1.8
Quality4.4
Difficulty18%
Would Retake163
Reviews18%
Would Retake
163
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
163 total ratings5
15
4
9
3
14
2
32
1
93
What Students Say
“Overall, my experience with this teacher was not the best”
ECO2013 - 2.0 rating“He knows his stuff and is a great economist but not good at explaining it to students”
ECO2013 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
36%
Textbook Required
80%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.19 avg changeRatings by Course
ECO4013
5.0
(1)INTROMACR
5.0
(1)ECO1301
5.0
(1)ECO002
5.0
(1)CLASS
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
2013001
5.0
MACROINTR
5.0
MACRO2013
5.0
ECO5003
5.0
HIST2013
5.0
Reviews (162)
This teacher is super hard, I am an A/B student and I got a D in his class, he teaches graduate level and is very hard!! Find someone else!
He is not very helpfull. He thinks that everyone else loves and understand Economics. I'll pray for you if you end up with him.
make fun of people that fell asleep b/c of his boring lecture. Exams are extremely difficult, class avg is around the 40's and he's very unorganize, throw the scantron on the floor make the student dig through it. F-
WHATEVER YOU DO DONT TAKE THIS COURSE...HE IS THE WORST PROFESSOR EVER. BORING UNCLEAR AND VERY HARD...GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN!
One of those classes that wastes your time if you go to class. Was very surprised at my low grade when i got my first test back. Two more to go.
He's VERY technical in his lectures! His lectures are almost not worth going to at all because it's better to learn it from someone else. He gives reviews on all of his tests, and his final is non-cumulative, however his tests are no joke!
DONT DO IT!!!
Can't understand a word he says. And he stutters a lot!
Students complain about this man because they are damn lazy. If you go to him for help, he will not turn you away. Also, the class averages are so low because no one goes to class. He types out the lecture notes for you (what more can you ask for?)
Good teacher, but strict. Expects you to learn and ask questions if you don't. People who go to class do better...of course
Beware of this man.He is super hard.You cant understand his lectures and his tests are very difficult.Lectures are very boring and he treats students badly.I worked very very hard to just pass the class.Whatever u do dont take him.
Very knowledgable, but he does not tolerate laziness and idiocy.If you JUST go to class, there is no excuse NOT to get a C.
Dont whine if you dont attend the class! its 4 level for god's sake.He may have accent probs but he knows his stuff,explains stuff if you ask him again & again and very thorough with all chapters. Tests are all multiple choice, but have to attend class
HIS LECTURES DON'T HELP WHAT SO EVER. I ATTENDED CLASS ALL THE TIME, WHICH DIDN'T HELP ME AT ALL. I WENT TO SI SESSIONS TO HELP ME AND I UNDERSTOOD THE MATERIAL AND I GOT A D. HIS TEST ARE VERY HARD.
He is a great professor. He explains everything very clear..
Thought the course was going to be less mathematical, but not complaints about the professor.He can be mean, but its not his fault: he's Persian.
This teacher overexplains what you don't need to know and minimally explains the neccesities of the course. ONLY the SI session helped. TEST 1 easiest TEST 2 HARD and FINAL most difficult.
Turn and run! Hard tests, hard lectures, and even harder to stay awake. Something about him makes it very hard to pay attention. Beware of test 2, and don't bother going to his office, he's very unhelpful.
I wish i could have read the ratings before i took him because i wouldn't have taken him. Can't understand his lectures, tests are very very hard. Probably gonna have to take it again, with a DIFFERENT teacher. He is horrible.
This guy is the worst teacher on the planet. He always goes the entire hour and 15, and you cant understand word he says, DONT TAKE HIM
DO NOT TAKE HIM. HES HARD. HE CANT SPEAK ENGLISH CLEARLY. THE WORST TEACHER IVE EVER HAD. HES MEAN AND VERY VERY UNWILLING TO HELP STUDENTS.
