2.4
Quality4.5
Difficulty25%
Would Retake247
Reviews25%
Would Retake
247
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
45
4
22
3
36
2
39
1
105
What Students Say
“Dr Sims is notorious for being a difficult professor”
CHEM3653 - 5.0 rating“his test questions are like a paragraph long each and are all taking information you were supposed to study for the test and twisting it into something different that doesn't exist to see if you can still follow his ridiculous brain”
CHEM3653 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
18%
Textbook Required
15%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.24 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM3980
5.0
(1)CHEM4653
5.0
(1)CHEM3953
5.0
(1)CHEM3164
5.0
(1)1315
4.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
CHEM3038
5.0
CHEMBIO
5.0
ZOO3653
5.0
CHEM3000
5.0
BIOCHEM
5.0
Reviews (247)
Very hard class, and didn't learn a thing!! I'm retaking this class another semester because pre-health schools recommend or require Biochem and I'd like to actually learn something. What he lectures about has almost relevance to Biochemistry for pre-health students, or to what he actually tests you on.
He Sucks! His lectures fall off track easily, and his testing is based off facts he never mentioned in class - that are buried deep in the sentences of the text. He relies on the Clicker System too much, and doesnt give enough time for exams! Not the most helpful in office hours either!
The lecture is terrible, he doesn't teach you anything. You just do derivations the entire class but do not learn why, when, or how they are applicable. You learn nothing from the class and it is very hard! Stay away!!
he doesn't help at all
he is the worst chemisrty professor i have seen in my life dont take the class becasue u r going to fail the lecture is absolutely unclear and is irrelevent to his exams
This guy is terrible. Run far far away! I took his class the first semester he taught it. It was a 50 minute class and we had quizzes from readings everyday. The class was 200 people and we used scantrons. Needless to say after the daily quizzes there wasnt much time to teach and nothing was learned at all. Wait for someone else to teach it!Aweful!
This is the most frustrating class in which I have ever enrolled. Lectures do not enhance your understanding of biochemistry or contribute to what you need to know on the exam. Exams test random, picky details and use PRS clickers. The primary knowledge I have gleaned is that I should have listened when people told me to wait for another prof.
Not the greatest instructor in the classroom, relies too much on powerpoint, and his tests are ridiculous, but he is helpful outside of class and a really nice person.
For how much psychological distress this class causes, you sure don't learn much.
Exams are ridiculously difficult, and lecture could be better, but he's helpful in action center, and he is really nice and seems to care about students.
This class is the most mundane, useless, frustrating 2.5 hours of my week.
I have nothing nice to say about Sims. He is the worst professor I have ever had. Tests are ridiculous and you will learn nothing in the lecture. He reads directly fom the slides and explains nothing. Wait for another teacher to transfer to another school. He is horrible.
I took him for Biochem...hardest professor ever! His lecture is pointless, you're better off just reading the book. The averages on the tests when I was in his class were in the lower 60s! Don't expect to pass with him! Take Najar if he's still at OU, he's much easier and don't expect you to remember ridiculous facts!
I'm confused with these other comments. His tests are not a problem at all, nor are his lectures horrible. Is the class easy? No, you are required to learn guess what....Biochemistry, and you learn to apply it as well. I learn a great deal in that class, you get what you put into the class though.
Sims isn't all THAT bad. Granted, if I took this class with another prof, I would have an A instead of a B. He does expect you to know excessive amounts of knowledge that he hardly covers in class, but most of the test comes from the homework problems. Just memorize those.
Dr. Sims is the best professor I have ever had. He is engaging in lecture, cares about the success of his students, and will go the distance to help his students understand if they are willing to put in the effort. This class is not easy, but nothing in life worth doing is. I don't care if you are an English major, everyone should take Sims.
People who complain about Dr. Sims are completely ridiculous. His class is not unreasonable if you do what he suggests you do, especially keep up with the HW questions. I would bet the world that most people moaning about Sims are pre-med and just want that A. His class will prepare you and not give you a false sense of your abilities.
This class isn't easy, but it's not the hell that others are making it out to be. Dr. Sims is very helpful in the action centers, but moves a bit quickly for my tastes in class. Do the homework and action center problems, read the text, and memorise the things that he explicitly tells you to memorise, and you can make an A without too much sweat.
His exams are extremely difficult so you definitely need to know what you're talking about.Also, there is a ton of homework each week. That being said,he is a fun professor who is really passionate about his work and his students.He would do anything to help you succeed if you ask him for help. Overall you learn a ton in his class.I'd recommend him
I had Dr. Sims for both the biochem lecture and biochem methods lab in the same semester. He was absolutely phenomenal in both classes. There is a reasonable amount of HW and very manageable tests. He prepares you for the exams well. Also, his class was extremely helpful for the MCAT. I highly recommend him.
I have taken both of Dr. Sims' biochemistry classes, and I now do research with him. I can say, without a doubt, that he is interested and cares about his students' success. That being said, he also expects people to put in the effort to LEARN. Not just go through the motions. He is by far my favorite professor at this university.
Very helpful and knowledgeable about the subject. Goes through powerpoints a little slow.
Obviously, the opinions here are sharply divided. The truth is, Dr. Sims is a *great* professor, but he does expect a level of effort commensurate with the course level. If you're interested in biochem, you'll learn a lot, and have a good time. If you just need an easy A so you can get into med school, it might be an unpleasant wake up call.
Let me just say, I did not really try the first half of the semester. Everything he taught built up on previous lessons, so I had to jump the gun with units to be able to pass this course. I passed with a 72 average. This course was really tough because the professor quickly went over the lessons during lecture and didn't really explain things.
He is a great professor. He tries to help as much as possible! The class itself is challenging. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT! (ps usually this class is curved they just dot tell you until the end)
Paul Sims was by far the best professor I had at OU. Yes, the class is challenging. He won't give you an easy A, but frankly, you shouldn't want one. Don't cheat yourself by taking Najar. Especially if you plan on going to medical or graduate school.
At first, he was a bit difficult to understand and blew through the lectures. Somewhere along the way he slowed down and even did examples which helped a lot. Sims was very helpful and even held a review before finals when none of the other gen-chem teachers didn't. The tests are hard but he alone does not make them. Overall a great professor.
Dr. Sims is so nice and so enthusiastic about his subject, and he is always willing to make appointments if you're struggling with the material-- and struggle you will. Our final exam review was 150 USMLE biochem questions, so if you want to be prepped for biochem in med school, this class is great. If you want an easy A, go elsewhere.
The chemistry class as a whole is very difficult. Be prepared to spend a lot of preparing for the test, if you can try not to cram for each one. Go to the lab help sessions as they cover things over the lectures which can be confusing at times. If you spend enough time in their help center you will do great. They are there with prac-exams and help.
Chemistry as a whole is very difficult. The tests are nearly impossible. The average grade on them is a 40. Despite this, he is a pretty good professor. Just get ready to study and don't skip class, ever.
Worst class I have ever taken. I had him for gen chem and he was okay, but that was because i didn't write the whole exam in that class. Now, he has the freedom to write the exams how he wants and it is just horrible. He is unclear in what will be tested. Thank god for our textbook, otherwise I would have never learned the organic chemistry.
