2.6
Quality4.4
Difficulty23%
Would Retake143
Reviews23%
Would Retake
143
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
20
4
31
3
21
2
27
1
44
What Students Say
“He knows his stuff but he is bad at teaching”
BIO1407 - 2.0 rating“Although he is intelligent, he is the WORST professor ever”
BIO1407 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
89%
Textbook Required
38%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.56 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL1401
5.0
(2)BIO
5.0
(1)BIOS1406
5.0
(1)BIOLS07
5.0
(1)BIOL14061407
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
1406
5.0
BIOLI
5.0
BIOLOGY1406
5.0
BIOLOGY1302
5.0
BIOL1408
5.0
Reviews (143)
Difficult teacher. Enough said.
Extremely hard class! He's an honors teacher, and it shows. If you are a science major, it would be very menificial to take his class.
teaches freshmen classes at a junior level..you will learn a LOT in this class...but tests are tough..a lot of reading reqd to do well..great guy..will always talk to you..but expects you to be an adult...not a punk kid
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Hard tests!! They suck! Everyone fails. Do not take him!
VERY HARD TESTS!!! His labs are rediculously hard. He asks you to wear a lab coat! If you are not prepared to bring your GPA down a little, do not take him. Dunkle is so much easier. IF you can, get Dunkle for both lecture & lab. He is so awesome. I took rich 1st and I was sorry for it. He w
He is very hard but you will learn a lot if you put the time into it. It is possible, but difficult, to get a high grade. This is great for science majors. For non science majors, take someone else.
Mr. Rich like to show that he knows it all and is not a very good teacher. He is more conserned with showing everyone how much he knows, than actually spreading the joy of Biology. If you are excited about science, don't take Rich, because he will destroy it for you. I've never studied harder in my life for ANY class, and I barely got a C!!!!!!!!!
i really enjoyed biology...and then i took Dr. rich. extremely hard tests. lectures bore you to death. he expects you to put in too many hours for his class, as if you don't have other classes to study for. don't take him, you will regret it.
His tests are hard, but he teaches straight from the book, examples and pictures. READ THE BOOK for clarity. Know VOCAB for his "pop-ortunities"
This professor is great for Science majors. YES, he is hard for the non science majors..but if ur a science major... take him cuz u will learn a lot. I took his class over the summer and test were easy (a curve on each test)if you really study. Use the CD, do the chapter reviews. If u still think its hard, then u wont last in A&P or Ochem.
Really enjoyed his class.... don't take it if you don't like bio or you're not a science major
I heard so many bad things I almost dropped him. Now I am glad I didn't. He is willing to take the time to answer questions, and tries to use examples to ensure you get the concepts. I am glad I took his class. I am the only one in A&P that seems to be able to answer Biology questions. I feel like I really learned the material. Did well too!
He is not the easiest person to understand I had to drop his class but he seems nice.
Do NOT take his class unless you are prepared to spend a thousand hours studying for his test in hopes of maintaining a boarderline C average. You WILL learn a lot if you have the time to put into it; although, he expects you to just know and understand everything. He may not understand that you have other classes and, God forbid, a job...
great for Science majors. YES, he is hard for the non science majors..but if ur a science major... take him cuz u will learn a lot.Took his class this semester be4 i had heard about him and he is not as bad as people say.study. Use the CD, do the chapter reviews. If u still think its hard, then u wont last in A&P or Ochem.
do not take him
This is a good teacher if you are a science major. Is lectures tend to be tedious, but the exams are somewhat easy. This is a hard class but Rich does a good job of teaching a hard course. All the wusses need to suck it up and realize that you are in college.
Useful for science classes,be prepare to study a lot and you will make it. Professor is helfull and willing to explain the learning material you just have to show interest. It is a challenge class.
Might be a great class for science majors but tends to teach over most students heads. Tests are very challenging and cover way to much material
Great professor! Very interesting and uses many good examples to teach tedious material. Tests require you to think! Very fair, though, and interested in helping you to do well.
