2.6
Quality4.2
Difficulty53%
Would Retake106
Reviews53%
Would Retake
106
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
22
4
12
3
20
2
28
1
24
What Students Say
“By far the worst teacher I've ever had”
MTH280 - 1.0 rating“Homework does not help and is nothing like the tests”
MTH280 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
82%
Textbook Required
89%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.20 avg changeRatings by Course
MTH315
5.0
(1)MTH303
5.0
(1)MTH250
5.0
(1)MTH281
5.0
(1)MTH-503
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
MTH181
4.7
MATH181
4.5
MTH138
4.4
MTH287
4.4
MTH261
4.2
Reviews (106)
He's Mr. Calculus
He is not a good teacher at all!
willing to help, but extremely difficult
Talks to you like you're a bunch of two year olds learning calculus. Refuses to answer any questions you have in class, and gets testy when you do ask questions. He won't even teach from the same book that's required, he just uses his own.
Doesn't answer questions in class or follow the book. Tries to help but sometimes just confuses you more. All points are from tests b/c he doesn't collect homework. Very forgetful and sometimes assigns problems he doesn't mean to.
Don't accidently make a tiny mistake on the test or he'll mark it wrong. That's why I only got a C instead of a B.
Bad teacher, unwilling to answer questions in class over homework.
Overall good teacher if you pay attention and participate. Wants you to learn. Always willing to help outside of class.
He dosen't follow the syllabus even though at the start of the course he said it's like a contract. Two tests were combined into one which was not on the syllabus.
Doesn't help when you ask. Counted off points on test for a correct problem (department head checked) Rambles about proofs you don't need. Absolute WORST so called "teacher" I've ever had. If you want to learn Calc don't take this guy!You've be
Along with what everyone else says, don't take him, he helps you if you go one on one, and he wants to help, but it doesn't help! He does count off if you barly make a mistake! Look for another teacher if possible, nice guy, bad teacher
Nice guy but poor instructor. Too much emphasis on theory and proofs, not enough application. Test problems are often harder than homework. Just seems to be lecturing to himself.
Sometimes he is confusing, but he is very willing to help. So if you care about your grade, you can just head up to his office. Most the time he blatantly goes over what is going to be on each test. He is a really nice guy, and knows his stuff well.
This teacher sucks, you will hate every minute you're in there and his marker squeaks for all 50 minutes of class. Lets you out LATE a lot.
Hard to get along with
He is a very great teacher and he really wants you to succeed. He is very willing to help when anyone doesn't understand. He is sad when the class doesn't do so well on a test. The test questions are either easier or the same difficulty as the homework.
Uggghhhh. This guy is very nice. But his grading system is horrible, I MEAN HORRIBLE. Plus you don't learn anything, it's basically sitting for an hour listening to one example and the the homework having problems you did not go over in class.
Kilmer is horrible. He comes off nice, yea...but****! He will make off if you do something wrong IN YOUR WORK, despite having a right answer. SO ****!!! Gah he is the epitome of frustration. I didn't put a degree sign once and got 3 POINTS OFF!
Doesn't take time to explain things clearly then marks off unfairly for the simple mistakes, even if you had the right answer. Doesn't hold all students to the same standards.
This was a very hard class. His lectures and notes were impossible for me to understand. Doesn't like to give examples (he even says so). Only take if you're a math prodigy.
The whole time he talks about defn. and proofs and I swear he tries to word everything so its over your head. The tests are hard and he is the pickiest grader ever.If you do go to him for help he will work with you. Also he tells you right away that 80% of class will fail the first test and its true
No Comments
Very disorganized, makes numerous mistakes while teaching--expects you to bring them up. very picky grader, confusing lectures, tests are hard. not worth taking regardless of class. will have to retake class next semester with more competent professor.
His tests are fairly long and difficult. He told the class that 80% would fail and then got mad when only 2 people dropped his class after the first test.
I'm a math major and Kilmer has been the absolute WORST teacher I have had at SMS! He makes tons of mistakes when teaching, gives very few examples to help you, uses Mathematica to get his answers, and grades very PICKY! Do not take a class with this man, he is horrible! May have to retake class!
this is the WORST teacher EVER! i'm great at math and failed all of his tests...he's a mean person, doesn't care to help you and won't encourage you to stay in his class. over 1/2 my class had to drop...RUN AWAY!!!!
