2.8
Quality3.4
Difficulty41%
Would Retake83
Reviews41%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
8
4
23
3
11
2
23
1
18
What Students Say
“Sameni knows her economics very well, but it's full of such difficult concepts to explain”
ECON200 - 3.0 rating“I don't know why she has a poor rating”
ECON200 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
45%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.25 avg changeRatings by Course
ECON329
4.5
(2)ECON200
2.9
(50)ECON201
2.5
(29)ECON2OO
2.0
(1)ECON300
2.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
ECON201
3.6
ECON200
3.3
ECON329
3.0
ECON2OO
3.0
ECON300
3.0
Reviews (83)
She doesn't understand english very well and is terrible at explaining difficult topics to students. While this may be true, her quizzes are relatively straightforward and open notes and she is a good option compared to the other Macro professors.
She's from the Middle East and speaks VERY poor english, very dificult to understand. First day of class someone mentioned that Prof. Sameni seemed like a high school substitute teacher, to this day that is the truest thing ever. She rarely knows what she's talking about and often tells students they are wrong even though they are right. AVOID!!!
She does not speak very good English and is often difficult to understand what she is trying to convey to the students. She often asks the class for answers and nobody knows and the entire class sits in awkward silence. The quizzes are relatively simple and are open note, but in general try to stay away from her if you can if you want to succeed.
DO not recommend her. She has a horrible grading system and you can receive a grade lower than what you are earning because she claims it only depends on how well you do compared to your peers. She is not very helpful and doesn't explain things well. She knows a lot about economics but has a hard time explaining it to students who don't know.
Dr. Sameni knows her economics very well, but it's full of such difficult concepts to explain. She's nice and is a friendly teacher, but the lectures just brutally murdered me every tuesday and thursday.
Mona is a nice person, but her class is extremely hard. If a student ask her a question, she never answers what they are trying to ask. For grades, she ranks all of her students and gives you the letter grade where you fall. I thought I had a B+ this whole time, but now I have a C because I am ranked lower than someone else. I wouldn't take this.
I found her class very interesting. She always tries to keep you up to date with what is going on in the real world. Very helpful in her office. People who are complaining here probably did not even bother visiting her office once. Just ask the ones who actually did.
I don't know why she has a poor rating. I took this class my first semester as a freshman and ended up with a B+. No, I didn't learn a ton but part of that fell back on me . I attended class regularly, participated some, and never studied--I did fine. As long as you take advantage of the study guides and very easy(open notes) quizzes youll be fine
tests are very hard
Easiest macro class ever. Mona is very caring about your grade and wants you to learn and pass. She is always available to help you. Has great PASS instructors. She gives study guides and practice exams that are very similar to the tests. Hard to fail this class. Gives lots of extra credit.
Dr. Sameni is a decent teacher. When you ask questions she doesn't explain well or even know the answer. She gives one extra credit assignment worth three points. Her attendance is also extra credit. Quizzes are online, but tests are hard and sometimes the answer could be two, but you can only pick one. Probably best teacher for Macro though.
she is a poor teacher but her class is very easy
She is knowledgeable and caring. Liked this class a lot!
So far the class has been alright. She helped me in her office.
Great lady! One of the most understanding and aware professors I've had. Cares about the material. She gave our class a 5 minute break when I asked just so that we could enroll in classes. Wish I could take her for Econ 201
She's a solid professor and the class is super easy but the tests are kind of difficult because some of the material isn't covered in the textbook or slides. Best choice for macro though.
She gives 2 exams, a final and about 6 online quizzes a semester. All the quiz answers are online and she also gives extra credit. Pretty boring class but you can just sit on your phone all class. One of the easiest econ teachers and she's super nice.
Mona is so vauge, doesnt know how to teach in class and cannot explain the material more than one way. Her syllabus did not even have dates on it, so there is not clear direction of the semester & its like the whole time. she is not consistent with the materials she gives out (gave 3 worksheets out one week then never did anymore). Does curve grade
Mona is a nice lady who is willing to help you get the grade you're looking for. The lectures tend to be a little all over the place and the slides aren't very clear. Tests are pretty difficult but she gives out study guides and practice questions which are very closely related to the test. Probably the best choice for macro compared to the others.
Mona's class was kinda a joke. You could barely understand her lectures due to her accent and the she skips slides and the slides dont explain much. However, there is not a lot of work outside of class beside a few quizzes and worksheets. She does give study guides.
I like Dr. Sameni's class. She tries to make macroeconomics simple for you with straightforward lectures. I found her very knowledgeable about economics. She could literally answer any question that was thrown at her. She is also super nice and patient. I would definitely recommend her.
