4.2
Quality3.6
Difficulty72%
Would Retake148
Reviews72%
Would Retake
148
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
89
4
32
3
11
2
10
1
6
What Students Say
“Interesting professor”
BIO101 - 4.0 rating“I will never take her again”
BIO110 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
33%
Textbook Required
53%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
FUNDBIO
5.0
(2)SBIO
5.0
(1)BIOLOGY
5.0
(1)FUNDOBIOI
5.0
(1)SBIOI
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
BIO1LECLAB
5.0
FUNDOFBIO
5.0
SBIOSEC1
5.0
BIOI110
5.0
BIO
4.5
Reviews (148)
An excellent teacher of a difficult subject. Used very clear examples that illustrated difficult concepts in ways that were both innovative and easy to remember.
difficult class, but she had good examples to clarify things
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She was HARD as hell. There was a quiz each week, that was impossible. The labs were so hard and she never explained a thing. Overall, i learnd nothing new that i didnt already know and i still got a D in the class. DO NOT TAKE HER!
Tough. Very hard. Study a lot, otherwise get a bad grade. Very strict. Grading is bad. She has nice examples to clarify material, but you need to read the book 2-3 times to learn. Even if you study hard and know everything you might end up with a B.
hard course but she uses TONS of examples to make sure you understand it! she'll correct your labs if u hand them in early and u can redo them for a better grade..go to her office hours and your grades will improve!
good teacher, lots of work
Tries to help your understanding with quirky examples. You definately need to study for this class because the tests are a little hard. Example quizzes on the web are helpful.
VERY HARD!! She is very nice though...and she knows EVERYTHING about biology, she doesn't even need any notes to lecture you forever. It's a very hard class, but she has a very clear and concise way of teaching. Not a class for slackers, you'll fail.
She makes everything very easy to understand, and if you take notes you will do great on her tests! And... you never have to read out of the book.
Dr. Petro is an amazing professor. She puts an incredible amount of effort into teaching, is extremely clear, and always willing to help. Study from your notes and you'll be fine! :o)
Good teacher. Notes are clear and concise. Quiz every week. If you study, the class is pretty easy. Better than most fundamental professors.
awesome
GReat professor. She made class interesting and was always willing to give extra help! If I can get 110's and 100's on all my labs and Exams in her class, anyone can. ALl you gotta do is study and put in the effort.
What is with those tests and quizes my hand hurts from writing. Otherwise great songs, and very lenent with the misbehavior, lets slipps a lot of stuff if your nice to her.
Although she is very meticulous about details in lab reports and is a difficult grader, if you work hard you'll do great. you will become a pro lab writer and learn so much;she is an exceptional professor;highly recommended-one of the best prof. at ramapo
She is a great teacher. Her tests are kind of hard, but if you study the notes you will be fine. If you need any more help, you can always go to her. She is very organized.
My personal opinion is that she was an all right teacher. A bit cucoo, though. Kept making not-so-much-funny-as-odd jokes about her ex-husband at every opertunity. Couldn't make biology of plants interesting for me but I will admit that's rather difficult
Awesome professor, although a little crazy sometimes with the songs and wierd ways of teaching things. I did remember them, so it works. Take her if you can, she will help you understand biology.
too much time on her hands. i dont think she realizes that people have other classes besides hers
HARD AS BALLS, SHE IS IMPOSSIBLE, IF YOU CANT TAKE A DIFFERENT TEACHER, DONT BE LIKE: YO, I CAN HANDLE THIS SHEEET, CAUSE YOU CANT, IT IS HARD, HARDY HARD HARD, SOOOO HARD, AND DIFFICULT WITH NO EXTRA CREDIT OR FREE POINTS JUST HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!HARD!!!!!!
true she may be a bit kooky but her examples, and odd ways of explaining things help u remember stuff. quiz every week, tests real hard but only on notes shes given.She def keeps u awake. one the best profs ive had. ps Shes a Vet (dr)
Dr. Petro is the kind of teacher that makes you glad that you are a biology major... TAKE HER! SHE GIVES LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EXTRA CREDIT!!!