The first semester of Organic is notorious. You will learn most of the material working through HW problems and then his in-class problems will solidify your knowledge. Commit time outside of class and you will do well. Tests are tough but the curve is HUGE so don't stress. HINT: Buy the answer key to the textbook and work problems yourself.
Sims teaches higher level Chemistry so his Gen Chem class is pretty difficult. Don't be afraid to ask questions. There is a lot of extra credit and chances for you to retake tests. There are many different teachers that teach Gen Chem and I recommend that you chose someone other than Sims. He knows his stuff but doesn't teach it very well.
he is funny, and you can tell he genuinely cares. However, it's such a huge lecture class that it's hard to get a complete read on him. I honestly have a pretty neutral opinion on him. Like I wouldn't not take him again.
his test questions are like a paragraph long each and are all taking information you were supposed to study for the test and twisting it into something different that doesn't exist to see if you can still follow his ridiculous brain. he makes us come early to every test because they're too long for the given period, and we still can't finish them.
Chemistry at OU is notoriously difficult. Dr. Sims definitely knows what he is talking about but it is still a difficult class due to the subject matter. Hardest I've had to work for an A in a while. Although attendance isn't mandatory, I highly recommend you attend each lecture if you want a good grade.
Dr. Sims is a cool guy. He's really into the subject. Your grade depends more on your TA than anything.
Dr. Sims was a great teacher, but it was a tough class. Biochem is not for the faint of heart. Go in and work hard, learn the amino acids, all the cycles, and then review some more. The tests are hard, but if you do the action center problems and HW problems, you should go in prepared. Overall, it was a hard class, but Dr. Sims was a great teacher.
Dr. Sims is a great lecturer and incredible professor. His class was tough, but I learned so much and really enjoyed working with Dr. Sims.
Dr. Sims is a great professor and he really takes the time to explain things so you can understand them. If you go to class and pay attention, it will help immensely. Chemistry is a hard class, but there is so much opportunity for extra credit, so as long as you work hard, an A is definitely possible.
The GenChem here sucks so hard, but that's not entirely his fault. He's an okay lecturer, but his clicker questions are hard and he doesn't explain them very well. Much of the material isn't in his slides.
Dr. Sims was a great teacher. He's your typical American dad. The course material is very difficult, but he tries his best to clarify the difficult curriculum. I would definitely take one of his classes again, just be prepared to study a lot, work hard, and brace yourself for extremely hard exams. Luckily, he offers a ton of extra credit.
If you want to feel like an idiot, take this class... He offers extra credit and completely is okay with his tests being stupid hard. He thinks he's helping students by telling them to just memorize everything. He's brilliant but has a difficult time portraying the information to students
Dr. Sims is an incredible professor. He expects you to work, so don't expect this to be an easy class. Memorize everything he tells you to, amino acids, cycles, carbohydrates. Do the action centers, do your homework, and put your time and effort into it and it isn't difficult to get an A. He gives a lot of extra credit opportunities.
Dr. Sims was my favorite professor this spring. Biochemistry is a very hard and rigorous course. Read ahead, start studying for exams ASAP, and see him after class/during office hours for help. He is very friendly. He is very passionate about the subject and it shows in his lectures. There are a lot of extra credit opportunities, don't pass on them
This class was probably my busiest of the semester and required a lot of reading and homework, but doing all this was very useful for the tests. Show up to class for EC clicker questions. Do EC post test quizzes. Curves a lot. I ended up with a 97 only because of curves and EC. Still have to do the work, including a bunch of memorization.
Hard class, don't think he made it any harder than it needed to be. He would include stuff in his slide show that we didn't need to know though.
Sims was not helpful for Chemistry. He obviously knew a lot about Chemistry, but he could not dumb it down enough for anyone to understand. The only thing that saved me was lab. Take Clifford if you get the option!
Dr. Sims is passionate about biochemistry and knows his stuff. However this is a tough class with homework and reading assignments every week for points. His tests are hard but he usually curves a lot of points. Expect to be memorizing a lot of material like structures and metabolism cycles! You'll have to work hard for your grade
Dr. Sims is a great guy, and you can obviously tell that he cares about his students and chemistry, but he's too smart. He goes way too fast and doesn't explain things well. He's always there if you have a question, but overall the class was over my head. Thank goodness for all of the extra credit. Unless you LOVE chemistry, don't take Sims.
Simms is better in office hours than in lecture, if you are struggling, see him during office hours. He is also very nice.
Great teacher, and extremely fair. Tough class: 3 midterms, daily quizzes (5 questions), weekly homework (10 questions). Lectures are very clear and understandable, textbook not needed. Biochem is a tough course regardless (LOTS of memorization), but if you put in the work/studying, you'll pass, and you'll have learned a lot. Highly recommend!
His test are absolutely ridiculous. I studied for a month in advance for one of his test and I got a 44. The highest grade I've ever made on his tests is a 44. Do Not take Sims as a professor. He moves way to quickly with way to much material to understand in such little time.
He seems like a great guy and seems like he is really passionate about the subject, he just isn't too great at teaching it. He basically just reads off of the slides he posts online. Basically, if you want the extra credit clicker points, go to class. If you could care less about the clicker points, then you honestly don't have to go.
Dr. Sims honors the notion that biochemistry is a very difficult course and requires hefty memorization. Unlike the class in the summer, he wants you to actually learn the material IN DEPTH. I never passed a test pre-curve, but post-curve, I did fine. I suggest you take Sims if you want to learn biochemistry. Take it in the summer for an easier A.
Dr. Sims expects you to know an enormous amount of material and 90% of it is memorization. The daily quizzes are a nuisance but are helpful for exams and to keep up with the material. His action centers are very helpful and he's helpful in office hours. Overall, difficult class but very do-able. The exam averages were always low, but curved.
Memorization class! Attendance is not mandatory but he gives a lot of quiz answers during lecture and hints regarding questions on future exams. It is a lot to memorize but material is straight from the homework, past quizzes, and action centers. He is also a very friendly person. I would suggest memorizing the 20 amino acids before class starts.
You have to memorize a textbook for exams. Amino acids, pKas, TCA, PPP, Glycolysis and much more along with each intricate detail (he will ask very specific questions)
As long as you study and pay attention, the exams are not too terrible, and there is a lot of available extra credit and free points.
Honestly, sign up for this class if there's no other choice, but you're better off with Clifford. Sims goes really fast through his slides and has hard clicker questions. Really good at answering questions tho
Dr. Sims is a really awesome guy, but he forgets that general chemistry 2 is not biochemistry. General chemistry 2 is also not a computer science class: our last test had a whole page worth of questions about how to use Microsoft excel. He is very caring, but his lectures lack depth and the his teaching style makes simple concepts seem difficult.
Dr. Sims is an awful teacher. He taught signature chem 2, and it was terrible. No power points for learning... He expects everyone to know all of the concepts already, so goes through things quickly. He used Microsoft Excel to teach a lot of things. Pulled in Biochemistry way to much. Tests were extremely hard. He is also rude to students.