She's almost impossible to understand due to her thick accent. What bothered me most was whenever someone asked a question she would never answer, she'd always say, "who can answer that?" Considering she's the one with a degree in economics, I would prefer to hear HER answer, not some random kid in class. But that was never the case.
Prof. Sameni is obviously knowledgeable about economics, but her lectures can seem painfully long sometimes. Last week she let students use iPhones as calculators for a test (seriously?), and after she caught people cheating we all now have to redo it 2 weeks later (3 nights of studying wasted). Tests are hard too, there are only 3 of them. Avoid.
For someone with a PhD, she can't even edit her tests. She had so many mistakes on the last test which made it super confusing to take. Her lectures are boring but overall she's okay as long as you study. The good thing is, she gives us plenty of practice tests and even uses those same questions on the tests. She can get moody sometimes though
Her class is def an easy A. Her tests are practically from her practice tests, textbook, and online quizzes (which all the answers are online). Hard to understand sometimes, but def a sold choice for macro
She is nice and understanding. Tries to make lectures and tests easy. I would recommend her for Macro. Also I'm guessing some of the students who whined below are the ones who constantly want to be on their phones!
She is the most confusing professor ever. Half the time she didn't even know what she was talking about. Her accent is very heavy so it's very hard to understand her. Three MC tests, 6 online quizzes (answers are all online), lots of lectures. You're going to have to teach yourself everything. Take her, she'll curve your grade
Doctor Sameni is a somewhat average teacher. She means well, but often her lectures are less informative than one would hope. She teaches okay, but it doesn't resonate. Although she seems to speak fluent English, often she didn't understand questions from students. If you read the textbook, you are much more likely to learn the information.
She is quiet during her lectures so make sure you sit close. If you read the textbook, the quizzes and aplia assignments should be fairly easy. She gives a lot of review material and it is a good indication of what is on the test, so if you can get that stuff down, the tests should not be too bad.
Oh, Mona. I struggled big time in this course. The concepts were not always explained in an understandable way, mainly due to mumbling, though I know she tried. Be prepared for those online Aplia assignments. The exams are difficult too. She gave study guides and practice questions which were helpful but I had to teach myself most of it.
I liked Mona's class. She's a kind person who tries to make this course more understandable and easy. Gives extra credit and curves. I recommend!! By the way, I'm surprised by some of the bad reviews. Maybe you guys should try taking this course in a community college or something. Because other profs who teach it at JMU are not easy either!!!
She is horrible at teaching the material but she curves and inflates your grade at the end which is good. I did not understand the homework because it was so much harder than any test or quiz. Basically your entire grade is the midterm and final and are impossible to study for. Basically the only good thing about this class is how much she curves.
Do not take this professor, I didn't learn anything in class and tests are impossible to study for. Had to buy a $100 online textbook to do a few assignments. My least favorite class taken at JMU so far.
Do not take her. Her powerpoints are unclear and do not relate to the tests. Class is mandatory, but you do not learn anything from going to class. The major grades are the two midterms and the final, the only material to study is the textbook and the practice tests she posts, that sometimes will have the wrong answer shown as correct.
she gave us quizzes on canvas that had different answers than the practice exams she gave us with the same questions, absolutely need to read the book to understand what's going on bc she doesn't explain well, average grade for her class on every exam and quiz was a C
Mona gives 6 points of extra credit added to your final grade at the end of the semester if you show up to class majority of the semester and do the extra credit assignment she gives. Her class and lectures are definitely all over the place so be prepared to teach yourself. Online quizzes and all answers are on quizlets, 2 tests and a final.
Overall I liked her class. She sometimes seems disorganized or cannot explain things best, but provides good study guides, discusses interesting macroeconomic facts, curves the grades when needed and gives extra credit. She is also nice most of the time.
She has the worst powerpoints I have ever seen. They are unclear, sloppy, and confusing. She doesn't tell you when you need a calculator for the exams which can really hurt your score. You have to read the textbook to understand anything because her lectures are absolutely useless. Do not take this prof unless you want to retake econ...
She might not be the best choice , but her class is pretty solid. Good reviews and study guides. Macro is hard anyways.
Dr. Sameni is a smart professor and really knows her subject well. Her lectures on the other hand are not so great. She just reads off all her slides and doesn't add anything to the textbook readings. She takes attendance, puts her slides online and only three exams that are your grade. There are also group presentation that she doesn't plan well.
Ended up getting a lower grade than I was supposed to since she never took out the lowest quiz grade (she said she was going to), never added the extra credit that I did, and never put in the presentation she made us do for a grade. Others said she curves the final grade and ended up not doing that. Don't take this professor.
