2.4
Quality4.5
Difficulty31%
Would Retake104
Reviews31%
Would Retake
104
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
12
4
16
3
19
2
19
1
38
What Students Say
“I'll keep this short; GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN”
WRT102 - 2.0 rating“Calvey graded papers way to hard”
WRT102 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
98%
Textbook Required
59%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.39 avg changeRatings by Course
EGL192
5.0
(1)EGL390
5.0
(1)WRT05
4.0
(1)102
2.8
(4)WRT102
2.5
(87)Difficulty by Course
EGL393
5.0
EGL390
5.0
WRT10209
5.0
WRITING
5.0
WRT101
4.7
Reviews (104)
Whatever you get as a grade on your first assignment, that will be your final grade most likely. So start off with your best work.
Amusing teacher that many students can relate to. Class is challenging, but he is clear about things and is very helpful.
No Comments
Fair grader, requires attendance and takes points off for little things like lateness and forgetting books.
Gave a lot of usless comments that were specific. Didn't worry about the big piture. Not very helpful. Gave me a B+, even though I submitted at least three drafts per paper. Had to go to the writing center fo0r help. Need help on your paper? Don't go to him; Go to the Writing center ionstead.
Counted abscences for the most ludicrouse reaso, such as forgetting textbooks or not printing enough copies. Made subtle points on papers, that would not improve them. Had some of the stupidiest projects, like email assignment and research arguement on pop culture. Literature proffesors can't teach writing.
This was the worst professor i had at Stony Brook. The reading content was boring and it was expected to read excessive pages over short amounts of time. His grading methods are hard and he does not take the time to explain why he gave you that grade. He mocks what you say when you speak in class and overall is an awful person to deal with!!
Told me the second week of class because I didn't do a homework that I was going to fail. WORST writing class I've ever taken.
He is so boring and so much reading. he fail me. DONT TAKE THIS CLASS UNTIL U WANT TO FAIL!!!omg i dont know what is his problem. I write my essay 5 time trying to make up the grades but he still give me a FFF. he should get fired. I hate this professor. he is the one who make my gpa so low. thanks to him!! run! run u guy!
OMG WORSE TEACHER OF ALL. HE FAIL ME!so much reading!! and so useless and boring. I did my essay 5 time and he is still not satisfy with it. Dont know what is his problem and what he want from my essay to be like. I asked him for help and he is so useless in giving me the right advice to fix my essay. RUN AWAY FROM THIS CLASS
Although i got an A, this class broke my spirit. it made me hate writing and doubt my skills as a writer. the way he graded made me angry and crazy. he is really annoying. i wouldn't suggest taking this class because he complicates things too much.
i try so hard in this class!! his essays are riidculos. 6 pages worth of crap. he didnt count one of my 6pg assignments BECAUSE IT WASNT STAPLED!! sorry, but i live at school, and sometimes there arent any staplers i can pull out my ass. he reminds me of a giant cracked out mosquato. and overall is not a very helpful teacher
worst teacher ever. made class really boring and tried to have conversation and be one of the "students" never really worked. not a fair grader and took points off for attendance. textbook required to bring at every class even though never used
This is a reading-intensive teacher who values actual ability very highly. Still, if you make a real effort, he will help you endlessly - but if you feel entitled to a certain grade or obviously don't care about his class, he has no patience for you. Roll with the high standards and you'll get a lot out of his class. I recommend him highly.
He should be teaching junior high.
worst teacher ever. if you really want to fail Wrt 101, just take him.He is the useless teacher i ever met.
worst teacher ive ever had at stony brook
if you have him, i feel sorry for you. switch into a different section before it's too late.
He is fine,maybe a good person. He passes a lot of people's essays.
Very hard, with way too many high expectations!... babbles too much, nice person but tries to make sarcastic jokes that never work out...
He is pretty alright, just a really hard grader. i really suggest that you try to get a different professor NOW.. no matter what you do.. you'll end up with a C on a paper, even if you think its an A paper. the class itself will improve some writing skills, but have to put in a lot of time, and go to the Writing center!!!!!!!!
