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Loved his class. Went to grad school as a result even.

Good prof- fair test and easy to understand. Looks like Egan from Ghostbusters, lol.

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Good prof, very clear and concise; Comes from ivy league schools, you will learn a great deal of info and will have to work hard if you take this class.

LOVE him...get Gellman if you can. Very calm, clear, and easy to understand. NO quizzes, fair exams. He goes at a nice pace too. Holds lots of office hours plus an optional discussion. One of the best profs I've had at the UW.

Very good teacher, hard exams though, but worth taking him if you can.

Awesome prof! like the class, even though i don't like chem. funny guy, makes it clear and explains things well. tests kinda difficult and doesn't tell you grading scale or curve on each test which sucks. but still highly recommended!

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Very challenging class, but he tried to make the material interesting and the class entertaining. Good professor, good guy, hard class.

Very good professor but extremely hard! You will however know your chemistry after you are done with the course. If you think that he is an easy alternative to Reich, beware.

Great prof., he is very clear and if you study hard you can do well. He isn't a blow off but if you do his old exams you will be fine.

How did UW manage to hang on to this prof? One of the best communicators and smartest profs on campus. People equate "harder=more learning" in Reich's class. Only reason that class is hard is because she is so unclear. Take Gellman. You will learn just as much and still enjoy it.

One word to describe this guy, FAIR. It's a tough class but what do you expect, it's O-Chem. I am soo glad I had Gellman. He was always very patient with people and more than willing to help you understand the material. He also would discuss how points were awarded on exams and would often make corrections. I can't say enough about the man.

sam gellman was the best professor i have ever had. very intelligent, interesting talker, and amazing knowledge. organic chemistery is a hard class and it can be a very stimulating class when taught well. Dr. gellman did a great job back in the fall of 2001. as an added bonus he looks like egon spangler of ghost busters.

One of the best professors I have ever had. You actually learn from the lecture and he is very clear. His exams are fair, if you know the practice exams you will do fine. He makes a lot of jokes that make the lecture interesting as well.

Very good professor. Extremely intelligent, very clear speaker and very patient. Grades in this class were based entirely on three 50 minute midterms and the final, and sometimes the grading didn't seem entirely fai. Still, you're in better hands with Gellman than with most of the other O-Chem faculty.

Very Knowledgable about the material. Really enthusiastic about chem in general. Will be a great reference. Goes through material fast, but expected b/c honors...and ochem is hard, but just suck up that 50 out of 100 on the exam and move on. Overall, definately worth it.

gellman is the god of o-chem. he is great at communicating concepts, which is amazing considering his topic. also, he knows his students' need, what needs clarification, what topics are difficult, and is able to address them. very smart but never condescending of students. if you're in reich, beg your advisor to put you into gellman's section.

Keeps your attention very well, and is a great teacher

Great guy! Would for sure take him for 345, but it doesn't fit in my schedule. If you can take him, take him! Exams difficult, average score on the last exam was 45. Go to lecture, read before going to class and you'll for sure beat the average and have a chance at a B or an A.

Gellman is awesome. he really knows what he is talking about and truly wants to help all students. his exams are tough, but if you do the work they are fine.

Funny Guy!. Very clear, good at explaining confusing concepts. Tests can be pretty tough though, but theres a good curve. Go to class, study a bit..and ull be fine!

He was really good and very helpful. If you pay attention and try in the class, you will succeed.

Ochem is f-ing hard, nothing is going to change that. Gellman is a good teacher and cares about his students. So much material there's hardly time to breath, writing equations on the board for 50 minutes stright, 3 days a week. It sucks, but Gellmans good. Make sure you can do big sythesis problems for all his exams.

Study his notes!! You will be lost during lecture if you haven't mastered the material in the book, but after you have - his notes are worth taking a second look at. Also, the format of his exam questions closely mirrors his notes rather than the textbook. Great professor, very knowledgeable, tough exams, but study his notes and you will be fine!

Can anyone say best professor ever?! Yeah..it's OMG-chem..it's gonna suck balls. But Gellman is amazing. He's really funny too. I actually looked forward to class every week. Anyone who can make o-chem fun must be one hell of a teacher.

this is a challenging class, but go to his office hour and classes, he's always welling to help, like having extra review before exams, and his notes are helpful

Gellman is the man. His teaching methods are extremely clear and he really knows his stuff. He gives very good rationale for every step of a mechanism which makes it significantly easier to understand.

I wasn't actually enrolled in his lecture, but I attended it. He is the most well spoken and clear lectures I've had to date. His wit and oratory skills keep the lecture more than interesting. Take him if you can. He actually teaches you OCHM which is rare among OCHM profs.

