Great teacher! He is very organized and his lectures are clear. If you had a good biology class in high school, it shouldn't be too difficult as it's mostly review. Lab quizzes are open book and are very easy. He is funny and interesting to listen to. As long as you attend class like you are supposed to, you will do well with him!

Good teacher, tells some funny stories during class and doesn't get impatient with questions. He tells you on the first day what you need to do get a good grade. Go to class and take notes and review them before the test, you will do fine. Also, the text book isn't really used. Only buy if you need a reference guide.

This class isn't hard if you show up, take notes and review them before the test. He's down to earth and goes by Matt. He's got a snarky sense of humor which makes his lectures more interesting as long as your not too easily offended. I would take him again if I had the chance.

I think that Matt is a great teacher who really does like and enjoy biology. He never makes you feel stupid even if you answer a question completely wrong. He is patient with his students and makes class worthwhile and interesting. Also, he is a funny guy. Overall, he has very good teaching abilties and I would highly recommend him.

Matt is hilarious and very helpful. Make sure to read the chapters he assigns in the book. There's never any trick questions on his tests. He pretty much tells you everything you need to know. Highly recommend.

If you take any biology class pick matthew as your professer. Such a great teacher cuts straight to the point easily explains the course materials, and definitely keeps it interesting. He is really a great teacher I won't take anyone as a professer for biology besides him. Trust me you'll enjoy it. I highly recommend him :).

Probably one of my favorite teacher's at Meramec . Matt is hilarious, and his lectures are straight to the point and he makes it clear. I high recommend him for any biology class. You will definitely enjoy his class, he's very interesting and he makes the material intresting as well. Trust me pick Matt as your biology teacher .

BEST TEACHER EVER!!! love him so much going to miss his class. Seriously best guy ever you'll love his class no doubt. Attend class go to his office for help and youll be fine. Hes always willing to help

I am not a Biology major and I am not that into biology. But, Matt made it interesting. He is FUNNY. I did better when I filled out and studied the study guides and read the book for clarification. He is extremely helpful and he wants students to succeed and like Biology!!! Grateful that he was my teacher!

Matt, or Mr. Bast is really into Biology. He's a big Science Geek and that's awesome because he loves to share his knowledge and teach. He's straightforward and blunt. During his introduction on the first day LISTEN to EVERYTHING he says. It'll help you in his class. READ the text book, and do the review sheets. It'll help prepare you for labs.

Amazing teacher for Intro to Bio! He's available to help students out majority of the time. You MUST read the textbook and go to every class if you want a good grade. If you're doing that it's easy to get an A. Not a hard class, and a very understanding teacher who LOVES what he talks about.

Bast is one of the funniest teachers I've had here, but more importantly he is super committed to his work. He's a real guy with real world expectations but is always there for you if you need help or have an issue with anything. If you pay attention to the lectures, go to every lab, and do the few homeworks he assigns then you'll finish with an A!

Matt was my favorite overall professor this semester. Really knows how to keep his students interested in what he is teaching. His intro class made me fall in love with Biology! He expects you to really know the information, so his test are consistently challenging. But he is very clear on the information he wants you to know for every test!

Matt is cool. Tests were not hard as long as you study the notes. At the labs you have to take a quiz but its open book. He doesn't check the lab book or notes or anything like that btw. If he asks something in class just answer because its awkward silence while he waits. He is a little deaf so don't be afraid to say things loudly.

Matt Bast is by far my favorite professor. He is absolutely hilarous and made class so much fun. You HAVE to complete the objective sheets to pass the tests (they are very helpful and easy points). Take him, you will not regret it!

I really enjoyed the lectures. He makes the class very interesting, and fun. It keeps people engaged. I also think that Mat is really passioned about his teaching.

Biology with Matt was one of my favorite classes I took while in college. He used his sense of humor and made lectures fun and more engaging. Lab quizzes are open book, easy A if you completed your lab. Overall, fun and easy class as long as you study for tests which can sometimes be tricky and challenging. Take him!

