3.4
Quality3.3
Difficulty55%
Would Retake281
Reviews55%
Would Retake
281
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
96
4
63
3
49
2
33
1
40
What Students Say
“Unless you are naturally phenomenal at math and physics, avoid taking a class with Geller at all costs”
PHYS6ABC - 1.0 rating“Geller is the best professor hands down”
ASTRO1 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
47%
Textbook Required
32%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
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Declining
-0.94 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYSCS31
5.0
(1)PHYSICS
5.0
(1)CCS31
5.0
(1)PHYS12
5.0
(1)PHYS6SERIES
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PHY1
5.0
PHYSICS
5.0
PHYBPHYS
5.0
PHYS
5.0
PHYSICS1
4.5
Reviews (281)
Enthusiastic, clear, original, young, and knows his physics
Einstien hair, hilarious, best physics teacher, funny, entertaining
very clear, entertaining, didn't cover much
students get out way less parepared than those taught by other profs.
not clear at all
Doesn't teach well at all relies on your own studying.
Very entertaining but you have to study on your own or visit your TA ALOT
I love him
Class is interesting, class is cake if you have had AP physics in HS.
Took this in HS so maybe I'm biased. Material's pretty simple, he doesn't seem to cover as much as other professors.
Is interesting and amusing, yet doesn't really cover much in class...hope you enjoy learning physics on your own...
a classic kiss-ass instructor. never shows up in ta meetings, very secretive about what he's covering in lectures. students like him because exams are easy for those who know the stuff, and he curves liberally at the end. (con't)
Great professor. He knows his stuff well. If you goto lectures and take good notes his tests are easy. Finals can be very tough sometimes though. Make sure you understand concepts well, not just knowing how to approach certain hw problems.
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His test are really hard and he assumes you know a lot of physics already.
This class is close to impossibility!
doesnt cover much in class, the only way you are getting through his classes is if you have already had physics or u devote this quarter to the class
I don't get why students like this guy... '_'# He doesn't explain most of the hard stuff, but likes to take time talking about spy planes, and bs like that...what a waste go take DOUG FOLSOM for PHysics 1 if you've never taken Physics before!
great energetic guy but i gotta say hes not dat great a teacher. doesnt cover much in class, few examples, too much bs n jokes, i come to learn not to listen to some jokes. hard test too!!!
His lectures are fun and energetic lots of extra info that makes physics fun (spy technology, quantum physics, time travel). Yes, you have to read the book to understand the baisics!! Could just read the book (do the homework) and pass the class...
The best physics professor, shown by his class being FULL every single quarter.
Very clear teaching.
Cant teach the material, goofy, hard tests, cant teach, not a good teacher, dosn't teach well, dosen't know how to teach.
He was really nice, but I was unprepared for how hard his testing would be.
funny hair and great examples in class
really great if you can get through some painful learning. hard as hell tests unless ur a natural at physics. also, take it just to watch in class demos...he's awesome and always enthused. i really enjoy that he brings life to a sometimes dull subject.
AWESOME!!! One of the best teachers I've ever had in my life. He makes the course so fun and interesting, I barely noticed how insanely hard the homework was. And he has the crazy physicist hair! He's taking time off now so he can write a book. So sad.
He is a very enthused professor. LOVE LOVE LOVE his demos. always made it to class because of his demos. exams are very hard for phys 1, phys 2 was a little easier. hw is hard too. but you can get away with these by going to CLAS or going ot him for help.
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Geller is an awesome teacher. The tests were really straight forward. Some multiple choice and a few write out probs. Usually 1 prob. to weed ppl out. makes lectures interesting & aplicable. the only complaint is that he does very few actual examples probs. in class, & more conceptual stuff. Would recommend.
Fun and nice. Very helpful. Great demonstrations end engaging lectures.
kinda hard but funny and wants to help
This guy is awesome. He's great at explaining everything, and does cool demos in lecture. And the tests are extremely easy, i dont know why everyone complains.
Though the class and exams may seem tough, the curve makes everything ok. As long as you're somewhat prepared and have all the formulas on the sheet for the exams, you should be just fine! He makes class fun with his demonstrations and weird reactions to them!
Makes lectures fun with demos, but doesnt always teach enough. You have to do all the reading and homework to learn. Nice and funny guy. The 1st midterm was really hard, but they get easier if you know what youre doing.
Fair class, we were given cheat sheets and calculators for tests. Can have somewhat hard test but gives u a syllabus of whats going to be on it. Fun demos, good personality and funny. The only downside is that too many fun demos less teaching. Needs to teach the material more and not go off on astronomy tangents. Over good prof. with a curve.
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Very entertaining! Likes to connect physics to life sciences. His tests are hard though.
wonderful professor...he uses lots of demos to explain concepts, his exams of fair, and he's personable. I started his class hating physics, and I'm now considering a physics major.
Great professor. Had lots of demos which made class fun. Sometimes I felt he needed more examples and less off-topic discussions. Exams were fair considering we were allowed cheat sheets, a calculator and he curves. He was very personable. Ton's of homework. Keep up with the homework because they are worth as much as an exam.
I'll give him a chili because he was awfully upset when he found out no one gave him a chili here.
Good teacher. Lots of interesting demos to keep you awake. Lets you have a cheat sheet with notes for midterms and final, which is a huge help.
the f-ing ****. demos are great but you will not get an A probibly a B+/A-
he is hot. ya and he is hilarious. it's hard but read your book and it's all good. cheat sheets kick ass.
great professor, fair exams, kept his physics class as interesting as one could hope to find an introductory level physics course
Way better than Fygenson. Very fair and good at explainging concepts. Tests are very fair. Easy to get a good grade with little studying.
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geller rocks
Never had any prior classes in physics. Didn't do very well on the midterms, but with the curve I ended up with a B-. Get help from CLAS and use his office hours. Do well on HW because that's worth equally as a midterm. Does very fun and cool demos in class and class is rarely boring, except the lecture on Astrology.
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Geller is a pretty cool. Teacher. When speaking to him, he seems like a pretty nice guy. His lectures are somewhat helpful. You have to go over the chapters also though. His class takes up a lot of your time which is stressful but if you try hard it is not that bad. Masteringphysics homework gets annoying after a while but is crucial.
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He hasn't been writing as much on the board and is doing more demos since he received his teacher evaluations. Class is like watching an unrehearsed version of Bill Nye the Science Guy where some of the demos don't work.
Awesome professor. The class was challenging, but in a good way. The tests are really well written. You don't actually have to read the book, just refer to it while doing homework (the online homework is pretty fun). If you enjoy problem solving you'll love this class.