Awesome teacher with lots of demos and examples. Can't help but learn something in this class. Gives lots of extra credit attempts too. Put it this way, B- average in AP Bio is HS, I have a high A in this class. Only easy if you want to learn and work at it.
Dr. Petro is the best! I enjoyed having her for first semester bio. She made the course material clear and was really helpful with hard material. Although she can be tough with grading labs and her quizzes are timed, she prepares her students for higher level work. I highly recommend her.
Depending on what kind of student you are, youll either love her or hate her. She has ways of getting her material across ( as weird as it may be). She also prepares you for a higher level of study. This is one of the teachers that really knows her stuff, take advantage of that she's approachable GL
She's hard no doubt about that. But she uses fun examples to teach hard materials.There's a quiz every week which i think are harder then her exams. If you had AP bio in hs then you'll do fine but if you didn't then good luck. She's so hard that she might make you change your major or drop her class
Dr. Petro is an awesome teacher. She can get a little boring in class sometimes, but she gives you all the notes you will need for the test. She also has great examples in class of plants and stuff like that. Her tests aren't hard at all, and she gives you so much extra credit.
has way too much time on her hands. in lecture, fun examples. quizzes & tests are very precise, xtra cred too. labs are insane. she expects 10 page reports which she grades as if u were a biologist. muesuem proj INSANE! went to see her for help, made me feel stupid. i would not recommend.
I love her teaching style, very creative with visual demos to help us remember concepts. but sometimes can be too concise She is kind, gives alot of extra credits. BUT,take her lec ONLY, not lab. Lab is so much work that I ended up typing report every single day of the semester. not a great memeory.
She's tough but brilliant - if you are a serious student you will love her because she is an amazing teacher, but the workload is CRAZY. Not for the fainthearted. This course is easily the workload of 6 credits!
She's a nice lady, kind of strange. But you have to admit she puts effort into her class. Be prepared though this class is WORK, you have to study your ass off and memorize EVERYTHING! She gives a ton of information and really wants you to know every little detail. Good class, but wicked hard!
I wish she taught all of my Bio courses. I learned so much from her. She expects you to study and keep up, and it is rigorous but worth it. Lots of visuals, very interesting.
HATE HER AND THE CLASS. She blows through material and barely gives you a chance to ask a question if you have one...which you will. I take about 7 pages of notes on each of our double lecture days. 2 1/2 hours and one 10 minute break. Same monotonous tone, and the most impossible tests and quizes (every week) SAVE YOURSELF DONT TAKE!!!!!!
Dr. Petro is a great teacher. Her exams are easy; you may get a few questions wrong, but you can get 10 to 20 points of extra credit. Quizes are "harder," but she drops the two lowest grades and gives extra credit. I didn't even take AP bio. I just read the chapter(s) before the lecture and study the notes: she only tests you on the lecture.
The class is tough, but she knows what she's talking about. Her website is an awesome resource and there's lots of helpful stuff on it. She offers a lot of outside class time for extra help if you need it. Tests are tough, but if you pay attention and study the notes, you can pass it.
very very hard... shes knows what shes talking about, but i studied the notes and i still failed the quizzes and tests... if u wanna pass you really need to go for extra help and make sure you use her website
there's a lot of notes written during class and a lot of studying but she gives tons of extra credit throughout the semester and is very helpful if you come to her out of class.
TAKE THIS CLASS!!! She gives a lot of notes but they are all usefull.You don't even have to read the book cause she only tests you on what she says.She gives tons of extra credit. here weekly quizzes are difficult but she drops the lowest grade and sometimes even lets you replace bad quiz grades with extra credit assignments.
THIS LADY'S GREAT,SHE KNOWS HER STUFF.PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS AND WRITE EVERYTHING U CAN WRITE IN CLASS,EVEN D MINUTE DETAILS AND U WONT HAVE ANY PROBLEM, CAN GET AN A IF U WORK HARD,HER QUIZZES ARE GREAT MAKE U WORK HARD AND READ ALL THE TIME. i LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HER CLASS AND I HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.WORK D EXTRA MILE7 U WILL DEFINITELY PASS.