Never missed 1 class, took all the notes, got low C. He goes on tangents about pointless stuff, tests are pretty tough except for the first one. When people asked questions, he acted as if they were idiots.
this professor is the anti-christ of economics. if you want fail miserably AND alone take this man. very unclear and extremely difficult. wouldn't recommend class for my dog!!!!!
DON'T TAKE THIS HORRIBLE PROFESSOR, TURN AWAY!!!!!!
Mahdavi is fair, will help you, but is a little hard to understand, and emphasises on math calculations. If Jennifer is your SI, go to her! she will make a letter difference in your grade!
Don't take him if you're not a serious student, because he means business! I went to his office and have asked him questions about economic and noneconomic issues. Learned a lot! I got the impression that he would help students who were willing to help themselves.
Horrible professor. I'm a senior now at UTSA, and can honestly tell you he is the worst professor I had. Do not take this class if you don't have to, fair warning. Wish I had known of this site.
Seems like a nice guy and really wants his students to do well. Gives lots of examples, different ways to look at things. Class attendance is extremely important. Goes over everything thoroughly in class; I'm doing well and haven't opened the book even once.
No Comments
He espects you to know as much as he does. It isnt easy.
Wow, this guy can't teach at all. Take this class ONLY if u want to fail. His tests are insanely difficult, so dont even bother taking this class.
look, this is how things really are. he's not the anti-christ of professors, he is very intelligent and if you are one to skip classes this isnt for you. he is unapproachable and everythiong he says has a purpose, but hes not so bad as it would seem. if u stay with him, u will learn a lot.
Having taken this class n highschool is my only saving grace.Class attendance-only important for extra credit quizes(which helps on tests)Bring something else with you 2 class 2 study.He repeats everything 50 times & takes 30 min 2 explain one graph 30 different ways. Don't take this class from him!
YOU DONT UNDERSTAND ONE WORD FROM THIS GUY HE GOES OVER THINGS TWENTY TIMES IS JUST HARD. HIS TEST HORROR VERY HARD. HE SOMETIMES SEEMS LIKE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT.CLASSES ARE JUST PLAIN BORING. GOOD LUCK IF YOU END UP WITH THIS GUY IF YOU DONT LIKE TO STUDY DONT TAKE THIS CLASS.
THis teacher is not that bad. If you never plan on going to class or opening the book, dont take him. All i do is go to class once in a while, do the study guide(don't really read) weekend before the test and i have a B. Doesn't take attendance, gives lots of examples, slight accent but understanda
This is the WORST teacher i have ever had!!! He is not helpful at all and is extremely rude! His tests are long and hard. He knows nothing about teaching.
I study and come to class so saying this professor is horrible has nothing to do with me as a student. He makes this class hard cause he can. He seems to enjoy the little power that he has as an instructor. Horrible. Professors are supposed to be helpful. Not condecending. Avoid at all costs.
This class isn't fun;at least Mahdavi explains things thoroughly. Won't take attendance ever;if u read the book and do the review tests,u can skip class and still have a B (me).Tests are multiple choice;u can usually guess the answer if u have some idea.Print the lecture outlines, he talks too fast!
Had him way back in '94. Remember him as an above average teacher who was on the difficult side. He had the ability to coax significant effort out of me for his class. I studied my butt off and got an A. It felt like a real achievement. Would not recommend if you want an easy A or B.
One of the worst teachers I have ever taken. Dont plan to understand a word he says
professor is hard to understand and don't get me start about the test.
He is a very boring teacher. He teaches from powerpoints and his examples are not very good. Tests are very hard.
VERY boring and a control freak; acts as if this is the only class you have; gives quizzes for extra credet (sometimes) but won't let you turn in it until he has finished lecturing and run over the class period. Frequently stops mid-sentence for 2-3 minutes...then starts again.
Very Boring! Will give 3 tests. Tests are har an his lectures are pointless.
Worst professor ever!! Does not care for his students, fails alot of people. Knows his stuff but not how to explain it. Good luck passing the exams!!
