GREAT professor! He goes at the perfect pace and the tests aren't too difficult. I learned tons. I highly recommend him!!

Had him for CHM 109, Excellent Prof..Realy knows his stuff and teaches it very well. He is very willing to help you if you are struggling. Really takes time to make sure students understand the material. His tests aren't bad, but I really didnt like them. Usually 20 MC questions @ 4pts each. Then 2-3 short answer. 20pts slpit among short answer.

He was probably the best, most clear, organized, and helpful professor I've ever had. He puts so much time and thought into everything he does, and tries as hard as he possibly can to help students understand the material. Relates chemistry to real life examples and is fair with quizzes and tests. I couldnt say enough good things about him!

Great teacher. So helpful! I've never had chem before so this was a hard class for me but he is so willing to help you passing is not a problem.If you are willing to ask for help you'll do fine. He is super nice and very clear in his explanations.

really helpful! awesome teacher, has a lot of office hours, and very willing to help students. organic is a tough subject so be ready to work at it. TAKE BARROWS FOR CHEM 109! It will make 231 much easier. i had an awful 109 teacher (siu) so take him for 109 & 231!

He is one of the best professors I have ever had. He cares about his students and will go out of his way to help you!

Dr. Barrows is extremely helpful with everything. Lecture and discussion are crucial to go to b/c there is just so much information to cover. Test are difficult but its organic chem. Always willing to answer your questions and will work with you until you get it. Very reasonable with everything that he does. Great prof and guy!

He is amazing! He is super helpful and trys his hardest to make sure everyone is on track. TAKE HIM!

Great teacher! He is very helpful and has a lot of office hours. He expects a lot so be prepared to study ALL the time. Tests are very hard, but he is always willing to help you with the material. Do not expect to get an A in this class.

Dr. Barrows is an incredible teacher. He was great at explaining things in a way I could comprehend and made himself very available outside of class for questions. He has studied common mistakes/misconceptions people encounter when learning chemistry and tries to make sure you understand the concepts. He is a great teacher.

He is a great teacher! I had him as a lab professor and he helped me more than my lecture professor did....by the way don't take kovacs she sucks at teaching!! but barrows is great he explains everything really well and is a really friendly guy!!

he is so helpful

Dr. Barrows is an excellent teacher, and everything he explains is perfectly clear. You can ask any of his students and they will tell you that he is extremely extremely knowledgeable in his field and he is able to convey that information better than any teacher I have ever had.

Really nice guy, one of my first professors that actually seems like he cares about all his students. He has a degree in Chemical Learning, which means he knows how and understands how people "learn" chemistry, which makes he a standout teacher. The only complaint I have with him is that his tests can be difficult.

Nice teacher. He cares about his students but tests are difficult. Even if you think you know the subject material well, be careful. He words test questions in a way that are hard to understand. 5 exams total. Counts 4 of them. Most averages 65-70%. Frustrating. If you do not know much about chemistry I would suggest a different teacher.

If you want to spend all your free time in his office, relearning everything before a test this is the guy for you. His exams are extremely hard and he finds that a 63% is a good final exam grade. I would not recommend him at all!!! Be ready for impossible tests if you have Dr. Barrows!

amazing lecture teacher you leave class everyday with a good idea about what you just learned, but dont let that fool you, you probably dont know it as much as he expects you to, test day comes around and it seems like you are taking an organic chem test. Dr. Barrows is content when class average scores are 63%. if you love impossible test take him

AMAZING TEACHER! He really knows his stuff, and you can actually tell that he care about his students. He extends his office hours to fit your schedule, and he is always offering guidence in some way. His tests are hard, and even if you think you know what you are talking about, you need to study more. He is the best chemistry 109 tacher! TAKE HIM!

Not sure what the deal is with 12/18/08, but we had the same prof. He's a friendly guy and a good teacher, but his tests are tough! The questions are complex and he expects you put things together during the test! Details: OWL sucks and is not worth much, drops lowest quizzes, four tests and final, and lab doesn't help much.

I had him for Lab, but he was more helpful than my lecture prof. Really knows his stuff and is super clear on procedure and concepts. Idk about lectures, but I'd take him for lab if you can.

Hot guy, totally! I mostly love when he turns around to write on the white board! He is clear in what he expects and helps you tons in his offioe. Take him if you can!

Really nice guy. Horrible teacher. I don't care how smart you are, don't take unless you like to study for test that are impossible.