This class is one of the hardest you'll take in college. At the same time, Dr. Petro is one of the best professors on the campus. Do yourself a favor and take her class if you actually want to learn something
By far one of the BEST professors on the campus. If you take detailed notes, study and keep up with quizzes you will be fine. Great Class!! She's very helpful also.
a total witch of a professor doesnt care at all about her students if she did then she would understand if they were ill and be willing to work with them but shes not just hands you an exam and expects you to pass it when youre sick and in pain give me a break if you want a professor who cares and will work with you dont take her class
worst teacher ever totally gives too much work and expects too much
If you are failing this course or have failed this course, it's your own fault; switch your major to Communications or Psychology. Dr. Petro gives tons of extra credit opportunities and you don't have to be a genius to pass her quizes and exams. Just write down everything she says: she only tests you on the material she goes over in class. Easy yo.
Dr. Petro is the BEST TEACHER EVER! She is very clear on what she expects, smart, and is a snappy dresser (she often dresses according to lectures and/or seasons- awesome!) The only people who do poorly in her class are the ones who don't know how to work. The material is great and it is presented in an organized manor. NO SURPRISES!!
Great Teacher!! She explains everything so its clear and easy to understand. It's not an easy class, but if you pay attention you can learn a lot.
She is very organized. Comes to class prepared with examples like videos and experiments and there is a quiz every tuesday if you take her lecture tuesday and friday. She likes class participation and will call on you sometimes. If you take good notes and want an A you will get one. Take her!
she's really good, hard though so you better pay attention and take good notes and you'll do fine. she gives lots of extra credit, drops lowest test and quizzes. definately take her class
Very intelligent professor, and uses clear and concise examples to explain concepts. Material is very hard, so if you slack off, it could cost you. She makes the class somewhat interesting, but it all depends on what subjects you like, etc. Be prepared to work extremely hard though. Grades consist of 4 tests (1 makeup) quizzes, extra credit.
Easily one of the most intense courses of my life, lots of studying is required! She's also one of the best teachers I've ever had. The way in which she describes the information is top notch, you can't get any better. The quizzes are sometimes hard as well as the tests. With lots of studying, you will do fine in this class.
She's like the Blues Clues of Biology. Lots of pictures and toys while lecturing. Fast pace, lots of notes. Matches outfits to lesson topic, it's kinda cute, you'll see. Better remember everything you learned in high school... Can sometimes be pretty unforgiving, have a good excuse if you need one.
She is the most knowledable prof. in biology. She knows everything on top of her head. She is a great prof. ad the most important KNOWS HOW TO TEACH. a lot of prof have the knowledge but do not have the skills to actually teach something. She does. Take good notes.tests, quizzes are from notes. be in class, study the NOTES. and you will be fine.
Dr. Petro is a VERY good teacher. She really knows the subject, and can explain things clearly. She uses lots of props and demos, which can be really helpful. She's very organized, so it's up to you to take good notes. Study the notes for exams, they will help alot. The class isn't easy, I had to study like crazy, so its up to you to do the work.
very smart professor and uses lots of examples so people understand. u NEED to study A LOT in order to pass any of her classes, she loves putting details on tests. she will single people out during class and pick on you until you know the answer.. not fun. also very against greek life
Extremely sweet lady. She keeps class interesting by using props and passing around objects. She even uses students for her demos. Easy to understand, but quizzes and tests are very specific. Take notes, and you will do fine. I definitely recommend her.
She is a great teacher. Keeps the class very fun, but still expects from her students. Very helpful, always available during her office hours. Every first lecture of the week has a quizz, but drops the 2 lowest!
She is an awesome teacher, very clear and understandable, nice and approachable. She wants her student to understand so she uses ALOT of visuals that help and keep the clas interesting. TAKE HER!!
Great at the lecture / terrible at the lab !!!!