Sims was pretty much lecture heavy but that is usual in a CHEM class. He was a good professor, not sure how he is outside of lecture and I did fine in his class.
Dr. Sims is a very intelligent person but lacks the skills to teach what he knows. I took his Sig Chem 2 but the class primarily focused on biochemistry and how to use Microsoft excel. In addition, he did not organize the course schedule and waited until the last class to teach an important concept,worth 33% on final, 3 days before we take the test
He is the one of the worst professors at OU. Out of the 3 biochem professors he is the best. That's not saying much Robnicov was fired for being impossible. Sims should be too.
Although he is accessible outside of class, the lecture material powerpoints took away from time that could be taught how to approach problems. Now a med student, my biochem class in med school is much more relevant. Sims class did not prepare me well at all for med school as he overemphasized material that proved to be irrelevant. Don't recommend
Dr. Sims will absolutely make you work for the good grade in this class, but you will leave knowing the material. If you are pre-med and taking the MCAT, you need to take Dr. Sims. Also, go to the action centers: he takes the action center problems as inspiration for the exams. Don't expect an easy A, but his exams are not unreasonable.
AVOID TAKING SIMS AT ALL COSTS FOR ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. The "textbook" (more like a novel) he uses is meant for people who have already learned organic chemistry and explains nothing. His lectures are paragraphs copy and pasted from the book and 400/500 points of this class are from the exams and final. No extra credit no nothing! DO NOT TAKE
Dr. Sims is not cut out for teaching this class. Every week we have an online quiz and he assigns certain problems but doesn't set you up to solve them. Honestly, you could read the book and be fine. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
Dr. Sims is a nice guy, but he just isn't the right professor to take for this class. We only got through less than half of the intended material for the semester and even he seemed unprepared at times. When the class averages 29% on an exam, you know something's wrong.
This class was so hard. Would not recommend taking, but other people who have taken him have loved him. Before the class starts, recommend learning amino acids, glycolysis and TCA cycle. His tests are too specific, so just learn everything. His action centers and HW really help on the tests.
Really nice guy in person, not so nice on tests. Doesn't know how to present the material although he's very smart. If you don't already have a PhD in chemistry, don't take this class.
This class requires a ton of work and is not easy by any means. However, if you attend action centers and work hard, I found it to be very doable. Tests are very similar to action centers and homework problems. The difficulty of this class made it very rewarding.
Nice guy but he can't teach. You must work hard outside of his class and use a lot of outside resources to do well. He said he would teach the class as a step wise approach but he still rushed though things in class without really explaining things.
Nice, smart guy, but uh.... Just can't teach. Tests are extremely difficult. Don't take this with other science classes and it might be easier for you to manage. Basically, get ready to put in twice the work as other O-Chem classes.
Dr. Sims is very nice and passionate about ochem but not the best professor for this class. His lectures did not prepare us very well for the tests and weekly quizzes, and the textbook he assigned was difficult to understand and intended for those already familiar with organic chemistry.
Everybody complains about how hard Dr. Sims class is and I can agree that it is a hard class so you should not take his class if you want an easy A. However, you will have a much better understanding of the material. If you truly want to learn and understand chemistry then take Dr. Sims. Just be ready to put in the work.
Very kind person, not a great professor. I got three different tutors and none of them knew the concepts we were going over. The lectures did not prepare you for the tests. And our book was not helpful at all.
Dr. Sims is nice, but I'm glad that I bought the book. Not because the book was helpful in the course, but because it helped me understand Biochemistry in spite of him, unfortunately. Dr. Sims does not want to teach, in my opinion. Instead, he wishes to share related topics that interest him (for grade) and wiz through the relevant material.
Dr Sims is notorious for being a difficult professor. Despite being true, Dr. Sims is the epitome of a professor. He teaches not for his tests, but for you to actually learn the material. He gives an exorbitant amount of work outside class (optional) but is actually there to aid your learning. Overall, he made me work hard for my grade, I learned.
Dr. Sims is a great professor, period. The course, on the other hand, covers a lot of material so don't shoot the messenger if you get a C/D/F. You have to put in the time and effort to be successful. If you expect to be spoon fed a grade, you will swiftly be put in your place in line to drop the class. Go to Action Centers. Do the work.
This is a hard class no matter who teaches it. You just have to be prepared to work. Period. The key to making it through and I can't stress this enough: MEMORIZE WHAT HE TELLS YOU TO MEMORIZE!!!!!!!! It is vital to passing his crazy exams. Also, this class is doable, but if you can manage don't take it during a class loaded semester.
Dr. Sims is very passionate but his lectures don't help you learn what will be on the test. He also requires an absurd amount of memorization, even for a Biochem course. If there is another option, I would look into that one instead.
This is one of the hardest courses in OU. Only take this class with Dr. Sims if you have enough confidence in yourself and you are aware of your passion for science. If you are just an average pre-med trying to keep your GPA high with the least amount of hardship, wait until summer with biochem. This class can build you or break you...
Most enthusiastic professor Ive ever had. Incredibly passionate about chemistry and science. Always willing to help.
Sims is the most enthusiastic teacher I've ever had. However, this does lead him to jump from topic to topic and try to explore deeper into the chemistry a bit too quickly. If you read the textbook, you will be prepared for class. Ask him questions whenever you are confused and he will happily help you until you understand!
Yikes. If you care about your GPA, don't take Sims. If you care about your MCAT, he's your guy. He is passionate. I can't rely on him to teach me the math but he explains the rest of the mechanisms etc. very well. You have to want it. Biochemistry is a lot of memorization and there is no way around it. Sims will make you or break you.
It's easy to fall in the B/C range in the class, but it feels impossible to get an A. If I were you, person reading this, I would take biochem over the summer and save myself the grey hairs. However, beware that if you do, you miss out on a lot cause he's a very good prof. You are better off in the summer, but if you have to take him it's doable.
Hes a good man. He wants students to succeed even though it feels like he doesnt. If you can truly understand the answer to every daily quiz, you can get the grade you want. Its really easy to slack off and ask other people for help, but dont. He pulls every test question from a daily quiz or homework. Start studying at least 4 days before.
If youre very interested in biochemistry and really want to learn more, then his class is a good choice. Be ready to work very hard in order to do well. If you simply want to earn a good grade then maybe take another profs.
I have put a ton of effort into this class, mostly because I am essentially teaching it to myself. His tests look nothing like the preparation work and he covers very little that's on them, and youtube explains the material better than he does. Do not take Sims unless you have no other choice. He gets upset when students care at all about grades.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! He is the worst. We have quizzes everyday and he draws test questions and turns them into a weird format on the exam. I wish there was another Organic Chemistry professor than Sims. HIS TESTS ARE BEYOND DIFFFUCULT AND HE DOES NOT CURVE at the end of the semester :(
Dr. Sims lives up to his reputation as one of the hardest professors in chem. He has very high expectations for students and demands a considerable time commitment if you want to pass. However, if you do the DQs, HW, and go to tutoring you should be fine - exam questions are taken almost exactly from these sources. Very sweet, but very challenging
Sims is super fun and enthusiastic making lectures enjoyable to attend. Most people don't go to lectures on a consistent basis and that's probably why they think he is unfair. Daily quizzes and HW are very helpful for consistent learning. Tests are highly difficult and short on time, but always fair. Keep up with material as it's taught to do well.
