Dr. Barakat is an amazing teacher, and very passionate about the topic. She always makes lectures interactive and useful. Lectures are optional, online (at least for this semester), and recorded. Tests are open notes, but do try to keep up with the lectures. She is also accessible outside class. I highly recommend taking BISC104 with Dr. Barakat!

Dr Barakat is an amazing professor. She's very passionate about neuroscience and you can tell that she really cares about her students. Couldn't recommend her enough!

Class taken: 230 (not 104) Dr. Barakat's amazing! Not only are her lectures entertaining, but she explains concepts well and helps you understand the material. Coming from someone who isn't a Neuroscience major, the tests cover a lot of content, but she's very understanding and always eager to help. She's also hilarious and super approachable!

Class is very straightforward. Barakat is a good lecturer. Exams aren't too bad to prepare for if you use the speaker notes and the lecture slides. Would definitely recommend for someone looking to satisfy their GE-D requirement.

Dr. Barakat is a really caring professor and tries to make the grading criteria as clear as possible, but to the point that the lectures seemed only geared towards what would be on her exam and not as much about us actually learning. Test was 100% memorization and was easy if you put in the time to memorize everything on her slides.

Dr. Barakat is a great lecturer, very engaging, and very willing to help students. Her content is the easiest in 421, just memorize what's on the slides and you will be set for the test.

Rita's content was really heavy and took a lot of memorizing to get down, but she clearly wants students to get an A, and provides AMAZING study guides, practice exams, and course outlines. Start studying 2 weeks in advance for her exam and just spend 2 hours a day following her study guide and you will get a 100% on the exam.

Took 230 with her. I have never loved another professor more at USC. She is always willing to help during office hours or by email. Her exams are very straightforward if you make good cheat sheets and take the time to study the content. One of the only professors that give study guides and values learning the content over brute memorization.

Hands down best BISC220 teacher. Her tests aren't actually MCAT style and she provides you with a really helpful study guide. She is so passionate and sweet and her powerpoints are really easy to follow. Try try try to have her for this class.

Such an amazing professor! She is so kind and you can tell she really wants her students to do well. BISC220 is a hard class and there is a lot of material but her lectures are detailed and informative. Her tests are straightforward and she doesn't try to trick you. you will do well if you put in the work!

Barakat is by far the best BISC220 professor. Compared to other professors, she makes it more clear what we need to know for the exam and what to expect. She doesn't try to trick you at all on exams and they're straightforward. any BISC220 class is going to be very content heavy but if you study ahead, Barakat makes it a lot less stressful.

honestly, bisc 220 just kinda sucks. it's not really on her but the questions are not MCAT style like the other professors and are straightforward, but focus on super specific details and quizzes were really hard for some reason. but she is super caring and understanding. BISC-220 is a slog anyway so this might be your best bet.

Her tests are "easier" but people should understand that just means the curves are less generous. Almost all you need to know is on the slides. She doesn't really provide studying material which made the tests really unpredictable. A lot of "which answer is MORE correct" questions that just come down to guessing regardless of how well you study.

Dr. Barakat is the best science teacher I have ever had! I love physiology and she made the content so engaging with jokes during class and poll questions to access your understanding of the material. She provides plenty of resources to help you prepare for exams, such as an exam review, a study guide, and hints during lecture. Take her!

Very nice, accessible and a good lecturer. Exams are quite harder with highly application-based questions, but as long as you study then you will probably be fine.

Lectures are very digestible and easy to understand. Very accessible outside of class if you have any questions. Tests are entirely based off of lectures, and are easier than other BISC 220 exams so there is almost no curve. Quiz questions have multiple correct answers so pay attention to details mentioned in the speaker notes in PP slides.

All around, BISC220 is a challenging course. However, Dr. Barakat helps ease this by being accessible outside class, providing informative lectures, and curating straightforward exams. There occasionally is some discrepancy between the lecture slides and the PowerPoint notes, so just clarify with her through email. Overall, very passionate teacher.

Dr. B broke down extremely complex subject matter into the most fascinating, structured pieces. Her ability to convey information is remarkable, as is her genuine care for students and her curiosity on her field. I thoroughly enjoyed taking this class - it nearly made me switch back to being pre-med.

