2.8
Quality2.7
Difficulty37%
Would Retake178
Reviews37%
Would Retake
178
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
27
4
36
3
37
2
53
1
25
What Students Say
“There is a midterm and a final that are identical to his practice tests”
STAT1051 - 3.0 rating“This was easily the worst class I've had at GW”
STAT1053 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
13%
Textbook Required
50%
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A-
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STATISTICS
5.0
(1)HONR028
4.3
(3)HONR28
4.3
(4)STATS53
4.0
(1)STAT801
4.0
(3)Difficulty by Course
STAT6201
5.0
STAT111
4.0
STATDE
4.0
STAT2003
4.0
STA053
3.5
Reviews (178)
Don't take Balaji, avoid statistics altogether if you can.
No Comments
Balaji is a good teacher. His accent is sometimes difficult to overcome, but I have had similar situations and Balaji will repeat himself if necessary while others won't. He will also help outside class.
His accent adds to the class, we always had something to smile about. He writes everything on the board, which is super helpful! It is easy to get a good grade in his class if you show up. He curves the final exam.
He solves his own practice problems wrong, and went to India and cancelled office hours right before our final.......
Prof. Balaji does a good job of making statistics clear. He builds all the concepts from the ground up, so if you attend class regularly and ask questions if you're confused, he'll lead you to a good understanding of the concepts. Accent is funny but o
Easy, but not clear or helpful. Be prepared to learn yourself.
Very helpful, you have to attend class everyday but he's eager to help. If you keep up with the lectures an A should be easy.
i hate math, but i got out of this class with an A-, thanks to some creative grading on balaji's part. take home quizzes, so that's easy, the only real worry is midterm and final and he's happy to help. definitely take him to fulfill the math requiremen
Professor Balaji was a decent teacher given that I absolutely hate math. Some students didn't respect him because of his accent and were very rude at times. Overall, the class was extremely easy. My only problem was with the TA - really bad attitude!
he is very willing to help you. and he says it himself if you go to class everyday you should get an A.
He is an incredibily sweet man who is always willing to help you understand the concepts. I love stats now be/c of him and feel prepared for upper level stat classes. Easy weekly quizzes so you always know how you are doing in the class
Balagi is a really nice guy -- he wants students to learn and encourages office hours. His tests are abnormally easy and the weekly quizzes are as well. He is kind of hard to understand, but is relatively easy to understand compared to the rest of his department
He really wants everyone in the class to do well. He gives out practice midterms and finals, that are almost identical to the real exams. He is a really nice guy.
i got a B plus in the class and i didn't work as hard as i could b/c of other classes i had. but i also suck at math. this class with him is good to fulfill a math requirement b/c the calc I and II professors are bad, especially prof junghenn. his accent can sometimes interfere when he teaches.
should have failed the class (did not pass either midterm nor final) but Balaji somehow gave me a B+??? Couldn't understand a word he said in lecture but couldn't complain considering my final grade
Very nice guy. He really knows statistics and was always eager to help. I can actually say I learned a lot. Take him!
No Comments
Prof. Balaji is a great professor. He choses clear examples and answers everyone's questions... no matter how stupid they are. People who complain about him or the class are most likely either lazy or just really really bad at statistics. Prof. Balaji really cares about the students and puts up with way more whiney crap then he should.
He knows the material. His accent is a little difficult at first, but generally understandable. I found his lectures to be of little value. Study the sample midterm and finals very well and understand everything on them. Prepare a good cheat sheet before the exams - he'll let you use it.
He has a very thick accent which makes understanding him difficult sometimes, but otherwise, he is very eager to see you do well in his class. Easy grader and overall nice guy.
do some work, you'll get a good grade. it's that simple. quizzes are every week and take home so that is a good grade booster
Balaji can be unclear because of his accent, but it's very endearing once you figure it out. He's a very nice guy, allows cheat sheets, and the "practice final" was probably 90% identical to the actual final. Gives very fair problem sets (4-5 problems) and very fair tests. Easy A even if you suck at math.
Great class to take. Balaji does a good job teaching the subject, uses TONS of examples that are just like his take-home quiz problems and midterm/final questions. Gives a sample midterm and final that are basically identical to the real things. Easy A, all homework is optional. He was often late to class for a variety of reasons.
The material may be difficult, but Balaji isn't. He's fair, clear, & helpful. Accent: maybe a problem, once/twice, nothing to complain about. If you pay attention, and review with the work sheets he hands out, you'll learn, and get a nice grade.