Bast will tell you how to succeed- do what he suggests and you will. He is ckear, fair and has a passion for his subject.

Really awesome teacher! For me biology isn't the easiest , but he made me feel more confident in learning the subject. His lectures are awesome. He talks about what he want you to know for the test. To prepare for your test he will give you basically a study guide and you will have to fill it out and turn in for homework grade. Open book lab quiz!

Matt is a great teacher. I would buy the textbook, because it is needed for the homework but you don't really have to read the whole sections assigned just find bold points for homework. There are like 4 tests, as long as you can study and memorize definitions you'll do fine on the test, but they are kinda hard. The labs are really easy and fun

Professor Bast actually made me excited to go to biology. He's super funny and knows what he's talking about. Tests are difficult, but he lays out the information you need to know so don't stress it. Labs are pretty relaxed (for a lab), and they're actually interesting. Basically, if you show up and do your work there's no way you won't pass.

Fun guy, gives great feedback! I did an honors project and he always had a lot of helpful input. Pretty easy class if you do the reading and ALL of the homework. 8 pts extra credit on every test, so take advantage of that. Always clear about what will be on the test. Just wants you to understand concepts, not much more than that. Take him!!

Professor Bast (Matt), is a wonderful professor. He is funny, smart, fair, and honest. Matt is always willing to help you outside of class and he gives many opportunities to students for resources. Matt makes Biology fun and the class environment is great. He is very knowledgeable and passionate about what he teaches. 20/10 recommend Matt.

He was funny sometimes. The tests made up most of your grade but they were reasonable if you studied. He was easier than most of the other biology teachers in the department.

Taking Professor Bast for his summer 111 class. Matt makes his lectures interesting given the subject. His homework objectives are the study guide and as long as you do those and pay attention in lab you should be ok! The only thing that is kind of a bummer is that he doesn't offer his power points on blackboard.

Professor Bast is a great teacher. His grades are mostly based off tests and lab quizzes. You will have a lab quiz every week and a test every month. You'll be required to do homework objectives by reading the book or your notes from class and turn them in the day of your test.

Professor Bast is a really great teacher. All of his lab quizzes are straight from the lab book, his homework objectives help tremendously for the test, and don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something. Though the material is very difficult, put in the effort and you will do well in this class.

love love love this professor! quiz with every lab but overall easy if you pay attention in lab final is all the tests stapled together and he lets you copy the tests before hand so easy A

Prof. Matt is amazing and so funny! He's definitely very stern in his scientific beliefs and is quite vocal about his atheism and disdain for pseudosciences, but honestly that's something I respect in a science professor and I consider it a perk. His sense of humor always keeps me engaged and I enjoy the lectures he gives.

He is very hilarious as well as strict professor lots of writing work and papers but that all will help you to get good grades. Really reccomend him.

Best professor ever

Very good professor! Personally I struggled with Biology ALOT! I was also taking 16credits hours at the time. Even though the class was difficult for me, Bast was very helpful! If you put in the work you should do fine! There is a lot of homework and quizzes, but Bast always reminds you about them. He's funny and keeps class interesting!

I had Bast the 2nd time around after failing the 1st time with a different professor, ended up with a B+ for the semester! He makes biology relatable, and it really helped! He did say that he has laxed on some of things he taught to not make them as difficult. He will answer any question you have so you understand the material!

Professor Bast was my favorite teacher at Meramec my first semester here. It is evident that he truly cares about his students success in Introductory Biology. If you have to take this course, you definitely want him as your professor. He makes the class fun and also assigns online quizzes each week to help you better prepare for the exams.

Matt is one of the best professors I've had at Meramec. You can tell that he is genuinely passionate about Biology! He made the class enjoyable and exciting! Do yourself a favor and take him as a professor! Matt can captivate your attention during his lectures, and I always left with new knowledge I could retain. I would take his class again.

