2.5
Quality3.8
Difficulty34%
Would Retake128
Reviews34%
Would Retake
128
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
16
4
25
3
12
2
27
1
48
What Students Say
“I personally enjoy math, but taking this class with Professor Neil made me hate math”
MATH122 - 1.0 rating“mainly because I don't do well in math, but he is not the best professor”
MATH122 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
0%
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CALC141
4.3
(12)CALC122
4.1
(7)CALC222
4.0
(1)MATH170
3.0
(1)MATH142
2.8
(8)Difficulty by Course
MATH115
4.2
MATH142
4.1
MAT121
4.0
MATH011
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4.0
Reviews (128)
He can ramble through a simple answer but he's usually good
this class is hard. mainly because I don't do well in math, but he is not the best professor. he doesn't really explain how to do a problem, just shows how to do it which to me isn't beneficial. quizzes every Friday that I feel like don't correlate with our notes. to save your grade, do not take this class especially if you are not good at math
Attendance is taken every class. Quizzes are every Friday and are usually very far behind the material notes are being taken on. Knows calculus very well but doesn't do a great job explaining and typically doesn't let you try problems in class (only on HW which is done online and due every Monday). Not too hard though. A pretty lenient grader.
Doesn't teach. Reads from the textbook. Often makes mistakes during his lectures that confuses the class even more. Careless grader. Twice I had friends get a 60% on a quiz that ended up being high 80s. Not a very friendly guy either.
Worst teacher I have had in college. He does not go through and explain concepts, but puts up easy example problems and rights through them and these are nothing like the test problem. Each test question is worth 15-20 points and half of them are problems you have never seen on the homework or practice problems.
Finite math isn't exactly difficult. I do well in here without much effort. However, he doesn't seem to know his own material very well. He is often unable to answer fairly simple questions and sometimes can't even finish his own examples. The lecture is painfully dry & he speaks quietly. He also isn't very pleasant when contacted outside of class.
The man does not care about the students at all. He will kick you out if you're on your phone. He goes through a section a day. Barely answers questions. Barely finishes his problems. Does not speak loud enough for the class to hear. A junior in High school could teach this class better.
HARD Professor. If you are actually really good at Calculus then go for it, you'll be fine. If you haven't taken Calculus before don't take him. Has quizzes every week and tests every now and then but they are all about 3 questions each and its hard to get a good grade.
POSITIVE: - VERY accessible outside of class, just email him - light homework - knows the material - gives partial credit on quizzes/exams - will work with you to help your grade and help you pass NEGATIVE: - monotone lecture - hard & short tests - intimidating Don't take if you're a freshman, you won't be used to the work load it require to pass.
Most students take this class as a freshman, which is bad because they are not used to the amount of effort in college you need to put in to do well in a class. To do well in this class you have to work for it. I knew a lot of kids in this class. They were salty about their grade but their grade was their fault. Hard class but not impossible.
you have to really understand the math to do well. use the book to study not your notes. see him at his office hours. only 10-20 homework questions. dont need to buy the textbook. homework online. will kick you out of class if youre on your phone.
I would highly recommend not taking Bornstein. He messes up problems in class a lot. He also refuses to ever give any study guides or ever do anything more than the bare minimum. The quizzes and tests leave very little room for error. He never curves and he is not great at explaining concepts. He definitely rushed through all of the material.
Not a bad professor at all, really knows the math. Sometimes his knowledge of the math makes it hard for students because he can go quickly. But a good teacher and very helpful outside of class if you need it. Youre going to have to study, but he does a good job of creating a foundation for what you need to know. And he is a lenient grader.
First of all, this man has the most monotone voice ever. Picture the teacher taking attendance from Ferris Bueller's day off; but worse. So try having that at 8:30 in the morning. He gives weekly quizzes which he grades extremely hard. This hurts your average a lot. Overall, a tough grader who doesn't answer questions clearly, and is a robot.
He knows his stuff, but the problem is he does a poor job explaining it. If you ask a question, just know you probably won't get the answer you're looking for. He gives out weekly quizzes and isn't too lenient on partial credit. His monotone voice certainly doesn't help. Also, he's prone to make mistakes when working problems without realizing it.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!! He cannot explain math or answer questions in a clear way. He has a monotone voice that puts you to sleep. Weekly homework and quizzes, and monthly tests can help your grade if you teach yourself all the material. He also does not give extra credit and all notes are in class so if you skip you will fail.