Don't take it is all i have to say!
I got a B in calculus last year.. this year with this guy i am pulling a stunning 20%. he is the worst teacher i have ever had. drop FAST!.
they arent lieing get out....wish i would have known about this site before taking the class..the worse i flew throgh math until it came to him...
I got a good ACT score, otherwise I wouldn't have been eligible for this class, but I got a 17% on the first test and dropped the class. I should have listened to him when he told me I should drop it.
He is very absent minded!!! You will never get out of class early, he always goes over atleast 5minutes. If you do take this course make sure to use Calcchat.com the reference book for the calculus book.
Terrible teacher. He is always editing and redoing his notes after he has you write them down, bad at teaching concepts, puts stupid stuff on his test, and grades really hard.
oo hes not that hard.... ppl just dont like to actually do work in a math class.. he knows his stuff.. just pay attention and follow along... he'll help u with anything whenever u want.
I would recommend trying to find another professor, if possible. He consistently writes wrong information on the board and will have to correct it later, making it difficult to follow his train of thought. I have never opened a math book in my life and have rarely missed any points, but I have constantly studied for his classes and still have a B
I would not take this teacher if you have a choice unless you like to teach yourself. He is the worst math teacher I've ever had and I'm a math major. He makes mistakes and thinks it's funny. Only likes to prove things because he can't work his own examples or problems in the book. Very hard and unfair grader.very irritating. AVOID IF POSSIBLE!!!
While he gets a reputation for being hard, boring, and not sure what he is doing, let me assure you that he is very intelligent and cares about the students. He is tough, but if you are a math major, you will appreciate it later in other math courses. If you work in the class and go to help when you need it, you can do well in his courses.
He lacks the ability to explain concepts. His lectures focus on unnecessary theorems and don't cover complex concepts beyond superficiality. He often makes mistakes at the end of a long problem/theorem and restates them in a manner so different from the original it is as though the original didn't matter or exist. VERY baffling. Best to avoid.
He is not a terrible teacher, calc 2 is hard, and he does an ok job. He has truly good intentions and is a nice man. Really cares about students but just not a phenomenal teacher.
Only help was telling me to drop the class... thanks a lot!
He's not a terrible teacher. Just kinda...eh? He is really into proving why stuff is true, and spends over half the lecture proving it. If you don't like memorizing theroems, avoid him. they are on the tests. You get homework everyday... but you dont have to do it, but you get quizzes over it the next day. He gives BONUS if you come to class.
This class was an abo****e stressful nightmare, as an introductory calculus course I felt as though I was in a calc 4 course, and most of my classmates felt similar about the course.
I don't know what everybody else is talking about, I thought he was a good teacher. Maybe it just hasn't occurred to these people that yes, math can be quite difficult no matter who your teacher is.
Well, he isnt a very good quality instructor for a few reasons. Begins a concept by showing the formula but doesnt relate it to the problem. Leaves you alone for more complicated problems within those concepts. If you take this class, study hard, bc the hardest possible problem will be on that exam. Worst entry-level class possible.
he is a god-awful teacher in my opinion
OH MY GOSH I HATE THIS GUY!!!!!!!! His tests are so hard and are nothing like the study guide, on his final, he introduced new info that we had never seen before...refers to himself as a MATHEMATICIAN , thinks he's a genius, and thinks he is hilarious...ANNOYING, class is mandatory, he tries to help you out if you go to him, but just a bad teacher
Unless you are a math major and already have a good understanding of calculus, DO NOT take his class. He expects you to already understand and never explains anything.
I took it in the summer, which means that it was fast and even harder. Yes, the subject is hard. Yes, he is a tough grader, but you know what? Math is a language, and you can't learn the material if you don't know the language. However, he is a great person and is extremely helpful. Study, worry not, you will learn a lot from him.
Bar none the worst professor I have ever had. He makes a ton of mistakes on the board and doesn't realize it until we get the wrong answer at the end of a problem. It is like being taught the wrong way and then having to relearn the correct way every single day. 20% of the tests are HIS definitions not the books. Not a bad guy just a poor teacher.
1 of the best instructors I've ever had. Cares about students -- wants all to succeed -- but expects a lot in return. Is thorough in explaining concepts. Wants students to understand the why behind the how, rather than just working problems mechanically. Yes, he makes mistakes while working problems on the board, but so what?