Avoid at all costs if you want to save your GPA. He spouts off useless information in class and wastes time. You could do better taking biology online, and I for one am sorry that I didn't
Although precise and provides much evidence and information in all of his lessons, a majority of the information he gives is irrational to what is required to be memorized for his tests. I do admit that he was a good teacher; however, my class began with 62 students. 27 dropped and 19 failed. I struggled and passed with a D. I do not recommend.
Never had a professor who so loved his topic. His exams are very difficult, but you will learn the material.
This class requires an incredible amount of work, but Dr. Rich really loves this stuff and it's hard not to like him.
Prof. Rich is wonderful!! He can clearly explain even the most complicated concepts and he is always willing to help. His tests are hard but they are fair and if you study hard you can do well. He is one of my favorite teachers and I'd take him again.
They will tell you not to take him because he is hard. But everything on the tests is covered in class. Every question is answered in class. He is a fine person and an excellent teacher. If you are taking Biology, take Dr. Rich, and don't listen to people who are trying to get an easy grade. You will learn a lot from him and get the most for your $
makes test harder than what it is, even if you are not a science major.
Dr. Rich knows his subject!! He knows everything about everything, except how to teach. He expects you to already know everything he is telling you!
very organized
This is the guy that was not hugged enough as a child and has a grudge against the world. I actually made an A in his class, but only because I worked my butt off and with ZERO help from him. He is boring, condescending, and gets a kick out of making students feel inferior to him.
makes me interetsed by giving opportunities
DON'T listen to these people! He is SO HARD! Okay I have a 4.0 GPA and I had to drop the class! He is so confusing and his test are even more confusing! He makes everything way more complicated then it has to be, and he expects you to already know what he is suppose to be teaching you. DO NOT TAKE HIM UNLESS YOU LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
this class was soo hard i just had to drop! if u dont have no take him...DONT!
Yes, this class is hard but so are all the biology classes for science majors...and probably all the classes to come in order to complete this degree. It's not easy and I think sometimes people rather just blame the teacher when in reality, they just didn't work their butts off. Dr. Rich would just about do anything to help students. He's awesome.
Talks a lot, very informative, but it gets confusing. Lecture and quiz seems to not apply at all the the test. The study guide is a waste, I studied what was on it, and less than 50% of what was on the guide was NOT on the test.
Talks a lot, very informative, but it gets confusing. Lecture and quiz seems to not apply at all the the test. The study guide is a waste, I studied what was on it, and less than 50% of what was on the guide was NOT on the test.
His lectures are excellent. He covers everything you'll see on the tests. If you want to LEARN biology, this is the prof for you. If you attend every lecture and study the book, he will give you your best shot at understanding the material. I am amazed that a prof of his quality can be found at a community college. Dr. Rich is the best!
Painfully boring and condescending. Avoid Rich at all costs, this class destroyed my GPA.
Its not an easy class, you do have to pay attention, but he is a good professor and I've enjoyed the class.
yah...didnt really like this class. i guess he is a good teacher but its so boring and not fun. His tests are REALLY hard and he has pop quizzes that are way hard. study guides dont help at all, neither does lectures. i wouldnt take him again
Long winded
This is really a great class to take if you're into biology. He explains everything very clearly and his tests are easy, as long as you take notes in class and read the book...which u should be doing in college anyway! extremely friendly and understanding. i missed a test n he let me retake it. i would recommend him to everybody. smart and helpful!
I hated this class. I don't have any interest in Biology what so ever, but wow. Took class only because its req for my degree. He talks on and on, tests are difficult, pop quizzes were hard, difficult to stay awake due to his monotone voice.
He was tough no doubt. Those going into nursing should take him as they stuff you learn will be needed in a and p. It is better to take him during a summer course if you can and do nothing else but study. All he gives are multiple choice question (thank god no essays)and a few fill in the blank quizzes which account for almost nothing. (tests!!!)
look....most people take biology because it is REQUIRED for their majors..not because they love biology...DO NOT TAKE THIS MAN...he will bore you to tears and you will regret it no doubt
Outstanding lecturer for those who want to learn biology. If you don't, don't take this class.
