3.3
Quality3.5
Difficulty59%
Would Retake161
Reviews59%
Would Retake
161
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
40
4
45
3
31
2
19
1
26
What Students Say
“The lab was extremely easy, though”
BSCI105 - 3.0 rating“9 will be a C and your 89”
BSCI105 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
44%
Textbook Required
2%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.44 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO170
4.5
(11)BSCI170
3.3
(112)BSCIFC01
3.2
(5)BSCI105
3.1
(33)Difficulty by Course
BSCI105
3.6
BSCI170
3.5
BSCIFC01
3.2
BIO170
2.9
Reviews (161)
I had this guy as a lab head in BSCI 105. Keller is unapproachable, and is pretty stark and borderline rude.
Lecture is not mandatory, lab is super mandatory! The course is very very hard and I saw some pretty smart people get D's on exams.Example: One exam the highest grade before bonus qs was like 84. That being said he provides you with lots of resources for his impossibly hard tests, I would recommend for bio majors, but it is not! a casual class.
He is a funny guy whose voice cracks a lot during lecture and has one of those hiccupy-nerdy laughs that makes the whole class laugh. He explains the information in very basic ways in order for you to truly understand--like if something contains a bunch of nonsense you don't need to know for the exams, he'll just call it "stuff." I enjoyed him.
i agree with the comment before mine, i think he is a good teacher that really wants his students to understand the material. i would recommend to take him, yes it is a hard class but if you take him your grade will reflect the amount effort you put in. i wonder why the first comment says he is "unapproachable and rude" when that's not true at all
He provides you with an overwhelming amount of information for tests that concentrate on two/three specific areas. His tests are difficult and the lectures idiotic. More times than not they result in a cartoon being shown.
Nice guy, tests are really hard. Kind of boring to listen to sometimes.
Keller was a great teacher and really wants the students to do well. You can tell he loves his subject and is excited to teach it. The tests are pretty hard and you definitely have to study a lot, but you'll learn a lot. He shows cartoons and animations of concepts in Bio to keep the class fun, and always jokes around. Overall great professor!
Unapproachable and doesn't show interest in students. It's an easy A but otherwise I wouldn't expect anything else from him.
VERY boring lectures, posts all powerpoints online so i never worried about missing classes(only downfall was missing clicker pts). Didnt present material in a way that was easy for me to understand. Tons of material presented but simpler exams. You can tell he wants you to know a lot of bio but wont test on all of the material he teaches.
Keller was a good professor. Lectures were boring, but there was crucial information needed for the exams. If you attend lectures, he tells you what is on the exam. GSS for this class is extremely helpful. Exams are simple, and he makes corny jokes, but overall is a nice guy and wants you to do well
Dr. Keller is a great professor! keeps things simple and to the point, if you pay attention and study you will do very well. Exams are very fair and will not take longer than 30 minutes if you know the stuff!
He's overall a really nice teacher and actually does want you to do well. Its a lot of information but if you read the powerpoints and study from the book you'll be fine
He was a nice guy and clearly put effort into his lectures in an attempt to make them interesting, but overall the material is very difficult and the tests are hard. I recommend creating a study group and going to class. It's amazing what clicker points can do for your grade.
He makes it very easy for you to pass with an A if you work hard and pay attention. You can really tell that he cares about if his students are learning or not and he works really hard to keep the students entertained on such a bland subject. From what I've heard he's very approachable for office hours. Also, go to GSS sessions!
Keller is a great professor. He's very approachable if you show interest in learning the material and hes willing to work with you if you need help in doing better on tests.
He teaches way more than you actually need to know for tests, but he gives out study guides! Make sure you go to class to get the clicker points because those help out your grade a lot! Dr. Keller likes to make little jokes so if you laugh at them, he'll probably love you
Keller made the class very hard and barely made the material understandable. The lab was extremely easy, though.
My biggest problem was that he never responded to emails!! Horrid teacher with unclear tests and unfunny lectures. The GSS people and TAs had no idea what his deal was. They could only do so much before the tests killed you with his unclear questions. Only thing good about him was that he didn't do plusminus grading.
He's not nearly as bad as people on here are saying. He's actually great in the sense that he doesn't teach straight from the textbook. He's more concerned about us actually understanding the concepts rather than just throwing information out. And he always has a positive and enthusiastic attitude during lecture even though its a introduction class
He's a pretty straightforward teacher, doesn't move on from a topic if people don't seem to be getting it. He does give a lot more information than needed in his lectures, but it doesn't hurt to know. He gives a study guide before each exam but the questions can be somewhat vague, however they do reflect what the exams cover.