This guy is a great teacher. He is a little hard to understand sometimes and usually when putting notes on the board he stand in front of the notes. But, this is a difficult class. I mean its calculus if you dont understand it, go to the reviews before the tests they saved my grade. He is willing to sacrifice his time if you are willing to learn.
This teacher is very, very hard. You have homework every night, It's not required but you have a Quiz over it first thing every morning. His tests 30% his definitions not the books. Spends a lot of time proving the things he's teaching work instead of doing examples showing how to work through the problem
This guy should not be teaching. He recently discovered the extended qoutient rule, so he is on a high horse. He attempts to help students but he is just a horrible teacher. His tests and quizzes are twice as hard as any problem you will find in the book. He said he usually loses 60% of his initial enrollment and 2/3 still fail his final.
Hard classe but knows the material inside abd out. Expects a lot it if his students but overall a good teacher.
Brilliant mind and very good teacher. He makes his class challenging and interesting. Anyone who gives him a bad wrap simply didn't study enough and ended up with a poor grade because of it.
Very nice guy, often comes to class unorganized. Fails to teach the material in an understandable way. Tests are way harder than anything you see in the homework and often times in the quizzes. Obviously a tenured teacher.
Everyone seems to hate Kilmer but I really enjoyed his as the teacher. He will always help if you go to him, and he is a math guy, of course he is a little scatter brained! Put in effort, ASK FOR HELP, and you'll be just fine. I would take another class with him if I could.
Though a lot of people really seemed to dislike his teaching style, I found it quite useful. He really hits theorems and expects you to know them inside out. He didn't collect our homework, but if you want a good grade, you have to do it. He wants to help his students, but does occasionally mess up examples. Just ask questions.
He is deaf and his lectures can be confusing. He teaches mostly through theorems which doesn't work well for me because I am visual not analytical. If you are not afraid to ask questions then you will be just fine. He enjoys helping students one on one after class.
Such a nit picky grader, but makes simple algebra mistakes on examples in class. I love math but dreaded this class. He's half deaf and will tell you so in class. I have never had to state Math definitions until I had this class.
He is the worst teacher that I have had since Kindergarten. I would not step into his class if I had to ever again. He thinks he is God?s gift to math, but in all actuality, he is a disorganized turd. He just comes in and puts the quizzes on the board gives you two minutes, and gives you homework back in the process That you have to sort through
Math is generally difficult. His method of teaching to the class is humourous and straight forward. For what I did not understand, I met with him to clarify. Do your homework. Study. Ask questions. Get an A.
This should be any easy math class for those with ANY prior experience. Dr. Kilmer found a way to make it horrible. He is a nice guy and tries to have fun with the students but his teaching method is very hard. He grades very strict on tests and they make up most of your grade. Only type of extra credit available is if you attend class EVERY day.
He really doesn't explain anything. He speaks to us like kindergartners, and his lectures make NO sense. Trigonometry is not that hard of a class... unless you have him.
Dr. Kilmer was always very helpful and understanding. He adjusted his lectures based on student reviews to make them easier to understand, and gave everyone the opportunity to earn a very high grade quite easily--if they were willing to put forth the effort.
Terrible, terrible, terrible teacher. Never answers any e-mails. Uses an Internet site for all the homework which is incredibly difficult. The problems on the homework are wrong and it never tells you why you're wrong. You get .1 out of 1 point for trying... And he doesn't respond when you ask him to explain how to get the right answer. Had to curve the test 10% because everyone did so terrible. NEVER take him. He's a horrible teacher.
He was a very difficult teacher. This was mostly because it got super frustrating to try to follow his examples in class because he was constantly making simple math errors and when the class corrected him it took him several minutes to realize what we were talking about was wrong. He is a nice guy but I would never take his class again.
Dr. Kilmer is a horrible teacher. I would never step foot in his class again, even if someone paid me. He made simple mistakes in class on almost every problem so they were always wrong, yet graded like a hawk on the tests. I missed multiple points just for a negative being wrong. If you like math and want to learn, don't take this teacher.
He gives homework every night. EVERY NIGHT, even on weekends. It's due at 8am the next morning, everyday. Homework is online and it usually doesn't work very well. He's rather proud of the fact that most people drop his class.
The homework load is pretty rough, you'll have at least a few hours a night, 5 nights a week. It's impossible to follow him in class, since he speaks only in theorems and then makes constant mistakes on the examples. Then he grades super harsh on the tests. Don't ask him anything in class, he'll just belittle you. Youtube taught me this course.