Gellman was a good professor for the most part, clearly spoken etc. However, your entire grade is 3 (hard) exams and 1 (hard) final. No homework or quizzes to help out at all. Yes, he curves, but still. Also, I asked him a question about the grading of an exam problem once and he was a jerk to me about it. TAs are helpful. I hear Clauss is better.

Professor Gellman is an excellent Ochem professor. He really knows his stuff. I dreaded taking the course and ended up with an AB. Exams are fair if you're willing to put effort into understanding the material. Pay attention in lecture and you'll catch his dry sense of humor as well as obtain the majority of the material for exams.

Ok OChem sucks and it gets harder as it goes on. Gellman was a great professor - very smart and enthusiastic especially compared to other OChem professors. He tries to make jokes, which are funny only because you're bored out of your mind with the lecture. I recommend you do all the book problems and make reaction flash cards. Take Gellman.

Overall, he is a very good lecturer and he explained things well. However, tons of homework problems are assigned that are impossible to get all done unless you would like to drop everything and commit your whole life to ochem. Partial credit is hard to come by on exams, so memorize EVERYTHING and pray that you don't make a silly mistake.

I got a better grade than I thought I would - his exams are killer, but he is generous with the curve. I went to his office hours, but I found him unhelpful and intimidating. However, his lectures are clear and with flashcards, the class is doable.

Gellman is awesome. His exams are pretty much entirely lecture based, so make sure you go and write everything down. The lectures are incredibly boring, but Gellman really loves teaching ochem and is always on top of his game. Make flashcards because memorization is crucial to doing well in this class.

Gellman was an awesome lecturer. He made things easy to understand although he could get a little monotone sometimes. He's pretty funny and jokes to lighten the seriousness of the lecture. Tests are tough. If you do the reading, homework problems, and practice tests you can usually do well. He's a good teacher for a tough subject.

Prof. Gellman was an excellent professor!! He genuinely cares about his students and was extremely effective in his teaching. Plus, he was pretty funny if you like dorky chem jokes. I highly recommend taking his class.

Professor Gellman is the best lecturer I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. He is clear and upfront about what you need to learn, and really helps the whole course fit into context. He only tests material that he mentioned in class so I found them manageable. Just stay on top of the suggested problems, they help! His jokes were grea

Amazing teacher, genuinely cares about students, loved the teacher!!

OChem is never a fun class but Gellman makes it bearable and much easier than it could be. Get the book and do his recommended problems! Will help greatly come test time.

Gellman is phenomenal. Teaches in a clear, coherent manner and emphasizes what makes the class important and why you should care. Tests require a thorough understanding, but if you listen to what he says and study its a very doable class.

Very helpful in understanding ochem, lectures are boring but helpful, precise on what he wants - in a good way

Gellman is a great professor! Sometimes he could be a little intimidating in office hours, but he truly wanted you to understand the material. Tests are very fair, flashcards with equations help!

Take O-Chem with Gellman if you have the chance. Exams are fair and lecture based. Just keep up on everything and you should be fine.

Gellman is an awesome professor. Crystal clear, really helpful, and emphasizes key concepts. Youll regret it if you dont take him.

Gellman is a great professor. Definitely the one to have for 343. Don't take this class with Lam! Take it with Gellman. He stresses problems in the book, and does not provide weekly problem sets. However, his tests are in class and straightforward. Do the readings and some problems and stay ahead. Loved this class!

Excellent Professor. One of the best chem professors at this university, which is saying something with how good that department is. He is very funny, very helpful, very clear, and the exams he writes are fair. Excellent all around.

Gellman is the man. I was pretty nervous about taking ochem but he makes it so easy to understand and his tests are exactly like the practice tests. He's also a pretty funny guy. If you can, take ochem with Gellman!

Professor Gellman is an amazing teacher. He is very clear on what you need to learn and goes in the order the book does. His practice exams give you a clear idea what will be on the exam. It is not an easy course, but Professor Gellman tries his hardest to help you understand the material. I definitely recommend him.

Sam is such a great professor! He is so incredibly smart and helps you with anything if you go to his office hours. Everything he teaches is from the book so you have 2 ways to access material and his exams are in class so they are super short!

Incredible professor. Lectures on a blackboard on general idea of the topic and then expects mastery via textbook, lecture notes, and practice problems (not required). Crystal clear, and always available in office hours. Discussion section attendance required and occasional (5/semester) pop quizzes. Very nice man, as well. Highly recommend.

Awesome professor! He's very clear on his lectures and explains the concepts but not how to do problems/reactions. Most of the time we had to come up with mechanisms by ourselves after he gave us the basics of that type of mechanism. Discussion sessions were mandatory but not helpful at all!! If you want to get an A, read the textbook too.

Best professor in the known universe.

Best teach with good hair to boot.

