GREAT PROFESSOR!

probabaly the best chem professor u'll run into. take ochem with him if u can! very fair tests

wonderful. pedersen made a much loathed topic an exciting one. organic chem with pedersen was my favorite class so far at ucb.

outstanding, witty, clear, concise, interesting, caring, great guy in general! efficient. he's a very good teacher and he's a very good person. he's one of the best teachers i've had in my life.

great teacher. i've had both him and vallhard for o chem, and i must say he's easier to understand.

very smart, clear, straightforward, fair

Great teacher, very reasonable tests.

Explains well, uses his experience teaching O-Chem very well. Good class.

Very organized, clear, and experienced professor. Really knows his stuff and cares about the students!

great lecturer. Tests were OK. but he grades fairly and i would totally recommend him.

awesome professor

although a lot of people love pedersen's ochem, i dont think his lectures are very organized. he is good at explaining though.

Pederson is the GOD of chemistry, he needs not the book. He needs nothing. He knows all and teaches all very orderly. Problem is, I have not the brain of a GOD and though I may think I retain it all, I don't and the tests show it. The tests are when y

very fair. Lectures were organized but he was a bit monotone. The course speed could be better organized, but overall very rewarding class. i recommend him. Focuses on applications and not details or the book

An awesome prof. He challenges you to think out of the box and gives you the proper tools to do so. His exams are above average in difficulty but are def. fair; the challenge makes this class very rewarding.

this is the BEST ochem professor you will get at Cal. Everyone should take ochem with him. Organized lectures, writes out everything and explains in detail, very VERY FAIR tests although not easy... he loves to teach so it's an asset to take advantage of

Awesome lecturer! Took 3a in spring and 3b in summer. Summer is fast paced but if you get your work done and go to Office hours (which are VERY helpful) you will do fine in the class! Make sure you do past exams!

Pederson is an awesome professor, and is very clear in his lectures. He may seem a little intimidating, but hes actually an awesome very friendly guy and I definitley reccommend going to his office hours. His exams can be tough, but they're fair.

Very fair. Lectures are organized. Nice guy!

Want a professor who doesnot teach out of the book? Ten professor Pedersen is the one for you. He brings energy and excitement to the class as well as clarity. A flawless professor in my opinion.

Pederson's tests are hard. His lectures are good.

He is very boring to listen to in class. Otherwise, he explains the material very well and although the tests are hard, you'll likely be better off having had Pedersen than other ochem teachers because he doesn't want you just memorizing a bunch of reactions.

lectures move really fast, so don't fall asleep. this is one of those classes where you should definitely go to class. The tests are really straightforward, but brutal.

Pedersen is a mean man. His tests change dramatically from year to year. He knows exactly what students will have studied, so he'll test you on something totally different. Get ready to get killed on his tests. His lecture notes are very thorough and comprehensive, although he's really dry.

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O chem is a pretty tough subject and Pedersen may be a bit challenging but he still cares about the students learning the material. He's fair in what he expects you to know and he covers enough in lecture that you don't really need to read the book.

great teacher, hard class, you work hard and learn a lot.

ah pedersen, you sexy, sexy man

Definetly a hard class, but that is what ochem is. He does explain the material quickly, but due to the amount he has to cover that's not suprising. Take the advantages this course has to offer, extra review/study sessions, and you'll do well.

He did a great job making a difficult subject interesting and manageable. The class is definitely not a pushover though.

I thought this class was much harder than his 3A class. Be prepared to spend all your free time in office hours and review sessions if you want to do well. The final was more of a cumulative "Chem 3" final which really caught me off guard. Pedersen is tough but he's a great teacher

Don't need to read the book if you attend his lectures. Lectures tend to be clear and organized. Very good professor. Tests are difficult and make you apply what you learned (very things can be answered straight from memorization).

Professor Pedersen is the GREATEST prof EVER!!! You go in knowing EXACTLY what is expected of you during the midterms cause he gives you problems off the old ones to work on. SO, if you didn't get a good grade in his class, trust me, it's YOU, not PEDERSEN!

i have a love/hate relationship with this prof. i love him because he's a better science prof than most others, and he says he reads sex on tuesdays. but his tests, even if they do follow old tests, are still hard. you definitely have to study a lot. but i really enjoyed this class, my first enjoyable science class. i thank him for that.

