2.2
Quality4.0
Difficulty34%
Would Retake413
Reviews34%
Would Retake
413
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
413 total ratings5
26
4
64
3
68
2
73
1
182
What Students Say
“Be ready to learn everything on your own”
CHEM102 - 1.0 rating“she expects you to teach ourselves and gets surprised when we do bad on our tests”
CHEM102 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
87%
Textbook Required
0%
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B+
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CHEM106
4.0
(1)CHEM
4.0
(1)CHEM102CHEM104
3.5
(17)104LC
3.3
(4)CHEM1O2
3.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
CHEM101
4.9
CH102
4.4
CHEM1020001
4.3
CHEM10400
4.2
CHEM10200
4.2
Reviews (298)
Doctor Kobko is very fair - you do get the grade you deserve. She gives ample room to improve your grade ( from extra points built in the course to dropping your lowest exam score). She prepares you for the ACS - and most students tend to do very well on the final exam.
If you want to hate chemistry or learning, take her class.
I wish the online homework is enough to help you learn at least 80% of the topics but it only helps you learn about 40%. I really don't like the way the class is set up and how the homework is set up. It doesn't work for me. Other chem classes I've taken have done much better.
The way the classroom is set up is reversed so that you watch lectures online and then come in for clickers. The videos online are not very thorough and it causes a lot of confusion for tests. It is possible to get a good grade in the class if you put in a lot of hours in the week but i don't think she's very helpful.
Kobko's idea of a lecture is a clicker session in which we have to answer multiple-choice questions in under a minute for problems that require multiple layers of solving. The videos we learn from are irrelevant to the exams that she gives and the woman in the video teaches things like a review, not an introduction, which makes it very tough.
800 person lecture, not her fault. Course taught online with in class clicker quizzes. She gives practice problems + tests and many office hrs if you need help. class is easy to do well in if you apply yourself. she explains some concepts and whats on test. Shes actually very nice and helpful if you go to office hrs. tests 70% of grade, acs final
If you put in the work and actively learn the material, the class is not that bad. You definitely need to stay on top of the videos and pay attention during the clicker session but IMO the videos are fairly clear. I just tried to take detailed notes and referred to old material often. The material builds off of itself so pay attention early.
Dr. Kobko does not actually teach class. The class consists of the student learning the material on their own through inadequate Sapling videos and homeworks and going to quiz class to answer clicker questions. Study the past exams and find your own videos to learn the content and know what to expect on the test.
Though Kobko does not actually teach class, I found the online learning platform much more helpful at teaching the material and the clicker questions were great practice for knowing the material and the exams. Use the TA's office hours and study the past exams thoroughly. Overall, this is definitely the easiest STEM class at Hunter.
You have to put effort into this class. make sure you do all the homework because that's how you learn in this class. The class is a hybrid so the teacher just gives you a quiz on hw every week. Class is boring but easily passable.
Loved the class. First time taking chem, I was super scared to take this class but it wasn't that bad at all, it's just a lot of work. All you need to learn comes straight from the assigned videos, do ALL the work, take practice exams, go to office hours and STUDY A LOT!
For this course, there wasn't much taught from Professor Kobko's end. Most of the material was taught through Sapling videos and practice tools. She does try to help extend on material taught through Sapling videos during lectures, but doesn't do a good job at doing so. She does help students outside of class, though, but I never seeked it.
Her grading is very clear, 4 tests, drops the lowest, all homework online, workshop and a clicker session every class. Lots of material to cover. You're learning through videos online so if you're not comfortable with that, attend office hours. Its def not easy but you get the grade you work for. Effort matters.
She doesnt even teach. She stands at the front of the auditorium and watches while students get the clicker questions wrong and just simply says that everyone needs to wake up. The only teaching that you get is through the simplistic videos that are on sapling that really do not teach anything. The whole way chemistry is taught here is sad.
I've taken both Gen Chems with Dr. Kobko. Honestly, is it an easy A. You know exactly what to expect since they feed you past exams. The material is mainly self taught but you know exactly what you're going to be tested on. No surprises. You DO have to spend some extra time on your own practicing the concepts. She also responds to emails promptly.
The videos teach you exactly what you need to know to do well in the class. With the clicker questions and the practice exams, dr. Kobko gives more than enough resources to succeed in the course. If you go into the test without a good understanding of how to answer all practice questions given, its on you. The class is an easy a with some effort.
IF you dont slack off like I did youll pass. ITs graded on 4 exams and hw and workshop. Study and work for it
Not a good professor, you have to teach yourself and she wont round up grades even if you're .02 points away from a higher letter grade. Uncaring and does not want you to succeed.
During the pandemic they did not allow backtracking on exams. We had to go to our workshop at the scheduled time when its an individual online quiz. I write this not to disparage Kobko but to warn students that if you are more heavily affected by Covid, you will be at an unavoidable disadvantage. She is uncaring leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
I dont know if its just due to the way Hunter has Chem classes, but she really was not a good teacher. Anything I got out of her class was from my TA or my own work. The videos you watch that are supposed to teach you are simplistic versions of what she expects you to know. I only went to lectures for the points. Take another teacher if possible.
You basically teach yourself in this class and if this is not your ideal teaching style (like me) you'll struggle. You do have office hours and workshops which help. Tests were all multiple choice and straightforward. Clicker sessions were honestly a joke bc you either guessed or didn't show up but you get points from them every week.
Took CHEM 102 and CHEM 104 with her. The learning is up to you, she is just there to give you clicker quizzes and exams in class. Study the past exams and ask for help from your peers and TAs.
Im not sure how Dr. Kobko is during a regular semester, but I wouldnt recommend taking during the summer. Moves very fast, is not clear in lecture (makes many mistakes in calculations/typos in presentations). Slow to answer emails.
I took Dr. Kobko for Chem 104 over the summer in the accelerated session. Its VERY important to stay on top of the videos and homework assignments. Before tests, redo every single clicker problem and all of the extra credit/test prep questions on Sapling. Curves tests heavily due to low averages. Just put in the time and youll be fine.
I took her class the Summer and really regretted it. Not communicative, not interested in teaching and can't properly convey information to students, makes a lot of mistakes. It is unlikely that with the knowledge that she gives you, you can pass her exams the first time. You must teach yourself to pass the class, otherwise won't help you.
Sapling videos be confusing. Practice tests n clicker questions... these if you know from back of head you will do great cuz they reflect the test a lot lot lot. What sucks is she posts answers to practice tests but now how u derive the answer but she does for clicker slides so better find some friends, take good notes, and try to get all points
She is terrible professor. I'm taking chemistry 104 and I am thinking to drop the class.
I had professor Kobko for Chem 102 and in my opinion one of the worst. Difficult to reach outside of class and never answers emails. Her class is difficult and if youre behind its difficult to catch up. I dont recommend anyone take her.
Be prepared to self study. This class is a mix of asynchronous and synchronous. You have to do all assignments by yourself and attend lectures to do practice problems based on all the work you did. The practice exams are kinda similar to how the actual exam is. Put in many hours for this class when it comes to studying. Helps you to pass the class
In this class, you have to teach yourself. The professor cares more about the grading than if the student has learned the material. Never explains and is not accessible easily. She says you have a lot of chances to get a good grade but I don't know how if she doesn't teach anything. Overall, just skip her unless you really have to take this class.
I had her for Chem 102, it is a tough class but not because of Dr Kobko. She must teach 800+ students so we use Sapling to learn the material asynchronously and come twice a week for tests. You must put in the work, use office hours, TAs, and self study. I do notice that HW questions tend to be a lot tougher than exam and quiz questions.
Dr. Kobko is a good professor. It was hard to get to know her well because my class had 900 people in it. It was very clear what I needed to do to succeed, and she cares a lot about her students. The course is self taught using Sapling, an online learning platform.
This class is one of the worst science courses I've taken because she does not teach. You are expected to learn from the videos and homework she assigns however, her videos are not in depth nor enough to learn all the material. Most of the grade comes from the 4 exams and the average is barely passing.
Who ever reads this, do not take chemistry with this teacher if you want to have a decent experience. I understand the current situation (Fall 2020), but the way Kobko has carried this course throughout this semester is just complete trash. She will not teach you, and instead will expect you to learn the material through horrible recorded lectures.
Dr. Kobko doesn't teach and won't answer questions through email. The class is a lecture, so there wasn't any way to communicate with her. Reach out to her through office hours. The TAs are the real stars to go to; they go through problems step by step and answer forum questions. You have to watch the videos on your own and study a lot.
Considering the fact that Dr. Kobko has over 800 students, she is a great professor. You just have to know how to self-study and takes notes on the videos you watch and be ready for clicker sessions. She obviously can't answer every email, so ask your TAs any questions you have. You can also talk to her during office hours and she's very helpful!
