3.7
Quality3.8
Difficulty54%
Would Retake183
Reviews54%
Would Retake
183
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
92
4
23
3
23
2
12
1
33
What Students Say
“It's almost like she wants you to fail”
BIO241 - 1.0 rating“Absolutely the WORST professor I have ever had”
BIO241 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
51%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.94 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL202
5.0
(1)BIO202
5.0
(3)BIOL213
5.0
(2)BOT110
5.0
(1)BIOA
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
BOT110
5.0
ENVS100
4.5
BIO242
4.2
BIO241
4.1
BIOL202
4.0
Reviews (183)
She's AWESOME & has a great sense of humor! There's pop quizzes (bonus points built in usually) & a few assignments. Follow the lectures carefully & attend class everyday!! You def. have to EARN the A. She's great about answering every little question & makes the class interesting. I recommend the 4 days/week class. Take her, you wont regret it!!
Tessa is a great teacher. She's really flexible and helps her students learn and understand info. Classes are fun. Pop quizes keep you on you toes. Fair on grading and always available for appointments!
I loved Tessa, she is very helpful and genuinely cares about the performace of her students. She is funny, engaging and quite entertaining. Tests and practicums are reasonable, with pop quizes once in a while. Plenty of points in the quarter so there is room for improvement if you mess up a little. Bonus points and other easy points available.
Tessa is an absolutely amazing teacher! She is very patient with her studnets and really wants you to understand what she is teaching. I really enjoyed her - she has a great sense of humor and is very human-like, as in she understands that most of us are not completely super excited about Biology and still is able to express her craziness for how m
Tessa is one of those teachers who absolutely loves her subject. She is very fair, giving extra credit in practically every test & assignment. Lectures are KEY to the exams- try to never miss class. She always answers questions & wants you to actually understand & learn, not just pass. Overall, attend lectures closely, ask questions & you'll A+ it.
this class is SO HARD! i'm a straight A student and this class takes so much freaking work! I don't reccomend her if you're not willing to work for your grade but if you want an amazing teacher who is hillarious and actually knows what they're talking about, tessa's the one for you. she could definately be a stand up comedian, she cracks me up!
She's so funny and cute. Her lectures are always funny with her humorous antics. Reminds me of a cute, fluffy polar bear.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to get an A in this class....She DOESN'T ACCPET ANY E-MAIL ASSIGNMENTS, but she puts everything up online. You might remain totally culeless when everyone else is turning in some homework, and Tessa will tell you that "sorry u didn't check the Calenda online" In lecture, She speaks clear, tests are FREAKING hard..GL if u take her
She posts all assignments online and rarely mentions them in class. It is totally up to you to find out what they are and when they are due. She is passive aggressive and rude if you ask a question she isn't crazy about. There are three mandatory field trips on Saturday mornings. She is not my favorite person.
can u believe that more than 15 people got a grade lower than C in this lv100 class? Field trip on Saturady morning(u don't go u lose 60 points which is 10% of ur grade)She often put things that are totally out of topic in exam, rarely mention what's due tomorrow, u miss it it's ur fault. She should be a scientist, not a teacher
Tessa rocks! Outstanding lectures, great sense of humor, and genuinely wants her students to succeed. She doesn't put up with bullsh*t, so the people who don't like her are the ones who want to bullsh*t their way through class (and life). Yes, the assignment calendar is online - remember that and you won't miss any. It's not that difficult, people!
She's one of the most amazing professors I've had at Bellevue. She's got an incredible sense of humor and is very easy going, but don't let that fool you into thinking she's easy. She expects you to work HARD! Study your ass off, and don't put one word answers on tests, make sure to explain in details your thoughts on tests! FUN FUN FUN!!!
Everybody TAKE HER! I love her!! I've had 4 bio teachers and she's the best! She takes humor, but don't fool around. Need a good common sense in her tests.
AMAZING!!tessa is one of the best teacher's ive had at bellevue, she's not easy but she loves her subject and explains with so much clarity that even a 3 year old would have no problem with the complex subject of biology...fieldtrips are kinda annoying especially on a saturday morning and labs sometimes seem pointless but she is the best teacher ev
She was one of my favorite teachers at Bellevue. Does a very good job explaining all the concepts you need to know. As long as you show up to class, take good notes, and study, you will do well. Only downside are the mandatory field trips on Saturdays.
This class made me feel like I was taking biology in high school again. Her exams were easy (everything is based on what is covered in lectures/assignments). Attendance IS absolutely mandatory because she doesn't post any of her lectures online. I rarely used the textbook and got a 4.0 in her class.
She is terrible, do not ever take her. If you like bio she will make you feel disgust to this subject and if you dont like bio she will make you hate it even more. Her teaching style is stupid, and her grading is awful. It is a 200 level class however i felt like at the highschool again where instructor gets into ur business.
Bio is a hard subject and she totally doesnt know how to teach it. So if you dont wanna ruin ur quarter then avoid her. She treats students like kids, her yellow days, field trips, and phrases such as "keep your eyes on your own price" or "lair lair pants on fire" are stupid and retarded and she made the whole class as stupid as all the above stuff
I'm sure that students who can't spell, like the one who wrote the review prior to mine should probably not be taking a 200 level Biology class. I'm sure they also didn't do as well as they hoped. Tessa is a great teacher, that doesn't equate to easy!!! Take her, she's fantastic!!!
Tessa does treat her students like her 3-year-old which can be annoying at times and can be super picky but she knows her materials in and out. She was very responsive to all my emails. Attendance is a must as you learn a lot from dissections. The class format shifts dramatically from evolution to dissections and might be hard to get used to.
