2.6
Quality3.9
Difficulty34%
Would Retake430
Reviews34%
Would Retake
430
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
430 total ratings5
64
4
80
3
83
2
71
1
132
What Students Say
“If you go to class and take good notes, its easy to pass with a good grade”
BIOL1202 - 4.0 rating“and he does not teach well”
BIO1002 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
65%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
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Declining
-1.05 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL1201AND1202
5.0
(1)BIOL1202
2.9
(37)BIO1202
2.5
(61)BIOL1002
2.3
(12)BIOL1201
2.0
(44)Difficulty by Course
BIOL1201AND1202
5.0
BIO1001
4.5
BIO1201
4.4
BIOL1201
4.2
1201
4.1
Reviews (300)
Pomarico is an interesting professor and cares about his students. However, for an intro to biology that is also an online class, this class is extremely difficult. There are several hours of lecture videos to watch plus his notes and outlines that he posts, yet the tests are only 40 questions about usually very minute details. Don't recommend
I don't recommend taking Pomarico, especially for an online class. Tests are a HUGE part of your grade and are extremely detailed questions. Also, Video lectures are extremely long.
Dr. Pomarico was a great professor. He provides you with notes and interesting lectures. It's all you need to succeed, but you have to study and work for that A. You HAVE to know the material or you will fail. There are five exams and cumulative final. He assigns 11 quizzes on moodle, and masteringbio assignment for each chapter.
The tests are based on lectures which are nearly impossible to pay attention to unless you follow the notes as he goes. You do have to study for your grade and the tests are worth a lot of your grade at the end of the year, but he does curve every test and is passionate about what he teaches. Be prepared to learn about plants.
The tests were either really easy, or really hard. I recommend reading both the textbook and the notes along with going to the SI instructor to get an A. He does random in class quizzes too so go to class.
Awful !!!!! Never covers material
great professor, but sometimes his lectures were hard to focus on. he gives so many assignments like mastering biology online homework and online quizzes (most of which can be found online). beware how he post the homework and quizzes they just pop out of the blue. he allows students to buy a notebook filled with his lectures. BUY the notebook.
Not a bad class, but be prepared for a lot of work. He posts all of his lectures online, but some of them are long and can get boring after a while. He gives homework on MasteringBiology and Moodle, quizzes, and 5 tests. The test questions are specific, especially the final. He's a good professor, but it was a lot of work for a non-major class.
Absolutely amazing teacher! Probably the best 1202 at LSU. Homework every week, which could actually help to boost your grade. Easy in-class participation points. Tests are directly from the notes, most of which he posts online. Usually a 5 point curve on every test. Missed the A+ by half a point. Very possible to get an A+ if you put in effort.
If you are a student who can teach yourself the material, you'll do okay. If you're actually looking for a professor to TEACH you something, turn away now!!! I emailed him multiple times through out the semester asking for help and he basically blew me off. You're just a number to him. Doesn't care if you fail or pass.
If you study the notes provided/listen in lecture you will get a good grade in this class. The tests are very strait-forward and Dr. Pomarico offers pre-tests that are identical to the actual exam. Pomarico will also print out a feedback sheet of what questions you get wrong on the exam if you sign up for it. Overall, very good professor.
Great teacher, very passionate about what he is teaching! Be sure to take the practice test, it will help you prepare for the actual exam.
Pomarico's lectures are incredibly boring but he does in class events for participation 10 times throughout the semester so I wouldn't recommend missing class. His tests are relatively easy. He let's you take a practice test for each exam. Gives homework on mastering biology for each chapter. Overall pretty easy.
The most specific test questions are asked, which means in order to pass the exam (without a curve) you have to study absolutely every detail. he sucks as a teacher and asks way too much from students, especially students who are not bio/ science majors. I wouldnt recommend taking him unless all you want to do in your spare time is learn biology
This class wasn't bad. He does random in class activities for participation points to make sure you go to class. Besides that I just read the textbook, his notes, and the SI reviews worksheets to study. His tests are purely memorization. You legit do not need to understand anything, just memorize his notes and bam instant A if not A+
I love this man with all my heart. He's so nice and loves biology. He babbles a lot but I didn't mind! His tests are very fair and the material isn't that hard. You have to study but you don't have to go to class, but I recommend going to class because he'll out stuff on the test that he said in class. I definitely recommend him!
Pomarico was terrific. Easily the best 1202 professor. His tests are extremely similar to the pretest. Team up w/ some friends in the class and compare questions, and the exams are a breeze. Keep up with MasteringBiology and quizzes, go to class for in-class events, study a few days before exam, and you are more than set. Pretty funny and engaging.
Easy A, read the text book / notes. Attend SI and you're guaranteed an A. DONT MISS OUT ON A PRE-TEST. They are basically like the actual test and the majority of questions on your pre-test will be on your actual test. Other than that, attend class because there are in class points!
Pomarico is the sweetest!!
Never paid attention in class or took any notes. bought his note packet at the beginning of the semester and only studied that a few days before the test and went to the SI review sessions. He gives a pretest that is almost exactly like the real test. I got 100 on most of the tests just by reviewing what was on the pretest from my notes. Supereasy
This is the hardest freshman level course I've ever taken. I've had senior level courses that were not this hard. The test questions are superhard as well. Some of the test questions require photographic memory.
Hardest class I have ever taken, and I hope he realizes he's tampering with people's futures when he gives such ridiculously unrealistic expectations.
Pomarico is awesome. He doesn't take attendance but he does 10-12 in class assignments randomly for points and only drops 2. He also curves every test and the homework. Tests aren't too bad if you go to class and pay attention.
Definitely take Pomarico if you are a non-science major and need this class. He gives a lot of extra points that help if this isn't your best subject. His test are just like the notes. You have to go to class because he will do in-class events but they are always easy. I took this last semester and dropped it, it is way better with him.
Great class. Was not too hard. Studied mainly the notes and went to textbook when unclear. Just go to class and actually take the notes and you'll be fine. He gives you basically two tries for the test (pretest doesn't count for grade tho). Pomarico was a nice guy to listen to. Make sure to look at the figures in the textbook.
Ive never taken such a boring professor before. He claims hes worried about the student but his tests are pretty ridiculous. You have 5 exams AND a Cumulative final. The only way you can make As on the tests are if you spend ALL your time studying for that or if you are in a sorrority and have all the test bank questions.
Dr. Pomarico was an awesome professor and was more than willing to help anytime his students needed anything! If you learn the notes he gives the tests are super straightforward. He even had sessions after tests to help you understand what you missed. Take him!
You can tell Pomarico's been teaching this course for a while now, and actually enjoys it. His lectures aren't mandatory, but he occasionally gives in-class assignments. His lectures are really clear, and he's great at explaining things, so I'd definitely recommend coming to class. TAKE THE PRETESTS!! They're very similar to the exam!
TEST ARE SO HARD. and he does not teach well. DO not take him if you can.
Pomarico is just an ok professor. Class is boring and he just rambles on about irreverent topics. He makes his own exam so there are usually spelling and grammar mistakes and it is sometimes hard to know what the questions are asking. But there is usually a 1-2 question curve for every exam. Would probably take another teacher if possible.
Pomarico is a good Professor. Just go to class for in class assignments, read the text book, do the hw, and take the pretest and you should be fine.
This class is very easy to get an A in! Light homework, pretests are available, and the notes are the test. As long as you study the notes a few days before the test you will get an A!
He needs to realize that WE ARE NOT SCIENCE MAJORS AND THIS IS NOT A SCIENCE MAJOR CLASS.
His lectures were extremely boring, and his test questions were sometimes extremely random and hard to understand. He also barely answered emails which was extremely frustrating. The pretests help for the exams. Probably one of the easiest 1202 teachers that is available but not the best.
Lecture takes forever and very boring. I fell asleep a few times. Go to class for in class attendance points. Take pretest, it helps. Exams were pretty tough.
Dr. Pomarico was one of my favorite professors. The material was kind of boring, but he tries to make it interesting. Take the pretest and study the notes and you'll be good.
I took this guy online, and its not looking too good. Most of it is pearson's program stuff so pretty easy if you know what your doing. The thing I hate is that the Exams that will make or break you are in person at a testing center and the material is incredibly detailed. Dude, most aren't science majors, chill out and let us take it online!