After his ridicluous midterm, I realized that I do not like Geller. Yeah, the class is entertaining, but he doesn't teach anything and you either have to learn it all from CLAS or from the book. His tests don't test you on anything he actually taught, so be careful
whoa he does a lot of demos! so what?!! they are useless. he is useless. he does not teach a thing. he is the worst professor i have had. it's ridiculous when he tries to explain things bc he can't if his life depended on it. his book sucks too. why? bc he wrote it!!
geller makes it easy to pay attention in lecture since he loves teaching. he does a lot of demos. however his tests are a lot harder than the homework and the example problems that he does in class.
Geller is a cool guy but his teaching is seriously flawed. His lectures are conceptual but his tests are difficult mathematic problems that are poorly written. You have to teach yourself the concepts or you will fail. attending class is often pointless since all he does are demos: entertaining but not helpful for the home work which takes forever!
Geller is a really cool guy..i went to all his lectures because they ARE really entertaining and you will definitely stay awake.he COULD improve on his teaching but its cool to see a professor that is passionate about teaching.He's not there to hold your hand so dont be a wuss,and just read.oh,and homework SUCKS but its the same for all professors.
Did a lot of demos and had clear lectures but has a tendency to give questions on tests that were not like the homework,lecture,or book (well for the final @least).He really makes u think.Physics is an interesting but complicated.He was a good professor, the best of all the physics prof i've had (3). He's pretty cute too, looks like a grad student
class is SO easy. take him, easiest class i've ever taken in college!
Of the entire Physics 6 series, 6C was by far the easiest. Nuclear physics was somewhat interesting.
this guy is awesome. he is aware that the students who take his course are not physics majors, and makes a conscious and notable effort to connect the material to biology and other subjects of interest, and he does so successfully. i would highly recommend him, his teaching methods and tests are straightforward.
really great professor, makes material easy to understand and explains in a way that allows students to comprehend it without getting too mixed up
Geller makes physics fun
Got an A for the qtr even tho i bombed a midterm! Yay! 2 midterms & a final. All multiple choice. Midterms were easy, but final was extremely hard/intense! If you fall behind, CLAS helps. He's very generous on curves. CLASS AVERAGE = 65-67% and that's considered a B-. HARD CLASS~ cool teacher.
Geller is a good teacher. Does a lot of demos and fun stuff in lecture. Midterms are easy and final is not that bad. If you have taken high school physics this class is a joke. Doesnt get hard until the end of the quarter. Good teacher, great class. take first year!! lot of homework to be done
Physics 6B is a much harder class that 6A. Material is simply more difficult to grasp and apply. Geller is a good teacher and makes the class much easier than it could be. He cuts out a lot of material that he knows most of us bio majors won't ever use. Definitely take this class. Not stressful at all
Hilarious, passionate teacher. If you are taking physics at UCSB, it should be with him. I enjoyed going to class. The midterms and finals are MUCH easier than you think they will be.
he really cares about his students doing well, and tries hard to make the class interesting (and succeeds at this with his demonstrations!)there are weekly homework assignments online, 2 midterms and a final. he curves the tests so the average is around C+/B-. to do well make sure you go to lecture and UNDERSTAND the homework problems
Gellar is awesome. definitely reccommend taking him for the whole physics series. very fair and understanding- changing due dates if he feels we are too busy. Makes class very fun and interesting. In love with rockclimbing and has crazy hair... haha
I really don't understand why he has good ratings. From the first day he set us up to fail, letting us know that we probably wouldn't get into grad school if we didn't pass the class. He's a horrible lecturer and I couldn't follow anything he said. Take CLAS.
amazing teacher. learns from other people's questions and incorporates them into his next years lecture. Patient.
His lectures are very useful, attend every lecture. His tests are fair and there is a curve for his class.
I don't really enjoy physics so its made it hard for me to concentrate in this class. He is a very good teacher though and although I never passed a test, I still ended up passing the class. He curves when necessary. He's a nice and fun teacher. I, actually, enjoyed lectures.
I liked him up until he gave us a ridiculous final...and only ONE midterm???? Give us a break! I will be taking a different professor next quarter
Geller is a great lecturer who can really engage people in the material. He understands that many of the students are not physics majors, so he does make concessions for them. Tests are not easy, but are fair, as long as you do the homework and understand it.
Even if you understand the homework, tests can still be difficult. He throws random problems that you've never seen before and assumes you can just figure them out based on what you've learned. Class is useless because the things he teaches really don't appear on the exams. I had better physics teachers in high school.
Geller is awesome! You should definitely go to class if you want to do well in the class and you should make sure you understand the homework problems for the tests. I didn't do too well on the midterm but did well on the final to get an A. The curve is really helpful!
Geller is extremely helpful and clear. He strives to make certain that he is clear about what will be on the exams and gives a fair review before every test. It is very very important to go to class and take notes and later study the notes while doing homework. He is also very sociable and enjoys visits from students who are truthly interested.
I had him for Astro. Great professor interested in the subject and makes his lectures very interesting. Important to attend every lecture. Understanding concepts is more important than knowing the math, although there's still math. CLAS helps. His tests are pretty straightforward, just study.
Class is easy if you pay attention and thoroughly complete homework. CLAS was very helpful. Geller is passionate and a good teacher. I am the opposite of a science student and I found his class doable and even interesting. He is laid back too, which is nice for a high-stress class
Astro 1: Interesting class most of the time. Sections are optional and help sometimes. Pay more attention to conceptual ideas rather than math realated problems. Make sure to go to lecture because he does iClicker questions.
I found Geller very likable. He really seemed passionate about the subject. Although I found this class difficult, with concepts that were sometimes hard to grasp, I felt Geller was very fair with grading and his overall expectations. I did not find section very helpful.
Geller was a good teacher. Material was a little hard but he made it much easier. Do the homeowrk and the class is fairly simple.
Geller is the man. He does a great job teaching the physics series for bio majors - there is a good balance between conceptual and quantitative analysis. Finals are generally harder than midterms, but still very fair - if you know the material you will do well.
Geller is awesome. He's funny, teaches fairly well, and keeps the class light-hearted. The material may seem a bit daunting at first, but if you read the book and go to lecture, it's quite easy and interesting.
BEWARE: Geller is a nice guy and is very helpful. However, if you're thinking about taking Astro for a GE, don't. The class is VERY challenging. Attendance is mandatory (for clarity on complex concepts and iclicker). He gives weekly HW assignments and CLAS is absolutely neccesary. Class average for midterm was a D-/C- and he didnt curve.
Seemed like a nice guy and performed some interesting demos in class, but other than that his class was extremely boring. Class was also very hard. there were weekly hw assignments that took a long time to do. i assumed all this work would prepare me for the midterm and final but those were still extremely hard. DONT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!
Geller's great! His lectures are clear, and he keeps astronomy pretty interesting/fun. The class isn't that difficult if you start the homework early and if you have some interest in science/space. Make sure you understand basic concepts before tests. I never went to section and still got an A-. Still wish he curved though!