Dr. Sims is an incredible person and teacher and really wants his students to succeed. However, a great deal of time must be dedicated in order to be successful. He provides students with the tools necessary to succeed, and it is up to the students to utilize them. His tests are exceptionally difficult, but I learned so much that it's worth it.
Exams are 25 free-response questions for only 50 minutes, and he offers no partial credit. Exam averages were 20s-40s all semester. He curves by adding "half the points you missed" back, which helps the failing students but hurts the students who work hard. You could score 40% above the average and still not make an A on that exam (my situation).
He literally expects graduate level understanding of Organic chemistry. Its like he teaches you addition/ subtraction during the lecture time, but when the exam begins, he expects you to find the area of a pentagram. Good luck passing. I gotta say he does give a lot of opportunity to make up points but those are pretty gruesome assignments also.
Hes the worst, dont take him. Believe me.
Sims is a biochemist. Although he knows his stuff, he teaches everything like it is biochemistry, which this class is not. His exams are curved only because they had to be. The averages for exams 2 & 3 were 20 & 35 respectively. If you aren't VERY confident in your understanding of Ochem and learn it on your own, don't take him.
This professor is horrible if you want to learn Organic Chemistry! If you are a pre-health major, you better take someone else for the sake of your standard test and gpa. He does not teach you clearly and his exams are totally weird and funky. Take Biggs/Stewart if you actually want to LEARN and SUCCEED IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY!! NOTICE THE UPPERCASE..
HARDEST CLASS EVER. That being said however I respect Dr. Sims so much. Hes extremely helpful if you ask for help. Go to AC. If you aspire to go to med/dental school his class is worth it. He honestly prepared me to do extremely well on the organic chemistry portion of my DAT. Basically, its difficult but prepares you for your future.
EASIEST CLASS EVAAAAAA!!!!! If you wanna breeze through ochem2, take this & dont go to class!!!! youll do amazing :)
Paul Sims is genuinely the worst professor I've ever had. He injects material that is generally far outside of the scope of the class, and teaches at such a blistering pace that I usually have large gaps in my notes. He is also an incredibly tough grader. During my semester, our test averages usually lied around the low 50s. Take another professor.
This class was by far the hardest class I have taken in my college career. I am usually a straight-A student, but barely passed with a C in this class even after doing all homework assignments and practice quizzes (both optional), listening to lectures, and reading the book chapters! Sims made it way harder than needed!
This class requires a lot of work and a lot of time. To make an A, I had to do all of the HW, DQ's, and even had to go to Action Center every week. I took time every day to memorize pathways and structures. I also reviewed my notes and memorized "important" concepts after every lecture. You need to have motivation! It will be rewarding in the end.
Sims is by far the worst chem professor in campus. If you can avoid him, please do.
The worst professor I have ever had the misfortune of taking. Refused to answer specific questions during lectures, differed all questions to TA's and tutors. I learned next to nothing about the subject despite a horrendous amount of work. I am a straight A student, but this man has single handedly ruined that for me. DO NOT TAKE SIMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Way too hard, just don't take it.
Dropped previous ochem class and this one too. He teaches like he is talking to people who already have a full grasp on ochem1&2 AND biochem. Great textbook provided, but doesn't use it much for lectures and doesn't translate to exams. Exams are HARD. I wasn't going to pass this class and many others were struggling hard. He is passionate though.
Paul Sims was honestly the worst professor I have ever had at OU. When teaching his class he immediately treats the class as if they already know the material he's teaching. I found the class to be extremely difficult and I would definitely recommend choosing another professor.
Paul Sims is the worst teacher I have ever experienced. He has the highest drop rate of any chemistry professor at OU. It is ridiculous. He expects you to already know all of ochem, or a large portion of, before taking the class. This is reflected in the drop rate and the end course grade that he curves for THIRTY POINTS. WORST PROFESSOR EVER!!!!!
Dr. Sims class was definitely the hardest class I've taken at OU. We had a daily quiz or homework assignment due Monday-Friday. He is notorious for having low test averages, but he does let your earn up to half points back on exams. You have to memorize your mechanisms for the exam. He is nice and will answer your questions but has little mercy.
He may be a nice person, but as a professor, he has a convoluted way of delivery. Honestly if semester had not gone online I would have failed the class. You gotta memorize the mechanisms and other stuff to be good in exams. I have a pretty strong chemistry background but with Sims I was lost most of the time during class. To each their own
Awful!!! Tons of homework that doesnt correlate with anything on the tests, and lectures are basically videos outside of class and tests are based on your luck of getting the easier test questions. Do not take if you can.
There are multiple forms of exams and some are much harder than the others. The exams were to have been over specific sections but a very select few questions were actually over those sections. Lots of homework that has no impact on the actual final grade and confusing assignments. The labs were chill though.
I really liked Dr. Sims. He moves very quickly through the stuff he teaches, which might suck if you don't understand chemistry very well or if you get him for a higher-level class. Since I had him for CHEM1315, is was really easy to pass. This was also an online course for me, which you should keep in mind while reading this review.
I think he's an awesome prof. very nice old man and he has good intentions. basically had to teach myself bc there were zoom and prerecorded lectures. It can be difficult if you don't have any background in chem. Great with answering questions during zoom class. normal workload.
Sims might have good intentions but he has zero idea how to teach material to people who dont already fully understand the concept. He makes tests purposefully difficult and the fail rates are very high. He barely touches on large amounts of important information, you will have to 90% teach yourself. Chemistry department is failing us.
Intelligent professor. Poor teaching skills. Diff. to understand lecture when you have to write down all his notes. Doesn't provide you a topic schedule but expects you to understand the material. Lectures do not correlate w assigned ch. Grades based on quizzes (timed) and exams only. Avg. grade for exam 1 is 52%. Lots of hw that's not for a grade
Dr. Sims is a very knowledgeable individual, but has issues with teaching the material needed in a manner in which people new to the subject are able to understand. It is my opinion that the chemistry department at the University of Oklahoma is failing its students and that they system of teaching is not working. Be ready to teach yourself!
As a human, professor sims is a solid old guy but by no means is he a professor. Very difficult content to began with and then a professor who can not teach the content. Imagine that. Had to withdraw to save gpa. Do not take this class and if you have to, take it with a different professor or community college.
dont take this class.
So, Im assuming youre looking at this since Sims is the only professor available. Unfortunately he is not good at explaining material. You get little to no supplemental material and doesnt teach but one example on a subject. Hes a sweet and kind dude but if you can avoid him please do! But DO NOT SKIP AN ACTION CENTER thats how youll pass.
Don't take this class. He doesn't know how to teach and gets very confused throughout his lectures. Unless you eat, sleep, breathe organic chemistry and love self teaching don't take this class. He also merges these lectures with biochem topics even though we don't have base knowledge to understand these topics.