Complex situation: Not the most interesting man on campus, KNOWS his chemistry, tough tests (if you go to the weekly review sessions by the Head GSI helps A LOT!!), and goes by really quickly. ^__^ If you do all his old midterms/tests, you do fine. DON'T MEMORIZE, just practice. GREAT GUY ;D

I wish he taught every class at my school.

Had him for lab lecture. Really knows the material but not the most interesting lecturer.. still like the prof though. Class is straight forward. Being a lab lecture, it is good because what you learn is applicable to lab. End of the semster was not as interesting, material is more for 3B.

Pedersen is one of the most talented professors at Cal. If you are not taking Ochem with him, you are making a mistake. If you work hard, you will get an A. I had him for fall, spring and summer in three different classes, he has consistently shown himself to be amazing; dont pass up the chance to have one of the best ochem lecturers in the country

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I would get a %15 on all exams and I walked out of the class with a C-. REAL TOUGH.

He cares much more about his students than most. Tests are challenging and fair (and no one seems to get hurt by the curve). Very useful material for later classes.

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This guy knows his materials. petersen gave really clear and organized lectures. he writes everything on the board (a plus). very easy to get an A in his class. all you have to do is attend lecture, go to office hours because this is where he goes indept into the materials and shows you detailed mechanisms, and do all of his practice midterms (don'

Considering that ochem is a horrible horrible subject in my opinion, Pedersen is a pretty good lecturer. Pretty easy to understand and fair tests. I'd make an effort to take 3 series when he's teaching it.

Go to Office Hours and talk to him. He's very approachable and helpful:)

Even though I almost failed this class, I will still say that Pederson is one of the best professors I've ever had. You can tell he is unbelievably intelligent, loves to teach, and genuinely cares about his students. His lectures are organized, but can sometimes be confusing; but if you stay on top of your work (I REALLY mean it), you'll do fine.

He is super hard, but if you stay on top of the reading (even though he hates Vollhart), the concepts will be more familiar to you and pederson does a good idea of clarifying them. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS!!! especially if you have him as a lab lecturer, he basically gives you the answers and helps you understand the material. Plus he is super nice!

He was one of the greatest science professors I've had, he explained concepts well, is incredibly nice and approachable. I would definitely recommend going to OH.

Ridiculous amount of work for a 2 unit class, but if you do the required work, you'll probably get an A-. This guy is amazing though if you go to office hours... he basically tells you the answers to the lab/lab questions and you really understand the stuff. I hated o-chem lecture, but rather enjoyed the lab.

Hands down Best professor of chem at Berkeley. He's taught for 19 years...and hes the best. In fact if you dont take ochem with him....then you are getting robbed of the best ochem education possible at UC Berkeley. And best in the country for that matter (Berkeley Chem =#1 in country)

Easiest A I had all semester.

Amazing professor. I took chem 3A with frechet and didn't understand a thing, failed the class. Took it again with pederson and actually wanted to go. He is very friendly and is always there to help you, not hurt you.

I took chem3A with Pedersen this summer. He is the best lecturer for chem3A. Attend all classes - Pedersen actually teaches you and works out problems/examples on the board, unlike other professors who just TALK and CLICK.

His voice can put you to sleep sometimes, but other than that he's got great content and if you pay attention you really get the lecture's material. However, when he gives examples on the board he goes into what my friend and I call "crazy mode" because he draws structures super fast. Tests are fair; everything is from his lectures.

Professor Pederson has a monotone voice, and people warned me that he would be boring. But he's actually an excellent teacher! Unlike chem 1a, where you get a bunch of power point slides, you actually work out a lot of mechanisms on the board. He's awesome! His tests are pretty fair if you study (use his exam book pratice books-THEY WILL SAVE YOU!)