Koboko didn't put much effort toward individualizing her lessons in terms of calling on students, and making sure that we all understood what was being taught. She would basically recite pre-made PPT's throughout the whole class, Koboko was a difficult professor she would hurriedly go through go through the lessons. Her style was reciting info.
Koboko didn't put much effort toward individualizing her lessons in terms of calling on students, and making sure that we all understood what was being taught. She would basically recite pre-made PPT's throughout the whole class, Koboko was a difficult professor she would hurriedly go through go through the lessons. Her style was reciting info.
Koboko didn't put much effort toward individualizing her lessons in terms of calling on students, and making sure that we all understood what was being taught. She would basically recite pre-made PPT's throughout the whole class, Koboko was a difficult professor she would hurriedly go through go through the lessons. Her style was reciting info.
She recites information. Sapling but it does not at all reflect the tests. Some comments are saying to ask questions but it is difficult to do that when the content is not clear. Many have to go online to understand the material; you can understand but her questions are very specific and complex. No study guides are given. Work needs to be done!
She gave a poll about the helpfulness of reef and recitation classes. Most said they wanted just regular lecture so the material can actually be taught to us, not just from short and unhelpful videos that don't correlate at all with the tests. She ignored our input as it showed her bad teaching methods. She was okay with 70% test averages...
Chem 102 with Dr. Kobko was the worst thing that I have experienced in my freshman year. She did not teach, all she did was recite information. Those iclicker questions were the worst and she never gave enough time for those. The videos on sapling do not explain the concepts at all and her tests do not reflect the material she gives out.
Not terrible, but wouldn't take again. Homework/Quiz questions did NOT reflect the test. Left a lot of critical thinking for the test with a limited time frame. Unless you are VERY good at working out new questions under pressure, it is very hard to get an A with her. She is nice, but if you want an A, avoid if possible.
This class entertained by depression and anxiety even more. Imagine getting her to help you with anything lol. The homework was the only thing that saved my grade, make sure you go over past exams and practice the iclickers. Sapling will not help you learn at all so good luck to everyone. I wanted to drop being pre med and transfer because her.
I wish I had the option not to take another class with her next semester. If you do have the option to choose your chem professor, do yourself a favor and DO NOT take this professor!!!!! please trust me.
This chem class was confusing from the start, sapling was honestly a waste of money. She doesn't teach, only does a few problems on fridays, her videos are useless, you would have better chance using khan academy. Accuses students of cheating when the people you accused have score from 60-80. If you can study chem yourself youll be fine
Sapling has to teach you the course, but it really doesn't. All she does is iClicker questions during the lecture and give exams. Then she gets shocked when 700/900 students are getting low grades. She does not answer questions, so go to TAs. If you have no prior Chemistry knowledge, do not take her because you will be lost. You teach yourself :)
Dr. Kobko is a very kind professor and I can tell she cares about her students, but the size of the class (900+) makes it harder to learn and forces you to teach yourself most of the time. Her teaching style may work for some, but definitely not for me. Be sure to go to office hours and ask any TAs for help if you want to pass the class.
Vary annoying, you wouldnt learn anything. Just show up and do the i clicker youll do fine. Highly dont recommend her.
Her lectures were not even lectures, it was just iclicker questions (basically a quiz). There's homework every week. You have to teach yourself with the sapling videos she gives you. So if you are taking this class, get ready to learn and do everything yourself.
Kobko doen't teach. To learn, you watch videos on Sapling and teach yourself. During lectures, we just do a ton of practice questions. She has almost 1,000 students in her class so she will not help each student. If you want to pass her tests, do the previous exams she provides and the clicker questions cause the tests are just like those.
Made my first semester the worst and she made the final so difficult that barely anyone passed it. She does not teach so be prepared to teach yourself because the videos she gives on sapling (the website you use for homework) does not help at all. Her tests are also difficult and shes very slow with grading. Dont stress yourself out.
This class was very insightful. Professor Kobko only makes the exams and the clickers, which are a huge part of your grade. You learn from an online tool where a British lady teaches you through videos, but some of the videos are not helpful either. I would not take this class again, but I had. Unfair class.
I took her class when it was online, you would think that this would make it a little easier to get by. Wrong, you are meant to learn by watching videos that are not informative or teach anything. You get a extra 44 points but that doesn't help out. If you wan learn something I would not recommend this class, unless you like learning by video.
I do not recommend, she pisses people off and she intentionally sets you up to fail. Thank god I passed this class cause she thought she can fail me for a second. P.S. She doesn't teach her software does; all she does is give iclicker quizzes, three exams and a final during class.
Dr. Kobko is truly the best professor! She is so sweet and funny. She is also extremely understanding and intelligent! I definitely recommend.
Dr. Kobko is truly the best professor! She is so sweet and funny. She is also extremely understanding and intelligent! I loved the way she ran her class with weekly homework, clickers, and workshops. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't too bad either. Pre-health isn't supposed to be easy. I definitely recommend!!
Professor Kobko is by far the worst professor I have had this semester. She doesn't communicate with her students and doesn't teach at all. You have to teach yourself from videos and all she does during lectures is go over questions. You have to do a lot of self-studying to pass this class, I recommend doing the past exams and clicker questions.
You spend the entire semester teaching yourself through watching videos of someone telling you the information. Then there are quizzes on Wednesday and Friday; you get quizzed on the information that you taught yourself. The videos barely explain the information enough, overall the course was a waste of time, energy and I learned nothing.
The sapling assignments don't really help with the tests at all. Tests are more closely related to iclicker questions. Memorize trends and exceptions! Her lectures are just iclicker questions and often have mic or connection problems. There is a major lack of communication as chat is turned off and the sapling forum is hardly checked/answered.
The class is mostly self-learning as the lectures are just iclicker questions and often riddled with mic and connection problems that she sometimes doesn't notice. It is almost impossible to communicate with her directly due to the large class size. For exams focus on old exams and iclickers(don't waste time reviewing Sapling for an upcoming exam).
this class is all self teaching through sapling. every week you need to show up to iclicker. you definitely need to study for exams and exam 3 and the final were a time crunch. join a gc or get a group of friends and go to office hours! overall the material is pretty manageable.
Can you even call her a professor? She doesn't even teach, she gives you videos to watch and makes you learn everything yourself. You're better off learning from her cat.
Hunter might as well pay you for taking this class since the professor is literally useless. She doesn't know how to teach, everything is fully self-taught. Class time consists of questions she expects you to answer in 10 seconds. Dont bother reviewing homework for exams. Her cats nice though. (take prof Gabriella for spring instead)
Would rate 0. Hunter might as well pay you for taking this class since the professor is literally useless. She doesn't know how to teach, everything is fully self-taught. Class time consists of questions she expects you to answer in 10 seconds. Dont bother reviewing homework for exams. Her cats nice though
Online class was all self taught through sapling. Test questions were very difficult and slightly different from homework material. Lectures are just clicker questions and she barely gives enough time for them.
One of the hardest classes and Kobko makes it even harder. This class is fully self-taught and she is no help but you absolutely cannot skip a single lecture. Her exams are crazy and the final was the worst. Went to office hours after an exam and even the TA couldn't answer the question and took about 10-15 minutes and help from someone else. ����
Prof. Kobko is the laziest professor I have ever taken. Her tests are not based on the homework or practice questions. The final had 51 mcq in 2hrs which was hard to complete. She doesnt teach and she doesnt care about her students. If you experience technical difficulties during exam she wont understand it. She has no heart. Do not take her.
If Hunter would give awards to professors, she would get the worst professor ever award. I feel like Kobko doesnt understand she is at hunter to teach us. Instead she is making it more and more difficult. No lectures, the sampling videos are useless. Iclicker is horrible and recitation is not based on material we learned. The whole system is bad.
The style of teaching she uses is a style I really dislike. During online classes, there is no real lecturing, but workshop tests Wednesday's and Clicker Tests Friday's do not teach me enough from a professor. You basically need to teach yourself everything and from my 5 emails to her, I received an answer to one of them.
Despite all the bad reviews, I found her class to be okay. I think she's really a hit or miss and that is largely dependent on the type of learner you are. I did well mostly because I'm an active learner and her iclicker/workshop sessions were all very straight forward. This may not work for those who need more guidance and thorough explanations.
You learn the material by watching videos at home, and the weekly lectures are just simply clicker questions. Kobko herself is actually pretty nice and funny. The class has 1000 students, so she can only be so attentive to her students. There are no extensions and no exceptions. I don't blame Kobko, I blame Hunter for putting 1000 kids in a class.
Her teaching style (if you can even call it that) is horrible. Truly, one of the hardest classes Ive ever taken. You can pass if you put the work in. I recommend watching extra youtube videos and going to tutoring for extra help, but she is extremely unhelpful. Best of luck to other freshman taking her chemistry classes, youre gonna need it.