The worst class I have ever taken at OU. He needs to be looked at by the Dean and fired.
Dr. Sims is a nice man and will go out of his way to help and interact with students when they have questions, but the class is designed for students to fail unless they are constantly ahead of work and getting As and Bs on every test and quiz. The exam averages are generally in the high 40s, and the tests and quizzes are very hard. Dont take sims
Dr. Sims is a nice guy, at least on the outside. He will help you if you ask for it, but there is evil behind that smile. He wants you to drop his class. His tests are impossible (even for a straight-A student) and completely unfair. He teaches way above any ochem1 students' level of understanding and tests you on lots of ochem2 and biochem stuff.
IF you are able to eat, breathe, and study ONLY this class, you can probably pass. If not, you are only signing up to fail miserably. There's not enough time on the exam for how many questions are given and the materials are way too advanced for starters in organic chemistry. He goes on a lot about biochemistry and organic chem 2. AVOID AT ALL COST
This class was probably the worst class I have ever taken. If you have any other chance at taking this class with a different professor, I would!
This is a class where you truly need to put in the work and go to every action center available, and try to hog his attention whenever you need it to answer "why, why, why?" It's not about getting questions right - it's about understanding the system questions ask about. Free pass to a 132 on MCAT. Grade might suffer though if you slack even a lil.
Smart prof, horrible@teaching. Grades based mainly on exams. Class avg. of 4 exams51%. Even w/ curve assign., u will fail. Overall class avg71%. AC probsnot a grade. if u don't do them, u will fail. They r time consuming. Lectures delve deeper than book. Will only curve those who are failing class. Would rather redo my 2yr master program.
You must attend the action centers in order to understand the material/pass. Not cool because the action center is optional. Not all of us can attend. Do not take this professor if you cannot attend the action center meetings which are in the evenings. The "assignments" discussed during these meeting times are not for a grade either. Avoid if poss.
He means well, so office hours and ACs are important. Rework old Qs to make sure you understand concepts, dont just memorize questions/mechs. Test Qs are like ACs/quizzes in format. Read ahead in the book so youre not completely lost during lectures. Print slides and annotate if possible. Lecture recordings allow you to pause/rewind. Good luck!
Dr. Sims really means well and wants his students to succeed, but this is just a tough class. Going to the Action Centers and doing all the worksheets will make it a lot more manageable. Tests were tough and the averages were always pretty low. Hes always willing to answer questions though, and he understands the material well.
Go to every AC, take the class seriously, you might not like him but put in the effort because w/o it passing isn't possible. Really try to understand the concepts, MAKE FRIENDS!!!!!!!!! Prepare well, I studied for HOURS yet was still struggling to pass. He goes very fast, seeks outside sources for info, watches MANY youtube videos. don't give up b
Homeboy made me want to quit and not pursue med school. I'm just trying to take a few prereq courses since I'm already a PA. Taking Ochem with Sims seriously discouraged me from pursuing higher education. And bc of that, I came to the conclusion that I would be a miserable PA for the rest of my career. Sims sucked the motivation out of me.
Homie has me questioning my life at this point. Test averages are low but don't worry there is a curve assignment, but wait there's a twist. The curve assignment is just as hard as the test so don't expect to do well on that either. Also, don't believe the test reviews he gives out either. If you care about your GPA, good news he doesn't. Good luck
Lectures were slideshows that he did not describe in details. No idea on how to know what information on slides really mean; exams were a majority of grade, making the avg. on exams will not allow you to pass even though you make 100% on everything else
Professor sims says he "wishes you success." If that were the case he would make what is expected on exams to be more clear and word exams better. Each question is like a paragraph long, they are hard to read and for multiple choice GIVES YOU LITERALLY INFINITE CHOICES. This was the most unorganized and confusing course taught at OU.
Dr. Sims' lectures are engaging and interesting, and he does a great job of answering questions regarding material in class, but his assessments of his students' learning are awful. His quizzes and exams are not representative of what's taught and are unclear and unnecessarily complicated.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. If you could take it with Biggs, that would be the best route to learn OR take at another university. We have tried to reach out to the head of the department and dean of students and no action has been done. The stuff in class is significantly more advanced than OCHEM 1 and exams are impossible! Other reviews say it all
I haven't had Sims for big lecture classes, however, I can say he is much better in smaller classes like biochem. He really cares about his students and wants them to succeed. He provided a lot of extra credit as well as exam corrections. If you're a biochem major, I definitely recommend (If you're taking him for ochem, maybe try Biggs).
Sims is a fine professor for Ochem1 if Biggs isn't available. The bad reviews come from his lack of cohesion during lectures; it's impossible to cover all the required Ochem1 material in one semester, but it's tested as if it were. I recommend reading up to alkyne addition reactions in the Klein book over the break, to help your next semester.
Grade based off 3 exams, a final, and top 8 quizzes. Adds "curves" that can be seen as ec but it didn't help if we didn't understand the material bc it's all comprehensive. Yes we reached out to the dean and department heads, but it was too late for most of us. I bought the ochem for dummies workbook. Take the reviews seriously. GL in your decision
If you value your GPA and future, stay clear of him. He tries to teach but is not very good at it and also is very unforgiving, if you miss something you miss it no matter how terribly it affects your grade. More than half of the class every semester drop out of this class.
Never hated a class more. I had to switch majors because his class didnt prepare me for the next. Worst professor I have had at ou so far.
I had Sims for the OChem in Italy course. It was four weeks long and very rigorous but incredible nonetheless. At times, I felt like I couldn't do it, but Sims never failed to encourage me to have hope and keep my foot on the gas. He really cared about our group and was always so excited when someone would master a concept. He was so lovely!!
Overall not too bad, definitely possible to make an A. The big thing about this class is that it requires a lot of outside time and work to understand the material thoroughly. Using the Klein book helped a ton. Sims gave a lot of extra credit and helped answer any questions. The downside is he expects extensive knowledge of the concepts discussed.
Came in w/a 4.0 in 120+ hrs of engineering courses, came out w/ my first B. He simply stopped answering all student emails and stopped attending action center/his own office hours mid-semester due to admin involvement in his poor teaching/course mismanagement/inappropriate comments in the syllabus. Don't do it to yourself, find a different prof.
I would never recommend any student to take Professor Sims, he is very knowledgeable but does not know how to take the material he knows and teach students. I had to take his class twice and on the second I withdrew because he didn't change his teaching style. The average on exams is a D or below.
He is nice enough in class but is very difficult. He taught very fast and didnt explain much.
While you don't have to attend lecture, go to get Clicker question points! The questions helped me make sense of Chemistry, some were replicated on exams. Keep up with Assignments, they help your grade! Test were not locked but were timed. The class moved quickly but you can always reach out to him! He is kind, hilarious, and devoted to Chemistry!
Would recommend a light schedule to account for taking it with Sims. Exam averages were always 40-50%, and many students dropped. You could earn half points back through Curve Assignments though. Grades were based 90% on exams and 10% on take-home quizzes. The course is doable but far from an easy A. You will learn a lot of useful MCAT content.