His lectures are extremely helpful, if your someone who usually doesn't understand the textbook than he's the one for you!! I use to hate taking Biology but he made it so much better because he explained everything so well, VERY educated!! I look forward to taking him again!! DOnt get me wrong though, you do have to work for your grade!
very kind and helpful. gives lots of "extra credit" opportunities.. make sure you take advantage of them. tests are very difficult and require that you really know your stuff. quizzes are fill in the blank & fairly easy. taping each class helps tremendously. do not take if you want an easy A. you will have to bust your butt to earn a passing grade!
I don't know why ANYONE would think that this man can teach...but he is absolutely horrible...runied any interest i had in science and is so condescending! i can't stand this man...FIND SOMEONE ELSE AT ALL COSTS!!!
the descent comments on mr. rich were obviously made by mr. rich himself...because he is AWFUL...worst class i have EVER taken...do not take this man for biology you will be so sorry...
BEYOND HORRIBLE. even if you have to drive to a different campus, FIND SOMEONE ELSE! the worst class i have taken in college by far...don't get duped, find a better prof.
This class is extremley difficult. Almost impossible to pass a test.
This class is extremley difficult. Almost impossible to pass a test. I would take this class by itself so you can study 20 plus hours and maybe be lucky to pass
This man is EVIL..do not take him EVER FOR ANY REASON...he is not helpful whatsoever and his tests are UNGODLY hard....i made a B in biology last semester....this semest i had to withdraw because i didnt make anything higher than an F on any quiz or any Test...and i waited til the last week to withdraw...I HATE HIM
His tests are not so bad. I made the first 2 exams more than 90. If you study his note, he'll provide you via e-reserve, then you'll be more than okay. To me, the first test was sort of hard, but as time goes by, his tests are getting easier. Just study the powerpoint, read the text book, and do self-quiz in the book. Don't worry!!!!!!!
please please do yourself a HUGE favor and don't consider the descent reviews on rich he is HORRIBLE you WILL fail all of his tests and he will laugh to himself. HORRIBLE doesn't describe this sorry excuse of a professor...find someone else even if you have to drive to another campus! WORST PROFESSOR I'VE EVER HAD!!!!!!
Very hard teacher. Can never answer a direct questions. Has pop-up quizzes that he calls "opportunities". To make it fair, he does love the subject and knows a lot about it but overall DON'T take him unless you like a challenge. I have never meet a student that has made an A in his class.I took him for Bio lecture 1406 and 1407. BE WARNED!
Dr. Rich speaks to you as if you were a colleague and not a student. He expects too much from a General Biology class. His test are rediculiously hard and follow along the lines of "choose the best of" type questions. My advice: find another professor.
You can make decent grade IF you read the book.
If this is your first biology class he is hard he goes way to in depth with his notes and explaining each organism. To do good on the test you have to read the book and study the notes. I would get a different teacher before taking him.
dont take his class! A's very impossible
all i can say about this man is....ew
DONT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. tests are extremely hard, questions are cleverly worded. stay away from him, take somebody else.u need to read the book, pop quizes are hard too. so take somebody else. But Rich is a genius on biology
ABSOLUTELY AWFUL! If you have to drive to another campus to take this class, DO IT! I got nothing out of taking this class, except for my first and only C. His only goal in being there is to prove that he is smarter than you.
Fairly easy class... Take home tests where the questions and answers can be found online. He doesn't make the questions up himself. He knows his stuff and is an excellent teacher in lab. I think he would prefer to be in lab over lecture. Overall, I would recommend.
Please DO NOT take this professor you will hate yourself if you do so....Studying does not pay off at all.He thinks that you should already know all this stuff and that its just a review for you..VERY VERY hard to make a decent rating in his class..take it somewhere else if you need to. DONT take this professor!!
Professor Rich is a tough professor and definitely knows his stuff! Pay attention in class, take thorough notes and read over them on a daily basis. Class is somewhat difficult, however there was a take home test that helps a lot and he does drop the lowest test grade. Overall, not a bad professor, lots of work required though.
OMG this guy is hard to understand, goes on and on about his powerpoints, he will bore you to death, smart guy but a terrible teacher, Test is extremely hard Most of my class made a 78 on the take home test.Avoid AT all cost. trust me
P. Rich is brilliant. He loves his job and loves teaching. It is a hard class and you will have to study a lot, BUT you will learn a lot as well. I would recommend him if you have the time to study.