He's kind of picky with words, but if you pay attention and understand well what he said, you should be fine. He's helpful in and out of class. Ask questions if you don't understand and he'll explain again until you get it. If you skip his class, you'll miss a lot of things.
This guy is rude and unclear. You will gain nothing from going to class, he is simply a terrible person. He laughs when 20 percent of the class gets a clicker question right.
In past semesters where averages have been in the 60s for an introductory bio class, the man has refused to acknowledge his inefficacy in conveying the material. He does not do +/-. So despite the past history of low averages, he will not curve and your 79.9 will be a C and your 89.9 a B. Do not take him unless you like dealing with nonsensical BS
awful. forgets to enter students grades in elms. exams are nothing like his lectures/textbooks. odds are the only reason he teachers is because he is required to to continue research. he offers study guides for exams but they arent much help. avoid if possible
Dr. Keller was a solid teacher who made BSCI 105 a smooth experience for me. His lectures are very clear and concise and he always lets you know what you are expected to know. He gives adequate resources as well and is always available, approachable, and accommodating as well. This class wasn't overly difficult.
I enjoyed Dr. Keller's class. I took both BSCI105 and BSCI106 in the same semester and had no problems in either class. He's a kind man who tires to make lecture interesting. You can tell that he likes what he does and takes a few shots at Chemistry majors here and there (but I agree with him, sorry Chem majors!). No +/- grading scale.
He doesnt do +/- grading but thats because if you put in effort, use his study guides, go to lectures, and review handouts you'll do fine. He's very well organized to the extent that I may not need to use my textbook to study. He has handouts, warm ups, ppt slides, and lecture questions online to review and study. There are a few group projects.
He would be an exponentially good professor, if only you were actually able to contact him outside of his class. He has actually said to students that he never checks his email because he's to busy, which is inconvenient if you can't attend his office hours. Other than this, he is pretty funny, and a good lecturer. Be prepared to read the textbook
Dr. Keller is a smart man who is willing to help you understand important concepts during office hours. It is much more important to write down what he says, rather than what is on the powerpoint. Good professor, but exams can be tricky.
Terrible professor that dissuades a lot of people from biology. Slow, uncommunicative, and does not do +/- grading. Makes the material much harder than it is. If the university really wanted to improve their biology/STEM departments, they would let this man go.
He is the worst professor I have ever had. He does not teach the material in a successful way. He also does not give +/- grading , so as soon as you lose 100 points you might as well not work because you are getting a B. He says to "keep it simple" constantly, but on exams he grades super harsh and says to add more detail.
Dr. Keller is awesome. The majority of people who don't like him are people who don't know how to work in college. Put in time studying and use the 10000 awesome resources and answer keys he lists on his page and you'll get an A/B in the class. Pay attention in lecture because he emphasizes certain things that he hints will be big on the exams.
Dr. Keller isn't a bad guy, it's just that Cellular-Molecular Biology is a tough subject. His system of grading is annoying because you won't know your real grade until the end of the semester. He also does A/B/C/D/F grading.I taught myself out of the textbook because the lectures by themselves aren't enough for you to understand the material well.
Here is one of the most honest reviews you will get for this professor. I have never gotten below a B in any of my college classes until I had this class. Keller is a nice professor, but the tests are ridiculous and are very unclear. There are no multiple choice and its all fill in the blank, drawing diagrams, and short answers. EC is available.
This is coming from someone who took this class twice with him. I took it in the spring and then again in the summer. The class moves at a faster pace in the summer, but tests are more straightforward. I wish he taught the way he does over the summer during the semesters. Most important thing is listen to what he says and study very well.
The class is just very unclear. His questions on exams are weirdly worded and vague, and he takes off points if you put more information than he wanted. The class is really hard to follow. He doesn't post textbook readings, he doesn't follow the powerpoints, and the study questions accompanying lectures aren't helpful
No plus minus. Fairly hard tests. Lots of in class activities. Okay class- I missed making an A by .2 points.
Decent person but horrible professor. Tests are ridiculously hard, mostly because of his ambiguous questions and if you don't answer exactly the same way as he does, you get no points. He makes the class more complicated than it needs to be. No curve and no plus/minus grading so your 79% is the same as someone else's 70%.
You can tell that he does not write his own test because some of test questions are not covered in class. He does understand it's a hard topic that requirements lots of memorization and tries to pass out some study guides to prepare people. There is a textbook but its not really needed.
Lecture attendance isn't mandatory besides Wed activities but there are usually clicker questions Mon & Fri. Tests are heavily based upon what Keller says in lecture but if you don't attend PPT slides are really vague. Extra credit is useful and Dr. Shields review sessions are helpful. Keller isn't the worst lecturer but can be unclear at times.
look at pictures in your book, since lecture alone will not cut it. test questions are specific. try to get your hands on old exams to see what he looks for. he tests on stuff he says in lecture, so make sure you write down the stuff that he emphasizes. you're gonna need to study. the class is quite annoying. go to GSS sessions if you can.