Dr. Barakat is literally the sunshine professor of BISC 220. She is SUCH an amazing lecturer and is very approachable. She responds to emails immediately and tries her best to accommodate all her students through Zoom and recorded lectures, VERY organized presentations, study guides, practice tests, and soo much more. Hands down my favorite prof!!!

Dr. Barakat is a gem in bio department. I took her for 220 and 421, despite classes being hard in general she explained difficult concepts really well. Exams are fair and she has a lot of office hours to attend to. She is super caring and accessible outside of classes, and a great person to talk with! Definitely recommend to take

I loved this class! Prof. B is caring, funny, and passionate. She made the content more interesting. Lectures aren't mandatory which is nice because you can get the info on your own time. You're allowed a cheat sheet on the exams. If you want a good grade, I'd recommend reading the Lecture Transcripts in the study guide; Those were my saving grace.

Great professor! The class is tough and I don't recommend if not required, but I learned a bit and she cares alot about students. Lecture material is well taught, but the 4 exams come up fast. Labs and lab quizzes depend on the TA which is important.

not sure about the last review, but dr. b does her best to make lectures fun, engaging and informative. she's super accessible outside of class and always makes time to answer student questions, and she's one of the few professors that seems to make the content relatable to real life.

Professor Barakat is amazing, she genuinely cares about her students. Her slides are extremely useful for studying as are her study guides. If you just make sure to know all of the terms on her study guide and can answer all of the questions on it you'll likely do well on the exams. She is extremely accessible both in person and over email.

I love Barakat. She is super caring and accommodating, and she records all her lectures so going to the lectures is not mandatory. The tests are pretty straightforward and slightly difficult but just because the content is hard to learn. I highly recommend her!

Best BISC220 professor, with the most simple tests too from my recollection. Don't expect much of a curve since her class is the first to fill up, there will be better students in her class compared to others. Has great lecture slides and the best exam study guides and practice exams. Must have professor for a good grade in BISC220.

She's the sweetest, most amazing professor ever this semester!! She's super sweet, super reachable! Go to her office hours and she'll see you put in the work. The exams are a bit confusing but I suggest you do cheat sheets for all the slides and make sure to listen for extra details she'll say out loud because those ones tend to show up too.

Although BISC 220 is a b word to get through, Rita made it worth it. She is very good at lecturing and tries her best to help her students. She gives you the materials you need to succeed you just have to use them!

If you have the option to take a class with her, take it. She gets a thumbs up from me-- a computer science major who was mad that I had to take bio at all! Very kind, great lecturer, reallyyy helpful written out lecture transcripts. Tests were sometimes tricky, but leaps and bounds better than what other professors gave. Love you girl.

LITERALLY the best professor you can take for this class - she's super supportive and does everything she can to prepare her students for her exams, and purely just wants you to do well and learn. I only had her for half of the semester but I can truly say after the prof switch she was MISSED. If you have to take this class, take her.

BARAKAT IS THE BEST 220 TEACHER YOU CAN GET. 220 is a tough class but she does everything in her power to set up her students for success. there is a zoom option, everything is recorded, and her lecture transcript is given which makes studying for exams easy. she explains concepts so clearly. Hires was such a downgrade from her when they switched.

BISC 230: 4 exams, 1 research paper, and lab; no homework. She provides recordings, slides, lecture notes, etc. Exams are MCQ, T/F, Fill-in-the-Blanks, SAQ. Would definitely take her again even though content was dense! Incredibly passionate professor; went in for office hours once and she was great to talk to and provides great feedback.

Dr. Barakat is a very good lecturer who wants students to succeed. BISC 220 is a gauntlet, yet she curates straight-forward exams and quizzes that make it extremely possible to get an A in the class. Her office hours are so helpful. Overall, amazing professor!

Prof B.'s lecture slides and study materials (including transcripts of her lectures, study guides, and practice exams) are well organized and provide sufficient information to prepare you for her exams. I have never felt unprepared for an exam when I went through everything she provided. Lectures are recorded and attendance is not mandatory.