One of the worst professors I've ever had. You have to teach yourself all the material with no help from the Prof or TA. IClicker on Fridays where she gives no time to answer question and quiz on Wednesday where you barely get to learn anything in the session from TA. Final was extremely difficult, rarely received email responses. Horrible teacher.
Terrible experience. You basically teach yourself professor is useless you attend class only to take exams and quizzes get no time at all for clicker questions. Paying for a class just to teach yourself and look at a professor that teaches nothing at all. Exams are difficult.
Professor Kobko has a very specific style of teaching. Content is through Sapling through videos and lecture consists of clicker questions that count toward a small portion of your grade. The homework questions are great practice and similar to the tests and she even gives practice tests. Practice and put in the work and you will get a good grade.
I'm not happy with my grade but I have to say Prof. Kobko wasn't awful. Keep in mind you'll be teaching yourself for the entirety of genchem which isn't easy. She definitely does give a TON of resources (hundreds of practice questions) which I appreciate. Tests are fair when compared to other hunter STEM profs. Grade depends on your learning style.
Sapling videos give information but not the exact way to apply the knowledge and sometimes even leave out information we are expected to know. Homework questions are super different than exam questions. She does give old exams to study from and offers lots of office hours. Overall, a very hard class and the way it's conducted is not good imo.
This class gave me nightmares and the worst memory of college. I wish I could somehow let every single freshman know to not take this class, but it may be mandatory for u. During lockdown and bb sessions, she disabled our mic and the chat, so u wouldn't get to speak during lecture for the full semester,didn;t care aboutech issues. Please try your b
Really poor use of the flipped classroom model. Love this method but the execution of it for this class was just bad. The professor was inaccessible even during class so you are essentially teaching yourself the material. This class isn't impossible to pass I just felt like there was no support from the instructor throughout the semester.
Im seeing many reviews on Dr. Kobkos character of not being able to teach. Her lectures always have PowerPoints and sapling has videos so you can understand topics. Yes you will need to work for it and access outside sources. Study hard. Homework questions are easy points. Attend clickers. Get a tutor. Extra credit is available too!
Dr. Kobko is alright, not the best but not the worst either. Gives you just enough and not too much resources to succeed in the class. The course could have been better run but she has hundreds of students online so that is understandable for tech difficulties during the semester.
It was a mandatory class. The Sapling slides and videos were not very reflective of the application of knowledge she expects you to use on clicker and test questions. *basically the sapling application is your professor which is just ugh* Sigh, I wish I took the Saturday class instead.
Uses flipped classroom model so you basically teach urself, even when its not online. Barely gives time to answer clicker questions. Unless you prefer self teaching, just take someone else and if shes your only option then expect to dedicate way too much time to Sapling
Chem 104 is very much like chem 102. The only difference is that the material is a bit more complex and tougher. Plan to study more than you did for chem 102. For me, doing the practice questions from homework and past tests was the best study method for me.
CHEM 104 is taught similarly to CHEM 102-- a flipped classroom model where we are taught through videos at home and do clicker questions every Friday. There is little to no individual attention; you teach yourself. However, she does often give partial credit for tests. I found the material in 104 easier than 102, but it's different for everyone.
I dont know why people complain a lot about her because she isnt the worst. Homework for every topic, Weekly clicker sessions, and 4 tests throughout the semester. She provides you with previous tests that are similar to the tests taken in the class. The exams resemble the material she provides and she expects you to learn topics on your own.
She is okay. The class is self-teach. Advices for this class: try to understand everything, no surface learning. Deep learning is what you need to get an A. watch the sapling videos multiple times. YouTube and other resources is also good. Your best friend for practice is clickers and old exams. Don't be afraid to go to her office hours. Good luck.
Will ruin GPA, vids will not help you, slides won't help, more difficult than my Ivy school's chem dept exams, I know they don't want anyone to cheat but exams don't seem anything like what they're teaching and the workshops are so convoluted and difficult, it's awful SKIP, she just reads off slides, she will make you hate chem!
So first off, she does not teach. I don't think she actually does anything! Her assignments are to watch videos which do not teach you anything and most of the time don't correlate with the assignments. Her "lectures" are just you sitting for 2 hours, taking quizzes. It's a very negative environment, she tells you to drop out from the beginning.
lectures are once a week and u do clicker questions for 2 hours, makes u watch videos and answer 30+ questions/hw a week. You don't really get prepared for the tests- all the questions in hw's and videos are NEVER in the exam. They revolve around the topic but not what you're prepared for at all. Blames all (800+) students for having low average.
If you get Kobko, I will pray for you and wish you the best of luck. Trust me, you will need it. You teach yourself the entire course, once a week lecture is a joke. She is inaccessible outside of class. Went to her office hours, people there didn't know how to answer the questions from her exams. Constantly tells people to drop out of her class.
Honestly, the professor was not the issue, but the way the class is formatted. Very impersonal. You are teaching yourself through videos than attending one weekly clicker section that is "taught" by her but it is basically just a quiz on what you remember from the (borderline useless) videos. I am sure she would be a better professor in a lecture.
The flipped classroom model is effective if used correctly. The format for this class was terrible though. The Sapling videos are really old and condenses the information into surface-level knowledge which is not helpful. There's also so many students that there's no instructor-student connection. You need to actively study every day.
There are no lectures, when we meet we just do quizzes. It is up to you to learn everything yourself, she also says not to email her since she has a ton of students. I've done great in the class because i've been on top of my work and studying. If you need an attentive teacher, this isn't for you. Great extra credit on tests though.
Save yourself the emotional stress, and just don't take this class. Dr. Kobko doesn't teach at all, it's all pre-recorded on Achieve. In-person lectures with around 900 students get irritating, and when the class gets too loud, all we hear is "FIVE, FOUR, THREE...", and so on. It truly gets frustrating. Exams are difficult. My TA was barely useful.
wouldn't recommend taking this class, unless you absolutely have to and the other section doesn't work for your schedule. there's no actual lecture and the pre-recorded videos come from macmillan, so there's tons of discrepancies between the homework, the material in the videos and the quizzes given when you meet in person.
I walked into college loving chemistry. By the time I made it to mid-October, I started regretting my choice of major. This class SUCKS. I didn't have a choice; my advisor put me into this class. The videos she assigns are awful and they don't explain the topics very well. Not even tutoring could save me from failing my tests.
honestly, you're on your own for this class. the only thing kobko does is go over practice problems. teaching? not very good at that. the achieve videos don't go over everything and some things you have to search up on your own. the only reason why im taking her next semester is that there are no other professors teaching chem 104.
You have to learn a lot of things by yourself. She is hard and barely teaches, so prepare yourself. Her exams are very tricky, so be sure to prepare before time.
Not a good professor. She does not teach and it's hard.
All the other reviews are accurate, so prepare to spend a lot of time learning on your own using materials other than those provided by achieve.
Please drop from this course and switch prof. Her lectures are a joke. You have to teach yourself the entire course and if you struggle w science courses, get yourself a tutor immediately. Office hrs don't help. HW every week & 4 exams. DO YOUR EXTRA CR. Study every week and review all sources from this course, they will be your best friends.
I didn't really like the whole setup of the class. Every week you watch videos on your own, do a lot of homework, then every Friday you take a quiz (in this case, iClicker sessions), which eventually prepares you for an upcoming exam. For me, all of it became tedious and frustrating after a while. Just expect to do a lot of studying on your end.
SO BAD. I would change professor, but there isn't another professor.
Honestly not as bad as I expected. This is a self-teach class, so prepare to suffer. The course goes by really fast, so you need to stay on top of the material and consistently study. To do well on exams, do the practice exams she gives and all the iClicker questions. The questions on Achieve are nothing like the questions she gives on exams.
Decent lecturer. Exams are easy. Final is easier than her 3 in-class exams. HW and materials are online. If you do all your HW on time, go to the clickers sessions and answer at least 10 Qs right, you should be good. I don't see how people can't get at least an A- . Study with iclicker and practice exams and you should be good for an A or A+
The class is self learning. Kobko does not teach at all and expects kids to understand work from the videos she posts on Achieve. The first three tests were not extremely hard but the final is very hard because it was not written by Kobko and is worth a great amount of your grade.
Expect a lot of self-studying. Don't cram for her exams. Review the content every single day and practice. The practice exams that she gives out from previous years are a MUST STUDY because her exams are very similar to those. Make sure you start studying ACS exam questions early because the final exam is the ACS test question and format.
Idk how the heck people get As anyways she is a bad professor change your major at this point unless you truly believe and trust yourself to teach yourself she will ruin gpa and constantly rambles about withdrawing for more money
Dr. Kobko is getting a lot of negative reviews because her class requires you to put in a lot of work, effort, and time to study, and many students don't want to put in the work, but still want to get good grades, like bro make it make sense. This class is definitely hard (I failed the second exam) but I really STUDIED for the final and got an A.