I took Pedesrson for 3A and Vollhardt for 3B. DEFINITELY TAKE PEDERSON, and if you can try to have him for 3A and 3B. This guy is great. You have to go to lecture because he takes the time to draw mechanisms on the board. This helps immensely. Do his practice tests/practice problems and you'll definitely get an A. Very easy. Very Clear. +++++++

His lectures were clear, and his tests were fair.

Knows his stuff, but goes a little too fast. Obviously cares about teaching: holds 3 OHs a week. His tests get progressively harder, so keep up and ask a lot of questions. And he doesn't go by the book, so attend every lecture! Lastly, do his Exam Book over and over again, and you'll get the A.

awesome~

He is one of the best teachers I've had. The class was challenging but he gives you a lot of resoures to do well. So his practice exams and go to lecture and you shouldn't do less than a B oh and SLC helps A LOT for this class go!

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By far the best professor in the sciences I've had. He is very clear, and gives fair exams--the way he teaches is great. Organic chemistry is one of those classes everyone is afraid of, but Pedersen makes the subject managable and interesting. If you are going to take the 3 series, make sure its with Pedersen, and not the others.

He explains the material very well. The tests are fair.

if you do the entire practise exam book by the time you take the final, you would most likely be guaranteed an A. lectures are important and if you go, you don't even have to bother with reading the book. emphasizes concepts and mechanisms, not memorization.

Pedersen is an excellent lecturer but is only somewhat helpful during office hours. However, considering the time constraint and circumstances of the office hours that I attended he managed quite well. This is NOT an easy class and you will most definitely NOT get an A by just doing workbook. Go over your notes and understand conceptually.

Loved him, he's a great professor. You can tell he wants his students to learn rather than to stress out over grades and such. Very fair.

He is the best professor I've had so far. He is great at explaining things and keeps your attention even though the material can get a little heavy. Office hours are pretty helpful, and the practice exams are very important. Attendance and the practice exams are absolutely mandatory, while purchasing the book and the model kit is optional.

Best OChem prof at Berkeley. Everything that will be on the exam will be fully covered in class. He clearly writes out everything you need to know on the board. You don't even need the textbook for this class, you just need to go to lecture and understand everything and do the assigned problems. Unfortunately it is an 8 AM class and is not webcast.

The BEST professor to take Ochem with. He makes what would otherwise be a really difficult topic super clear, and really gives all the resources you need to do well in the class. He writes everything neatly on the board, and the practice exams let you know exactly what the real exams are like. Very fair and great at teaching this topic

This is a great professor. He is very helpful in class lectures and in office hours. I really love the fact that he tries really hard to make a connection between organic chemistry and daily life. Go to lectures, office hours, and the SLC study groups. Read the book ahead of class if you have time.

He is my all time favorite professor. Wonderful lectures. Reasonable tests based off lectures. Doesn't make you learn anything that you cannot use.=)

This is what a teacher should do: guide you and provide the materials for learning. Amazing guy--as you can tell from his last lecture, he truely wants to inspire you and encourage you to use the things you learned. taht being said, he is not EASY. He's hard as heck. mean 76/150? But take him. He's a true teacher, unlike many of the teachers here..

Beneath his bored demeanor and his beady eyes and his former-UN-diplomat-John Bolton-esque face, he's got a heart of gold and genuinely cares about his students. We saw this side of him twice: after the VA Tech shootings, and on the last day of class. If his class is full and you can only get Vollhardt, wait another year.

The best professor I've ever had, like a lot of other people here. I think about how hard o-chem could have been, and it makes me so glad I had Pedersen. He really cares that his students learn the material, and his tests are hard but not unreasonable. It took a lot of effort to get up for that 8 AM class, but it was worth it every time.

3A with Pedersen was a piece of cake. 3B is a whole different story. Loved this guy even though the class is challenging. Can't blame or be bitter about him because he has provided all the resources for you to do well. Lightning fast responses to emails as well. A good human being and a great professor.

By far an AMAZING lecturer. However, he poorly predicts test scores. When he thinks the test will be easy, people do very poorly. When he expects a low mean, the mean is really high. This makes his grading not what he expects and it can mess up your grade. However, his practice tests make the exams fairly easy. Take this calss with him if you can.

