4.4
Quality2.8
Difficulty85%
Would Retake110
Reviews85%
Would Retake
110
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
86
4
6
3
3
2
3
1
12
What Students Say
“As long as you attend the lectures, youll do just fine”
FINA365 - 5.0 rating“It is very evident that Mustafa cares about his students and their learning”
FINA365 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
27%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.35 avg changeRatings by Course
MGSC365
5.0
(9)FINA465
4.9
(14)FIN465
4.8
(22)FIN365
4.5
(23)FINA365
3.8
(42)Difficulty by Course
FINA365
3.2
MGSC365
2.9
FIN365
2.7
FINA465
2.6
FIN465
2.1
Reviews (110)
Highly recommend taking any professor other than Mustafa. At the beginning of the semester he'll tell you that he only tests on what you go over in class. This is not true at all. Even if you pay attention and take notes in class AND read the textbook, the exam will look foreign. He also laughs at you for asking pretty much any question. Dont take!
Asking a question will make you feel stupid. Lectures are very dry, but I do understand the material is also dry. The slides in class are essentially the textbook, but then when it comes to the exam, you have to draw associations between formulas that we have very little practice with and are not in the textbook. Also a slow grader
Worst professor I've ever taken in Darla Moore. Honestly a shame. I am a finance major and I've taken absolutely nothing away from this course. His lectures are completely unorganized and irrelevant to what he tests on. He spends half the class walking through simple math instead of teaching the actual concepts&no calculator on exams.. Do not take.
Test are very easy cause he lets you use formula sheets and stuff. Also, like 5 bonus questions on each test so helps bring grades up. He also doesnt give too much homework
You have to teach yourself how to do the homework. His lectures are just rambling for an hour. Glad I could take this online so I could just watch them later and skip around to the (halfway) relevant parts that applied to tests and homework. TAs will grade like 3/4 of the exams, not him.
Honesty a pathetic professor. I had him for 365 and it was basically the same class as 363. He's so damn bad at explaining things I wonder how he even has a job at a state university. Gonna have to teach yourself via textboook and practice problems
Can't use a calculator on exams. If you ask for help on homework problems he just repeats the question back to you and tells you to google it. Heavy accent. Good luck figuring out any homework or tests because they're more of his "google it" problems but you'll be on a lockdown browser. Embarrassment to darla moore business school imo!
One word: HORRIBLE. I was a finance major before taking this class, after the 2nd exam I changed majors. I have never studied so hard for a class only to fail every exam. His lectures have nothing go do with what he tests on. You can't use your own calculator on exams (on-screen scientific calculator) and the formula sheet is almost useless.
Mustafa is absolutely useless. This class is nothing more than a combination of the most trivial concepts from all of the other finance classes. In addition, his faulty lectures, terribly constructed powerpoints, lack of meaningful homework and inability to answer basic questions makes Karakaplan the most inaccessible and terrible professor at USC.
Mustafa is a funny guy who means well but unfortunately, he is not a great professor. I am a Finance major and have not learned any of the pivotal information I know I will need for my career. Lectures are useless, homework is useless, exam practice is useless. Final exam is cumulative and worth 40% of your final grade.
He does a good job teaching and explaining. His teaching style for those who learn fast is a bit slow. I never went to class & just skipped through recordings. Final exam is cumulative & requires you to read the book for the last couple of chapters since his teaching then was rushed. Overall good professor. Study hard for exams and you'll be fine.
I dont fully understand all of the negative feedback given about Mustafa. Truthfully, if you invest an average amount of time into studying the material, youll be fine. Hes super funny and definitely cares about his students. My only complaint was the final being so heavily weighted. Other than that, awesome guy and easy class.
As long as you attend the lectures, youll do just fine. I attended 90% of the lectures and still passed easily. His test are a mix of short answer and multiple choice but short answers are easy and only require a sentence or two. He gives a lot of bonus points on the test. Majority of my class passed with a good grade.
Dr. KaraKaplan is definitely one of the best professors Ive ever met. He was very patient when I have problems. His classes were interesting and easy to understand. He also gave us bonus credits. These are my objective evaluations. Go and pick him be your professor!