Don't even think twice about it; take his class. Sam Gellman is an incredible teacher and inspiring person. Single greatest professor I've ever had.

Phenomenal. Always does a great job relating chemistry to real world problems and applications. Material is difficult (which is to be expected), but he emphasizes the importance of practice problems (DO THEM). My only criticism is his use of the book. I personally think problem sets would be way more beneficial in highlighting important aspects.

Samuel Gellman is the best of the best professors I've ever had here at UW-Madison. He is one of the best researchers in the world and a phenomenalinspirationalwise TEACHER.

Professor Gellman is a FANTASTIC professor. He is an excellent lecturer. He writes and speaks clearly and always finds time to slip in a joke. He is also very inspirational; he often ties the material taught in class into real-world application. I can't imagine a better chemistry professor.

Gellman is a great professor but his writing is not always legible, and he could be more organized. He is extremely passionate and hilarious. He is very helpful and his tests are not as hard as other professors here. It would be nice if he gave problem sets (he relies on the book completely). Overall, if you put in the effort, you'll be fine.

Any student that attends UW-Madison and actually thinks the average grade in an organic chemistry class is an A is delusional. Class is average is more likely to fall below 60%... Thank god for that curve. Sam Gellman is a great professor who has mastered organic chemistry. Grateful to learn from him.

He writes all notes up on the blackboard, giving definitions and examples. His tests are fair if you understand the material, not just memorize it. It is helpful to do all the assigned problems he gives you.

Gellman was my favorite professor thus far, but this was also an incredibly challenging class. Lectures are great: his voice is swell and he's clear in his examples. I would strongly suggest that you READ THE TEXTBOOK for a rerun of the concepts and do the assigned problems so you actually learn the material. Exam grading is tough.

Very clear lectures, tests are very fair. Practice problems represent material that will be tested. Great professor, makes himself available for extra help frequently.

The best professor I have ever met. He usually offer extra office hours and review sessions every week and encourage you to ask him question. He is also willing to give his suggestions on your academic development. If you want a easy A, don't pick, if you interest in ochem and want to learn something useful, don't hesitate.

To start this man's intelligence is unmatched by any professor at this university. He manages to answer questions from undergrads eloquently and straightforwardly. This is not a memorization course, understanding is key to doing well, Gellman passes on the deep conceptual understanding necessary for success.

Professor Gellman is one of the smartest men on campus. He's also an incredible instructor. A total boss. He so clearly conveys the concepts, mechanisms, and the deeper value of Organic Chemistry. I would easily choose Gellman as a professor for all my classes. If youre on the fence, you'll not regret him. The man is cerebral and inspiring.

Well I strongly dislike o Chem but he definitely made it more bearable. He is very clear in his teaching but holds you accountable. If you want to do well in the course it goes without saying you need to put in the work outside of class but overall was helpful and a good teacher for the subject matter

Where to being with this Professor. His intelligence is ridiculous; his knowledge and mastery of Organic Chemistry is honestly inspiring. He's an excellent lecturer, his exams are very fair, and he gives more than enough time to complete them. He makes his exams in such a way that is challenging but doable if you put in the work beforehand.

Professor Gellman is a wonderful professor who you can tell has passion for teaching and his research. His lectures are interesting and he often ties the material into real world applications. The lectures are however only the foundation of what you need to know so if you want to do well you have to read the book and do the problems.

Professor Gellman was fantastic! I was pretty nervous going into this class, but he made it really easy to understand and actually cared about our success. He definitely uses the textbook a lot, and has sets of problems that are not required but help a ton. I recommend reading the textbook for sure, it explains everything well. Plus he's hilarious!

Dr. Gellman was probably the most intelligent professor I've had. It's easy to understand material when he teaches it, but rec probs help for a deeper understanding. Tests are tricky, but reasonable. He puts out sample exams that are pretty similar to the actual. If you're willing to put in the effort it shouldn't be too hard to get a B or better.

Professor Gellman was a great professor. He recognized that most people weren't in the class to pursue organic chemistry but tried his best to keep your attention. Going to lecture is a must because it helps reinforce the material although I didn't use the textbook much. Also his jokes made the lectures bearable. He was overall a great professor!

Amazing professor... as long as you don't mind reading and doing textbook problems. His lectures are eloquent and organized but as far as outside the class, expect to read A LOT. Having the textbook as the only out-of-class resource can be very overwhelming and it can be hard to know what is necessary to know for exams. Other than that, great prof!

First of all you can tell that Prof. Gellman is passionate about teaching and chemistry. He also recognizes that most of his students are not there to become chemists. However he does his best to make the lectures helpful though they do go a bit fast at times. I have to admit that I got bored a few times in lecture but I still learned something new

Prof Gellman is the man. He is by far the best ochem professor at UW-Madison. His lectures are very entertaining and interesting. On top of this, he has some solid flow.