Dr. Barrows is a good professor. He cares for his students and keeps lecture interesting by cracking a joke here or there. The problem is in lecture he makes it look SO easy that when the exam comes, students are slightly confused. His tests are hard, but doable if you look at the sample exams..

very helpful and respectful, but doesn't prepare students for tests very well. they're always harder than the material he teaches. don't take him if you're not big on studying, but if you are you'll probably be able to handle taking him.

Only take this class if you actually want to learn chemistry. He will prepare you for future chemistry classes. If you are taking to fulfill a gen. ed. DONT find an easier professor. but if you want to be a nurse TAKE his class.

He's fantastic!

Extremely good professor. He cares A LOT and knows a lot of different ways to teach. Ask questions and he will always help you. I definitely recommend him. The subject was difficult for me but I got an A, he's a really great teacher.

I had barely any prior knowledge of chemistry so I struggled with this class a lot but he was very helpful in office hours. He really cares about his students. He will do absolutely anything to help his students.

I only had Professor Barrows for lab, but he was immensely helpful. During one lab, he managed to teach me in 15 minutes the whole subject of my 2 hour lecture later that night. (I had a different professor for lecture). HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Professor Barrows is a very nice and helpful professor. However, you will not survive if you only do work in class. If you do the homework, recommended problems,and study outside of class, you'll do fine. Those who say he's terrible only do chemistry in class. Overall, he is helpful, willing to answer questions, and cares about his students.

He is very kind and willing to help as much as possible. He teaches in such a way that you actually learn information rather than just memorizing, which will be very helpful for future classes. If you put the work in, it'll show. Would definitely recommend this professor to anyone taking a chem course.

If this is the first time you are taking chemistry since high school this is not the guy to take it from. He disikes memorization, he wants you to truly understand. This is great, BUT if you haven't had chemistry in a while be wary. Exams are extremely difficult, but not impossible as some think. You can do well, you just have to adapt to his style

I loved this professor. Exams are easier than the professor I had last year (although Chemistry is going to be hard no matter what). He'll stay up to an hour extra to explain things in discussion if it's needed. Super helpful and APPROACHABLE! You don't feel stupid asking him questions. Only complaint: exams are too long for just 50 minutes.

Dr. Barrows is kind, considerate, and so willing to help in any way he can. At the end, he drops 1-2 quizzes, and he's always willing to curve tests. The only problem I ran into was that his tests were EXTREMELY tough. Now, I've never taken Chemistry before so maybe that's probably why, BUT I did pass. Overall though, I WOULD recommend him. :)

Barrows is a nice guy. He is very helpful and approachable. He doesn't know how to teach during lecture, and his exams are quite difficult. They are always longer than they should be, especially if you're taking a 50 min. class. He is awesome in lab though.

My favorite professor so far! If his techniques or examples don't help you then just tell him, he will probably do whatever he can to find something that will help you. He really cares about his students. Long, difficult tests, but if you know the material then they are NOT impossible. I would definitely recommend Dr. Barrows!

He is very helpful and he will clarify anything if you just raise your hand and ask. People seem to hate on him only because the class is difficult itself and they dont take the time to ask questions. Overall good teacher and helps guide you through the course if you put in the effort.

This professor is so hard. The only reason is because he expects to read the lesson before he explains. He used to give us the quizzes then explain the lessons. If you don't like that then don't take him. The only good thing he did was giving online quizzes that are really easy to solve, so you can get extra credit from them.

I defiantly would recommend Dr. Barrows. His tests are very hard but he will drop one of your lowest test scores. He is a great teacher, he truly cares about the success of each one of his students. I have never had a teacher so willing to help outside of class. If you bring your questions to him and do all of the homework you will do just fine!

His tests are very difficult, but he is always willing to help and encourages you to go to his office hours.

He is good in the sense that he wants you to succeed and wants to help, but he isn't the best at getting his point across and actual teaching part. He know the material and is willing to help but is a hard professor overall.

Uses tablet too much, doesn't explain stuff very well, never writes on the board, okay lectures, posts past exams. Study past AP Chem notes + some prior knowledge possible A in this class. Tests- somewhat challenging. All CHM 115 final exams- bought from a company + is easy. Replaces 1 out of 3 exam grades w corresponding section on final exam.