Dr. Barakat is the gem of the BISC department. She makes it extremely easy to do well. She records all her lectures, makes detailed transcripts, and uploads all the slides she uses. She also posts practice exams, amazing study guides, and much more. Dr. Barakat is extremely accessible outside of class and go to her office hours - you gain sm!

Dr. Barakat is a superstar. She is so accessible in and out of class, which allows you to learn the material in the format that works best for you. Four lecture exams and eight quizzes comprise your grade. Although BISC 220 is notoriously difficult, this class was pretty enjoyable because of Dr. Barakat.

She is definitely the best pick for BISC220. Tests can be difficult but it's all about how well you understand the material rather than how much you memorized, but she has the easiest tests out of all the BISC220 profs (which means there is little/no curve). She had great energy and tried to make everyone laugh!

Very energetic and charismatic professor. Her questions can be quite tricky, especially in terms of wording, but the tests and weekly quizzes were still very manageable. Lectures are pretty interesting and I highly recommend going, although attendance is not mandatory. She's very receptive via email and will respond typically within a day or so.

I was in the split section, so I only had her for half of the semester, but she was an awesome professor. All lecture recordings and slides were uploaded online, and her lecture slides were extremely detailed. She even made detailed study guides for us -- all in all, she cares about her students. Watch out for tough questions in the test though!

She is a super energetic professor! Her lectures were honestly very enjoyable and super interesting. When it comes to tests, she sends tons of information including a review sheet that makes your life x10 easier. Love love love her!!

She's super sweet but will not curve for your life. She really improved in her lecturing as the semester progressed, but tests aren't easy. Lectures were all recorded which is helpful. VERY lecture heavy on the exams, she could test on a single sentence mentioned

Dr. Barakat is amazing and the class is so informative. The lectures are so interesting and leave you wanting to learn more. Tests are challenging but if you study terms after class instead of cramming last minute you'll do fine. She's always up to date on scientific discoveries and will give good insight when she has a minute. Go to the lectures!!

Genuinely my favorite professor. She had all of the information posted for the entire year, including study guides, practice quizzes, and she posts all of the lecture slides online. She also posts the recordings from each class, and she is very helpful during office hours. Highly recommend you take her. You are also given an 8.5" x 11" cheat sheet.

Dr. Barakat is one of the kindest and caring professors at USC. Along with Dr. Bryant, Dr. Barakat gives amazing lectures thanks to being familiar with teaching. She's extremely approachable and encourages you to do your best, no matter how difficult the subject is. Try coming up with your own mnemonics and summary sheets for good test prep.

Dr. Barakat is so sweet and positive, and you can tell she really loves what she does. She also gives super helpful study guides and questions to help you prep for the exams which are based on lectures. There was a lot of info and difficult concepts that were taught but she explained them clearly and answered any questions I had after lectures.

Prof. Barakat is passionate and kind, and makes the material very accessible through simple explanations. Most of the test-related prep is provided in study guides and lectures. BISC104 I thought was a bit too detailed and challenging for a GE class - but I'm sure she's a great choice for a higher-level elective.

Dr. Barakat has a real brightening presence on the classroom and her lectures are lighthearted while still informational. Exams can be dense but studying is relatively easy, she provides study guides that are super helpful and if you know everything on the (posted) slides you will get an A. Lab is annoying because of unexpected & arduous quizzes.

Amazing Professor. Although the content is often difficult to comprehend, Dr B breaks it down in an easy manner. She is passionate and knowledgeable and is very patient during office hours. Lectures are recorded on Zoom. Difficult exams but a lot of resources and practice questions. Very supportive and a lovely Professor.

didn't curve spring 2024 but did give extra credit for high response rate to course eval so FAIR TBH!! loveee dr barakat, INCREDIBLE lecturer + always kept the energy up even though it was an 8am. gives sooo many review materials catered specifically to her exams!! sends out lots of announcements so you'll always know what's going on in her course!

The class, overall, was pretty solid. One issue I had with the course was the grading: we were told there was a curve, but after the final, it was announced there would be no curve at all. It was my 1st premed course at USC with no curve, so while she may have higher exam averages, there is less room for error than in other premed courses.