Assigned 3-5 hours of homework a night, even on weekends. Terrible instructor. More than half of the class will drop, and he's pretty proud of that.
Hands down the worst math instructor I've ever had. You will learn more on your own using the book, which he hardly uses on tests. He needs to retire.
Worst math teacher I've ever had. Frequently made mistakes on in class examples, when he did them. Spoke mostly in theorems, assumed students knew how to do the stuff he thought was easy. Even made a typo in the syllabus on grading that he fixed a week before finals. (half the class would have dropped if this typo had been fixed) AVOID IF POSSIBLE!
Professor Kilmer was always super excited about class. He was nice, considerate, and never got mad. His jokes were a bit corny, but he was fun. Also, he would move back assignment you couldn't or didn't do without question. He is almost always open for questions and will hold study sessions before class if you need them. I recommend him highly.
This class is a very tough class, but Dr. Kilmer realizes that and he helps you through it. There is a ton of homework, but he is very good about pushing assignments back for you if you have other stuff going on. The final was pretty tough, but he ended up bumping my grade in the end because he knew I worked hard!
He makes a tremendous amount of mistakes so studying your notes is often useless. His incredible amount of homework (2-3 hours a day, 5 days a week) often has no relevance to the material that is on the tests. By far the worst teacher I've ever had. AVOID AT ALL COST!!! He is a GPA wrecker.
Dr. Kilmer is the most helpful professor of mathematics that I have ever had. He will always hold review sessions. I was afraid to take him because of the comments on this site, but it turns out they are so wrong. He does give homework every night but it is not much...its math so of course you're going to have to practice! Wonderful professor.
Assigns too much homework and offers little assistance inside of class. Does a horrible job in explaining and communicating his lectures.
Dr. Kilmer is one of the most caring instructors ever! He holds extra review sessions for every test and the final, drops the 2 lowest grades, and would always be open to helping with questions on homework etc (He would even scan solutions to homework if you needed help via email) Only complaint would be that could be very unclear in lecture notes.
Drops your two lowest test grades, gives bonus points for attendance, and holds extra help sessions. Really kind professor who cares about his students. He can be confusing inside the classroom, but if people actually took the time to go to his office hours or put in some effort of their own they wouldn't have problems. Hard class but good prof.
If you like going to class five days a week then going home to spend 3 hours on homework and then get to the test and not use calculators. Worst teacher of my life... so far
This teacher is terrible at explaining anything. The lectures are nearly impossible to understand and if you want to ask a question expect pointless feedback in a condescending tone that doesn't answer anything you're asking. He holds extra help sessions that don't actually help much. If you want to pass this class do not take this teacher!
Dr. Kilmer is very helpful. He offers extra help sessions, bonus points, and trades your lowest test score for your homework grade. If you keep up on homework and get help when you need it, you should be fine. However, Calculus II can be a hard class for some. Don't expect it to be a piece of cake without trying.
This class was extremely hard, you can expect around 3 hours of homework each night which is due two days after it is assigned. If you miss no class the entire semester he will award you 25 points of extra credit to a test grade. Most lectures are not relevant to the homework he assigns and the tests are not based on whats on the homework.
Dr. Kilmer is a very kind and helpful teacher. He always can give you unlimited instructs about homework and some other problems whenever you show his office. If you want to learn the real knowledge, choose his classes.
First off, Kilmer is a nice guy but poor teacher. Tons of homework that doesn't relate to the tests. It was the hardest work for a C I've ever had to do. Most of the class dropped by the end. I wouldn't ever take a class with him again, but if you're already in it, try to go to his office a lot.
Genuinely a good person, and does very much care about how well his students do on his tests. His ability as a teacher however is lacking. Lectures are fast and sometimes nonsensical and his teaching style does not correlate with the book. Often he will state that reading the book is worthless and his way is better. (Often a false statement)
Dr. Kilmer definitely knows his mathematics, but it is very tough. There is a lot of homework and makes you work for your grade. However, he does pick favorites and make you feel kinda stupid at times. However, this is calc 2 and this is arguably he hardest of the calc series. Overall, he was alright.
Do not choose this professor unless you have free time. Oodles and boodles of free time. He is a rather tough grader and does not explain material at all. Just definitions. He does not use Blackboard, so you can only check your grade if you go to him. He is not understanding when life happens. If you could have a different professor, DO IT!!!
