3.1
Quality4.1
Difficulty37%
Would Retake632
Reviews37%
Would Retake
632
Reviews
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632 total ratings5
125
4
154
3
160
2
94
1
99
What Students Say
“well good luck Charlie”
BIO1107 - 4.0 rating“For an introductory course, 1107 is ridiculous”
BIO1107 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
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100%
Attendance Mandatory
17%
Textbook Required
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MCB3895
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(1)BIO108
5.0
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3.4
(5)BIO107
3.0
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3.0
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4.5
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Reviews (300)
Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. The class is tough but if you take the time to read the textbook, slides and maybe some additional stuff online you should be out with a B- or higher after the curve. If you wanna wait until the night before the exam to learn it, you'll be screwed.
Lecture is pointless, he only goes over 1 or 2 slides the entire time. Lab is almost like a whole other class in itself, there's quizzes every week that are nit picky and annoying but if you study the lab manual you'll be okay. Exams are really tough... I've only memorized the PPT slides and was able to get A-'s on the exams. GOOD LUCK!!!!!
Honestly, its a hard class. However, if you read the book really well take notes, look over his slides and generally try and comprehend what you are reading you will be fine. You cannot pass this class without reading, and the slides are so helpful. He's a funny guy in lecture, gets reallly excited about bio.
This class shouldn't be difficult. But if you do not know biology already then do not expect to learn anything in his lectures. He will barrade you with facts of glucose being in the wall and how you could eat it. He will skim over the most important aspects of biology forcing you to read and make you question the existence of a professor.
He has engaging lectures and is very passionate about topics to a fault. He will cover only a few topics in depth in class rather than getting through all of them. Attendance isn't mandatory but recommended, and reading is almost necessary for good grades on exams.
Not bad overall. He gives you all the material you need to know! You need to read and work hard for your grade!
Professor Abbot is a great guy and he is super passionate about biology, but he expects his students to do all the reading before class and know everything. Labs are tough, but it really depends on your TA for that.
The tests were easy if you kept up with the reading and paid attention in lecture. Lectures were always extremely interesting, and the class was really fun even though it was a lot of work. Definitely only take if it's a requirement, otherwise you'd be putting a lot of time in for nothing. The final grade was scaled up a complete letter grade.
Abbott's the man
Lab is a real pain and can wreck your grade, but I guess it depends on your TA. Exams are extremely hard until you figure out how to study for his exams (like 20 hours minimum). First half (genetics, etc) is harder than the second half. Use his PPT slides, I never cracked the book. Only take if it's required for your major because it is HARD.
He loves biology! The class is hard though regardless of how much you work. You'll be happy that its over. Get ready to study a lot!
The class requires a lot of hard work. For the exams where I read, went to lecture, and went through the slides, I got A's; for the ones where I didn't do all three, I got low B's-high C's. Grade is curved based on a normal distribution, so the curve may varies from a full letter grade to 2 points depending on where you lie on the distribution
Abbott is an average professor. I wouldn't say he's amazing but I wouldn't say he's horrible either. The exams are tough but not impossible. I studied a lot for this class and pulled a B- for my first semester in college. Lab helps your grade but its really annoying with the lab quizzes. You need to read the powerpoints and book to do well.
This was a very difficult class. There is a huge curve because everyone does bad in class. I noticed a lot of questions on the exams were not from readings or lecture slides but of things he may have mentioned for one second in lecture, so pay attention.
if you haven't taken a chemistry class before, I wouldn't take this course until you do so. there are a lot of chemistry terms that he won't go in depth about that you need to understand well. for example, catalyze, free energy, entropy, spontaneity, acids and bases , how to calculate ph and buffers. I reccomend the textbook, but it isn't needed
This wasthe hardest class I've taken so far at UCONN, and it took me awhile to figure out how to do well in it without having it consume my entire life. His exams are 85% information from the powerpoints, 10% information from lecture thats not on the powerpoints, and 5% stuff thats in the textbook/lab. I got an A by breaking up studying like this.