I respect Pomarico, & I'm not the type to really like professors. Of course, most professors are boring, but if you're there to actually understand the content, then his explanations are very thorough. Read the textbook!!! That will definitely help you on the exams and through his lectures. Take him if you want to put in extra effort
Random In-class assignments to count as an attendance grade, exams are extremely hard, homework and online quizzes throughout the week, he is extremely lecture heavy and tends to go on tangents about random things that have nothing to do with biology.
Pomarico was an awesome professor. I loved his class. Its pretty straight forward, go to class for in-class assignments, study the notes, take the pretest, and get a good grade on the test. And go in to look at what you got wrong it helps for the final. Hes a good guy and cares about his students if they care too.
So attendance is done randomly, via in-class assignments (usually a group question). He drops one of those. His tests are always 40 questions, with a pretest, done in the testing center, HARD. He does give a few quizzes online (done at home, with a window of a few days, 10 questions) and occasionally a mastering in biology homework assignment.
This class was awful! I did really good on the first test and didn't study that much, just paid attention in class. He is not always clear on the material. As an individual, he is a GENIUS, but he unfortunately he expects you to be the same. After the first test it steadily got worst. I ended up dropping and changing my major.
Gives quizzes after every few chapters or so, there's 5 exams (40 questions) and a final (25 questions). Attendance isn't mandatory but he gives in class assignments so it's better to just go. It was pretty tough in this class honestly. He's a good professor, but there are others you should take if you can.
great teacher, has participation quizzes randomly so you kind of have to go to class. his test are tricky but he gives pretest which are almost exactly the same. he doesn't give any bonus but he does curve (we once had a 10 pt. curve). study, go to class, take the pretest and you'll do fine.
Decent amount of homework given plus, online quizzes. If you do the work assigned you will make an A in the class. By do the work I mean study and answer the questions based on your knowledge. Go to class and take notes. The regular necessities
I would definitely suggest Dr. Pomarico to anyone after their first semester. He is very helpful to pre-med bio majors because while his tests are difficult, he teaches the information well and gives great notes to study from. He does go thru the material kind of slow, but he puts what he doesnt finish up on moodle. & He doesnt sugarcoat.
If youre going to take him, take him for 1202 NOT 1201. His bio 2 class is much better than bio 1 and a lot easier to pass. I took him for 1201 and it was a struggle. His lectures are super boring and he gives hard quizzes on purpose and will say yeah I was trying to make you miss this question. He isnt the worst teacher, but nit the best.
Tests are in the testing center, not on paper. You may or may not prefer this. Class is a lot of powerpoint, he never goes off topic or tells stories in class.
Homework wasn't announced and if you don't check for it regularly you'll miss it. Same with the moodle quizes. Attendance isn't mandatory but still go because he gives in class events which are a good portion of your grade. He makes some funny comments but overall he just reads from his slides and doesn't break things down very well.
This was a hard class. Personally I did well on the first two tests and then the last 3 plus the final went more and more downhill. He does "in-class events" every so often so skipping isn't the best idea. Get the class notes and fill them in in class because the lectures are the tests. Tests are hard, even when I thought I knew it I actually didnt
I had Pomarico for an online bio 1002 class. I got an A just fine but I definitely feel that this class could be easier. The videos helped me so much but theyre very time consuming. Thats one of the ways youll get an A though. Lots of homework that you need to stay on top of. He curves a lot (about 5-12 points per test). Study & youll be okay
If you go to class and take good notes, its easy to pass with a good grade. Tests are in the testing center on computers, so thats good if you prefer that. You have an option to take a "practice test" in the testing center the week before the actual test - which I found extremely helpful bc questions are pulled from same test bank as actual test.
Currently taking this class 1002 online and it has been the worse mistake of my life i have yet to pass an exam and the homework load and study material is just unrealistic His tests are a whole other story seems impossible to pass as if he wants you to fail you can study as much as you want and never pass RUN RUN RUN
Extremely funny and will make you laugh during lecture. He does give curves on every exam but don't count on it bringing up your grade a lot. It is normally only by a few points. If you can buy the note packets I would recommend getting them, it will make your life easier. Make sure you show up to class and go over the material before the lecture.
Worst class ever. Avoid if you can. Tests are very hard and the in class lecture notes never truly helped me study as there were many things on the exam that were never in the notes. Pomarico is very smart and teaches at a grad student level. Also purposely tries to wean out premed students(said this on the first day). Seriously avoid if you can.
He's a good prof but not for entry level students. He explains things in a higher level of thinking than what first year students can understand. His test are hard so you have to start studying week in advance. Highly recommend reading the book and going to all extra sessions. buy the notes at the beginning of the year, they really help with vocab.
He is a very smart professor and is very knowledgable in what he teaches, but he isn't for freshmen. His tests are extremely hard and the curves that he does for all of the exams is only by 1 or 2 questions which is about 5%. The curves don't help at all. Don't buy the note packet, it's the exact same as the outlines that he puts on Moodle.
Really did not help me. Went to his SIs, office hours, attended every class and really struggled. I was just a number in his class.
Dr. Pomarico is a great professor and truly cares about his students. If you want to do well then make sure you go to class (sometimes he does in-class assignments for a participation grade) and study well before the tests. He goes in depth about the information and explains content well. He doesn't announce homework, so you have to check online.
Literally awful. Obviously very smart, but forgets his student's aren't science geniuses themselves and acts like all the material is a given. When I broke my ankle half way through the semester the night before a test, borderline accused me of lying about my injury for more time to study. If I could of dropped him, I would of.
Great and very knowledgeable professor but not fit for a Biology 1201 class, as a few others have said. He goes into tremendous detail regarding everything and the tests are an absolute mess (However he does have a 5%+ curve on every test). Just make sure you pay attention and it all depends on how well the material sticks in your head.
LISTEN TO THE REVIEWS! I did not listen and I regret it. The information for the tests is within the lecture videos, meaning you have to watch ALL of them to do well. Each week expect at least 6 hours of videos, sometimes upwards of 10. Also, he only releases deadlines and the videos about a week in advance. Awful class format and atrocious videos.
He's a great professor if you already know lots about biology. If you want to do well in his class go to his office hours, seriously. Any questions you need answering or how to approach a problem he will help you with. He's genuinely a good dude it's just his test are ridiculously difficult and it is not worth taking his class freshman year.
The class requires memorization and the outlines really help with that! Take the pretests too because it shows what you need to go back over and what to expect. If you study the outlines you should be fine. I didn't watch the videos much unless the pretest showed a diagram I didn't see in pretest, but videos help if you have trouble understanding!!
He's a very smart professor, and he knows what he's talking about for sure. But his tests and final are extremely difficult with specific questions, and they count for 80% of your final grade. This is the first class I have ever gotten a C in, so it was a rude awakening. I did not ever feel prepared for tests just from his lectures.
While attendance isn't taken, he sometimes does in-class assignments, which you will only get credit for if you attend. Class is straight lecture, although he takes questions about previous material at the beginning of class. There are many online assignments and more tests than other teachers. I mainly used my textbook to learn the material.
this class was very difficult but doable. I would strongly recommend buying the note packet and attending the SI sessions if it fits in your schedule. Dr. Pomarico is a very smart professor and I think in general his lectures were alright. His tests are very challenging and make you think. He offers pretests which are very helpful.
Professor Pomarico is an excellent professor and really knows his stuff. His lectures are always interesting and never boring. He is always asking the big questions and he instills in his students a desire to understand why. He is truly an amazing professor.
This class is difficult, but doable if you put the time into it. He offers pretests which are very helpful, but his tests are difficult. There is a lot of information on each exam, but if you study you'll be fine. Highly recommend buying the notes packet and going to the SI. Also, he really does care about his students and wants them to succeed.
Good guy overall but the tests are ridiculously hard. Lectures are very long and it's often times hard to pay attention. So many assignments such as HW, Quizzes, Top Hat questions, learning cat and tons of mastering biology homework. Small curve on hard tests. If you have to take Bio 1201 professors that might be better are Wischuen or Gregg.
He wasn't a bad professor at all. You can take a pretest for each test which helps with preparing for the real test because he reuses some of the questions. His lectures are basically how you get the information, however, his lectures are boring though. You can miss some but he has surprise "class events" that are for a grade.
I was expecting this class to be much easier since it was online, but it was not. I definitely had to put in work to make a B. Tests weren't very hard, but it was hard to stay engaged with the material.