Professor Gellman is the best orgo teacher at UW. Don't take anyone else. He's kind and extremely knowledgable. My favorite teacher of all time.

Gellman is an incredible professor. I took his ochem 343 ad 345 classes, which are both very difficult, however his lectures are engaging and thorough providing you all the information to succeed. Studying hard is a must with a ton of outside class reviewing and studying, but if you go in for help and work hard to succeed you can. Highly recommend

He is the most encouraging professor I have ever had in UW-Madison. He is standing on student's eyesight to consider the questions. His review sessions before exams are extremely helpful. Exams are really challenging, however, especially for the last question. The classes go really fast on the materials in the books so... prepare for them.

I loved Dr. Gellman! Your grade is entirely test based, and although difficult they are fair. However, there isn't much room for partial credit. Makes you figure out a lot on your own, but super helpful in office hours--and flexible about meeting outside them. Responds to emails often--even at 10 and 11pm! Not much to practice besides the book.

Great! Don't take ochem with anyone else!

Professor Gellman gives very clear lectures on the material; however, the lectures provide only the foundation of what you need to know for exams. It is really up to you to do the homework problems and spend time on your own learning the material. As for Gellman, he is always willing to help and answer questions. Would recommend him for O-Chem.

I loved Professor Gellman! His exams were fair and the lectures were quite informative. He is a big deal so he travels a lot, but get to know him. He cares a lot about his students and pushes you to think instead of giving you answers.

Professor Gellman was a good instructor for 343. While he had to find others to lecture for him 5 times last semester, he was fairly clear when he was present. Will move quickly with the material-- make sure to stay on track with the practice problems. He assigns a lot of work, but if you can get it all done, you have a good chance of getting an A

One of the best professors I've had at UW. Very respected and can be intimidating because of his expertise, but is actually very approachable and encouraging. Tests are tough, you have to study consistently, no way around it.

Sam was a fantastic professor, he made the course very accessible and easy to understand. He only used the chalkboard which gave time to write down the notes and understand the concepts. Very accessible outside of class, he held an extra office hour every Thursday. Always open for questions and kind. Do the optional book problems!

Gellman is one of the smartest people I've ever met, and that really comes across in his lectures. He's also approachable and holds a lot of office hours and review sessions. He's very good at explaining the concepts, but there is an expectation that you put in adequate time outside of class. If you can do that, the class is manageable.

Dr. Gellman genuinely cares about his students- he is always available for questions after class and during office hours.

Literally the best professor in UW-Madison. I had him for my first semester OChem and he made me fall in love with the materials. Go to office hour when you feel confused and he will help you solve the problem. The learning strategies and concepts he gave are definitely inspiring and helpful. Study hard, ask questions, and you will get an A

Sam taught you how to study. If you only learn things passively from lecture you won't pass. He was old-style but his logic flowed so well so that you wouldn't want to miss any single sentence from his lecture. I struggled at first but then I put lots of time outside classes to read the book and practices, and later I got 90% in all my exams.

Professor Gellman is just an awesome human being. He truly wants his students to succeed and is really passionate about ochem. He does rely on you to read the textbook to understand some concepts more in depth, but for the most part he just tests on the lecture material. Would definitely recommend him!!

The grade in this class is entirely dependent on exams. Homework is completely optional. However, it is really hard to pass the class without doing some homework. His lectures are great and have great flow he can talk and write on the board at the same time to keep you actively listening the whole time.

Prof Gellman is an awesome choice for the first semester of ochem. He focuses on teaching students how to study and enjoy the material rather than overloading them with work and quizzes. He truly cares about students and chemistry and he makes this very clear in lectures. Great lectures, easy to follow. Read the book and do practice problems!!

Professor Gellman is extremely knowledgeable about the world of Organic Chemistry and challenges students to deeply understand the content. Your grade is primarily determined by the three exams and final, so bombing one exam is essentially a fail. Gellman was very accessible for office hours and question sessions three days a week as well.

I found reading the textbook to be much more helpful than the lectures. Your whole grade is based on three exams, but the exams were actually much easier than any exams I've had in previous chemistry classes.

Its a hard class but Gellmans tests are proportionally much more fair than other professors. He puts more of an emphasis on understanding rather than rote memorization or convoluted explanation questions on exams (although orgo does require memorization obviously). His lectures are hard to understand without the book, but not after reading.

Professor Gellman is the only organic chemistry professor I have had that I feel like has cared about my ability to learn and be successful in o chem. O chem is really hard for me but his lectures are good and his exams are just like his practice exams so you can prepare to show what you have learned, versus being blindsided! Take him!