This was an incredibly difficult class, especially with no AP Bio background. If you read your textbook, pay attention during lectures, and study outside of class, it is possible. Lab also very heavy for memorization and understanding. A lot of work but do-able with the right attitude. Study outside of class!! Very important- lots of material.
He gets extremely side tracked during lectures and talks about pointless things. While he does make some good and interesting points during lectures he could do so much more. If you are willing to read six to seven difficult chapters a week for an introductory course than this course is for you.
One of the easier classes I have taken at UConn. You should go to lecture although I skipped almost every one. MAKE SURE TO READ THE TEXTBOOK and especially look at diagrams and pictures. It's a lot of information at once but Dr. Abbott is a really friendly guy to talk to and ask questions. Hated my TA and got an A- in the course because of lab
This class will be easy if you took AP bio in high school. If you didn't, then you will have to work hard to understand the material. You have to read and pay attention in lecture. For BIOL1107 (not honors) Abbott gives you practice exams and study guides. If you utilize these along with the powerpoint slides he posts then you will get good grades.
DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!! This class the toughest class I have never seen before. Five exams! You need to memorize all the PPTs. Each PPT contains more than 80 pages!!!!! The lecture is boring and useless!!!! Remember do not take this class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lecture is completely useless. He gets so off track and only goes over a few slides of a chapter's PPT per class. He confuses students more than help, if anything. Lab is terrifying with weekly quizzes that make you question why you're even in college. You'll have to teach yourself everything before each of the exams. Good luck...
Absolutely awful. If you're required to take this class, defiantly take it at a branch or community college. 120+ slides to read every week. The study guides are not helpful. In lecture, interesting topics are discussed... BUT THEY'RE NOT RELATED TO THE EXAMS. Lab is horrifying. Exams are impossible. May be different with an AP BIO background.
Abbott is a great teacher. If you read the textbook and study the power points you'll get an A. It's a good idea to go to class because he'll tell you things that will or won't be on it. He love what he does and it shows. Most people that don't do well in the class don't read or underestimate it. Lab is an easy A/A-.
Professor Abbott is one of those professors where you either like him or you don't. I believe that his lectures are somewhat pointless. He doesn't really go over material that we need to know to pass the test you have to do that on your own. He just shows pictures and goes off in tangents and doesn't explain anything well at all.
100% can get an A, read the book cover to cover, its worth it
I found the class really hard; you need to keep up with the reading and go to class or you won't do well. However, Abbott lectures really well and you can really tell that he genuinely cares about what he is talking about. I think it helps me to learn when the professor is clearly interested.
Go to lecture the first week to see if you like Abbott and get along with his teaching style but if you don't, just don't bother going. Teach yourself from the textbook and the PowerPoints and you'll be fine (study guides also help). Take lab seriously because there are quizzes every week and it'll definitely help your grade if you do well in lab.
For an introductory biology class, this course is way harder than you would expect. You have to read and study the ENTIRE textbook in order to get a decent grade. You could study for two weeks for his exam and still not do so well on it. Lab has weekly quizzes, too. Expect to spend all of your time studying for this class.
This course is difficult, but doable. You won't do well, or pass even, if you don't read the textbook or attend lecture. Lecture is interesting. Lab is fun, but quizzes and assignments are very difficult for no reason. Overall, I loved the class. Abbott has a great personality and makes everything interesting. But I'm warning you READ THE TEXTBOOK.
This class is hard but not impossible. The tests are the majority of the grade, therefore, start studying at least a week before every test. To do well on the tests, go to the lectures and pay attention on what he stresses. I did not use the text book, and did fine. Also, study for lab quizzes!! Don't worry, there is a huge curve.
This was by far my hardest class of my freshman year! If you have not taken AP Bio I would suggest not taking this class unless you are prepared to work your butt off! lectures are not mandatory bc he never finishes his ppt he stays on a few class the whole class but he is very entertaining! calculated grade was a C+ but it curved to B
He's not as bad as most people make him out to be. As long as you find a passion or a way to enjoy the material, and you study for the exams, you with be fine. He is intimidating at first, but getting to know him in office hours really helps paint a good picture of his ideas and of the class in general.