Exam averages were about 40-45%, Curved all exams to about 70%. Overall class average was 73%. Sims is one of the hardest professors at OU. Many people dropped. Almost impossible to get an A and very tough to get a B.
I had a 4.0 before taking this class. I was relieved to find out that I made a B. There were 210 students in the class at the beginning of the semester. Now, only 105 students are in the class. Even though half of the class dropped, the average grade at the end of the semester was a 73.
After taking him for OchemI and Biochem, I can thoroughly say his classes are unnecessarily difficult. His tests/homework cover lots of needless information and he doesn't give you much info on what the tests are about. His class is survivable if you have a pretty good understanding of the content before hand but you need to put in a lot of effort.
This is intro to biochemistry but he teaches it like you should already know half of the material. His test are also crazy hard even considering the material covered, he doesn't give any constants, equations, or conversions on exams. He also is iffy about answering emails. Saw him email another student but then ignored mine for days so debatable.
I'm split on this rating. This class and prof are very difficult and are an extreme amount of work, but it was worth it. Studying for the MCAT, I consistently score high in biochem and need to review barely anything cuz of how hard he drilled it into us. The class is worth taking but be prepared to study 60 hours for each exam and KNOW EVERY DETAIL
Literally the worst class I have taken. I have had both physiology and anatomy at OU, and this class will be my first C (hopefully :/ ..). For an introductory level biochemistry course, this is more like quantitative biochemistry. I have talked with other professors, and their grad students are failing... I'm in too deep now. Best of luck.
You can tell Dr. Sims really enjoys what he teaches, but the amount of information he expects you to know for your first organic class is ridiculous. I don't remember any of the test averages being above a 50%, one was a 32%, and his lectures can be all over the place and hard to follow.He gives assign. to earn back 1/2 the points missed, sometimes
Came into this class with a 4.0, left with my first C. Read the entire textbook and did all of the online homework problems, and would still get C's or D's on the exams. The tests averaged in the low 40's most of the time. They also count for 90% of your grade. Biggest regret in college was taking this class. Don't do it unless you have to.
Hardest I have studied for any class. Grade is 4 quizzes and 4 tests w/ curve assignments. However, Sims was a great professor; lectures were thorough and there were no surprises on the exams (questions come from optional hw/practice quizzes). He also connects many topics together, making it easier to understand/memorize (lots of helpful handouts).
If you're taking this for Gen Chem, don't. Literally use any other professor. I have spent hundreds of dollars on tutoring for only the first 2 exams and have failed both. He is not typically a gen chem professor, so he doesn't seem to understand that we don't already know most of this stuff. His lectures go way too fast for me to understand.
I'm in therapy now.
This professor truly surprises me. Before my class was taking one of his exams, he told us that he just hopes for a 70% average on it, yet when it was a failing average, he shrugged it off like it didn't even matter. .He's not originally a gen chem professor so it's almost like he expects you to already know everything. Do not take his course.
I HATE chemistry. So much. Yes, this is a tough class, but Professor Sims is so funny and tries his best. It makes me sad to see so many people talk down about him. He is actually a great person, this class is just very tough. I would recommend him as a teacher, just make sure you are paying attention in class!
Worst professor I've had yet. Goes way too fast. Shrugs off bad averages on tests. Goes way too fast. Pick another professor if you can.
Really enjoyed having him as a professor my first semester of college. Lecture problems are basically the test questions. Funny guy and you can tell he enjoys teaching chemistry. Definitely seemed to be the best (and somewhat easier) Chem I professor at OU in my opinion.
I am currently in med school. When I took his class he said he was preparing us for grad school/MCAT I thought he was just saying that, but the material I learned in his class has made both of those much easier. His class is hard but I recommend taking it to best prepare for grad school, study how he recommends to and go to AC & office hours. :)
This class was the h
He is very kind but the class was extremely hard. He allows you to do a
This class is definitely the hardest class I've taken. However, Prof Sims tries his best to help you succeed, with explanations on homework problems, helpful handouts, and exam curve assignments. This class helps a lot for Biochem on MCAT as well. Do the homework, study hard, and do all curve assignments, and you can get an A in this class.
Studied 60+ hours for each exam just to ruin my 4.0 and learn nothing for the MCAT. Be prepared to study pathways for countless hours just for him to ask you to calculate how many liters of water a camel can hold in its hump instead. Worst 4 months of my life. Worst professor/class at OU. Seeking therapy.
Hardest class I have ever taken. tests are very hard, and the amount of material he wants you to learn is insane/ his lectures can be all over the place, but he is a very nice guy and is very willing to help you. The material itself is not hard, but the amount of material and the level of detail he wants you to know makes the class very difficult.
For the lectures he basically just reads off the slides but is very good at answering questions in class/office hours. Tests have a mix of easy and harder questions but are multiple choice and you are allowed to use a 3x5 notecard as a cheat sheet.
Paul Sims expects his students to achieve mastery level skill in 3 weeks. He curves all of the exams given, allowing you to earn back up to 50% of points missed, but the exams average 60% after the curve with no adjusted grading scale. Exams make up 90% of your grade. Do not take if you have a heavy course load, it is extremely time consuming.
Most difficult class I've taken. Sims is a really smart guy and is really knowledgable about the subject, but he needs to understand how to teach at the level of people who have never taken the subject before. Don't recommend taking this class unless you are willing to spend countless hours constantly studying for this class and this class only.
Test questions were sometimes unexpected and out of left field. Can make up to 50% of points missed on exams with curve assignments. Exams averaged 40-50%. B is very doable, an A not so much. Did not find very helpful for MCAT studying. Good luck, please take care of yourself!
Paul might be one of the most knowledgeable chemistry teachers at OU, but the man simply does not know how to teach an INTRODUCTORY course in biochem, or anything. He should be teaching to room of PhD students. It's honestly ridiculous.
He posts no online resources. He will say something off-handedly one time, and expect you to know it on the final without mentioning it again. There are textbooks, but he barely teaches from them. If you miss one lecture, you're screwed. He goes too fast to take good notes, and his lectures are disorganized. You will either teach yourself, or fail.
Paul is a nice guy but does not know how to teach. The amount of material he expects you to know is insane. A week before class started he sent out a 17 page "O-Chem vocabulary" and advised us to learn the material. In class he rushes through examples the whole time and does not explain things. Exams are very hard. Take this class with Biggs.
This class was extremely hard. I studied 15+ hours every week just to barely get an A. If you miss a lecture you're screwed. You have to teach yourself the material outside of class because he expects you to know a lot of things he never mentions. Good luck.
go to action centers and make sure to actually understand the homework assignments. This class was a TON of work, but with effort and a tutor an A is possible
Sims himself is a great professor. If you take the time to use his resources and learn the material he will show you everything you need to know. The problem lies in needing to know EVERYTHING. Hardest class I've ever taken and I'm lucky I got a B. Do your work and take this class very seriously or you will fall behind quickly.
Dr.Sims is a very kind professor who cares about his students actually understanding the material. He makes himself available at every action center and even through extra office hours. This class took work and dedication, but as long as you go to action center and spend time understanding the material, an A is very achievable.