This class is actually a joke. The only people who like this class are the nerds who took AP chem last year in high school and they had a whole year to review the material so this class is an easy A for them. You learn everything by yourself so if you struggle to teach yourself like I do, the only option is retaking the class with an actual teacher
Professor Kobko is okay. Her class is mainly just iclicker sessions. She gives practice exams from previous years to help study. The class is fast paced (learning 2 topics each week) lots of achieve homework. Have to practice on your own. Study a lot!!! Shes not the best professor but she did round up some peoples grades so shes not too bad.
Kobko's class is run as a flipped classroom style - meaning you watch 5 videos and do question sets before each topic before her lecture, and there are usually two topics per lecture. Very easy to fall behind, happened to me many times. She's doing what she can in a lecture of 600 student, but the entire semester is outlined in the syllabus.
Almost all of the 1-star reviews are students who don't study and want the easy way out. If you study a fair amount, there is no way you won't pass. So I'd say most of the reviews are inaccurate. It is fast-paced and this is a "weeder" class. So if you're not up for it... med school ain't for you dude
basically self teaching!! U need to b able to learn from videos or teach yourself. Do the extra credit! Fri lectures are just iclicker sessions and she goes really fast so b prepared for that. DONT SIT ON THE BALCONY for clicker because the wifi up there SUCKS, lost mad points bc it didnt load. Clicker points r worth a big chunk so dont skip class
Definitely have to put in the work to get a good grade. I personally did not take AP chem to pass, as some may claim is the only way to get a good grade. A lot of resources are given. It is easy to fall behind (happened to me) especially with homework, so stay on top of that. Good luck!
Dr. Kobko does not lecture, you use an online platform to basically teach yourself the material. If you study for this class, there is no way you are failing. The videos are pretty helpful, and Dr. Kobko does give old exams so students can study and get a feel of her style of questions. Exams were average, not too hard. Final is the ACS exam.
watch the videos and do the hw, and you'll do great in this class. the only time you see the prof is during friday lectures, but you don't get a lecture. instead you waste your phone battery answering questions on iclicker. she doesn't explain the questions very well. i didn't take ap chem, but don't rely too much on prior knowledge for this class
Dr. Kobkos class is not a lecture class. You learn the material through a set of videos every week and the only time you see her is during Fridays lecture. If you put in the work and study hard, you will do well. She provides past exams to study from and additional problems that reflect the actual test. It is hard, but not impossible.
this isn't your standard class. you're given videos to watch and take notes from. you meet once a week for iclicker sessions that are important to your overall grade. kobko is more of a stand-in; she doesn't really "teach", so don't expect much from her. the class may seem hard, but it's not impossible. studying is essential. good luck!
The main purpose of her lectures is to practice the material and get credit. Otherwise, the class is mainly online with HW&Videos + recitation. She provides past exams for practice (very helpful) and if you work well with others to study you'll find them. It's intense and the exams are challenging but if you work for the grade, it's not impossible.
Kobko is a good professor, BUT the lectures every friday were definitely not lectures. Just clicker sessions that you can earn points from (I recommend attending each one). Otherwise you just teach yourself through an online program. In my opinion the program is bad so I found good chem youtubers who explain things well. Have to study a well!!
I ended up dropping out. Also because I was behind in some assignments due to covid. She didnt explain the material that well. I have to rely on YouTube videos and other sources. Test was hard. If you are going to take this professor remember to study a lot a lot during your free time or just dont take it.
The only actual education you get is the videos she has posted online. That is it. The lectures are mandatory and they are just a bunch of timed questions that is most likely some trick question, then she just calls the class dumb and moves on. There is literally no real education at work here, its just all a game with points you can try and earn.
she taught via clickers and you learned nothing, it was basically you learn on your own
I don't understand y ppl dislike her. If u can't manage ur time or put in work, just say so. She is not difficult, she genuinely wants students to excel. I enjoy the iClicker sessions bc its more beneficial to apply what u learned to answer a question. She gives a lot of practice material before exams, questions similar to exams too. Overall good.
She gives extra credit on tests and homework. You only have to study 1 hour each day, which is understandable for a course with this amount of credit. Tests are exactly like the classwork and she gives practice tests from semesters before. You don't have to do anything extra to get 100 on her test. She's actually very caring if you get to know her.
Amazing professor! Very sweet and wants students to do well. She provides weekly sessions that allow you to get practice questions on every topic so you know the kind of questions that will be on exam. She even provides practice exams which is almost identical to exams she will give you. Overall an amazing experience!
Kobko's class is NOT hard if you study and dedicate time for it. She provides you with many resources like iclicker questions/ practice exams, which are similar to the actual exam. If you're a prehealth student, she's one of the best profs you'll have for prereq classes because she actually cares enough to help us pass. Don't listen to other ppl.
This class requires you to stay on top of the material, so try not to fall behind. To do well on the exams, focus on the iclicker questions and practice exams she gives.
I know that she isn't the harshest professor at Hunter, she provides generous curves for the final exam grades as long as the class average is around 70%. I wish our learning platform was based on better resources as opposed to achieve. Her exam questions were extremely math based which pissed me off b/c I don't like calculations.
Probably the worst professor ever to exist , does not know how to teach, expects you to know everything, does not care about your problems at all, no excuses, just don't them if you don't need it cause its the easiest way to mess up your gpa.
the class size is big so its tough to get individual attention but she does her best. she genuinely wants students to do well so listen to her advice and you will be fine. take advantage of the recitation instructors and review her practice exams as they are based on previous exams. you have to come to class to get participation points.
She wasn't a bad professor but she really wasn't an effective lecturer since there were too many materials as a gen chem course especially Chem 104. Acheive wasn't helpful at all rather other sources taught the material better than anyone that I could think off. So try to go through the practicr tests because the are very similar to real test.
not a great lecturer. she thinks iclickers are the only way to learn and do well in genchem. there is no room for slacking off
Kobko gives you all the material needed to do well in class. Make sure to utilize the practice exams she gives you because the exam will be exactly like them. Watch the recorded lectures and learn how to do the math for the questions because her exams are very math heavy. She does not teach you directly but recorded lectures are more than enough.
The good reviews are from students who are exceptionally hard working. Don't take this class lightly, study as much as you can. Exams are multiple choice but a lot of math because she is Physical Chemistry Expert. Good Luck to those taking her.
This is my favorite class this semester. Her class is flipped meaning you watch videos and come to class for iclicker questions. The exams are similar enough to the practice exams. You have to designate time for this class but she does curve all her exams. This class is as easy as you make it. She's truly makes a morning class fun.
hw/notes are mostly done online with videos that don't go extremely into depth but are a good overview so make sure to take notes! she posts old exams which are VERY helpful and almost an exact copy of the actual. watch the videos, do all the homework, do the practice exams + you will do amazing in her class. her exam curves are also VERY generous.
She gets off on seeing her students struggle. She acts like its our fault that we cant teach ourselves. Youre expected to be Walter White after watching a few videos. She should be fired, I cant believe she gets paid to post videos and come in to not teach us, but quiz us on what we taught ourselves.
I'm doing pretty alright in this class. I haven't gotten below an 86 on a test. I suggest doing all the hw and extra credit assignments. DO THIS: Take the practice tests she posts and whatever you get wrong, go to her office hours or go to tutoring and ask them (I did the second option). She gives good curves on the tests.
here's the thing. she is a very nice person, tries to make "lectures" fun w/ a joke of the day & offers tutoring/office hours where she can be very helpful. but she doesn't lecture. she doesn't teach, she expects us to teach ourselves and "lectures" are graded in-class review. made it so much harder. respect her as a person, hate the way she taught
As a person she is fine but as a professor 0, she expects from the students to teach them selfs. Majority of the students drop this class. If you want to go to medical school, avoid her. Chem is not easy but with her is impossibile. RUN... RUN!!!!! Professor if you ever read this change your methods learn how to teach students not torture them.
you have to learn everything in this course by yourself and the tests make up like the whole grade. she won't add extra points to your grade or round up your grade. she expects you to teach ourselves and gets surprised when we do bad on our tests. AVOID taking this class unless you wanna cry every weekend and stress about the next test.
The overall grade is basically solely based on the test scores. Her letter grades skip C- and she does not give any chances for improving the grade like extra credit. She doesn't even really teach properly, only gives assignments so it's a self-taught class essentially.
As a person, Kobko isn't bad. She's sweet and she does offer different options to students who need help (tutoring, office hours, etc). But as a lecturer, she's pretty much useless. She gets her TA's to do most of the teaching, and then you're left on your own. STUDY A LOT! Use the practice tests and office hours to your advantage.