Worst teacher I have ever had. Her lectures are not specific about what's on the exams and she cancels class once a week. Be prepared to also have mind tap assignments done a couple times a week. If I were you, stay away from this professor.
She is very knowledgeable and teaches useful things. She is also very nice and patient. For the tests, study the guides and practice tests, and attend the PASS sessions and you should be good to go.
If economics is complicated for you, do not take this professor. I went to her office hours before and she was willing to help, she just isn't that good at explaining things. I felt like she would jump around in her lectures and complicate things. If you end up needing to take her, sit in the front and come to class.
She's a very nice lady, but do not take this class if you just need to fill a cluster requirement!! This class actually stopped me from pursuing a business minor because it was so confusing. Lectured so erratically that I ignored her and took notes on the same slides on my computer during class. One good thing is tests are similar to practice tests
Yes she can be a little boring when it comes to lectures but I don't regret taking her course. She assigns homework once a week which is easy, her quizzes are take home quizzes and that is once a week as well, and her study guides for exams are a great help. Not to mention she gives out a lot of extra credit opportunities, its a big grade booster!
Professor Sameni offers her aid to many students who ask questions, however, she is not efficient at communicating. This also affects her lectures which can be confusing due to said speech.
Very kind lady. Very knowledgeable and open to answering any questions you may have. Multiple choice tests which are rare for an economics course. She provides a lot of extra credit opportunities. I did not even touch the textbook and I bought it for $200. All of the information you need is on the powerpoints.
Sameni is an average professor. Two exams, and a final. Multiple quizzes and IG posts. She offers extra credit too! Her class is not difficult, but her lectures are disorganized and confusing. Her exams are exactly like the practice given, so a good grade is achievable. If you're okay with not really learning, and just want an A/B, take her class.
One of those classes where you dont do much but then the tests are really hard. She seems unprepared for lectures and you have to teach yourself. First test class average was a 60 among three different sections. Her test reviews are literally reading the practice questions and answers back to you, without explaining them at all. Dont buy the book.
The class is based entirely on tests and quizzes, but the quizzes are easy and take home and the tests are similar to practice exams and the lectures. Overall the class isnt too bad at all, but is basically inaccessible outside of class, and she can be disorganized a lot of the time.
I took Sameni during what I believe to be her first semester at JMU (Fall 2016) and I remember we all thought that her lectures were pretty unorganized. I think she means well and she knows her stuff, but some of the organization could be better. I got out with a decent grade that I was satisfied with.
Professor Sameni is very disorganized, and almost impossible to reach outside of class. She will not explain test questions to students, you just have to accept that she's right. You are basically only graded on tests and quizzes. You have to teach yourself if you want to do well in the class. 100% read the textbook.
Shes okay. I personally wouldnt take her again but shes really disorganized and she has the tendency to always want to think shes right. Her first midterm came across as easy to me but I didnt do too hot and neither did the rest of the class as the average was a 60% If you can find a better professor then do so.
Her mastery of english is questionable at best. Listening to her lectures it appears she doesn't know the words necessary to form concise sentences. This results in 1 minute concepts taking 5 confusing minutes. This deficit shows up in poorly worded, incredibly confusing quiz questions where more than 70% of the class get them wrong. Don't take.
She is sweet, knowledgeable, and caring. Tests are not too bad if you follow the study guide instructions. I learned a lot in this course.
SO HARD DO NOT TAKE IF YOU WANT TO PASS ECON!!! 3 tests, 8 quizzes. Doesn't even know what she's saying duringg lecture. if she doesn't know what the right answer is on her midterm review, how am I going to know and pass her class. ridiculous do not know how she is a teacher.
she's okay. I never used the book or went to lectures and got a b. she doesn't do pluses and minuses. it was online and there were 3 exams and 8 quizzes worth 25% each. lectures were boring but she offered study guides with the same questions that were on the exams. I took her for econ 200 too solid choice if you just want a gpa booster.
she doesn't really answer emails. I missed a quiz and asked to retake it but she didn't answer. but she also didn't put in a zero so that was cool. she forgot to put one of my test in too and I asked her about it and she never put it in. I think I did bad so it worked out. her English isn't the best so lectures are super confusing. got a b though
She is a solid choice for both Micro and Macro. I am an econ major, so I would take other classes with her later.
I am an engineering major and this class was one of my favorites. Especially the discussion of game theory. I took advantage of extra credit opportunities in the class, and I wish my classmates did the same. By the way, every time I sent an e-mail, I received a response.
Okay she really wasn't that bad. As long as you watched her lectures/use quizlet you'll be totally fine. Her English was fine idk why people are talking about that. Yes you're only graded on 3 tests and around 8 quizzes but the content isn't that hard, coming from a non business/econ/finance major.