Lectures are very boring. The tests are very hard but the pretests are helpful. You definitely need to work for your grade. Exams make up 80% of your semester grade so make sure you do well. I would strongly recommend going to the SI sessions.
As long as you study, do the packbacks, and the mastering biology assignments you should do fine. His lectures are long and he seems to stay on one topic for wayyy too long. He's a nice guy overall.
This class felt as if I was on my senior year as a Biology major. The information is way wayy to deep and excessive for non-science majors. And this is coming from a student who has taken Biology at another school so I can without a doubt say this class is way to much. Exam questions are EXTREMELY detailed so be ready for that. Wouldn't recommend.
Pomarico has a way of being condescending with every single question that he gets asked. His delivery in the class is extremely boring, and when kids ultimately don't know what is going on because of his dry approach, he consistently makes some point about how behind they are before offering his help. Repeating himself is a big no no in his book.
I took him online due to COVID. He posted hours and hours of lectures. His zooms were more Q&A, but he was ahead of most of the class and made rude comments. You don't need the textbook just mastering biology. I'm taking him again next semester because I know what to expect. May be a better class without COVID.
His class isnt necessarily hard as much as hes so disrespectful and rude that it makes you not want to pay attention to a word he says. He doesnt teach on zoom, he only answers questions that students present to him. His tests are not proctored and it is easy to cheat... I wouldnt recommend doing that.
He is very condescending towards students and does not cover important material or provide any notes for quizzes and tests.
This class made me want to die. He posts ridiculous amounts of video "lectures" where he over-explains irrelevant information that isn't even on the tests. Actual class is for Q+A's where he is always ahead of most people and responds condescendingly. I am only taking him next semester because I know how to cheese the grade. I've learned nothing.
If you are not in a major that uses biology skills, do NOT take Pomarico's BIOL1201 class as a gen ed. It's way more difficult than it should be as a basic intro to biology class. You don't have to attend classes, but you will have no clue what is happening if you don't. He can be funny, but he is mostly sarcastic and very blunt.
Took this class online due to the pandemic. I watched all the videos, studied over hw, outlines, and watched crash courses + attended zoom lectures and managed to get a C+. Dedicate yourself to this class to do well. He can be snappy and sarcastic, and he doesnt respond to emails well. I wouldnt take him again for a future bio class.
Steve was an ok teacher, but I did not care for him on a personal level. He can be extremely rude and condescending towards people for asking questions - which he genuinely seems to think is funny. He doesn't answer emails and is generally not very accessible (it is a very large class, but he doesn't even try to get back to you). Wouldn't recommend
Taking Dr. Pomarico is kind of like a double edged sword. In my opinion hes a great teacher and he really knows the material and he knows how to explain it well. The only downside is that his tests are very content heavy and some questions a bit trickery, however he does curve. But if you really want to learn bio hes a good choice just be prepar.
I took this class online due to COVID. He posted lecture videos online and he posted outlines. I never went to any of his ZOOM meetings I just did the learning catalytic during his class time which was the attendance grade. His test questions are really confusing and the test is hard; however, he does curve the test.
Made me lose a passion for bio. His tests are so hard it seems impossible to pass. The largest curve he gave was a 2 point curve when more than half the class failed. he expects you to spend 50 minutes outside of class and then another 50 in class for lecture. His test questions were never in the notes, this class was the bane of my existence
I would have a higher grade in his class seeing as I have made high grades on his exams, however he doesn't answer his email for missed assignments that I have a valid reasoning for/assignments he hasn't counted for me. His zoom classes don't seem to teach much really and mainly up to you to learn it.
I mean honestly he's not too bad but I also took him online. You do learning catalytic for participation which is easy cause you don't even have to get them right. You pretty much do the class on your own time though. Nothing is proctored but you kinda need to know what's going on so don't think you can just cheat lol. Also don't miss assignments!
I really enjoyed having Dr. Pomarico as a professor. His lectures, while long, are easy to understand and I found them interesting. He really knows biology and is more than willing to answer questions during Q and A sessions. Overall, I really enjoyed having him as a professor and would recommend him. You will have to put in some work though.
He's an okay professor. If you watch all the videos and learn from the homework/LC, you should do fine. I didn't really attend class but I still made sure I knew what was going on. His classes are Q&As anyways, so you don't need to go unless you need to ask a question. I personally found that Quizlet was the best way to study for his exams.
He's a good professor but will not answer if you try to email him. You have to watch the lectures before class then go to class and listen to everyone's questions. Then during some classes, he does learning catalytics which you have to do in order to get credit.
steven pomarico made us watch lecture videos outside of class AND made us attend zoom lectures for credit via learning catalytics. hes very dry and kind of boring in both. he is also very much so bit of a mean person so that too. overall did not enjoy this class. youll get a decent grade if you try but if you want to be happy, do not take him
Pomarico was SO difficult to get in contact with. I had a severe family death occur in the beginning of spring semester, and he took a week to respond to my email. When he finally did respond, he made me send proof of the family members death because I had completed a homework assignment (which I only did because he hadn't responded.) Avoid taking.
Pom is okay. His lectures can get boring and he goes on random tangents but overall the class was manageable and not very hard. Go to class because there are random participation activities. The grading criteria is clear, go to the SI and go to class and you will pass
He honestly is not a good professor for an online class. He moves on way too fast and his video lectures are very disorganized and rarely help.
Professor Pomarico is the LEAST helpful professor I have had since being at LSU. He does not want to hear your excuses, whether they are valid or not, and will not give you credit for things you can simply not attend. DO NOT TAKE.
Dr. Pomarico does not care about you. His assignments are all over the place, and is extremely strict with all of his grades. His teaching style is awful too. You have to watch hours of lectures before coming to class, and attendance is taken by questions in the middle of class, so you cant get by with just watching the videos.
DO NOT TAKE HIM! His course is 80% exam based. The homework will NOT save you. He is EXTREMELY hard for a gen ed biology class. His tests have unclear wording. He never responds to emails and if he unluckily does he is unclear or rude. He also has Extra Material but it has to be turned in for a grade. Absolutely rude and does not care for student
This class is so awful. Whatever you do, DO NOT take this prof. There is a ton of homework, but if you don't do well on the exams, you will not pass. For "class", you just ask questions and have required in class events that are graded. You have to do all of your work outside of class. No late work is accepted and due dates are completely random.
he never answer to emails, left a lot of homework that doesnt help you with exams, exams are super hard and a lot of students study more than 12 hours for 5 days and still fail at his exams. dont take classes with him
Wont respond to any emails our class has sent the entire semester. Didnt let us know that we had McGraw had assignment due until week 3-4 of the class and wouldnt allow makeups. The tests are super hard and worded tricky. I studied for 60 hours on the first test and still failed.
This man is horrible he posts lectures and then during class he answers questions as well you do a participation thing most every class. It doesnt matter if you get them right so thats good but it counts as a grade. His exams are so hard its unreal nothing like the homework. You can study for hours on end and you will still fail.
Worst professor Ive ever had in three years at two universities. Refuses to reply to emails, rude to students on the rare occasions he does reply, terrible teaching methods that left half the class failing even with massive curves. If you can avoid this guy, do it.
If you want to have a class where you do all the notes and work yourself, then take this class. Everything you learn is by yourself and the tests are ridiculous hard no matter how much you study. I havent heard anyone get above a 50% on his tests. He does curve it but even when he does youll still get an F.
Does not teach at all. Uses Pearson for homework, which you have to pay for. Doesn't email students back. Is very rude when he does.
Very rude to his students & class time is a Q/A session & he takes attendance. Majority of the class fails his exams which makeup the majority of your grade. Doesn't upload any due dates onto moodle & does not have the students best interest in mind.
High chance of bombing the exams even if you do well with studying. He gives you plenty of information which is expected to help make it impossible to fail his exams, but that is not the case. He is extremely rude also. Good luck on asking for help. I only passed because he curves the exams. Best believe, you will be stressed the entire semester.
I like him as a person, not his teaching style. HOWEVER, his class is basically a self teaching course. He uploads lectures onto moodle, and only does Q&A in class. If no one asks questions, he moves to the next chapter. His tests cover so much material at once. He does post zoom recordings online. GO TO SI SESSIONS! They are so helpful!