He's an amazing professor. I highly recommend taking Chem with him. His notes are fabulous and if you study them thoroughly and do all the problems he assigns in the exambook, you're good to go. His exam book qstns are reflective of the exam, which are difficult but doable. The best thing is you know that he cares about his students.

I hated 3a with Frechet with a passion. Pedersen made o-chem clear and enjoyable. (I rarely fell asleep during lectures!) Though I did not get to know him personally, Pedersen seems like an amazing person. I pretty much love him. ochem with him is the best.

The best professor I have had at Berkeley. His lecture are clear and easy to understand. His tests are fair if you do the assigned problems. He really cares about his students and his subject. Great person and teacher.

Easy A/A- but it's still a lot of work for a 2 unit class. Lab quizzes are straightforward and easy. I found lab lectures to be interesting but his voice has been known to put people to sleep. Just put in the work and you'll get an A.

Unlike most professors at class, Pedersen doesn't stand in front of the class and talk, he actually teaches. As long as you go to every lecture and do all the problems, you should get a decent grade in the class.

Pedersen was the most boring professor I have ever had. Although he is very clear and easy the only way to get through lecture is with a lot of caffeine and food.

Really great professor to start off ochem, don't let his monotone voice throw you off! Lectures are clear and he is very helpful during office hours. I'd highly recommend getting his exam books, aka lifesavers!

I had all three of the main Ochem professors (Frechet, Vollhardt, and Pedersen) for different classes and there's no doubt that Pederson is #1. His lectures are very clear, and he's the only one who can lecture the hardest subject in a way so that anyone can understand. So if you are going to take a hard class, this professor is the one.

Pedersen is a very good, clear, concise lecturer. He can be a bit boring though. Pedersen is a really helpful guy if you do have any questions. You don't really have to go to lecture to do well, as almost the entire class gets an A or an A-. Quizzes are pretty easy and the GSIs grade lab reports pretty fairly.

Put off taking this class to get Pedersen if you have to. Don't bother with the text, but always go to lecture. He really does teach the concepts, and he's even funny sometimes. One of the best professors I've had. Not easy, but excellent.

if you work hard it is easy to get a B, but unless you are exceptional, it is very difficult to get an A. he's funny, nice, extremeley smart, barely uses text, emphasizes amino acids more than other o-chem professors (which is good for bio people). ONLY real flaw is that he rushes certain parts of the course and takes other parts very slow.

The coolest professor around to teach ochem. He should teach every science class at Cal.

Pederson is an awesome professor. Going to class is essential and even though you might not understand everything right away in lecture going back to your notes is very helpful. If you don't want to buy the textbook, no big deal but definetely buy the past exam booklets. Pederson makes Ochem fun and enjoyable! Seriously...

This is just confirming another review that was spot on. I always did WELL above average on exams but still got a B, which is discouraging because people who had done considerably worse also received B's, very hard to get an A. Attendance is a good idea, but lecture is very similar to the book. Study his previous exams, they are a life saver.

LOVE LOVE LOVE his class. He actually made an organic chemistry class interesting, clear, and fun. It is very hard to get an A in this class, but he's one of those professors who really loves what he's teaching, and he tries his hardest to pass that on to his students. And he says the most random stuff sometimes, which keeps class entertaining.

He was very clear in his lectures and pretty entertaining. He's very straight forward so do not worry about him side tracking about his mom or something.

Best chem professor ive had. Great personality, and very clear lectures. As much as I hate ochem, he makes it bearable. Do the practice problems.

He knows how to teach! the only thing is that his exams will kill you...especially if you dont really like chem. You really have to keep up with the material because he will take everything from lecture and then on the exams try to trick you. The book is really useless, he doesnt go by it, which is why you cant miss class

Pederson is an amazing lecturer. He is especially very helpful during office hours. His tests are extremely difficult, but doing the suggested problems help a lot.

dude this professor is the best .. two complaints .. its not webcast so you gotta go to an 8 am class and take notes the whole time and everyone copies old student's labs for 3BL and lab in general is too boring and useless ... his lecture is awesome though .. berkeleys best professor for sure, hands down

Of the ochem professors, pederson is the best hands down. His tests aren't that easy, but if you do his problem sets and ask about the harder ones in office hours, you'll be fine. He is one Prof who will let your hard work actually pay off.