One of the more difficult labs I have taken. If you go to class and you do the work, and spend a good amount of time study for the tests, you will do very well. Get to know Tessa, as this will help you along in the class. I encourage being on her good side. Lots of group projects, however, everything was managable. I loved this class.
Tessa is a good person but an extremely bad instructor. She does not use the text book. She has a horrible lecture style. And her exams are not based on what she teaches in class. She plays favorites to a few students at the expense of ignoring the majority of the class. The majority of class feel left out. Hope you wont' have to take her.
I lost my respect for her. She is v unprofessional. She plays favorites & spends most of lab time sharing info only w/ the same few students. She makes snide remarks abt some students when they are not around. Makes you wonder what she says abt you behind your back. Had students teach the last 10 chaps which was not at all conducive for learning.
You can drop your lowest test score. Attending class is mandatory as she does not lecture from the book. Some of the material is the same as is in the book, but being in lecture is key to success. Lots of group work, which is a large part of your grade so choose your groups wisely for Student as teacher and the artificial selection project.
Tessa is a nice person and a fun teacher. Her lectures are not boring at all, and her class is engaging. PAY ATTENTION to EVERY SINGLE THING she says in class, cuz they might show up on the test, even if they were mentioned once. My only complaint about this class is the testing style. The tests are hard, and you never know what to expect.
Don't take her.
Tessa is very helpful and will take the chance to explain what you don't understand if you put in the effort to come to office hours. Homework and projects are easy, but the tests are hard. Just don't based your studying by your notes, read the book for more clarity. Great teacher and a great person.
The most amazing professor at BC. You will learn the most if you take her. The people who complained about her probably should change their career path, because maybe you do not have what it takes to compete in this field. If you don't spend 2-3 hours EACH day after class and 10 hours on weekends, you won't get an A, guaranteed.
Exam's extremely difficult, very critical grader. If you earned an A in prior classes be prepared for a wake up. On the good side, very good teacher, well taught lectures and labs, she knows her material well and communicates it and expectations well. Very little use of txt book. Overall a good teacher, just rediculous tests.
You had better prepare well for exams because they are tough. Even if something was mentioned once in class, don't be surprised to see it on an exam. Tessa is very knowledgeable, but you'll need to study a ton to earn an A. Only 5 assignments during the quarter, 60% of your grade comes from exams. Hated the test format, w/30 Powerpoint questions
Exams are hard!! but definetly do-able. YOU MUST MUST MUST study hard for her tests and take great notes. She is very fun and funny, she was easy to approach for help and she loves to help people. Her tests are rediculous cuz she has multiple choice where you circle any correct answers... its worse than i just made it sound i promise
She is not a good instructor. Doesn't teach much but expects a lot; unclear about the requirements. Test wouldn't be so hard if she was clear what she expects. Also - almost no use of textbook - I didn't find her lectures informative enough though.
Tessa is a fantastic teacher. Tests are tough but fair - there's nothing on the test that she hasn't covered in class, so PAY ATTENTION, take good notes & study those more than just cramming before tests! Tessa's lectures are clear and she will tell you everything you need to know (including tips like "eavesdropping" and how to study). She's great!
Tessa is a great teacher. She is difficult, but retention of the material is high due to her teaching style. If you are not willing to work, don't take her class. I also took her for 213, and I'm glad that I did. I highly recommend her. She's one of the best teachers BC has.
Not very clear on what she demands for assignments. Uses textbook as supplementary information. You must attend every lecture because her tests are based on her lectures. She will penalize you every time you're late or absent.
This is a majors level class, what do people expect?Tests are a mix of memorization and application.The majority of material comes straight from lecture, very little extra reading needed.All tests have extra credit so the few tough questions don't hurt you.Tessa is motivated and knowledgeable.Follow her instructions and you're fine.
NOT HARD. you just need a studying method: Memorize her lectures and go to her office hours (she gives test hints!). Then apply your knowledge. Attendance matters. No need to use the book. Practice anatomy and phylogenies. ALWAYS read her test directions over and over. Can drop 1 exam. Very hard on plagiarism. She is very nice! I got an A!
This is one of the WORST instructor's I've ever had. She teaches from what she thinks is important - not the syllabus or the curriculum. The lectures are long and miss the theory + applications behind the subject. Her exams are not related to the subject matter and her grading is very subjective - depends on how much she likes you - not on merit.
We need more women like Tessa, she is dedicated for her profession and she help her students alot.
Please don't listen to the negative comments. Every teacher has their teaching style, wit Tessa you remember. If you ask her questions she answers them. Please I'd rather have her lectures over a useless book. Put in effort and get no less than a B. This is a higher level class, prepares for university and standardized testing (MCAT) Stop whining.
Tessa is a crazy lady, so you either love her or you hate her. She loves invading your personal space bubble and screaming inappropriate things across the room. However, she certainly cares about her students and wants them to succeed. She has a different testing style than most teachers, but if you know the material, you will do well in her class.
Lots of BC Bio instructors do the least amount of work they can get away with. Not Tessa. She's available to students, writes real tests (not scantron) and is invested her students learning. She's quirky, but so what? Her enthusiasm is contagious. Do wish she'd get rid of the group project. Hard to learn from them.
She's tough. Put in the effort that's required for a higher level class and you'll do awesome! I took her before getting into WWU and she actually prepared me really well for the biology classes I'm currently taking. I'm not taking the MCAT but my friends that are right now recommend Tessa also
She's very enthusiasm about teaching. However, her lecture is pretty unique. She teaches things her way without following textbook at all. If you are willing to put in effort you will learn. The material itself is not hard, BUT be aware of her test, they're tricky. Otherwise, Good luck!