Interesting professor. Uses easy demos and gives plenty of clear notes. However, she expects way too much from Bio. I kids. If it was a 400 level class, I wouldn't mind but she's a little too demanding for Fundamentals I.
One of the most enthusiastic and caring professors i have ever had in my entire life. The only small downside is that she expects a lot from you, so don't take this class unless you are 100% sure you are majoring in Biology.
one of the best teachers i have ever had, makes everything clear, interesting with a lot of visuals. Just take notes and study and you'll get an A, shes nice, approachable and easy to talk to and get along with. Drops two lowest quizzes, tests and final all on easy side. I would highly suggest taking her
Excellent professor. She is clear, concise (with enough detail), is a fair grader, and one of the smartest professors I have ever had for Biology I. Take her, work hard, and you will learn much and earn an A.
At first, I thought she was too demanding, but looking back she was very good. Bio II is all over the place, jumping from the body to plant structure without any fluidity. Petro's course, however, is very streamlined and concise, and her teaching style definitely works. She also puts everything on her website in case you forget something.
Professor Petro is truly one of a kind. She's organized, clear, funny, and invests so much in her students and the class. She brings in exhibits and models practically every class. She really wants you to learn! The grading for the lecture is mainly based on exams, and there is some opportunity for extra credit.
Dr. Petro is a GREAT professor. She really wants her students to learn and gives plenty of extra credit. She is always willing to help and uses tons of examples and models to help visual learners.
Dr. Petro is AWESOME! She took biology and made it interesting. She uses a lot of examples to help make things clearer. Didn't have to read the book because she explained everything well in class. I would definitely recommend her.
great teacher and great class...however a lof of work is required.
Great professor. She used examples to explain difficult concepts in a fun way. Her notes and lectures were extremely organized and clear. Everything is on her website. Cares about her students. Plenty of extra credit opportunites. As long as you take notes you won't even need the textbook.
Her lectures were very thorough and she did tailor her tests to them unless she specifically said you had to read something on your own; very helpful with answering questions about the lectures or the labs-always welcoming in her office hours. Weekly quiz, but if you take notes on the lectures (not good to miss) and study, you do fine. Fair grader.
HARD. She is really interesting and is a good teacher, but her exams are very difficult. I studied for hours and hours and still failed to exams. She focuses a lot on little details and it throws you off. IF YOU ARE NOT A BIOLOGY MAJOR DO NOTTT TAKE HER CLASS. Overall, she's a good teacher but a lot of work needs to be put into her class.
love her. its a hard class but she really knows what shes talking about. you have to work hard and really study. shes a nice person too.
very clear and helpful. not going to lie, its not an easy class but not hard if you put in a little study time each day. uses many visuals, tests are catered to lecture, must take for fundamentals 1.
AMAZING PROFESSOR!!! The class is pretty hard but if you take the time to study then you can get an A. Plenty of extra cedit to boost your grade up and she is always avaliable to help out. Showing up to class is very important because she does many visual examples to clear up the notes. Great professor to take if you really are serious about bio!!
She is a great professor. It is not an easy class by any means, and you have to put in a lot of effort, but she explains concepts well and is very interested in how her students are doing. She is also fair- drops lowest 2 quiz grades, gives E.C., and has a make-up tests. Very passionate about her teaching. Reminds me of Mrs. Frizzle. :)
Only Prof for FundBio I, so she obviously knows what she's doing and dedicates a lot to the course. The material is challenging, you definitely have to study and work at it, but she has plenty of handouts, live examples, video etc (almost too many). She's not so good one-on-one, so try and understand things in class the first time around.
So sweet. Kind of like Miss Frizzle from the Magic School Bus, but not as crazy. There are sooo many examples in class. She can be kind of strict with things, but thats understandable. Absolutely loves teaching. Only teaches bio 1 tho, otherwise i would take her again.
She looks like a sweet lady but she really is a nut. Her tests are pretty difficult and her quizes are even worse; (quiz every week). She gives two extra credit opportunities but not enough to boost a grade. I relied on tutoring three times a week. Though, compared to the other lec professors, I hear she does teach the most thoroughly.