It is very evident that Mustafa cares about his students and their learning. His no attendance required policy is very respectful of his students busy schedules. A bit test heavy and the exams are a bit difficult but not impossible especially with the generous bonuses. If you stay on top of the material and apply it well, you will succeed.
Great teacher overall! His homework correlated well with the tests! This semester was online so you really have to focus and put in the work to receive a good grade. Extremely nice if you were in class he wanted you to ask questions and make sure you understood before he moved on.
Professor Karakaplan was a superb teacher in my opinion. If you go to class, do the homework (which he leaves notes on for improvement), and have a good attitude about online classes you'll do fine. It's a hard class, but all in all, Mustafa makes it a lot easier to succeed.
Dr. KaraKaplan is a nice teacher. He understands that individual students have their own learning needs. During the Covid-19, because I have a different time zoom and I talked to the professor, he said I can review lectures and make sure I watch them regularly not to miss anything. I think Dr. KaraKaplan is a responsible and nice teacher.
Mustafa was a great, typical, and fair professor. You have an easy, short homework due every Monday night, but attendance was not mandatory. If you want to succeed in this class, simply do the homeworks, attend class, and study for the exams. It was tough the final was worth a large portion but definitely manageable. Mustafa is a great choice!
Good professor. Class is not easy but he gives you everything you need to pass. Also responds quickly to emails and is very accommodating.
Dr. Mustafa is a great professor and a great person. His lectures can be a little dry but he does try his hardest to make them more interesting. He gives you everything you need to pass his exams including a formula sheet on the exams. He doesn't take attendance either.
Great prof and straight forward class. One HW assignment due every Monday which was only 2-4 questions and took 30 mins to do. There were two exams worth 25% of your grade each, HW added up to be 10%, and the final was 40%. Extra HW assignments were given at the end of the semester for extra credit. Pay attention to the lectures and you'll do fine.
Just follow will the material and do your homework.
Such a good professor and actually cares about students/their success. Challenging but give extra credit on tests from things mentioned in the lectures. Gives feedback on every homework and will help you figure out what you're doing wrong. Teaches in a way that makes material easier to grasp. All around great professor and class.
I took Mustafa's Corporate Finance last year. I loved his style so much I decided to take his Banking course this semester. I got my first exam score and I have absolutely no regrets. This guy is just awesome. His lectures, practice questions and assignments help a lot with the exams.
Professor Mustafa is great! My first test score was bad. He reached out to me and gave me guidance to fix my grade. He really cared about what I got eventually. That meant a lot to me. Not many professor are like him.
Honestly this class was an awful experience. Do not take this. No explanations, no real help with questions at all. This class made me change my major because I did so poorly. do whatever you have to do not to take him.
He announced Exam 2 scores today. Pay attention to real reviews. I got one of the top scores. This course is a piece of cake if you go to his classes regularly and study the exercise questions that he shares on Blackboard. I took his course based on my girlfriend's recommendation and I don't regret it. Ask real people about their experience.
I took this course from another professor but failed. Mustafa's course makes much more sense. I am happy I actually learn some stuff that is important. He gives extra credit opportunities and does not require memorizing formulas. Awesome dude.
I good professor but be ready to study for the exam but all materials from the slides.
Dr. Karakaplan was a great professor. He is clear in what he expects and if you study and pay attention in class, there is no reason you wouldn't be able to get an A.
Dr K is a fantastic guy! Attendance is not required but lectures are fun to attend. He solves a lot of examples in class and teaches how to use Excel with financial questions. He even allows using Excel on the test so we would learn it and use it! I mean, what more could you ask for? I learned a lot and I am certainly taking his other courses too.
If you did well in FINA 363, this class is a breeze. The grading criteria is extremely straightforward, with the 3 tests counting for the majority of the grade. If you do the review test questions before the exams, you should be able to do very well as they are extremely similar. Class in not mandatory nor necessary to be honest. Highly recommend.
If you don't understand something it's very hard to get help. Grade is solely based off exams which are extremely difficult. Karakaplan is a smart guy but he makes the topic more confusing than it needs to be.
Professor Karakaplan does care about his students but this class is so unnecessarily difficult because of the way he teaches it. The power points give little to no help and he gives you exercise questions, but the explanations for them are terrible. I'd say to stay away from this professor. I think I would've done much better with another.