This is a hard class and unless you already have taken Calc I wouldn't take him. Very boring lectures, quizzes every Friday you have to study for or you will fail the class. Homework every week. The final was so hard, one girl I talked to passed it but everyone else including me, failed it in the 40s-50s range, & he wouldn't curve it.
He is very smart but he cannot teacher. He goes through the material super fast and never explains it. Also, if you have a question he never full answers it or sometimes doesn't actually answer it. He is also not very accommodating. He does not care why you are absent he still will count it against you.
stop. turn around. get a new teacher. do not do this to yourself, it os my biggest regret ever. trust me
Hes smart , but hes very dry and he rambles in a monotone voice. He works through the problems as if hes working them out himself and then continues without explaining anything. He doesnt grade on correct answers. He grades based on if you done it his way and his ways are very difficult and unclear. If youve never taken calc. Dont take him.
Wasnt a terribly difficult class. People who say hes monotone arent wrong but he explains it all well enough. Grades pretty fairly, lets you drop your lowest test and quiz as well at semesters end. On a side note, he has a really interesting/inspirational personal back story if you want to find out something cool about your professor.
I never took Calculus before taking Professor Bornsteins class and it was very much a struggle. Some people said it was easy for them because they had taken Calculus in the past, but he is terrible at explaining the material for newcomers. The cumulative final exam included material that was insignificant to the class, as well.
Super difficult class and makes you work for it.
Professor Bornstein is one of the worst math teachers I have had in both college and highschool. He does not explain the subject matter well and is rude in his responses if you ask a question in class. Of all of my classmates I have spoken to, I have not met a single one that thinks that he is a good or even decent professor.
Great guy, genuinely cares about educating his students. Very easy going and flexible, if his lectures are troublesome he takes feedback from the class. He pretends to care about attendance. He's very professional and "strict" but at the same time wants you to do well. Homeworks are a lot harder than tests.
Not a bad professor, just takes harder routes for easy problems.
Awful professor. He doesn't explain a single thing he does on the board and he is nearly impossible to follow. DO NOT TAKE CLASS WITH THIS PROFESSOR. You will regret it I promise.
absolutely horrible. do not take.
The most monotone professor I have ever had. He uses very complicated methods to solve simple problems and will take off points if you do not solve the problem the way he teaches it. If youre not good at teaching yourself outside of class, dont take this course.
This man is very monotone, doesn't let you submit anything late or re do anything. However his weekly quizzes are fairly easy if you show up to class.
Slow talker and lecturer; however, easy A
I've never taken a calc class before and this was hARD. He's a good guy just very monotone and intimidating. No quizzes or exams are multiple choice so that sucked bc most calc classes do have that. He teaches very quickly and never reviews. If you're good at calculus or are a math genius you'll be fine just don't take him if this is new to you!!
Most boring professor ever. Just stands at the podium and does problems all class long. He also takes the most complicated routes to solve very simple problems and will take off credit on quizzes/exams if you don't do them his way. Learned more in H.S. math. Never cancels class and takes up the whole time but he also never takes attendance.
Dr. Bornstein is a pretty solid teacher. His attendance policy is not strict, as he doesn't take attendance most of the time. There are quizzes every Friday but they are 3-4 questions max, and he grades pretty fair on them. Overall a good class and easy to learn if you just go and take notes.
I really liked this professor! He leads the class through examples, which is really helpful in understanding the concepts, & it makes the homework easier. Quizzes every Friday, but they are only a few questions and he grades very fairly- lots of partial credit which is appreciated. People say he is boring, but I personally loved his teaching style!
His teaching style comes off as uncaring at first, but as you progress through the class you see that he actually does care about the curriculum he teaches. He constantly asks if anybody is confused, and does take in students input about his teaching speed since he can fly through units and notes very quickly. I definitely recommend.
I learn most of this stuff in high school but Bornstein has a specific method that he wants you to go by but can't specifically elaborate on. You should be good if you go to the SI sessions because they teach better than him.