What a great class! Best professor at this school. His lectures are clear and interesting. Love the molecule of the day. Exams are difficult but fair.

Professor Pedersen is a great lecturer. He explains the concepts well, and his exams are fair (you need to study quite a bit to do well on them, but they aren't as tricky as the exams of other organic chemistry professors).

The Chem 3BL class was rather average; the lectures didn't help too much during the lab. The lab section was rather disconnected from the lecture section (although it would help you in the lab section if you have knowledge from the lecture section).

Pedersen received a standing ovation this year--much deserved! His class was difficult, but he gives you the info you need to know and presents it clearly. A word of advice repeated multiple times: do the problem sets!!

Maybe I just wasn't paying attention as well as I should have, but 3A&B with Pedersen was one of the greatest classes I've ever taken even though I bombed a few of his tests. Take the time to do all the problem sets, and you'll actually learn the material and like the class in spite of yourself.

i had pedersen for both 3a and 3b. I definitely recommend taking your ochem series with him. his lectures are very clear and interesting. his tests can be difficult, but if you do the problem sets you should be fine. pretty fair curve.

everything everyone else said below...this guy made ochem very easy and interesting to learn for me...the problem sets are your bible...just master those problems and you'll be fine....if you dont take ochem with pedersen, you're a fool.

He is one of the best teachers here at Cal, he explains material so well and gives really good examples. He makes you enjoy chemistry. Test are hard, but there's a low mean. He's really kind and helpful in office hours. Take him!

Pretty easy class, lectures are kinda useless but will help you in some small stuff in chem lab write up. Do the lab, the lab write up and you'll be fine. The final was easy, so don't study a lot

Great teacher, truly cares if you do well. Lectures are extremely informative. The material is inherently hard, but he breaks it down nicely.

Honestly, a wonderful teacher and a great person. He's very considerate and willing to help-- and he organizes the class well to minimize unavoidable confusion when studying organic chemistry for the first time. Plus he has a sense of humor!

Ok first off, O-Chem in itself is a VERY tough subject. That being said, Pedersen is a great teacher and explains things very thoroughly (Most times) There are THREE things you need to do to do well 1) Go to class; getting notes from a friend ain't gonna work 2) Do problem sets 3) Go to SLC tutoring & study group; THIS IS SERIOUSLY A LIFE SAVER!

A very entertaining and clear lecturer. Unfortunately, the class is at 8am and not webcasted, so it's difficult to appreciate his teaching abilities. Go to his office hours (NOT the GSIs, they don't know what they're doing), do the problem sets and go to lecture (get a tape recorder if you need it) and you'll do okay atleast. Book can help too.

Pedersen is monotonous and boring. He can barely be funny, mostly he comes off as unapproachable and mean. But he is such a good lecturer. He gets the point across directly even though he expects a lot from the students. The book helps a lot, even though he says it doesnt; read it all and do all the problems from it. He is quite fair.

Go to lecture. Unfortunately, his lectures are apparently always at 8am. But you will regret it if you miss even just a few lectures. You'll end up spending more time catching up than it would have taken to go to lecture. Get on top of your stuff and stay on top, and you'll be fine.

SFP, I love you! Pedersen is a clear but challenging lecturer. I'm lucky to have learned from him-- he's taught me to love organic chemistry, and appreciate the littlest things in life (soap making included). To do well simply practice, practice, practice. There is no need to be afraid of ochem, but don't underestimate the huge time commitment.

Easy to understand, tells you all you need to know in lecture. He the friendliest, most helpful science instructor I've had. He may seem a bit unapproachable, but he's always patient and eager to explain, no matter how silly the question may seem.

Since I was just taking the lab lecture of Pedersen, I thought the class was easy. Lab's were really easy, but might be because of GSI. But even then, easy to get A. Lecture was a bit boring and labs are really long. Not too bad though.