Geller's lectures are very interesting and he is extremely good at clarifying difficult concepts. The course will be extremely easy if you are math oriented, but not impossible if you aren't. Weekly homework from the textbook, i-Clicker during lecture. 90% of test material is from lecture. I got an A without doing much textbook reading.
while he may be a good physics lecturer he makes his tests extremely difficult. you can do all the homework and problems in the book but he throws a curve ball at you on the tests presenting you with problems that are 10 times more difficult than the ones in the book/hw.
Really interesting lectures but his tests are SUPER DIFFICULT. Homework is much more challenging than the lecture material and the tests are completely impossible. His advice is to do the book problems before the test so I would do everything and I still ended up with a bad grade. The class isn't really curved, there's just a grade bump to help..
He wastes his time on demos that don't even work. Class is useless, the textbook is useless because he gets the questions from the test out of NO WHERE. He expects you to just know everything, when he is inept at teaching crap. Don't take him unless you absolutely must. or if campagnari is your only other choice.LOL
Geller is a nice person not a good teacher.I felt like I exhausted all my options with this class & still did not pass.I attended clas,did the homework & studied for the exams.The midterm and the final were very difficult,no way he prepares us for the exams.He does some cool demos but I mean I don't think I could've done anything else to do better.
There is no way to prepare for his midterm and final. The only reason why you need to go to lecture is for the iClicker because the rest of it is full of pointless demos. Do the mastering physics and understand it, and hopefully make some good guesses on the test and you will be okay. Just don't expect an A.
Geller is a good professor but you will have to study for his tests. He provides plenty of demos to reinforce the general concepts of physics and as long as you can understand these principles, you should do well. The tests are difficult, but are manageable if you study both the book examples and the homework assignments, you should be fine.
Cool professor that really tries to do his best to engage his students in the material. If you pay attention and do the homework you'll do fine
Professor Geller is a great professor. He is so willing to answer questions that he would often stop lecture just so we could ask questions. For the midterm and final, really understand the CONCEPTS he teaches in class, and keep an ongoing list of equations, you get to use a cheat sheet for both tests. By far my favorite professor
DONT LET THE NAME FOOL YOU. Its a really hard class and the Geller is just a horrible teacher. He speeds throughout the lecture and expects us to already understand the concepts without him really explaining them. He shows no interest in having his students succeed and his midterm was ridiculous. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS! NOT FUN!!!
Geller is one of the best professors I've had at ucsb. I hate physics but he makes it as clear as possible and his exams are fair.
Awesome professor and you only spend about 2 hours a week on the class.
Super helpful and understanding professor. He makes the lectures interesting. Homework and exams are fair. You can tell he cares about his students a lot.
Professor Geller is great! He's a very kind person and makes lectures interesting by focusing on more interesting topics and frequently using demonstrations. Super fortunate to have him for Physics.
I thoroughly enjoyed Geller as a professor. I think he was one of my favorite professors at UCSB. There were some very challenging concepts, but Geller had a way of making them seem simple enough for me to understand for the test. He was very generous to us this quarter regarding the events that occurred. Also, homework and iClicker help a lot.
Though the material is not that hard, Prof. Geller makes the class annoyingly more difficult. He grades homework based on accuracy, which is somewhat annoying. The lectures are pretty helpful, and he doesn't assign insane amounts of homework, but the fact that he grades homework and uses iClicker means attendance is pretty much mandatory.
Geller has my respect above most professors. He is very understanding. He cares about his students truly wants them to do well. However, that does not mean his class is easy it is sometimes not that interesting either I am not a fan of physics, nor am I very good at it.. But he made it so worth it and this was by far my favorite physics class.
Professor a fraud and un trustworthy beware
Professor Geller is great! He conducts his lectures at a steady pace, and he loves answering student questions. Attending lectures was necessary for comprehension, and CLAS helped a lot too, but overall class was fair. No surprises on tests.
Just an average physics class. If you took physics in high school, you'll be okay with just doing the homework and practice problems. I didn't buy the textbook and I got by just fine. Geller has really interesting in-class demonstrations. He's a funny guy, but his teaching lacks clarity. He makes lots of mistakes in lecture too. (iClicker needed)
Professor Geller is awesome. The man is a genius and is a fantastic instructor. He is very reasonable when it comes to expectations of students, but he also loves to push them.
He is an interested and goo-natured professor. He is supportive of all students and he will reassure students that are struggling. I really appreciated that because I am not the best at physics. He had iClicker a few times and his tests were very similar to the Sapling assignments.
Geller's like your cool traditional Isla Vista teacher from the 90's. He teaches you the basic 6C concepts using compelling demos that will stimulate the Gaucho mind (e.g. the hallucinogenic appearance of soap) albeit still using overhead projectors. He's funny, his teaching emanates passion in his teaching, but watch out, his tests can get you!
Robert Geller is a solid teacher. His lectures are not too boring and he encourages questions. If you pay attention and take notes you can do well. I felt like I really learned the material in the class.
Just as Professor Geller said from day one, this class had a good ratio of easy and interesting. Super cool class, great professor! Highly recommend.
Geller is eager to answer questions during lecture, and although there is assigned reading, the lectures cover most of the material so the textbook is only necessary for some terms or concept that you don't understand, and the homework. The class was pretty interesting
Prof Geller is a great teacher. He lectures on exactly whats going to be on the test. His tests are basically the Sapling assignments so be sure to go through them before each test. I got an A just by going to lecture and review notes and Sapling the day before the test.
Geller's a downright awful lecturer, but at least he shows enthusiasm for it. He focuses too much on applications and not enough on the theoretical aspects of physics. That being said, do the book problems and use lecture as a test to make sure you're on track, not very useful otherwise. Could've had potential, but interesting topics nonetheless
Geller really is a great great great professor even though I did not get an A. I realized that when I'm taking Lubin's 6B. Geller gives you the definition, a lot of exercises and examples during lecture. They really helps.
Geller. Hmm. What should I say besides that he's an amazing human being? I got a 64% on my first midterm. Worked hard, got 100% on the final and barely met the range for a B+. He BOOSTED me to an A! Geller believes in hard work, and he rewards his students accordingly. Take over any other physics professor!
Geller is a chill homie. He is super cool and loves questions. You will leave the class wanting to take another one of his classes.
Geller is the best professor hands down!! So fun and highly encourages class participation and questions. Lectures were interesting and he always had demos to keep it fun. Definitely recommend this class as an Area C requirement
Geller is the best professor to take for the Physics 6 series. I've had Dr. B and Lubin before, yet Geller had the most clear-cut expectations for success on tests out of all those professors. Study Sapling, go to CLAS, and briefly go over the lecture notes for any practice problems he does during class. If you put in the work, you will be okay.
Geller understands that people taking the physics 6 series are not physics majors and teaches accordingly. He tries to connect the lectures to biology and medicine concepts. Because it's physics its a difficult class but he grades fairly. His lectures can drag but it's very easy to ask questions in class and keep with the lecture. Uses iclicker.