I would like this professor a lot less if the course was more challenging. He is very monotone and stands at the podium working out problems all class but he does a good job at explaining the content for the most part. He is good at answering questions and makes time for questions about exams, homework, etc. each class.
Terrible. Took this class over a year ago and I am still beyond disappointed in the lack of not only quality, but CARE that he shows for his students. He would not show up to office hours, would intimidate you when asking a question, gave no partial credit on 5 question quizzes, and was simply DULL, BORING, and RUDE. *Retook w diff teacher- passed.
The worst teacher that I have ever had. Teaches everything in the hardest way possible and you will leave class more confused than before you walk in. No regard for students at all, very disrespectful and creates an atmosphere where you are too scared to ask a question or go to office hours. Take any other teacher, seriously.
People struggled in this class. He's a very serious professor that won't learn your name and will teach quickly. He goes over it many times and has review days before exams. You need to practice & pay attention to do well in this class, the homework is a very good teacher too. He even let me take a quiz a few hours early for a family emergency.
As an older student, I felt intimidated at first, SI classes are God sent. ASK QUESTIONS! Confused? just ask him to elaborate. the Information that you review is for the Next Week, be ready to have problems that he can help solve with you. One on One instruction available. TAKE NOTES! Your Notes will be on the Final! Very Smart Professor!
I feel that Dr. Bornstein is a great teacher. He really tries to help his students understand the difficult material. He does review sessions before tests, puts up a study guide, and his SI holds review sessions as well. If you take advantage of those things you will be just fine. The textbook isn't mandatory, but he does pull exam problems from it
Dr. Bornstein is not a bad guy and not a horrible teacher. If you naturally struggle with calc, i suggest either stepping up your game and GO TO SI weekly, or take a different prof. He goes quickly and gets into a lot of theory towards the end. Exams really were not that bad, but i do feel like you are on your own with learning most of the material
Worst professor I've had at USC so far. Lectures are awful, he's very monotonous and lecture heavy. Ask him to explain something because you don't understand and he literally repeats the same thing. Or you ask him a question and end up more confused. Don't take this professor if you can. You have to really work for just a "C". Not worth your time.
Super monotone professor that will put you to sleep within minutes if you don't drink a lot of coffee beforehand. Super petty too, refused to give a study guide for the last exam because of some people on their phones. Announced he 'wont have time' to make a final exam review sheet. Take any other professor, never been on here until I took this guy
I'm a mathematics major and he made the experience of learning math extremely unenjoyable. In my class he refused to give our section a study guide as well simply because of an individual or two in the class. Lastly, the final exam he gave was unbelievably difficult... i and others who aced the first three exams could barely do half the final
He was quite petty in not giving my section a study guide because of a few students, something he gave to the other section. After acing the three exams and achieving at a high level in this class, the final was foolishly and unnecessarily difficult. The TA and SI were only saving graces. Heed the warnings and try to find a different professor.
Respect Dr. Bornstein and he'll respect you. His notes are very clear and understandable and he allows pictures of his notes after class. He makes exam study guides and and has review days before the exam (unless your class has disrespectful students). The exams are HARD. Go to SSC tutoring and SI sessions, they are extremely helpful.
He's a very understanding professor, and genuinely wants you to learn the material. If you need help or have questions he's more than welcome to help you out as best he can. The material can be difficult to understand, but I think he does a good job overall. If you go to class and actually show that you're trying he'll notice. He's a good professor
Gives homework on material not taught in class, is super tough on grading and showing work, stands in the back corner the whole time, talks in the same voice for the full hour. He doesn't explain the steps when he shows problems on the board, so you never know what he's looking for. Do yourself a favor and take an online course or a different prof.
One of the worst experiences I have ever had. The homework is on stuff that he doesn't teach and quizzes are on examples that we never did. He is VERY lecture heavy. He does not answer questions and makes sarcastic comments if you ask them. Doesn't tell you how to do math, just does it in front of you and expects you to know how to do it.
Multiple times on both Homework and tests, an answer that was correct was marked wrong. And he still would do nothing to fix it. This affected my homework grade a fair deal, as WileyPlus is notoriously known for not taking an answer if it isn't written how they want it. The SI was the only saving grace. He just sits at the front and does problems.