Absolutely hardest class I've ever taken! You have to literally memorize the most irrelevant information in order to pass exams, and exams are worldly and worded very difficultly. He's also very rude to students in emails, and not very considerate. He literally told a troop it's not his fault that they joined... what a loser.
very good at explaining concepts. i did not like layout of class. all lectures are to be viewed on own time, which can be up to 2 hours per chapter, and classes are mandatory Q and A style. lots of chances to get a high grade, but lots of work has to go into it.
Absolutely horrible. Avoid if possible. Lecture on your own and then in class he answers questions and has polls for your attendance grade. His exams are impossible unless your a genius. He has good curves but thats because everyone fails.
His online lectures are organized weirdly with repeating information. You have to attend some of his zoom lectures as he sometimes does these quizzes for participation. His online quizzes are fairly easy but the exams can be really difficult as he is not clear on what kind of questions the exams could cover. He is not a great professor.
DO NOT TAKE HIM. He has very long recorded lectures, mandatory attendance to live lectures, and a lot of homework. The worst part is that it is so unclear on how you should study for his exams. His exams are so difficult and he gives you no study guides or any advice on how to prepare. Horrible professor please do not take him.
His tests are literally insane. Also he does "flipped classroom" and his actual mandatory class zooms are just for reviewing the videos of him going over the material.
I would just save your time and take a different prof if possible, he does not teach anything and only does a Q&A during mandatory class time. His tests are literally impossible. I have studied for three days for an exam and still failed. just avoid him.
DONT TAKE HIM!!!! ABSOLUTELY AWFUL. His tests are literally impossible. Ive studied for a week prior to the exam and still failed the exam. He is good with curving but did not help with my grade. His classes are Q&As and they are mandatory. His lectures are posted on Moodle and they are very long. His class is the ONLY class I am struggling in.
Just don't. He makes you watch lectures on your own time. Class is Q and A's plus learning catalytics for "attendance grade". You have packbacks and homework. The exams are literally impossible which is why he has to curve 10-20% but you still wont or will barely pass after that unless your a genius. He is rude and never answers emails. AVOID!!!
Pomarico uses a "flipped classroom" teaching style, basically meaning you're responsible for teaching yourself the material on your own time while he "reviews" in class. His tests do not match what he is teaching in class and everything is super confusing in the wording of the tests as well. Would not recommend taking his class to anyone.
This has been the hardest class I have taken in college so far. The textbook and homework is through Pearson and he does not add those due dates on to Moodle. About 9 quizzes throughout the semester, and about 1-2 homeworks due each week. Four exams over the semester. BUT BEWARE! These exams are extremely hard and cover material not in textbook.
I took this class strictly for a gen-ed requirement and did NOT expect how difficult it would be. The course is online, so you teach yourself everything, but then the tests are in person? I have put in hours of study time and still failed every test. Mix that with a prof you can't reach and a huge class - this is a course I'd never take again.
I never really had a problem with Pomarico. I watched his lectures, took notes, and got over 100 on every test. He curves the exam by A LOT (one time by 18 points). I have a feeling that the people rating him poorly are new to college and do not know how to study because I always thought the tests were reasonable. Some of the work is tedious.
Pom was a very difficult teacher, I would not recommend him. The class system was the flipped thing where you had to do lecture videos and notes outside of class and in class was Q & A with quizzes. The lecture videos were very long and unorganized, the way he explained things was very confusing, and the exams were impossible.
The lectures are extremely long and are the only things actually helpful for the exams. Mastering Bio and busy work are the bulk of the work. he does curve though.
Professor Pomarico was fairly difficult. There was a test I felt prepared for but still did not do so well. His class is based on lectures on moodle and coming to class prepared for questions. I don't think I will take his class again because even though he answered questions in class, I felt like he came off a little harsh sometimes.
I thought he was good at explaining the concepts bc he uses real world analogies and answers questions in class. There was a lot of work but it prepared you well for the exams. He also curved all the exams so I was able to get over 100 on them. The concepts were difficult, but I don't think that's specific to him.
Very rude, does not respond to emails.
These people saying they got over 100 are doing great but obviously he has to given an 18 point curve because so many people miss the question because he makes them so indepth containing multiple concepts. He has a fair amount of homework, quizzes, packbacks but overall take someone else. He doesnt answer emails or care about you're wellbeing
Don't take pom if you want to be mentally sane.
AVOID this professor. Tons of work as he gives quizzes, extra material homework, end of chapter homework & 4 exams. His exams were extremely difficult & after studying for hours, I would still fail them. The only thing that saved me were the massive curves he gave on the exams. This was more like a Bio major course rather than a gen ed course
LOL my first semester as a BIO major, and this man had me switching majors by week 4. Lectures are all over the place and zoom makes it worse. The zooms are not the lectures. He only goes over material when ppl asked questions about it. Will not go through the lesson bc he expects you to already know it. Test killed me. BEWARE OF THIS MAN.
Professor Pomarico is by far the hardest professor in the department. All of his tests must be taken in Himes, and they are extremely hard. He does curve but the tests are so difficult that the curve barely helps. Would NOT take him for BIO 1201.
Hardest class Ive ever taken & made me switch majors. You have to go to zoom class b/c random days will have learning catalytics for a grade. Due dates arent uploaded to Moodle. Average on tests are 40s before the curve. Claims he has a 64% pass rate so better yet, flip a coin and see if youll pass. Very rude in his emails towards students.
My best memory of this class was taking my final. Biology hasn't always been my subject so i give him that. He doesn't tell students how to study for a test. He simply says to watch the lectures which are like 5 hours. His test are a hit or miss. I would never take this class again. I feel relieved even that i survived. Very rude. if would give 0
This was a very solid bio professor. He was always kind and interesting to follow. His tests are a bit hard, but it is nothing impossible if you want to learn. I had a horrible bio experience in high school, so if i can get through his class, anyone should be able to with a little hard work.
This is not a good professor. His lectures are disorganized AND posted online, he doesnt reply to his emails, and his classes take place over Zoom with a Q&A session for 1.5 hours (much of which you dont take anything from). If you want to pass and end up with him, MAKE SURE you pay attention to his due dates & content in the lectures.
Will never take again
His class organization is overly stressful. Lectures are watched outside of the scheduled class time. Attendance was mandatory, but I found his "teaching" during this time to be not helpful in the slightest. I had to teach myself the concepts in this class on Youtube. Exams are horrid.
Dr. Pomarico was great. He told it to you like it is, and some people don't like that. He sets clear expectations for his course. His exams had a pretest option, so you could go in and figure out what you don't know before the real deal. I took him for 1201/1202, and he would crack me up in class. He sets you up for success, but you have to work.
This Professor employs one of the worst teaching styles Ive ever seen. Zoom Lectures that are Q&A that are a slog to get through. Videos are boring and his voice is monotone. Putting him on 1.5 speed makes him talk at a normal pace which says something. Do NOT take this Professor.
Dr. Pomarico was a great bio professor. He tells it like it is & prepares you for what most college classes are like. Be ready to study & actually put in work to do well on his exams in himes. He has plenty of other grades like Packback, mastering, and quizzes that are easy 100s if you pay attention. His lectures are good just speed them up.
As someone who struggles with Biology, I would not take Prof. Pomarico again. He would post lecture videos (he skipped a whole chapter once) that you have to watch outside of class and just use class time for Q&A. This didnt fit my learning style. Be prepared to have to buy a Pearson subsc. You really have to study with no real guidelines.
His class was hard, but if you put in the work you can get an A. You have to watch lectures outside of class and use textbook to know the info. Tests are a majority of your grade but he does include other categories that are easy 100s. Curves tests as well. I finished with an A.
Dr. Pomarico is a fair teacher, but his tests are extremely hard. Be prepared to participate in class and MAKE SURE you complete the mastering biology and packback questions, as they can significantly affect your grade. The great aspect of this class is that he significantly curves tests!! Im taking him again for BIOL 1202 because of this.
tests were difficult to excel on, really have to understand topics. Good amount of extra stuff to boost grade though. I think all bio prof are not easy. Biggest thing was tests, he lectured on zoom, used mastering bio for hw, packback
Dont miss anything for any reason. He wont care and will not sympathize (that includes death in the family). Would rate 0 if possible.
This was possibly the worst Professor I've had while being at LSU for three years. His exams are the hardest out of all the materials and worth 80% of your grade. While you stay up doing all his work not just on Moodle but through pearson as well (that you have to pay for) it is worth little to no points.