I am an older student. I have been appalled by the poor attitude and studying habits of many of my classmates in Dr. Mahdavi's and other classes. I'm amazed that many of them who did not even bother to attend class expect so much and accept so little responsibility for their own (in)actions.
sooo bad.... doesnt explain anything at all~
No Comments
Very difficult and hard to understand. You'll be sick of hearing that "there are no free lunches"
Not all that clear but I didn't think it was as bad as many others make it seem. Not my first choice, but manageable.
This class was fairly boring and very hard. I thought I was getting a C, but at the last min, he gives me a D. Friend tried to go up and ask him a question after class and he got angry at her, said everyone was on WebCT, and brushed her off. Mean guy. Don't take his class!
Easy class as long as you read the book in detail and do the practice problems.. I dont get why everyone thinks this class is so hard. I basically stopped showing up for lecture as its ALL in the damn book. On my first I missed like 2 questions plus the curve I had over a 100, other tests were close
You have been warned, do not take this teacher. Everyone I know that has taken him has failed of busted their ass to make a C, there are other teachers; do not pick this one or drop him now.
Worst professor ever! It's almost like he wants you to fail. You don't have to go to lecture because it is all in the book. The class is easy, but he will fail you if you don't go. He is not understanding even when it is his fault.
I had never missed a class, and when I asked him for help he said that I should stop skipping class, then moved on to the next student. Later I tried to ask him about my test grade and he hung up on me on the phone. He is awful and I would never wish this teacher on my worst enemy! Gold help you, if you take him!!
DO NOT TAKE THIS GUY if you already have a heavy load!! this guy is a real ****! he made me cry by insinuating that i was stupid in front of the entire class! when i retook the class with another professor (i can't remember his name) i earned an A and actually learned what shifts and movements along the curve were and how different factors affected these shifts/movements. mahdavi was not helpful at all!!
This class is hard and boring.
Mahdavi isn't all that bad, except for the fact that it is really boring and you don't learn hardly anything. The tests are difficult, but I hear if you go to class and read the chapters you'll do fine. I never go to class and I have a B, it just depends on how much you study.
Tests are HARD!!! READ & STUDY! Very organized powerpoint, but lectures are BORING (so inject urself w/ caffeine). Never talked w/ him personally, but he looks like a ticking time-bomb, so be careful what you ask him, whether face-to-face or on WebCT. I'd suggest making time to get help from the SI.
Hard? yes this class is difficult, but you need to go to class. I made a C in his class, but thats because many times i wouldn't show up. He gives extra credit quizes up to 10 points, more sometimes, it can give u a whole letter grade. His accent is not a problem at all, i was surprised he spoke very well. Dr. Mahdavi is an excellent professor. 5*
Not a grest teacher but the class is easy for an upper level eco class.
This teacher is by far the worst teacher I have ever had. If you want your GPA to drop significantly I would take this teacher, but other than that I would run away!
He always started class 5 minutes early. Even when I was early he would already be teaching. He always said ehh....He was unclear in his use of english. The tests were the hardest tests I have ever taken in my life.
His lectures were extremely boring and tests very hard. I could not help but fall asleep during every lecture. Finishing with a 79.3 avg., I was given a C in the class....Strongly recommend finding another teacher.
professor just lectures the whole time and waste the whole class on that. Do no take unless you are good at economics, 3 test the whole semester, and they were hard
I don't know what the issue is here,this guy was really smart but didn't make sense at all. And he was kind of an ass to the students and he always had really sweaty pits and always had to turn up the ac. But besides that, the class was easy and I made a B.I skipped so many lectures and just read the chapters while everyone was in class.
No Comments
Want a good advice? Don't take him, even if he is the only one teaching the class, don't!, wait until the next semester for another prof. HARD! He didn't give a "thing" for the students, talk talk talk and didn't make sense at all. Oh! and I forgot something else...BORING! Just don't take him, for real!
