She is a horrible teacher

Worst teacher I've had at SCU. She never knows what she is talking about and confuses herself half the time when trying to explain concepts. She makes a lot of mistakes and never believes you when you try to correct her. She doesn't know the answer to a lot of the questions asked. Literally take anybody else.

I left Santa Clara because of Dr. Linnell. First of all, she is horrible at teaching computer science. My AP teacher in hs was so much better. Her method of teaching was confusing, and she frequently made mistakes teaching it to us. She accused me of cheating bc I wrote two essays that had similar sentences, and didnt follow up for weeks. Awful

Her view of the class and how she presents the material is totally divorced from the student's reality of creating an entire app. This can take 10+ hours per week and she still focuses the tests and homework on random design concepts that are never actualized in our work. The structure of this class will leave you annoyed and tired.

Have you ever wanted to learn software design from a pure academic with no software or design experience? To be taught out of what's essentially a recipe book, but tested on the teacher's opinions? Do you dream at night of spending dozens of hours on the project you should be(but aren't) learning to build in class? Linnell is the professor for you.

One of worst classes ever devised. This class is a series of getting bogged down by meaningless, outdated material created before people knew what a smartphone was, while at the same time being obligated to create a complete software project from scratch with no instruction directed at helping you achieve it.

The group project could and should be a class of its own, but you're expected to write papers, do homework and readings, and take tests on completely separate material at the same time. If you have to take this class or professor, god forbid, choose an easy project so her expectations aren't sky high.

She expects students to be bombarded with her insane agenda of class work and homework that doesn't end up being relevant information for the group project that makes up most of our grade.

Course is built around a quarter-long group project with regular distractions of irrelevant busywork and meaningless reading responses. Course needs to be more about software engineering, less extraneous topics.

Linnell never ceases to amaze, with yet another upper division CS class taught only by her, in only one quarter, turning out to be entirely awful. I'd only recommend signing up for this class to an administrator trying to find out what's wrong with the CS department at SCU, for whom it would be a very good fit.

Outdated material. Too much talking to your neighbor in class. Calls on people using index cards. Forced interaction because of lack of personality. Really wished Id taken another professor. Students take the class because they run of options.

Pure academic approach to software engineering with very little practical experience. You would be well advised to take software engineering in coen. Lots of busy work that does not support a massive project. Too much group time in class when she should teaching. Outdated material, outdated professor. Avoid.

She's the reason no one is a Computer Science major.

CSCI 187 touches on too many topics, none of which are explored in any depth. Dr. Linnell splits assignments between Camino and her web site; what is due can confusing. She doesn't communicate well outside her comfort zone and expertise. Group project is an exercise in going through the motions and does not produce meaningful results.

CSCI 187 spun my wheels the entire quarter, and I'm not sure exactly what I got out of it. Course is lots of busy work. Massive project that doesn't get implemented to the point that it can shown outside of class. Feels like I wasted my time. I don't think Dr. Linnell has much experience with the subject. Not sure why she is teaching it.

CSCI 187 tries to do too much and doesn't do anything well. Group project is centerpiece of the class but there isn't time to finish to the point of being able to show it to anyone. Dr. Linnell can be a little short with students. Means well but doesn't do well in "grey areas" by her own admission. Take 187 only if nothing else available.

As the epitome of quantity over quality, she tries to cram way too much irrelevant content in a class. Her lack real world experience shows through her stubbornness when responding to questions and focus on memorization of vague concepts rather than the main part of the course, the massive project. Dr. Linnell, in short, is a disappointment.

Very few teachers have the courage to suck as much as Natalie Linnel. Dr. Linnel is the perfect combination of "I don't know how to teach" and "I don't know how to grade" and it is truly inspiring. In Dr. Linnel's course, I learned that I don't have to be that good at something to do it (as displayed my Natalie's clear incompetence in her field).

For years, I've been curious about the self-rating on Linnell's profile. She's so condescending than most Profs in the Math/CS department. Yet, many of these ratings don't reflect the popular opinion: she simply sucks at teaching overall. Like her department, they expect a lot, but don't give back enough. And don't get me started on correcting her.

classes are extremely hard to follow, textbook is 'mandatory' but never mentioned in class so you have to figure out where you need to learn from, the code she goes through in class is never posted in a timely manner, homework is confusing, misaligned with class topics, and overall too complicated

She is incredibly bad at teaching. Instead of teaching us C++, she uses python and calls it "pseudocode". And gives out irrelevant essays about studying in college. Do not take her. Do not.