All the lectures are on Moodle and he expects you to watch them all before every class, it's several hours of lecture for each chapter. He does not teach in class at all. I could not learn this way, it was all teach yourself. The SI saved me.
His teaching style is horrific. His exams are very difficult even if you study. He is super rude, and will talk to students as though they are dumb. He gives curves so that's cool. Definitely the type of prof that wants to see students suffer. Doesn't answer emails in a timely manner. I would never take him again. Save yourself while you still can.
Terrible. thought would be easy for a online class, but its not, and the exams are in person. Dont be tricked and dont take this dude. He talks so slow and its so boring. Bio for majors would be easier then taking this. avoid
literally do NOT take this man... do not get tricked into taking his class because it is online because you will regret it every single day of the semester!!! you are literally being warned... thank me later i rate him -3/10
he does not teach in class. you teach yourself online and he does q&a in class. DO NOT TAKE if you cannot teach yourself material. he was funny, so I gave him a 3, but regarding the course, he deserves a 2.
not good at all
worst prof ever
Do not take this prof. You have to basically teach yourself because this class is just Q and A with recorded lectures you have to do before class. The tests are weighed heavy and he does not give exam reviews or any idea what is going to be on the test, which are really difficult.
bro lemme give you the real rundown. I am usually a 4.0 GPA typa gal and this professor humbled me real quick. If I could give this mans a 0 I would in a heartbeat cause he SUUUUCKS. Like bro, go take someone else because his tests make no sense and he puts in stuff on the tests that is so confusing to grasp that you would want to just submit it.
boi aint no way boi I took him again thinking his curves made the tests easier but ends up giving like 2% curves which did nothing and not to mention HE SUUUUCKS, TAKE SOMEONE ELSE. Like fr.
I would personally not take him because of his teaching style. He posts videos you need to watch outside of class time and then make class attendance mandatory with in-class events even though the class time is for Q and A. He barely answered any of the emails I sent. He yelled at our class because majority of students missed a question on a quiz.
Pomarico is the absolute worst professor at LSU. He WILL NOT answer your emails. He is never in his office during his scheduled office hours. His class is a question and answer class only, which means you have to teach yourself 100% of the time. He does not help you prepare for the test what so ever, and his test are extremely difficult. GOOD LUCK!
I did not really like his class because he does Q&A in class and you have to teach yourself outside of class. If he actually taught, then his class would be much more enjoyable.
It is a joke that he expects people to show up to his lectures as well as watch his 2+ hours worth of lecture videos. The only reason anyone shows up to any of his classes is because he may or may not give a participation grade that you have to be present for to receive credit. The class is not too hard but is is very boring and a waste of time.
Dr. Pomarico does not teach in class at all. You are expected to teach yourself and the only thing he does is answer questions that YOU ASK in class. He does not answer any emails. I had a personal situation that caused me to miss an assignment, and when I had a representative from the LSU Cares team email him, he never responded
Dr. Pomarico is very knowledgeable in his field, but he can be way too thorough. His class was prerecorded lectures, and the actual Zoom class was him answering questions that you may have about the material you were supposed to watch OUTSIDE of class. The only way you'll pass is if you're responsible enough to basically teach yourself.
DO NOT TAKE. He is literally the worst professor I've ever had. The class is very much online-based. You have to learn the information on your own time. He says that you do not have to go to class but gives in-class assignments. The exams are extremely hard, no matter how hard you study. The test question are strictly application. Not understanding
I've had Pomarico for 2 semester now for 1201-1202. His lectures are incredibly in depth- but if you take notes, study charts etc. you will make B+. My advice- don't watch lecture to get through it- watch/actively listen and retain. If you catch yourself just trying to finish lecture you aren't getting the understanding you need to apply. Focus! :)
Do not take him!!! This class was all online and he made the tests in himes. no compassion for his students whatsoever. take anyone else
He has no compassion for students and could care less about you. Tests are difficult, the class is not 100% online, and must go to himes for exams. A lot of times he does not reply to emails!
Do NOT take this professor if you dont have to. We did hybrid for the semester i had him so you could go to the classroom or meet on zoom. this man literally told my class to "learn this on your own and come to class if you have questions" and then would rant to us about his probs. his tests were also super hard. everyone i know got fs on the exams
It's pre-recorded lectures and during class he would answer questions. We show up for participation. You essentially have to be self-disciplined to do well. I had to print the outline, highlight & annotate while watching the recorded lectures, go over the tb, go over mastering bio, learning catylitics, and use the study area on mastering biology
He is truly the worst professor at LSU. His rude, narcissistic, and perverted nature is disgusting and uncomfortable to be in the presence of. He is not willing to help his students succeed in the slightest sense and will call you incoherent for doing so. His lectures are extremely heavy and full of information irrelevant to exams.
he sucks at teaching. had a flipped classroom style and when people asked questions treated them like they are stupid. had a huge attitude. test are very hard. questions came out of no where. attendance matter because little quizzes are given
he is very rude and gives answers and acts like people are dumb. took him again for another semester beause i thought he would give the same big curves on exam but that was not the case. do not take!!
Absolutely god awful. Had to withdraw last spring in hopes of saving my gpa. Ik you may be tempted to take an online course, but if you can, please choose any other bio prof
Literally the worst professor at LSU. run for your life because your semester will suck from taking him. Good luck if you are brave enough to take him
Was only in his class for four weeks and it was miserable. This class was fully online, however his lectures were extremely content heavy, and hard to follow, tests was all application, and made test incredibly hard for not being easily reachable outside of class. Doesn't communicate well and completely self taught teacher is also rude
absolutely horrible
Personally, I enjoyed this class and the laid back environment. Some of his test questions are hard, but he gives big curves. One of my tests were curved by a whole letter grade. I enjoy the fact that we watch the lecture then ask him questions about it in class bc the class is less boring that way. He does a great job explaining concepts, too.
DO NOT take him if your semester workload will already be heavy due to other science classes or other hard classes. Most (if not all) of my free time goes toward this class. You watch his lectures outside of class on moodle and go to class with questions. I recommend taking someone else if you are just looking for a more chill biology class.
He has a "flipped classroom" style which is where his class is basically just a Q&A. His class was honestly pointless to go to but sometimes he would have in class participation grades so you have to go. If you're brave enough to take Pomarico, make sure you're prepared to teach yourself everything.
I heard a lot about crazy large 12 point curves, but he hated my class idk. Highest curve was 8 points and it only got smaller after that. Literally only 4 points one exam that a lot of people failed. He makes you watch videos instead of teaching, but makes you go to his class bc of attendance assignments. He is, to this day my least fav prof.
Pomarico is a good professor. Keep up with posted lectures, and quizzes, and set aside a long time to study for each test because they can be very tricky. He does curve a lot though so don't worry. As long as you stay organized, you should be good. Lectures are not interesting, but they are mandatory so don't miss them!
Literally gave him a valid excuse and he accepted it and said that I was able to take my exam later. Then, out of nowhere he gave me a zero on an exam, and was very rude and disrespectful when he answered my email. He gives us notes to write on, but AWFUL human being.
Amazing professor. Very funny and will work with you. SI is helpful and the TA associated will answer questions for you over email. Do need to be in class for in class things but are just participation. Will require you to take notes online and exams can be 70/30 gimmes and then the hard stuff but curve is so large it will knock out those misses.
Literally do not take him. There's much easier professors you can take and end up with a higher grade. He gives huge curves (the highest was 22 points) on test because of how low people do bc of how hard his test are. There isn't any extra credit either. The majority of your grade is test so it is hard to bring ur grade up if you keep doing bad.
This is probably the worst professor I have had since I've been at LSU. My class is 100% online but he makes the exams in the testing center. Not only do you have a ton of homework but you only get one chance on it, you also have a quiz on that chapter due the same day, as well as extra work due. He is also not willing to work with you if you need.
I did not enjoy this class. He was less than kind when students asked questions. I attended every class and the exams were nothing like the material reviewed in class. I say review because the main form of teaching was watching the online lectures and then reviewing in class. I had to drop the course to save my GPA. I do not recommend to anyone.
He isn't super bad, but don't take this class at the same time you have other challenging classes because it's not going to work out. You have to study very hard in this class to make a good grade and there's a lot of information in each chapter, and each test is over 3-4 chapters at a time.