Tessa is the most passionate teacher ever! she is really good at teaching. I had no probelms with understanding contexts even english is not my first language. She will be pleased when you ask questions during class or after class,either!Her class is not easy bt, if you work hard that is not a problem.I strongly recommand her, you will never regret
Simply, the best Bio teacher I've ever had. She has study hours, after class, which can help a student learn even more. She's animated, caring and devoted to her students and teaching! take her class and tell others!
Tessa was amazing!!!! I had her for Bio 213 in the summer and even with the time constraints she made everything so clear and easy to understand. She makes the most difficult concepts seem childish and if you study her lectures and handouts, there is no reason you shouldn't get an A. I did not open the text book even once, don't even bother buying.
Tessa is amazing. Very enthusiastic and has a great way of explaining things. She is a little quirky, but I think for most people, it would be a good sort of quirky. Highly recommended.
I love her enthusiasm about Biology, But her teaching style is weird. She just go over boring powerpoint. Her tests were hard and meant to be tricky instead of just testing concepts.
Tessa is an amazing instructor. Her style is unique. Pay attention to her expectations from day 1. She does not mess around with plagiarism. The Student As Teacher assignment is a lot of work. Pay attention to every word coming out of her mouth. This class is like taking 2 classes in one if you want an "A".
LOVED Tessa, but be aware that she really is a love-or-hate type of person. Unique teaching style, make sure to write down EVERYTHING she says, memorize it as you go along, and UNDERSTAND it, because her tests are very focused on whether or not you understand the material and can see the bigger picture.
Tessa is great! She has a unique teaching style. Her tests are hard, but if you come to every class and take good notes and listen to everything she has to say. I have never needed to use the text book in her class. She offers great office hours and is always willing to help you understand things.
I took Tessa for 212 and 213 at the same time while taking two other classes, and she made my life incredibly easy by being a fantastic teacher. Tessa tells you on DAY ONE that she does not use a text book and that her lectures ARE WHAT IS GOING TO BE ON THE EXAM. Take good notes and pay attention. You'll get a good grade.
Tessa is tough but she is fair. It's imperative that you attend all her classes and try to attend as many as her office hours as you can. She will go over your work before you hand it in so you really have no excuse to not get perfect scores on assignments. Exams are tough but if you study, stay on top of it, and ask questions, an A is attainable.
She was disorganized and often late for 10:30 class.She has a unique teaching style that most people did not like:chunky & kinda random.Half of the quesitons were up on a powerpoint slide and the rest like a usual test.Then you had to toggle between the powepoint and the other half. If you like organiztion and consistency, do not take this class.
Tessa is such a character! Hilarious and entertaining, great for classes where there is a lot of material because she keeps your attention. Tests are very difficult but she is alwayss willing to answer questions during/outside of class (in detail). Come to class! Ask questions! Study what she sayss, that's what will be in her exams
By far the best bio teacher I have ever had (and I've taken lots of bio classes!) For those of you that are complaining about it being hard, what do you expect? Its a college biology class, its not supposed to be easy! Tessa is always there for any questions you have. She spends so much of her time trying to help you succeed. GO TO HER OFFICE HOURS
U don't need a book for this class. She gives you everything already digested. Just follow her instructions and pay attention to everything she says. She'll also improve your test taking skills. I would definitely take 212 and 213 with professor Cornish again.
I fell in love with Tessa! She is quirky and sassy, but when it's time to get down to business she wants your undivided attention. Pay attention, take notes, and ask questions. I loved drawing the diagrams along with her. She provides the best hand-picked resources, and will help you with your assignments outside of class. GO TO OFFICE HOURS! 3 3
She is an absolute joy. i enjoyed every day of class and really felt like i was learning. I now know more about my passion for marine science through here amazing lectures.
Tessa is my favorite teacher ever! Very energetic, brings lectures to life. She grades pretty easy if you put in the effort. Do prepare for class "outside of class"; you need to meet for a field trip, and to discuss your presentation, and most students find it helpful to go to office hours. For me, easy A, I didn't go to office hours.
Attendance is mandatory! If she sees that you are trying hard and want to learn the material she will go out of her way to help you out. Do not expect an easy class, tests do take preparation and you have to take really good notes.
Tessa made the biology series way more enjoyable than if I were to take it with someone else. You can tell that she loves the subject and that she loves teaching it. Go to her office hours if you need extra help or just someone to talk to. There are mandatory field trips and one presentation. She even has an end of the year party at her house!
Tons of extra credit. No book use. Almost too good a teacher. Doesn't let you form memory pathways on your own because she's that good. Only possible critique. Gives solid extra credit and really cares about students. Don't show up your screwed, she only tests based on class stuff and the way she teaches using stories etc, you have to be there.
BEST TEACHER I HAVE EVER HAD. I cannot rave enough about her. Incredibly fun, funny and engaging lectures. Work hard, ask questions, visit her during office hours. If you put in effort and show her you care about the material and your grade, she will go out of her way to help you. I have never had so much fun in a class before. SHE IS INCREDIBLE!!!
She was a great teacher and she basically gives you everything you need to know for the test beforehand. You need to study hard but it's totally doable, just make lots of charts and practice practice practice. You don't really need the text book, but you do need the lab text for dissections. She was really the best teacher I've had in a long time.
Tessa will walk you through every single topic and explains everything clearly. You do not need a textbook in her class because she is that good. Go to her office hours( trust me it helps) and try not to skip any class. If you show her you care about this class, she will go above and beyond to help you.