He blows through difficult topics and rarely gives the results if he ever gives exam review. The homework does not correlate to his lectures and he does not inform you when he changes a due date from the syllabus. If I didnt have a good math background I would have failed this class. Please take a different professor if you have a chance.
I have never received below an A in a math class that I have previously taken, but this was a class that I had difficulty in. The quizzes and homework are never relevant to the current unit we are working on in class. I tried asking questions, but his responses were always unhelpful. Things barely covered in class would show up on exams by surprise
All of these negative reviews honestly hurt my heart. He is EXTREMELY intelligent and teaches to intelligent students. Yes his class goes fast and yes the material can be challenging however it is no harder than a highschool AP math class, he will take time and explain absolutely anything to you if you actually talk to him. Don't be lazy.
He goes through material extremely quickly and does not do a good job of explaining it. The homework almost never had to do with what was taught in class so it was difficult to do well on it. The first three exams are pretty easy if you take notes and listen in class, but the final was extremely difficult for no reason.
Homework and quizzes have problems that we have never learned. For lectures he stands at the front and just works out problems expecting you to know how to do it. Does not clearly answer questions. Tests always have at least one or two problems we have never learned or looked over in class. Take any other professor.
This class is the worst class I have taken at USC. Prof Bornstein is incredibly nice and will help you if you ask for it. However, his lectures are not taught for students who do not understand math on an AP calculus level. I worked all semester on this class, went to SI, and office hours. I STILL may not pass. He gives quizzes every Wednesday.
Dr. Bornstein is genuinly a nice person, but I hated his class. I worked so hard and in the end it felt like it was for nothing. I went to SI sessions, office hours, and studied with other classmates to recieve a C-. I know I am not amazing when it comes to math, but this class was terrible. I do not recommend.
worst class I've ever taken. he is a hard grader and barely gives partial credit. his class is lecture style as well and he does not make it interesting and seems annoyed when people ask questions. will not take a class with him again.
The math itself isn't too hard, but attendance is mandatory & his lectures don't help. There are weekly quizzes but he never tells you what they're on, and sometimes there were problems he never even went over, so good luck studying! Also, you don't need the textbook at all, just buy the access code for homework.
Professor Bornstein knows what he's doing, but he doesn't do a good job explaining things to people who aren't math majors. SI is a must if you take his class. I would have done so much worse if I didn't have a good SI leader.
Quizzes every week that are relatively easy and all exams are exactly like the study guides! lectures may be boring but just take the notes and you'll pass! doesn't take attendance that often and SI sessions are very helpful
This class is not difficult if you have a good background in math, however if you are expecting to learn anything for the first time with him it is very difficult. He's very monotone and doesn't explain anything well. He takes off a lot of points for little mistakes, and has weekly quizzes. The SI helped a lot, avoid him if you can.
Horrible professor. Attendence is not mandatory, but he grades insanley hard. He does not give partial credit on any quizzes or tests. His lectures are very hard to understand because the whole time you have to speed write in order to get everything down. The notes we take are straight out of a textbook too. Avoid this professor
Bornstein is difficult. I have him online this semester due to Covid so I am able to rewatch the lectures after class which is astronomically helpful. Without this I am not sure if I would pass due to the fact that he moves really fast and is not clear and concise when he teaches. If you want to do well youll need to do extra work outside class.
If you don't already know the concepts he's talking about, don't expect to learn them. The only sections I did well on were sections of things I already knew. Also, don't expect a quick response to any email.
Steer as far clear from this class as possible if you have it online. The monotone lectures at 8:30 do not make life any easier. Tough grader, and not very understanding of student situation.
8:30 AM class with him. He's a wonderful person, but not a great teacher. I feel like most of us did not retain any information in this class.
He's a chill person, however a morning class with a monotone teacher isn't suffice. Not to mention he has a problem with overcomplicating the work when it could be solved in a simple step by step basis, along with confusing quizzes that are timed, would recommend finding another professor if you have the option.
He's a great guy don't get me wrong, but his monotone voice and way of overcomplicating problems is not the moves at 8:30 am. Like I said he's a great guy, but his teaching style is not my preferred style.