He's a fun guy, but expects you to know everything he says during his lectures, his slides are only outlines and don't include details, and his study guides are only sometimes helpful. Everything assessed is said during lecture, and the textbook barely helps. He also does not curve (even if the average is a 50%), and he doesn't use the +/- system.
Not a terrible guy but he gives so man corny jokes that you begin to despise him. Test are 100% subjective, you could give a completely correct answer but get the question wrong because it wasn't the answer HE was looking for. Every Wednesday there are group activities that are completely useless. Textbook is optional. Keller gets on your nerves.
Easy class. Kellers a corny dude but it's funny. Study his slides and pay attention in lectures and you're good to go! What I will say is make sure to GO THROUGH THE EXAMS HE HANDS BACK to make sure it's graded correctly. I got knocked off a letter grade because the grader made mistakes and a lot of others had the same problem. He fixed it though!
Dr. Keller is great lecturer. His tests seem easy but the questions are very vague and he expects very clear answers and you will lose points easily even though you are confident your answers are correct. Overall a fair professor.
The exams are very difficult and it's almost as if he forces you to think in the way that he thinks about biology. Aside from that, he is very thoughtful and humorous at times. The weekly online quizzes and clicker participation help boost grades.
You will have to teach yourself mostly in his class. His lectures don't have a lot of material in them. They don't fully explain the concepts you need to know. You might need to rely on outside sources and sometimes the textbook to get through this course. Study all of Professor Shield's activity materials and all the other worksheets to do well.
Hard to get the grades you want when you think you are able to... He requires us to view many materials yourself and take a quiz for that before he actually teach them in a much simpler way, and prepare a lot for the pointless activities. The quiz and homework questions, exam grading and especially regrade can be pretty unreasonable.
Please take my advice and don't under any circumstances take a course with Dr. Keller. I have honestly had the worst time in his class, as he makes you fight for every single point. I think he understands biology, but I don't think Keller is intelligent enough to understand anything else. His grading and justification for it is just plain dumb.
The one word I would use to describe him is awful. Not only are his lecture boring and uninteresting he is not a helpful teacher. He will not answer ANY emails (I've sent 9) and he doesn't seem to care for his students whatsoever. He can also be condescending and rude.
He can explain what's written on the slides. I don't think his lectures are too horrible but clearly not the best nor interesting. The tests were reasonably difficult. If you skip the group work day, you will lose points. There is group project, so hope you get a good group because you don't get to chose them.
Exams are graded based on whether you used his phrasing or not, which can be annoying. Good lectures if you go, and you can get EC by answering the clicker questions in class. He does group work every Wednesday, which isn't horrible if you get a good group. It's actually quite helpful!
His lectures can sometimes be boring, but its important that you go and pay attention because he explains things more in detail than on the slides. You have to put in a lot of study time to understand the material. Grading is mostly based on exams but there are clicker questions you have to answer in class.
Hes a nice guy and in my opinion the best bio teacher.
Dr. Keller is great. Although some say he is a tough grader, it is because you need to explain concepts on exams in his words. This is easy though if you go to lectures, listen and take good notes. Gives great examples and is one of the more understanding professors at UMD. Plenty of opportunity for extra credit just by showing up to class.
His teaching style is very ineffective, he basically stands in front of the room and reads off a PowerPoint. He is also very hard to get a hold of outside of class and doesn't take questions seriously. You basically have to rely on the textbook for this class.
He is a pretty vague teacher and uses a lot of words like "stuff" and "things" so when you take notes on his lectures you can often end up not understanding what you wrote. Speaking of lectures, his slides contain little information and what you need to write down is what he says. Lots of room to get a decent grade though.
Keller is a good lecturer. Class participation was only necessary during Wednesday activities, but if you go the other day it is definitely helpful and he gives extra credit clicker questions basically every day. Based off what I've heard from friends with other professors, he's a good one. The test can be confusing though.
Clickers are the only thing that will keep you awake during his lectures. Not very responsive to emails or questions after class. Never saw a TA the whole semester but they managed to grade everything with ridiculous harshness. If he's the only person left you'll manage but you'll also have to put in work teaching yourself.
The worst teacher I've had in a long time. He doesn't respond to any emails and doesn't care what you have to say anyways. His lectures are boring and confusing and if you don't show up you won't know what he wants you to say on the tests, because that's how he grades- based on what he wants you to say. TAs grade super harshly too
We have clicker points, which barely helps your grade and when it is a test day, you THINK that you perform well, but end up straight failing. When my friend went to ask him how to perform better in the class and he just told her to do better -_-. Take his class if its the absolute LAST RESORT.