She's pretty nice. But as a student who doesn't study, I don't think she isn't fair. I tech failed because I didn't study but since her test is worth 200 points each and FE is worth 400 u can def get a higher grade if you try in this class. Do go to her clicker and do ur hw its important. Spend time and study u wont pass if u dont.
Most of the ppl rating kobko low didn't rlly study that well. There's ALOT of practice problems and exams she gives. If you study hard, do the problems, and go to rec/tutoring, there's no reason you should pass. Tips: do the 2 exams she gives, find the ACS study guide online (the final is usually the ACS), do your clickers!!
In this class, you have to watch the videos and go into class prepared to answer questions. The class was not hard, you just had to sit there and put in a lot of hours to ace the class. If you are a student who studied, did the practice questions, and the previous exams, you should get an easy A, if not, then a B.
Class meets once on Fridays & then you attend recitation during the week once. It is a flipped classroom where you have to teach yourself the material before class, which is not very helpful. Study on your own alot! Grading was not very fair, as she drops questions instead of giving a curve. Make sure to do the HW and show up for the iClickers!
Terrible Professor. If I could I would turn back time when I didn't sign up for her class. She thinks doing iclickers helped teach us the material. Chemistry is a heavy course that needs proper teaching. Did not enjoy this class at all.
She curves every exam, holds review sessions, offers practice exams, and offers up to 50 points to sacrifice. Those of you rating her low did not study well or properly. If you study every now and then, there's no reason to receive lower than a C when she's so generous. I received a B- and often procrastinated. She will halt lecture if interrupted.
I highly disliked most moments in this class. Would not recommend.
Be ready to learn everything on your own. Her lectures are quite useless, because all she does is make us do iclicker questions, which isn't really an effective method of teaching. She isn't the most approachable person. Her exam grading doesn't really make any sense at all. Please do not make yourself suffer by taking her class!
Dr. Kobko gives 50 extra points so if you do most of the homework (Achieve questions you unfort. pay for), take good notes from the vids, do all of the practice tests (similar to actual) and go to TA/tutors for help with questions you missed on practice and actual exams (which she gives VERY generous curves for), you will be fine, I promise.
If I could give a 0, I would. She just makes you do iClicker questions during lectures which counts as attendance too. She doesn't give any extra credit and her idea of a "curve" is dropping questions on the exams. Everything is learned through Acheive which isn't helpful at all.
She beats on her microphone during lecture if she hears anybody talking, reminds me of a kindergarten teacher. She does not teach anything at all. You must teach yourself through watching old pre-recorded videos.Proceeds to fly through questions laughing and looking down on students. "U Can't solve problem? either drop the class or go back to 102"
She doesn't actually teach and you only learn based on achieve. Your lecture is basically a giant kahoot class with horrible wifi so half your answers don't go through anyway. The way she curves is kinda strange but at least its helpful. The final exam is a complete 180 from her regular exams- I went from 100s on her exams to a 75 on the final.
rip incoming freshmen if you get kobko. i pray for your well being if you happen to get her class. i would drop the class for now if i were you and then take a better professor for spring semester.
She doesn't teach for lectures and rather have you do clickers (multiple choice questions) for class and she wonders why we all know nothing. You have to do a lot of self studying for this class. Save yourself and just not take her.
Terrible teaching methods that don't prepare you well for exams. Bunch of self studying and she is very strict with final grades so don't try asking for a little curve. Had her for both gen chem 1 and 2, and they exact same teaching. Unless you're really good at self teaching then you will end up suffering in this class.
honestly, if u are good at self studying, take her. i study well myself and so the class wasn't too bad. if u need someone who actually teaches, she is not the one. everything is self-taught- I can't emphasize it enough. she's ok as a person, and curves good if class does bad on tests.
I took Kobko for chem 102 and 104 and tbh as long as you study the iclickers, workshops and achieve problems you can do well on the exam. She gives great curves and will drop the lowest exam score. also many opportunities to get better by visiting her office hours or her 7000 TA office hours so....
I only got an A in this class because I took AP Chem in high school, where my teacher actually taught. This "lecturer" doesn't lecture! How ironic. She has you watch videos that are not hers and quizzes you in lectures. She does curve a little, but that doesn't make a professor unique, anyone can do that. e-permit at a different school if you can.
No instruction during lecture. Lecture= iclicker. Speaks down on the class. Hears somebody talking = hits her microphone hard. This course is almost entirely self-taught except for the pre-recorded videos we are told to watch as homework. Even then, the pre-recorded videos are made by a robot who just reads off the slides, not the actual professor
Extra credit doesn't actually do anything unless you aren't doing your HW. Everyone giving her a 4 or 5 rating has already taken AP chem bc I know for a fact if you didn't have any knowledge of chem walking into this class, you walked out the same way. I wish her lectures could actually be lecture, instead of learning from 10 minute robot videos.
You will suffer taking this class with her if you didn't took AP Chem because, she doesn't teach. What do we understand as a class? that the teachers will teach us right. But in her class all you do is take quizzes like kahoot that actually affects your overall grade. And don't fall for the 50 extra points because you will loose way more than that.
do the hw. don't miss it, seriously. Spam practice problems like the 2 practice exams she posts. The foundations are the most important as you can't do good without understanding basic topics. For example, you have to be good with dissociation stuff or you'll suck at acids/ bases.
Exams are basically like the practice ones she gives. Do iclicker questions for review too. Curves for exams. HW points help boost final grade a lot. Doesn't really teach the lectures herself, just quizzes you on topics you review for yourself. AP Chem review + a little more basically.
I don't understand people who give her 1 just because they cannot pass this class. Objectively, even though u might not be a fan of flipped classroom format, the hw is designed perfectly, with every video matching the hw task and making u memorize and understand the material. Tests are made using the same questions she gives us.
I'm ngl Kobko was stingy with the curves this semester. I was expecting an A but I got a B+ (oh well). The concepts are a little harder this semester, but I think she's not a bad professor. She doesn't get to interact with the students but her TAs do. My suggestion is not to slack on the videos and stay on top of everything.
This class wasn't hard, it made me realize I wanted to major in Chem. She does a flipped learning style so watch the videos and don't skip class cause she got the iClickers waiting. She gives practice exams so take advantage of it cause it's very similar. Make use of the recitations to ask any questions that you have (Abagail is the best!)
Anyone giving a bad rating definitely put in below minimal effort lol. Her homework and exams match the content she teaches perfectly. I barely studied and just did half the homework and got a C. I've never seen any other Hunter professor be so generous with curves. But it's annoying how she stops class if she hears even a whisper among 300 people.
She is not necessarily a sweet professor, but she will be very straightforward about your chances of passing and what you need to do to pass. I never focused on the IClickers when studying for exams bc I didn't have enough time, but I religiously did the practice exams (if you can find more recent ones, you're gold) and went to TAs to go over them.
Her microphone never works. She's really mean. She has an accent. Be prepared to completely teach yourself the entire course. Lectures are so boring and she only makes you answer a bunch of questions on iClicker
She does not teach at all. AVOID HER AND GO FOR THE OTHER TEACHEr. apparently the other teacher is more lenient and curves higher
Watch the videos, take notes, use office hours, very difficult to fail this class if you put in the time and effort. Huge classes so Kobko seems hard to reach but shes not, go to office hours the TAs help and Kobko can too. Super nice, enjoys explaining one on one, but doesnt get the chnace because of class size. Overall not bad at all.
I personally do not mind Dr. Kobko. She always makes sure that we engage and she isn't shy to tell us to ask for help. She has very good office hours. The only con is the way the class itself is structured. The lectures are on videos for you to watch and take notes on so it's not preferable for people that struggle with self teaching. Ok overall.
Just use my rating as a warning, you may see good reviews on this professor, but many students struggle when a class has over 800 students and not enough time to ask questions. Beware that you will basically teach yourself this course. Why am I paying Hunter if their professor doesn't teach?
The material isn't hard in itself, but the structure makes it way harder. Something bad happens when you're supposed to be in class? You get a zero, even if it's something serious and you have no choice but to miss class/a test. She's weirdly punitive too- she takes her mic off to punish people for talking making it so only people up front hear her
Smith
She makes you teach yourself the topics, and then come to lectures to answer some questions. She barely teaches you anything because you are supposed to learn everything from the videos she gives you. Exams are alright, she gives big curves sometimes so yeah. If you just do your homework and do mid on exams, you'll get a B or something.
iClicker sessions during lecture = USELESS! Gives you 30 seconds to choose an answer, not helpful at all. Achieve website = EXPENSIVE! and isn't worth it, you just need it for HW grade. Learned more on YT the entire course as opposed to the teacher who's getting paid to 'teach' her students and waltz around on stage while her class struggles
please do yourself, ur gpa a favor and take anyone else besides her. she doesn't even like teaching and is very disrespectful. her grading makes no sense, had ppl coming in during a flood for a test she could've rescheduled. her TA's aren't helpful either (brooks). just seems they only attend for money instead of having passion for teaching
Class was okay but the iClicker sessions are bleh. Gives no time to answer the questions and stops the class when she hears the tiniest whisper from ALL the way up on the balcony. If you watch the videos and take GOOD notes you'll be fine. Only some TA's can actually help (not eduardo). Tests are curved but don't rely on it too much. STUDY PLEASE.
