1.7
Quality4.2
Difficulty22%
Would Retake193
Reviews22%
Would Retake
193
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
6
4
11
3
20
2
49
1
107
What Students Say
“Horrible teacher, i'm hoping for all A's and B's in all of my classes except this one”
PHY102 - 1.0 rating“Zich believes students learn best by making their own study guides and teaching themselves the material”
PHY005 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
63%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.04 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYSICS
5.0
(1)PHY111
3.0
(1)PSY102
2.5
(2)PHY205
2.5
(2)PHY208
2.3
(4)Difficulty by Course
PHY111
5.0
PHYSICS102
5.0
PHYSICS105
5.0
PHYS102
5.0
PHYSI101
5.0
Reviews (193)
No Comments
OMG will the man cut his hair please?!?! But over all hes an okay teacher.
We marathoned through the material. Covered entire chapters in under a week. Tested on things that were damn near impossible. Had a massive curve because of low grades. The highest A was an 85, I pulled a 22% on the final, managed a 52% overall, C!!!!
Hard class, tests unbareable. I got a 32% on the final. It was so hard, it became a C. Never cancels classes even if it is a holiday on friday at 5:30. And yes, he needs to do something with the hair. Bad Jokes!
don't bother going to the tutors, they won't be able to help you
Very hard with him...he really rushed through everything and tests were super hard...try not to get him..and his HAIR! get it cut man!
Yes, the hair is awful....almost as bad as his teaching. He's arrogant and not at all helpful. On top of all that, he is also one of the most boring teachers ever. Avoid if at all possible!
First of all this class is just pointless, but so much worse with this idiot teaching it! He is so awful and it was great the day he said, "I dont know what im talking about, I never know what im talking about!"
Terrible. The worst class I have. So pointless. The teacher seriously has problems...twitches and constantly blinks and really bad hair. Ridiculously weird and the tests are impossible. All in all he sucks.
First of all, I definitely agree with all the hair comments and that the tests are incredibly hard. He was really rude and gives a zillion notes that had nothing to do with the tests. He is a horrible teacher, I can't even count how many times i wanted to throw something at him while he was talking.
No Comments
The literal worst teacher ever!!! DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT SIGN UP TO TAKE A CLASS FROM HIM. Let's tell a lil story here shall we. One day my friend had a question about the class. As I was walking out he goes, "You stay here and answer her question!" The man is freakin clueless and frustrating.
Awful, just awful. By far the worst teacher I have ever encountered. If at all possible, try to get this class with a convicted serial killer.
ZICH BLOWS!!!
Worst teacher I have ever had in my entire life.
AWFUL, DOESNT KNOW WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT, MAKES MISTAKES ON THE BOARD ALL THE TIME... A REAL MORON
What is a physics teacher doing in the math dept? Anyway. Never answers emails, and has to be corrected by students because he doesn't know what he's doing. If I didn't know Stats, I would probably be much more confused in his class. They didn't assign him until after I reg'd, so I had no choice. :(
Mr.Zich is a person who is so far into teaching that he forgets to break things down on a level that allows his students to comprehend. I've stayed after class but it barely helped. His way of thinking is so far off that you might need a tutor.
Absolutly the worst teacher I have EVER had. I would NOT recommend this teacher for any class. I can not believe this man has a teaching job, does he have a teaching degree!?!? Unclear every class, terrible notes and test are ungodly hard! Average on first test, 52%! You would think you can't teach!
Dr. Zich is the WORST teacher I have EVER had.This is an introductory class and he teaches like we know what the hell he is talking about!He doesn't understand that physics is hard for most people,and the averages on the tests are at about an F,maybe F+.And he says the same jokes over and over.
This man gave everyone a C even people who earned an A or B. By far the worst person at this university.
He's absolutely HORRIBLE. He's very pompous and makes you feel so stupid when you ask a question. He glares at you & yells at you if you try to leave to go to the bathroom. He always takes the exact hour n 15 min, no matter what.
This is a moron. Luckily I had a strong background in stats before i took this class because he doesnt even understand the stuff. Sometimes he explains things wrong and has to be corrected. He wont even let us go to the bathroom. and FYI, If I have a question, I'll raise my if I have a question!
He is the best teacher i have ever had!!! Git-r-Done.
My classmates were great...teacher, not so much. The gen ed. blew big time, and he's terrible. AWFUL. He's so weird and offbeat. If you have the mentality of a sci-fi geek, it's ok, but...even then the class will be a pain in the ass. I second that...take this class with a serial killer.
By far the worst teacher i have ever had in my entire life. What kind of teacher turns their back on a student when they are trying to talk to them? He is very inconsiderate, hard to talk to, and wont comprimise...not to mention the fact he doesnt know how to teach! Class average is probably an F!
He was extremely boring. Never funny, although he had many failed attempts trying. He's not good at explaining statistics. He explains the easy stuff too much, and doesn't clarify the difficult areas. And what's up with his hair?