If you like Biology, he is a great prof. Always was fair and incredibly excited about his job.
His lectures are pretty pointless since he goes off on too many tangents. His exams are nothing like the practice exams he gives you. Only way to get a decent grade is to read religiously straight from the book. If you go to just the lectures you'll pass but probably won't get a good grade.
Reading the PowerPoints is key for surviving this class. His tests are tough so make sure you stay on top of the content. PowerPoints Reading Lectures
IF YOU'RE NOT A GENIUS: lecture isn't essential if you READ THE BOOK. His powerpoint slides are good to review for a test with but his tests revolve around the book. This class is a weed-out so he makes it 1000x harder than it needs to be. Lab is essential to get your grade up so spend time on the lab quizzes. He curved half a letter grade.
Worst teacher ever. If you are not a genius, you will feel like your life is worth nothing in this class. His powerpoint slides are pretty useless. You need to teach yourself all the materials. However, it's UCONN, so you have to take it anyway.
Very good teacher. But the exams are very tough and tricky. But if you read the book and attend lecture. It's gonna be very easy for you to get a good grade.
by far the worst class I have ever taken. way too hard to be an intro course. Go to every lecture if you want test questions or some things that aren't discussed in the book. Also read the book every night, take notes and read the power points. Even after doing this you still might not do well. test questions are ridiculous and designed to trick u
this is a crazy hard course, and if you really want to get a good grade, you need to always stay on top of the reading and begin studying for the test like a week before. abbott is SUPER specific with this questions, which is incredibly frustrating. make sure you not only understand the general concept, but the in & outs of EVERYTHING.
Hardest class I have ever taken. Lectures are completely pointless b/c he just goes on tangents about the most useless info. You literally have to teach yourself EVERYTHING from the book and looking at his powerpoints. His test are EXTREMELY specific so you literally have to study EVERYTHING in the book which is hard b/c his tests cover 5+ chapters
Hardest class I took freshman year. If you don't read the chapter before the lectures, then don't bother going because it won't make sense to you. He tends to ramble a lot in lecture but there are those few times where he does say useful things. You either know it or not on the exams, but he always scales the final grades by a whole letter
Only graded by the lab and the 5 lecture exams. Will spend 20 minutes on a slide with a picture that will never be asked on an exam. Need to read the textbook and go through the slides yourself or will miss big topics.
the reason why people find this class so difficult is because they rely heavily on abbott teaching ALL the information that will be on the test. During lecture he barely goes over 2 slides and goes on tangents. READ the textbook! FYI he does curve so thats a plus by around letter grade . Tests tricky, but definitely manageable if you work hard.
Many people on here dislike Abbott, but he is a one of a kind professor. I thoroughly enjoy his lectures and the material is incredibly interesting. If you don't find it interesting, he will find a way for you to enjoy. Bio 1107 is an excellent class.
this class will make you cry. its so hard but if you want something to improve your work ethic- take this.
I never went to lecture and completely relied on his powerpoints and the book. Don't rely on him teaching you the material because he goes off on tangents, so you have to do the work yourself. Lab grade helps and he curves a pretty significant amount at the end of the semester
Lecture exams aren't that bad, you don't need the textbook (unless that's how you study). Literally all you need to do is memorize his PPT slides (THERE'S A TON). Lab TA's can either make it or break it for you; some are nit picky graders, some are chill. DO your lab manual readings for weekly quizzes, don't do reports last min. You'll be ok.
Lectures are a huge waste of time, he goes on ridiculous tangents and spends the entire 50 mins on 5 slides of a 50 slide ppt. The labs aren't that bad, depending on your TA. The weekly quizzes are annoying and tricky and the lab reports are brutal only if you don't know what's going on but the lectures don't help with that so you're on your own
READ THE BOOK. Lecture is pointless.