Halfway through the quarter, and personally I dislike his teaching style. Lectures are pointless, only reason to go is because of iClicker points but otherwise you do not learn much through his lectures. The class is self-taught and he only provides demonstrations of the main concepts rather than actually going over what will be on tests.
Having never taken physics before, this class was ridicuoulsy tough for me. I thought Geller's lectures were confusing and students would get easily lost, teaching us only the basics and not providing good enough examples to succeed on the tests. I studied a ridiculous amount only to end up with a B-, and that's with a generous curve!
Most of the (many) issues I had with the course are due to the poor curriculum, which is set by the department and not the professor. However, Geller was often smug, condescending, and discouraged us from going to office hours for homework help. PHYS 1 is easy if you have taken AP Physics. If not, prepare for a long slog with little/no support.
I took physics in highschool and found this class to be impossible. I used all my free time to study for this class and only got a C. He seems to be enthusiastic about the material but his teaching methods are hard to follow. He fails to give examples with actual numbers, leaving us confused on how to apply the equations/theories. TestsHARD
You definitely have to read the textbook to get an understanding of the chapters. Geller provides the basics and connects them to biology, but nothing that was in the lectures was on the tests. The questions seem to get drastically tougher. The online homework is extremely annoying. I studied tremendously for the final and ended up with an A- on it
Funny, goofy guy, it really helps keep you entertained; he has a passion for the subject which really helps. Lots of demonstrations to conceptualize topics, sometimes homework is given before we actually learn it in class however this may be resolved in later courses.
Best physics teacher I've ever had. He doesn't do flipped classroom like other teachers which is helpful and takes tons of questions and does a ton of examples to make sure you understand. He is really funny. Tests are very fair compared to other teachers-doesn't trick you and tells you how many questions of what topic will be on there. One midterm
Geller was alright but kinda boring sometimes. He really cares about his students.
After taking Freund for 6C, I found Geller's class to be more challenging - I had to put more effort into studying and actually knowing the material, rather than memorizing equations. However, Geller's passion for physics and science in general made the class interesting, and I didn't mind going to lecture. Don't forget to bring your i-clicker!
Took Geller for Phys6ABC because he's an amazing professor. Grading criteria is straightforward and almost everyone gets at least a B (75-89%) in the class. The tests will determine your grade in the class and there's only 2 or 3 so be well prepared. Vince Zacone's CLAS online material is your best friend. Geller is an awesome person, you willlearn
boring professor imo. idk why i took him
I dislike physics but Geller was such a good teacher. He doesn't try to trick you. I strongly recommend doing book problems because they really help you prepare for the midterm and final.
Geller is not good. He genuinely does not care about the students, and prefers to be the more difficult teacher to gain a sort of bad connotation with his name, which he revels in. His tests are difficult, and those are the only things that make your grade. He did not curve either of the midterms we took, and both averages were below 65%. Careless.
No curve,grading scale makes it easy to get a B but HARD to get an A No practice tests Get ready for a qtr of frantically trying to cover all of your bases and still coming up short on the tests due to their unforgiving point systems:few problems,not wghtd,can be hard,dumb errors cost you Hard for ppl who haven't taken phys b4 Very smart guy though
-Difficult for people who haven't taken physics before -No curve, there is a grade bump though (65 C, 75 B, 90 A) -2 midterms, 1 final -final was pretty difficult -textbook problems are easier than questions on exams -do the CLAS practice and go through Vince's slides online
Geller was super understanding and compassionate. When I went into his office hours he always took the time to really answer my questions and make sure I understood the subject.
Geller is a great lecturer and person, but he also doesn't cover everything that you need to know in lecture. Reading the book, doing the homework, and going to CLAS will supplement his lectures in order to be prepared for tests. He only has two homework assignments a week. I really liked his class, but the set curve makes it difficult to get an A.
A passionate teacher with interesting lectures, but you should probably read the book bc his lectures aren't test material. Already mentioned, but no curve, and the grading scheme makes it easy to get a B but hard to get an A. Do practice problems and understand sapling to do well on the tests! Use CLAS resources to your advantage as well.
I wanna attend any of his classes again. Each lecture he introduced only include a small part of chapter in the book. Sometimes when he had a cold he just skip the lecture and leave us to learn by ourselves. He always assign a lot of homework with tough and strange requirements. And what his lecture did little contribution and help for homework.
He's a great LD professor that can teach the basics of physics and allow all students to understand clearly. Homework due every week or twice a week but doable with CLAS and teamwork. His exams are hard (16 questions worth 100pts) but many did get As. Harder time if you never took a Physics class before but otherwise he tells you what's on the exam
Honestly he is not that good a professor. Does not teach much/ that well in lecture. You have to do most of the studying on your own, but if you know your stuff the tests are easy
You will have to do a lot of studying on your own just to pass the class. I Recommend taking any other professor. Never once did a practice problem in class with number figures(like they are on the tests).
Professor Gellers lectures are pretty interesting and is pretty funny every once in awhile. The homework is worth a lot sake sure you do it and do it right. The midterms can be tough but as long as you practice problems you should be fine. Same goes for the final.
Unless you are naturally phenomenal at math and physics, avoid taking a class with Geller at all costs. Took 6A with him and got a C. Then took 6B with him and got a C-, which meant needing to go back and repeat it. Went to his office hours and was told that I'm "just not that good at physics, huh?" when I asked him a question. Rude+ condescending.
He goes over more conceptual and application stuff in class, so some people didn't like that he doesn't really go over solving equations in class. The midterms and finals are based on the homework, so definitely study homework problem and you'll be fine. Also recommend going to CLAS.
Geller is good lecturer. I respect the way he lectures. He knows what he's talking about and tries to elaborate as much as possible. However, he can get off track sometimes. He lectures, but he gives the vibe that he doesn't care about the the students which makes him lecture differently.
Final harder than the midterm. Lectures are mostly applications, but the few problems he does are helpful for the exams. CLAS is useful. Practice doing hard problems to be ready.
Geller is a true gem. He really cares about his students and his passion shines through. Straightforward exams if you like physics.
The test is much different from his class material.
Lecture is mostly conceptual stuff that wont be test material, but still go for the equations and problems that he wants you to know. Practice hard problems and go to CLAS. Read the book. No curve or very little curve.
Geller is an average professor. He is really passionate about physics which is great, but his lectures are very conceptual, and he doesn't cover much of the 'practical' stuff. The final only covered the concepts that he discussed in class, so just do problems to familiarize yourself with the equations and you'll be fine.
Geller's lectures are absolutely terrible, but you kinda feel the need to go anyway. Out of an entire quarter (TR lectures), he had three day's worth of iClicker. Doesn't teach, just talks about applications and astronomy. Also, he sounds like Bentley from the Sly games. Big oof.