Sims is a very nice guy who wants you to do well, but he expects you to know EVERYTHING for his exams. Lectures are very scattered, but office hours and the action center are very helpful. Study HARD, go to the action center and office hours, and do the practice exams and you can get an A. Almost killed me but got an A.
This is a hard class. It is the hardest I've studied for a class, and most of what I learned came outside of lecture on my own time. Dr. Sims is nice and funny but his lectures are not very relevant to exams. Memorize hw problems and action center. Content was very helpful for MCAT if you are taking.
A lot of people writing reviews for Sims simply did not want to put in the work required to do well in a high-level chemistry course. I couldn't make office hours, so Sims made a completely different time for me to ask questions. Go to action centers. He does many examples in class. Just go to class and study, don't blame your shortcomings on profs
Great class
He does not know how to teach, he is a very nice guy; however, his teaching is give you 4 examples and then expects you to be experts at the course. He has also on numerous occasioned mentioned a vocab word, and then 4 weeks later expected us to know everything about that subject even though he never taught us anything about it.
I have no doubt that Dr. Sims is a very smart and distinguished chemist, but for that reason he has no business teaching Organic I. His lectures are extremely disorganized - he draws examples on pieces of scratch paper, and then most of the time does not have the same piece of paper for the next lecture. Take this class with someone else.
Test questions were from banks with over 1000 possible questions, and he chose around 20 questions for the first few exams and 50 for the final. Needless memorization so people "would be ready for med-school", but then taught about concepts unrelated to the class saying "this class isn't here to prepare you for med-school". He's proud to fail you.
I need a cease and desist so I don't have to take this professor again.
I'm not going to say it's impossible to get an A in this class, but I'd recommend to have this as your only science class for the semester. Using the homeworks are a good guide for calculation problems and what concepts to focus on. However his theory questions are very random, and can be from a slide he spends 2 seconds on.
Sims tries his best to make sure everyone understands but he also expects you to catch on super quickly and kind of assumes everyone knows what is going on. Majority of class is lectures but they are barely comprehendible, only examples. A good grade is possible but be prepared to work for it.
His lectures are not technically mandatory, but missing one will put you very behind. He goes very fast through material and is very scattered during lectures. Action centers are essentially mandatory Midterms are pretty standard (he uses a question band from homework). The finals are horrendous. Be prepared for questions on topics barely covered.
Lectures are unorganized, with no notes posted online afterwards, missing a class can put you very behind. Action centers are required to understand material even though they are implied to be otherwise. Exams are homework/AC heavy, final was very hard, over topics mentioned once or twice. Overall: avoid if at all possible, good guy, poor teacher.
The nicest guy ever but can't teach for the life of him. Expects you to know the material when you first come to class and also the inside and out of organic chemistry as an undergrad. Lectures disorganized, doesn't break down or introduce the material. No one ever knew what was going on the entire semester. Exams based on hw and ac problems.
Not saying he's the reason I failed, I did that myself by not putting effort in, but he doesn't post slides and lectures from his head by writing on paper that is projected. He is very fast paced and teaches at a very high level so you'll be teaching yourself. The tests are exactly like the hw, I just didn't study well. He is very nice and smart.
Sims is honestly one of the worst teacher I've ever had in my entire life. I've had him for 3 semesters, and this last one being in Biochemistry. He doesn't explain much of anything at all, he just reads directly off of a slideshow. Not a single example problem is done in class, you just have to learn how to apply everything yourself.
This was the worst class in my undergrad career. Dr. Sims is very kind and passionate, but this course is so difficult for an intro biochemistry class. Exams are oddly specific/difficult and expect to devote insane hours to studying. The final was the worst two hours of my life. Do the homework and learn using his memorization tools, trust me.
TEST QUESTIONS ARE SO. SPECIFIC. Expects you to know and understand everything. Do not take biochem at OU if your only option is Sims.
The hardest I've studied for a class yet the first one I've failed. He does not care if someone in your family passes away he expects you to still take the exam during the scheduled time. He did not curve us like he did previous classes. He said final would be similar to previous exams but it was way harder, we were not prepared, AVOID HIM!!!!
Knowledgeable professor, but bad at teaching. Lectures only somewhat related to what was needed for HW and Action Center problems (exams used a few of these problems). Never gave study guides despite omitting half of the material on exams and going into extreme detail on the rest of the material. He was ruthless on the final. Doable but very hard.
Dr. Sims is a nice guy but genuinely expects you to know everything you've learned ever and does not explain anything ever. I genuinely think he is too smart to teach at an undergraduate level. Study homework's and action centers. I had to fight for my life to get a C and I am not a C student. It was hard but it did prepare me for the MCAT
Sims is a very nice guy, passionate, and knowledgeable. However, I didn't find the lectures to be useful at all. To do well in this class, I recommend just spamming the homework questions over and over - there is just so much material, so you really have to identify what is important. The final genuinely was the worst 2 hours ever.
I have never stressed over a course as much as this one in my life. The man is happy and proud to have the reputation that he does. Before the final exam, he wrote on the board: 'Abandon all hope ye who enter!' Professor Paul Sims is evil, and I pray that no one is unfortunate enough to take any course taught by him.
Feels like a 6-hour course. Memorize everything. Exams are questions pulled straight from the hw. If you go to office hours and action centers and are proactive in studying, there should be no reason why you don't get an A. The final exam was the hardest bc he barely pulled any questions from the homeworks. He is nice and passionate about biochem!
The nicest guy ever, but he can't teach to save his life. There is no organization to his lectures. To make matters worse, he doesn't post his lecture notes. His tests are definitely fair in that they come straight from hw problems and action centers. However, you have to teach yourself everything and basically memorize the hw in order to do well.
Devoted so much of my life to get a high B, my fault though because you literally cannot do bad on a single test and still expect an A. Do well on all three exams and you'll be fine :') Final is the worst thing I have ever taken, good luck!
He acts like you have nothing outside of this class in your life to do, will ignore your emails when expressing concerns about the class. He needs to be held accountable for the amount of lies he told to us about exams. He wrote on the board "Abandon all hope ye who enter" before the final. He wants you to fail and does not care about you, avoid!
This is a dreaded class for most people. He has changed his class every semester, making things doable little by little. If you redo the homework for each exam, you will be fine. Getting a high A on all 3 midterms is crucial to getting an A in the class. The final is wretched, but he curved it majorly. Go to action centers and introduce yourself!
Coming into class (OCHEM1) with little knowledge in the OCHEM field is expected, but he expects you to know a lot on the first day of class. He is a nice and communicative professor, but he should be teaching colleagues rather than students who do not know much about organic chemistry.
I wish I could give a zero out of five, but hey if you dont value mental health go for it!
I personally feel that Gen Chem 1 with him is not too bad. I thought he explained things well enough and I didn't feel that rushed. Also seems like a nice guy. Probably not the worst for *this* class, but I would try to avoid him for anything else based on what I've heard.
Evil. Wish I could give -5 stars, he's genuinely awful and is happy to make you suffer.