My first test score was less than 70. It was a much-deserved poor grade. I asked Mustafa for help. We met and he helped and gave me detailed guidance to fix my grade. Following that I got over 90 on the second test and final. This is a straightforward course, but he has a tough love approach. If you don't earn a point, he doesn't give it for free.
Karkaplan is not an easy-A prof. I got a B+ but I could get an A with another. I heard he gives Ds and Fs too. But I didn't miss a lecture and I feel like I learned a lot about corporate finance and excel. I clearly know way more than my roommate who got an A from another professor. Don't take him for an easy grade/pass. But I would take him again.
When it is comes to knowledge he is best professor. Yes classes are difficult in starting but gradually you will start understanding everything. After explaining the topics of you need to ask anything again about that topic, he is happy to help you.
Excellent
Dr. Mustafa is a great professor for you to learn banking. He is very cooperative and clears all doubts, even after completing the course. He always helps. It's highly recommended if you want to learn.
Mustafa Karakaplan is the best professor; he took an honest look at my situation and gave me hope that I could achieve my objectives. very professional! He is the right person for financial knowledge.
It was a great course. I got an opportunity to hone my skills and knowledge. I would like to thank Karakaplan for his support and guidance. I would like to recommend him to anyone who wants to make his/her career in finance.
My journey towards the financial world started as a student of Mustafa, and to be honest, I never faced any difficulties with him. His support was immensely helpful; he was there for me at every step. My overall experience was great.
Mustafa is a great professor for you to learn advanced Excel and finance. He is very cooperative and understands the needs of every student. Overall, it was a wonderful experience.
It was great to learn finance from Dr. Karakaplan. He was great at helping us learn Excel from basic to advanced and then use it in financial modeling.
So basically 90% of the grade are form by the exams. He's not a bad teacher, I just don't like his way of teaching. The ta for the class doesn't know what they are doing. They can't explain a problem that we asked about.
Highly recommended for those looking for a great finance course. The examples used to explain the concepts were extremely relevant.
My experience with Professor Karakaplan was amazing. He is well experienced and is very helpful and knowledgeable. He gives the best support.
I have learned a lot. The course is hard but the exams are OK if you solve the practice questions. He also gives a lot of bonus points.
Karakaplan is the best professor to learn corporate finance. He is well experienced and is very helpful and cooperative. Highly recommended for those who want to make their career in finance.
Very entertaining course and highly relatable. Everything he teaches makes sense. Puts things into perspective. 10/10 would take again.
Go for it. Being a person who is miles away from any financial topic, made a difference. He was super supportive, and as I needed a bit more guidance than others, it was perfect. Being a person from a different background, I recommend him 100%.
Excellent teacher for valuation analysis and financial modeling. My experience was fantastic; I felt what I learned will be useful for my future career.
I would recommend Mustafa Karakaplan to every student. I have made the best decision to take his course. Learned a lot about the corporate world.
Mustafa is seriously a great guy. He makes you feel welcome. He knows a lot about the subject and he is very smart. Awesome.
Karakaplan is very knowledgeable about the concepts of Finance. The material is complex but overall the class is a great learning experience.
He is amazing. He makes the course interesting and relevant. A bit exam heavy but fine. Offers lots of practice questions.
Mustafa is one of the best professors here. I liked his course so much. I am currently taking his other course.
Genuinely great professor. I highly recommend it. He cares about your understanding and performance. With him, the topics make sense.
This course is hard but Mustafa is awesome. he is very willing to help. I learned a ton and you will love this class.
Fantastic professor! I loved the course. He was always ready to help students and answer questions. I would highly recommend this course.
He is funny and nice. He makes the material interesting, gives great real-world examples., and discusses related ethical matters. 100% recommended.
Mustafa is one of my favorite professors! He cares and wants you to do well. He is extremely helpful. Take him.
This course is interesting, the way it is taught and its structure are also very convenient. The professor explains concepts very well. Definitely would take a course taught by Prof Karakaplan again.
love him, don't have any more mandatory finance classes but if I had I'd choose his class for sure. Very fair professor, if you work hard you get what you deserve.
Prof Mustafa is very knowledgeable about financial issues. This class has been an amazing opportunity for me to gain a deep understanding of corporate finance. The course is test-heavy but you should be fine. Recommended!