Professor Geller was a solid choice. He is very passionate about his subject matter, and makes the information very accessible in lectures. I would do readings, and just practice with new problems you haven't seen before. Heavy weight in the online homework, weights as much as the first midterm. The homework helps, and is basically free points.
This is a professor has interesting lectures and demos. The exams may little bit harder than homework and in-class practice but i could promise that all contents are included in the lectures.
Average was super high. Was hoping to get a B because the class has a historically nice curve but ended up with C+ because there was no curve in the course.
To be honest, Geller's lecture is boring, he doesn't talk a lot about problem-solving strategies but a lot of experiments and other stuff. So then you have to really read the textbook and do all the questions from CLAS. he doesn't even have practice exams which would make you feel very nervous before exams. His exams are way easier than homework.
Geller's lectures are pretty interesting but they wont help you pass the tests. Reading the book is a necessity in order to pass. CLAS is also super helpful, as Geller does not do practice problems in class and the tutors help fill in a lot of information he skips over. No curve but his test averages were quite high (78 on mideterm and 72 on final)
Lecture is focused on concepts and demonstrations instead of problem solving which isnt for everyone. I personally think its better that way bc the math isnt hard but if you dont understand the concepts you wont know where to start. Read the textbook and do Vinces CLAS problems and its not too hard of a class.
Geller's lectures were really fun to attend because of the fact that he does a lot of demos and talks about real life applications of the physics. We do a lot of problem solving on Sapling so it's helpful to see why. He uses iClickers but that helps boost your grade. A lot of people don't like his lectures but they're also the ones who don't go.
Geller does not teach his students at all. All he does is demos in class, and maybe covers 1 or 2 equations. He should stick to research and let someone who has a passion for teaching do the teaching. There's no clear level of expectations that he has. Be prepared to teach yourself everything, because he won't be the one to teach you.
Lectures are mandatory because iClicker, but lectures are very pointless. If he is not ranting about something he is doing a demo. Little to no notes are taken during lecture. Exams are free game and formula sheet given is not helpful whatsoever. It is best to find your own resources and learn from the homework and CLAS
I dont know why he has a bad rep, he was such an amazing professor and really tried to apply physics to the science field. Geller is better than Freund in my opinion, barely scraped by in Freunds when I studied nonstop. For Geller I could study at least 3 days ahead of time and got an A-. I love how Geller teaches, really made physics interesting!
I got straight A's in Physics 6A and 6B, then ended up with a B- in Geller's physics 6C class. He's not a terrible lecturer, but doesn't do example problems in class, just explains concepts. Definitely wouldn't recommend for 6C if you have a choice. Prepare to spend time in the PSR trying to figure out everything he doesn't explain.
Geller definitely made the class/tests a lot harder than it had to be. This is a level entry Physics class made for Non-Physics students, yet he would make the tests difficult enough to the point where the avg. score was always around a D. I walked away with a grade I was happy with but had to put in a lot of work, so it depends if youre up for it.
took the 6 series with Geller. He's really into the topic and wants you to focus on applications. His tests were easier than Sapling. I would suggest going to lectures for the practice probs he did in class. Do the probs he posted on gauchospace.
Terrible Lecturer. Grading was fair. From 1-10 in difficulty examples given in class are a 1 and test questions are a 10
Geller is a really good lecturer, but you HAVE to go to lecture because he doesn't use slides. His classes were very conceptual and demo heavy (especially compared to Freund) so it can be tough to study with limited practice problems, but if you do sapling and go to lecture you should be fine. I thought his lectures were always really interesting
Sucked at teaching physics. Lectures only covered conceptual material, tests contained at max 1-2 conceptual problems. Final was really hard for 6B, like unreasonably hard. Had him for the entire physics series-- would not do again if I could
Let me just say how extremely happy I took Geller after Freund. I had no choice since Freund didn't teach 6B in the Winter. &thank god he didn't, I love Geller! I admired Freund and heard how Geller can be "HARD". Not true! He is passionate and easy to listen too so you don't zone out too often in class. An amazing professor!
For distance learning, this class was pretty unorganized. No set office hours, quizzes whenever he felt like it, no scheduled assignments until the week of. Make sure you check Sapling for due dates. They change without notice. Other classes I've taken have always had a set schedule in the syllabus, but not Geller's 6A. Quizzes are easy tho.
Gellers covid syllabus is too good to pass up. If you're at all lost in physics he's the one to take bc not a single test. all hw on sapling(book) and some lecture quizzes. Super easy if fast math is not your forte. took other phys prof and honestly prefer geller. his grade curve is steep but makes sense bc it's basically an easy A with no tests.
Physics is hard, and pandemic learning is hard. But this guy is pretty fair in regards to grading. He put effort into making clear pre-recorded lectures, and you can tell he wants you to do well. Very homework heavy (Sapling) but I like those interactive homeworks personally. Id take him again.
I hate physics but had to take this for my major, so I wasn't too hopeful about this class. The lectures are incredibly long (it's a physics class, so it's expected to be a bit intense), but they help a lot with the weekly quizzes. The homework isn't bad if you pay attention and can grasp the overall concepts/formulas from lecture.
Dr. Geller is amazing! I really enjoyed being in his lectures, he taught the subject very passionately, and definitely enjoys teaching it to students. He mainly steered it toward biology majors. There was a fair amount of homework and quizzes, however, the material was taught very clearly. I would definitely enjoy taking one of his classes again.
Wish Geller was teaching Phys 6B. He's a great professor and it seems like he's super passionate about Physics. He's clearly really intelligent and knows his stuff. He seems like a really nice guy. The class is structured so everyone gets an A basically.
Not sure how the class is taught/graded normally, but highly recommend taking while it's online! The class is basically set up so you can get an A if you just complete the online HW and do decently on the weekly lecture quizzes (no midterms or final). Geller seems super passionate about physics and gives many helpful real-life examples.
Taking this class online, professor Geller posted all of his lectures day 1 of the quarter. This allowed us to work at our own pace and complete what we needed to on our own timeline. His instructions were clear and the workload of this class was very manageable. He is a good professor for life science students who need physics to be made easy.
Professor Geller seems like a cool guy, very knowledgeable on the class topics, but the class itself is very hard. Reading the textbook is a must, but it's overly complicated and hard to understand. Geller clears things up a little in his lectures, but even then things aren't explained very well. Overall, he's a cool guy, but the class is not fun.
Took the class online. Your grade is 75% homework and 25% weekly quizzes. The quizzes were pretty easy as there was no time limit once you started the quiz and while the questions were specific they are all from the lectures. He's really fair and accomodating and you can tell he really cares about the class/his students. He even gave a 2% curve.
Homie a real goat, very understanding and he explained things in a way I understood easily. Also is very understanding when it comes to bad life circumstances.