She is an extremely hard professor and will doesn't care if you fail. I have studied for hours and I still do not do well on her quizzes and tests. Her quiz's (which are every week) are so in detail, and extemely difficult. I do not understand how people give her such good reviews. I will never take her again.
tests and quizes are right from the notes. no reason to buy the textbook. quizes are tough. definetly the best profressor i ever had
Probably my favorite teacher so far. Her notes are some of the best I've ever taken, and everything on her tests and quizzes (weekly- a bit tricky) are right from them. It's not an easy class- you NEED to study, but if you do you'll do fine. She knows her stuff.
She is an amazing professor that knows what she is talking about, but this class is very hard. You will definitely need to study for this class no doubt. But she makes diagrams and examples that will help you remember certain things and I have a better understanding of biology after taking this class. Great professor, but hard material. Study!
She is the only professor I know who does not have an attendance policy and kids STILL go to her class! She is an amzing lecturer, breaks down evrything! If you took AP BIO, the class is cake, but there is a ton of information. Lots of Extra credit, nice lady. Quizzes difficult, tests easy. Never used the textbook or studied, but got an A.
She's very tough you have to study alot in order to pass. The quizzes every week are really hard so study alot. If you study hard you will do well. JUST MAKE SURE YOU STUDY!!!
if you take her you MUST STUDY. She is very thorough and not easy. Her tests and quizzes (every thurs) are tricky and hard. Lectures aren't bad but there's a lot of notes (don't really have to use textbook). Has no attendance policy but if you miss her classes you will be behind. Lot of extra credit. Overall she's a good teacher but a hard class
Had Dr. Petro for fund bio I and can honestly say I always looked forward to going to class. She brings in tons of visual aids and animal/plant specimens to help you learn. Interesting class, pay attention and look over your notes the night before a test and you'll be fine. The quizzes are tough but are worth only 10 percent of your grade.
Basically if you took AP Bio in highschool, this class will be very easy. No real need for the textbook either. She loves demonstrations and short videos. Will run lectures to the complete end of class. Will have a quiz every other lecture day unless you just had an exam. As long as you read over your class notes youre good.
Dr. Petro is a fantastic professor! The class requires a lot of studying, but it's a great class! She uses tons of visual examples and she really cares about her students. Attendance is not mandatory, but you should definitely go. There is one quiz each week; the lowest 2 quizzes are dropped. Very helpful during office hours and very knowledgable.
She is a great professor and means well. Can give a lot of attitude but otherwise really helpful. She is very passionate about the course and material. However, it is A LOT of material. be prepared to study for days for the tests otherwise you will not do well. Do not bother buying the book. Her lectures are based on the textbook anyway.
Dr. Petro is really dedicated to bio and she presents the information pretty clear. You will have to study for days on her exams and will have a quiz every Thursday or Friday etc. She offers bonus points too, so take advantage. There's also no need to get a textbook, her lecture notes were fairly informative.
Dr. Petro comes off as unfriendly, but is one of the more supportive professors there is at Ramapo. Her tests are difficult at first, but once you figure out her strategies, they are not difficult at all. She is a nice lady who is very willing to help. You'll like her in the end but maybe not during the course!
Dr. Petro isn't bad, but if you already took AP bio then the class is a breeze but really boring. Everyone seems to really love her but I found her to be annoying because she talks down to her students. Easy A though.
If you took AP bio in high school this class is really easy. However, Dr. Petro makes the class really easy on her own and gives amazing notes. No need for the textbook because quizzes and tests come directly from her notes. Puts sample quizzes and tests online that are extremely helpful so do them and study your notes! Gives extra credit on tests.
Petro is amazing. Her class is challenging but if you work extremely hard, go to tutoring and make it your life you will succeed. Gives extra credit for quizzes, drops 2 quizzes, has a makeup test... I got A's on all the tests so far. It's possible. Tests are 80% of lecture grade and quizzes are 20%. No need to buy textbook. Buyrent lab manual.
Bio 1 with Petro demanded all my time but as a bio major i'm so glad I took it because it prepares you for the upper level bio courses. Get ready to study hard - but it's worth it!