I have never had a teacher put so much time into the students learning. He is a teacher that really understands how students learn. His class is very discussion oriented. yes he is not an easy A but if you stick to listening and actually think about what he says the class will turn out alright. He is very good at giving partial credit

I really liked professor Barrows, he is an amazing person and very inspirational. I actually had lunch with him. He will teach you alot and show you alot of opportunity. Yet I had a very tough time in his class, most exams the average was in the C range. Hard class, learn alot.

Really great guy! Makes things clear and understandable. Really cared for us and was extremely accommodating. So thankful I had him to teach me. Relaxed grading scale. Extremely nice guy as well. Exams make you think but aren't terrible. He is definitely willing to help you in any way.

Really awesome prof. Extremely helpful. Super knowledgeable. Accommodating. Beyond thankful I had him as a prof. Exams made you think but were not terrible.

I think it's funny when people get ticked because of thinking that goes along these lines: "I had to do so much homework and reading outside of class in order to get a good grade." What do think college is? Just showing up to class and expecting to get a good grade without any effort doesn't work, especially for chemistry. Barrows is a great prof!

Professor Barrows is an excellent professor who clearly knows the material well. We have a quiz on Webassign before every lecture, however you get unlimited attempts on them so it's an easy A. Show up for class because he gives pop group quizzes and his exams are a lot harder than the quizzes. You have study a lot for his exams.

Prof. Barrows is a great professor overall. He is very knowledgeable in his field. He is clear cut on explaining things in class, but pay attention. If you do not study for his exams you will fail. As long as you don't mind studying then I would definitely take him. Not much homework at all.

I love Dr. Barrows' class. He's so kind and patient and tries his best to make you interested in the material. the exams are totally fair in my opinion and designed in a way that you can't do good in them unless you've really understood the material he teaches. He uses different techniques to maximize understanding instead of just memorizing stuff.

Professor Barrows is a great professor. He cares very much about his students learning and tries to make sure everybody understands what is going on. Before exams, he compiles a bunch of questions from past exams and if you go through those you will be prepared for the exam. I would definitely recommend.

Professor Barrows was a great guy but his lectures are confusing and don't necessarily follow what his exams ask. He gives out past exams to study from and use those to study because he uses some of the same questions. There also isn't a lot of homework given.

Professor Barrows was a good professor. He assigned homework and post lecture quizzes which helped boost grades. Posted old exams to help study for each exam. Some topics he made sure to discuss to help with lab.

Professor Barrows was an awesome prof, but his lectures were a little confusing. He uses examples that don't always make sense, and he uses technology way too much. Homework is common, but it's super easy, and professor Barrows is always there to help if you get confused. Overall, Prof B is a super nice and helpful prof.

I don't understand these other comments on this professor. He is the BEST professor I have ever had. He worked with me one on one a lot and he would find different ways to help me understand concepts. You have to earn the grade you are given. He is very clear about what is on the exams and what he expects from you. Would definitely take again.

One of the best professors I've had. I'm not sure why people had a problem with him, if you apply yourself he is more than willing to help. He genuinely loves and cares about his job and it shows.

Barrows is a very nice, caring professor. He makes sure everyone understands the information before he moves on and he prepares you for his tests. I took his preparatory chem class and it prepared me a lot for CHM115. He is great at explaining complicated things in different ways so everyone can understand it.

TAKE HIM!! Dr. Barrows is my favorite professor at Grand Valley and the reason I now love chemistry. I took CHM 115 my freshman year and changed my major because of how Dr. Barrows made chemistry so fun and interesting. 3 years later and still my favorite class I ever took

Nathans explanations often got off topic, but he was always available for extra help!

Dr. Barrows is hands down the absolute best professor I've ever had. CHM 116 is an awful, hard class but Dr. Barrows helped me reach my goals and receive an A. He's very understandable and isn't afraid to adjust his lecture schedule to fit his students needs. If you need him to slow down and explain things better he will. He's also very personable.

Dr. Barrows is an amazing professor. He explains everything so well and leads an interactive and discussion based class. He doesn't just tell you the information, he shows you and explains it really well. He says to read the textbook outside of class, but to be honest, I don't really think you need to.