He's pretty laid back as far as the class atmosphere. He's cool, kind of a hard grader. I had two 6 page papers but he guided us through. No textbook readings, one book was required. Plenty of articles to read for class discussions!! Two in class essay tests.
ok this guy is ridiculous. lecture is boring, and you discuss pointless topics that have nothing to do with the essays you need to write. he makes you read a book called everything bad is good for you. dont read it, you dont need it to write any of you essays. he is an impossible grader, almost impossible to get an A. good luck
I did all of the work, went to every class, and learned nothing. I went in a confident writer and came out hating writing. He is too hard of a grader, and a very annoying teacher. Nice guy, but annoying as hell,talks way too much,BSing with the class non-stop,I just failed with a C-,and only needed a C to pass. A waste of a semesters worth writing.
What a ****bag. Worst writing teacher in Stony Brook. He will never get some bc he's so awkward and corny as hell. He totally ruined my future. DO NOT TAKE HIM he should get fired. He's a REALLY hard grader bc he can't get some.
Calvey is strict & a hard grader but he's FAIR and if you do all the**** he asks you to, you will become a better writer. Trust me. He knows his stuff and he's great at improving other people's writing. He will give you help if you ask. Take him if you want to improve your writing.
Calvey is an incredible teacher. Most people do not like him because he is a tough grader, but after taking his class, you will indeed become a better writer. If writing is not a passion of yours and you do not care about the English language, do not enroll in his class. He's great and is very helpful if you ask him for his help.
As boring as watching paint dry on a wall. Anyone who thinks he's incredible is high or dumb as a rock. Avoid him at all cost.
omg omg where to begin..its hard to do well with such an opinionated man. If you had him youd "C" what I mean. Yep, those are the jokes he spends class telling instead of helping us improve our papers. We waste time on laughable books and money on comp lab printing. He better get a boyfriend so he'll stop taking out his feelings on our futures.
He is tough but I feel that he pushed me to be a better analytical writer. You have to really work hard to get an A but he is more than willing to help you get there. You also need to be very creative and innovative when presenting you ideas and opinions in your writing.
He is the toughest grader that I know of in the WRT 102 classes ... my other friends with better teachers write essays equal to mine but get A's and B's instead of the C's that I got all semester ... don't take this professor because he will mess up your GPA like he just did to mine
Now, I'm sure if you were a writing or English major you might enjoy an extreme challenge on a 100 level course. Now, I don't mind the occasional essay but this was torture. After weeks of consistently bugging him in office hours i managed an B+. Don't Take. Ever.
He made me cry!!! But I think he is a great teacher. He just thinks everyone is as intelligent as him. That is a mistake because writing is a challenge to many. I think he is a very sincere, hard working teacher though I mean I wish there were more teachers like him..
okay so I love to write. And I'm honestly very good at it. I can't manage above a B or B- in his class, and I really see no reason for it. He wastes class talking about things he THINKS are funny, but aren't. Don't take his class. It'll make you hate writing. He's sadly ruined it for me. Nothing will ever be surprising enough to earn that A...
Run Away From This Class!
He is a hard grader, no doubt. But my writing improved because of him. I learned a lot even if the whole semester was about pop culture. If you want an easy A, take a different professor. If you actually want to learn and improve, take Calvey.
If you have the option to take another professor, do so. This guy does not grade fairly. I have always been a decent writer and this guy butchered my work, I left his class feeling less confident. I got a B+ after failing every paper. He does not help in the meetings and WRT102 is a waste of time to begin with but he makes it worse.
This person is like the worst teacher I have ever had. He destroyed my confidence in writing. He has no sympathy for any of his students. He is not there to help any of his students. He will be very very critical of your work so that he can feel good about his own skills. He is very misleading. He will fail you regardless of what you.
his homework is tedious and takes longer than any work i have to do in my 300 level courses. Expect to write every week if not every class. You can get by without reading the entire books and instead just reading an excerpt and knowing it well. failed my first essay due to" lack of clarity" but it clearly was because of our opinion differences
Barely gave me any comments on my essays and papers but graded them all as a C-. His homework takes much too long and he always had to borrow the sheets that he told us to print out from a student. Also wanted us to write a researched argument on a topic that was new and fresh, meaning there was no evidence to support your argument.