Doesn't communicate clearly about whether he wants specifics or big ideas. Tries to be funny and relatable but ends up being annoying. Doesn't spend enough time on each lecture slide even though that's what his tests are based on.
He's not the best out there but he's not the worst. The only real way to do well in his class is to have past exams from a friend or something. Beware his hand-drawn diagrams on exams are absolutely terrible and confusing. Make sure you stay on top of things if you plan on doing well. Pay attention to the grading in the syllabus.
You have prep and elms quizzes which are short and simple weekly, as well as Wednesday activities to help you learn. Your ULA or the TA's are a great source to ask questions to considering Keller doesn't respond to emails much. He is specific in what he wants on the exams but you will know if you attend lectures. I highly recommend Keller/shields.
Not a bad professor. The class is just generally difficult, but the exams are more straightforward than what most people say. As long as you pay attention to the lecture slides and see what he emphasizes, you will do well. STUDYING is key. Extra credit was given with clicker questions and this semester he added an 8 point "curve" which is rare.
Extremely boring lectures, but ultimately got the job done. Said the word 'critters' more times than I could handle. Tests are fair but kinda got screwed as he doesn't give +/-.
I took Dr. Keller's MW class. His lecture was very vague. He does not write the tests, and his lectures do not sufficiently fit them, nor do his study guides. On them, you must have his exact wording, or you won't pass. It is hard to get ahold of him outside of class. If you have to take him, take his 3 day/week class. I don't recommend him.
Keller was not necessarily the best teacher, but the way he structured his class, it was not difficult to receive an A. Everything on the exams can be found either in the online note packs and/or the red book study guide. Studying both of those materials allowed me to receive an A on all of the exams, including the final.
Dr. Keller was a really nice professor who was clear in his grades and what he was going to put on tests. There weren't too many tricks, the tests were fair and mostly off of lecture stuff. He's def a professor dad though so he's going to try and throw in some dad jokes and things but otherwise he's a good choice for biology.
Keller is a really tough grader. On tests you can get 0 points if you don't word something the way he wanted even if you have the right answer. Doesn't post lecture slides and isn't very helpful with questions. You're better off with Shields. The study guides are helpful, but the tests are more on application that knowledge of the material.
Dr. Keller is a pretty average lecturer with difficult exams. There are mandatory group activities every Wednesday that are pretty easy grades. Also, if you go to the majority of lectures you get extra credit points at the end of the semester.
Bought the textbook and never used it. Tests can be hard, just study more. His lectures can be boring but he's a nice guy. Not a bad class.
Prof. Keller doesn't do plus or minus grades, and he doesn't round; I finished the semester with an 89.4 and received a B. If you don't have any background in Biology this class can definitely be confusing, and the group projects/activities don't do much to help.
Okay so here's the tea, and it is piping. His lectures make absolutely no sense, his monotone voice is impossible to pay attention too and his slides help absolutely no one. He is a good person and a nice guy but I want to cry every time I walk into this class.
Dr. Keller acts like we should all be experts in Biology after listening to his lectures. When I ask him a question I immediately feel like the imbecile. The stupid activities are unhelpful and childish. Keller is funny and a nice guy. But I have not enjoyed his class at all
He is the absolute WORST professor you will ever get. He claims to have a PhD however doesn't know how to each the material. If you haven't taken bio classes perviously or AP Bio you are guaranteed to fail with him. I switched my major and now don't need his class and that is the best decision I have ever made.
Tough grader
Dr. Keller wasn't a bad professor, but he wasn't great either. His slides had about 5 words on them that made no sense so you really have to listen to what he says and be an auditory listener to get the information. I never read the textbook. Weekly learning activities are helpful. GO TO DR. SHIELD'S REVIEW SESSIONS!!!!! They're incredibly helpful.
Dr. Keller is rude, confusing, and uncaring. I went to every single lecture and ended up having to spend at least 3 hours after each lesson trying to teach myself. His lectures are unhelpful as he seldom explains concepts and instead just reads the 2 bullet points placed on each slide. Take Dr. Shields - her exam reviews saved me countless times.
keller was alright. not the BEST professor but definitley not the worst. there are alot of online quizzes and it can be hard to keep up sometimes if you dont try. the clicker questions are also very important for your grade. keller isnt always eager to give back points on exams. the homework and test questions were also worded very oddly someitmes
Just awful. Dont take his class. Youve been warned.
He kept everything simple, and his notepacks/lecture slides matched up very well with the tests (he also emphasizes stuff you're tested on), and I believed his grading was very fair. There are also GSS sessions, and you can earn a bunch of points with clicker questions, so as long as you put in some effort and make us of resources you'll be good.