Susie P is a goddess. Her lectures are so fun and there was not a day where she didnt show a clip or have some sort of demonstration. The class itself is hard so you need to study, but Dr. Petro is more than willing to help you out. She loves her students. She also wears the coolest outfits all the time.
One of my favorite professors, very smart and organized. What you need to know is very clear, if you want the A simply do what she gives you. She has practice quizzes online, ALWAYS TAKE THESE!! Taking the online quiz 15 minutes before class will give you A's! Tests are not easy, but if you do the work, you will get the A. I didn't because of lab.
She really prepares you for what is to come in the higher level sciences, take in what she has to offer and her cute sense of humor. If you participate in her class you will get the most out of it. She is a Lovely Professor that cares on teaching everyone who wants to learn. If you don't care what she says don't be a bio major.
I loved Fundos I with Dr. Petro! Her lectures were very clear and engaging, and she had lots of demonstrations and cool videos about the subjects. Takes attendance every class, and asks for participation in demonstrations often. The online quizzes she posts are EXTREMELY helpful, always do those before a test or a quiz.
When she talks about studying 7 hours a week, she means it. There is too much information to try and study the night before a quiz or test. You have a 10 minute quiz every week and an exam with a hefty amount of information each time. really memorize and understand what you're writing down and you'll do great.
One of the best professors I ever had. Lectures are clear, concise and fun! She knows her stuff and really cares about her students. The exams are tricky but all you need to do is study and ask questions, and you will do well. I never missed a class, was the one class I really looked forward to every week!
An amazing professor, highly intelligent with a wonderful personality. This is not an easy class, but it is highly rewarding. If you love biology than you will love Dr. Petro
She takes things that are confusing and makes them even more confusing. The handouts for class are a joke. The bio lab is an even bigger joke. So far we used a microscope once. I wish I could express in words just how frustrating this class is. I hate it.
I'm not a huge bio person, so this was definitely a hard class. I loved her lectures, but the tests were super hard so study A LOT. She is a brilliant person, and I loved her demos. But, don't be late!
I thought petros class was good but you HAVE TO STUDY !!! Her lectures are easy to understand but you have to study for weekly quizzes and test otherwise you wont pass
Great professor. Study a lot and you will at least get a B in this course. Difficult, but manageable.
She's really sweet but her class is incredibly hard and she doesn't really explain things well.
I love Dr. Petro's class. She organizes her classes all on her Moodle and syllabus. There will be weekly quizzes, so you must study. All of her quizzes are from the lecture classes, so I suggest attending all. She gives out extra credit on her quizzes time to time.
She is very disorganized with her notes. She gives weekly quizzes, there will be topics you have not covered on the quiz, or a certain questions that you did not learn from her lesson. You have to be very good at bio to excel! not a friendly person either! very old school, and she never lets you go early. one of THOSE teachers.
I came into this course thinking that she won't be that difficult of a professor but I was mistaken. Even though I did enjoy her class, I feel that her weekly quizzes aren't very fair as one question counts as 10 points. You do have opportunity for extra credit but it isn't a lot of points. I would recommend her because it helps your work ethic.
Its a lot of material to know. Its hard to gauge what you need to know. Your grade is based on weekly quizzes and 3 exams plus a final. Although theres no assignments, you will need to dedicate a lot of time so that you dont easily fail. In general she was hard to approach and ask questions. Not impossible to pass but be prepared.
I dont know why everyone was bugging in my class. It was so easy, all test/quiz questions come directly from the notes. If you show up youll get an A, if youre lazy you wont. If you get under a B, do yourself a favor and drop this major my dude.
If you did well in AP Bio, this class and professor is a breeze. I literally only showed up for quizzes and tests. That worked for me, but if you don't know the material well just show up, take notes, and study for weekly quizzes and tests. Straightforward, organized professor, and people fear her for no reason. She's just a lil weird.