Kind, helpful, and responsive. He's super patient in office hours tooI needed help studying for an exam the day before and he calmly helped me figure out how to do it. Wonderful professor, I don't think I'd have learned the material otherwise.
Extra Credit is given for being in class every day, but he is a very tough grader.
I got this teacher for Calc and was fearful based on the reviews of him from this site. However I have found that most of them are false in my opinon. Dr. Kilmer, is a real great teacher. He really cares about the students and there success which is rare in the college level. I really enjoy my time in his class and never missed a single one. Great!
He is past his prime. Assigns homework everyday and sometimes he will change which problems he wants you to do days after the homework was assigned. He spends more time writing definitions on the board than examples. Homework does not help and is nothing like the tests. He only reviews the day before the test. Would not take again.
When I took it, there was A LOT of homework. Like a ludicrous amount. A lot of people didn't like him, but I learned a lot and could consistently do well on exams.
Overall great guy, but does not teach well. He just shows examples, and he expects you to already be semi-knowledgable in calculus even if you have never had a pre-cal class. Not to mention his example go from simple to fairly complex, so he loses you while "explaining". If you are taking him, be prepared to do a ton of homework too.
Although Professor Kilmer assigns homework after every class, he always allowed me as much time as I needed to complete the homeworks. And he is always willing to answer my questions even if I have a lot of me and weather it's in his office or by email. In addition, every time I get the homeworks wrong, he allows me to do them again for credit back
He did not teach the material well and I had to get a lot of outside help and went to the bearclaw every day after class. I usually pick up math very easily... He is not tech savvy at all and all of our homework is online. I had to email him several times because the answers to the homework were wrong and he messed up questions on the tests too.
I would not recommend this professor to anyone. He assigns online homework that can take hours to do daily and some of the answers are wrong. He makes mistakes constantly in the lecture which makes notes useless when studying and you are unable to see your grade unless you email him or wait until midterm and final grades.
He's too tough of a grader for how ineffective of a teacher he is. The lecture was not good. He half mumbled half rambled through half baked definitions and examples. It seemed like he expected you to already know a lot of the material. The everyday homework assignments will burn you out quickly. Exam questions are not similar to the review.
He will give you online homework that takes hours to do daily. He does not give any partial credit so make don't make a single mistake on the tests or you will fail. Would not recommend him at all.
Dr. Kilmer is a nice guy but he is a very tough grader. He makes alot of mistakes so make sure you check your tests because sometimes he takes off more points than needed. The only reason why this professor is ok is because the homework grade will carry you in this class, but be prepared to do over 70 assignments.
This guy has a great passion for teaching Calculus. He is not the best at explaining every concept, but he shows that he cares for the students. He assigns homework every day. However, the homework assignments were very beneficial and helped me review before every test. Underrated teacher in my opinion.
Dr. Kilmer is an overall silly guy. He assigns homework everyday but if you ever feel overwhelmed, he will give you an extension. Attendance is mandatory but he gives extra credit out at the end of the semester for being there everyday (he is understanding if you have a reason for missing). His class is definitely hard but he makes it worth it.
Daily homework, but he very is accommodating, providing group study sessions, extensions, and study guides/review for exams. He isn't the best at explaining every topic, but he genuinely loves math and wants you to succeed. So ask questions if you don't understand. Attendance is mandatory, but attendance is added as extra credit. Good luck.
I took Calc 3 with Dr Kilmer back in the late 90s. I'm a math professor now and was having a conversation with a colleague about great professors we had in college. I shared with her that Dr Kilmer is one of the reasons I'm good at my job now. He's tough and picky, but that helped me so much, both in that class and in my career.
Prof. Kilmer is a tough but passionate teacher. Daily homework is a grind, but his office hours and group study sessions are super helpful. Using unstuck ai alongside the free textbook really paid off for me.
Gives lots of grace. But it is calculus, so you do have to study. He makes topics easy to understand and digestible. Would 1000% take again.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
82%
Textbook Required
89%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.20 avg changeRatings by Course
MTH315
5.0
(1)MTH303
5.0
(1)MTH250
5.0
(1)MTH281
5.0
(1)MTH-503
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
MTH181
4.7
MATH181
4.5
MTH138
4.4
MTH287
4.4
MTH261
4.2