For an intro to biology class, this is insane. You can study for weeks before his exams and not do well. All the exams are multiple choice but is so hard because the answers can be a and b, a and c, all of the above, and none of the above. Also you have weekly quizzes for lab and lab reports that seem to always be due the week of an exam.
read the powerpoints! (less time consuming) if you don't understand something, then read the book don't spend too much time on study guide (wasn't beneficial or prepared me for exam) make sure u 100% understand concepts to the point where u can explain it to someone bc the format of exam questions tests this read lab + study weekly! (40% of final)
This is 100% a weed out class. For a Gen Bio I class, the material is absolutely ridiculous. Spent 16+ hours a week studying only to still get straight D's on exams. The SI sessions are more helpful than any of his lectures. He sets his tests up purposely to trick you so you basically have to know EVERYTHING in the entire book. Good luck with that.
This class is really hard, but if you put in the effort you will get an A. Don't get behind on text book readings before lectures, and GO to lecture. Sometimes he gives you specific info not in the book that will be on your exam. Start studying early, cramming the night before will give you horrible grades. Lab quizzes will boost your grade.
It is clear to many students that Abbott is an absolute genius when it comes to bio. However, most students are not. He will use terms not taught to describe terms currently being learned- AND THAT'S IF HES ON TOPIC. I found spending the time I would have in lectures reading the book is better. Hundred slide ppt. and will go over three slides tops.
Honors BIO 1107 is the hardest class I've ever taken. Abbott is a great and very excited guy but the exams are just exceedingly difficult with a 2 point curve at the end. Take regular bio! Honors has no real advantages besides maybe having closer contact with Abbott. The curve is much better and you'll still learn the same content.
Definately one of the hardest classes that I have taken this semester. There are 5 exams and weekly lab quizzes. Make sure you go to SI because that is what saved my grade. Also I found that crash course was really helpful. My advice is to try to do your best in lab even though it is really hard. He only curves about 5 points which is not a lot.
As a Biology major/premed, 1107 Honors was the hardest class I've taken my first semester at UConn. Graded by 5 insanely tough multiple choice tests and a lab component, with weekly lab quizzes and 2 lab practicals. Start studying well in advance for exams and try to form a study group! It is much more helpful to study with a few others. Good luck!
Take non-honors if possible, the curve is substantially better. Abbott's lectures are interesting and valuable, especially if you love biology beyond just wanting to do well in the class. The exams get progressively hard, but the more practice tests you take, the better prepared you will be. He is a funny, insightful, yet challenging professor.
An okay professor, he says the tests are on concepts but don't fall for that because it's all about the details.
Yes, it's true. Bio 1107 Honors was a very challenging class. But the secret to getting an A is basically memorizing the textbook front to back. If you do this while really trying to understand what the textbook is saying you'll get an A. Lectures are helpful- don't skip. Lab will either kill you or be your best friend- depends what you make of it.
Hardest course I took semester. Here's the best way I've learned to study for exams: take notes on the book/slides, go to lecture for the non-book and non-slide topics, type out all the study guide answers, and HAVE SOMEONE QUIZ YOU ON THEM. Talking through the questions is what brought my exam grades from 60's to 70's. And take lab very seriously.
Not the best class, but not horrible. You don't need to go to lectures, he goes on tangents anyways. Def. read the book and powerpoint for the exams and start studying at least a week before the exam, you'll need it. Lab is a pain, make sure you don't slack off because it's a pretty big part of your grade. Nice curve at the end, don't take honors.
He is a horrible professor who screams the material at you but is completely normal in office hours. His exams are very specific and make you study all week for it. Lab saves your grade.
For an introductory course, 1107 is ridiculous. This class really does not take into account the other classes you have. Abbott himself is a genius when it comes to Biology, however his lectures don't help much. Read the book and the slides. Try not to skip lecture but it doesn't matter. Lab is worse; the weekly lab quizzes are flat out unfair.