Keller's style of teaching isn't good at all. He expects you to learn everything needed through his slides, although not everything there is needed for the exam. He is also an incredibly harsh grader, please make sure your wording is absolute. Also prepare yourself to hear the word critter a lot.
Dr. Keller is a terrible professor. His lectures don't even match the tests half the time and he is just a complete jerk. Whenever you try to talk to him about anything serious relating to your grade or an assignment, he will reply back with a snarky, passive aggressive comment and make you feel worse then you did before.
He is a terrible prof, his exams are difficult and class average on them are 70, 65, 68, 75. Even if you study 10 hours for an exam, the way he words the questions are really tricky. He also does no curve and he does not give + or -, so if you got a 79% in the class, it's still a C. His slides have 2 bullet points and he explains them. Very boring
Yes exams are difficult, but their is plenty of opportunity to boost your grade. I learned a lot. You need to come to this class prepared to learn, he gives you notes packs.. print and bring them in ahead of lecture. The point is to be able to make small notes onto them not go in an write down everything he says. Screw up on a test and it will refl
It is really important to show up and do clickers! They count for 20 extra points at the end of the semester! Dr. Keller is a pretty good professor, just as someone who took AP bio and didn't score high enough on the AP test to waive the class, it's an overall boring lecture. Pretty easy A coming from a bio major. Tests are a little hard though.
The class was alright and the material wasn't too hard to understand. Dr. Keller is boring in lecture tbh. Midterm exams were similar from past semester so they weren't that difficult. Go to GSS, review old exams, ask Dr. Shields questions in review. Watch for the prep quizzes. They're a pain to the grade.
Dr. Keller was a decent professor. His lectures aren't that interesting, but he emphasizes what you need to know on the exam (you just have to pay attention!). If you ask him what you need to know for the exam, he'll tell you.
Keller grades all of his tests horrible. He is unfair for example, when you put down what is correct in your own words (not his phrasing) and get points deducted. Overall when it comes to tests. Grading need to be based on a students ability to answer a question independently; not memorize his answers.
The man cannot teach at all.
TOUGH GRADER TOUGH GRADER TOUGH GRADER. I tried so hard on every one of his tests and they all averaged at about a 70 because he's so nit picky about word choice. Slides have little to no information so you really have to pay attention to what he says. Also don't waste your money on a textbook, he told us to buy one and I never needed it once.
This has been the worst and hardest class I have ever taken in my life. If you haven't taken AP bio or any prior "advanced" biology, good luck. If you don't have to take this class, DO NOT take it. He doesn't care about you or your grades. All these reviews are so accurate so please, trust us.
His lectures and slides do not prepare you enough for the exams. Most of lecture is a waste of time but you should go to ask questions.
Keller really wasn't that bad. Lectures were amazing and very helpful, he does clickers in class that give you 20 extra credit points. Wed activities were hard unless you had a good group or had friends in the class. Don't bother getting the textbook I never used it. Nice guy and responds to emails quick. Def recommend over any other BSCI170 prof.
lectures were boring & his teaching style didnt match w my learning style (may not be that way for everyone). very tough/nit-picky grader. Wednesday activities were helpful in learning the material & when we switched to online he was very flexible with deadlines. exams were tough & hard to score well on. clicker points help boost your grade
Keller is a great professor. If you put in the work, time, and effort, there's no reason to panic. I strongly recommend going to GSS and any review session you can!!!! This seriously is the reason I did well. His clicker questions are worth 20 points in extra credit so make sure you go to every lecture!!
I love Keller bruh he was the GOAT. But seriously tho he's amazing but beware the tests cuz he's specific on terms. If you study a few days (3-4 days) before the exams u should be fine. Hella extra credit given & group activities once a week in class. If u need extensions just ask. I wouldn't say it's an easy A but super doable fr fr
This class was literally such a breeze, and I am NOT GOOD at bio in general. If you watch through his lectures attentively and take great and in-depth notes, you're set! I literally got As on every exam. He also seems so nice and he really wants us to learn. He doesn't try to trick you at all on the exams and quizzes, very straightforward. Love him
Keller is a really sweet guy. I Had him for online so it was a bit different. All his class is, is graded classwork, unit quizzes, and the exams. The classwork can be a little hard but you have your resources. And quizzes are open note and all the answers are in his lectures. Exams honestly are difficult, but his class is not stressful.
Dr. Keller is a great professor, he is very lighthearted. You can tell he enjoys what he does and is very good at it. With class being online this semester, there was a lot of reading/watching of video lectures, and the online quizzes and worksheets get confusing at times. Even so, I definitely recommend him. He makes things easier to understand!