TAKE GROBE FOR 105. Zich is the most unreasonable teacher i've ever had. Didn't care about his students one bit. How he is still teacher here is a wonder to me considering the evaluations he has gotten. He made us write a 6 page paper on quantum physics during the week before finals,and it was only worth about 1.5% of our total grade. Ridiculous
He needs to go back to the starship enterprise and not teach at ISU. I get nautious just thinking about his class. I think im gonna ralph right now..... Blaahhhhhh
No Comments
had him for FOI, was the weirdest man alive. Would make small jokes to himself that no one understood. His ability to turn semi-interesting topics into the most boring lectures ever. His hair piece had to be the best aspect of having him as a teacher
Zich does not teach, he simply tells and expects the students to figure it all out on their own. He's very unfriendly and not very helpful. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS!!!
Your jokes aren't funny.
Zich is very unclear with his lectures. He will start a problem and leave it unsolved and move on, and everyone in the class becomes very confused. He also makes strange jokes that no one finds funny. The worksheets we do in lab are nothing like the lectures we get the day before. If at all possible, do not take him for this class!
No Comments
I dont think i have ever had a teacher that was so unorganized and out of sorts. The man makes more mistakes then then class combined. Not to mention he also teaches material in ways no one has ever seen before. If you ask me, i dont even feel like he wants to teach this course.
Just awful! Doesn't explain anything terrible jokes, and pretty much an @$$ in general
I have NEVER had a teacher this horrible!!! He is such an @ss I cannot even explain. He is incredibly unhelpful, when you can actually figure out what he is lecturing about and do ask a question he makes you feel like the dumbest person in the world, if he even calls on you. Words cannot express how much I HATE him and his class!!!
This guy is a nut case. This is college algerbra and half the class is doing bad because of him. He dosen't know how to teach. He will start a problem leave it unfinished and jump to the other side of the bord and start a new problem. His tests are horrible and have nothing to do with the labs or the lectures in class. HE SUCKS
I hated this class and was so glad when it was over. You definately have to go to class, which to me isn't a big deal, but I felt like going to class was such a waste of time because his lectures were hard to understand
I liked the class mostly because I never went. It was easy, but he kindof makes it hard. All you have to do is figure out when he is going to use the cps remotes then go on those days. The tests are overly hard, but how can you rag on this guy. His hair is the Greatest.
horrible class. i loved physics in hs and now i hate it. i failed all three exams including the final, just do your online quizzes and your readings and you're guarunteed a B
he's an interesting guy...its so much easier than my physics class in high school, you just got to pay attention, his lectures might be hard to follow and understand, but as long as you kno the basics, go to class and do the quizzes, and do decent on the tests ur guaranteed an A or B
**** him
By far the most horrible teacher I have ever had. Class averages on the three tests were 60 60 and 57% and he won't curve any of them. Extremely rude. Hated the class.
He is a terrible teacher. He does not clairify any of the material and the material that he does cover in class is often not put on the tests. I do not recommend him at all if you want to be successful in this class.
I don't know how the h*ll I ended up w/ a B in the class but it happened...I wanted to kill myself throughout the semester in his class because he was mean and tried to get as many people to fail as possible... just cruel...
Dont take this class from this professor, class is extremely hard, the remote control quizes are rediculously worded you will be lucky to score higher than your batting average on those and the tests averages are in the 60s. So if your already an expert on physics you will be fine if not, DONT TAKE THIS CLASS WITH HIM.
Worst class of my life
He gives an honest effort, but he's over most people's heads, especially if you're not a physics major. I heard that the class average was 42, which wouldn't surprise me if it was true. He doesn't curve tests even though the averages on them were in the 50's and 60's, but he lets you drop one test score.
By far the worst teacher I have ever had in my entire life. He was WAY too hard, had practically no office hours, and the tests were impossible. The guy used these stupid in-class quizzes that never worked, so I received bad grades a few times. DO NOT TAKE THIS ****!
No Comments
he knows what he is talking about but explains it in ways that are very hard to understand. luckily i knew most of the material before taking the class i was lucky enough to get an A which im sure i cant say for the rest of the class. he tries really hard, but doesnt present himself well. he tries to be funny & it lightens the mood of the room.
AWFUL!!!! I had physics classes in high school and at another college that didn't transfer over and only missed two classe and I still struggled in the supposedly "basic" physics course. Tests are nearly impossible, and he speeds through hard material. Also, he would never make an effort to meet with me despite my emails and asking in person.
He knows what he's talking about. Too bad almost no one else does. He jumps from one topic to another and back again in class, which makes it extremely difficult to follow. The tests are impossible because most of the material is only vaguely covered in the book and not covered at all in lecture. Do NOT take this class.
If you have a different option please use it. He is unorganized and very hard to follow. He quickly becomes frustrated and results to solutions like "work with it on your own and then come back to me" I won't say he doesn't know physics but he cannot teach it at all.