Very nice guy, good teacher, and easy grader. Just a little disorganized and frenzied at times.
Math is not my major, or even something I enjoy but I did enjoy his class. Although he may be a bit difficult to understand, he's really very nice and understanding and he does care what how the class feels. I would recommend him to anyone.
Terrible. Do not take this class if you actually need to learn the math. Fine for those who already learned the material in highschool, but this is all new to me, and I am lost. Very inaccessable: office hours are during the discussion section. Seems to cancel class or discussion at least once a week. Do not take him if you struggle with math.
Can't really understand him, but he makes the class as easy as any STAT class can be. All quizzes are take-home, and if you complain enough he'll do whatever the class wants. Good guy... likes to cancel class a lot
Oh Balaji! What can I say, somehow we were able to get all quizzes take home and our final take home too! Very easy going, goes fast, but everyone gets an A somehow. I did nothing an pulled an A-.
This was an online class. He never emailed me back. Sent the final over an hour late to me. And barely sent any emails on what we were supposed to be doing for the week. Don't take this class with this professor!
Very straightforward ask for more examples if confused. He can be hard to understand at times. Very fair grader, gave take home exam. Go to office hours. Would recommend. People that complain don't put in the slightest effort.
I took this as an online class. He never responded to my e-mails, so I had no idea what I did wrong on the quizes. He may be an alright teacher to take AT gw but NOT online.
It's very hard to understand him in lecture due to his thick accent, but it helps to go and take notes from his notes. Do the homework problems he assigns! The sample midterm and final are exactly like the actual midterm and final but with different numbers.
Balaji is SUCH an easy teacher. Although there are weekly quizzes in lab, the TA's go over exactly what will be on the quiz right before they hand them out. Also, his midterm and final are literally the same as the practice ones, just with different numbers. Easy to get a good grade even if u don't go to class. Also, don't need to buy the book.
TA will give you all the answers before the quiz. Dont bother buying the textbook--you'll never use it. Easy class.
This is one of the easiest classes I have ever taken. The TA practically gives the answers to quizzes and formula sheets are used for the exam. Just go to discussion and you are guaranteed an A!
Balaji is awesome. I didn't do any of the homework and just studied the day before and got a 100% on the mid-term. Don't get me wrong, Stat is still a fairly difficult subject, but Balaji makes it easy. Balaji is a really funny guy.
AWESOME professor. I made an A and barely went to class and didn't do the hw (not required) Weekly/bi-weekly quizzes-- very easy. Really cares about students
Honestly, this class is not as easy as all of the other reviewers lead you to believe. The Mid-term was tough, you definitely need your text book, and while Balaji may be easy on attendance, he is also very boring and semi hard to follow. This class isn't too bad if you do the work but it's no cake walk.
Balaji is literally impossible to understand. Recitation is helpful and weekly quizzes are easy, but midterm and final are tough, especially when you have to learn everything right before the test
not a good teacher, accent is hard to understand, but he is the best teacher to take stat 51/53 with, the class is so easy, the tests are exactly the same as the samples he gives you. no need to go to class and you get to use a full page of notes on all quizes and the midterm and the final
Balaji is the man! Really smart guy, and completely on your side. If you want a good grade, you can get one.
BALAJI is definitely ama-za-zing! He is pretty easy and the class is not hard. There are weekly quizzes in recitation and homework problems which are easy points. His midterm and final are easy. You do need the textbook though because homework problems are assigned that way. I really recommend taking his class. He is pretty funny too!
Not having done any math for roughly 5 years before taking this course made it a bit tougher for me than any other people, but it was manageable. Definitely have to pay attention in class and make sure you're picking up everything he teaches. If you do that and make sure you can work through every tpye of problem introduced, you should be fine.
This class was really boring; I can't stand statistics. But Balaji is a really sweet guy and he genuinely wants you to do well so I recommend this class. You need the textbook just so you can do the three hw problems assigned over the semester. All lectures are on BB but I got the most help from copying the other problems he wrote in class
I hate Statistics. But Balaji was so nice and so helpful and I understood it a lot more. Tests are easy - he gives you similar practice tests days before, and the answers and solutions. He replies to e-mails really quickly. Class is a big lecture, so you don't really have to go. My TA was particularly helpful so I got a good grade for this class.
He is not that good in lecturing but he post a very helpful lecture notes on the BB also the H.W will help you to understand the subject more. his exams are in between the hard and easy. I strongly recommend him.