Dr. Keller has a wonderful personality; he's very relaxed and you can tell he loves his job. However, you really have to work for your grade in this class. Tests are hard, and you fill fail if you don't study. There's a lot of note-taking for his lectures, but there's one quiz a week so that's good.
Dr. Keller adapted well to online learning. His lectures were asynch and depending on the unit were only about 10-25 minutes long (usually closer to 10). Workload was not bad, but tests had questions about finer details: you had to prepare well. Overall, his lectures were interesting and he taught well.
Material and lectures are dense, but Keller's class is simple: do the lecture, do the assignment, take the quiz, take the exam. Only 1 homework per unit and he reveals the answer key to homeworks after they are turned in, so you can always check your mistakes. One quiz per unit, and grades are pretty quick.
Great teacher. I dont understand how anyone could give him a bad rating. Trust me, take his classes! Not too hard you just need to put some effort into it for an A.
Dr. Keller did really well for online learning. He was super caring of his students and he made the material very doable. It was simple enough: notes, quiz, worksheet, exam. I really appreciate his personality and kindness during online learning; he responds quickly to emails!
Dr. Keller is a great guy. His lectures are straightforward, quizzes + worksheets are open note (some can be a little tough but nothing crazy). However it is not an easy class. This semester was difficult bc of COVID and I wish it was in person, but that's not his fault. The final was harder than the other exams because it was more conceptual.
Professor Keller is a nice guy, but his class is quite hard. Lectures can be very long but very informative and helpful. The weekly quizzes sometimes ask questions that are too specific to what was in the lecture, making it much harder. Exams have been pretty hard. He expects your answer to be exact to words he expects; if not, you get it wrong.
I love this guy! His course is hard as a first science course but its not suppose to be easy. He is a very organized person as well.
The lecture videos for online class were very thorough and well organized. Exam weren't too difficult as long as you studied A LOT beforehand; there were a handful of very specific questions. Class was pretty straightforward, but lots and lots of information. Free responses depends on if you say it the way he wants you to say it.
Dr. Keller is a fantastic professor! He had lectures that were easy to learn from and the class was well-formatted, especially considering he was online because of COVID! Take DILIGENT notes and ask questions and you'll get an A. He is super understanding and truly cares about his students. You'll definitely leave prepared for future bio classes!
I really enjoyed taking BSCI170. I enjoyed the asynchronous nature of the class combined with Dr. Keller's weekly office hour. He was super kind and very responsive to emails. He responded in one minute when I emailed him one time. I would definitely recommend him.
For an asynchronous online class his notes and lecture videos were very good and I understood all the concepts he taught. He's a little picky about word choice but overall a very good professor and very fair. Also, you don't need the textbook but you should go to the GSS before tests because it helps a lot.
Dr. Keller was a great teacher. He explained concepts really well in his lectures and his grading was very fair. Each unit has a mini quiz (easy) and every few units has a test. This reinforcement really helped me understand the material. I really appreciated the way he organized canvas; it was very clear and made learning the material much easier.
I've taken many bio courses and Keller is the best. He explains complex things in a way that is very digestible. That being said, bio is never a cakewalk. You have to work and take in-depth notes. Studying is a must but if you watch every second of lectures you'll be okay. Very organized. Only thing that bothered me was the final grade system.
Dr. Kellers lectures are very straightforward and he tells you everything you need to know for tests. Hes very organized and hes very understandable. This is a stress free class if you stay on top of things.
I can't speak to how he is in-person, but he was extremely accommodating and understanding for the online course!! Although ur final grade is heavily dependent of the exams, he is an amazing professor and explains the content very well!! His syllabus gives lots of room for a few missing assignments to not interefere with your grade. 100% recommend
Dr. Keller is such a great teacher. He not only makes his lectures very easy to understand, but he also gives extra things like putting a lecture summary with the important key ideas w/ it & curves the grade. He is also so funny, and makes it actually interesting to learn about Biology. He is also very very caring!
I was surprised to see such a low scoring for Dr. Keller, he's amazing! His sense of humor really makes the class fun especially on days we have long topics. His lectures are straight to the point and he strongly encourages you participate (Go to GSS and office hours)! Go to class because most of his test are based on his words. Fav teacher at UMD!
HIS EXAMS WERE UNREALISTIC. He gave way too many questions for a short period of time. The weekly quizzes were too hard for not teaching the material. He does not care about his students at all.
Dr. Keller is such a GREAT teacher!! I cant not stress this enough. I dont know why he has such a low rating when hes one of the best teachers I had so far at UMD. He cracks jokes during class and is great at explaining different concepts. He also give extra credit (clicker questions) during class. He gets a 10/10 for me!!!