This teacher is beyond horrible. I don’t know why she’s still hired. Awful at explaining concepts. Her test are extremely hard, the class average was a 62% on the midterm. She sets overly-high standards for intro level CS class. Prepare to spend all your nights and weekends working on rediculously complex assignments.

This is a cs class, why do I have to write essays and spend over half the class watching documentaries about technology. Her test is impossible and expects us to understand concepts right away... avoid at all cost.

This class was much harder than it needed to be. I could stop at the fact that half the class dropped more than halfway through the class.She taught in python while the homework and entire class was in C++, resulting in the lab teacher teaching us instead. She was condescending when asked questions, and her tests were very difficult. Don’t take.

the professor is unfit in teaching a college course.

Extremely condescending professor, avoid at all costs.

Not fit for teaching

Terrible professor, avoid!!

Teaches C++ in Python... avoid.

terrible

Avoid at all costs.

Grades harshly. Uses notecards to call on people to participate. Lectures are hard to follow. Makes students write essays in a coding class. Avoid at all costs.

Her questions are confusing and ambiguous at the best. Besides, who writes code on a paper in 2022? Be prepared to lose your grade for minor syntax mistakes that you would not do in an editor.

Condescending, passive aggressive, and unfit to be the professor of any college course. Shes unsympathetic and unorganized, and often doesnt post the materials that students require.

Professor Linell has been my worst teacher at SCU. Assignments are hard with little to no help. The class is so poorly structured. Tests and Quizzes are on paper in class. Never ever ever ever take her. I beg you to switch to any other professor no matter what time it is.

I am convinced that every score of 3 and up on Natalie Linnell's rate my professor is just her making reviews about herself because there is just no way any sane student can enjoy this professor. Avoid at all costs.

Encourages her students to drop if they score low. She didn't once display that she wanted her students to succeed. Extremely unorganized, you have to fend for yourself during the lectures (nothing is provided). Her style of coding is messy, dated, and unprofessional. The midterms and quizzes had low averages and weren't curved. 15 people dropped.

#include using namespace std; int main(){ string e; int A; string c; cout<>e; cout<>c; if(e=="Y"&&c=="Y"){ A=1; } else if(e=="Y"&&c=="N"){ A=0.1; } else{A=0; } cout<

dont take

Avoid this Professor. She doesn't know how to teach.

The professor does not teach well. The materials are disorganized, making it hard to understand the code, both in class and for homework. Won't do well if you are not proficient in coding before you take the class, although it is an intro class. She convinces even the most hardworking students that they can't code and should quit the major.

Professor Linnell lacks passion for teaching and student engagement. She randomly picks students with note cards to answer questions. The slides are poorly prepared and rushed. She seems more eager to make students drop out than to help them learn. She has the potential to be a great teacher, but her motivation is misplaced.

Horrible teacher. She often spent lecture time on outdated concepts about computer science and not on actual coding. Her tests were poorly designed and unrelated to the "material" covered in class. Many of us were left feeling demoralized after each exam, regardless of how much effort we put into studying. Half drop out after the first midterm.

She is super negative in general and seems to enjoy encouraging students to drop the class or give up on computer science in general instead of providing proper help.

The grading is ridiculous, once your project do not fit in her mind perfectly, she will grade you down for no reason, it is even a class teaching communication techniques, I think she is the one who need these ideas most, wont take her course any more

Never felt that CS is so much worse than CSE.

Linnell is simultaneously strict, unorganized, and vague with her grading criteria, a recipe for a very unenjoyable class experience. I would not recommend choosing her as a professor over other professors.

I had a disappointing experience with Professor Linnell. She doesn't seem to care about the student experience, uses outdated teaching methods, and her grading feels biased. Her frustration with struggling students doesn't help. I wouldn't recommend her courses.

She teaches things that are not even applicable to the class project and requires you to regurgitate material on exams. Not recommended.