This man is an awful teacher. A Doctor but totally lacking in people skills. He was rude, unhelpful, taught with back to class, has been here in the US since the 1970s according to resume but his English is SO accented that no one can understand him more than half the time. Hard tests, don't dare ask him ??'s, he acts like they are insults! Bad!
This guy chose the wrong perfession. He is a smart dude, but that does not make him a good teacher. Dude sucks at teaching. If you are good at teaching yourself economics, go for it. Otherwise dont take this guy.
Dear God this guy is boring and so hard to follow. seriously, listen to what everyone else says and dont take this class. i gave this class a very concious effort and tried really hard to pay attention to his entire lecture (a chore in itself) and read the book. still didnt help. so i dropped it
Very boring class...DO NOT TAKE EVEN IF YOUR EXTREMLY INFACTUATED WITH ECONOMICS
If you like to spend hours reading the book and teaching yourself then this is the class for you. I went to class, but his lectures are so incredibly boring and hard to understand it was a waste of time. Even if you love and understand economics I would not recommend this professor.
No Comments
Dry, boring, difficult, and strongly suggest going to SI sessions for this class...
The tests were very difficult with trick questions. The quesitons had words with vague meanings. Dont take him unless you have to. Get ready to work hard on the FINAL! I barely made an A and i had a solid A going into the final. You can make an A, you just have to work hard. Also, he is very boring.
He is seriously the worst professor that I have ever taken. He lacks the skill to teach. Do not take him because he will destroy your GPA.
Hated this guy!! I tried so hard, went to every SI session and still made a C... He is hard to understand, and goes around subjects like no other!!! DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!
Class attendance is not mandatory, but passwords to random pop quizzes are only given in class. Expect thorough use of your book as the lectures are incomprehensible due to his lacking communication skills. If you'd like at least a B in this course go to ALL of the SI sessions. 7-8 pop quizzes, 2 tests and the final throughout the semester.
Horriable teacher..i went to almost every class and barely made a C, if you do decided to take his class you need to buy the study guide that goes with the book, i mean your basically just teaching your self, lecures are very boring and long, and at points he just will pause for 2-3 for no apparient reason, listen to everyone DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS!
he is VERY boring, his class is incredibly hard, you cant understand him and he also puts his TAs to sleep
wow,where to begin with Saeid Mahdavi.He is not as bad as everyone makes him sounds,but he is one of the worst proffs i've ever had.One thing that got to me the most is that he dose not look at the class while he is talking,instead he slightly looks up to the walls and celling. you can tell he's a very smart man, but he can't teach to save his life
DO NOT TAKE MAHDAVI!!! WORST PROFESSOR AT UTSA!!! In my 4yrs of college, Mahdavi is BY FAR THE WORST professor I've had. It is almost impossible to understand him and he goes off on pointless, boring rants. He'll stay on the same PPt slide for 20 min and still not explain it. SECRETLY takes attendance using pics from UTSA card - effects grade.
Worst professor ever!!! do not take him!! does not know how to make course material understandable. And don't rely on the book to help you, he wrote it. So it is just as dry and complex as he is. Teaches like he's talking to Economists on his level.
This where his last words after failing inumerable students in his class:-IMPORTANT! Grades are final and not subject to negotiations. As noted before, I will not respond to e-mails requesting special treatment, extra credit, or "mercy curve".-Have a nice break! This class is not only ridiculously hard, this clown cant even speak, let alone teach!
Terrible, terrible class and professor. This has been by far the worst class ive ever been apart of my entire life. The lectures are long and painfully dry, the quizzes and tests are impossible, and he is very hard to understand. This was my only B this semester, and i made the most effort in this class than any others.
This was by far the most unfair class I have ever taken. It was painful to sit through class and everytime I left the classroom, I hated the thought of returning. It is unfair how students are expected to know material from books he previously taught with. Makes you buy a book that he wrote so not only do you hate the class but you hate the book!
Absolutely the worst professor I've had! It is impossible to understand what he is saying, but even if you could, it wouldn't matter because all he does is slap a powerpoint onto the board, read it real quick, and then making stuff up based on what he read. The book is a total joke, mostly because he wrote it!! DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR EVER!!!!!