This has been the most extreme workload I've encountered at OU. Midterm questions are pulled directly from HW problems, however each homework has a bank of up to 100 different questions. Lectures are useless and often ramble with history and things he finds interesting and not helpful for the HW. Memorizing everything is the only way to succeed.
Hardest class ever taken. Got an A but had multiple panic attacks because of this class. Take as few other classes as possible. You will have to study so much to do okay at all on the tests (above a 50). Sometimes he curves the class and tests, sometimes not. He changes the format every semester. Good luck, you'll need it. He's funny at least!
This class causes a great deal of stress, anxiety, and time. God forbid you have a job, a family, or any dreams of a social life. It is ridiculous and feels impossible to succeed in; take it elsewhere if you can.
Sims is a great, passionate lecturer. Unfortunately, the course load is utterly insane. Will take an extreme time commitment. Not because tests are too hard or concepts are overly complicated, but because the amount of memorization required. Prepare earlyby memorizing: Amino Acids Ketoses & Aldoses Glycolysis, TCA, PPP Cycle, Photosynthesis & More!
Dr. Sims is nice and approachable. Biochemistry is a hard class and it takes a lot of time/effort. The tests are exactly like the homeworks so as long as you understand the questions on there, you will do fine. I wish his lectures pertained more to the homeworks which would then help with tests. He wants you to succeed but you have to want it.
I took OChemII with Dr. Sims and think he's a great professor for a tough class. The material is hard, and you cant memorize your way through. Be ready to learn fast and study hard. He's very accessible—just ask. GO TO ACs when you can!! Focus on Action Centers and homework; exams are straightforward. You will earn the grade you study for.
I had Dr. Sims for CHEM 3064 & 3164; he is very knowledgeable in his field and paces his lectures well, making them easy to follow. The exam questions always come directly from the HW or action centers, so as long as you redo an memorize the answers you should do well on the exam, plus he always adds at least 12 points of extra credit on each exam.
Smart dude, good energy but lecture sounds like you got in the wrong class and ended up in some harvard PHD course. Hw's with unlimited attempts given weekly. Exams verbatium to HW, but final is god awful. Exam averages 70's, and final average was way lower, but a curve was given Tip: go thru mutiple attmps on Hw to see variations for test given)
someone sue him, i'll support you
I'm gonna sue him
Would not take again, awful lectures all over the place, his exams don't even align with the lectures.
Set up for students to fail. ~300 problems/unit you have to teach yourself to solve. ~28 of them will be on each exam (cumulative). He does not go over problems in lecture or action center. You teach yourself everything you need to pass the exam or you fail. He uses the few As to justify his format despite known cheating and low exam averages.
Spends more time during lecture talking about obscure Nobel Prize winners than teaching you how to do any of the problems on the homework/exams. Be prepared to teach yourself how to do intensive math calculations each week. Exams based on HW & AC but there's way too much content to simply memorize your way through. This class was my 13th reason.
No point going to classes whatsoever, lectures are pretty pointless especially if you live far from campus. Never works any math problems in class or even talk about the textbook. The exams are all over the place with most questions you'd probably have never seen or heard of. Feels like he has no social life and expects you to as well.
Final is nothing like the exams. His normal exams were manageable and most students scored As and Bs on all the exams including myself. At the end, majority failed the final and the class because he changed it up at the end. He doesn't curve because he gives "bonus questions" on the exam, even though he knows no one will get the bonus questions.
Dr Sims is the WORST teacher and he should not be allowed to teach this class. He does not talk about anything useful in lecture and never teaches how to do anything on the exams. This class is a lot of work but is doable if you teach yourself everything. I did fine in this class because I never went to class and taught myself everything.
i always hoped it would get hit by a bus on the way to class
Worst class ever. Expects you to do most of the learning outside of class and in action centers, which is not possible for everyone. Lectures are so vague and nothing like the exams and homework. Have to figure out things on your own.
I can not stress this enough when I say to NOT take this professor in ANY class. He does not want to see you pass. The homeworks and exams do not reflect lecture material at all. Exams make up ~82.5% of the grade. Take as little classes as possible with this because you will spend 15-20 hours a week on just studying. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
i don't know why he made the class so hard. the exams are verbatim to the hw/ac problems, but there are SO MANY questions for each unit and he only picks 28 of them. so basically you have to know everything because you have no idea which questions he will pick! i stopped going to lecture because he doesn't work out any hw problems. it's useless.
if you want to make an A in this class, isolate yourself from everyone in your life and move into the library because you will be studying many many hours of the day. lots of students fail or withdraw from this class because he makes it unnecessarily difficult. get ready to teach yourself everything. good luck
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!! this class is ridiculous and you will have no life. most of the times I do not listen to bad reviews about professors but he is actually the worst. he lectures about useless information that is not on the exam. do not go to class. study 24/7 if you want to pass. good luck this is the worst class ever.
Lectures are so misaligned that I entirely used ak lectures and ChatGPT to teach myself. Just do the HW repeatedly until the concepts stick. Did this and didn't show up to lecture at all, my grade in this class is above 100. Does this sound like good class design to you? Class is hw 70, Exams 3x100, and final 200pts. Some EC questions, no curve.
He is a really nice guy! His lectures don't relate much with the homework but they are helpful to understand concepts. His exams are entirely homework's and action centers so no surprises there. It's a challenging class, but you get out of it what you put into it.
If we are only counting everything before the final, I would give four stars, but the sheer amount of content that is taught between the last midterm and final is outrageous. Try to do your best on the midterms because the final is so unbelievably dense with content that you will need lots of wiggle room for your grade. Definitely doable, very hard
This is a message for anyone who thinks about taking his class for an advanced chemistry elective at OU. Just don't. There are other options. Do not waste your life on this class if biochem is not something you're willing to spend 20 hours a week on. I refuse to accept that this is somehow an introduction class with how much is covered and expected
Lectures did not help with the homework AT ALL. You will have to spend hours teaching yourself EVERYTHING for this class. Do all the homeworks multiple times and the AC worksheets to prepare for the exams. Exams are very similar to the HW and ACs, so it's possible to do well, just don't wait last minute to start. I would avoid Sims if you can.
Seriously, this man is ridiculous. Barely scraped by a C and literally could not be more grateful. He's rude, condescending, socially awkward, and a horrible professor. You will have to teach yourself EVERYTHING if you're a biochem major switch because he's so horrendous. I truly wish him the worst in his personal life and hope he gets his karma.
He is a nice person... I believe however, his class is the WORST CLASS I've EVER TAKEN in my life. He will not teach you a SINGLE THING, and you have to learn it ALL outside of class. If you don't have a life then you can take this class, however, if you love your free time AVOID AT ALL COST. (This is my first C ever).
Doesn't teach for the homework or tests. Can't even find most of the content you're learning on the internet so you're completely on your own. Redoing the homework is your best bet for the tests.
I had Dr. Sims for ochem I and II and now methods, but preferred him teaching ochem. The course felt like mostly homework (14 total, increasing in length every time and a lot of Excel). Exams closely matched the homework, and the 56-question final was long. Lecture was emphasized more than lab.The workload was heavy, but the class is still doable.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
18%
Textbook Required
15%
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