Professor Rich is a great teacher despite that I received a C in his class. His notes were right on and very useful. STUDY STUDY STUDY before tests cause they are hard. He is a great yet tough professor. He will make you work for the grade. I would love to be in his class again. Hopefully this time I will study longer and read the text book.
The ONLY possible way that Rich has positive ratings on here is if he posted them himself. This class is beyond awful and there is no chance of success. It WILL lower your GPA- DRIVE TO ANOTHER CAMPUS IF YOU HAVE TO! You'll regret it later if you don't...
Professor Rich was an absolute bore. It appeared that he loved to hear himself talk and the level he was teaching at was way above freshman level. He sometimes contradicts the book and he wants you to know what he says. Although I learned a lot in his class, his tests are absolutely terrible.
I don't even know where to start with this man. This class is undoubtably the worst class I've ever taken in college. It ruined my awesome GPA and is my only C, and I am now at UT Austin. Even if you make this class your life, you still have almost no chance of succeeding. If you have to drive to another campus, DO IT! Don't make the mistake I did.
WORST TEACHER EVERRRR! He couldn't care less about his students. He doesn't explain anything clearly and when you ask questions he just repeats himself instead of trying to explain better. Unless you already have a bio degree, you won't understand this man at all.
Dr. Rich is not an easy Professor.However, his quizzes are often 12 or 13 questions but he only grades out of 10. So, you can miss two or three and still get a 100. I made an A in the class without a huge amount of studying. I didn't find him very approachable, but maybe that was bias because of all of the bad ratings here.
Though he is obviously very knowledgeable about the subject, he doesn't understand that his students aren't. His test are unnecessarily hard and i struggled to make a B in his class. Pick another professor before you choose him, you will not regret it
Not best teacher!!Makes exams/quizzes/practicals way too complicated, does not provide any prep or review for practical. Worst teacher. He makes his labs too difficult/complicated for Bio II.All of his labs begin with videos and they are so boring Even though I passed w/ A I would not recommend him as a lecture or a lab teacher in any way. BORING!!
This teacher does not know how to teach if you take him you will not enjoy biology. Makes the class way too hard. He has no interest in teaching Biology course. This fool needs to retire from teaching!!!
I did not enjoy this professor at all, he is very difficult to work with as far as time goes. He is also fairly boring! He does hand out many take home test, but the test are extremely difficult!!! He is very private and does not allow any electronics in the room. If you don't care about your grade in this class it would be a great class to sleep
IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE TO ANOTHER campus for bio please do it or you will be highly upset. He is boring and talks to students like they are graduate students in bio. He is very dificult to follow and goes off topic.He just made me hate bio! i dropped the class thanks to him.he doesnt care about his students.
I enjoyed the lectures by Dr. Rich & is very knowledgeable. I managed an A but feel that his tests too hard. They seemed t be more about tricking than really testing knowledge and the questions were hard to interpret. Also, he refuses to answer any ?'s during the test...even to clarify (this is unfair, especially when the grammar is lacking).
I think that Dr. Rich is an excellent teacher and is very passionate about what he is doing. He expects a lot out of his students and is not going to hand feed them. His tests are very difficult, but I still feel like I learned so much from him.
dont take him.
Dr. Rich is my least favorite professor. He reads lectures from PowerPoint and when you ask questions, he bounces it back to you and never answers. He knows the material but isn't good at explaining the material. Exams cover material in the book and lectures only skim the surface of the material. Read the book and you should be fine on the exam.
RUN while you can! Worst WORST WORST teahcer i have ever had. He lectures off power points all day long and when u ask whats on the test he says everything i talked about! and he does NOT care AT ALL about your success, he knows alot about the material, just SUPER SUPER HARD!
I had Professor Rich for Bio 1. I sat in the front, took good notes, and kept up with the readings, and I felt like I learned quite a lot. What I liked most was how he was flexible on his schedule if he felt he hadn't covered something properly - this is hard to do in a summer school class. One of my best ever science-lecture experiences.