Tessa is no different from a professor at the University of Washington level, you are held accountable for your understanding of the information while she is there to clarify. Her teaching style is difficult to get use to but it prepares anyone who is planning on transferring to a four year university.
Tessa was awesome, extra credit offered. The tests are hard but her lectures were by far the best I've had.
Tessa is by far the worst professor I have ever had. She states in her syllabus "I AM NOT AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE, BETWEEN, OR AFTER CLASSES." She does not seem willing to help you. Her teaching style is unprofessional and there are quizzes on material she hasn't even covered. She ruined A&P for me, highly discourage taking her classes.
Tessa is a tough professor and is going to prepare you for anatomy 2 and if you want to leave to go to a university. She is available and has office hours. She isn't there to hold your hand. You are responsible for the material. Work hard and it'll pay off!
Summer Qtr Bio241 is intense/demanding. Drop other classes, memorize the bones in the skull/appendicular bones in advance, get a textbook early, read through Ch. 15, don't skip class, go to office hours, and do your best. If you try hard and do the above, Tessa will do her best to help you. She swears like a sailor and is funny and sweet. Love.
I have so much respect for Tessa. She is an amazing professor who wants her students to succeed. My biggest advice is go to her office hours (they are actually fun to go to)! Plus they are beyond helpful!!
I have attended 5 colleges over a 14 year period, Tessa is easily one of the best instructors I have ever taken. She presents the coursework in an entertaining way which enabled it to be more easily remembered for a course so saturated in memorization. Plenty of extra credit, awesome study guides. Highly recommend! Wish she taught 242!
Anatomy is tough but Tessa is on your team and wants to see you succeed. Go to her office hour because it will be the most productive hour of studying. She wants to know what you understand and what you do not understand so she can better help you. She has taught me studying is more than just memorizing its understanding what you're learning.
Tessa is one of the best professors I've ever had. She is hilarious and makes learning a massive amount of material fun! She is a huge fan of mnemonics to help you retain the information. Her study guides are on point! She truly cares about students and is an outstanding teacher. Go to office hours, if you can!
Her lectures are funny, but she's just so strict and mean. She doesn't want to help you. She rarely replies to your emails. The way she teaches is just not helpful and her exams are hard and weird. I have no idea what she wants to do in teaching. It's not teaching. She's just not a good professor. NOT HELPFUL!!
Tessa's the BEST! She teaches straight from lectures and gives plenty of examples. If you rely on powerpoints then do not take her as she'll actually write and draw diagrams on the board instead. Her office hours are pretty much a tutor session which is super helpful! She does not allow upright laptops or taking pics at all in class.
Her methods may not work for students that need to understand processes and have access to information outside of class. Class is almost entirely lecture-based, 3/10 of material is not in the textbook ("if it comes out of my mouth, its fair game on an exam" is one of her quotes.) If relying on notes isn't enough for you, do not take her class.
If you have a choice, do not take her class. She is not a normal professor. most of the materials she teaches are not in the textbook. Exams are based on the stuff she talked about during the lecture, not the materials in the textbook, so if you miss a class, you won't pass this class.
My way or the highway type of teacher. Test is comprised of material discussed in class, often times information either not included in the book or so out of order it's hard t follow. Only way to stay organized is to take as many notes as possible during class, yes hand cramps because she doesn't allow laptops in a class so reliant in class lecture
I LOVE TESSA. She's one of the best teachers I've ever had. Her lectures are funny and she gives her best to help you learn. Go to office hours if you can, they're live savers. She cares for her students and wants them to succeed. She uses a lot of mnemonics, which are super helpful. She doesn't allow laptops or taking pics in class.
Tessa is an awesome, caring person and teacher, she wants you to succeed. I however, had trouble with the structure of her class, she was very off with the syllabus schedule, the way she lectures and structure of it just didn't work for me either. She went off topic several times, NEVER, EVER responded to a SINGLE email which really didn't help.
Tessa has a very different teaching style which is very helpful, but the class is not structured well. If you are not a good exam taker, don't take Tessa. She taught us five different organ systems on the last day of class because she was behind. Her office hours were 7-10pm at night, which was not accessible for many of the students.
Lectures are goofy, but all over the place with so many details, it's impossible to study all of it. Only 5 tests, including Dissection Exam, but most of them had a big-point question that if you screwed up, meant you bombed the test. Hours of study for each test, as well as big, long-term project. I would not take her again, such a hard class!!!!!
I feel like her lectures could be better and more interactive with the students. Her exams are challenging but I wish it had been more applying what we learned more clinically considering most of us are going into the medical field and a textbook wont be in front of us. I would not take her again.
Tessa has a very outgoing lecture style and holds you accountable for a lot of information, but is very willing to work with you inside and out of class if you're struggling. I ended up enjoying Animal Biology far more than I expected thanks to her, and I would take a class from her again in a heartbeat.
Her lectures I felt could be more interactive. I wish she would provide worksheets or just something to see if we are getting it. We had a terrible average for the first exam. I felt she was partially responsible for it if that many students did bad. She is not the worst teacher but could use some improvement. She is known for canceling class.
I think Tessa is a great person, but her teaching and time management needs some work. We are always behind in lecture content compared to other classes, and she always uses lab time to catch up. I bought the lab manual and only used it once for tissues. Avoid her at best.
Im not sure who these people are who are saying shes not organized or that her lectures are all over the place. But in the 3 years that Ive been at Bellevue college she is the ONLY teacher I feel I have actually learned from. She is more than organized. She knows this material like the back of her hand. You can find her on campus all day.