Geller was very considerate with his grading policy, 75% sapling hw and 25% weekly quiz. You can leave the quiz open the whole week which allows you to answer the questions gradually. The hw isn't hard at all and enough time is given. He also dropped the lowest scores in each category. Overall an easy A if you put in minimal effort
Prof. Geller is great! His lectures are pretty interesting, but he does speak really slowly in them so make sure to speed up the video. Since the class was all online, he didn't make us do a midterm or final, so our grade was dependent on Sapling homework and quizzes only, which really decreased my stress level.
Geller is an excellent professor. I took him for PHY 6A and 6C during the pandemic switch to online learning and he was very accommodating and made the class manageable in an online format. He's a funny guy and is very passionate about physics and astronomy. He makes the material understandable and grades mostly on homework and weekly quizzes
He's a solid choice. He's not gonna inspire in you a firey, lifelong passion for physics, but you probably have to take 6ABC for your major, so he fills that role quite functionally. He doesn't make things harder than they have to be, which is prob what you're looking for.
Took his class for Physics 6A &C. Such a empathetic professor and very understanding of his students especially in this pandemic. He drops your lowest quiz/ hw & curves hw. I like how the quizzes arent worth majority of your grade. I used to dislike physics but Geller def made me like it a lot more.
He is an easygoing prof with understandable lectures. Pretty easy class with no exams, and HW was 75% of your grade (sadly homework deducts you if you get an answer wrong which is annoying), quizzes 25%. I would much rather have him for 6B than Freund. Oh well, I don't get a choice.
I see a lot of people giving rave reviews and then 3/5 stars. He deserves a 5/5 rating on rmp based on those people's comments and my personal experience. He was on top of any issues that arose technologically as well as responding surprisingly quickly to my emails when I had questions on class concepts. I enjoyed this class because he taught it.
He's great, class was terrible.
this is a horrible professor just because his final exam is so difficult. The average score of the final exam just 57%, but this is just an introductory Course of physic. I am studying economic, I choose this course just want to satisfy my ge requirement. so, I cannot understand why he make this introductory course final so difficult.
Geller is genuinely a horrible professor. Although you can tell he knows a lot about the topics and wants the students to be interested, his lectures are horrible. All he talks about is conceptual ideas when the exams were all math problems. Basically had to teach myself everything for the midterm and final. Do not take this class with him.
At first I wasn't sure what to think of Prof. Geller - His lectures were super fast paced and at times a bit disorganized, but over the 10 weeks of the course, I developed a lot of respect for him, and came to actually really enjoy his lectures. It's definitely a tough class, I won't lie, but he is encouraging and supportive with his students
He gives extremely easy conceptual based questions in class during lectures, the hw is hard and there are at least 5 things due every week, then comes the tests covering only math problems that he never taught in class That we have to teach ourselves !! We frustrating class felt prepared for exams and it was never enough
So this is a hybrid class because covid messed everything up. His lectures are terrible. Conceptual examples, no further examples or questions. You have to teach yourself. The homework is heavy but it helps with practice. Fingers crossed I pass this class, but the person teaching me this material is myself.
Honestly, Geller has been one of my favorite teachers so far. Overall he is a super cool teacher and I don't find his physics series to be extremely difficult. As long as you stay on top of the achieve homework you will do well. Plus, his lectures have been pretty enjoyable, despite being at 8am.
Prof Geller is a good professor. A bit disorganized but cares about students. Tests were not organized well and it wasn't super clear what was going to be on the test. CLAS definitely helped
The physics is tough, but Geller shows true interest in his field is fair with the curve. I personally thought the tests were hard but the online Achieve homework is CLUTCH when it comes to grading. It is a good proportion of our total grade and makes up for the -in my opinion- hard tests. Only issue is that lectures are broad compared to Hw.
Professor Geller is a really passionate professor and has a love for physics, but the final exam was really frustrating. He had a full practice exam with none of the same topics as the real exam and didn't provide practice problems for the topics on the test. I studied a lot for the final but ended up putting an emphasis on the wrong things.
I adore Geller! there are a lot of topics to cover but he tries to trim down as much material as he can. The final is a heavy portion of the grade and hard. But the midterms are usually easier as he gives practice midterms. Homework problems don't help/aren't on exams but saves your grade as its are worth as much as the final.
Nobody enjoyed this class at all. Long and boring lectures that are extremely off-topic. Barely any material is actually covered, only broad and off-topic discussions. Lots of "rambling" in a sense. Class was mostly empty. The final was extremely difficult and the average was very low compared to him praising 6C and saying how easy it was vs 6A & B
Great person, terrible professor. Just demos in his lecture, he even said that his "lectures are complimentary to the book". No amount of studying could prepare for the final, there were at least 8 questions on it that we've never seen before. It was purely to bring down the class average. Said there was going to be 30 questions but there were 38.
Unfair tester, totally screwed over the class with the final in 6B and 6C apparently. Just take Ernest Freund, he actually knows how to give a fair exam!
He was fair most of the time! Midterm was very easy and always tries to cut down on material in order to save time and make the students' lives easier. His final was very hard unfortunately but just study a lot and you'll get well above average. Do the practice problems he posts and go to office hours. I wouldn't take him again but he was alright.
Geller's lecture style manages to make concepts that are easy to understand in pre-lecture assignments much harder to grasp during lectures. From my experience, if you ask for help after class he's going to respond as if it's insane you aren't grasping the subject. You're essentially teaching yourself physics which is already hard enough as it is.
I can't understand why people would rate him badly. I think he is amazing, despite of what other people think. He is cool, does some amazing demos, and gives us quizzes on Achieve that let you earn an A on it. I do believe it is a easy A, as long as you show up to sections and the lectures, study hard and then it will pay off in the end. Love this!
I made a big mistake taking this class as a GE when I hate math, this class involves physics. He has his on own book which you must purchase online to access homework. TEST HEAVY your graded on the homework that is so easy to do because its online and everyone uses sources to do it, professor even pointed it out. Don't recommend taking this.
Astro1was such a fun course to take if you want to know more about the universe in a very generic way. There were a couple of topics that we went super deep into, but nothing too bad. There is math involved, however it is very basic plug in equations. Reading the textbook is a must. Geller was a great lecturer and I enjoyed learning in his course.
I loved this class! Not everyone did, but he was fair and made it really easy to get a good grade if you put the work in; weekly assignments that reinforce material were a huge portion of your grade, so just read the textbook and do your homework. lectures were boring but he was a cool guy and funny, either way the textbook covers the material.
He's the worst
The class is not as math heavy as other sciences, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't expect any math at all. If you just suck it up and ask questions, the course is pretty simple. While there is a good bit of homework, it's pretty easy. The midterm and final are graded fairly, and they DO involve both lecture AND book material.
This guy loves achieve, sometimes assignments almost every day of the week. Basically taught myself through the pre-lecture assignments.