I pretty much didn't like this guy at all. Such an annoying class. dont take him. that's all.
Horrible professor. Attendance "not mandatory", but password protects the online quizzes and tests and gives out the passwords during class. (An idiotic idea.) No people skills, incredibly boring, very rude. I've been to a few different universities and he is by far the worst professor of all. Don't take this professor.
If you go to class and do the study guides you will be fine. The first two tests are open notes and online. All quizzes are online also. He provides the lecture outlines which is extremely helpful you just need to write down the examples since they will be on the quizzes and test.
I normally have good things to say about any and all professors, but Dr. Mahdavi is a professor who I cannot find much good things to say. He uses WebCT quite effectively, but his tests (and scheduling) are very confusing. As a result, I wound up failing this class. I strongly recommend not taking this professor. He is a great researcher, though.
Very good professor. He really makes you earn a good grade. All the previous losers are just to lazy to earn their grade. Everyone wants the easy way out. But you actually learn something in Mahdavi's clas-you know that's the point of a college education.
Make yourself a favor and avoid this teacher at all costs. Hard-to-understand accent, monotonous voice, boring lessons, and impossible test questions from time to time.
DO NOT TAKE. I went to every class, took notes, read HIS textbook (yea he co-wrote the textbook he requires), and got a C... all quizzes and midterms are online, final is comprehensive and taken in class... quizz and exam QUESTIONS are weird and mostly conceptual based problem solving...
Dr. Mahdavi is a very intellegent professor who presents material very clearly and concisely. He expects students to actually attend class, pay attention and study (this is college). He is easy to understand and willing to help. I don't know why people rate him badly. Maybe they just want to blame him for THEIR failures. I would take him again.
I have an A in this class and a 4.0 GPA, however this is only due to my knowledge from prior experience.He is not helpful at all, he belittles questions, and discourages students from coming to his office.His questions on tests are written very strangely and if you believe it is questionable as to what answer is right,he will not discuss it.
He makes you use the textbook he wrote and it is useless.On the first day he posted a bunch of mistakes in the textbook and asked us to correct them.Umm obviously if the textbook was written with mistakes in it its not good at all. what a horrible teacher and a person who wants you to fail.Do not take him unless you enjoy pain.
Mahdavi is a serious instructor and expects his students to take his class seriosly. this excludes many of those who unfairly attack him. Consider this-About 60 percent of his grade is based on online tests and quizzes. if somebody does not do well in the course the source of the problem is not the instructor!
THIS HAS TO BE THE WORST PROFESSOR I HAVE EVER HAD! IF YOU ARE FACED WITH A SCHEDULE ISSUE, IT WOULD BE IN YOUR BEST INTEREST NOT TO TAKE THIS TEACHER. JUST TERRIBLE... FAILED HIS CLASS,AND I ATTENDED EVERY CLASS AND SI SESSION. DONT KNOW HOW UTSA LET HIM TEACH THERE. TAKE IT ONLINE....
Honestly..... I cant believe the University is allowing this guy to teach. Lecture is useless. I Guarantee you that you'll be teaching yourself..honestly carrots and sticks? what kind of examples are those?
Im currently in his class and dont understand a damn thing he says! He gets mad when people ask questions and is ral quick to judge. I wouldnt take him if you want easy A or B.
he is not that hard...everyone says not to take him...attendance is mandatory cuz he only gives quiz passwords to those who are there....test are online..easy to get A's on...the book is not hard and if you copy the powerpoint then you should do good on the test
VERY SEXY
Teaching style: Primarily lecture w/ short videos & online articles Communication: Rarely gives simple ans, most widely given ans to ?s: "I'd be happy to ans all your ?s in my office after class" Advice: Attend regularly - passwords given for qzs & tsts, print outlines before class. He's tough & you will work for your A.
i read that this professor's class is hard. but its really easy if you keep up with reading, and make sure to watch the videos.make sure 2 go to class (grab some coffee haha) and try to stay awake, because class might get boring, but it is really helpful. it is really easy to build up an A since all quizes and tests are online, except for the final
He teaches like he is God. His answers are so long and wordy that you don't remember what the question was. He gives passwords to his online tests, so attendance is mandatory. Take a huge coffee...you will fall asleep! His accent is horrible. I gave up on listening and read the book in his class. Expect to put a lot of time into studying for an A.