Barrows is pretty good. His exams are very difficult even for the most studious, but they help make the final a lot easier. I skipped a lot of classes and still finished with a B, but I don't recommend it because he has good lectures and gives quizzes about once a week. I definitely recommend despite the extremely difficult exams

Cares a lot about his students and subject matter. Teaches very well, as long as you are listening and participating. Emails back with anything you need, and is easily accessible. His lectures are enjoyable and understandable. Even if chem isn't your strong suit, he will do his best to help you. Plus he is a very kind and genuine guy!

I really enjoyed having professor barrows for CHM 116. If you go to his office hours he will grade your exam with you and he gives a lot of partial credit, he is also super nice and answers every question that you have. I definitely recommend taking barrows for CHM 116.

Dr. Barrows is a super knowledgeable guy and can always help when there's questions. His exams are tough but certainly doable with studying and he gives a lot of partial credit as well as extra credit. Would certainly recommend Barrows to anyone serious about chemistry.

I had to skip 7 classes for away games and the only way I got an A in this class was because of his office hours! He's a very caring prof but you have to reach out for help if you need it. Go to class, take notes, and ask questions. Read the chapters he assigns in the OpenStax Chem book before class so you know what you'll be covering that day.

Professor Barrows was one of the best profs I've ever had. The only thing I would complain about are the difficulty of the tests, but otherwise he was very reasonable and willing to help outside of class. He did an amazing job converting to online in the middle of the semester and if classes go online again in the fall, he is who you should take.

if you want to do well, he will make sure you do. you must put in the work though. very kind and helpful man, he genuinely wants you to do well and if you express that, he will help out in any way possible.

Dr. Barrows is a very respected and kind professor. He is always available outside of class and is willing to help every student if they show him they are trying. His tests are multiple select and free response. The class is difficult and he understands that. Office hours are extremely helpful. He really cares about his students. Gives partial cred

Professor Barrows lost his dad in December of 2020. Anyone who gives him a poor rating for this semester is a jerk. He moved to Montana in November to see his father leave this Earth. His normal structure was crafted to make us succeed in every way possible. Quizzes are Fridays and he had office hours Thursday night at 9PM to 11PM He's great.

Dr. Barrows taught me 115/116. I took AP chem in high school, which helped, but I still went to office hours every week, which were held 3 days/week. Easy guy to talk to, won't make you feel embarrassed about not knowing things. Notes could be difficult to organize in this class. Gives 100 chances for webassign homework. "turn to your neighbor"

I had Barrows for CHM 115 Lab. He went into depth and had great explanations for lab and wanted you to succeed. Because of COVID, the program used for it was not great, but that was not his fault. I 100% suggest him for CHM 115 Lab.

He was a very good instructure, sadly due to the difficulties this year, he had a hard time keeping a schedule. However he did is best to communicate what was happening and what his expectations were. I would take him again if I had the opportunity.

I loved Professor Barrows; he lets us retake the exams!! I have no clue how anyone can find something to complain about when a COLLEGE professor lets you do that. Hes so caring and really understanding hes an angel. Chem 115 is a really hard class in general but Barrows being understanding and the retakes really made this class worth it. 10/10

Dr Barrows is an amazing professor. He lets you retake the exams so you can master the learning objectives. He never cares if you say the wrong answer and he genuinely cares about his students. The only problem is if you don't remember a lot from past chem classes, this class might be a struggle.

Dr. B is honestly an amazing guy and I think this semester was rough because of our previous CHM 115 experience. He worked really hard to try to get us through all of the content, but I think all of us felt a little rushed, especially at the end. He offers lots of office hours and retakes, but theres is a ton of reading the homes work is a lot.

Professor Barrows really cares about your success. I had him for lecture and lab, and hell encourage you and answer any questions you have. He makes a great learning environment so you always feel comfortable to ask questions. Hes big on participation, so be sure to answer questions in class. If you put in the work, Barrows makes the class easy.

Prof. Barrows is one of my favorite professors. He lets you have multiple retakes on all tests and is an overall caring person. If you're having trouble with something I guarantee if you talk to him he will take the time to make sure you understand it.

I love Dr. Barrows. He was so helpful this entire semester for lab and was always available to answer any questions about the lab. He was so lovely during lab and great when something went wrong. He gives great feedback and was a very reasonable grader. 11/10 would take him again for lab.

Professor Barrows is a pretty good professor, and he really cares about his students. His lectures are a bit confusing and he often rushes lectures, but reading the textbook really helps. He's always willing to meet with his students, and I would definitely recommend going to his office hours. He allows for retakes, and the homework isn't too bad.