I absolutely loved taking Matts biology course! Hes hilarious and a great professor. You will do well if you study and pay attention in class. I didnt read the textbook too heavily and I still passed with an A. Theres a lot of homework, but its all easy work. Just put in the effort and youll do fine!

Matthew Bast is very comical and provides great lectures. He offers a lot of review and time to answer questions. You MUST show up to labs or you will not pass. His tests are only challenging if you do not study. A bit homework heavy but most of it is to help your grade. The objective sheet hw is a study guide for your test and an additional grade.

Took Basts class online over the summer. The scheduled time for the class was 9am to 1:50pm twice a week. Most days we started at 10 and never went past 1. Loved this bc I got to sleep in and have more time in my day. All assignments and labs were online and didnt take too long. There were 4 tests total and you had about an hour to finish them

He is a very laid back teacher in class- he loves to make jokes and make sure that the students are engaged during the lecture. There are 4 tests and a few assignments that are taken for accuracy, and every unit has labs and quizzes taken for participation grades. If you read the textbook and attend lectures, you should pass easily!

Explains things in the most simplest way. Course is material heavy but if you study and do the homework the isn't too bad. It's a hard class to pass if you don't.

Professor Bast is awesome! He's a really funny guy and is very reasonable with his students. He is very understanding and he makes learning fun. He is also a reasonable grader, each lab quiz is open book, lots and lots of extra credit on his tests. This would be almost impossible to fail. Take this class, he's better than most professors there.

If you're thinking about taking a class with him, do it! Professor Bast is a great teacher. He is very knowledgeable in biology and wants his students to succeed. He is great about reminding you when things are due and is quick to address any concerns.

had for summer intro to biology class, great lectures, sometimes gets sidetracked easily, makes topics easy to understand and apply in real life, read outside of lecture and do the lab book for easy points, take notes in class and read book you'll do fine, gives out easy point earning opportunities too, laid back and easy going

I was iffy at first, as others said he does call of class a lot. However, now I seen that as a good thing we ran late and had to use our last chapter test for our final! He has a way of making you understand and it still be a fun class if you participate with him. Best tip I have take notes on the PP slides. Best prof so far! Wish he did A&P.

He was very enthusiastic and made sure to express that while lecturing. His objective sheets were very helpful for studying. But he did tend to talk a lot about unrelated things to the topic we were studying. Labs were super fun and hands-on.

no BIO class will be a cakewalk... He makes it fun and interesting. He points out what you need to know, just take notes on the power points as you go. The more you interact with him the more he will give you... He will never tell you to study something that won't be on there like others I have had... do the objective sheets...

Dr. Bast went through quite a lot of material but always answered questions clearly and consciously. The tests do cover a lot of material, but Dr. Bast provides objective sheets which cover everything that is going to be on the test. Occasionally, class went over, and we got sidetracked often, but I learned a lot

Loved this class. I learned so much. There was a lot of material, but if you study you will do well.

I took this class last semester and Professor Bast was phenomenal. Super funny guy, very engaging lectures, and overall great experience. The material is very manageable but you do have to study. 10/10 recommend

As someone who has dreaded science my whole life, he made biology easy to understand and actually somewhat interesting. His lectures were great and there were never surprises about what would be on the test. He gives a lot of opportunities for points, it's not hard to do well in his class. Also he is very understanding and funny.

Studying is a must but he is a very enjoyable professor.

Great biology professor! He tells you what he expects you to learn. The learning objects and him telling you directly will let you know what to study for his exams. His labs are also straightforward and he is very helpful when you need it. There is a lot of reading to be done, studying, but he is organized so you will always know what to expect.

Professor Bast is a great professor! Very funny while teaching his lectures, and uploads his slides onto Canvas so that they can be used to study and take notes later. He doesn't give you busy work, just chapter reading quizzes that are helpful for studying material that will be on the test. 100% recommend for anyone taking Biology!