He basically read the book to us in class. He did all the exact same examples the book had and didn't add anything. He didn't get through all the material we were supposed to so in my other classes, I'm confused. He doesn't show up on time. However, he gives a lot of As because he doesn't want complaints.
Balaji is great! He really knows what he is talking about and genuinely wants you to understand the material. He is a relatively easy grader and really takes the time to make sure you understand. The TA's aren't bad either; they go over identical problems right before the quizzes. I definitely recommend the class especially if you aren't into math.
I did not open my textbook ONCE this semester which should say something about this course. Write down notes at all of the lectures if you're not mathematically inclined. He has an accent which takes a little getting used to and my TA spoke little/no English. Take if you want an good grade but expect to be bored to tears with each lecture.
Professor Balaji is great and a really nice guy. His accent is a bit confusing but you'll get used to it. First couple of weeks is fairly easy but do not be fooled, if you don't pay attention in statistics, you WILL get lost and then its hard to try and catch up. His exams are based on previous exams. Should be easy, but pay attention!
Balaji is very boring and gets easily frustrated with questions in class. He is also very difficult to understand and does not explain things very clearly. He spends too much time on easy things and not enough on harder material. Not recommended.
Really hard to understand. Doesn't take questions well. If you have any kind of background in Stats you should be ok, but otherwise go for another prof.
Worst professor I've ever had. Really killed any encouragement I had at the beginning of the semester. He laughs off at student question and really takes his job as a joke.
Professor Balaji is not very helpful. Intro stat isn't the hardest course, so you can teach it to yourself, but some guidance would have been appreciated. When you ask him a question, he'll condescend you. His accent is pretty heavy, too. Not recommended.
Balaji is a sweet man but is difficult otherwise. The TAs have almost no contact with him so they have no idea what is going on and are useless. He posts his PPTs online, so going to class is not necessary. His accent is VERY thick and he tends to mumble. Also, sit near the front, as he uses the chalkboard to write in the huge lecture hall.
Prof Balaji showed up 20 min late to every class. As long as you take good notes and review them before the weekly quiz you will be fine. Midterm and final were similar to sample exams he posts the week before. Go to class and introduce yourself to him and you will get an A.
Read power points, attendance is not always necessary. The few practice problems given are helpful. Examples given during class are almost identical to those given on weekly quizzes. Drops lowest quiz. He gives sample midterm/finals that are basically the same as the actual exams and you get a full piece of paper to write whatever you want on it.
He is very hard to understand. But a good teacher.
Balaji is really a nice person and professor. Don't be afraid to ask him questions. And remember to go to the class as much as possible because he gives pop quiz. Quite an easy A.
He's hard to understand. I went to lecture and just wrote down one or two examples each class. The quizzes and homework for discussion are how you learn what you need to know. Easy class since he posts sample exams. Boring but not difficult.
He is very difficult to understand. Attendance isn't necessary, but he occasionally has pop quizzes of two questions that he asks in class that count for a small grade. Better to just read his power points at home then go in to see examples on the board.
This class was not extremely difficult if you take notes and do the work. He is difficult to understand, but if u sit near the front and just take good notes it doesnt really matter. The weekly quiz was a joke and easy, you can use notes easily. Make sure to turn in the homeworks.
Although its sometimes hard to understand him through the accent, copy everything he writes on the whiteboard and you'll do fine. Do the homework for practice and redo problems from class to study for quizzes. I had to take this for SMPA. Wouldn't have been my first choice professor, but still not bad. I had an A until the final exam, so be careful
People's main issue with Balaji is that they can't understand him, but once you get passed his accent, he's actually quite a good professor. He teaches in a way that really drills the knowledge into your brain and though his lectures can be quite boring, they're also extremely helpful.
Impossible to understand in lecture. Even going to class is only useful for the random pop quizzes. Otherwise it's just teaching it to yourself before the weekly quizzes. Should be an easy class but avoid Balaji if possible.
This was easily the worst class I've had at GW. I contacted him via email, went to his office, and talked with him after class for help with the material, and didn't receive any response from him. Avoid at all costs.
Very thick accent, difficult to understand sometimes, but he did post all lectures on Blackboard, where I was able to take notes off of.
Balaji's class may feel easy, but it's not a cake walk (as with most most college classes). His accent makes it very hard to understand what he's saying during his boring lectures. Also, weekly quizzes given by TAs who don't know what they're doing (My TA would give formulas that wouldn't be applicable to the upcoming quiz! What a waste of time).