A have a strong physics background so what he says makes perfect sense to me, though many others I know disagree. His grading is pretty easy and the online quizzes really help. The corny jokes could go, but overall he's really focused and speaks intelligently. Anyone with a basic knowledge of physics should be just fine, and should enjoy this class
Very eccentric person. his jokes keep the class atmosphere loose. The class is really long and the material is boring, but he makes an effort to make the class entertaining and fun. i hate physics and still found the tests really easy
Absolute worst teacher I've ever had in regards to clarity. Easy grading, simple online quizzing. It is an easy B, but you will find yourself extremely bored, irritated/confused by his jokes that are sometimes difficult to determine whether he is being serious or not. His power points are poorly structured and out of order. Choose another teacher.
very boring class, makes it hard to consitently attend, tests are hard, but grades fairly easy, recomend looking for a different teacher if you can...
although I probably could have had more experience mathematically speaking coming into the class, i left everyday crying. he made my first semester beyond difficult. YOU MUST GO TO CLASS and take MANY notes to keep up with lectures. I go through at least 6 -7 pages front back per lecture because his pace is so fast. You must be extremely independan
DONT TAKE HIS CLASS!!!!!! he is so boaring and does not know how to teach!!!
I really didn't like his class at all until i ended up with an 80.3% and it somehow got raised to an A. The class as a whole is pretty difficult, do the online quizzes and study for his tests, especially the 3rd one
He was the worst teacher ever. He came in on halloween with a paper quarter taped on his back saying " Hey I am a quaterback". The tests are terrible and he doesn't help at all. His office hours is just time for him so say he is doing something while viewing his stupid computer and say, " Well, what do you think the answer is?"
If you havent taken a class in Physics before then i highly suggest you don't take him! He teaches as if you already know the stuff, and is VERY fast paced! I had no clue what he was talking about then entire time! Weird personality too!
Alright so before I took this class with Zich, I loved math. He was honestly the WORST teacher I have EVER had. He was so frustrating and it seemed like he got some pleasure out of confusing us. He taught way more information than we needed to know 4 the final & none of the other classes could relate to ours. he was TERRIBLE
Probably the worst teacher I have ever had. He speeds through material and half the stuff that is online quizzes and tests he does not cover. I've talked to alot of kids who during the online quizzes have to go find answers by themselves rather than it being in the material he covers. Please do not take this guy he really is the worst teacher at th
biggest jerk ever.. if you do anything besides looking alert in class he stops lectureing and looks at you like you just spit on him or something.. hes always telling jokes that arn't funny and then looks offended when people don't laugh.. I got him halfway through a semester because my prof. quit and my grade dropped from an A to a B-... AVOID HIM
Ok got this prof about 6 weeks b4 the end of the semester because the original prof resigned He is stuck up. Says your better off skipping the class than walking in late. He stops what he is doing and stares at you as u go to your seat. 1 girl turned to look at the clock he said "Do you want me to tell you the time?". 100 lvl class, way 2 strict.
I've had a lot of fun in his class. If you have a good general knowledge in physics, it's pretty simple. Then again, I preferred to sit in the front every class. Just keep a good relationship with him, and it'll definitely pay off.
I tend to agree with most of the other ratings. He's rather confusing and unapproachable, and it seems like he finds pleasure in teaching material that is not on the test. I found it difficult to maintain a good relationship with him, so if you are not interested in sucking up for a semester, I would look for a different professor.
He is a terrible Teacher. A huge annoyance. Tests have nothing to do with material that is covered in class. Aside from his stunning beard there is nothing good about him. He tends to pick on me and my buddy in class. Picks favorites and ignores those who don't watch Battlestar Gallactica.
This guy is such a terrible teacher. Do not take any class with him a the teacher. His test barely cover anything that is discussed in class. He takes extra time almost every class. He tends to pick favorites in his class. He is not helpfull at all and needs to retire.
Difficult? Yes. Good professor? Yes. If you are willing to open the book once in a while. This is definitely not a slack-off class. I hated the labs, but you have to go to do well. He curved the grades at the end of the semester.
Very difficult professor. Never used textbook once. It is possible to still pull of an A yet its a lot of work. Gives many pop quizzes. Make sure to attend all the classes.
One of the hardest classes I have ever taken. Not that great of a teacher. Very uses examples from star trek and battlestar gallactica all of the time. Doesnt explain things very clearly. The class was pretty interesting. The tests were ridiculous, I missed two lectures and I can honestly say most of what was on those tests was not covered in class
This guy is a terrible Prof.
I am just glad it is over.
Never take a class with Zick, he is a horrible teacher. There are no study guides for tests and my class average on tests is 60%. Save your self the stress dont take a class with Zick as the professor.
HE'S A REAL PIECE OF WORK. He gets MAD when no one laughes at his dry Jokes. If you need his class for your major, switch your major. BEWARE!!!!
literally the worst teacher ever. He was very unorganized and his tests were impossible and he didn't even cover most of the information in class. I had to go find the information on my own a lot of the time.