She's overall a very good professor! She loves biology and her passion shows in her lectures. She has a lot of great demonstrations to do and specimens she brings in related to whatever topic we are covering that day. Her lectures are easy to understand, but study! because the tests are kinda hard.
Bio Lecture: Graded by 10 minute weekly quizzes plus 3-4 big tests, and the final exam. All tests including final are cumulative. Class attendance not mandatory by professor, but won't need her help lowering your grade if you miss. If you go to class, you'll be fine. Her lectures are really good, gives good examples/practice opportunities.
Amazing Professor to teach Bio Lectures. No surprises on her tests, it comes straight from her class lectures. She is understanding if you do not want to be cold called on. Her quizzes can be difficult but she drops the lowest 2 or 3. Highly recommend. Easy A.
Dr. Petro is clearly very passionate about biology. I enjoyed sitting through her lectures. She does move really fast through the slides so if you ask her to go back she'll indirectly give you an attitude. I didn't like the fact that she didn't give students another chance to do assignments due to tech issues. She should've been more understanding
BEST prof !!! I would say its an easy A class as long as you 1) take notes in class like your life depends on it (including her examples and minute details) 2) study those notes and be able to recite it the way she does in lecture. If you do this, no reason to not do well. No surprises on tests/quizzes. I wish she taught more courses at Ramapo :(
I love Petro because she gives great demonstrations in class. I feel like she actually cares & loves to teach. I actually look forward to going to her class.
I wish she taught more classes. I had her for Funds. of Bio 1 and she was absolutely delightful. There is a quiz once a week on all the material covered within that week, and around 3 exams + the final exam. She includes demonstrations in all of her lectures, as well as a powerpoint presentation to go with her lecture. Such a sweet woman.
She is extremely knowledgeable about everything biology related, and gives really good lectures. But holyyyyy... her exams are sooo difficult. You need to study extremely hard for them for even a 75%. Also, she gives relatively easy 10 question quizzes weekly which should help your grade a bit. Other than that, a pretty good professor.
She is one of the best professors. Her class was really interesting and remembers everyone's names. Her quizzes were not that difficult but in the later quizzes, I felt like 10 minutes was not enough. She gives enough extra credit opportunities in exams and quizzes too. Would absolutely recommend taking her.
Biology is tough, but Dr. Petro gives you everything you need to succeed in her class. Her lecture slides give you the answers for her tests and quizzes (as long as you actually study the notes). She goes quickly, so take notes on a laptop; she will even look through your notes to check you *meaning she will personally emphasize test info.
people say orgo chem is the great bio student filter, but no. petro's bio 1 is ur first indicator of if u can hack it in a bio major. so if u hate it, leave the major and class before it gets worse. take this class EXTREMELY seriously and study constantly or else u will drown in all the content. u gotta really love bio to enjoy/do well this class.
Really good professor. Dr Petro made every detail we studied interesting. She has amazing demonstrations that would help you remember for years after and to really understand the material. Do not be late for class, study regularly, and you will do just fine.
Very tricky test giver. Lectures are long and boring but you need to listen and write down just about anything she says. Weekly quizzes are a good grade booster. Like a third of my class dropped because shes too hard so if youre not a good student it wont be easy.
Devote your life to studying! Dr. Petro is a sweet woman, her slides are well organized but tests are atrocious. Weekly quizzes will give your grade a boost or drown you if you don't know material to a T. For 80% of your grade her tests have trick questions, and lecture details that are skimmed over so be ready to listen to every little thing.
Don't take unless you want long lectures and speedy slides. All her tests are based on her lectures so be in class. She goes through the notes fast so you better have the fastest handwriting, also every Thursday theres a quiz or exam from the information learned that week. Better study everyday or you will fail. Doesn't care about her students.
Good professor and I felt like I learned a lot, but she gave me nightmares.
No joke, be prepared to devote your life to studying. Weekly quizzes can be very hard and confusing with her wording, but if you study, it's easy. She is a very sweet woman and will answer any questions you may have during her office hours.