Professor Bast is amazing he is so funny and makes lectures and labs entertaining. The tests aren't too hard he gives you plenty of material to study and review. It is not a super easy class you have to put in some work but if your willing to its not too bad. There are reading quizzes after reading the textbook you have to do but its easy.

He is a pretty lenient grader, he does give SOME extra credit, most of the bonus points are on his tests though, so studying for everything would be a good idea because if it's not a test question, it's most likely a bonus one. Also getting the text and lab book will help a lot. The chapter/lab quizzes are really easy and add up quick.

Bast was a funny man let me tell you, from looking at cat genitals to bee hormones he loves a good side rant. His classes were all powerpoint which led to some boring days, however, he could also spontaneously go on a random rant about something completely unrelated BUT will make test questions over the material in his side rants. Tests are heavy

Really smart, went on tangents a lot but, always relevant, and always went over tests and made sure everyone could succeed

Very clear lectures, and as long as you study what he tells you is on the test, you should be fine. Just pay attention and read ahead. He's a very understanding teacher as well, and keeps class interesting and funny.

Bast is one of the best professors I have ever had. 100% my favorite professor. He made his class very enjoyable through his humor and made it interactive.All he expects out of you is to do your reading quizzes and read the chapter. He makes it very clear what is going to be on the tests and everything is on his slides/talked about in class.

Very kind professor. Lectures were engaging to students.Clear guidelines in the syllabus regarding exams and grading system. Follow the study guides and read the book to do well in this course. Bast showed great enthusiasm and passion for Biology which made lectures very tolerable. Make sure to take advantage for extra credit opportunities.

Professor Bast is probably the most straightforward and amazing Biology instructor out there! While you will need to study a lot, everything on the exams and quizzes is always discussed in class, so there will be no surprises. He was also hilarious and would humorously present the material. Highly recommend his class, especially for non-majors.

Great

TAKE THE CLASS!!! Professor Bast is a great Bio teacher. I was in the 101 course and he explained things very well. You need the textbook for the online reading quizzes but the tests are based almost completely on the lectures. he had his classes set up so that if you missed one class you could email and catch the next one. his grading is fair.

the best professor i've ever had at stlcc

Professor Bast is an amazing professor. His lectures were so interesting and engaging. You can clearly tell that he loves what he teaches and is very interested in Biology. Bast is understanding if you are struggling but for the most part, always get ahead in this class and make sure you understand the material and then you will pass.

So funny! Definitely kept lecture and lab alive

He took accountability whenever he canceled class a lot and didnt put it on us. This class is really easy to pass if you just TALK TO HIM, he will comply. He had lots of resources, you could pass with just review vids and textbook. Lecture was easy and lab was fun. DONT print his notes out though because he skips lots of slides. 100% recommend him.

The class was really easy, and Professor Bast gave really great lectures! There are a lot of resources and extra credit opportunities.

One of my favorite professors I've ever had. Exams can be hard, but as long as you actually apply yourself and study for them, you'll be okay.

One of the best professors I have ever met. The assignments and the labs aren't difficult but if you don't do them, your grade will falter. His lectures were interesting and kept my attention, and he was very kind to those who needed a little extra help.

Literally the best professor I've had to this day. So funny and good/explanatory teaching style.

Mr Bast is amazing! He made every lecture fun, and I always looked forward to attending class. As someone who was very nervous for my first semester of college, he made it easier. His class is well organized, and if you pay attention and make time for studying, you will get an A. He gives studying material and extra credit often, overall 10/10 :)

Professor Bast is the best professor I have ever had and an amazing guy to top it off. He is hilarious and always willing to work with you. I had really interesting conversations with him. He also gave me crickets for my bearded dragon, so if you have reptiles, ask about it during labs with crickets!!!

Loved this class & this professor. The course work wasn't easy necessarily but if attending class his lectures are great and use the resources he provides and you'll do fine. Great professor, very nice and laid back