Horrible professor who grades very subjective. She is extremely disorganized and cannot teach. For your own sake do not take this class with her. Its got too tragic. Just me and my patek. Hop in the V in the show automatic.

I am writing this as Professor Linnel = worst professor I have had and am about to graduate. Class taken Winter2022 (350 char is not enough top 5 reasons) Encouraged students to drop b/c low grades Not a great lecturer (disorganized) Exams are hard and not based on lecture Learned more from lab prof & self study No compassion for her students

I didn't even know what her class was talking about. I don't want to take her class at all, but since her class is the only one available this semester so I have to. When asking her questions after class or during Office Hour, If you ask her too many questions she will seem impatient. As long as you haven't learned C++ before, don't take her class.

This professor is extremely disorganized, her methods of teaching are confusing, and she does not provide enough resources to students to help them prepare for exams or do well in the class. Her office hours aren't helpful as she can be extremely condescending to struggling students. I strongly advise that you do not take this professor at all.

Please just do not take this professor

her attitude is very poor making the class an unenjoyable experience

awful, awful, awful

Do not take her. She will urge you to drop her class when you ask what more you can do to succeed in her class. She doesn't even make you code in class; she just puts code up on the projector and asks you what it means. She does not review the basics; it is an intro class, too!! It's week 10, and I still haven't really learned anything.

Does not know how to teach the material properly to students and has very unfair grading practices. You will have to learn a lot outside of class to get a good grade.

She can teach but grades quite poorly and you're not going to know what to do wrong unless you ask her. her tests arent hard but are long as heck so you probably wont finish if you get stuck. She ends up curving the tests but this is not a great class for people beginning in C++ programming.

It's kind of impossible to pass her class, worst professor in my experience, do not select her.

If you take her class, you'll failed. I've had some of my friends who have c++ knowledge before still fails to pass her class. Do not take her class.

Yelled at my face when asking questions. Encouraged women students to dorp out b/c CS is too rigorous for most women. Told me because of my learning disability I would fail her class and should drop out of the major. This was the first day of college.

I highly suspect that she wrote herself most of the positive reviews. Highly recommend you to review all of those negative reviews. Avoid this professor at all cost.

PLEASE AVOID TAKING DR. LINNELL'S CLASS AT ALL COSTS. She is the worst CSCI professor ever at this school. Her quizzes and exam don't follow her study guides and lectures in class. She isn't very helpful when students got questions on anything. She has no good advice to give to struggling students, and told them to either drop or retake the class.

When I ask my classmates of what she taught on class, nobody could answer that question because nobody knows what was she teaching. She also grade tests in her bias way. I once thought that I could pass her class by luck, but now I think it seems very difficult to pass. She will also urge you to drop her class. Please avoid, and avoid at all cost.

Avoid her at all costs

The rumors are true. Natalie Linnell is the worst lecturer I've had the misfortune of interacting with. I can only hope that whenever she comes up for tenure the committee looks at these impassioned comments

One might find themselves wondering why Lecturer Linnell is at SCU in the first place? She's a terrible lecturer, she hasn't published anything of note in 5 years, shes not tenured, and you'd be hard pressed to find a single person with a good thing to say on her behalf. I guess we'll never know

Avoid at costs

no, just don't. exams are not a good reflection of what is expected in class and not a great teacher

She was kind of mean and unpleasant in her behavior towards me and other students. Especially to my friend who did not want to wear a mask. Some of her comments came across as hurtful.

How is Lindell and Ray Li both not fired a yet?

It's Linnell. Don't do it.

Assigns readings every class on top of a project and occasional homeworks. Cold calls. Encourages students to drop class. She is the main antagonist of the CS department

Where do I start... I have been asked by many people deciding there emphasis about software and I say no because they have to take classes with this woman. The height of unprofessionalism and disorganization is what you will get experience with NOT software. I have lost my love for CS bc of her and I do not wish that on anyone else. SCU do better!!

God only knows how Natalie Linnell decided on teaching as a career. You'd think someone so impatient, condescending, unforgiving, incompetent, unapproachable, and disorganized would have better ways to spend her days (perhaps as a server admin in the back of a data center, where she wouldn't have to interact with humans.)