Teacher was barely accessible outside of class. Horrible long lectures full of complex theories he never broke down. He was also a bit of a jerk. Don't take this class with him. Even a few of the Teacher Assistants cringed when they found out I had him.
If you have not taken physics before, DO NOT TAKE ZICH, he barely covers material, and rambles on unimportant theories. he also messes up on equations or basic theories and plays it off like he knows what hes doing. Some how i pulled of an A, probably because he curves so much at the end, do all labs and mallard assignments
Taking this class with him as the professor was the BIGGEST mistake I ever made at Illinois State.
He doesn't really teach he just talks. I got an A in a the class but still wonder how it happened. I believe there was a huge curve at the end of the year. I want to believe an A is very attainable, but you will have to teach yourself much of the content
Honestly, unlike everyone else, I didn't think he was that bad. If you're willing to study for the tests, attend class, and go to the labs, you shouldn't have too much trouble. Take good notes and make a good note card for the test and you shouldn't do bad. He curves at the end of the semester.
DO NOT take him. He is horrible at explaining things and also very rude.
Mr. Zich is the worst, most cruel teacher ever. I think Physics is interesting but he RUINED THE FIELD OF SCIENCE FOR ME. He was one of those people who LOVES Physics so got his doctorate in it, then realized there was nothing else to do with it but teach at the college level. So he hates teaching and thats obvious. Do not TAKE THIS CLASS
Horrible professor. He actually made a girl in my class cry right in front of everyone. He never mentioned what was on the final, never gave a study guide, or reviewed for the final. Tests were ridiculous!
Absolutely terrible, don't take him, i'm midway through the semester and every class puts me to sleep, he does talk about ANYTHING RELEVANT TO THE HOMEWORK, TESTS, or the BOOK, like, come on
awful teacher. very rude, very irrelevant. gives no study guides, doesnt let you know whats on tests. grades very weird and is very hard to pass the class. i would recommened another teacher
I really disliked this teacher. He made funny geeky jokes during class but he was a complete jerk and I didn't understand anything. He never really explained and he's one of those teachers that makes you afraid to ask questions.
The worst teacher i've ever had. This man must truly despise his students. NO study guides, rambles on in class, tells geeky jokes, makes people feel stupid for not being on his level. He knows what he's saying, but the rest of us don't. I'd absolutely recommend getting another teacher
One of the worst teachers I have ever had. No study guides were ever given out to help students. Then he has the nerve to call of his students out and tell us we are not doing well in his class. Well maybe if he ever took the time to help us we all might have done better. But instead we all got crappy grades cause this is a horrible class and teach
My poor GPA is due solely to this class. He makes the subject uninteresting. He is incredibly rude and could care less if his students do poorly. Don't take him. It will be the best decision you've ever made.
HUGE curve should have got an F but got a C. thank you Zich. You are still a terrible teacher but thanks for the C
I missed the first day of class, asked him for a syllabus, and he ran away from me. Seriously. I followed him to his office and after he scolded me for being "unassertive", he reluctantly handed me a syllabus along with a giant SIGH and an eye roll. Do NOT take Zich- worst professor at ISU.
Honestly the meanest teacher ever met. Refuses to answer questions students ask about things he did not make clear in the first place. Hawks out people not paying attention, especially texters.
He is honestly the WORST teacher that I had the misfortune of meeting. He was very confusing during lectures, tests were hard, extremely rude, is not helpful, and had the nerve to try and make corny jokes, but gets mad when no one responds. I studied very hard AND went to tutoring faithfully and still got a D. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. GPA dropper :(
Don't go into Zich's class expecting him to help. He will actually laugh at you if you ask him a question. That being said questions that are asked in class should not need to be asked, like why X+X=2X. If you know basic algebra you can get an A in this class, but if you don't, do not expect Zich to help with your questions.
He is very rude. I once witnessed him telling a student sitting right next to me, ?I?d like to start seeing more of you in class. You have two options. The first being to gain weight so there is literally more of you; however I don?t think you can afford it and it is highly unattractive. Your second option is to come to class. Thanks.?
Zich is very knowledgeable and can teach the concepts well by working through problems in class. He can be rude to students that deserve it, and will often interrupt class to discipline disruptive students. Homework online is super easy (a gradebooster if anything), and labs are easy as well. The three tests are 25 question multiple choice.
The reviews make him out to be some monster, but I liked him. However, the class is difficult. Work through problems, do the online work and labs, and do your best on the tests. The online notes he assigns for reading are awesome. His office hours aren't great, and the tutors in the lab aren't always good. Watching Nova on PBS is also helpful.
I had to drop this class before I completely ruined my GPA. I thought he was funny but was scared to ask him questions and after I saw him being completely unfair to a few classmates, I got out of there. I cannot learn from someone I do not respect.
BOTTOM LINE: If you go to class every day, read the text he assigns warning: will be required to read up to 4 chapters in one week from time to time and have a high ability to do arithmetic and teach yourself physics, then this is your guy!! He doesn't answer questions typically in the fashion or way you would think...