Pedersen was a fantastic instructor. Keys to success in Ochem: 1) Go to his Office Hours!!!!! They're not intimidating at all, there are always 20-30 people there and he teaches it like a section would be taught. 2)Take good notes in class, adding as much info as you can that he says 3)Review your notes well 4) Do the problem sets as they come out.

It is essential to buy a tape recorder and tape all the lectures and then take DETAILED notes on them. He uses no supplementary materials like a textbook so you have to rely on his notes. Exams are no joke, but they're no surprise: and keep doing HIS problem sets. Straightforward,clear, fair, hard to follow at 8AM, and the curve will save your life

Clear, concise lectures. Always lets us out early. Class was supposed to be easy, but is easy to overlook and end up with a worse grade than expected. Pluses and minuses are assigned at the very end. Know your NMR

Ochem as you already know is extremely difficult but if you must take the class, take it from pedersen. He makes the subject understandable and it's not as intimidating. Do the problem sets and understand the steps you are doing instead of just memorizing it. It is possible to do well in the class without devoting your whole life to it.

the best professor ever!

Pedersen is a fantastic professor. He's straightforward, organized, chill, and fair. If he teaches it, he expects you to know it. Stay with the class, don't plan on catching up -- it won't happen. His practice exam workbooks should be your life throughout the semester. They'll adequately prepare you for his exams. His grading is fair, nothing trick

Very clear in lectures. Gets to the point and tells you what you need to know. PAY ATTENTION to all the examples he gives (even the small ones) because they could be potential test problems. All his tests are based on lecture (not book), which look very similar to practice test book. USE IT.

All of you freshmen out there who are considering 3A in the spring with another professor...DON'T DO IT! Pederson is worth waiting until the Fall semester for. He tells you in the beginning, "You don't have to read the book." That's because his method is WAY clearer than any book out there. I'd major in ochem if I could, and I HATED Chem 4a!

Professor Pederson is awesome! I hated Chemistry and he is making it more than tolerable. He actually cares about his students and doesn't want anyone to go nuts over the class.

It can get tiring at 8AM lectures. Going to BioEHS Study Groups helped out A LOT! I highly recommend getting help from them. They know what to teach!

Lecture is mandatory. Don't read the book at all, but make sure to buy the practice test book that he releases every year. Also go to a study group (GSI's isn't that great, try BioEHS) - it will help you a lot. Everyone in my study group got A's or A+'s.

Great professor, very clear and understandable in lectures. Listen to him and you'll go well in the class. The grading scale makes it easy to get an A. Lab exam at the end was easy given you have been going to lab and reading the manual (or just paying attention to him in lecture).

Lectures were interesting...even at 8am. He's a dedicated professor and I learned a lot in this class. Doing the problem sets and reviewing lecture notes are a must.

I wish I could give Pedersen a 10 in clarity. I cannot describe how great he is at teaching. His lectures are absolutely mandatory. Try to get into his yearlong 3A/3B classes! (yes i know that can be a scheduling nightware)

I took 3A with him and am in 3B with him right now. He's amazing, go to lecture! It's a hard class but if you study his notes and do the problems in the practice exam books, the tests are pretty predictable. And he's really funny, mostly unintentionally :)

Great professor. Go to every lecture and don't buy the textbook.

I LOVE professor Pedersen!! He is by far my favorite professor at Cal so far. I hated general Chem (high school and 1A) and dreaded having to take OChem but Pedersen's teaching methods are AMAZING! I love organic chemistry! No textbook use. Go to ALL lectures, listen and take good notes, study the notes and understand them, & DO THE PROBLEM SETS!!

Pedersen's teaching style is magical, to say the least. Doing the practice problems are the best way to prepare for tests and don't buy the book!!!

Pedersen is the best organic chemistry professor on campus. He is crystal clear in terms of explaining concepts and what you should know for the exams. He is a true student professor. No textbook, just do the problem sets and re-copy the notes and you'll do fine. Exams are doable, but do require a bit of thinking. Highly recommended!

As someone on CC pointed out, Professor Pedersen is like a "funny uncle who doesn't know he's being funny." Pedersen is mostly no-nonsense, but he'll show his quirky sense of humor every so often. Don't miss lecture, and don't fall behind with suggested problem sets. Try ALL mechanisms he assigns in class; they may show up on exams. Get a recorder!