Professor Bornstein grades fairly, gives partial credit, and will not penalize you if you miss a question that wasn't covered in class. The quizzes have a low impact on your total grade (10 quizzes 1.5pt each) and intend to alert you to what you don't completely understand. Math-based Essays can be written in place of the exams, including the final
I love Bornstein, but he was not the best teacher. The test and quizzes are way harder than homework, and sometimes not even similar at all. There are quizzes every week, except test week. I really enjoyed him and his little tangents, and it is clear he has a passion for math. But if you don't share the same passion, it will be hard to follow.
If you have questions and decide to email him, don't expect a response. Also, if you plan to attend any of his earlier office hours for help, he might not show up. While this might be different when he resumes in-person teaching, i would not rely on him for extra help outside the classroom. He is also a VERY strict grader.
Does not explain material clearly. Gives exam grades back without explanation on what you did wrong and when I asked him, he still did not give a real explanation. Grades papers unfairly. Does not respond well to questions or anything in general.
I usually excel in math classes but I struggled for a bit in his calc 1 class. The only way I got an A was from heavy outside studying from other sources. His lectures are boring and he barely explains anything. Even if you pay attention everyday you still might fail the exams. Get ready to study and do your homework. Also doesn't respond to email
He was very boring in his lectures and would just work out problems the whole class. I felt like I had no time to think. he was horrible at answering emails. I had emailed him numerous time throughout the semester and he didn't respond to ANY of them! its frustrating considering we were emailing him our exams to grade too.
I had him for calc 1 (I also took it in high school) and I felt like I was learning something completely different. He gets a little annoyed when questions are asked, does not respond to emails, and offered little support to students. During lecture he just worked out problems with little explanation and then expects you to know how to do it.
I think it would've been a much better class in person. (but we get to see his dogs) He's got a pretty dry humor and you'll only catch the jokes if you're actually paying good attention. He doesn't like to teach to the void and appreciates participation and questions. You can also write essays where you apply calc to real life instead of the exams.
I wouldn't say he was awful but you can pass this class if you just put a little effort. we could use notes on quiz and exams which made it easy for me tbh. I never really understood his lectures but the TA made it easier to understand. He grades pretty fair. also partial credit avaliable. Homework is helpful during exams. ur lucky if its a good TA
Dr. Bornstein is not a good professor, and fails at his only job; teaching. He is hostile to questions, fails to explain anything, and his test and quizzes have nothing to do with his lectures, homework's, or the textbook for this class. He failed over half of my class and accused us of cheating, while failing to give us a reason for his beliefs.
He is very monotone and difficult to understand. It is never clear what he is asking for on the tests, quizzes, or when he asks questions in class. He is probably the worst professor I have ever had. Maybe he is better when his class is in person.
hardest class I have ever taken, is no help, doesnt answer emails. tests every week. Take any other teacher.
ended up having to drop the class, but tests do not at all correlate to the work that is done in class. his teaching style is very... different and not necessarily in a good way.
homework is hard for no reason. gives you no practice exam and exams have nothing to do with what we go over in class. do not take him. terrible at emailing and has no care for his students.
This is the worst teacher I have ever had in my entire life. He is terrible at communication, grades horribly, and cannot teach for the life of him. I have consistent As in all my classes and this course made my GPA tank. This man is the worst person ever, personality and grade wise.
hands down the worst professor i have ever encountered. office hours are a joke. weekly quizzes on something we learned 2 minutes ago. exams are BRUTAL. does not know how to teach or explain anything at all. also HATES questions. if you end up taking this class i pray for your well-being. this class makes me want to drop out of college
All I'm gonna say is hope you get a good SI for this class.
Avoid this prof if you can. Struggles to teach things well, generally pretty uncooperative with students, lots of hw too. He's a good prof if you took 141 in highschool, because he teaches the material like its a refresher rather than new material.
I personally enjoy math, but taking this class with Professor Neil made me hate math. There are homework assignments due every week that take you on average 6 hours. There are quizzes every Friday, which I do not mind but also they need to have more than two questions. Also, the quizzes would be more helpful if you actually learned what was on them
Take another professor if possible. I took this class for my major and have since changed to a major without math because of him. Does not know how to communicate to students, never answers emails or answers them late. Will put stuff on exams that wasn't taught. Got mad at the class that everyone failed his exam but provides no help.