She does not teach at all. Everything is on Achieve, and we must learn through the videos instead. The iClickers were a mess, especially at first, and they didn't get less stressful over the semester. You have to study a lot for the exams, but it is doable to get a good grade. I'm glad this class is over. I am never taking chemistry again.
she makes you teach yourself, by watching videos and taking notes. the class is only meant for you to answer questions about the videos you've watched, so falling behind isn't a good idea. tests are okay, and are somewhat similar to the practice exams she gives. she also does curve a bit. overall, to do. well, you have to put in the time and study.
Terrible. Does not know how to teach.
If you study an hour or two every other day, you should be fine. Use ACS practice materials to prepare for the final exam. Do all HW, don't miss a single class, and get as many points through recitation as possible. She doesn't lecture and the TAs can be unhelpful, but it's not their fault. It's just hard to work with such a large number of kids.
Make sure you work your butt off. Plenty of opportunity for extra credit, she gives basically 5 questions for free every time out of 31 and the final also replaces your lowest exam grade. Exams 1,3 were easy but exam 2 was by far the most difficult. The final was a standardized ACS exam and very easy.
Make sure to do the Achieve homework and don't fall behind! The total 1400 points aren't hard to accomplish, especially if you do the homework and go to the Clicker sessions. Workshops weren't bad either, but do not fall behind. Exams are important, so make sure to study your notes and the CLICKERS (they're super similar to the exams). Good luck!
Prof Kobko was good. The homework can get overwhelming if you keep it for last min. Get and stay ahead and you will be fine, attend office hours and pay attention in class you will be ok.
Terrible teacher. If you have the option, take this course somewhere else. If not, don't expect to learn much from the classes- they are just mini tests. The only good thing is that the curve on tests is good and the grade has a good chunck (25%) not dedicated to tests.
Does not teach u anything, tutors and TAs are way more helpful and have a lot more knowledge than she does. I just went to her lectures for iclickers points, other than that her lectures were a waste of my time
her mic quite literally doesnt work and u cant hear her, the students keep talking so half the time u need to try and guess what she's talking abt. She gives like 45 sec to answer those iclicker qns which isnt even enough to read the qn properly.
not sure why everyone hating. yeah she doesn't teach in the lectures and u kinda just learn on your own at home through videos, but it's not that bad tbh I actually was super chill w it. didn't struggle a single bit in this class, other than getting to class on time for the iclicker participation shit. otherwise it's easy to get 100 on hw & tests
she doesn't teach in her lectures and everything is basically self taught. the homework honestly wasn't too bad but there was a lot of it. exams were really hard and almost no one passed. do yourself a favor and don't take her. i need to retake this class. it was a whole semester wasted.
If you are stuck with this class being put into your schedule freshman year, try taking it and see how you do on the first exam. Her teaching style sucks and it's all just self-teaching yourself everything. AVOID this class at all costs. It's safe to drop this class so you won't risk getting a low grade on your transcript. Not worth it.
Kokbo supplies you with Slides/vids to read that go over each topic along with iclicker questions. She also gives 2 practice exams. So, if you use the practice exams, slides, and clicker questions every exam will be a piece of cake. She's not an amazing professor but the resources you get will help you learn everything. This applies to Chem 104-6
She states from the beginning how the class is and what to do to not fail. Topic points give such a big cushion and there's really good curves on the exams. Class may be hard but its designed to help you pass with a free 400 points for the topics
Be prepared to be on your own. This class is literally the definition of "survival of the fittest". If your behind on the content pray that you catch up. The professor really sucks, she does not teach at all and just stands on the stage tapping her mic constantly destroying people ears. Your better off with gabby or massa. Trust me.
Just work hard..
This would be a great addition to anybody's schedule because the class is very clear in what you need to succeed. The grading criteria is laid out in front of you, and you are given every chance to succeed because she provides 100 practice problems FROM HER OWN EXAMS. Her curves are also always very good.
The curves are not as good as CHEM 102, and the material is harder than CHEM 102. That's all. If you got a 1400/1400 in chem 102, you'll prolly get 1350/1400.
Prof Kobko doesn't "teach," but the format of the class was made clear from day 1 & there are MANY resources (Skirball, YT, office hours, etc) available for those who are struggling. There's usually a generous curve, & her exams look EXACTLY the same as the practice exams, so as long as you try, you'll pass. Chad's Prep was a personal lifesaver.
Get ready to self teach Chem 102. You will be watching videos to teach yourself and go to lectures to do practice questions. She curves the test usually by 5 questions out of 30. She makes the TAs do her work. Don't fall behind or you will fail.
she doesn't teach anything. you have to learn everything on your own. moves very very fast. she bangs on her microphone in the lecture hall when people talk as if she's even trying to teach something - VERY irritating. if you're not pre-med, get out while you can.
Dr.Kobko's class is more of a self study type of class. She also curves the exams nicely. Tips for you: Attend the lectures, the questions you do here are like 99% the same as the ones on the exam, and she even reuses these occasionally, go to office hours, don't be afraid to use Youtube over the assigned vids, and prep for the workshops!
She is genuinely one of the worst professors I have had at Hunter. She expects everyone to have the same knowledge of chemistry as her, she doesn't allow an adequate amount of time to answer questions, gets mad at the class even when the averages are decent, and seems to just wake up on the wrong side of the bed everyday.
aye aye aye get ready to hear this an an annoying mic slapping every time! honestly I just come to the lecture for clicker points no learning at all. she does not teach do not expect that. If you took chemistry in high school thinking this is easy well get ready for a reality check.
This professor is the worst I've ever had. Her lectures are just two hours of iClicker with no actual teaching. You self teach yourself everything. The videos she provides barely relate to the homework, making it impossible to study. If you need an actual teacher for chemistry, avoid this class. It completely killed my love for science.
I took gen chem 1 and 2 with this prof. Overall if you don't a good study method for her class specifically, you will have some trouble. The class itself is self teach, with her lectures being practice questions from each component. For her exams, study the iclickers & her old exams, they are very very similar to actual exams and you'll be okay!
Worst class I have taken so far. There is literally no point in going to the lectures but they are mandatory where are you just sitting and answering questions. You are basically self-teaching yourself. Yes professor provides material but it feels not enough. You are learning by watching videos that have such limited information. Avoid this class
The quizzes during lectures never offered enough time to even process what was being asked. Study time was limited because of the unnecessary amount of homework. She bangs/breaks her microphone when she wants students to pay attention, making the tech dpt come in to fix it. The tests themselves were FAIR only if having enough time to study.
If you go to tutoring and she's there, she will tell you to stop asking questions that she went over. Yes we should pay attention, but it's insane to expect people to master something completely new after a couple of examples. 12-15 hours of homework per week, watch videos they give for brief intro but take notes on organic chem tutor on YouTube
This class made me depressed, save yourself unless you're insanely good at chemistry and can study for like 5 hours a day.
It's so hard to keep up in her class. It's actually difficult
Personally, I disliked how we were expected to learn all of the contents on our own (very well aware that it was stated that this is a hybrid synchronous course from the beginning). All we do in class is iclicker questions as practice for our exams. Not sure why she only gives us like a minute to answer a single question though.
She is annoying but her class isn't all that bad. Yes it is hard and there is a lot to learn but I honestly preferred learning it on my own and asking my TA for help. She returns exam grades very quickly which is helpful. The only criticism I have is we need more time for iclicker. There's barely enough time to answer a question.
Keep up with topics. Do ALL iClicker and practice exams many times. Exams were curved, score past 100% on easier exams to make up for missed points later on. Exam difficulty is fair, be serious about studying. Professor Kobko will not be too helpful (lecture hall of 800 students). Look to your TAs for help. Be diligent about your desire to do well!
The class structure was established early but is not favorable. Avoid this professor if you can't study independently for 12+ hours a week. There's no exam curve, limited time for iClickers, and she bangs the mic for attention. If possible, switch out; it's not worth the stress and anxiety this class has caused.