Horrible teacher, only take if you want a lower GPA. He does not teach to the tests, his lectures have nothing to do with the homework assignments or labs. He easily assigns 10 + hrs reading/week. I'm currently a senior with a 3.5 GPA and can't seem to get better than a D on his exams. By far the worst teacher I'v had in my life.
In order to pass this class you need to be able to teach yourself the material. His notes are all scattered and he jumps from subject to subject. The test are all based on the readings which are a few chapters a week. DO NOT take his class unless you are an independent learner.
Horrible teacher, i'm hoping for all A's and B's in all of my classes except this one. I have the final tomorrow and I'm most likely going to fail this course and I've never done that.... If your major is physics and want a challenge, well he's you're guy. just trying to get a Gen-ed science? pick another teacher... anyone else...
Zich believes students learn best by making their own study guides and teaching themselves the material. It's a cute idea, but foolish and ridiculous for a freshman-focused course, especially when exams cover 8 or more chapters. The material isn't that difficult, but there is so much material that the lack of study guides makes exam prep useless.
Worst class at ISU! The entire semester he keeps you in the dark about your grades and then curves the class a bunch at the end. The labs and online quizzes are not that bad but lectures are brutal and he gives lectures after exams. He also has really bad jokes that no one finds amusing.
awful teacher, just take notes the whole time. Won't help you with anything and the tests are brutal.
He's not very interesting, he basically rambles a lot, he never tells us what's going to be on the test, and he can be rude if you're late.
AGONY! It is possible to do well you just have to put in way more effort than necessary, teach your self basically. Go to class everyday for sure and do the online quizes cause if you don't it really adds up. He talks as if you already know what hes teaching. way too challenging for a basic 100 level class. willing to talk if you try. STAY AWAY!!
NEED to go to class to pass, but with no study guides or review exams are IMpossible. He kinda keeps intros with corny jokes. This class is beyond brutal for a freshman
Terrible teacher. I dont know how i ended up with a B. Out of three exams i only passed one and failed the final. Doesnt know how to teach. You have to do the homework to pass, i think thats how i ended up with a good grade. Doesnt explain anything. Expects you to already know everything about physics. Worst teacher and hardest class ive ever taken
I really try hard to keep the comments clean. But why was he ever hired, terrible teacher and terrible grader. I got so many points off when I chose the correct answer. He expects everyone to love his class no talking or eating or being a bit late, when he doesn't realize he is absolutely horrible.
These posts make him out to be awful. I had early AM class and we all were quiet. He was really nice and wanted us to all understand the work. The material itself is what is challenging and he does give a lot of work and isn't the best grader. I recommend him only is you are good at physics. Not a bad guy, just tough course.
I had him for just a lab section, and it ruined the whole class for me. He spends about the first 20 min of class explaining how to do the labs,but by the end I was always more confused. He is so unclear and makes you write up lab reports that make you repeat your explanations over and over. Do not take this professor.
He doesn't explain very well. Good luck. Tutoring will be your best friend
Being a freshman, this class literally leaves me feeling clueless compared to all my other professors. He doesn't teach the same materialsequations than in the book and skips around way to much during lectures. Do not take this course.
I took physics in high school and did well. Zich mentions many times that you can pass his class even if you have never taken physics before. Um, NO. His notes make no sense, I always had to teach myself the material. If someone whispers in class, he calls them out and he ends up disrupting the class. Do not take ZICH. He doesn't teach well.
Worst professor i've ever had by a long shot. Doesn't give study guides often, including final exam. No clarity towards contents of tests final. Speeds through lectures in a bland and a uninteresting way to not grasp your attention at all. Don't take him under any circumstances.
DO NOT TAKE A CLASS WITH RAYMOND ZICH! no matter what you do. Not helpful. If you asked for help he looked at you like you were stupid. No study guides, they don't exist, not even for the final. Literally taught myself all year long. It was awful, I use to love physics in high school, it's the only thing that somewhat helped me get through this.
Be prepared to teach yourself! He is terrible to listen to lecture. Tons on online homework. He does curve almost everything which is nice. It is very obvious he has no passion in teaching this level 100 course (probably because it's GEN ED, but still).
DO NOT TAKE HIM. He rambles on for the whole class jumping between topics. The average grade for tests in my class was 57% but he would curve each test so they had a 77% average. The final was impossible. He does not give out study guides and it was cumulative. I definitely failed the final but after the curve I got an 83% on it.
Nice guy who means well, but he extremely boring and hard to follow. You basically have to teach yourself or find a tutor. The tests and homework assignments do not correlate at all. The class is bearable, but you have to put a little more work into it if you want a good grade.
Worst teacher to take for physics especially since its just a gen ed class. took physics in high school and remembered most topics taught about but he went on totally different tangents about subjects that didn't matter to our lesson. Recommend teaching yourself with the book and taking the online quizzes in a group. Labs are fairly easy.