Professor Keller is an amazing professor who really cares about the wellbeing of his students. I don't know why he does not have better ratings, maybe it is because he is a bit of a tough grader and you have to listen to lectures (whether in person or in the videos he posts), but either way he is really awesome. I really do recommend taking him.
As long as you read to modules youll do fine
Very good at explanations during lecture and one on one help. Is enthusiastic and cares about what he is teaching so the class is not boring. Specifically lines out what will be on each test. Overall very helpful, caring, and great at helping you understand the topic.
Cool dude and good teacher
I have no idea why Dr. Keller has such low ratings on here because he was an amazing professor. Lectures are easy to follow, attendance isn't mandatory but if you DO attend you get extra credit points, and lectures are all posted on ELMS anyway. Exams are easy if you follow the study guide he LITERALLY makes for you. 100% would recommend, great guy
Keller is the best out of all of the BSCI 170 professors, who had abysmal midterm averages. Keller clearly cares about the success of his students and is an amazing person as well as a professor. His lectures make it easy to understand content and he's clear about what will be on exams and makes sure not to include nitty-gritty details on exams.
Professor Keller has a great personality. The lectures were engaging and clear. As long as you make use of his study guides and resources, you will do well on exams and quizzes. He answers any lingering questions you may have and makes it clear what he expects on exams. Better choice out of some other Biology professors.
Dr. Keller is the ONLY choice for BSCI. He is an incredible teacher as lectures are engaging and clear. His addition of worksheets helps break up the lecture that allows it to go by faster as well as lets you learn. Material is concise and clear. Exams are EXTREMELY FAIR - USE THE STUDY GUIDES ARE VIDEOS HE GIVES!!!!
Dr. Keller's lectures are incredible. I don't understand his low rating on this site. He makes even conceptually difficult concepts incredibly easy to understand. 10/10 would take any class with him.
Dr. Keller is a great professor. He wants all his students to do well and teaches information that you need in order to do good on the exams. The exams are straight from the lectures and by studying the content a little, you are guaranteed to get a good grade. He gives about 20 points extra credit through clickers as well.
Here's the thing, I loved Dr. Keller as a lecturer. But, now we're at the end of the semester. His grading policy is confusing, and I already was aware of it from the syllabus. You really won't know your grade until he springs it on you 2 days before your final. I even calculated the points myself like he said to and apparently I was wrong. Crying.
If I could give negative points, I would. Keller was so rude when requesting flexibility for accommodations (for disability purposes). He also makes his own "points system" so your true grade is not what Canvas reflects, told us this 3 days before finals. Made us take finals in person, even with COVID shutting the rest of campus down. Expect H*ll:)
Pros - Dr. Keller is a decent lecturer, information is conveyed clearly through his own speaking and his slides - Lectures are relatively engaging, with light humor Cons - Bad at communication (i.e. emails) - Highly passive-aggressive - Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Keller refuses to look out for the health of his students. He does not care.
I think that Dr. Keller was an amazing professor for BSCI170. He offers his students plenty of resources to perform well in his class (I.e. study guides, extra credit, practice problems/worksheets). I would also highly suggest attending his office hours and GSS sessions. It is imperative that you read his syllabus thoroughly!
Like any class, you will have to put the work in to do well. Dr. Kellers style of teaching makes tough biology concepts easy to understand. There are also other ways of getting help if youre still having trouble. Follow directions and take advantage of your resources and youll be all set!
While he seems to be a decent person his decision to not listen to students while we were concerned for our health and those who are close to us during COVID made it apparent what mattered more. He is funny during lectures but make sure you study and go to GSS for a good grade. Also the grading criteria is on the syllabus so make sure u read that
He will give you an extension on any quiz or worksheet (he's very understanding). Amazing lecturer so pay attention+take notes. Super sweet and funny guy. Knows his stuff. Clicker questions for extra credit. *Sometimes* hard to reach via email He is a tough grader and wants specifics. Exams are hard but if you study hard, you'll get an A.
Overall good teacher, but he gets a big passive aggressive at times and does not listen to the concern of his students. He lectures well and the material id pretty straight forward.
Exams are very difficult. However the work was manageable. Hard to reach with email but is a nice professor.
Lectures are engaging and well done. He's great at explaining and it really shows that he does care about what he is teaching. Funny and very understanding. However, notes taken in lecture may not help in the long run so I would recommend spending more time looking over material posted on canvas. Exams were tricky and difficult.
Keller is so sweet, but in order to do well in his class you really have to pay attention to his lectures and even possibly rewatch them. His exams are fair, his final wasnt. He recycles old material so try to look at past exams to study.