This professor is boring, unhelpful, and his class is very difficult. Your grade is based off of a few quizzes, 2 tests, and a final. The final is weighted the heaviest, and is the most difficult, because it is the only thing that is not online. DO NOT TAKE.
Prime example of a professor hired jyst for his research dollars he brings to utsa and not his teaching skills. Horrible instructor make others feel inferior to his bs doctorate - attended univ of Iran in the 70's and got his ph from Cali. U want to tank your gpa with one class take this guy
horrible teacher. explains everything that is already in the book. basically you teach yourself. quizzes and tests are online but impossible.. i have a b currently but after the final... who knows. DO NOT TAKE.
Hard Teacher do not take if your in cap... I was a pretty nerdy student (3.8 gpa in highschoo)never slept in class but... this guy puts you right to sleep... if you do take this class find a "study buddy" Tests are online good luck!
the test are online. made a's on them (with friends). failed all my quizzes but bc i didnt really study or understood the material. final was really tough esp if you dont really undertand the material. class is pretty boring which made me lose focus most of the time. im sure he cared about the students learning but in the end i dont recommend.
WHe does not know how to teach. Do not take his class, it's boring as hell.
Worst prof. ever! He reads from the PPt and hardly ever turns, or even looks, towards the class. The quizzes are impossible and not over what he's covered. His tests are hard as well. >>>>> MAJOR GPA KILLER! <<<<<<<
BAD!!!! RUN AWAY!!! He doesn't teach anything. Isn't willing to help students. Completely unreasonable and uncaring when/if personal matters arise. Attendance is strictly mandatory; NO excuses.
Absolutely HORRIBLE!! Lectures like you should already know the material. Quizzes and first two test are online and they are very hard and not easy to understand he words the questions weird. He wrote the book he uses and it makes no sense.Oh and quizzes are random and password locked so go to every class! Take someone else not him!!!
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS! Test & quizzes are very hard. His class is sooooo boring. He doesnt need to be teaching, he needs to just stop, seriously.
you can pass the class if you have the ability to learn on your own and learn from the T.A's but besides that his teaching is horrible hes honestly not very helpful at al i say choose another teacher for your Eco. class
Teaches as if everyone is a grad-student. Doesn't teach an an introduction level let alone a junior level course. Tests are required to be able to know information, assess the knowledge, weigh options, and choose the best suiting answer. I tried hard to learn in this class, but he is hopeless with helping anyone. Definite GPA killer.
Worst teacher I ever had! I'm a straight A honor student and I got a D. Had to drop so I wouldn't lose my scholarship. Useless pp and impersonal! Don't take him ever!
WORST PROFESSOR EVER. THIS CLASS WAS EXTREMELY HARD AS WELL AS THE TESTS AND QUIZZES. I BARELY PASSED AND I WENT TO EVERY CLASS AND READ ALL THE CHAPTERS.
If you want to ruin your GPA, take him. :)
If you are looking for an easy class this is not it. I went to all his classes and even to the 3 sessions the TA had. His test were online and timed no curve and he is never available. Had to drop class before my GPA got messed up. TAKE SOMEONE ELSE!
Great Professor, don't know why people give him such horrible reviews. His tests are online, open note and open books. As long as you show up to class you will be fine, and as long as read some of the material he assigns, you will be alright.
I took this professor YEARS ago...about 11 years and hated it. He HAD a very difficult time comprehending why/how students would take notes during lecture and even went off on a fellow classmate over it. AVOID him.