Dr. Rich is a very friendly and knowledgeable man. He clearly loves biology and is extremely well learned in this area. His tests are certainly challenging- he asks questions that require a greater depth of understanding than simple rote memorization. Don't take him if you simply want an easy 'A'. Do take him if you actually want to learn biology.
You can study like crazy for this class, and not merit an A. He is all over the place and his quiz is not reflective of his actual teaching. This is my first time dropping a course. Too bad, because if you apply yourself,study hard,be attentive, take notes, read the text,arrive on time, and genuinely care,you should merit an A. Not with this prof.
Dr. Rich is such a nice man! It really pains me to say this since he's so sweet, but he's my least favorite teacher. His lectures are boring, his reviews don't help, MasteringBio isn't even close to what he taught. It's just a hot mess. I read the book during all my free time and I still made a C in his class. Really nice guy, really bad teacher.
DO NOT TAKE. he is not organized and does not offer reviews for practicals. i didn't get to take a quiz because "you have to be there when the quiz is handed out" i was there and i had went to the bathroom and was not allowed to take the quiz. this man isn't fit for teaching.
DO NOT TAKE HIM! More than Half of our lecture and lab class was failing. One of the hardest teacher.
Prof Rich is exactly what i would expect from a college level curriculum. He is sharp, to the point and very helpful in lecture AND in lab. very nice man and very knowledgeable. I thought i was crazy for taking him with all the bad reviews, but im rly glad I did! Those comments are from people who cant appreciate wisdom! he's perfect 1407 teacher.
I took him for lab. He isn't easy, and you better study for those practicals. If not, they'll OBLITERATE you. I got a B in lab, but because my grades in lecture were so high, I got an A in Bio overall. Make sure to study specimens we view in class, read the manual, and you'll do fine. An A in Lab is very possible, if you study enough. Study...alot.
AVOID. AT. ALL. COSTS. Most unhelpful, disrespectful, condescending, unclear, rude professor I have ever had, and I'm a Junior. I read the book, attended class EVERY DAY, took notes, had a study group, and still failed. He's awful. DON'T TAKE HIS CLASS! Definitely worth driving to another campus...he's a GPA killer.
Avoid him! He's intelligent but not helpful or conducive to student learning the material for the first time. He gets test questions from a generated database, so they contain concepts not covered in class. Take someone else!
Knowledgeable and dedicated as well as a good guy. Lab is hard (avoid it) and lecture exams are difficult. READ THE BOOK AND TAKE PRACTICE QUIZZES ONLINE!!! Although he is tough he is a very fair teacher and gives you many opportunities to do well. It's not an easy A, but it is very much attainable.
Worst ever! Confusing, rude, condescending. Tries to trick with questions. Gets questions from a bank so they have concepts not covered. He's not helpful. He loves the subject, but he doesn't teach well to students learning it for the first time. Lab practicals picks insignificant details to ask about. No extra credit or reviews.
Intelligent, yes. Helpful, no. I had him for lab and he basically threw us in the deep end every week. I'm an A student so I did work hard in his lab but it was nearly impossible to achieve the grade I wanted. I taught myself everything. Highly suggest not taking his lab.
you have to study hard or you will fail badly
Although he is intelligent, he is the WORST professor ever. This man is teaching a college leveled biology class at a masters degree level. if you're daring enough to take his class, be prepared to read every day, and be sure to MEMORIZE the material, because this professor is the least helpful professor I've had when it comes to asking questions.
If you are going to take this class be ready to read the textbook, even if you read the textbook, his tests are alot different from the context. He twists everything on the test making the students fail. He knows his stuff but he is bad at teaching. He does give you a review sheet at the beganning of each unit but it is useless.
Excellent professor.
Had him for lablecture. Testspracticals are pretty difficult. He is an amazing teacher, and passionate about biology. He is nice and funny. Study models and plastic preserves in lab, they are on the practicals the most. Memorize notes from lecture and you'll be fine, but there is a lot to remember (several chapters).
Too many bad tags for this guy. Expect a roller coaster year, just took him for 1407 lab and lecture. The year starts off hard with lots of quizzes and random assignments. You need to memorize all your notes word for word to get an A. As the year progresses he gets easier but the tests don't. Don't take this professor unless you want a hard B.