Honestly one of the worst professors I've had at GWU. Genuinely a bad teacher. Avoid at all costs.
Balaji's class is extremely easy. All you have to do is listen during the lectures and its an easy-A. Highly recommend for stat classes or even just math credit. GPA booster.
Anyone who says different either did not go to class or seek help. Balaji is great teacher. If you study-this class is an easy A.
You would have really easy quiz every time. His exams have nothing to do with his quiz and they are very difficult. He would be late almost every time. He is not willing to answer questions unrelated to his lecture.
When he says "you have to work hard to fail", he's not lying. Class was easy, weekly quizzes and homework that covered previous week; also tests (midterm and final) were just like study guide. The issue was that he's hard to understand and pretty bad at explaining the material, his TAs weren't much help either. Knowing basics stats will help a lot
Just go to class and do well on the weekly quizzes and it's an easy A. His lectures aren't boring, so attend and take notes. They help a lot
Gives weekly quizzes but he tells you exactly what to study the class before so people are usually good for them. There is a midterm and a final that are identical to his practice tests. Study the night before his quizzes and look at the practice tests and you will be fine. Sometimes 1 question pop quizzes in lectures but they aren't worth much
Easy A. He has a strong accent which makes him difficult to understand. Quiz in the discussion every week. My TA was awesome, she explained every topic before we took the quiz. He says "it's hard to not get an A in his class" which is so true.
Easy A. He's a terrible lecturer, but TAs walk through weekly quizzes which keeps you on track. Exams are super easy and exactly like the practice exams
The professor is so nice. There are a few pop quiz but you just have to attend lecture and get correct answer from your classmates. His midterm and final are almost the same as the sample exam he posts on Blackboard, except for the numbers in the questions are changed. As long as completely understand the sample exam, you will get 100 on real exams
This class was very difficult and the powerpoints/lectures that are given barely touch what he assigns/tests on. Google and Chegg strictly got me through this class because I constantly had to look up solutions and teach myself backwards because his lectures were very basic and almost useless.
Balaji is sweet and tries his best to keep the class engaged, but his lectures are rushed and confusing. Though, he posts his PWP's online, which are very clear and understandable. This is why attendance is not really mandatory, though he gives some pop quizzes. Make sure you review the slides, ask your TA questions, and do the sample questions.
Dr. Balaji is one of the most caring professors I have had. He truly takes the time to make sure his students understand what is going on in class and is willing to help during office hours.
Lectures are spent copying examples he makes on the board & from the powerpoints on blackboard. Very boring & assumes you understand if no one asks questions. Weekly quizzes in discussion sections are unnecessarily hard and bring your grade down. HW every few weeks, Midterm and final you make full page formula sheet.
Balaji means well and genuinely seems like a sweet guy. That being said his English is on the poorer side and his lectures are very rushed and confusing. I found it best to simply copy down the notes from the powerpoints online and not show up to class most of the time. His quizzes and tests are very easy.
Great Professor! He lectures in a way to make sure everyone understands. After each practice problem he asks the lecture hall if there are any questions before moving on. Weekly quizzes in recitation which can be a little challenging at times but for the most part are straightforward. Midterm and Final are almost identical to practice exams
He is truly the best. He will start his class from the first day by saying, "I think its hard to fail this class." He means well and is a great professor. He is extremely organized and his notes are simple to follow through.
This class was easy enough. Quizzes once a week in recitation aren't too brutal if you study. Midterm and Final are similar to the sample exams he gives out. Two total homework assignments. His lectures are moderately helpful but teaching yourself is necessary. Not an easy A but also not too bad for someone that's major doesn't relate to math/
Professor Balaji is the worst professor I have had in my college career. He explains nothing and he moves through the lecture way too quickly. The homework is awful because it's so long, but there are only 4 homework assignments. To make up for his terrible teaching, he needs to supplement with weekly homework. Avoid this teacher at all costs!!!
This is a fairly easy class, especially if you have stat experience. Professor Balaji is not the best at posting on time or getting grades back in a timely manner, but he does give good feedback and is open to students coming and asking questions.
Lectures are boring and very repetitive, only goes over about two topics a class. He shows up to class late, and belittles questions he finds "dumb"
You have to attend all the lectures to pass. Unless youre really good at stats. The class isnt too hard if you go to lectures, but youll have to study a decent amount on the tests. Quizzes every week in the recitation. Midterm and final with a small project as well. 4 or 5 long homework assignments. Balaji is a G tho.