You can tell that Geller really tries to help his students understand physics in lectures. That being said, the resources he provides outside of class are not enough. Sign up for CLAS to get extra practice problems and do the Achieve since it's worth a lot. Our class did so bad that he made a 75% on the final a 100%, so there's hope for you.
I took Geller last quarter and I was essentially teaching myself the entire class. His lectures are not near enough of a help to get through the insane amount of homework he assigns so you have to cover most of the class's info on your own time. He makes the class more confusing than it needed to be because of his unorganized lecture style.
Get ready to spend hours on homework that won't help you with the exams. With previous physics experience, the class will be a breeze, but the class is taught very poorly. He's nice and tries to make lectures fun, but honestly, the class is a major pain.Thankful for his grading scale though! Exams are multiple-choice and no partial credit is given.
He's a nice guy and his lectures are helpful, if a bit slow. There's lots of homework yes but most of it is helpful, and I found that if I was able to do the homework problems confidently, I'd do fine on the tests. His grading scale is really nice-- homework counts for a lot! I'd still recommend CLAS tho or relying on friends if you can.
He is not as bad as people say. He really likes physics, and he loves explaining physics. If you do the homework you will get a B or A. Some weird quirks (do not email q's abt exams!!!!!) but you can tell he is a nice guy at heart. People pass off their lack of studying the material he provides as him teaching badly - physics just requires practice
He explains everything clearly and provides plenty of examples, so go to lecture!!! The tests are not super easy but fair, just do practice problems. The main con is that a few of the homework assignments were unreasonably long and there's a lot of them. Overall a good teacher who is passionate about the subject.
Please take any professor over Geller. He provides no practices for the midterms or final, so you have no clue what you are getting into. Additionally, he assigns TONS of homework that benefits in no way, just soley busy work. Lectures are ok, however, he does not provide any practice for the extremely difficult exams.
Pros: I left his class knowing more about physics than I did with freund. HW is worth 40%, only one midterm and a final. Lots of in class demos Cons: Likely more effort than freund, and things you are expected to know for exams are less straightforward. More HW than freund, exams are a little harder, and less practice problems done in class.
The homework is harder than lectures/tests. The exams are similar to lectures, so it would be wise to attend. If you took AP Physics 1 then this is very very easy, otherwise pay attention to mechanics.
Not too hard but you should go to lectures. Homework is a bit difficult but often harder than the tests.
Geller's astro 1 is the first course I took in this UCSB which is great!. His lectures are interesting and he's a nice person if u join his office hour. However, the reading is mandatory and quite tough for a freshman if u have little astro storage (but not me). There the homework is not friendly for people deficit in writing and carefulness.
This professor is the worst one I have ever met, he has unlimited and extremely hard HW to do once a week, almost 6 achieve and very tough to have good grades. Never take his class, never ever take his class
The online version of Astro 1 is a blend of easy mathematics (Usually the hardest math being like AP Physics 1 level), really interesting concepts, and such. Expect to read a LOT for the online version of the class but it isn't hard at all. Great for a STEM elective, just okay for a STEM GE.
This guy loves to use Achieve, which is the most stupid homework system I have ever used. His tests are easy and his lectures are always useless. Achieve is enough. The most time I spend on is Achieve. You just need to do the practice test he gave for his test, they are really easy.
Absolutely terrible! If you have to take physics and you're stuck with Geller, wait and take it with Freund. Geller has incredibly hard tests with problems that have never been seen in class before. He doesn't tech to his tests in lecture, and gets off by making exams incredibly hard. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!! HE'S THE WORST!!
In terms of difficulty, his class was not free, but I think if you put in the effort, you can get a decent grade. For his lectures, I attended every single one because they were so fun. He is clearly very passionate about what he teaches, and that passion is very contagious. I would suggest you do a quick review before the discussion sections.
Taking Geller for 6A was the most miserable experience I've had in any class so far. He is useless. You would expect for a math heavy class he'd run through problems in lecture, but he didn't do a SINGLE practice problem with numbers. Unsurprisingly, class average on the final was a 50%. Prepare to spend many hours teaching yourself the material.
Only chance to ask questions is in lecture. He is responsive and helpful, but you're expected to rely on TAs for info outside of class. Lots of homework and reading per week. Lots of studying is recommended, you cannot just do the bare minimum in this class. Grading is dominated by your homework and quizzes but includes long midterms and finals.
This has been one of my favorite classes due to both material and professor. Geller is great and I loved the lectures. Tests were kind of hard, but weren't weighted very heavily (final = 20%). There is kind of a lot of homework, but it was generally pretty easy and didn't take long. Doing/understanding homework is necessary for good grade.
Great professors, but the exams you need to take are harder than the assignments and harder to get a grade for.
Be ready to pay 60 USD to access the textbook and hw for a quarter. There are 3 online HW due dates per week and a mandatory in-class essay administered during sections each week. The exams are entirely MCQs so it is very easy to get thrown to B-. Lectures are fine but don't provide sufficient insight. Just take someone else's class...
If you haven't taken AP physics DO NOT TAKE GELLER.
If you are not good at logic solving then probably not the best course to take. Thought professor was fine, just that the hw's did not scale properly so you would get hw that was really easy then it immediately became really difficult and you would not know how to solve it. Hws usually took a while so prepare for that.
No exams or final this quarter just quizzes and homework. Although online, lectures are pretty helpful to at least get you started. Geller tends to really explain topics step by step which also helps. If you are willing to do book problems fairly consistently the class was very manageable.
Geller is the harder of the two physics lecturers solely because he does not give students practice problems that directly correlate to the test like Freund. In addition, there is A LOT of homework which is the most challenging part, but overall if you understand the homework you will do good on the tests.
Exams are harder than they should be.
Geller's 6A class is quite challenging, but with diligence and the right resources, you can succeed. The homework can be time-consuming, but using tools like unstuckstudy ai alongside the free textbook can really help. Attend lectures and stay engaged - the tests are difficult but manageable if you put in the work.
His lectures are all conceptual and have nothing to do with calculations. After asking friends, I heard a majority of his questions are mathematical-based. In addition to his teaching, he also does not post any resources. His notes are from a student, not himself. And he does not provide any videos of himself explaining those mathematical problems.
He does a good job explaining concepts and makes us laugh during lectures. The homework can look heavy, but it's all easy stuff that takes an hour max. The weekly essays can be daunting but it's seriously not bad at all and in the long run helps you understand things better for the tests. Overall an enjoyable time even though the midterm was rough.
DONT TAKE HIS ASTRO 1!! RUN!!!
Honestly, this class wouldnt be bad if geller could actually teach. I feel like ive spent the entire quarter teaching myself physics because this man could not teach a class to save his life. That combined with how tough he makes his exam questions is horrible. He expects you to be a physics major with extensive background in an intro class. RUN!!