He is not a bad teacher. He just wants to push you really hard thats all. I do not care what people have to say. He is actually a very tough grader and not for any one who is lazy.
He runs his class like a high school English class - discussion is stifled and structured according to what he feels is important. He does not allow for organic discussion and provides no insight into the text whatsoever. He hands out lots of printouts for in class quizzes which you never get the chance to actually talk about. Stay away!
This man will ask you what grade you want from his class. Like you have a choice. Watch out for that its a trap. He just wants to have a good laugh at you. His goal is to fail you so that the school can have money for summer/winter classes.He wont pass you do not fall for all his fake efforts you will realize what I am talking about later.
EXTREMELY particular, from essay guidelines to class discussions, no room for individuality. He's extremely organized - you'll always know what exactly to do, but what he expects is ridiculous. You'll get low grades for first drafts. You can turn around your grade-go to office hours! He allows for unlimited revisions. Not easy WRT 102.
This man is an experience. No other class you will ever take will be comparable to WRT 102 with Ryan Calvey. After this class, you will find yourself regurgitating the material as if it were a bodily motion. He will engage you, and this will push you into getting the easiest A you will ever receive in Stony Brook. Don't listen to the haters.
The guy can be a little annoying, and the class itself is pretty boring. Only took it to fulfill a requirement. He's very strict when it comes to the syllabus policy. The quizzes are really easy if you just study; he gives you the answers. He's a tough grader, but if you revise well, and go to his office hours you'll be fine. 3 Major Essays (5-7pg)
This man is nothing but a big show off. He will hold meetings to prove to his superiors that he works hard. He will never help you achieve anything. SBU appointed him so that he can fail everyone and the school appointed all the good teachers for winter classes.Just don't waste any time with him.What a horrible man!
This guy isn't much of a professor. He barely teaches in class. He gives out long detailed handouts that explain what you need to do and then asks in class if everyone understands. If you don't understand he'll explain but he has a tendency to ramble on and on. He gives a lot of work, a lot of quizzes and also isn't an easy grader.
Dr. Calvey is not necessarily a bad professor. His purpose is clear, and he really does try to make you into a mature and sophisticated writer. However, he is an EXTREMELY harsh grader, he gives a lot of different handouts with extensive and meticulous instructions and he can be a little condescending if you ask for help.
He is really condescending when you ask for help or clarification. He will tell you to read the syllabus again or go back and read his long dragged-out instruction pages or assignment sheets. He gives "quick quizzes" that are graded on a pass or fail basis. The papers are graded very harshly and rewrites are too. This class is A LOT of work.
Professor Calvey definitely helped me improve my writing. However, his grading is ridiculous and incredibly frustrating! Because he is very nitpicky and specific, it almost impossible to get an A. Most people receive a B- in his class.
Dr. Calvey is amazing at teaching the material and his lectures really stick in your memory. Very helpful if you attend his office hours. He wants his students to do well, but at the same time excepts a lot. I worked really hard but my papers didn't get there and I got a B-. If u want an easy A, don't take this class. If you want to learn, take it.
Didn't clarify what exactly i had to write about in my papers. also a very tough grader.
Extremely tough grader, condescending, and extremely awkward at times. Tried to act like the nice guy at first but then he start packing on busy work. If you him expect work everyday and classwork that follows. Also, don't expect a good grade unless you attend his office hours FREQUENTLY.
DONT TAKE HIS CLASS! Everything you learn in on your own time in all the stupid hw he gives. It takes away from other courses and leaves you stressed.