I really enjoyed his class, I learned a lot. he's good at lecturing, but you seriously have to go to every single class or else you'll fall behind so fast.
He is very nice and wants you to get an A. He isn't great with online teaching and overcomplicates material. Isn't very organized either. If you don't mind learning easy material on your own, then take his class. If you want an interactive professor who will challenge you and teach you and make you think, don't take him.
Just try to understand what Balaji is saying, if you do and take notes you will do fine on your exams.
The class was pretty easy in terms of mathematical level. If you understand the mathematical processes, you'll do fine. Balaji is really caring and willing to answer any questions you have. He has clear slides, breaks down the material, and his quizzes/practice exams are great examples for the actual tests. I recommend him for Intro to Stats.
Balaji is a decent professor but an even better person. He wants everyone to get an A. If you do the homework, you'll get an A.
Professor Balaji is difficult to understand and runs through materials very quickly, teaching off confusing outlines. He has trouble answering questions despite knowing the content well because he doesn't understand anyone's questions in class. He blames poor performance on "laziness" and ignores Title IX policies & protections for victims.
balaji is a really nice guy and wants everyone to do well, but the class structure is confusing and his lectures are really hard to follow and kind of boring. ive heard good things about his office hours but this class probably is a bit much if you've never taken statistics classes
Prof. Balaji will only ever explain things one way, dont even bother asking for clarification unless you want to get snapped at. He almost never responds to student emails, and when he does, his responses are often rude. Youre better off taking a harder stats class and actually learning something
Prof. Balaji is very understanding and knows a lot about stats, but he can be difficult to understand during class and moves fast sometimes. If you are comfortable sitting closer to the front and paying attention, you will do just fine. The tests are just like the study guides and the homework has unlimited attempts so just stay on top of it!
He's a pretty dry lecturer and tends to overcomplicate things, but overall I learned everything I needed to. As long as you do the homework and quizzes and pay attention in class when you need to, you'll be fine on the exams, especially because he lets you have a cheat sheet with any formulas and definitions you need.
Balaji is a good prof. If you put in the work you will get an A. Weekly quizzes, occasional homework assignments. The midterm is exactly like the practice midterm so be sure you know how to solve the problems on the practice midterm. He also lets us use a cheatsheet. The SPSS project was dummy easy. Final grade is curved. Go to lecture. Chill guy.
As someone who is from a non-math background, Prof Balaji was a great choice. Everything from the slides he provided during lectures to the weekly quizzes and homework was doable and quite interesting. I personally disliked the subject but he changed my mind a whole lot. Go to office hours and he will make sure you do the best you can! Recommend!
The content isn't super challenging, but the lectures can be confusing. He isn't always accessible outside of class and didn't put a ton of effort into making the class engaging or enjoyable. The homeworks are helpful in learning the content and the weekly quizzes are pretty easy!
he never replies to emails so it's hard to ask questions. it's easy to understand the lecture but his lecture is super fast. be aware of weekly quizzes and assignments. his midterm is extremely hard and nothing relates to the sample exam.
Heavy and fast lectures. He reads all his emails but never replies to any. He used 30mins in class to complain why everyone did so bad on the midterm. The sample midterm he posted is MUCH more easier than the actual midterm! Be aware of weekly quiz and homework
Professor Balaji is really inaccessible outside of class. He never responds to emails and does not make things clear until the last minute, or until enough people complain. His lectures are incredibly quick and unclear. Do not take his class unless you are extremely confident in stats.
Take Balaji only if you are willing to do practice problems and not bad at math. His lectures are fast but clear, as long as you review the PowerPoints and do practice problems you should be fine. He doesn't reply to his emails and the sample exams he gave or midterms are much harder than the real midterm.
Do not take this professor if you want someone who has any ability to communicate well. He would not respond to my multiple emails until I contacted the dean about an urgent issue. He sends multiple emails to the whole class going back and forth on his own decisions. I have met literal toddlers with a better ability to communicate than this man.
Weekly quizzes + homework (although we only ended up having like 6 homeworks the entire semester) and doing well on those will give you a good cushion for exams if you're worried about them. Covers A LOT of content in lecture. Pretty inaccessible out of class - getting a good grade is possible, but you have to work hard for it on your own.
Wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he's just bad. Very disorganized, was frequently late to class. Bad presenter of info, partially bc of language barrier which I won't blame him for. I left class more confused than when I entered. Just use his PowerPoints, and other online resources you can fine. Recitations aren't required
I am not sure why Balaji has some iffy reviews because I absolutely love him. First, he is genuinely so caring and truly cares about the well-being of his students and what is going on in their personal lives. He is supper accommodating and understanding which I really appreciated. His lectures were straight to the point and easy to follow!
often late to class
One of the most disorganized classes I have taken at GW. Balaji showed up to lectures late almost every class period, had disorganized lectures, did not introduce us to a TA until almost halfway through the semester, and would assign homework that he would not tell you about. If you like teaching yourself statistics then this is a great class.
Impossible to understand the content in class, you will be teaching yourself everything. Tests are hard: 1 midterm, 1 final, weekly quizzes and homework. A LOT of annoying homework. Content is very confusing and little to no support from professor. Class does fulfill a lot of requirements though so if you're organized it can be worth it.
Professor Balaji isn't a mean person, but he is always late, hard to understand and just isn't a very good teacher. His TAs are frustrated with him and he never posts quizzes at the same time each week. If you need to get the class over with, then you can probably push though, but if you want to learn about stats then avoid this professor.
Overall, he is not a terrible professor but the class itself is hard. Weekly quizzes and homework which does help in some ways until you take the midterm and final that ruins you so hard. If you need the credit then you just gotta hope for the best and know how to self-teach math because no one else will. Just, good luck
He does mean well, but his lectures are just hard to understand. Everything you learn you can basically do through a graphing calculator, but he insists on doing it by hand. I ended up teaching myself everything for the final online.
You will be fine. There are barely any homework assignments, quizzes are online, the midterm was reasonably similar to the sample midterm, and the final was very manageable. He is very understanding, and TAs are helpful.
Writing this in class right now. Do not take this class unless you hate yourself. He makes no sense. I can not do this anymore.
I really liked Professor Balaji and thought that his lectures were very straight forward and easy to understand. The weekly quizzes were sometimes difficult but as long as you do the homework and pay attention in class you will be fine
It is so hard to understand him that I cannot help but zone out in lectures and then fall behind, exams are much harder than you will expect
He is such a kind and knowledgeable person, but I really was not able to learn from him. His teaching method is just doing problems on the board to explain content. TAs/recitation was even less helpful. Take it if you have to and just try your best, but if you can take something else instead, I would strongly advise that.
Learned a lot in lecture and was lost if I didn't go. Recitation was unnecessary. Balaji is a chill dude but didn't seem too concerned about anything really.
Tests and quizzes weren't hard but lectures were exceedingly boring and felt unnecessary. The examples in class were helpful if he wrote them out but honestly, if you go through the slides on your own and only go to TA recitations you'd probably be fine. There's a required textbook but you don't have to read it to do well.
Relatively easy course for a math credit as long as you put in the work. The first half of the course was super basic statistics, but I found the second half a lot more challenging. He posts all of the lectures and slides on blackboard
he is impossible to reach, doesn't answer emails, and if you ask a question he never actually answers properly. the actual midterm was considerably harder than any of the practice ones given. he does give a lot of quizzes though, so there is a decent amount of room to make up for a bad grade. don't recommend his class if you're not a stem person.
Me and my friends are currently studying for our midterm, and we are all close to tears. He doesn't explain concepts in class well at all, and when students ask questions in class, he responds very rudely and expects that we should know the information that he's failing to teach us. If you hate yourself, take this class. Not worth the frustration.
Never had a course like this where the professor didn't engage with the students while learning. His teaching style and accent are difficult to understand. At the start of his classes, he NEVER goes over what we learned or the new topic he randomly starts. My peers and I never know what's going on. He never teaches us shortcuts with the calculator.
He seems like a perfectly nice person, but honestly, none of the people in my class nor I, can really understand what he is teaching. His accent is extremely thick to begin with, but mostly, he just moves too quickly and doesn't review what we've learned at all. Sometimes he just moves too fast, even if pretty much no one understands the material.
Prof Balaji is such a good prof and asks every class if he is going to fast and leaves room for questions. this is an intro stat class and the content is very watered down and obviously not supposed to be super difficult. all you need to do to do well in this class is go to class AND pay attention. He does everything he can for people to succeed.
Prof. Balaji is an incredibly hard person to deal with. Not only is he late to almost every single lecture, but it is impossible to understand him when he speaks because the class is in a lecture room and therefore needs a microphone to talk, and even so, the volume is too low. He is monotonous and disorganized. Very disappointed in GWU.