Tessa demands excellence from her students because the material she is teaching is difficult & extremely important. Student's who have posted negative reviews of her ought consider their own work ethic as a reason for their poor performance. Tessa invests COUNTLESS (unpaid) hours of her own time outside of lecture to help students learn. Take her!
Tessa is very clear with what to focus on for the tests, and teaches to everyone's learning style. She goes above and beyond any teacher I've ever met and really puts an effort into supporting her students. She truly changed learning for me and I wish I could have her every quarter. As a 3.0 student, I was ecstatic with the 4.0 that I worked for
Tessa was the first teacher I had going back to college. She was very welcoming. Her classes are tough, but fair. You have to go to class and I would highly suggest office hours! A&P is not an easy subject, her style of teaching is so we actually learn the material. Shes a great teacher, but not for all, you have to study and put in the work.
Tessa may seem tough are first but all her rules she lays down on the first day are for your benenfit in a great learning environment. She doesn't have powerpoints posted or a textbook requirement. This means you must attend class and handwrite notes. With her humorously engaging lectures you get immersed in to her stories and jokes.
Tessa was the best professor I have ever had. She is so kind and truly cares about her students learning the material. Her lectures and engaging and fun and she keeps you on your toes for the duration of class. You need to put the work in, but it is so worth it when you get a good grade in the class.
Ive been at Bellevue College for 2 years now, and Tessa is by far one of the best teachers Ive had. She is extremely knowledgeable and does a great a job in lecture presenting the material in a way that keeps the class engaged and interested. She also makes herself very accessible outside of class for additional help.
Professor is available out of lectures of any and all questions or concerns. DO NOT be alarmed by her negative reviews she is an amazing lecturer. She keeps all her students engaged and makes exams straight forward. Attend lecture and you will pass. Been at BC for 3 years. Tessa is hands down the best professor I've had.
Tessa was the best professor I have ever had. Though the material of the course is difficult and expansive, she is incredibly clear in her expectations. There is never a surprise when it comes to her tests. Her lectures are very entertaining and engaging. Most importantly, she goes above and beyond in her investments in her students.
Tessa was an amazing teacher, her lectures aren't the typical power points, instead she creates stories to really stick the ideas and concepts into your head. If you're having trouble she's available to help you either through her office hours, or through email. The exams are straight forward as long as you actually study.
An absolutely incredible teacher, she makes you work for the grade but its worth it in the end as you have developed a real knowledge of the material you are studying
Tessa is one of my all time favorites! Smart as hell, charismatic, funny, etc. She treats students with respect, and she expects the same from them. She seems to love what she does, and she really cares about her students' success. Is she an easy A? No! She wants you to actually learn something. So pay attention, do the work, and you'll thrive!
EASILY my favorite biology teacher at BC.
Being an adult learner, I found Tessa to be the most engaging professor I have EVER had. She is committed to students' learning & willing to meet you halfway. Yes that requires students to do work! & be their own advocate for learning. Welcome to adulthood! Transparent grading, helpful instruction & personable, too. What more could you want?!
Tessa is FABULOUS! Not only is she extremely knowledgable on the subject matter, she is an outstanding educator. My advice to anyone taking her class is simple- show up. All the information you need is given in class and repeated so you wont forget it come exam time. If you need help, just ask. Tessa will give you all the time you need.
Tessa's 212 and 213 are fun courses. She is outgoing and does a good job making the subject accessible to her students. I regularly see her helping students outside of class, and I got a lot of help from her when I was her student. These are tough courses, so be sure to make time to see her for additional help if you need it and you wont regret it.
She is an amazing teacher. I had Biology 212 with her and I enjoyed the class. Also, I learned a lot. She just makes you to absorb biology, not just memorize it. She is there for you. She explains everything that you ask. I really loved that class. I strongly recommend her.
Attending office hours was vital to my success. It's important to be in class and take notes on the lecture b/c those and worksheets are the exam. She's great at presenting information so that it is easy to take notes but you will be busy keeping up. When I took the class she let you keep the best 4 out of 5 exams. There is a big group project.
For Bio241/242 Tessa is the most amazing professors I have ever had. She truly cares about her students and can explain the most complex topics in a way that make total sense. She has expectations, but they are by no means unreasonable. She is very well organized, treats everybody with respect and fairly. I wish I could always take her classes!!!
I took both BIOL241/242 with Tessa. Her lecture was fun and she posts every powerpoint on Canvas. I rarely read my textbook in her classes. She provides the most helpful office hours for students. You can study the model, worksheet or ask her questions. She is the best!!! I am going to miss her.
Absolutely the WORST professor I have ever had. I have gone to UW so I know good professors. She would literally just read from the book. Thats all she did. She would never explain anything in lecture and just stood up there reading her slides. Waste of time. Didnt learn anything. Taking A&P w/ Ellinger now and hes AMAZING. Do not take Tessa!!!
Worst professor ever. She doesn't actually care about her students and often makes fun of them. She rarely ever answers questions and her office hours aren't helpful at all. It's almost like she wants you to fail. She gives out two extremely hard quizzes a week and then a test. No homework at all, so there's nothing to cushion your grade. I hate it
The worst professor I ever had.
Tests are straight memorization but a ton of it so be prepared to spend hours on it. You also need to be there for every single lecture as there is no record of it (literally no slides, textbook, or video. Her style is only for some people and I personally enjoyed it as a UW student but it will be completely different than what you are used to.
I really enjoy Tessa's class. She has strict electronics rules (no upright laptops, tablets okay), but I prefer this and it's nice to see class wide note taking. Very lecture heavy but worth it, she's funny and highly knowledgable. Allows audio recording and provides all class material online. On the whole, definitely worth how much work you put in
The material is dense and tests are challenging. You really have to study and understand EVERYTHING from the lectures. She does a nice job presenting the lecture and explains topics in multiple ways but her tests seem to be more about do you know how to take a test an less about how well you know the material. She also doesn't post grades online.