Mainly graded on weekly quizzes and then 2 tests. Not the best teacher for the class, but not too hard to do well as long as you follow along. We had class once a week and the other class was optional. Definitely not too hard or time consuming.
She's a solid choice, 3 exams all with review days before them and a few quizzes throughout the semester. Her power point slides have everything you need to know, just show up to class or study the notes hard and it will be an easy a or b.
3 Exams and 7 quiz grades throughout the semester. Lectures are probably the most boring thing ever but she posts the powerpoints online and has everything you need to know for the exam on them. Review that and glance over the quizzes and you'll get a B easily. Also a ton of extra credit opportunities (like 8% total boost to final grade)
Class was online and was just boring lectures. I usually didn't attend as chapter lectures from previous years and notes were all on Canvas. Tests were pretty easy and material was straight forward. She was very accommodating and nice. A good professor.
She is not organized, jumps all over during lectures, has quiz questions that don't make sense, & promises extra credit & never puts it in. She's nice & smart but she is not great at explaining & if u ask a question she struggles to answer. 3 exams & some unit quizzes that were difficult but often overlap w in class practice. Posts lecture videos.
Econ 300 consisted of her reading a ppt slide she downloaded online for 10-20 minutes then the rest of the time was individual presentations which are really easy. Tests were kinda related to the slides but very hard. Averages for the tests were around high 50s low 60s. Study and will pass but don't expect to be taught absolutely anything
I took Econ 329 with her which consisted of interesting healthcare system topics. I feel like I learned a lot. There are things that can improve, but overall I enjoyed this course.
Professor Sameni isn't the worst in the department, but she isn't the best. She goes very quickly over each chapter, but when it comes to tests and quizzes the notes she has you take don't help you whatsoever when studying, feeling very pointless. The test is graded on like 7 or 8 quizzes 2 exams and the final. No extra work, so do well on quizzes
This is a very MID professor. She gives 0 homework and a few quizzes throughout the semester. These are in class but there are quizlets and other sites online that have the answers. There is a midterm and again the answers are online. Her lectures are really good, but she makes mistakes very often. mid professor fr.
She is ok. Nothing amazing but nothing notable. Her lectures can be a bit dull, as most of the information can be obtained from posted slides. Some in-class explanations were helpful so it is worth going to class. She teaches content and has quizzes on it 2 weeks later without going over it again. TA review sessions are great and probably required.
I'm sure you can find a better professor. She only grades you on 8 quizzes that are hard to understand, 2 mid-terms, and a final. She never responds to her emails. Her lectures are dull and she's so confusing. Thank you, next.
Very confusing to understand you have to teach yourself.
Only grades by exams and quizzes, all of which require your camera to be online even while in person. Lectures are all over the place and seem very poorly planned.
Very hard to understand during lectures. 8 quizzes 3 tests w a noncumulative final. No homework. Make sure you read the textbook if you decide to take Mrs. Sameni. If not you'll be screwing yourself backwards.
Worst class I have ever taken. Have a quiz or test every class with lockdown browser and camera on. Whenever you feel confident going into quizzes/tests you fail. I have gotten a tutor for this class, attend office hours and review sessions and still cannot succeed. Save yourself and take someone else
Although Professor Sameni is really nice once you get to meet her, her lectures are very hard to follow and the exams are nothing quite like what is taught in class. The only thing you are graded on is the exams and quizzes and no matter how hard you study, they are super hard. Exams are all in person on lockdown browser. Go to her office hours!
save yourself, do not take this professor at all costs
She's nice but she's not enthusiastic about teaching, and it takes away from the quality of learning during her very boring lectures. I get that the course is hard, but her soullessness doesn't help by any means. There's no homework, which sounds like a good thing, but there's also 3 tests and 8 quizzes that require so much studying just to get by.
I took an econ class in high school and understood all the concepts very clearly coming into this class, but the wording of her tests and quizzes constantly screwed me out of a better grade. Due to this and her lifeless lectures, the overall class was just bad. Take another professor if you can.
The only grades are quizzes, comprehensive assignments, 2 midterms, and a final. shes fine but not engaging and doesn't teach well. random attendance but it boosts your grade by around 2% at the end of the semester
Only cob prerequisite class I didn't get an A in and as of this semester I've taken them all. Just choose someone else.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
45%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.25 avg changeRatings by Course
ECON329
4.5
(2)ECON200
2.9
(50)ECON201
2.5
(29)ECON2OO
2.0
(1)ECON300
2.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
ECON201
3.6
ECON200
3.3
ECON329
3.0
ECON2OO
3.0
ECON300
3.0