Continued: Having a recording device for this class was incredibly useful. It allowed me to play back lectures after class and clarify my notes, as it can be hard to write down everything Pedersen says during lecture. This was a great study aide, but whether it's helpful for you depends on your learning style. WARNING: Always have extra batteries!!

Excellent professor with a great teaching style. He makes you learn conceptually and is very student oriented. He expects you to work had, but he is really helpful and clearly and concisely tells you what you need to know. Don't miss lecture. You'll get behind too quickly. One of my favorite profs in regards to teaching style; highly recommended!

Very clear and straight forward. Do the assigned problems and go to lecture and you can do well. :)

He was an amazing Professor! The tests were completely straight forward with no surprises. Do the problem sets and then the practice midterms it will help sooo much!

great teacher! i enjoy it so much more than general chem (1a)

His lectures are very clear, if a bit monotone. Write down and draw everything he puts on the board, along with any extra notes. Having a sound recorder of some kind would be helpful, as lectures are not webcast. Make sure to do as many practice problems you can. They are not so much "suggested" as necessary to pass. Book is not used much.

Pedersen's lectures are clear, and he tries hard to make sure everyone understands him. his tests are hard, but it's completely fair (no one ever walks out complaining they got tricked). My other friends complain about vollhardt and frechet and it makes me appreciate what a great professor Pedersen really is. Easily the best I've had at Cal so far

This had been one of the best classes I've taken at Cal. Professor Pedersen is an amazing teacher. He cares for his students and teaches the material with clarity so that everyone can understand. Practice the problems from the exam book and you will be fine!

Pedersen was fairly plain in his presentations but very coherent in his teaching and lectures. He enabled me to understand the material very well. He was also very interested in topics other than chemistry; i.e. paleontology, ichthyology, and herpetology.

Pedersen is hands down the best professor I've ever had. His lectures are clear and entertaining, and his tests are challenging but fair. He cares about his students and somehow makes organic chemistry interesting. Do the problem sets and you'll do fine.

Great lecturer, clear and fair, loved Molecules of the Day's. Better than all the other chem3b teachers. although going to study groups really helped... going to lecture isnt mandatory but if you wanna do well, then go to all of them. they're not on webcast

Best class I've had here!

absolutely without a doubt one of the best professor's i've had at cal. makes known what he wants you to understand, gives you all of his previous exams to study with. i thought organic chemistry was going to be a awful, but with pedersen I pulled of an A- and A in 3a and 3b. his style of teaching is what every professor at cal should strive for

I don't get it... I thought he was a great guy and very patient, but I could not understand half of his lectures. The way he explains things just doesn't make sense to me. When I have someone else explain the same concepts, I get it right away. He doesn't really give any introduction to what he's doing, so I always feel lost. Great guy though

HE IS THE BEST. After you get used to his monotone he's actually a great fun guy. He loves what he's doing and he's brilliant. You know it's a good professor when you actually have to go to lecture to learn something.

Pedersen made the class super interesting and fun. I wasn't sure how I would feel about ochem but he seriously made me love the subject and really understand it.

Pedersen may be the best professor I've had at Cal. He has so much experience both in organic chemistry and teaching. Wonderful at explaining things and is willing to answer questions. Will make you adore ochem. Have my last lecture with him today and am somewhat devastated.

Pedersen is an exceptional professor - truly passionate about teaching and about his students. He is so helpful and will answer any questions you have. While his exams are hard, he prepares you well because he genuinely cares about your success and wants you to love organic chemistry. Kind, understanding, brilliant, and humble; I simply adore him!

Very straightforward professor. Online lectures were essential for lab and doing well on lab exam. Sometimes tough to get help. but he's extremely attentive in office hours. However, it's really your TA that will make or break your experience. Final exam was unexpectedly difficult.

Pedersen is the man. He has too much swag.