I'll keep this short; GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN. The man doesn't teach and just assigns busy work. Extremely Condescending. His instructions are fastidious. If you mess up one minute detail from his dittos, prepare to fail. Forced visits to office hours so he has someone to talk to. Doing well in his class is like trying to run through a brick wall.
If you're thinking about taking his class, just don't. He is completely unhelpful in every aspect of the class. He will assign homework for every class, and makes this appear more important than everything else. These homeworks will also give no insight into your papers, of which he will fail immediately. If you're a masochist then this is for you.
Ryan Calvey is probably the worst teacher at Stony Brook. Writing 102 with him is a complete nightmare with insane amounts of work and essays of which he will fail even if you know it deserves a better grade. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Really hard grader on essays. His comments on the essays were vague or they were condescending . You have homework assigned every class, some days it's A LOT. He thinks his class is the most important thing and wants everybody to make this class top priority. His class is rigid and forced. I don't recommend his class to anyone.
Very, VERY tough grader. Nightmare for international students. His class is not boring but you have to work very hard. You will have a lot of reading and writing assignments. Don't recommend him, but for some reason you get into his class, be ready.
Bad teacher. He has trouble relating to anything that he is not interested in and his comments on essays are condescending and a little insensitive. He makes you print out A LOT of useless worksheets and then thinks you should automatically understand how to write perfectly after reading them. I would not recommend taking his class.
He's admittedly an impatient and opinionated person. He tends to base the grading of papers on wether or not he agrees with your argument rather than its content/formatting. Makes condescending comments and is pretty ruthless when it comes to international students. Gives lots of HW in addition to the essays. Never wants you to ask questions.
OK, this is the worst teacher I ever had. He needs to quit teaching. He doesn't teach anything, makes everything really hard and makes sure almost everyone fails. He has office hours and he does not help at all. I got a U and I do not feel bad about it because almost everyone else also failed. What a horrible experience to go through. Run away.
If you want to take a writing class for credit or out of your mere wish, make sure you do not take it with this professor. He makes you print papers that are easily accessible on blackboard for no reason at all. If you miss more than 3 homeworks, you start losing 2.5 point off of your final grade. You'll probably never pass this class.
He's a difficult professor, yes, but I learned a lot from his class and do think I'm a better writer as a result. He was the first writing professor I've had that really made me work for an A. However, many people did end up with much lower grades than I did. If writing isn't your strong suit, maybe choose a different professor.
He really helps you to be a better writer. However, he is also reallyyyy attentive. If you're 2 minutes late, he notices and marks it down. More than 3 lates and you begin to lose points on your final grade. He's kinda funny. I liked his personality. You MUST do your homework and ALL of it. I lost hw credit for not answering 2 questions out of 22.
This professor gives an insane amount of homework. It is as if he thinks his students are only enrolled in his class. Along with this, he is a very tough grader. Many of the students in the class complained amongst each other of receiving low grades on multiple papers, even though showing vast improvement throughout the semester. Do not take him.
If you really (and I mean REALLY) care about English and the works, I would recommend this class. However, if you're a stem major (or taking 102 for credit) and have absolutely no love for English, DON'T take this class. He is also a bit hard to approach if you want to ask him anything, but he gives loads of useful writing documents to compensate.
Calvey graded papers way to hard. He gave absurd amounts of homework, and for our research paper the topic had to be "fresh" which made the research extremely difficult.
this professor made this class extremely unappealing and tough for me, he's a very hard grader, and if a paper had at least 6 checklist mistakes he stopped the grading and count it as a missed hw and take 1 point of your grade, he gave a lot of hw, if u were at least 1 minute late to his class he would mark u late and make u lose 1/2 in your grade
He expects a lot and is a tough grader, and while that requires a lot of work, it definitely can help you improve your writing. He gives a lot of helpful handouts, but know that everything must be done PRECISELY right. He also gives you the chance to revise all of your papers for a better grade at the end of the semester.
As an international student, I felt stressed because of assignments. I also got low grades at firstalmost got a NP for each paper. However, I followed instructions and revised them. Dr. Calvey gave me higher grades and gave me more time to revise one of them at the end of the semester! Go to class, do HW and revise your papers. You will pass.