This class is awful. It is so unorganized and he is literally impossible to reach outside of class. He always shows up late. Lectures will not help you, just get ready to teach yourself. Everyone failed the midterm but he did allow us to correct it for some points back. Do yourself a favor and avoid him if you can.
this man cannot teach. he is late to lectures every single day without fail and is unbelievably bad at answering questions/ clarifying guidelines. the homework assignments through mystatlab are the only things that were helpful to learn the content. sample midterms and finals that were provided were probably the only reason i passed those.
Rough class for an intro level. He does care about his students and gives extensions on almost every assignment if you need it. Overall not that hard if you pay attention and do the work but he doesn't make it easy.
Quizzes are take home and homework can be done as many times as you want for a grade. He will always give extensions and is a very understanding guy. The midterm was kind of hard but he offered a rework at home and gave tons of credit back. The final was multiple choice/take home. I would definitely recommend Balaji if you need the credit.
the biggest problem is the language barrier. hard to understand purely bc of his heavy accent that he can't change (but that's with every math prof). midterm will TANK your grade (study). easy online take home final that's all MCQ but each worth 2 points. weekly quizzes that boosts up ur grade. will curve at end of the year (went from 79% to a B).
Good professor to take Stats class at GWU. Weekly homework and quizzes that are take home and easy. Midterm is difficult, but gave us corrections to boost grade. Final is 20 questions online and is easy if you pay attention in class. Gives extensions on most assignments. Overall, good professor.
Some of these reviews are excessive. Balaji, while very inaccessible outside class and a fast teacher, is a fairly decent prof. HW+quizzes are all take-home (40% of your grade!) and he constantly gives extensions. I mean he even gave a whole midterm rework so those who failed could get points back. If you need the credit, I certainly recommend him.
Material isn't difficult, but Balaji is. Better off skipping lectures and learning the material on your own time. Don't bother with discussion sections either.
As someone who has taken AP Statistics, he doesn't help you understand statistics. He teaches without using calculators even though the problems he gives can easily be solved on calculators. The first test was in person, but the final was online. I don't think I would've passed if I hadn't taken AP statistics.
He's not the most accessible outside of class nor is he very engaged withs students, but, he makes the class pretty easy for all of us and always gives extensions. If you go to class and are decent at math you will be fine in this class. Don't expect his office hours to help though.
Balaji doesn't do a very good job lecturing. I self-studied pretty much everything using the textbook, and I suggest you do the same. Not that you even need to, since it's very easy to cheat most of the quizzes. The class is fairly easy if you're good at math/stats, but I'd suggest another professor if you're not.
most of these reviews are excessive. balaji is fine. you're graded on weekly take-home quizzes and homeworks. sure he's a little inaccessible outside of class but people need to stop expecting their profs to hold their hands thru every class. use your TA, and go to recitation if you're lost on the material. midterm and final were fine.
Balaji's class can be a mixed bag. The lectures can be tough to follow, but the take-home assignments help a lot. Definitely use resources like Unstuck AI along with the textbook to stay on top of the material. Overall, the class is doable if you put in the work.
Awful lectures, use the textbook.
the professor overall made this semester so bad. I paid close attention to his lectures yet walked out every day very confused. He is completely unreachable outside of class and does not communicate with TAs at all. the discussions is the only way I got anything out of this class.
Professor Balaji is a really nice guy but not a very good professor, you can probably find a better one that is easier to learn from. There are a few graded homeworks, a lot of graded quizzes, and a midterm and final. He often forgets to post assignments but usually is generous about when to submit them.
He's an excellent lecturer and teacher, but his response rate to emails is TERRIBLE. In fact he don't respond AT ALL when you email him. He needs to work on that. Immediately!
Prof. Balaji is a good and smart person but his lectures can sometimes be all over the place. Also, be ready for sudden online classes, homework, and quizzes. The class is an easy A if you go to class. The midterm was very easy and the final is online.
Online quizzes and homework, one midterm (with a cheat sheet and revision if you fail), a mini project, and an online final exam. TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU WANT TO GET A AND/OR B.
Actually the least empathetic professor I've had at GW. His class is a joke you don't need to show up ever. Had an immediate family member pass away week 4 and then failed the midterm the week after, he never even bothered to respond to my email asking for some grace in the matter. Literally avoid at all costs.
Lectures are very boring and hard to follow. If you don't already know how to do statistics, good luck.