Tessa is a very nice person, but I struggled a lot. You need to attend every class, listen and pay attention to every lecture, and study a lot. She has three exams, a final, and a practicum. That's all you are graded on and her exams have many trick questions!
No textbook required, no slides, no videos, but you can record. Students either love her or hate her a lot! Unique teaching style and tests are unusual. It fits more with students who are fast learners. Be nice and be cooperated in class and she will love you. Grading is fair and she gives out partial credits a lot. Tons of EC
The worst professor I ever had at Bellevue College, really unprofessional behavior at classroom, and won't recommend to anyone.
You will probably either hate or love Tessa. Her lectures can be hilarious, with some really unnecessary parts. I thought she over explained some things, dumbing down scientific language a lot - calling molecules "these little dudes" etc. She encourages EVERYONE to go to office hours and its inefficient asking questions with 20 other students.
Planned to take her A&P section till she stopped mid lecture to tell me to read the syllabus because I was using my laptop to take notes; which wouldve been fine if she didnt talk to me like I was a four year old the whole time. Left class during break and switched sections sorry not sorry.
Very fair professor. She is organized & creates documents that makes it easy to study for exams/practicums. As a bio student from UW, it was difficult for me to feel engaged because her material relies on memory rather than logic. As long as you take the time to memorize the large volume, you will ace the class - not much of a thinker kind of class
There's not many like Tessa. She is organized, gives fantastic lectures, cares about her students, and has HIGH expectations. You WILL sink or swim. However, she can also be bitingly sarcastic with students and extremely OCD and inflexible about some things. If you can handle her eccentricity and stay on her good side, you will learn.
Tessa is an incredible instructor! There are 4 exams, 10 quizzes. She removes the lowest grades of both to help boost your grade. She also uses the exams as a 'guideline' as she is the one who ultimately decides your grade. She has so many opportunities during the week to see her outside of class during study hours. They really help!
Tessa is great; she provides so much study material including study guides and worksheets for tests, hosts great office hours, and genuinely cares for her students. I actually looked forward to her lectures. 6 exams (including final), 13 quizzes, and a couple of other small assignments. Lots of extra credit, & you drop your lowest exam & 2 quizzes.
Tessa is great for A&P. She explains the material in a way that makes you really remember. She gives tons of extra credit and gives study tips. She wants her students to succeed and really helps them to do so. I took her for both 1 and 2 and wish she taught Microbio because she is honestly the best Bio professor I've ever had.
One of the hardest classes I've ever taken, and it the start it feels like you're about to end with a D (but you won't). But Tessa genuinely cares about all her students which is so rare in the science field, and she pushes you to be the best version of yourself. I wouldn't take any other Anatomy & Physiology teachers besides her!
She is a tough grader. Her test questions are often not from her lecture notes and you have a lot of homework to do. She gave you trick questions for exam. Personally I don't like her teaching style, make simple contents become really complicated. Not recommended.
Disorganized lecture, tough grader and heavy homework. Not recommend her class.
Professor Cornish is wonderful! She really cares about her students learning A&P. She is accessible outside of class and I highly suggest attending office hours, as she goes above and beyond to help you learn. Wish I had taken her class for 241. It was the hardest class I've taken, but worth every second; I learned so much!
A tough grader. You have a lot of homework to do and really stressful quarter. I don't like her teaching style, make simple contents become really complicated. Her expectation is not clear, you need self studied a lot. Her email response sometimes incorrect and delayed. Not recommended.
Lecture heavy, tricky questions in exam, boring lab activity. You have to self-study, not recommend her at all.
took tessa b/c many students recommended her for anatomy and physiology however immediately regretted it because she is an extremely tough grader. lots of unnecessary and strict rules that you have follow for her online tests. Her quizzes were also always "tightly timed". unhelpful labs!!! basically a self-learn class. NOT A GOOD ONLINE PROFESSOR.
Tessa does not make a good online instructor. Her exams and quizzes have fewer questions but they are worth more points, so if you miss a few it brings your grade down a lot. VERY tough grader. Difficult to get feedback from her, especially during "office hours." She has a ton of resources for you, but it's very overwhelming.
DO NOT RECOMMEND HER. Very tough grader and exams are so difficult. She does not care about her students, says stuff that she thinks is a joke but is offensive and wrong to even come out of a professor's mouth. Basically a self-study, self-learn class. She lays out of unnecessary rules that do not help with this "self-study" online format. awful...
If it weren't for Tessa here I would still be struggling away with anatomy and physiology. She really looks out for her students and makes sure that they succeed. The rules she lays out are weird but you get use to them really quickly and you realize that its a real benefit for you. She is also really funny and really connects with you!
Youll either love or hate Tessa. Her class is definitely intimidating in the beginning, but you warm up to her style of testing and teaching. Even though an A is a 95, she determines your grade which is always in your favor, and offers tons of extra credit. Funny, memorable lectures and she is great at giving feedback and responding via text/email
LOVED Tessa! She covers the material so many ways and asks you enough questions that it's very clear that you need to study and know what you're talking about so you'll remember the content for tests and beyond the quarter. I would take her for all of my classes if I knew about her ahead of time. Summer session was intense but doable.
Don't recommend her class at all. She treated students poorly, always give tricky test questions during exam; and many student feel sad and uncomfortable in her classroom with not equitable learning environment. Avoid her class, worst instructor I have been experienced at Bellevue College.