If you have the choice, do not take this Professor. I had him for Math 122 and it was one of the most frustrating classes I have ever taken. He fails to communicate with his students and does not teach the material well. The material on exams is not clear, and it is a surprise on every exam. The homework also does not relate to his lectures.
Professor Bornstein could not care less about his students understanding the material. He never is willing to explain or help, and doesn't respond to emails. Tests are nothing like the lecutures or HW and are made to trick you. I am an A student, and this class is nearly impossible to pass; half of students dropped. This class WILL ruin your GPA.
Save yourself and simply just choose another professor. It is not worth it, no matter how much studying and tutoring you put into this class, there is no hope with him. Taking MATH122 with this prof. was the worst decision I have made.
This man does not communicate with/care about his students. His course material does not reflect the exam content. Each homework takes hours to complete. He gives you the option to write an essay and fails every student who writes the essay. If you could take another teacher for this class, please do it
ahhhh neil, do NOT take his class. he does not care about you as a student or your success. exams are nothing like the review guide he providesno answer key for them either. the weekly quizzes are the same way. as a PREcalculus class, it should not have been this hard - a few of my tutors didnt even know what he was teaching.
Stay away!
Professor Borenstein is an extremely straightforward person with blunt jokes. Regarding how he teaches he basically does all the problems for you. Test quizzes an homework are all drastically different from each other. I recommend some one else! Application based
He is a great guy. Going to class was highly beneficial, but not mandatory. Quiz are easy with harder tests but he is a lenient grader. He means well and I found his class to be a great learning experience.
Expect to spend 1-5 hours on each weekly homework. He gives an essay option- do not do it, it is 10x harder than the test. Quizzes are Fridays and pretty easy. Exams are difficult but passable. Doesnt respond to emails. He replaces your lowest exam grade with your final grade if it helps. I spent hours studying to finish with an A. Dont recommend
In the Math 115 class, he is a rough grader, kinda takes a lot of points of for simple mistakes. He rushes through lectures quickly, but is a very caring person, and tries his best. If you take him, try the online tutoring or do multiple practice problems from the book. If you don't pass those weekly quizzes you won't pass the exams or the class.
I thoroughly enjoyed his class, enough to decide to take his class again this semester. Many people disliked him because he graded the tests and quizzes rather harshly, however if you did the homework, study, attend class you'll be fine. Do not take if you are looking for an easy A.
Dr. Bornstein is very smart, but not great at communicating what he is teaching. He has office hours, but I found they were not helpful. He is also very tough to get into contact with because he doesn't check his email. In replacement of exams, he lets you write an essay which I found that he grades tougher than the exams. I would find a new prof.
Remember that time when you were little and you hurt your ankle by accidently hitting it with your scooter? That's what it felt like to take this class. There's roughly three questions on each quiz which are on material from the previous week. Don't even bother on exams because they're downright impossible. If you take him, buckle up for the worst.
Bornstein is a nice guy and I think he cares about his students, but I found him to just not be that great of a teacher. He just says what hes writing on the board and works through it himself without really offering a explanation. weekly quizzes arent bad but the exams are difficult, although youll pass as he is generous with partial credit.
i really tried to like Bornstein but the reviews of him are true. i sat front row in every. single. lecture. this was almost the hardest class i've taken at usc, mostly because of the prof. if you chose to write the essay he was ridiculously unfair with the grading; and exams were wayyyy harder than anything he teaches in lecture. do not take him.
This teacher was strict about masks but he had every right to be. He did the best he could, I really appreciated this man. I would take his class again.
Im not sure why Professor Bornstein has so many bad reviews. I found him extremely funny and his lectures were super easy to follow. Every lecture was mostly complied with of a lot of practice problems that were almost exactly the same to ones we would have of quizzes and exams. The only thing I would note is to ask questions during lecture.
he gets a bad rep because the class he teaches is hard but I think dr bornstein is great. very accommodating, very thorough, always makes sure people understand
Professor Bornstein genuinely cares about his students. His class is easy to get a good grade in as long as you come to lecture and participate in class.
Dr. Bornstein is possibly the best calc 1 professor I had (though I only retook it once). His exams did reflect the lectures and sometimes the homework (which could be hard, blame Pearson). His grading was fair, not a hard grader at all. Sad to see him go, and hope him the best in the future.