Do not take, this is a class where you should probably actually learn the material as a prereq for other classes, and Balaji won't be the one to teach it. Had to self teach myself the whole class, hard to understand and all over the place, only thing that saved my grade was the take home final.
Amazing, just take the class.
Pretty abysmal professor all around. Take the class for an easy A or B, as you can just breeze through every assignment but the major tests. If you need to email him don't bother, he won't respond. It's pretty obvious he's only teaching for tenure and that he doesn't really care about the class. Would only recommend if you're desperate.
Tries his best but not really helpful. There are better classes to take for your math requirement
Best professor to get pre-req for Stats out of the way. Homeworks every week but they're so easy, he repeats midterms every year so just find someone who took it previously. Final is take home and online. Attendance not mandatory. Easy A
he makes it really hard to do bad in this class. he gives really easy weekly homeworks and quizzes that can boost your grade. the midterm was pretty hard, but he provides a midterm rework that you can do if you failed the midterm to get points back. the final is also take home and online, but he's inaccessible over email & won't respond to you.
Prof Balaji is SO caring. Final is online, offers midterm corrections. Lecture captures all of his lectures and will extend quiz deadlines for you. I can't recommend enough take him over all the other profs if you get the chance. ILY BALAJI ❤️❤️❤️
The class is easy if you have the time to devote to studying outside of class. He can struggle to teach a topic, and the slides are no help. There are weekly online quizzes that are take home and the final is online, but the midterm is in person with a cheat sheet. I would recommend if you know the basics of stats. He cares for his students.
He is a very caring and knowledgeable professor who wants you to succeed. I highly recommend taking his class, especially if you haven't taken stats before.
There are a lot of assignments but they are all very easy and online, except for the midterm. The final and everything else is online, so it's really easy to get a good grade, and an A+ in the class, even if you're not good at math. His lectures are kind of hard to follow, but you don't really need to attend to do well on assignments.
Lectures were uninteresting and often hard to follow, I learned more in my discussion section. Homework, exams, and the small project weren't terribly difficult though.
Um he would be like 15 minutes late every class and would always complain about the projector not working properly. He used exclusively the white board to do examples while teaching in a big lecture hall to 300+ people. He didn't explain anything well, but both the midterm and final were online and not taken during class so everything will be fine.
bro doesn't know how to teach, period.
Balaji couldn't be bothered to show up to his own class on time, let alone grade things. He will give you an A though as long as you try.
He knows what he's doing but does not know how to teach it
Balaji is a good teacher this year. Midterm and final are in person, attendance is not mandatory, homework is easy, but he honestly doesn't know how to teach well, and its hard to understand him. Self-teach almost everything.
Balaji is the most forgiving math prof at GW; He extends homework, weekly quizzes, and exam rework deadlines. He is a brilliant statistician, but you're better off skipping class to study. Exams are open note. Most students get lower than a B+ because they forgot to self study
Genuinely terrible at lecturing, and inaccessible outside of class. Dsnt get grades in quickly, and doesn't curve. The only respite is a midterm re-work he offers, but don't count on knowing your grade in time for the final. Attendance not mandatory, but the pop quizzes add up. All homeworks and quizzes are online, but in person midterm and final.
Easy score overall. Online homework and quizzes. Midterm and final are in person. Even though no curve but the tests are generally easy. Be aware of the pop quiz, no mandatory attendance though.
the content of the class itself is super easy but its pretty hard to understand what balaji says during lectures so make sure to be focused or u will have to teach urself the whole thing. beware final is in person now, not online! have online hw and quizzes really easy straight 100s. mostly need to study for midterm and final but have cheat sheet.
Honestly, just take him. It seems like the other professors for this course are also rated low, and it's difficult to follow along his lectures, but the material is pretty easy. I barely payed attention and just taught it to myself in a few days with his examples and practice test. Final and midterm in person, all quizzes and homeworks online.
Lectures were difficult to understand at times, but he posted all his notes, making it easy to go back and review them. All homework and quizzes were online. Midterm and final were in person, but practice exams were similar to the actual exams.
dude worst professor ive ever had swear down. so bad at teaching and takes 300 years to grade any piece of work. also 15 minutes late to every class without fail
The most important thing to know about him is that he will do everything in his power to give you the best possible grade. With that being said he is incapapable of teaching and you must self study pretty much everything, his powerpoints are great and are what i used to teach myself. also the most forgiving professor regarding deadlines
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
13%
Textbook Required
50%
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