He does mastering biology for homeworks and posts quizzes sometimes on moodle. He does not help on ways to study for his exams, so they can be tough. Sometimes he will do in class questions for participation or sometimes he will pass out notecards you have to write your name on, so show up to class. Overall, he is not the best professor.
HORRIBLE. Going to class is pointless, doesn't lecture and just answers questions from students about their curiosities that are irrelevant to the topic; but he does random assignments in class for participation to make people go to his pointless class or he'll take off points. He doesn't respect his students and is overly cocky for no reason.
This class was so hard. At first i thought it wasn't as bad as people said it would be, but as the semester went on it only got worse. He doesnt teach in class, especially not at the level he tests you on. The exams are way too advanced for a 1st level class, not to mention he doesnt prepare you for tests. Stay away from him. Dont risk your GPA.
In the beginning of the semester, I found his class to be doble, but as the semester continued, I realized how how unhelpful his teaching style is. I think he could be a good professor if only he taught in person rather than online. Tests are super hard; the curves are the only reason why people have an A or B in the class.
He is very thorough with his teachings, more than necessary most times, which makes it more difficult than it has to be. However he does curve his exams, and the curves are usually pretty big (think 20-25%). He also gave pretests which gives you a good idea of what is on the exam. Study the chapter outlines and you will ace this course.
the definition of anything but a good lecturer. HORRIBLE professor for freshmen that don't know their study habits! You will save yourself a lot of time if you do not take this class! Everything I learned was from videos and not him physically! He curves tests, but the there should not be a need for a curve is the tests were simply easier.
Most of your grade comes from four giant tests, which have way too much info for most people to remember, so curves are always 20%+. This makes getting around a B pretty feasible, but you still have to spend a day or two banging your head against the wall that is his video lectures. Do most of the work, and study before tests, and you'll pass.
Dr. Pomarico is super intelligent and explains concepts using day to day scenarios which helps to understand the material. His tests are very hard but he curves a good bit on each. Our lowest curve was 10 points and the highest was 22. Lots of homework including packback and mastering biology which can help boost your grade. Keep up with his work
Very time intensive class. Exams are 80% of your grade, use Mastering Biology(cumulative tests and dynamic study modules), chapter outlines, and read the chapters. If you do those 3 things, you shouldn't need lectures unless you have a question on a specific section. The final was difficult, but he curves exams heavily. Responds to emails quickly.
I have never experienced such a lazy professor. He does not lecture during class it is mainly for questions that could be easily found on google. He posted lectures on moodle but most of them were random youtube videos. You are in no way prepared for the exams and he does not care. He also does not accept doctors' notes.
In the beginning, the class was very manageable; however, overtime the course load became unbearable. This can be fixed if you devote most of your time to his online lectures (no in-class lectures) and homework. Take his advice when he says to stay ahead. Homework is graded for accuracy, and tests were very extremely difficult for no reason.
Pomarico has a flipped class, in which you must watch his video lectures and ask questions in class. If attendance gets low, he starts to handout graded inclass events. He writes his own test questions and most of the time they're extremely hard to understand what he's even asking. I already had the credit for 1201 but retook, and it was difficult.
My review before the end of the semester: Essentially, he's like watching a Jschlatt (youtuber) video live. I, personally, find him pretty funny. However, his exams are awful. If you think you understand it, then you'll get slammed with his exams. MasteringBio, Packback, and his quizzes will maybe save you. Hope he curves for you! Good luck to all!
Pomarico is known for his difficult exams, but if you put in time to understand the material through his lectures and mastering biology it shouldn't be an issue. I have scored poorly on exams, but the curve helped. I do recommend going to class for participation points and completing homework assignments to have a cushion for a bad exam grade.
If you can, take someone else. He assigns 60-90 minutes of lecture videos for each chapter, but then teaches the lectures in class which is a TOTAL waste of time bc he takes in class participation grades, so you cant skip it. His exams are weighted heavily and he acts like his class is SOO important, even though he's just repeating himself.
Pomarico weighs his tests heavily and the questions are extremely difficult for an entry level bio class. He's also very full of himself and thinks that everyone is going to be a doctor or something. He also gives Packback discussion questions (which I don't understand the point of), MasteringBiology, quizzes, and in class assignments.
The tests are extremely hard, and you are supposed to do most of the learning by yourself from watching lectures online and then he just answers questions in class. It requires a lot of extra hours outside of class. The tests are curved heavily, but they are really hard with complicated questions and the raw score can hurt your confidence.
Giving to you bluntly: you're not going to pass unless you're studying with other people. Quizzes are okay, some answers are weird. Homeworks are short. Test are either spelt wrong, explained weirdly, or just plain difficult. He curves a lot. Try and keep your quiz, packback, and homework high to save your grade. Good luck (he is kind of funny).
Pomarico does not teach, he does a flipped classroom so be prepared to learn everything by yourself. He can be very rude when you email him about a grade issue. His exams are never what you think they are going to be so come prepared. You may need the textbook!!
Professor Pomarico runs his classes mostly online. If you do not like to do outside work and teach yourself all the material within this class, you might want to reconsider this professor. His classes are all Q&A sessions, throughout the semester there was about a total of 5 informative slides on PowerPoint, showing that he never teaches in class.
He has a flipped class so you have to watch videos outside of the class to learn and then go to class because he does random participation grades. His class is boring and his tests are hard but he does a lot of HW and curves his tests. Best advice is do your hw during his class so you can get participation and watch the videos on 1.25 or 1.5 speed.
If you can, don't take him. He prerecords lectures and expect class time to be for questions. The questions rarely relate to the test material and most of it is just clarification. Attendence is mandatory as part of your grade relies on attendance. His tests are extremely difficult and even with studying, you probably will still fail, he curves tho
I had him for Bio 1 & 2, and I had to figure out that this class was about putting in work. If you think about the videos, read the book, and get good practice, you'll do well enough on the exam to get your desired grade. Make sure to get all assignments turned in, and get ahead as much as possible so his lectures (Q&As) aren't a waste for you.
I was afraid to take him because of the reviews but he's not that bad you just have to put in the work. His test come from his outlines, don't just memorize them UNDERSTAND every concept very well. I didn't know how to study in the beginning but after I understood what he expected I did well on my exams and quizzes.
Pomarico was very unorganized with his lectures and how he set up the class. I was constantly studying for this class and it felt almost impossible to even get a B on his tests. Would not recommend!
I dropped it, but from the exam I took it's all about understand concepts than just memorizing them. He had HW on Pearson, mini group projects, and sometimes LC. I think most people read the textbook not the study ppts. He's loud. Drop it u think u gonna fail.
His teaching style is not for everyone. He doesn't teach, but rather puts the videos to watch on our own and then have questions in class. The videos are very very long and not even within the time frame of the class.
Very confusing how he set up the class. No real lectures in class, just students asking questions usually. You basically are left doing everything on your lonesome with him only helping you on topics you don't understand. Probably not impossible to get a good grade in his class, but I am lazy and didn't feel like putting up with him.
It's a "reverse" class where you have to watch the lecture videos outside of class (teach yourself), when you actually had to go to class he would just ramble and not really teach. I think for some people this type of teaching helps but for a visual learner, like me, this was a nightmare. The tests I did take were difficult but he did give curves.
My advice, if you see this professors name on your schedule, run. He does flipped learning which leaves you teaching the entire course to yourself, and there isn't enough resources provided to adequately do so. Professor is very lazy and tells his class that he makes his exams super hard to pass on purpose.
Pomarico is lazy and full of himself. All of the lectures are online effectively rendering the in-class time useless as no one ever has enough questions to fill up the whole period. Unless you have a lot of free time to teach yourself the material prepare to be underprepared. He also makes his tests hard even though he doesn't teach the material
Prepare to comprehend. The lectures are on Moodle; Class time is for Q&A, where he briefly covers material and does pop-up in-class events for a grade. The homework is simple. I recommend buying the BIOgrad notes to help you study. Everything needed for the exams are in the notes but you may need to refer to the book to help you understand models.
His flipped classroom is not as bad as I thought. Being able to pause and rewind recorded lectures actually made it easier for me to understand the material. I do think the Q&A sessions in class are pointless, and the only reason to attend them is because of the random in-class events he holds. The PackBack assignments are a waste of money as well.
As hard as it was getting by in his class, I did like the way he explained some of the harder topic. If you take him, you better be good at studying, understanding, and working hard. Otherwise, hope the curves save you.