Started semester by telling the class they will hate the course. He gives out a RIDICULOUS amount of homework, and if you miss any part of it, he'll take points off your final grade. Has a checklist on papers, and if you screw that up, points off final grade. You get the idea. Luckily you're allowed to submit papers more than once. Only perk.
I'm a fairly good writer, and I got an A and a recommendation to minor in writing from him. Guidelines/directions/feedback are very clear, but you need to put in lots of work to meet them. More lenient than others w/ attendance/missing hw. Take another prof if you want an easy A, but Calvey is good if you want to learn and improve your writing.
This professor is very harsh to students
Ryan is the most terrible professor I have ever met. He disrespects the students and subtracts credits for students very often. A large proportion of students failed his class under his extremely strict policy. I recommend not to take Ryan's class if you want to pass this course.
You would hate wrting in your whole life if you take his classes. He just silently write down your lateness if you are one minute late. And he just said your paper topic is not "fresh", then do not revise for your paper or give you useful suggestion. You don't even need to go to his office meeting couse he just send you an email and let you read it
Had to make this class my top priority. Not easy as a STEM major. However, I really enjoyed this class. I participated a lot and thought there was always really solid, intellectual in class discussions. If you're interested in and dedicated to writing, I highly recommend. If you're taking it for the SBC requirement, other professors are easier.
Crazy tough grader who will consistently give your first drafts C-'s or fail them and demands your research paper be on a "fresh" topic. Sure at the end of the day his critiques force you to be a better writer, but he is still too harsh. Also gives way too much busy work on top of the papers.
NO NO NO Ryan Calvey! You will suffering and its not worth it! Try to find the other professor and get an easy A or B. Just like what I did! Trust me! Dont do Ryan Calvey!
Professor Calvey, though extremely smart and has his teaching methods on the right track, has absolutely no capacity of moral understanding pertaining to life. He assigns work and grading as if one has no other classes, life outside of class, or even time to sleep. The quality of his teaching, subpar, but the quantity is morbid.
In my opinion, the worst aspect of the class is the mandatory discussions, but that's only because I absolutely despise talking in front of people I don't know. But if you want to learn how to write, like really write, take Calvey. He'll drill ya into a natural
I find it funny how the most exciting part of the class was writing this review. I have never felt so stressed out by a teacher in my life. The amount of work he makes you do versus the grades you get is not worth it. Professor Calvey teaches like he is in a top tier Harvard class(he is not). Want a good grade and no breakdowns? Do not take Calvey.
It's been 4 years since I took his class. Yet I still remember his name letter by letter. He has been the WORST professor that I've encountered in my entire career as a student. PLEASE PLEASE do not take this class. YOU WILL DIE. YOU WILL CHOKE ON THE WORK HE GIVES.
You can curse him for your draft grade or take his sound advice on how to improve it before finalization. This ended up greatly uplifting my GPA after all the damage my STEM classes did to it. It is only hard if you treat it like its worth 1 credit. If you put in a bit extra time and effort, it'll be very easy to get a B or up for a letter grade.
I took Ryan Calvey two years ago. Our meetings about my papers he would tell me how terrible my writing was and I would be crying after. I transferred and I have gotten an A on every paper I've written after WRT 102. Terrible teacher, a lot of busy work, but I guess in the end he was kind of helpful. Don't take him if you want a good grade.
If you ever get to take Dr. Calveys writing 102 class. DO IT. Seldom have I found a class that has mattered more years beyond completion. Not only will this class make you an exceptional writer. But will also make you an exceptional critical thinker. Which is rare in this day and age. If you are looking for an easy A, forget it. Best class I took.
I took Professor Calveys Wrt-102 class about five years ago, my freshman year at Stony Brook. I think where he fails most as a professor is his expectation of all of his students to be exceptional writers out of high school, providing unclear feedback as well. I thought I did well considering the workload and finished with a C. Avoid!!