Giving him a 4 because personally, I do not like the way he teaches, his lectures are not beneficial. HIGHLY recommend going to his office hours he's SUPER helpful and very kind, and understanding and will work with you if you are struggling. Very easy to pass the class if you put in the effort and do the retakes he offers.

Dr.B is an amazing teacher and really cares about feedback from his students. He tries his best to analyze where students are struggling. His in class experience is very good, I feel that people who have trouble with his lectures do not go to class consistently to know what we are doing. Office hours! He is great at explaining things differently.

I had Professor Barrows for CHM 116 lecture and now CHM 242 Lab and he is amazing. He really cares about his students and really explains concepts in a way to more easily understand them. I was struggling in my 242 lecture and he really helped me catch up with the class. Also just a super sweet man outside of class and really comforting to talk to

Overall as a person so kind, caring, and understanding. Some people say his teaching style is difficult for them, but I really liked it. He allowed retakes on all of our quizzes which was really nice and helped me to master the content. He often looks for student feedback to make sure what he does is working for us and adjusts as needed:)

He is a very nice professor and does care about his student's successes. He often can be confusing which I didn't like, but he is always open to doing what is best for his students. If you use the retakes and go to class, it should be very easy to pass. I would recommend him as a lot of people get good grades, and pass his class.

This will sound weird but his teaching style was too easy. Because of his retake system on every exam I was inclined to not study at all as I know I could just retake it and get an easy A. Good for GPA, but bad for learning. With that said though he is the nicest man I have ever met and he genuinely cares about his students.

He used to be a high school chemistry teacher, this guy not only knows a lot about his field, but he also knows how to TEACH it. Unlike other professors, he doesn't dump a textbook and a million pages of homework on you, instead he teaches in his lectures and helps you understand topics using real life examples and practice problems.

The Slides and Subject matter presented is confusing, the Homework doesn't translate well to the actual tests most of the time. But he's great for office hours and if you have questions after class he's happy to sit with you after class to help clear things up or to recommend better study methods. if he has the time.

Dr. B was great for CHM115. He is super nice and cares about his students. Very clear about how to get help and gives you the resources you need to succeed. My one complaint is that his lectures sometimes went off topic or took a long time to introduce something, but it did make it more enjoyable at times. Also offers extra credit &a final retake.

great professor. Always willing to help out and to explain things being explained online through videos, slideshows, and in lecture. His grading is wonky. if you are someone who can't lock in for a final exam i would recommend studying a lot for the concept checks. Spoke to him outside of class and during office hours. Personable and Patient.

Professor B was a pretty good professor in my opinion. His lectures weren't the clearest sometimes but if he sensed the class was lost, he would stop and make sure everyone understood. This class is a difficult class itself, but he tries to teach it the best he can, lots of difficult concepts. He only grades the highest scores from exam questions.

I really enjoyed taking this class with prof barrows. I would recommend taking him! He cares so much about his students and the class is hard but he will not let you fail.

Dr. Barrows was an excellent professor. The class was very challenging, especially as a seven-week summer course, but he structured the coursework perfectly. He taught everything in great detail and provided plenty of practice problems to reinforce the material. Overall, he's one of the most caring and passionate professors I've had at Grand Valley

He was a great prof, as long as you were trying he was willing to help you. For a 7wk class he definitely tried to make everything as easy as possible, and always wanted our feedback on what we liked about the class structure. Willing to stay over in office hours if you need extra help. Definitely recommend him if you are scared for this class!

Overall, I loved him as a professor, although I loved the class a little less. Majority of grading is based on quizzes and the final, and he provides little study material. The Chemistry Success center will be your best friend in this class

he explains well in lectures to introduce topics and is very interesting to listen to but the class still requires lots of outside studying and work to pass. he gives lots of retake opportunities and his grading strategies are smart and easy to understand. Lectures arent mandatory but you will fail if you dont show

This professor is very passionate about Chemistry. He has interactive lectures where he seeks class participation to gauge how we are doing. If you don't spend time out of class studying you will not do well. Chemistry is a tough topic, so that has nothing to do with him. He offers 10 retake options and is very accessible outside of class.

Lots of time to complete homework. Being in class to get your participation grade (gave answer in class while explaining). Majority of your grade as built on the quizzes/exam. While the test are on the difficult side, you have many opportunities to retake the quizzes. You get what you put into it. Overall super nice and caring professor.