Most amazing lecturer with great slides and even speaker notes in those slides. She was very kind and willing to change her slide animations to accommodate my needs which I really appreciated. The class does require a lot of studying, but it's not too bad. Lots of quizlets are already made that you can find

bisc220 is just a hard class, there's no getting around that. I think Dr. B works incredibly hard to support us as much as she can, with extra office hours, study guides and is always happy to answer questions in class or over email. Show up to lecture, follow her study tips and put in the time outside of class and you can get through it!

Dr. B is hands down the nicest prof you'll have! She's genuine & wants her students to succeed. She has tons of office hours. Regardless, there's a generous advisory curve on each exam (because they are so difficult, literally 54% average on midterm 2). This isn't an easy class at all & I barely made it with a B thanks to lab which bumped my grade.

Dr. B is truly amazing and does everything in her power to meet her students' needs. To do well, you MUST study well in advanced to answer her application questions. Try drawing concepts out, making flashcards, and teaching the material to a peer. If you study effectively and take advantage of what Dr. B has to offer, you'll do just fine.

Prof Barakat's lectures are very clear and she is extremely clear about what will appear on exams (she also does not teach unnecessary information). She is super accessible outside of class for questions and was open to questions during class as well. She posted all of the lectures before classes even began. Also get a cheat sheet on exams.

Even though she was only subbing in for the class, I thought the material in the second half was more interesting and her slides were organized and easy to follow.

Dr. Barakat is an amazing prof, probably one of the best I've had at USC. She's super kind, easy to talk to outside of class and always answers questions over email. BISC-220 is an insanely difficult class, but if you have to take it, take it with Barakat!!

Dr. B is the most incredible professor I've had at USC, and made neuroscience such an engaging subject even with such dense material to cover. A material heavy GE but absolutely manageable especially if you pace your studying — almost purely memorization so figure out what works for you! Practice exams/study guides SO helpful, JUST LOVE DR B!

Dr. B is an amazing person and lecturer but exams were awful. She definitely raised her exam difficulties this semester and there was still barely a curve despite the low averages.

(I had Barakat/Hires) Barakat is one of the sweetest and most involved professors I have ever met! Her lectures were reflective of what was on exams despite what others may say. Generally exams are more application based so the averages were around a 60% with the mean being curved to a B-. Study and you will succeed; Barakat you are an icon!

Very sweet, creates a good environment in the classroom, does a good job of breaking down complicated topics, this class is very memorization based but she provided a study guide for each midterm that helped with vocab and concepts which was super helpful

LOVE HER!! My favorite professor at USC by far!! Dr. B is so supportive, sweet, and really makes an effort to make biology interesting. Love her teaching style, her energy, and her outfits! The content on Brightspace was well-organized, and her exams were fair and representative of the things she emphasized in class. Couldn't recommend enough!

She is a very charismatic and fun professor but this class is not easy. It's mostly exams which basically just tests your memorization of the content from the lectures, which are dense. There is too much info for a GE, but the exam are somewhat fair. The labs are useless and annoying. Take pass/fail or you'll have to suffer trying to get an A.

Bisc 220 is a difficult class, there's no way around it. But take it with Barakat, you will thank me later- she genuinely cares about her students and wants them to succeed, and she is probably the best teacher in the whole department. Definitely one of my favorite profs at USC, actually responds to emails and cares about you as a person. Love her!

As someone who's not a stem major, she really makes all of the material digestible. She zoom-records all of her lectures, provides live closed captioning (in case you missed something she says), provides clear study guides, and is happy to elaborate on anything we have trouble with. Class has a curve and none of the tests are cumulative. Take her!

If you know bio from like highschool or past classes, I'd take this class. Surface-level biology topics and super test heavy. Professor Barakat is such a sweet teacher and she records her lectures, so you don't have to go to class. Also allows cheat sheets, so if you just study like 3-4 days before and watch all lectures, its a pretty easy A.

Prof. Barakat exudes amazing energy during lectures, and you can tell she cares about her students. The lecture speed was fast. I usually need to preview the slides a little bit before class to not feel overwhelmed during. The exams were challenging, but studying well should do. Grade was based on how well you did compared to the rest of the class.

Great professor overall wish she didn't teach this annoying GED. Class is extremely lecture heavy so take thorough notes. She is very responsive to emails in case you have any questions. Take this P/NP if you're taking it for a GE