She is very unfair. If you are sick for an exam, go in and take it anyway because her makeup exam is impossible. It is set to make people fail. Weekly quizzes are very challenging and require hours of studying for them as well as her tricky exams. She is not accommodating at all for anything you may need and goes too fast. Most of my class dropped.
Great lectures, and always open to questions. Attendance is not required but tardiness is punished. You should come to class anyways since her exams are based off her lectures. If you review after every class and look at notes or flash cards with spaced repetition (for example ANKI), it should be an easy A. Don't count on her make-up exam at all.
Dr. Petro's class is challenging, but engaging. Her lectures are detailed, but listening closely and using study tools like unstuck ai can really pay off. Weekly quizzes are tough, but manageable with regular prep. Overall, a rewarding class for dedicated students.
Okay i feel like if you know how to actually study and you are attentive during lectures, Petros class should be a breeze. The quizzes and exams were not crazy hard, and she gives so much extra credit. If you are serious about med school, take her. If you dont have good study habits, dont.
Dr. Petro is knowledgeable and engaging. Her lectures are interesting, and she offers extra credit. Quizzes should be weighted more than 20%, considering the amount of study required. Exams are fair but sometimes you must study for days. Overall it is a perfect class to prepare you for college but you must be serious about what you are doing.
I learned a lot in her class and enjoyed the content a lot. She has weekly quizzes, 3 exams, and a final. The information was a lot but exams were doable.
Weekly quizzes; lowest two quiz grades get dropped. 3 exams, 1 make up exam, and the final. Attendance not mandatory, but slides are not posted. Syllabus includes practice quizzes, handouts, and videos. Take notes on everything said in class, I never used the textbook. Overall, a doable class that teaches you how to effectively study.
Dr Petro is very nice as a person, but her class is very hard for non-bio majors, and her tests often include random facts that had been mentioned once. Her presentations are fast paced and cover lots of info, so take good notes and write down everything. Attendance isn't required but don't show up late to class.Entire grade based on exams/quizes
Definitely very knowledgable in bio and loves teaching. Her lectures are hard to keep up with but I got the hang of it as the semester went on. Her slides are very clear, but be sure to take detailed notes. Studying off your notes is all you need to pass her exams and weekly quizzes. Only graded by exams/quizzes so studying your notes is important.
Dr. Petro was very nice to myself personally, though I heard bad things. Study exactly what she says on the slides sometimes the questions on the exams are exactly the same as the slides. She hates when you ask her to go back a slide even though she moves fast at times. Overall easy A if you study correctly.
She goes really fast during her lectures, so make sure you can write fast. She uses a lot of examples that help explain tough concepts, which is really helpful. The exams were pretty tough, in my opinion, and make sure you study your notes a lot. Power points are not given to you.
She needs to retire. It's a 100 level class but she takes it way more serious than it is. She's a nice professor but she doesn't seem to care if students understand the material & expect them to learn most of it on their own. She also doesn't post slides so you need to pay attention.
Petro makes Bio 1 harder than needed in both lecture and lab (syllabus) . She's easily irritated, doesn't post slides, and gets frustrated when students struggle. Feels like bio is her special interest n makes the class unnecessarily intense. Like girl last time I took bio I was 15. My Bio 2 profs are way more chill while still teaching well.
Goes fast during her lectures and there's not enough time to write everything down. She doesn't post the lecture so if you miss the notes you'll have to get them from someone who had them. Quizzes every week, tests really hard. If she asks a question she will stare at you until she gets an answer even if that takes all period.Would not take again.
She's a good professor but you need to stay on top of the material and study every week or you will fall behind(quiz every week). But the material isn't very difficult and if you study you'll do fine.
i love this woman. amazing educator, and engages the class every lecture. grades quite harsh but if you want an easy a this is not the class. always dressed amazingly and i like thinking about going to her class. i would absolutely take her class again.
Very hard class, but it's good if you're a bio major. I can tell she really loves teaching and biology. I genuinely learn something in her class. There's a quiz every week that forces you to keep up. Biggest down side is how fast she goes in class. She doesn't post notes and expects you to write everything down in a matter of seconds.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
33%
Textbook Required
53%
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