If you go to class and take notes, you shouldn't have a problem. People don't like him because he can be sarcastic, but he knows exactly what he's teaching. Let's you use a note cared for tests (only 3). And you get 2 homework assignments a week with maybe 3-5 questions on each. I didn't mind the class. Do not need the books either, waste of money.
ZIch's lectures are long and hard to follow. He gives no study guides for exams or for the final. He's a nice guy but he needs to help his students out more and be clear on what he expects us to learn.
I am a hardworking, school-oriented student that has always been an A-B student. When I took this class I thought it would be an easy way to get my final credit for science but I am not even sure if I will pass. He gives extremely long, boring lectures with absolutely no excitement. He is extremely smart and offers no help and doesn't give grades.
Absolutely no help with homework or exams. He is also very rude and the lectures are extremely boring.
Lectures are long and boring. When you ask a question he either doesn't answer it or looks at you like you're stupid. The content is pretty easy, I got a B without studying. Homework is fairly simple. There are clicker questions in class for points. Tests are all multiple choice, average about a 70% but gives about a 15% curve each time.
I really enjoyed this teacher. He curves tests really high and there's only three tests plus the final. Lowest test and lab score get dropped. Participation matters for clicker questions. Class isn't too bad. Sometimes it drags but he makes corny jokes so it's bearable. He was helpful whenever I had questions.
Okay so this class isn't that great. However Zich does his best to give you a good grade in the class. Not much homework, and only four exams (final included). He drops the lowest test and lab grade, which really helps. He also curves each exam.
Raymond Zich spends 70% of class time trying to make less than average jokes to a class who is lost in the lecture within 10 mutes of the start. He does a terrible job of explaining class material to the point it can be understood by students who have not taken the course before. Zich should not be a professor, let alone a teacher at all.
Honestly I cannot find a single reason why people don't like him. If you sit down and pay attention it is incredibly easy. Also understand it's physics, it's not meant to be easy so if you are looking for an easy A this may not be it for you. He is really nice just make him know who you are and he'll love you. Test curve is incredible also. Take it
Covers too much material in short periods of time and does not offer any kind of study guide even for the final. He knows physics extremely well but is possibly the worst professor I have ever had.
He makes corny jokes, gives no study guides, goes over too much material in short time increments, and he is rude to students. He says he's willing to help after class, but he won't ever go over the hw in class after the whole class bombed it. By far, the worst professor I've had. Try looking into other profs because you'll be miserable in his lecs
Has online assignments that he does not remind you are due, he does not go into detail about subjects in class but on the test they're in detail. Does not give many examples of equations and doesn't always tell you meanings of variables in equations. If you miss class because you're sick, you get a lot of points taken due to clicker questions.
He's an awkward teacher but still covers everything you need to know for assignments and tests in class. He drops lowest test score and curves tests. His difficulty ranking is undeserved. You just need to know a few formulas and basic physics principles to get an A.
You are allowed to use a notecard for tests, however he does not explain whats going to be on them so you end up writing down like everything. Test's are extremely tricky and not like the things we go over in class so you will have to study.
Honestly the worst professor I've ever had in my 2.5 years here. I have a 3.7 gpa but I have to retake this class because its going to screw that over. Told me to "google" super positional waves rather than ask to meet in office hours. He's more concerned with his education as a grad student than my education and for that I will not respect him.
WOW.... If you have prof Zich for Phy102..... Drop it NOW. The homework rarely lined up with lecture, there were no reminders for the homework, absolutely no study guides (even for the final), material on final that was never covered in class, won't email back, doesn't tell you your grade... Never ever ever ever take a class with this man.
I liked the professor and i think people are being a little harsh on him. Show up and you get easy clicker question points, the homework lets you do it multiple times until you get it right, and you get to have an index card on all the tests. I'd say the material and tests are pretty tough but if you actually try, unlike me, a B or A is possible.
He was very fair; it was the students who do not study.
idk why people don't like this professor. I thought he was very nice and he made class less boring with his jokes. It is college though so you do have to put some work in. There are homework assignments and he doesn't give you any warning so you will need to check the website frequently but besides that study and try your best and you'll be good.
So, he's not the best. He does tell a lot of dad jokes, which are sometimes funny. But, every time I tried talking to him, he responded in a snarky tone. NEVER! reminds you of hw. This class is very heavily lecture based. You will need to study for this class.
thinks he's funny, but it's just annoying. doesnt explain anything, you will be completely lost the whole time. doesnt tell you when the homework is due, and gives pop quizzes.
Class can kinda drag on, hes funny but the subject and his teaching style are boring. He gives extra lab work that no other teachers give. Obviously knows a ton about what hes teaching, just not all that exciting. Also gives an insane amount of homework, but puts a huge curve on tests which helps.
He does not explain things well at all. I have learned nothing in this class. If you want to learn anything, you have to read the book. He does curve the tests, however, which is nice. Other than that, this class is difficult and the Expert TA's assignments are extremely challenging. Try another professor.
hey y'all so I took this prof for gen ed physics.. wrong decesion. I figured since i took physics in HS that i would be fine, but no this dude is tough. Go to class and take good notes, you don't need the book, get chegg study for answers to expert TA hw assignments, seriously a lifesaver. A good thing is he curves test like 20%.