Solid lectures where he teaches you basic examples. The textbook wasn't always helpful. It's useful to ask him questions to thoroughly understand the content to do well. He's very kind.
Class attendance is not mandatory but helpful. Exams are hard and mostly mathematical. Bonus points are great! Also, he is funny!
I like Dr. K because I understood his lectures and he made the concepts very easy to remember. He just is an exceptional teacher. This course exceeded my expectations.
Mustafa is a cool guy, but he sometimes gets sidetracked by telling some stories. He is informative. He does not use the textbook much. Exam heavy but he helps a lot. He does not take attendance but I liked it so much that I still attended most lectures.
Mustafa is one of the nicest and smartest Professors in the Business School. His class is lecture heavy but he makes them fun with some jokes. Your grade is mainly determined by how you do on the exams but he gives you study guides which is nice. This class is by no means an easy A. Show up to class and study hard and you will do well.
Attendance is not mandatory and your grade is determined by 10 HW assignments and 3 exams. Mustafa is very knowledgeable and sometimes has a good sense of humor, but he can be extremely condescending at times too. The exams don't always reflect class content but he makes exam study questions for each one. Overall not easy but going to class helps
You learn concepts and calculations that have the importance of real-life application. Furthermore, he gives extra credit opportunities in his exams.
Prof. Karakaplan is an awesome professor who truly cares about his students. The course content is clear and you always know exactly what you need to study. Highly recommend.
Overall the course was fairly easy. Attendance was not mandatory and exams are online through lockdown. IF you ever decide to miss a lecture, all of his lectures are recorded. There are about 3 exams and 10 homework assignments. Assignments and exams come easy when you study for it.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!! The only reason he has a high score is because he emails all the students who received an A in his class and asks them to give him a high ratemyprofessor score. First 2 exams aren't bad, final exam is horrible and worth 40% of your grade. At least 10 questions that he never taught us how to do. First class I wont have an A in.
Straightforward but not an easy A. Exams are really hard, and final is 40% of final grade. Online lectures are boring, but you get something out of it. HW doesn't match exams bc TA makes the hw. Good exam study guides. Don't take this class online if you can avoid it. The reviews are good because he asks A students to give a good review.
I dont get the hype for this professor. It was one of the most uncoordinated and difficult online classes. Prof only lectures and makes exams. TA makes the homework and does NOT host ANY exam reviews, even for our cumulative 2 hour final. Lectures are boring but theyre recorded and he posts the slides. Choose an in person prof if possible
I took Dr. K's online course and liked it. I heard he is a lot better in person than online and way better than others teaching FIN365. I have attended all online sessions even though it is not mandatory and recorded videos are available. He is straightforward about what he would ask on the tests and what not, so I did quite well in this course.
great prof. test heavy but it is ok if you are a good test taker. homeworks are a good 10% of your grade. he also gives bonus points that are good for two letter grades. zero complaints. would take it again. absolutely recommend.
Prof. Karakaplan makes complex financial topics incredibly clear and engaging, often using real-world examples that significantly enhance understanding. His genuine care for students ensures everyone stays on track and feels supported. Highly recommend taking any course he offers!
Mustafa's course was challenging but exceptionally rewarding. He provides ample opportunities for extra credit, significantly helping students to improve their grades. His teaching style is both practical and supportive, making the learning experience truly enjoyable.
This class was amazing! Mustafa excels at simplifying financial concepts with clear explanations and an approachable demeanor, making learning straightforward and enjoyable. I would absolutely take another class with him!
Dr. K's lectures strike a perfect balance between being informative and entertaining. He clearly cares deeply about student success, offering practical advice and valuable study tips throughout. Taking his class was a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend him.
Mustafa is exceptionally helpful and supportive as an instructor. His practical approach to teaching finance, combined with his readiness to provide guidance, makes the class incredibly worthwhile. His teaching greatly enhances students' financial acumen.
The lectures delivered by Prof. Karakaplan are excellent—clear, concise, and easy to follow. Exams are straightforward, and he remains accessible for extra help and clarification, fostering a great learning environment.
Mustafa is among the best professors I've had. His course effectively equipped me with valuable skills, especially in financial modeling and Excel. He provides extensive resources and clear instructions, ensuring students achieve success.