You will fail most likely if you sign up for his class.. look elsewhere... he likes that cheap off brand product.
This guy is incredibly boring in lecture. I could not pick up on anything he said and I sat in the first row. Despite this, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. I urge you to go to SI, or the TA, or his Office hour if you don't understand. For me it made the difference between a D and a C, and I waited until the end to ask for help.
This class is ridiculous, his lectures are terrible, and I have gotten little-nothing out of asking him questions over the course material.
His lectures are very hard to sit through and pay attention to, since they aren't interesting. He has 4 quizzes (lowest one is dropped) and 2 tests, which are online and timed. His final is the hardest part, since it's in class. I really struggled to make a B in the class. His SI and TA do help a lot. I would not recommend him to anybody.
I am typically an A/B student and barely passed this course. Not because the information was difficult but because the lectures were Extremely dry. The most difficult part of this class is staying awake. His attendance policy is unreasonable. He has a 'No Excuses' policy. Doctor note, family death, police report...doesn't matter. Take ANYONE else!
Took Macro with him last year. He's not a bad teacher as long as you sit down thru his classes, urge you to take coffee before them, you'll understand the material. I did read the chapters which helped a ton.
He is such a bad teacher. He reads off the slides and the lecture is extremely dry. The tests are online but are still hard. He is rude and not willing to help, he accused my boyfriend of cheating and made him prove the grade he fairly earned. He is not willing to help in any situation. He is awful and this class will lower your GPA for sure.
Do not take this class. I never fell asleep in any of my classes until this one. The exams are online, but are still extremely difficult and the lectures are so dry. I had a university excused absence and he still would not let me turn in my assignment a day late or through email. I also had to pick up a coffee every single day I went to that class
Very Good .
Dont even think twice about taking a class with this guy!
Worst Professor I've ever taken. He started out the semester saying he wanted to retire, just wish he had done it already. Class isn't mandatory specifically, but he has passwords for all HW and QLP's that he randomly assign. The Tests dont have set dates and the he wrote the text book which is an extension of his horribly boring and wordy lecture.
Even though tests, except final, are online they are pretty hard overall. Very no nonsense teacher to the point where he is rude at times. Password protects quizzes and uses examples from lectures on tests. Doesn't explain things in a clear way, reads from powerpoint the entire time. Lectures are very dry and I even saw the SI tutor nod off once.
He is very boring and hard to understand. He gives really hard tests and quizzes. He doesn't give many assignment, so you must pass the test.
This is probably the worst class i've ever taken. Take this class if you want to ruin your GPA. i wish i had listened to rate my professor. probably has tenure cause he's by far the worst. had to go to every SI to understand what he was talking about. he wrote the book you have to buy for his class, figures. BORING.
Macro can be a very exciting topic, unfortunately he makes it very dry and boring. Prof Mahdavi seems intelligent and knows the subject matter very well, but he is a very poor communicator.
It's one thing to have a difficult class which requires hard work to make a good grade. It is another when you go to class, take notes, and use the book on his online quizzes and tests and you still receive low to mid B's. He is very hard to understand makes the class very dry and boring.
Mahdavi is very interested in his field, but is quite noticeably a horrible professor. He doesn't ask questions of the class, never answers people that raise their hand, and is a very boing lecturer. His exams are online but his final is closed notes. To top it all off, his exams aren't based on the power point outlines.
He is by far the worst professor i have had in my college career. He should not be teaching.
When I asked him via email for help he seemed a bit sarcastic and rude. Very monotone, but I'm not sure economics can be exciting. Seemed to enjoy the subject he taught which is always a plus to me. First 2 tests were online, that is a huge help. Offers a good amount of extra credit points. I only understood the material because i read the book tho
Dr. Mahdavi is the epitome of a boring teacher. He drones on for 75 minutes (which is how long I had him for), and if you have him in the evening like I did, good luck staying awake. He does not interact with the class at all, and his tests cover many things he did not talk about in class. Overall, he was the worst professor I have ever had.