Abbott loves biology and honestly when he yelled in class and banged on the walls it truly showed his love for biology. Lectures were pretty useless but amusing, if you read the textbook you will get an A
By far most difficult class and professor I have had. Only graded on tests and in lab. Lab is a toss up depending on TA. Lecture is pointless, read the book but if you don't understand everything that is in it then be prepared to fail. He's passionate about the subject but doesn't actually teach anything just goes on tangents. Good luck if u takeit
Abbott is very understanding and wants you to do well. Meet with him and tell him if you're struggling. You may not like what he says but I guarantee it will help. I failed the first 2 exams but his advice helped me get As on the last 3 and finish the class with a B+. If you dedicate yourself and he sees improvement he will help you!
Abbott is actually a really interesting lecturer, although his tests are super hard. You could feel like you know the material very well and still get a C on the test due to tricky wording or ultra specificity. The only positive (besides the class being interesting) is that if you do good in this class, you can probably handle almost anything
Lectures are a waste of time. IF YOU ARE A SLOW READER, FORGET THE BOOK AND TAKE NOTES ON THE POWERPOINT SLIDES. Start studying for the exams AT LEAST a week in advance. Memorize, memorize, memorize. No cumulative final; five exams. Lab is EXHAUSTING and takes the full three hours. Quizzes are specific and challenging. Lab reports time-consuming.
Abbot is not a great professor in any way. Yes, he is very smart, but he shouldn't make things so difficult for an entry level course. I would recommend taking this course at a branch or elsewhere.
Definitely a class of memorization. I wouldn't recommend this to a first-semester freshman unless they took all AP classes in senior year with an A-/A. It's a lot of reading in the textbook, exams and lab practicals can be on the same day, and there is too much material. Please take notes on chapters/slides. Find flashcards on quizlet.
Abbott is one of the most passionate professors. Go to class. Even if he only spends time on two topics out of 100 during lecture, those topics are always heavily emphasized on the exam. I found that reading the assigned readings before each lecture helped a lot. If you took AP Bio in high school you have a better chance of doing well.
Honestly will never understand why people hate Abbott. He is so funny, extremely passionate, and if you just semi pay attention in the class, you'll succeed. Whatever he talks about the most is what will be heavy on the exam. I read through his powerpoints to study and got either an A or a B on every exam. I loved him.
Talks about things that don't show up on exam, very specific in wording on tests, and not very helpful during office hours. This class is pure memory, because that's how specific the test questions are. Study textbook and read slides and try to take notes.
If you're going to be taking any upper-level science classes after BIO1107 and you think Abbott/his exams are hard ... well good luck Charlie
Many people dislike Abbott simply because they get their dreams crushed by him of going to med school since they do poorly in his class. He is extremely passionate. Many people stop going to his lecture eventually since they aren't entirely necessary; you'll do fine on tests if you study the book and powerpoints. Lab section is generally easier.
Don't take it if you are a freshman.
This class was stupid hard for an Intro to Bio class. If you are going for any kind of B.S & you need to take this class, take it anywhere else. He yells and throws things during lecture. Exams are hard & specific. This is a MAJOR weed out class. I would not take this class at UConn until there is a new prof teaching.
Great guy, but lectures are rarely relevant to the course. Know the book inside and out to do pretty well on the tests. If you skip lecture but practically memorize the book, you can probably get As/Bs on tests- in lecture, he'll sometimes tell you a few questions on the test and their answers. Lab is difficult, but it's the same lab as non-honors.
Abbott has amazing lectures that are sometimes off topic. He is an awesome person but his tests are difficult; especially honors 1107. However, if you read the textbook carefully and put in the effort, you can do well! He is an enthusiastic and unique professor who truly loves biology, I loved his class and learned so much from him!!!
He's a nice guy and he's obviously very smart, but he can't teach well. The exams are extremely hard, and it never seems like you're learning anything during his lectures. I read the textbook cover to cover and still seemed to fail his exams. Lab is difficult, but it saves your grade.