Her tests do not represent her students' knowledge. She also threatens students. "I watch your activity on canvas" which is biased. I downloaded her slides and lectures but only logged on once a week. It does not mean I was not studying accordingly. She also says unprofessional things all the time. I do not recommend her at all.
Not the best class I've ever taken; granted it was online. Watch ALL of the lectures and study hard, as Tessa says "If I type it, if I write it out, if it comes out of my mouth, it is 'fair game' for assessments." My big complaint for the course was having material on the exams that were NOT included on the study guide. Unfair to students...
Tessa is AMAZING. Do not be scared by past reviews. I was really scared going into this class (and scared for about a month in) but once you figure out how she does things it's nothing to be worried about. Exams are always scary, but there are 14 quizzes throughout the quarter with TONS of extra credit. Practicum also has tons of extra credit.
I would not listen to the reviews of this professor being good. She is terrible at explaining the material and often puts random trick questions on tests. I managed to get an A, so I know what it takes. If any other professor is available, take them. Other than giving extra credit, she made this class WAY harder than it already is. AVOID HER!!
Mixed feelings about her. Got enrolled in her class during midterm cause our prof. got very sick. Very quirky, will take a while to get used to her personality. Her lecture slides are all from the book. Zoom meetings rarely have images, its just her talking on camera which didn't help me comprehend the topic. Overwhelms you with a lot of info.
Tessa is amazing! Definitely accessible outside of class. All lectures and surveys are uploaded early so you can study at your own pace. Discussions and OH are extremely helpful-sometimes questions from there show up on the exams. Not sure why there are so many mixed reviews because she is a great professor and VERY fair grader.
By far the worst professor Ive taken at Bellevue College. Extremely unprofessional, disrespectful, & discouraging with some of her comments. Very tedious in her grading which makes exams way harder than they should be; exams are super specific and in depth but at the same time she expects short responses. Unfair & unclear grading expectations.
Tessa is an amazing human being and an awesome teacher. A&P is obviously hard. She makes rote memorization fun and encouraged us to connect concepts that made it learning less of a hassle. Plenty of opportunities for extra credit. I personally only skimmed the textbook and went off of her study guide that has a list of topics you need to master.
Tessa is an amazing person who loves her students. Her teaching style is quirky and fun, tests are very hard, but she provides plenty of extra credit opportunities to cushion your grade. I have never had a professor make herself as accessible as Tessa did, in order to help me succeed. She is truly one of a kind in the best way.
Tessa is a very nice person and definitely cares heavily about her students however, she doesn't use the grading page on canvas so you will not know your grade until after the final. your two lowest quiz scores will be dropped to a ZERO, and same with your lowest exam score. she talks so much that all her lectures are 2+ hours long.
I was nervous the first week with Tessa, but she turned out to be a great professor. Super accessible, responds quickly, office hours every week, in-person open labs, and wants you to succeed. I would not have passed if I didn't go to every class. Lots of extra credit available. Summer quarter is A LOT and wouldn't advise if you work full time.
Tessa is really unprofessional and say things make students feel stressful, not welcomed. She does not provide valuable support students, I took this subject three times to receive A. No recommend her to anyone. I make my own self study, and did not she cares about students, treat students not equitable, especially for international students.
So I would not say that she is a bad teacher but she DOES gives you a hard time. You have to watch 3 to 4 youtube videos per week and they are all between an hour and a half or two hours. The lectures are extremely tedious. You can hear dogs, kids and people talking in her lectures. If you are taking class with her do not get the book.
Tessa is a really bad teacher and did not care students, always embarrass students and give students hard time. The lectures are extremely horrible and very boring. You can hear a lot of noises when you talk in her online lectures. Avoid to taking her class, strong not recommended her at all.
This is an incredibly hard class but Tessa makes it super fun to learn. This content would normally take forever to grasp for me but her lectures are interesting and classes help us really piece together what we learned. She also provides tons of extra credit opportunities so you can get a good grade without acing every exam and quiz. Love her!
I have very mixed feelings about Tessa. She does tend to say unprofessional things and in the beginning of the quarter tells us were probably going to have to repeat this class. Lectures are very lengthy 1-2 hours for just one and you have at least 3 a week. Proctored exams but not proctored quizzes. You will have 5 exams and lowest gets dropped.
Tessa is a bad teacher and treated students unfair and does not equitable. Her lectures are extremely tedious and boring, and her exams did not match what she taught with un-reasonable tricky questions, and she does not want you success and always blame students. Do not take her class and avoid her for sure!!
Tessa does a great job utilizing different study methods for learning and has a quirky character towards students. She helps students by staying after hours. The content on her tests often do not reflect what is emphasized in class, so beware. Lectures are lengthy but include helpful study tips. I encourage reading the textbook than watch lectures!
This is a hard class and if you don't put in the work then you can't be mad about the grade that you get. She treats you as an adult and expects you to be one. I liked her class and how structured it is. She makes the material digestible and makes it as fun as possible. Very lecture-heavy but tons of essentially free points and extra credit.
Makes difficult material more accessible through humor and by providing useful study tools. Lots of options for extra credit and plenty of opportunities to meet for extra help and review outside of normal classroom time.
Tessa is an excellent professor. She care a lot about her students success and provides A LOTTT of opportunities for extra credit. She really tries to utilize a few different methods of teaching in order to try and help everyone learn to their best ability. She is funny and mast class time enjoyable
Tessa is an amazing teacher who helped me of studying, especially in tough subjects like anatomy. She's super energetic and loves teaching students. she showed me easy ways to remember difficult anatomy stuff. She's always there for her students and wants them to do well. I'd recommend Tessa as a teacher because she's caring, and supportive.