Just don't.
This one of the hardest classes I've ever had to sit through. He uses a powerpoint to lecture, but doesn't post it online and you have to take notes on what he's saying because the powerpoint notes itself are mainly bullet points that help. He has 2 tests online, 4 quizzes online, and an in class final. Tests are tricky but not impossible.
Mahdavi is the sassiest teacher I've ever had. He's very rude and calls people out for everything from cell phones, to talking, to leaving his class for a family emergency. He also belittles people when they ask honest questions or answer his questions incorrectly. It seems like he is teaching solely for the paycheck and his lectures are very dry.
My advice would be to avoid getting Professor Mahdavi for this course. Macro is a challenging subject, and he doesn't EXPLAIN the material (no depth). He is very cold, dismissive, and just not a happy person. Also, his lectures are very long, he reads straight from the screen, and tests over things he didn't 'cover' in class. avoid!!
Prof. Mahdavi is the typical boring professor, long lectures, arrogant, etc. Tough subject but if you read the textbook not too difficult to pass.
He wasn't a bad teacher but he wasnt the best. Would give extra points on the tests to bring the grade up. Power points were difficult to read in class bc of the color and font but overall just read the book and take the online test and you will be fine.
There's a reason there were so few students in his class. Made me hate economics. Droned on for lectures. Tests/quizzes are incredibly and unnecessarily hard. Required Textbook (which he wrote) is overpriced, and poorly written with very few differences in each version. The opportunity cost of taking his class is your sanity and well-being...
Very, VERY boring. I have never had a problem with sleeping in class, but he will put you to sleep. Would not be so difficult one would imagine, but the language barrier makes it tough to engage and understand what exactly is going tf on.
He is the worst professor possible to teach a very boring subject. He seems to forget that he is not talking to economics majors and that we do not understand this crap. When you are taking a full class load having a professor who does not get that is very frustrating and disheartening. My recommendation DO NOT TAKE HIM FOR ANY CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!
He is very intelligent, but a TERRIBLE teacher. Extremely monotone and boring. No one ever showed up to class.
Don't take him for macroeconomics! He is very hard to understand and doesn't teach well at all. Ask around and see who's taken macro before and what teacher they recommend because Mahdavi isn't the one to teach you. He knows his stuff and is a great economist but not good at explaining it to students. He also makes you buy the book he wrote.
Overall, my experience with this teacher was not the best. He has a thick accent sort of so he can be hard to understand and he drones a lot which made it hard to pay attention. Test and quizes are online accept the final, they were pretty hard in my opinion, the way he worded things often. DO NOT take him, take someone else. His class SUCKED.
This course isn't easy by any means, but it's clear that Dr. Mahdavi is a really smart guy and if you're committed you can learn a great deal. I think many other reviewers took him for Macro or Micro and were expecting an easier ride to just get the credits, and from taking this class I can see why most people would rather take someone else.
nice professor i love him
I agree with the fellow reviewer for this class. He is smart, and the course is rather well structured. However, his lectures are incredibly dry and if it weren't because I liked the subject and the book I'd probably have dropped the course. Be ready to work for your grade if you take him.
"DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR" is the best advice I can give anyone looking to take his class. Dr. Mahdavi is a very smart man, but that doesn't come close to make up for his abominable teaching style and class structure which in fact. IS THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN. If givin the choice, I would rather have waited a whole year instead of this class
He password locks his online quizzes and gives the password out the first minute of class. Think you can get the password from another classmate nope. If your not there the right on time (which is 5minutes early for him) he wont open it. he lectures like everyone in his class has a masters in economics. only review I've ever written he's so bad
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
36%
Textbook Required
80%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.19 avg changeRatings by Course
ECO4013
5.0
(1)INTROMACR
5.0
(1)ECO1301
5.0
(1)ECO002
5.0
(1)CLASS
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
2013001
5.0
MACROINTR
5.0
MACRO2013
5.0
ECO5003
5.0
HIST2013
5.0