He is a really strict grader and is very cautious about your formatting and spacing. If you even get a few of the formats wrong, it is highly likely he will fail your paper. On the other end, he does make you a better writer. For English majors or writing minors, I recommend this class. But for STEM majors or other majors, I recommend to avoid.
The grading system is awful, one essay means everything, even grammar mistakes counts when he makes it himself. He makes you do critical thinking but some people just arent like that. Thanks to him, my scholarship for the entire school year is ruined.
He's good at developing your skill as a better writer. But ruining my GPA over it was definitely not worth it considering I am not a English major. One essay will determine your grade for the semester and he is very STRICT at grading it. An essay that can probably get you a A+ in other classes will probably get you a C or a F in this class.
Dr. Calvey is a very divisive professor that is mostly seen in negative ligh. In all honesty, he's very tough. At the same time, if you want to be a writer, you'll find his toughness well-warranted and insightful. However, if you're taking this class for the credit only, pick someone else. He's not generous with grading at all.
You definitely have to put a lot of time and effort in for his class. Personally, I think his one-on-one conferences were pretty helpful. His grading is very tough though, so if youre looking for an easy A, youd probably be better off in another class.
Only cliques no constructive criticism. No sympathy towards students. If you dont understand something, oh well sucks for you
Tried to non credit me for a technicality that was not listed on the syllabus
Ryan Calvey is one of the most incompetent lecturers. He is not helpful and always refers to his long unhelpful assignment sheets and checklists when a question is asked about the means of improving a paper. He wants you to write a full dissertation for a 3 credit class. Feedback is mediocre, unhelpful and your grade depends on one paper.
As someone who enjoys writing and did well in writing classes in the past, I don't think Dr. Calvey was too hard. I didn't enjoy that your entire grade revolves around a single paper, but that did mean the workload for this class was less intensive. Dr. Calvey also gave clear and detailed feedback on every stage of writing the final paper.
Dr. Calvey is an outstanding lecturer. Perhaps his grading is a bit harsh but it prepares you for more insight and clarity throughout and after the course. If you want to better your skills, take a class with Dr. Calvey.
The class wasn't horrible. Gives some time during class to work on HW (10-15min). Regularly lets class out about 10 minutes early. Isn't hard just a lot. The essays aren't bad, there aren't many of them. With regards to the professor himself, he is a nice guy. Genuinely wants you to do well. Wished I got to see his face wears a mask to every class.
This professor is the worst. As a Electrical Engineering Major and for anyone doing STEM PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THIS PROFESSOR!! HE WILL WASTE YOUR TIME AND IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW HIS NICHE AND ODDLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM YOU ARE GURANTEED TO FAIL HIS CLASS.
Senior here about to graduate and I took his class back in 2021. He single handily screw up my entire GPA. My grades throughout SBU are As, 1 B+, and 1 B. His class was the only ever C I've ever gotten in my life.
Man this dude has autism and ocd istg. He does not want zeros in dates for example (09/21) if you submit something through email with a date like that In the subject line he WILL MAKE U RESUBMIT. He also does not gaf about you and he thinks that he is some sort of writing god like bffr you are a writing professor bud calm down.
Professor Calvey is incompetent in his role as a "professor" here at Stony Brook University. The majority of his students rarely receive As, so I think that should describe his course. Most students will receive either a C or an F. Please take his course with one of his colleagues instead. AVOID CALVEY AT ALL COSTS!!!
Dr. Calvey was very organized in all aspects of the class. All assignments were clear and straightforward, and I genuinely appreciated the outline, resources, and structure he provided. While reading through the documents can be tedious, as long as you attend class, participate, put in the effort, and follow his instructions, you will do fine.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
98%
Textbook Required
59%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.39 avg changeRatings by Course
EGL192
5.0
(1)EGL390
5.0
(1)WRT05
4.0
(1)102
2.8
(4)WRT102
2.5
(87)Difficulty by Course
EGL393
5.0
EGL390
5.0
WRT10209
5.0
WRITING
5.0
WRT101
4.7