Very good professor, highly recommend. In lecture, he teaches by giving a TON of examples. Very clear. He doesn't try to trick you in lecture or exams, you know exactly what you are going to get. He also gives out previous exam questions as recommended homework so DO THEM! You know EXACTLY what the exam is going to be like! Great style of teaching.

I've had Pedersen for both Chem 3A and Chem 3BL. He's a really nice guy who answers questions thoroughly when you ask them. GO TO EVEY LECTURE. No reading outside the course is necessary. As long as you pay attention in lecture and ask for clarification when you don't understand, you will do great! His tests are tough, but there are no surprises.

3AL is an easy class. Pedersen is a clear lecturer and if you pay attention, you will have everything you need for the lab exam and labs. The only problem is it's very hard to pay attention because he is SO BORING. I can't complain because he is a good lecturer, but make sure you drink some coffee! Don't slack on NMR; it's 13 of the lab final!

Very dry sense of humor that will get you through the semester. Midterms are 100% exactly the format of the hw he assigns. Lectures are very structured and fairly easy to follow, even for someone with a tenuous chemistry background. Class is still not easy, but he makes it as attainable as possible.

Pedersen is a straightforward, intelligent professor. His exams are exactly like his problem sets and if you pay attention and go to every lecture, you're sure to do well. His exams are tough but there are no surprises. Sometimes the lectures can get a little dry and he may go a little fast at times but he knows what he's doing.

Good professor. There are generally no surprises on the exams, as they are VERY similar to the questions in the problem sets. If you go to every class and copy down everything he says/writes, the class is pretty straightforward. He is a smart guy and his lectures are clear and not too difficult to follow. Definitely take him for organic chemistry.

Very tough grading. Must be self-motivated to stay on top of homework assignments. Exams are fair but difficult. Pedersen is a fantastic, amiable guy. Truly, truly cares about students.

I had struggled in Chem 1A in Spring 2016 and took this class in Summer 2016 and I actually really liked it more. However his class is mandatory to go to, he can be very bland and boring but he teaches it well that you understand it. Definitely practice a lot over his problem sets and always keep up to date with his problems! I got within SD

I really loved Professor Pedersen for his more than effective teaching. He made ochem enjoyable for me, and would defs take a class from him again. He is really straightforward and doesn't try to trick you: he tells it to you straight and his tests are more than fair.

Pedersen is easily one of the best professors I have ever had at Cal. His lectures are incredibly clear despite being very informative. His problem sets are just like his exams so there are no surprises. Be very consistent with studying for that class as well as attend office hours religiously and you will do just fine!

Clear lecturer. Just like Chem 3A, his suggested problem sets are all you need to practice in addition to office hours for clarity. Chem 3B is a lot of application of the correct reagents (especially for synthesis and predict the product), so keep tabs on all the different reagents you learn in 3B in addition to those in 3A.

After coming from marsden for Chem 1A, I wasn't sure if it was possible to get another great professor. But Pedersen proved me wrong. He is such a wonderful lecturer and his practice problems are nearly identical to his midterms and finals so you are never left questioning what's going to be test on. TAKE HIM IF YOU GET THE CHANCE.

I took Pedersen's 3A class and enjoyed it. He's very fair -- he teaches in a VERY organized manner, and his problem sets are essential to your success in the class. If you're going to lecture and doing the problem sets, the exams will be no problem. His tests are straightforward, and he doesn't try to "trick" you or anything.

Cool guy but the class itself is just ridiculously hard.

Pedersen was a great lecturer. Sometimes his lectures were all over the place and a bit messy, but he got the point through. Very matter of the fact kind of guy. Exams were fair but tough. Textbook was totally unnecessary. He retired :(, but good luck to you if he teaches over the summer.

Congrats on your retirement Dr. pedersen!

Professor Pederson retired this semester, but hands down one of the best professors at CAL. He made me like chemistry again and his teaching style is super efficient and helpful.

He was the first Prof. I had at Cal that seemed to understand that his subject is difficult and therefore taught it accordingly. His test were fair, lectures engaging and clear boardwalk made him easy to follow. He retired after last semester but the impact he made on Berkeley and its students will surely not be forgotten

Highly attentive to student feedback and genuinely wants students to love ochem AND succeed in it.