearly-correct answers.

Taken during covid of Fall 2020. The only thing that goes on your grade are 4 tests. The averages on the tests were usually in the 50-60's but he did curve the class a lot. if you learn better from Pre-recorded lectures/ flexibility you'll like it. Lots of equations to memorize but it didn't seem as hard as everyone made ochem sound!

If you are taking Ochem cause you think it'll be easy you will be blown out of the water. No professor can ever make it an easy subject, but I think he does as good as anybody could. I took 1 from Michaelis and 2 from dr P, and to study the amount I did to get B's on his tests I would've gotten at most D's on Michaelis' tests. This class is easier

I am just posting this to say I agree with what some other people on here said. He really cares, gives bonuses and regrades, and is a fun guy. Like another person said, the amount of time studying for this class to get a decent grade is way less than for other classes. A lot of the test questions are trick questions though. 5 to try and bring it up

Dr. P is a great professor! I thought his explanations were very thorough and really helped me to understand the concepts. After his class, I feel very prepared for the MCAT and I felt prepared prior to his tests. Watch out though--your entire grade is exams, and there are no re-dos or make-up points.

Dr. Peterson gives wonderful lectures. Hes funny and kind, and really wants to help students who want to learn. OCHEM is simply a tough class, no matter who you take it from. However, he gives you all the tools you need. Do the reading, do the optional homework, go to office hours, and do the practice exams and you will be sufficiently prepared.

This class was an absolute beast. 97% of your grade come from exams and each exam takes a lot of prep. Start studying early enough and you'll be fine but it does take a lot to do well on them.

I took him for the majors section of O-Chem I. His tests are very memorization based, so if that works well with you, like it does with me, take it from him. I really enjoyed his lectures and enjoyed the class overall. It's purely graded by tests, so be wary of that.

He gives us every resource you can imagine, and we know exactly what will be on the tests. You can tell that he really wants you to understand and excel in his class. Because we are not graded on homework, we can worry less about completing assignments about stuff we already know, so we can spend more time where we need it and enjoy the subject.

Like other reviews of the majors section have said, this is graded only by your exams - but I promise that's not a bad thing. He prepares you well for exams. If you use the resources he gives you well, you will do very well in this class. He is reasonable about what we need to memorize. He likes dad jokes :)

Organic Chemistry is a tough course but Dr. Peterson is a good, fair, and entertaining professor. There's a lot to know but he is very clear about what will be on the exams. Your entire grade is based on 4 exams and a final (NOT cumulative) so studying for these exams is crucial. He has practice exams that are almost identical to the real exams.

I loved taking OChem from Dr. P! I was a little nervous that 97% of my grade would be the test, but he's very clear about what will and will not be on the exams and he prepares you well for them. It was nice that he didn't grade the homework, because then I could focus on the gaps in my knowledge. Yeah it's a tough class, but I would recommend him.

He's taught this class for so long, he has it down to a tea. He's a good lecturer, lots of analogies, and teaches clearly so you can understand. Grade is 100% test, which puts responsibility on you, but it's a difficult class, he makes it enjoyable and doable. He preps you very well for each test, and knows the MCAT DAT and GRE well, super helpful.

Organic Chem with Dr. P is tough, but he sets you up for success. Focus on the exams, utilize the practice materials, and try unstuckstudy alongside other study tools - it really helps!

Dr. P was great. There are no surprises on exams and he gives you a practice exam to take before each exam to help prepare. You have to be self-motivated and do a lot of textbook reading and studying on your own, but if you put in the work, you will be successful.

I can't say enough good things about Dr P and my experience taking this class! I was terrified of Ochem coming into the class, but he makes it possible to do well. Exams are very similar to practice exams. His recorded lecture videos are great. Textbook readings really help with understanding. funny guy. Please take this class from him!!

Dr. Peterson was truly my favorite chem professor I've had so far. He is super engaging and funny during lecture, although he does not always cover all the necessary material. As long as you are willing to do all the reading outside of class, you will be set. Offers multiple points of extra credit and gives great practice exams to use to study.

His tests often included 1or 2 extra credit points or were graded about 128 possible/125. They were also very close to practice tests. For the parts that weren't the same as practice tests he heavily emphasized in class. His videos are very helpful as well as the textbook. It is very possible to do well if you put in the time. I highly recommend!

This was my second attempt at ochem 2 and it went a lot better. Dr Peterson is great! His lectures are clear and very useful and he tries to tailor the class towards pre-health tests (MCAT, DAT, GRE), which is very helpful. He loves to joke around and has lots of creative ways to remember concepts. I took this in the summer term and it was great.

It's 5 tests, but they're usually the exact same as the practice exams if not very similar. I would take OCHEM from him again, great class.