Overall, there is a lot of pros and cons. Pros could be his midterms are all multiple choice and Cons is that his practice exams doesn't really help much it is not structured well. His explanations on it doesn't make sense. He should post an ACTUAL practice midterms or finals with good explanation that way students can learn from him better.
Take literally anything else. This was the most unpleasant experience I have ever had in a class. His lectures are entirely conceptual and completely unhelpful regarding homework or exams, which are entirely mathematical. Do not expect any practice exams longer than maybe three questions. Only take if you want to teach yourself the entire course.
Geller is so funny and his lectures are so interesting yet easy to understand. Homework is pretty simple. Lectures and hw correlate directly to exams so they're pretty easy. Since he wrote the textbook, his lectures basically follow the textbook so if you miss one it's not a big deal. Loved Geller and this class!
NEVER TAKE PHYSICS WITH GELLER. Be prepared to spend the entire quarter teaching yourself and fail every midterm! Literally one of the worst professors i have ever had here at UCSB. His teaching is completely theoretical and does not relate to exams or homework what so ever. Incredibly hard tests. Final average was a 57%
He's is SO DISORGANIZED and BAD. He openly stated on the first day that his class wasn't meant to be a weeder course, but it definitely felt like one. He also mentioned that the department was unhappy with the discrepancy between his class and Freund's. His teaching made class impossible. He gives 3 question practice exams with no explanations. .
I adored Geller's Astro 1 class. You can tell he loves teaching it. The class was thought-provoking and made me appreciate life more. If understanding the universe, stars, planets, and other celestial phenomena sounds boring to you don't take the class. His physics courses artificially lower his rating. Don't let that deter you from taking Astro 1!
Conflicting feelings. Lectures are pretty useless, purely conceptual. Homework is a large percent of your grade, so failing is pretty impossible, but that's offset by the low test averages (71, 60, 57). These were his highest averages ever, according to him. You have homework due every day. Take Freud if you can't take a mild hit to your GPA.
Not very good at teaching, but I was fine because I took physics in high school. The content is essentially the same as AP Physics 1. There's also a few homework assignments due every week and they're graded by accuracy. Start learning the content before the quarter starts and be prepared to teach yourself almost everything.
I was placed into his class because the other sections were full and was a little nervous due to the other rate my professor ratings. However! Geller is my favorite teacher at UCSB so far, even as someone who isn't fond of physics. You will succeed if you understand problems from HW, textbook, and assigned practice problems (not rote memory).
Bro loves Achieve, and while it's irritating, I learned more from Achieve than I did from him. You gotta teach yourself. He's passionate, but lectures are highly conceptual and fairly disorganized, with very few examples. Tests are all MCQ and mostly fair; you just have to practice. CLAS helped a lot, and so did the practice problems and exams
Prof Geller was very thorough with his lectures, you should go to lecture if you want to understand the material fully, along with reading all the chapters assigned. If you're interested in this topic, its not hard to pay attention and grasp the concepts, if you're not interested, its probably going to be rlly hard. Lots of hw too, but easy.
On your next pass time look at Geller vs. Freund on gold. Freund's class will likely already be full. Geller's will have 300 open seats. That says enough, doesn't it.
fun lectures that are both interesting and informative. cool demos. focuses more on the concepts rather than how to solve a problem in lectures, but it works b/c the textbook. tests are reasonably difficult. only dropped due to a medical emergency and not Geller himself
Class average for the Midterm and Final were 57%. Multiple students emailed him and his only reply was "you should try harder". The same class with Freund had an 85% average.
He's a chill guy. He loves Astro which makes it fun to hear him talk about things like the multiverse. Hw is through Achieve which is not my favorite but its manageable although kinda annoying. For a GE though, it does take a lot of time for reading and then rereading to study.
Geller is a good lecturer but PHYSICS IS HARD. Test averages are pretty low, but Geller always sets reasonable curves to ensure the success of his students. The online homework is tedious, but a big grade booster and good for practice. Downside to taking Geller is you don't know what to expect on exams since he only has 5 practice questions total.
geller is very passionate about astronomy but you have to stay on top of the lectures and assigned reading or the concepts will be hard to understand. homework was online but easy, sections were essay questions (also easy), but some midterm/final questions were tricky and weren't covered in lecture.
geller is an awesome prof and most of the negative reviews on him are people not wanting to put in the work for his class. physics is a difficult subject, he warns you AND tells you how to succeed on the first day. listen to him. i didn't in 6A and almost didn't pass, now i'm in 6B actually following his advice and i have an A.
Lots of homework which make up a lot of your grade which is super nice. Exams are hard but fair, if you keep up with the homework and do the practice problems he gives you will be fine. His lectures are super entertaining and interesting, always doing some fun demos.
professor seems chill, but too too much homework. As a summer online course, it takes about at least 3 hours per day.
Lectures are packed with info but if you find astronomy, math, geology, etc interesting then it will be a fun but semi-hard class. Lots of reading, minimal math, mostly memorization.
Amazing lectures, is always communicating with students about questions before, after and with emails. Essays in sections are usually straightforward, and multiple-choice exams. Geller also loves answering questions about random topics.
A funny dude but his lectures are very heavy, not to mention the huge study load which included homework and 8 sections of reading a week. His sections are where you are graded (weekly quizzes), which can mess you up because his grading is weird. Just not my cup of tea.
Geller teaches in a conceptual way. The pro about this teaching style is you're likely to understand how the world works better. The con is that learning problem-solving that matters for MT's is done on your own time. He gives you all the tools though. Know how to do the BP's (which aren't a lot) by heart and look at "good-student" notes. (6.75/10)
Geller is a good professor. Not gonna change your life but he is super into astro and the class is generally fun and basic. He will not teach you the math, however there is very little math and you are probably fine if you know basic algebra and memorize what each variable means (T for time etc.) Just be ready to read and do constant achieve work
Honestly I'm not sure why Geller gets so much hate. I find him to be quite entertaining and his commentary in his lecture videos makes me laugh. He is a good professor and I feel like I've learned the most physics than the other two classes in the series. I strongly dislike physics but I will say that Geller definitely does keep me engaged.
This class can be a lot of work for non stem majors but is very fascinating. He is super funny and very passionate about all things astronomy so his lectures are always interesting. Exams are multiple choice and very straightforward. He is happy to go down any rabbit hole about physics.
great lecturer, loves to talk about astronomy. Very friendly guy, but gives a lot of textbook readings and assignments on a weekly basis. All in all, not that challenging of a class. Enjoyable GE.
Professor Geller is a very interesting and funny lecturer. His class is fascinating and a fun GE to take. He is passionate about the subject. There is quite a bit of textbook readings and weekly homework assignments, but overall, an enjoyable class.
Every time I left lecture, I was unsure about what Geller wanted me to take away from it. The final for 6C was the hardest exam of my life. So many question types that were unlike anything we have seen before. Practice tests don't really help you. The Achieve homework is a nice grade buffer. Definitely take Freund if you can!
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