Professor Keller was very nice and funny. His lectures were clear and simple. He offers Clickers that is a form of extra credit. He sometimes gives you classwork, which aren't too difficult. The exams are fair and clear to understand. As long as you study effectively and use AMP resources, you'll pass this class.
hes a very nice guy tests are hard but not impossible
If I would have taken any other professor for this class I probably would have failed. Keller's lectures are straightforward and he makes sure to post the slides and recordings of each class. The exams are so simple. I did not read the textbook nor did I pay attention in lecture but I got 100 on all exams by just memorizing the study guide modules.
Keller made everything really easy to understand and made complex topics fairly simple. Exams aren't too difficult if you put in the time to study. All the information is laid out in detail on modules and is explained really well. He made class really interactive and enjoyable.
Very engaging lectures and is great at explaining material. Exams are fair and not super hard as long as you study. He lays everything out in his modules and records the lectures so attendance isn't mandatory.
The only bad thing about him is that he is very specific on his exams and will not accept answers that are not worded how he wants them. Other than this he's a pretty funny guy and his work is relatively easy. His weekly quizzes are harder than his exams most of the time. If you study enough and read over the material he provides you'll be set.
I loved Dr. Keller for BSCI170! He makes sure to explain complex topics and processes in super simple terms making things easy to understand. He makes it very clear what will be on exams and puts together summary modules for each unit (they're great for study guides). He also does clicker questions during class for extra credit.
His class is relatively easy. Although he doesn't upload panapoto videos, all of his slides are online and easy to read. He's also VERY lenient when it comes to grading. His worksheets and quizzes are easy A's and as long as you attend the exam review sessions with GSS you'll do well on his exams.
Lots of material but Dr. Keller explained it all very well, quizzes every Friday and some worksheets that we worked through in class, it's good to know the material inside and out before exams and he makes it clear what is covered before. Clicker questions are sometimes quiz questions! Make sure to study a lot! Some grades were dropped at the end
Really liked Keller. If you're taking him I would recommend taking notes on what he says rather than what is on the slides. His study guides are also extremely helpful. I was sadly focusing on many other classes and wasn't really able to focus on his class which is why I got a C. I will say sometimes I felt like he oversimplified some concepts.
I had him for the summer. Exams will make or break you. If you do not have a background in biology, then this class will be difficult for you. He also changed the grading scale of the class last minute and made me think I was going to pass. Please beware.
Professor Keller has a great personality. Going to lectures is the only way you'll do well on the exams because he explains in detail what you'll need to know. He gives extra credit for participation (via point solutions), and only keeps the grades of a few worksheets. Your grade really comes down to weekly quizzes on ELMS and the 5 exams.
Do not skip class or you won't pass. I loved Dr. Keller's lecture style but I wish I paid more attention and was keen on his speeches, thats where the information is. The tests are hard but you need to make sure you go to all GSS sessions and do the study guide through and through. Hard to do well in this class but the information is worth it.
Professor Keller's lectures are engaging, but you'll need to stay focused to do well. Using unstuckstudy with the provided study materials can make exam prep a breeze. Attendance is key, so don't skip class. Overall, a challenging but rewarding course.
AWESOME GUY. Lecture is engaging and interesting, tests are honestly not hard at all if you study. I havent scored below a 90 on any of the 4 exams, and am expecting the final to be similar. Course is designed to help you succeed. If you come to lecture and take notes, you will do well. If he is an option, take him!!!!
Amazing professor, he includes documents where he covers everything he talks about in lectures. Good study guides and great professor. Few quizzes and homeworks but really help prepare you for the tests. Lecture isn't mandatory and he records them all but he offers clicker questions where you can get extra credit points.
I had him in Fall 2020; he was a nice, chill guy but his tests were tough and I lost a lot of points because to get credit, the exact term was required! He also gave out a lot of homework and assignments. If you don't have a biology background or haven't taken AP Bio, good luck!
Overall, Dr. Keller is pretty nice. Attendance is not mandatory, but he has extra credit questions for in class only, so I would go. He records his lectures and posts them. He gives a list of topics for each exam, which is very helpful when studying. His tests are pretty fair and he tells you exactly what he will test you on (aka the topic list).
Bro, take Keller in the summertime. I haven't taken bio since 10th grade, and let me tell you, I had a glorious time, bruh. Take him in the summer. The practice exams were helpful, he was mad helpful, and the worksheets were like max 3 pages.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
44%
Textbook Required
2%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.44 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO170
4.5
(11)BSCI170
3.3
(112)BSCIFC01
3.2
(5)BSCI105
3.1
(33)Difficulty by Course
BSCI105
3.6
BSCI170
3.5
BSCIFC01
3.2
BIO170
2.9