Avoid this professor at all costs. Majority of class was receiving f's on everything. I had him for lab and lecture and both were horrible. He makes everything unclear and difficult without offering help. I don't understand how he still has a job at Collin, he has been receiving bad reviews on here since 2009!
Often treats students like high school, stopped class when he saw people whispering while he was speaking. You get one look at models/samples so take pics, but don't ask questions about those pics, he will not answer. I found him frustrating to work with which made the class difficult. He does give opportunities for extra credit on tests.
The lectures were minimal while the tests were extremely detailed. The tests were also very hard and confusing. No matter how hard I studied I could not do well. I did okay in Bio 1406, but this one was way more difficult.
Very bad professor, he doesn't have the enthusiasm to teach or care about his students. He should at least make his class work easier so students can succeed. Don't take him, he will fail you.
If you honestly want to learn biology, then definitely take Prof. Rich's BIOL 1407 class. If you want an easy A, then I would advise against it. You learn a lot in just a few short months and you really do have to study to do well on exams. There are some "pop quizzes" but he hints at when they are going to be. His class isn't easy but worth it.
Dr rich is a very nice man and he has good intentions but he is by far the absolute worst professor I have ever had. i took him over the summer and he completely rushed everything. On the first test he told us just to study our lecture notes and read the chapters and we'll be fine. More than half the test was stuff we didn't go over. I dropped it.
The lectures in his course were difficult to understand. He used his own notes instead of using information from the text so when it came time to study it was hard to read further into a topic because it didn't come from the text.
I would suggest taking someone else. He was incredibly monotone and doesn't use Canvas but he does give you a formula for calculating your own grade, so you basically have to guess where you stand in the class. C'mon man, use canvas. All his quizzes are pop quizzes, check to see if he's wearing a sport coat. Lastly, his tests are extremely tough
Don't take this professor at all. even if it seems to work with your schedule. He's just not very good. I feel like I didn't learn anything
Expects college level work and reading the material before class. Not that crazy of a thing to ask. Lectures matched the textbook. He's very clear on what info is important. Pop quizzes aren't bad if you actually show up to class and pay attention. Overall, good professor. Get used to doing outside work as a college student
Don't take him. He is really hard and tough grader. Avoid him in all cases.
Good professor, his lectures are always very interesting and relevant to the test and to the class. His tests are also very straightforward and he lets you know all the important things. That being said, he is a pretty tough professor, doesn't pull any punches and makes sure you know the material. Really just cares that you know all the material.
Dr. Rich is very intelligent and he is very kind but I do not recommend taking his lab. His lab is difficult and he can not teach he knows his stuff but he can not teach.
I encourage you to look away. I am a 4.0 Student and failed this class. I earned As in courses that were far harder than this. I thought I could ignore the other reviews, I was wrong. Dr. Rich is knowledge able, but the level he holds his students is far from an undergraduate level.
I am almost done with my associate's degree in science and in all the courses I have scored A. Currently, I am taking this class, its so hard I am ending up with B, the class is not just difficult it super hard. He does not provide anything that will prepare you for an exam, its like exam can come from anywhere either form book or notes.
He's a horrible professor do not take it.
im not a taxonomy/botany person. hated the class and didnt like him as a professor
Hes a good man. I dont like his material. No curves whatsoever. I am not a follower of taxonomy and botany, which is his specialization. Do not expect in A in the class. Youd be kidding yourself.
If you are a bio major, I would recommend since u will learn alot. Otherwise, dont take it! Its hard to study for such long hours about stuff that doesnt interest you. However it is doable (you can make an A) if you understand and memorize his notes for lecture and read the chapter before the test. For lab practicals mostly study models/specimens.
Hes honestly a great professor. It is a lot of studying but he makes it clear what you need to study to get the grade. Its not his fault if you dont like the material or arent willing to memorize the material!
Ok, so if you taking a lot of science classes and you just trying to take this professor because he fits into your schedule, DONT! he is a terrible at teaching. I took him for lab and he just gives a lot of papers pretty much, his practicals are so ridiculous. I got an B in lecture and a D in lab. he is one of the worst professors i've had.