Basically had to self-teach myself everything because her lectures are so unhelpful. 1-2hr video lectures and your own grades that you're responsible for keeping track of. Half of the extremely long study guides don't even show up on the exams. She offers a good deal of extra credit but wont tell you where or what for. Not funny, kinda annoying.
This professor may or may not be the right one for you. Class was never dull, and it was a fairly easy A, so I liked it. If you want to form your own opinion, search "tessa cornish" on youtube. The lectures on youtube are the primary way most students learn the material, and there are hours and hours of them.
Very unprofessional in the beginning but got slightly better. She does not have a straightforward teaching style (a bit unorganized), so non-English speakers may have a harder time understanding the content. Lectures are outdated, 1-2 hours long, so I ended up teaching myself most concepts. There's extra creds, lowest quiz and test grade dropped.
Recorded lectures are long, not produced well and full of distractions. Tessa was CONSISTENTLY late and then she'd go over class time. I do not appreciate that. My time is valuable. I wouldn't take her again. She's not my preferred style, but I did learn A LOT in this class. She has many good qualities, these are just my gripes.
Incredibly unprofessional & rarely on time. Instead of teaching, it's a show all about her & making herself feel important. She forces her own learning style on students by making unnecessary things for points - everyone doesn't learn like that! She uses fear & tells students they don't know enough & should be scared of her exams- awful prof/person
Gives lengthy exam worksheets and study guides but barely uses that info on the exams. Wasted SO much time studying concepts that didn't apply to exams because she said they would, so I struggled through them even w/ hours of studying daily. Exams are tons of fill in the blank, she expects you to know everything with no hints or word banks. Brutal.
Tessa has a unique teaching style that may not suit everyone. While the lectures can be lengthy, using Unstuck AI and the textbook helped me succeed in this challenging course. Overall, a fair professor if you put in the effort.
absolutely dreadful. makes A&P so much more difficult than it needed to be. study guides are way too long and half of it isn't on the exam. mandatory recorded lectures are very unorganized and tedious to watch. very unprofessional and condescending. treats you like a child. + doesn't allow laptops in class to take notes because its "distracting"
doesn't use canvas for grades, has us track it ourselves. treats office hours like extra lab time & says it's unlikely we'd pass her class without it. had pig dissection during office hours rather than mandatory class time. she emphasizes her 241 class a lot, and if you didn't take it with her then you're already behind. very much pick me energy
doesn't use canvas for everything, we have to text her to send in hw / track our grades. no laptops allowed in class, can't take pictures of anything either. I study for this class for 5+ hours everyday and still find her exams extremely difficult. her lectures are extremely long and very disorganized as well as her teaching style.
treats lecture / lab like her own comedy (unfunny) show. she makes this class harder than it already is. the study guide / work sheets are a waste of time since she doesn't go off them to make the exams. she emphasizes topics and says they will be on exam but then there're no where to be found. I would never recommend
very hard class, you need to put in extra work. professor is very knowledgable, make use of office hours
I'm not a fan of her attempt to intimidate students about this course on the first day of the quarter but she does get better. She offers lots of EC, just try your best and she will help you succeed. Video lectures are all over the place but you get used to it. She's not the worst
God awful class. Professor was consistently late 20-30 mins to class. Little to none of the study guide material shows up on exams. Professor insists office hours are key to success but considering how useless lab hours are, you might as well only show up to office hours. Too bad attendance is mandatory. Lecture material are 4yr old yt videos.
Her personality was something else, do not take unless you literally have no life and plan on spending 4+ hours studying every day. Exams are most of your grade, so if you do bad on your exams, your screwed. Do not take this class.
Hands down the worst professor ever. Told us to quit our jobs if we wanted to pass. Lectures were a chaotic mess—loud, useless, and unwatchable. Bullied students who didn't take her earlier class and played favorites constantly. Completely unprofessional, rude, and power-tripping. Avoid her at all costs.
Overall this is just a tough class. Tessa does build many different styles into her teaching. Gives a fair amount of extra credit. Drops lowest quiz and test score. I would take again. Lots of material to know for sure.
Tessa's class is challenging. That said, I passed with an A! Her YouTube lectures take time to get used to, but the exam worksheets are clutch. Create your own notes and mnemonics, and label images/diagrams on repeat until they're locked in. Extra credit helps pad grade for a poor exam or 2, but you must stay focused and study daily. Don't skip!
Be prepared to do a lot of studying! Lectures are a mix of in-person and 1–2 hour-long YouTube videos. The lowest exam grade gets dropped, which helps take some pressure off. Exam worksheets and surveys are helpful for review, and there are plenty of opportunities to earn extra credit. Don't miss any in-person lectures, and keep up with lecture.
Tessa is unlike any professor I had at BC. I feel like one thing that many other students are forgetting is that A&P is hard, regardless of the teacher. Tessa will work with you and be hard on you when she knows you can do it. Do not be discouraged, I wish Tessa was my professor for all classes.
amazing professor! class course is very clear as long as you follow syllabus; as class work is up to you when to finish besides quizzes every Friday. Even though some things can seem strict such as attendance policy I believe Tessa has structured this class the best way possible to complete such a meaty subject of anatomy physiology.
Tessa gives you ALL the materials you need to succeed. Lots of study tips, extra credit, and tells you exactly what will be on the exams! A&P is a difficult class no matter the professor! This was my second time taking 242 but Tessa presented the information in a way that was memorable and she is absolutely hilarious! She's incredible.
She does not listen to her students or care about their success
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
51%
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