The course surpassed my expectations by offering highly relevant material presented in an engaging manner. Mustafa's lectures made complex financial concepts easy to grasp and apply practically, greatly enriching my academic experience.
Dr. K is exceptionally approachable and supportive. His structured lectures and insightful exam tips make studying manageable, even enjoyable. His guidance significantly enhances the learning experience, fostering student success.
Mustafa clearly and effectively explains complex finance concepts, providing generous bonus points on exams that greatly benefit students. His supportive approach and clarity in teaching ensure students understand the material thoroughly.
Mustafa genuinely cares about his students, going above and beyond to ensure everyone comprehends complex financial topics. His dedication and enthusiasm make him one of the best professors I've encountered. Highly recommend his courses!
I loved this class due to Prof. Karakaplan's clear explanations and engaging teaching style. He makes finance enjoyable and accessible, using practical examples to illustrate complex concepts, making learning both effective and pleasant.
The detailed guidance and ample resources Mustafa provides ensure students succeed academically. His practical examples greatly facilitate understanding and application of financial concepts, making his courses highly effective.
The course offered by Prof. Karakaplan is rigorous but highly rewarding. His supportive and structured teaching style helps students excel academically, providing extensive guidance and resources for deep understanding and success.
Dr. K made learning finance accessible and enjoyable through humor and real-life examples. His engaging lectures and practical approach significantly enhance students' grasp of the material, making the course genuinely enjoyable.
Mustafa's courses come highly recommended for their structured approach and his exceptional willingness to help students. His clear, practical instruction ensures students fully understand and apply financial concepts effectively.
The corporate finance course offered practical insights paired with clear, structured instruction. Mustafa made it one of my best academic experiences, significantly enhancing my understanding of complex financial topics.
Prof. Karakaplan provides thorough explanations, detailed study guides, and valuable bonus point opportunities. His clear instruction and supportive teaching style make complex finance topics understandable and manageable.
Mustafa's finance course, though challenging, is highly manageable due to his detailed guidance and supportive teaching approach. His clear explanations and structured course design ensure students master complex topics effectively.
Dr. K's enthusiasm and deep knowledge make every class session enjoyable. His clear, straightforward exams and excellent study resources enable students to achieve great academic results with ease.
Complex financial topics become understandable and intriguing through Prof. Mustafa's teaching. His structured approach and engaging style create a highly valuable learning experience, fostering deep understanding and practical skills.
Mustafa's supportive and engaging teaching style simplifies complex finance concepts, making them practical and easy to apply. His clear instruction and helpful resources significantly boost student confidence and performance.
Interactive classes and extensive student support provided by Dr. K ensure academic success. His outstanding teaching methods, combined with practical examples and clear guidance, greatly enhance student learning and comprehension.
Mustafa's expertise in financial modeling and Excel training significantly enhanced my practical skills. His detailed instruction and supportive guidance were immensely valuable, preparing students effectively for real-world applications.
Classes become both educational and enjoyable thanks to Dr. K's clarity, humor, and real-world examples. His engaging lectures significantly enhance understanding and foster academic success.
Prof. Karakaplan's structured, clear approach helps students achieve excellent academic results in finance. His supportive teaching style and practical examples make complex concepts easy to grasp and apply effectively.
The approachable nature and deep financial knowledge of Mustafa greatly enhance the class experience and student understanding. His clear, structured instruction and practical examples significantly boosted my comprehension of complex financial topics.
Dr. K's clear expectations, detailed study materials, and supportive teaching style make achieving good grades straightforward and stress-free. His courses offer practical skills and valuable insights into finance.
The course provided extremely beneficial and practical insights relevant to real-world finance. Mustafa's structured instruction and clear explanations make complex topics easily understandable and applicable.
Thorough explanations combined with practical, real-world financial applications are exceptionally balanced in Dr. K's classes. His supportive teaching style ensures deep understanding, greatly benefiting students academically and professionally.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
27%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.35 avg changeRatings by Course
MGSC365
5.0
(9)FINA465
4.9
(14)FIN465
4.8
(22)FIN365
4.5
(23)FINA365
3.8
(42)Difficulty by Course
FINA365
3.2
MGSC365
2.9
FIN365
2.7
FINA465
2.6
FIN465
2.1