Honestly one of the best math teachers I've ever had. He used to have a bad rep for being really hard but he's completely changed since COVID. Class isn't mandatory, his lectures make so much sense, barely any homework, and you don't need to go to every lecture to get an A. Exams normally only have like five questions and you take them at home.
Calculus is hard either way, so first off his bad reviews must be people that hated the subject. He was an incredible teacher that made us all laugh in a class no one wanted to be at, answered emails timely, and did a lot of practice in his notes to help you understand. The class will be difficult because calculus usually is, but he was amazing.
Calculus is hard, at least it is for me since I am not very good at math. Bornstein outlines clearly what to expect from the course. If his teaching style is not for you, then you learn by doing the homework. He is a great professor and those that complained were just lazy. Be prepared to work hard, its calculus, its not easy. That is a given.
Hes great. Just be prepared to work hard.
I was nervous coming into calculus but Dr. Bornstein really helped me understand each concept we were going over. His lectures are clear and straight to the point on the material. He also holds review days for exams which I really benefitted from. I never felt unprepared for an exam in this class. But be prepared to study as it is calculus.
Bornstein taught very thoroughly and provided a plethora of opportunities for help. I wish I could take him next year. I don't even have to take anymore maths for my major I would take his higher calcs as an elective because he was so good. He makes great jokes and sets you up for success in higher level maths. bornstein made calculus fun.
Bornstein is a good person and he has gotten a lot better throughout the semester. GO TO HIS LECTURES. Calc141 is already hard so go to lectures because he gives examples similar to the exams and weekly quizzes. The quizzes are very easy and there are a lot of them, so your grade shouldn't be too bad unless you fail all the quizzes.
He is a good professor if you ask questions. He also makes the class kinda interesting with little problems as the beginning of class. The test are kinda tricky though. (Prof. Bornstein if your see this maybe a curve on the exam? please)
I had him after COVID so from what I've heard he's changed some of his methods. Attendance isn't required and the weekly quizzes are pretty short and basic. The TA goes over the material before the quizzes too. I'd say he's a better choice then a lot of other math professors here. He usually curves tests a little and there's not a lot of homework.
Dr. Bornstein gives clear expectations of the course he is teaching and does his best to deliver on those expectations. In addition, he respects students and is very humble. He pauses class quite frequently in order for students to ask questions. Finally, he goes above and beyond to provide students cool math theories and interesting concepts!
Calculus is a notoriously challenging course as it is but in all honesty, Dr. Bornsteins lectures were easy to follow and he makes the effort to put up fun theorems and cool math facts before each class. The homework examples are REALLY useful and much of the actual exam and test questions are similar to the homework. Attendance isn't mandatory.
Don't listen to the reviews from Business Calc, He does an excellent job teaching math. He expects you to work hard but the workload isn't insane, homework and quiz once a week, and provides lots of resources to succeed on the exams. He's a great professor with a love for math and will prepare you for the higher math courses.
I took Professor Bornstein first semester and enjoyed his class so much that I took him again second semester. Calculus is hard but he's super understanding and willing to help you if you actually take the time to reach out. One quiz and homework per week which are simple and he tries to tell jokes throughout lecture to keep it interesting. 10/10
my rating would only be higher if he had given me the fifteen points that were wrongfully stripped from me in the first exam. He's a monotone teacher who always helps if needed. His recitation TA was amazing at explaining things, and his quizzes helped a lot. definitely not the worst teacher you can have, and if he taught 142 id take him.
He always graded work quickly and fairly. He put all of his notes online for us to go back and look at. A schedule was given to us on the first day of class with everything we would cover daily. During lectures he would stop and ask for questions. If you go to class you will learn everything he teaches. He breaks everything down and makes it clear
This class isn't super difficult as long as you actually try and study for the material. Neil is extremely willing to answer any questions and provides plenty of example problems which personally I like in a math class. He isn't the best at articulating the material but again he will explain again until you grasp the concept. All around he's okay.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
0%
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B+
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CALC141
4.3
(12)CALC122
4.1
(7)CALC222
4.0
(1)MATH170
3.0
(1)MATH142
2.8
(8)Difficulty by Course
MATH115
4.2
MATH142
4.1
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4.0
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4.0