Honestly, with all the ratings I've seen people seem to forget that a class works both ways. Yeah, Kobko's class is though, but literally, she gives her students every opportunity to receive a good grade. Did her work on achieve and then just studied her practice tests (all of them) . If you listen to her in the lectures you will be fine.
if you're not good at math/self teaching, don't take her. i thought "how bad can it be" before taking the course, and now i have to re-take it. never missed a workshop, or lecture, did every assigment in time, but exams struck me. i tried everything i possibly could've, it just didn't help. this class made me suicidal.
The tests are very hard and there is barely any extra credit given to you.
Honestly, for Chem 102 it's all about the work you put in yourself but this professor just makes a challenging course- more challenging. She's unprofessional and will slam the mic every class uncontrollably, it's sad for the kids who come to learn. Everything is self-study.
Not recommend this professor. Went from loving Chemistry to absolutely hating it. She doesn't teach at all-rely on yourself to study and not fall behind. But more on the professor, she really shouldn't be teaching & should get her license revoked. Id like to say thank god im done with it but since I got a D, I'll be seeing her beautiful face again.
Lecture is all practice questions, all the learning is done by you with videos on a website. Her exams are confusing and difficult. The final is an exam from the acs, much easier than her material. Only got an A because I aced the final. Do your classwork/hw and pray for your grades.
Look at my grade and think it was easy? think twice. This grade was earned through organic chem tutor on YouTube not Kobko. lectures are all questions that you have to know and tests are difficult. come prepared. You thought you loved chem? she will make you hate it.
Kobko's class is fine. Just set enough hours in the week to complete the lecture videos and hw. Practice tests are provided. Tests are fair. She normally takes a few test questions off to boost grades. The final is pretty easy. Skirball is useful if you need more tutoring. Tip: try to sit near the front during lectures so you can hear her better
Went from loving chemistry to hating it- She does not teach whatsoever and her lectures are nothing short of useless- she only goes over practice questions, but you need to teach yourself the material completely to understand them. exams are nothing but confusing and the homework load isn't great. good luck if you're taking this class.
Don't let my grade fool you. I have never suffered more in a class. I personally went to her office one day to get some help and she made many snarky comments. She does not even hold proper office hours and her TA's are worse than her. Premed students being egotistical is all you will see in her class. I heard Gabi is better so just wait for spring
All the hw, I used chat gpt bc its too much and kinda useless. Instead, I spent time on reading slides and if I dont understand (I watched orgo chem). My tips are you need to prepare 2 weeks before for each test. 1st week go through all the concepts and 2nd week, go all her old practice questions bc it is really similar, and iclickers.
absolutely horrible. I have no words. she does not teach .. all she does is yell at students. TAs are also pretty eh. i had a horrible TA who barely taught us anything. overall if your not good at math or you have a hard time studying id advice you to wait and take this course when your ready to self teach.
Incredibly rude and discouraging prof. Essentially tells students who are struggling to give up on their major. She also basically doesn't do any actual teaching, you have to teach yourself the material at home from online video lessons. The workload and exams aren't too bad as long as you put in the effort, but prof is terrible
Not a very helpful professor. Online videos are your real professor, but you can do well if you treat these videos as a real lecture and take notes. Tests are fair, and class is mostly just an iClicker game. Go to lecture and recitation if you want to do well! Does not come across as a caring professor, but is not evil like some other reviews say.
Input = Outcome. 800+ students don't expect the professor to teach lol. If you struggle with this, you need to switch up your studying habits because there will be harder classes than this. Work hard, ask questions, show up to office hours, Skirball tutoring. There are enough resources for you to succeed, so persevere and lock in.
She uses a "reversed learning" format where you watch videos on your own at home to learn the material, complete homework based on those videos and class time is just answering questions kahoot style. SHE DOES NOT TEACH!! My TA Eduardo was disgusting, never helped us, and had a terrible attitude!!! I dropped the class and I'm a 3.7 GPA student.
Overall I would say this course is okay. You can succeed if you put in the effort: everything is laid out on what you have to do to succeed including hw, tests, lectures, etc. Mostly self-taught which I don't mind. Prof. Kobko is a decent professor but she doesn't respond to emails, can be passive-aggressive, and can bring a combative attitude.
IF YOU DONT STUDY EVERY DAY, MINUTE, SECOND YOU ARE GONA FAIL SUPER SELF STUDYYYYYYYYYY NO ONE CARED ABOUT YOU
Lots of these ratings are dramatic. The clicker and exams are similar to what other professors give. ONLY difference is that there isnt much support offered. TA's are not helpful and she doesn't have as many Peer TA's as Gabi. With that being said, lack of resources is what messes everyone up....
Professor Kobko relies heavily on iClicker questions during lectures, which I felt wasn't enough to fully explain the material. Her tests were challenging, and I struggled despite going to the tutoring center weekly. If you take her class, make sure to complete all the homework, as every point counts toward your grade.
By far worst science professor at hunter. Only 13 lectures every friday in a lecture of 600 students.She does not teach, will quiz you for 1.5 hours with mock questions on iclicker for participation grade. Iclicker is like an anonymous kahoot for chemistry and she only gives 30 seconds to 1 minute per question.Berates the students who get it wrong.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS. She could care less for students, gets class attention by tapping on the mic or blowing on it, and the feedback hurts the ears. Notorious in our school for bad reasons, was in a class of 500 students and she doesn't even teach,her slides are from online. My sophomore year she even sold $10 study guide the week of a midterm!!!
If you want a good grade, you have to put in the work. She literally spoon feeds you the information thats going to be on the test aka her iclickers. Most of the time they are literally 1:1 and if you don't understand something, go to the TAs for help. I would say the hardest part of the course is just the recitation workshops.
Never ever, RUNNNNNN if you actually want a good grade in this course. EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE
Everyone saying this is a good professor is just trying to sound different,bonus points if they're unemployed. This is the hardest science prof in Hunter BY FAR. Tests are 72% of your grade. Her lecture slides & videos are all online- not even hers.Class 1x/wk. Yells and blows into mic mostly.She treats teaching as her side job bc she has tenure.
A lot of work needs to be put in to pass the course, but it's not impossible as others say. Lots of self-studying is required as she doesn't really teach but she does provide the material needed to pass. Very structured, follow her guide, and you'll be fine too. Some TA's are helpful, some aren't.
The way the class was built is very easy to get points, however, you need to study A LOT. Which I didn't do and underestimated...I would say make sure to do practice questions and study outside of the homework! Put in the effort, and you will pass.
There isn't much teaching in this class. She provides you with materials online, and you're expected to learn like that. The test averages tend to be in the 70s to give you an idea. Lectures include her yelling into a microphone while most students have no idea what they're doing. Prepare to have homework due twice a week.
Kobko is incredibly lenient when it comes to her overall grading policy, though it is a difficult class because of achieve and her test questions not lining up with it. They're instead based off of her iclickers, which are mandatory if you want a good grade. She is nice, I just wish everything didn't rely so much on achieve.
Don't take this prof, please do not do it to yourself. She does not teach in lectures but is snarky. If you are working, don't even think about more than 1 day a week as she always stresses "studying at least 30 hours" and gives hours of homework for less than 10% of your grade. Tests are 70% of your grade, and attendance is mandatory.
Even if someone paid me to take her class, I would refuse. Depression should be her middle name as that's what she gives her student. If she looks at you, you are dead. Beware emailing, she wont even see it. She has office hours but asks does TA to help. Do not take her class.
This class is not that bad if you have discipline. The lectures are online and you come in person every week to do practice problems. Honestly, as long as you stay consistent with your work and use the resources she gives you to practice, you will do well. She also curves the tests very generously, so really there is no issue.
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR MENTAL SANITY DO NOT AND I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE HER SHE IS A MEAN OLD BITTER WOMAN. GIVES NO EXTRA CREDIT AND CLEARLY DOESN'T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT HER STUDENTS. I JUST DON'T GET WHY WOULD YOU BECOME AN EDUCATOR WHEN YOU CLEARLY DO NOT WANT TO EDUCATE YOUR STUDENTS.
Awful professor, not sure how this style of teaching is still allowed. The lectures are just quizzes and the actual course itself is fully online with pre-recorded videos that aren't even her own content. It makes no sense to teach a heavy course like this in such a way, sooo many people fail this course and the department does not care whatsoever.
Curve is really good, makes sure most people pass. Very DIY, lectures are online. Gives us room to miss a FEW hw's/workshops/clickers. Practice tests that she posts helps A LOT. Overall good class. Many resources.
Took Kobko for chem102 & chem 104. The class moves fast, so make sure to keep up with the lecture videos and homeworks. Exams reflect iclickers and practice exams very well. The class also has pretty forgiving grading policies and decent curves on exams (all mcq). As long as you keep on top of the hw and attend recitation you should be fine!