BROS SUCH A MF YAPPERRRR. Sounds like Peter Griffin and it hurts my ears to listen to him. Doesn't teach in class but makes it mandatory by doing graded in-class assignments. Tests are IMPOSSIBLE but he does curve a lot. Expects way too much out of bio 1 students. Bro needs to get off his high horse and realize bio 1 shouldn't be a weed-out class.
Dr. Pomarico is a very knowledgeable man, I just did not expect a lecture class to be Q&A. You really have to make sure you read the textbook, take notes, and watch the videos he makes. If not, you will be very much behind. The tests can be tricky, but if you do what I said above, you'll be fine.
I wouldn't recommend this class. He seems like a chill person outside of class, but his structure is not anything I would ever want to go through again. His tests are designed to trick you, extremely specific with a large chunk of material you have to study, and are 80% of your grade. His lectures are very fun-fact-ish, and not actually learning.
The flipped classroom is a horrible tactic especially for freshman transitioning out of high school. The lectures, reading, and homework took hours and hours of outside of class time to complete. Classes were mandatory because of the graded ICA's but the entire class was Q and A and most of the time he was not focusing on the material.
It's currently finals week and i'm not even going to wait to see what I got because I have been WAITING to write this. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. He literally doesn't teach and expects us to know what he's talking about. He is also super rude and likes to yell at the class and also embarrass students in front of the class. The tests crazy hard too.
Overall I would take him again, I am not a fan of the flipped classroom learning however he gives good outlines to take notes on, and if you just study and review that and the textbook you will be fine. His exams are very challenging but they don't really weigh that much overall in the class. He gives lots of other chances to earn points.
I would definitely not take him again. I learned more from reading the online textbook than watching his lecture videos or sit through one of his classes. His tests are very hard to understand and the only reason I passed was from reading that textbook and writing notes.
Worst way to start your freshman year here. Tips on studying: THE BOOK.
Pomarico's teaching methods may work for some, but it's definitely not for everyone. He claims the reverse classroom has been proven to work better, but I don't think so. If this were an online class, the lecture videos would be fine, but it's not. Plus, he grades in class events. Overall, just a complete waste of time.
He makes attendance "mandatory" by doing In class events, yet he does not teach in class. He makes you watch around 15 videos, for one chapter, each maybe averaging 10 minutes. Having to pause and stop to take notes and then DECIPHER what he's saying is so time consuming. He makes no sense, does no study/review guide, and the tests are very hard.
I was not a fan of the reverse classroom at all, because class seemed pretty pointless. However, the in class events made it almost necessary to go. Tests were very difficult, however he gave generous curves.
Dr. Pomarico's online biology class is a good bit of work, and sometimes confusing, but ultimately sets up students for success. Assignments are forgiven and there are often significant curves, and good opportunities for extra credit. There are lots of lectures to watch to help ensure success.
He lives by the whole flipped classroom idea, so just be prepared for that. The packback assignments are due every week and are so pointless/time consuming. The in class activities cause your grade to drop if you don't go. The tests are hard only if you don't go to class or don't devote time outside of class to teach yourself the material.
This was a flipped class, so if you became behind on the videos it was extremely difficult to catch up. This professor is also sometimes rude when you need help or ask a question. He does not want students to enjoy biology the same way he does and makes it extremely clear in his words, actions, and teaching.
There's homework, packback postings, and quizzes that are online and easy. You have to watch the lecture videos before coming to class. The in class events count toward your grade, but he drops 2 in class events and 2 packback postings at the end of the semester. The tests are a little difficult, but there is almost always a curve.
Not accomodating/understanding. Very rude in email replies
Pomarico genuinely has to be the rudest professor at LSU. No matter how desperate or valid your excuse is he will not give u mercy on anything. Dont even think about emailing him for either because he does not care,gives u the most terrible response AND will go so far as to check your exact minutes on the homework site to try and prove you wrong!
Would not take again.. way too hard for a 1000 level class
This course was absolutely ridiculous. The only possible way to pass this class would be if you had memorized the entire textbook. The amount of information was simply insane. I spent over a week studying multiple hours a day for every test to still earn a C or D grade. It was simply too much detail and way too in depth for a Bio 2 class. DONT TAKE
Mr. Pomarico is very enthusiastic about biology. It makes learning easier because he is excited. However, he is absolutely terrible at writing exam questions. You may think that you know the material inside and out, but as soon as you read the exam, you quickly realize that you're wrong. Very nice man though. Like truly the sweetest.
This was an awful class. Pomarico has never responded to any emails I have sent. He only answers questions in class. His tests are difficult. You basically teach yourself through the videos on Moodle he reuses every semester. Skipping class is not really an option, as he has ICE's that will hurt your grade if you miss. Do not take this class.
Prof Pomarico is very passionate about biology but he should not be a professor. You have to watch lectures that he records from previous years. He is terrible at making tests. His grading scale is terrible.The 4 exams are worth 70% of the class while the final is only worth 6%. Unless you really love biology, don't take his class.
His class is not THAT difficult, however, he cannot make a test to save his life. Don't bother paying attention in class, BUT you still have to go to class for the ICAs (which I did and he wouldn't give me credit for bc there was "no proof"). He pulls exam questions out of thin air; some aren't even on the notes. He curves exams, barely. DON'T TAKE
Pomarico is a terrible professor. His exams are unnecessarily difficult, with random questions that make no sense. I made an 88, 86, and 98 on the first three exams and somehow barely had an A in the class. Be prepared to waste your time studying for the final- it's a 50 question Exam 4 combined with a 25 question cumulative final. VERY stressful.
I took him for both Biol 1201 and 1202 and I would recommend him more for 1202. I felt that he cared more about the topics and talked about them clearly in class. The exams are hard but THE CURVES!! They will save your grade along with many other grade opportunities,
I took him online so I would say I wouldn't like him in-person, but online my experience was 10/10. If you just watch the lectures and read the outline, you won't have an issue with getting an A. I didn't study for a single test or learn the content until the week of the exam and did great. I will say he talks so so slow so speed up the lectures
Pomarico did assign a fair bit of homework, but at least it was easy points. Besides this, I can't really say anything good about this course. The material is way less interesting than 1201, and the lecture videos are longer and more boring. It's frustrating that you're basically forced to go to his Q&A sessions in order to get credit for ICE's.
Horrible person. Does not care about you only wants to get paid. Reuses the same videos from years ago and the tests are on things barely taught. Do not take
He's enthusiastic about what he teaches and is a fairly nice person. While the tests may be hard, you only get out what you put in and it honestly shows through your grade. Moodle videos and study outlines, along with the curves, will CARRY you. Trust, you'll get a B-A on at least one exam if you PUT IN THE WORK. I unfortunately didn't for some.
He's enthusiastic about what he teaches and is a fairly nice person. While the tests may be hard, you only get out what you put in and it honestly shows through your grade. Moodle videos and study outlines, along with the curves, will CARRY you. You'll get a B-A on at least one exam if you PUT IN THE WORK. I unfortunately didn't for some.
Took him for BIOL 1201 and 1202. The reverse classroom was annoying at first, but it has its pros and cons. 4 Exams make up 70% of the semester grade, so study thoroughly for those as they can be challenging. Although the exams are difficult, he curves generously so it somewhat balances out.
Professor Pomarico is enthusiastic about biology, but his exams are notoriously challenging. It's best to attend class, read the textbook, and use study tools like unstuckstudy ai to prepare. Curve and extra credit opportunities can help, but this class requires significant effort.
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He is awful. You can go to every class, do every assignment, take notes, watch all the videos and still struggle to the pass the AWFULLY WRITTEN exams. he will curve the exams but still. If you are trying to get a certain letter grade for nursing school or something else, be prepared to retake this course over the summer.
He is not a good professor at all. Even if you go to every class, take notes, and study religiously, it does not mean you will succeed in this class. The exams make up a large portion of this class, and even though he curves them by a lot, it doesn't always help. He specifically said he makes the exams hard so his students fail, so don't take him!
Don't take
he's terrible don't take him!
GET OUT. I had this professor my first semester and he was horrible. His lectures were just reviews of the chapters. His test are extremely hard. He does do massive curves. His test are worth 75% of you final grade.
Honestly was not bad. His tests are hard, but he gives good curves. Just do the textbook homework to study and make sure you can apply what you learned to real life situations.