If you are thinking of taking his class because he fits your schedule DON'T! He is probably one of the worst professors iv'e ever had. He also treats you like a first grader, and has to check to make sure you put up your microscope "Correctly" before you get to leave. He lectures in a "conversational" manner and when you get to the test youare LOST
First, He has Great knowledge. Great person. Hardest teacher for pass a class. No homework at all. Nothing you can grab is for exam. Better record every word he say. over
I would not recommend taking this professor specially if you have an option to take another professor. I would say that take his class if you are just taking one class so that you would have enough time to just focus on this class as this class requires a lot of time outside class to study. His lectures are interesting, but his lab is REALLY hard.
Professor Rich is very knowledgeable in what he teaches, HOWEVER, if you are not a taxonomy/botany professor his class is useless. His tests are HARD and near impossible to pass if you have any other obligations. He is not clear at all on what to study and there is SO MUCH material that unless you have a photographic memory, you won't pass.
Do not take this class if you have other obligations, this course requires a lengthy amount of outside time and is near impossible to pass with the typical study time. He is very unclear in what to study for tests and quizzes, and if you don't understand all the intricacies of everything covered- you're out of luck.
Avoid taking him at all costs. He is very knowlegeable, but its very difficult to do well in his class. I had to retake, and the second time around I was only able to manage a C with good effort. For reference, I have a 4.0 at UTD now, so it's definitely that his course is hard, and not that I wasn't capable. Nice guy, terribly hard class.
where to start. I prob can't fit it all in here so read all other comments and I am here to vouch for those. he gives insane pop quizzes that force you to go to class because you never know when they'll come and when they do you'll have no idea what you're even reading. I basically GUESSED what to study for on his tests and LABS? can't prepare for.
you can study all you want for this class you will NOT make an A. if you make a B you got lucky. both his lab and his lecture are a mess and im surprised he still has the job. worst professor ever, and I can't even classify him as a teacher. he lectured like it was a chat then on his tests you're stuck wondering what class you even signed up for
His Lab is significantly harder than his lecture, my A in Lecture saved me from altogether bombing his class. You HAVE to focus on the models/organisms he puts out in class or you WILL FAIL
soooooo bad, the worst, dont take the course just because there isnt any other professor. he doesnt know how to lecture, reviews are trash, powerpoint notes do not have the information needed for the exam, you have to do your own indepth research to make it.
Professor Richs lectures were horrendous. Shows one picture on the subject and rambles on. No organization within lectures and labs were a nightmare. You HAVE TO memorize all the models in order to pass the lab. Theres no structure to his class and he cannot lecture beware, just take bio 2 at a different campus.
Professor Rich is evidently very knowledgeable and cares for what he teaches. However, there is a lot of material to cover, and you must essentially memorize it all rather quickly. There is no extra credit and Prof Rich is not the best at answering questions. There is little room for error, but your hard work will be rewarded.
Run away as far as you can when you see his name!! Worst prof. EVER, he lectures heavy but the tests be about nonsense!! Trust you have to literally stress to pass this class!!
Please, no matter what you do, do not take this professor. In lab, you are expected to memorize every single little thing for the practicals. In lecture, the concepts that he covers the entire class are not even on the test. You have to study for hours upon hours outside of class to achieve an A.
Great professor, tough class. It requires much studying, can't even express the length of this. Prof. Rich himself is very helpful and will stick with you till you understand what you need to.
He tells you when you don't need to write or know something. Note EVERYTHING ELSE and make a Quizlet for daily practice (lecture). Study PowerPoint diagrams (cover term and guess, draw, Quizlet, etc.)(lab). Mastering has multiple attempts. Practicals are tricky: know your phyla, class, and genus. He tests a large breadth of info in few questions.
RUN. He is very nice & passionate about biology, however, emphasizes EVERYTHING. Very frustrating to understand what he wanted us to study, other than every single thing! No reviews, only long lists of objectives for each chapter. For lab, he does make the practicals so he will give hints, but other than that you should expect to know everything.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
89%
Textbook Required
38%
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