One of the most hardest Chem professor in Hunter. I did well in every assignments besides the exams because the exams were EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. Does not care about students I would say
I am so glad I chose her lmao the other profs don't have videos you can watch. Lectures are super important for clicker grades and work like practice exams. Pretty lenient grader too, she gave me partial credit on some q's for exams. Is she sour in class? a bit but she is pretty chill outside of class. its easy to catch up to also if u fall behind.
Lecture is in the auditorium with 600 other kids, she doesn't even actually teach. You do iclicker which is basically kahoot the entire class period. Don't expect any help from your TA. My TA Eduardo was extremely rude, whenever we asked for help or further explanation during classwork he claimed he could not assist us and always had an attitude,
Took her for chem 102 and 104. Lectures suck since you have to answer a ton of questions but she only gives about a min to answer multi-step problems. Using Achieve sucks because it was often broken. Exams weren't too bad as long as you really studied and understood the material. Overall the class isn't too hard to pass, but not a great experience.
Hunter needs to provide students with classes where the professor actually teaches students step by step, and recitation does not provide that opportunity because we have a limited time to complete the worksheet given. Either have the professor upload lectures or create more classes that students can enroll in, where they can actually learn.
If I could give a zero, I would. If I could sue Hunter for this scam of a class-- likely would. Anyone who says they enjoyed it is a manipulative liar. You have to teach yourself. From basic concept- to how to solve a problem. lecture is just basically a bunch of quiz questions that you have TO PAY for, mind you.
be prepared to teach yourself the entirety of chem 102
Please. Do not attend Hunter and DO NOT ATTEND this class. This teacher is really ahhh bro, you're paying for multiple lectures just to be playing a college version of jeopardy. She only gives you about 1 minute or 2 minutes for questions that would take around 5 or 10 minutes. Save your money and your time, and go to John jay instead.
doesn't teach so be prepared to teach yourself all of gen chem yourself, if you haven't taken it previously in high school good luck. office hours are useless. exam is fine if you really study alot
CHEM102: As others have said, it is self-taught. Something to definitely keep in mind is that the videos on Achieve (HW website) do NOT go over everything you need to know! Watch other videos alongside the vids like the organic chemistry tutor and go to Skirball for questions. The class is do-able but hard. Good luck to anyone taking!
Expects a lecture hall of 800+ students to be completely silent and starts hissing into her microphone when it gets "too loud," so prepare your ears. Rather than justify the correct answer, she goes on a 10 minute spiel about office hours. Class itself is self-study, but professor makes lecture quite difficult to sit through.
her exam were pretty much the same as the practice exam that she post on achieve and she take off question from exam if ppl didn't do will for some question All you gotta do is understand fully of ALL your two practice exam , you will be good
dont understand why or how shes still employed, she cannot teach like at all. she likes reading off the slides as if none of us got eyes to read the material word for word and she prioritizes behavior (like talking) over the actual materials she is teaching . does not give you sufficient amount of time to complete iclicker work and it's disgusting
The format of this class makes the content more difficult than it should be, it's overall awful, just epermit it at another CUNY if u can. Recitations and iClicker are not helpful with the amount of time given, and the level of difficulty of the questions in comparison to the hw.
Not the best professor, you have to teach yourself everything. You will fail with no chem background.
I do not recommend this coarse, it was absolutely horrible. It's hard to learn if your new to chemistry your basically learning with videos under 10 minutes, so much homework to complete and the lecture is horrible you only get 30 secs per question and hardly 1 minute if she feels generous.
Test AND participation heavy. Undeserving for a course that REQUIRES YOU TO TEACH YOURSELF EVERYTHING. The prof. only gives you a minute to finish multi-step problems in her knockoff kahoot and she judges you when you can't. Her explanations aren't clear either. She can't teach imo. What an utter disappointment of a course. Good luck.
felt like i wasn't learning from her
Its hilarious that this woman is allowed to teach. I actually find myself praying for my grades in this class and I don't even believe in god. E-permit this class because she will NOT teach you.
RUN! SHE IS THE WORST PROFESSOR EVER!! You have to teach YOURSELF THE MATERIAL! SHE WILL NOT REPLY TO ANY EMAILS IF YOU ASK FOR EXTRA CREDIT, AN EXTENSION, NOTHING! She always has an attitude and HISSES INTO THE MIC WHEN PEOPLE SPEAK, WHO DOES THAT? YOU ARE BETTER OFF GOING WITH LITERALLY ANYONE ELSE OR TAKING IT AT A DIFFERENT COLLEGE
She does not teach in lectures you sit there and answer questions that she expects you to do in 20 seconds. The app sucks and crashes or it just gets stuck on a loading screen. She makes her exams extremely difficult. She cannot teach
she sucks booty. prepare to teach urself for the entire course cus she dont gaf. class has clickers where u answer questions on a big ahh screen but she only gives u 30 secs or less to answer each question so have chatgpt open and take a pic. youll honestly learn nothing in her class and have to depend on hw assignments and recitation.
She would start most of the classes telling us to op out of the class. The I-clicker app sucks, her mic and teaching sucks, and so does the WiFi in the lecture hall. The test are hard, if you forget to do a homework, lga, or the other thing, you already miss out in points. She stops explaining when people are talking and gathers a shh-ing team.
Absolutely hate this teacher, you basically have to teach yourself the material and study to barely even pass.
The class is exam-heavy. She makes lectures just with iClickers, which brings your grade down. She is not the best at explaining. Learn to study on your own for everything. A good part of this class is that she gives old exams and answer keys to study. That's basically how you pass. Your final grade depends on the final exam.
Final exam, 65 questions, 110 minutes, 1.50 min per question. Didn't learn the material? JUST GUESS SHE SAYS! This class is absolutely horrid. I highly recommend taking the Saturday course or even e-Permitting the course at a different college. This is a weed out class, all of Hunter is.
Be prepared to teach yourself everything.
This course is just self-studying, don't expect any help from the professor, I didn't learn anything from her. My TA was really chill, so I asked him most of the questions if I was lost. The homeworks are really long, and she recommends 15 hrs of studying a week, you do not need to do all that. just study 3 hrs the day before the test youll get a B
She won't teach in lecture, but when you have 900 freshmen fresh out of hs who won't shut up, can you blame her? If you really want one-on-one help, seek out her office hours and TAs. iClickers are annoying due to the time, but they prepare you well. Practice tests are given, self-study and tutoring help a lot. Also kinda funny, i like her humor
The difficulty of this class when its given towards freshmen is like a cannon. When you get hit, you get hit. Anyways, to those who just started college I would not recommend taking this class. And if you do I recommend making a weekly schedule. A important part is that she does do lectures but only for like a few minutes.
RUN LITERALLY. DO NOT recommend taking her at all. She does not teach at all and the achieve hw is so unhelpful just annoying and depends on who is ur TA is u need help.
Delegated teaching to online videos and TAs. It was horrid taking this class as a Freshman
EVADE PRISON. PLEASE. This class is the prime example of PRISON. If you want to seek freedom while completing hardcore subjects like GEN CHEM, please just e-permit. If not, enjoy the iClicker and in class jeopardy because those will definitely make you sweat and lose mental sanity. This is an understatement I swear. Beware to cover ear when shehiss
if you failed, its bc ur slacking. Go to SSLC, form study groups, flashcards, practice questions, she gives you what you need to excel.
You are expected to dedicate a significant amount of time to it, beyond the weekly assignments. Come prepared for the iclickers. There are indirect opportunities to boost your grade, such as the 50 excess points that can be applied to homework, workshops, etc (can not be applied to test scores). As long as you dedicate time, you should be fine.
The people in the reviews stating "just dedicate time to study, you'll be fine" clearly don't have responsibilities outside of school. This class demands at least 15 hours of review aside from learning the material on your OWN! Majority of students have jobs which they NEED to pay bills and help their families. This class sets those up for failure.
a lot of people say she's really hard and the tricky thing is is just knowing how to study. the content is a bit hard if you didn't take chemistry or ap in highschool, so its definitely very study heavy. its a very easy class, but she's really dismissive and doesn't try to form bonds with her students. got an A+ through studying, doable just a lot.
Dr. Kobko was okay. Our final grade was heavily based of our exam score. The good thing is that she provide practice exams and that was helpful. Our final exam is created by the ACS. This class you have to learn the material before coming to class. In class, we just do iclicker, where we just answer questions.. not fun at all, so just be prepare..
The class was overall okay. The iClickers moved quickly, and a few homework assignments didn't align with the material being covered in the Achieve videos. The lecture environment wasn't ideal for my focus, but since it's a self-learning course, I did most of my studying independently. Kobko was a great resource for exam prep.
Kobko is not a bad teacher, she's actually pretty hilarious. People may hate her but if you watch the videos that were assigned before the lecture and take notes she actually teaches well during the lecture. If you think you may find yourself struggling with chem you should def go to office hours and even the tutoring center which actually helps.
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