I have not gotten a C in over 5 years until this class. He pretends to care about the class by asking how to improve it, but does nothing to do so. Often times he has shown that he does not even know his own material. No study guides ever, expects you to just reread hundreds of pages of text book. You will be going in blind for every test.
He was not accessible outside of class. His instructions were never clear.
Didn't assign a lot of outside work for the course and also didn't ask too much of us during class. The exams were somewhat challenging because we weren't always quite sure what to expect, but his lectures did somewhat relate to the material. He was a nice and smart guy who kept class as interesting as possible.
A lot of homework, but he curves everything. Even the exams. The exams were curved by 20%. Real funny guy and will talk your ear off outside of class. The entire semester I was expecting a bad grade, but then at the end of the ear I guess I received a B. Super easy if you show up to the labs and exams.
-Quiet but makes some funny jokes -Class is overall boring -Clicker questions -Textbook not needed -$30 Homework website fee -3 exams, 1 final. Lowest exam is dropped, rest are curved. -3 hour lab with this class -lets you use a notecard for the tests -never reminds you of homework -get it over with early in your college career
Smart guy but he changes up his syllabus a lot. Doesn't stick to is, so it gets very very annoying. Not too hard if you listen in class and try. Not too bad.
Attendance is not mandatory however if you skip you will not pass. He does not use the book at all and solely relies on lecture. If you skip a class you will get behind. He will also assign a ton of assignments then only count a few. He does curve but tests are really hard and he doesn't even give you the full period to do the test.
Has said about 10 times that there's free tutoring by the physics club but has yet to mention the actual hours. I should have listened to these other reviews and friends who have taken him. Even when 90% of the class is confused and verbally expresses this in lectures, he will keep going like it doesn't matter if anyone retains the information.
This dude may be one of the worst teachers Ive ever had. Doesnt teach material at all and goes through lectures like everybody understands it. No study guides for any of the tests or the final. Expert TA homework is wack, so get a Chegg study if youre trynna pass. If you have to take PHY102 for a gen ed, avoid this guy at all costs if possible.
Hands down the worst professor or teacher I have ever had. His lectures cover maybe half of what is on the tests, the book covers another maybe 10%, and the rest is up to you to figure out on your own. When he lectures, he doesn't make any connections between concepts and assumes you know what he's talking about. DO NOT TAKE PHY 102 WITH THIS GUY..
Never grades anything. I haven't known my grade since the first week. Quizzes and tests are completely out of order. We have random quizzes on stuff from months ago that we can't use equation sheets. The online weekly homework website makes no sense and has many problems with it that greatly affect your grade he doesn't care or try to fix it.
For most of the semester I thought he was a decent professor, but once we got closer to the end, the material became more confusing and he wasn't very accessible outside of class. He never answers questions on the homework (which was much more difficult than anything in class). However, he does curve exams which is what got me my A.
He does not update grades often at all, poorly explains subject matters during lecture, does not provide any sort of materials to help students other than the textbook which he never once used in class, and to top it all off he uses an out of date website for all homework making completing said homework incredibly frustrating and time consuming.
YMMV but I really liked him! He spent a lot of the semester asking us how we liked the course, how well he was doing as an instructor, etc, so i can only assume he saw the criticisms and is trying to improve. He's definitely passionate about Astronomy, and his lectures reflected it. Tests are tough, but his correction policy is pretty generous.
Be prepared to get a tutor for this class if you did not take AP Physics in high school. I would highly recommend not getting the textbook for this class, it says in the syllabus to read certain chapters for that class but they are about 2 weeks off from what is talked about. Doesnt answer questions in class. Labs are super easy, homework is okay
way to lecture heavy with no study guides for tests
He makes funny physics jokes but his lectures are so confusing and long. He doesnt answer any of your questions if youre confused and makes you feel bad about it. Theres labs and homework assignments every week, many of which are difficult as well. If hes in a bad mood he will get irritated about every little thing.
Seems disrespected or annoyed by in-class questions. Forces you to pay $40.00 for an external website that he posts assignments on, it is low quality and difficult to use. Generally unforgiving of special circumstances, not much of an interest in students. Teaching seems like a chore for him.
Professor Zich was one of my favorite professors this past semester. The online work is pretty easy. During each lecture you have to complete a worksheet for points based on completion. The labs were fairly easy as well as the weekly quizzes. The only downside is that you have to pay around $40 for an access code to complete the homework.
Did not learn a thing. He is useless for providing any info u need on a test or quiz. Making friends with the lab tech was the only way I got thru this class
Professor Zich was very very lecture heavy, he based mostly everything around lectures and book work. In-class activities were great and helped to solidify content, quizzes were easy and exams are curved. Overall, get ready to study hard and frequently. But, show up to class, take good notes, and find a good study group and you'll be okay.