I think people are a little over the top when they complain about him. Yes, you will fail the tests but he gives 20-30 point curves. I will admit its very information-dense for a gen ed class but just watch his lecture videos and outlines and as long as you get a 50-60 on the exams before curving you're fine.
This class was terrible. I lasted until the second exam and then had to drop the class. It was so frustrating because he does the flipped classroom and sends hours worth of lectures to watch before class and just does Q&A in class. He constantly lectured us on things that were not important. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. SAVE YOURSELF.
Good professor that has decent lectures. You definitely need to stay on top of homework and attend class so you don't miss in class events in order to get a good grade. The exams are hard and you need to study but there is typically a pretty heavy curve so that definitely helps a lot. Overall a pretty decent class.
avoid if you can. he does a reverse classroom which is basically an excuse not to do lectures. you ask a question that requires more than a sentence during class and he tells you to go reread the textbook. i was constantly emailing him to fix my grades because he would enter them wrong and then he would take days to answer. not impossible to pass
I enjoyed the way he set up his lectures. You have lecture videos you do on your own then in class it's a Q&A but sometimes he does participation questions that are part of your grade. He is really passionate about Bio but the only thing I hated was the exams. They are pretty hard even if you study for hours on end. He does curve them.
very exam heavy. he does not respond to emails. a lot of lectures for every chapter. exams are hard and the curve is like 25% each exam.
While is he is obviously very well versed in biology and while he absolutely loves it. His class was extremely hard and I would never take it again.
Professor Pomarico is passionate about biology, and his enthusiasm made it hard for me to zone out during his lectures. It is a flipped classroom, so I would recommend coming to class having watched the chapter videos already. If you want to do well, DO NOT get behind on the Moodle videos! His exams are challenging but he typically applies curves.
Pomarico isn't the worst professor, but the reverse-style classroom is terrible. His lectures and videos are great and detailed... BUT! It seems there's never enough content. No matter if I do all the homework, videos, and notes, attend every lecture, and even do outside work, I'm lost when I take that exam. He's understanding, but it's hard...
Pomarico was an OK professor. His class consists of notes, exams, online quizzes and hws, and in class events. Going to class isn't required but I recommend going just because it forces you to basically do the work. You can do the notes in class by following the outlines and videos he posts on moodle. This class was difficult as a 1st yr (1/2)
(2/2) Do the notes and put in the work and you can end up with at LEAST a B-. There will be times you want to literally give up in this class but trust. Curves will save you on the exams but that doesn't mean you shouldnt try. I was able to pull through with an A+ in this class along with my other 5 classes as a freshman. Its hard but u can do it!
made account to post this Don't take him if you can. Takes pride in that he's hated. Course is flipped means it's on you to pass or fail. Teaches niche things bc he's a biochemist. You will learn things you'd learn in Orgo. Felt like it should be honors. Grading is 70% exams 7% final, a 79.94 will be a C+. Keep your head up if u must take him.
The guy is an okay professor but, the exams he gives out are confusing at times. The curves will help you out a lot. He is sometimes lectured heavy but; you'll have to put the time and effort in to put things into your own words for his class to really understand.
He is alright I guess but explains topics in a complicated way. He sucks at making test questions, but curves really well. He has a good bit of extra assignments and ways you can make good grades like quizzes, homework, pack back assignments and in class events.
If you can get into any class that is not Pomarico's, take that instead. Even if you have to wait another semester, do that instead. I have taken a class with flipped excited and excelled, but his were excessive. Combined, each Chapter was 7 to pass as well hours of videos minimum. You had to watch them to pass too bc of the exam structure. RUN.
tests were hard and it was flipped learning or whatever. wont reopen anything like hw or quizzes. curves heavily but literally thats it. horrible if i am being incredibly honest
Terrible professor do not take at all hardest online class oat
avoid this class at all costs. dude looks like danny devito and acts like a dictator.
The class is easy if you deeply understand the material. The questions can be difficult but he curves by alot. Practicing mastering biology for test can be a great way to get an idea of practice test questions!
HORRIBLE. WOULDNT TAKE HIM EVER IN MY LIFE.
the tests take up most of your grade and they are pretty hard however he curves them. There's weekly packback and mastering biology. Quiz after every few chapters gone over. “In class events” including group ones. Boring lectures! Reverse styled lectures so there's videos to watch prior to class. 0/10 do not recommend!
Literally asked me for a hall pass while using a bathroom
Pretty solid professor. Had him for 1201 and 1202. I liked the flipped classroom style because I could learn at my own pace. The class is easy to PASS if you actually watch every video and understand the material. I passed with an A because I would score alright on the exams and he was pretty generous with the curves. PRACTICE MASTERING BIOLOGY.
This man is the absolute WORST professor I have ever had. When you go to class, all he does is Q&As; however, he will randomly assign a little participation assignment, so you are pretty much forced to attend class. This is also a flipped class, aka you teach yourself, and he does nothing. The tests feel impossible, and you take them in Himes.
I had to drop this class because this man really admitted to us that he knew he was an a-hole. He says he is an a-hole on purpose to prove who is the best student. Do not take him if you value your life and your time. His classes are Q and A. No real teaching, just him yapping. You have to read a lot outside of class to even maybe get a C on exam.
He literally admitted to us that he was an a-hole and he knew he was. I had to drop this class as a Chem major because I simply could not handle his crap. He said he was purposely an a-hole to see who is the best student in the class basically. The classes are q&a with no real teaching. You have to read the book to even maybe get a C on exam.
This is my second semester with him, and even though I've got it figured out, I wouldn't recommend him to anyone, especially if you can't hold yourself accountable to study and retain all the content necessary for his exams. He's very knowledgeable, and you'll learn so much, but it's such a hard class if you fall behind. Exams are diabolically hard
Do not take this professor if you want to have a peaceful semester. Exams are 50 questions and his teaching style is "reverse classroom". You watch his lecture videos on your own time and class time is meant for asking/answering questions. He does curve all exams, though. One of my exams was curved 18 points. This class just isn't worth it.
I strongly advise against taking this class with Professor Pomarico. The exams are extremely difficult and feel more like something you'd see in medical school, not an introductory biology course. He doesn't offer extra credit. If you're not a biology major or planning to go into medicine, this class might do more harm than good to your GPA.
His tests are a little hard, but he gives a generous curve on tests. I suggest taking the practice test to help for each exam, they helped me a lot. If you keep you with the chapters and master biology every week you will do good. It is a lot of busy work though.
Reversed class. Watch lectures before class and he does Q&A during class. Grade is highly based on exams taken in Himes. Exam questions are difficult, and he knows it. No extra credit. Mastering biology homework assignments and online quizzes. No study guides, so you don't know what to expect on exams. He does curve every exam and that helps.
This is quite literally one of the hardest asynchronous classes I have taken during my 5 years at LSU. The one saving grace of this class is that every exam was curved by AT LEAST 24 points. I would have just rather actually understood the information after studying for hours...
Professor Pomarico is very passionate about his job, but his class is awful. Insanely difficult exams, mandatory participation (there are graded in-class assignments), and to know what's happening on each exam, you have to watch hours and hours of videos and reviews. His grading is clear, and he curves exams, but if you don't study, you will fail.
cannot teach for his life.
Idk what LSU's problem w/ intro biology professors is, but Pomarico fits the stereotype of them. He lectures in a way beneficial to him and it's not beneficial to his students. If you listen to every single lecture video, it's about 2-4 hours per chapter outside of the class time that you should be lectured in. Exams are incredibly detail oriented.
Pomarico is not nearly as bad as others say he is. Exams are a total of 70% of your grade, which he curves by significant amounts. I averaged a B on every exam without the curves, but with them they usually went up a whole letter grade to an A+. He is not super friendly, but not rude either. Assignments are easy and do not take much time.
I would definitely NOT recommend this teacher. Take any other teacher!! The class is flipped method which was not the problem the quizzes are difficult, not worth the stress.
Dude was awesome, literally curved every exam by four thousand points. outlines contain all of the information on the tests.
Tests in Himes are difficult. Not bad if you actually know the material, though. Curves a lot. Class is pretty useless except for a small portion of grade. Study & practice. Make sure you UNDERSTAND the information. He's kind of a jerk, but all the resources are there for you to succeed. The book and videos are useful! Gives busy work on PackBack.
The exams are really hard but the curves are really good.
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