Dr. Zich is one of the worst professors I've had. His lectures and activites were very unclear, and the online homework that you are forced to buy is $40 and is not the most user friendly. If the exams were not curved, I would likely have failed. The activities were only participation based, so I don't know if I actually got the answers.
Mr. Zich is probably the work professor I've had. Labs and activities are due every week. He barely responds to emails and even if he does he provides little to no solution. He does not give feedback on tests, exams, or assignments and leaves you even more confused when you ask questions. If this is your first physics class do not take his classes.
Lectures are all over the place and most of the time what he is talking about isn't on the board, he's rambling about physics or will start telling a joke without any warning so it makes everything so much more confusing. moves very fast. he does allow a notecard of information on tests and the final. there are much easier pay 102 profs, take them.
Terrible. Exams are nothing what you cover in class and there's so much material. He never replies to questions directly and somehow leaves you more confused. Doesn't care about his students and it shows. Also, he would give us a 50 min limit for exams and then make us start another unit/activity the same day. Do not take him if you can manage.
Zich is passionate about physics, but my learning style didn't work well with his teaching. Just listen often, take good notes, complete the semi-enjoyable labs, and do the "for-completion" in-class assignments; it shouldn't be too bad then. We were expected to read the textbook, but I passed without it. Office hours & study groups are v helpful.
I honestly think calling this man a "professor" is a bit of a stretch. The class is very disconnected. The HW, quizzes, exams, and labs have very little overlap. There are so many assignments and it's easy to miss one or two out of pure confusion. The exams are also curved by 30%, which says a lot. Never, ever take PHY 102 with him for any reason.
This professor does not give a flying Fu(k about his students. he also uses a website that looks like it was made in the stone age for assignments. he also does not teach anything useful. This man clearly attained his degree from an elementary school.
Professor Zich's class is a mixed bag. While he's passionate about physics, his teaching style doesn't always click. Use Unstuck study, take good notes, and attend study groups to supplement the lectures. The workload is heavy, but manageable if you stay on top of it.
doesnt have any good resources for test preperation outside of class. dont go to the lectures? youre not passing your exam.
Mr. Zich's low RateMyProfessor score is a consequence of the overwhelmingly unintelligent student body here at ISU. He very clearly cares a lot about his students, but won't pass you for not putting in the work. Zich genuinely helped change my perspective on learning and proved to me that there are some decent professors in this lackluster school.
There is a lot of homework every week for this class. The labs are easy but it can be hard to manage all the labs, quizzes, simulations, reading, and work in class. The test questions are not really connected to what he lectures about in class. There is a curve on the tests since a lot of students do not understand what is going on.
Raymond is hard to follow and does not try to make his students feel passionate about learning in his class. He really seems to just be there for a paycheck and to yap about how much he knows about physics. How much you know doesn't seem to matter to him as he's getting paid either way. I really think he should retire and enjoy his home life.
This professor has a good sense of humor but struggles with teaching. The worksheets and class content often don't align, making it hard to follow. However, if you attend class and complete all the homework, passing should be easy. Consider taking the course with another professor for a better experience.
PHY101 is easy but very fast-paced and work-heavy. Weekly: 1 lab, 1 PhET Lab due Friday, 1–2 assignments (Thursday), and quizzes on Wed/Fri (unspecified). Exams overlap with quizzes. Teaching is fast and unclear for beginners unless you ask questions. A HS physics background helps. Nice professor, but very quick and not the best at explaining.
Homework is all over the place and you will know if you know anything about physics until the exam.
Honestly, he's just plain rude. The way he talks to my classmates and I is borderline disrespectful in my opinion. He always has a condescending tone and doesn't really explain anything when you ask for help. Would not recommend this professor and I feel his ratings reflect his overall character towards his students. Packet, Packet, Packet, Packet!
Zich was an awful professor, he was very condescending, everything we learned may or may not be on the exams so you never knew what you were getting tested on, so much homework through in class, canvas, and an online platform you had to pay for. Overall this was a terrible experience that I recommend to none.
No. Don't take it.... it's passable and you'll probably get the credit but prepare to balance 100 things at once and spend way too many hours studying and doing redundant unrelated assignments.
Worst professor I've had so far. Grumpy, condescending tone, packets all over, print out this homework and this one, random quiz here, test there. Study for a bunch of things and the test is different. Its like he hates his job and enjoys us failing. Had to curve grades because the classes scores were so low. Would never recommend taking this class
He seems very passionate and funny sometimes. Expert TA assignments are super easy. Along with the Labs. I got 100s on all homework and all labs. Quizzes and tests are super hard and caused me to have a C. The lectures, at least for me, were not helpful in any way for learning. While attendance isn't mandatory, there is assignments every class.
He isn't the nicest professor but don't let these reviews scare you! Every category (exams, quizzes, homework, in-class assignments) are weighted equally (20%) I failed the first exam and still passed the class with an A. He isn't the best at explaining things so take advantage of the physics tutoring ISU offers!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
63%
Textbook Required
57%
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