If you are truly interested in biology, you will enjoy this class. He is a very knowledgable professor and his lectures are very interesting, although often not related to the reading so make sure you are keeping up with the reading. Abbot, gets a bad rep but as long as you read and study in advance you will be fine. Favorite professor.
I regret not going to lecture/ reading the book because it would've helped me retain info instead of trying to memorize his posted slides. Do very well in lab because it will help your grade if you struggle at exams. Go to office hours, SI, mentoring. Go through the slides and review lecture material each day after class. Do the reading before.
Found this course hard but really disciplines you for other courses. He would mention key points during lecture but rarely do they show up on exams, so rely on the book. What helped me was to read the book, attend SI, and review powerpoints. Understand those concepts you think you don't need.I needed that mindset to pass this course. good luck<3
Lots of people complain about Abbott, but he's really not that bad. Study the book really hard, and you'll be fine. Go to mentoring sessions, and you can get 4 points extracredit for your final grade. Lab quizzes are awful, don't even bother studying. Classes are interesting, but you can skip and still do well in class. His eyebrows though.
You have to put a lot of time and effort to do well in Abbott's class but it's not impossible. Read and highlight the textbook carefully (on schedule with lecture), take notes if you go to class (lots of tangents in lecture but he will emphasize what's on exam), review powerpoint (go to SI if it helps you) and don't get discouraged with exams
Time management, optimization of studying effort based on percent yield and active learning are the main things that will get you an A in the course. Don't waste time on going to lectures, they are useless. Abbott has a deep admiration for whats happening in the current state of science, but he sucks at teaching.
While Abbott's lectures can be pretty entertaining at times, he is not always focused on the current material and will go off on rants about things he likes, not always things that are relevant. He does give out specific test questions and will emphasize the more important topics in a section though. READ the book or study the slides.
Professor Abbott gave really interesting lectures but didn't teach much of the material in class. There is practically no homework for this class, so definitely spend all the time you can to read the textbook and take notes on it.
Dr. Abbott tends to get a bad rep because this class is extremely difficult... if you don't put in the effort. You really have to read the textbook because he barely covers any of it in lecture, but the stuff he goes through in the lecture is almost guaranteed to be on the exam and is usually not in the textbook.
A lot of people hate this class, but its because they're all freshman and don't know how to study for college yet. You will learn a lot from him. GO TO SI AND READ THE SLIDES!! If you do this, you will have 80% of the info for tests. 10% of the questions will be from lecture. Read the textbook to tie everything together. He has entertaining stories
Don't take the class if you think this is just part of your gen-eds. But if you like bio, or have a general interest in lab sciences, the class is actually very interesting. Make sure to read the textbook and take notes on it before lecture, it provides the knowledge you need to understand what he talks about in class. Work equates to a good grade.
Simply put, you have to work for your grade. Read the textbook cover to cover, and outline the content for when you review for the exams. Exams are not hard necessarily, but there is a lot of content you get tested on. Go to lecture because he has a few multiple choice questions from it. Lab quizzes and lab practicals were grueling to study for.
While this course does have lots of reading, you get out what you put in. All 5 of the exams are 50 questions multiple choice, non cumulative. Expect about 80 pages of textbook per exam unit. Lecture attendance and going to review sessions are extra credit. It helps to go though because he can draw some pretty helpful connections between concepts.
LOVED THIS CLASS! Abbott was hard yes but don't listen to all the rumors about how hard and bad the class was. If you put the work in you will do well. I read all the chapters and it was worth it. READ READ READ!!!!
I absolutely love Thomas Abbott! His lectures are hilarious and super interesting. Yes the class is very content heavy and you have to do a lot of the reading yourself, but as long as you have good study skills you'll be fine. There are extra credit opportunities and student taught sessions that are very helpful. Don't be too scared about it.
Lectures, book and exam are nothing alike.
If you don't need this class for your major, don't take it. I wish I could go back and read the textbook cover to cover and study for all those awful lab quizzes and practicals. If you put in the work, though, you should be good.
When I told people I was enrolled in Abbott's class, they looked at me like I was a brave soul. One thing you must do is KNOCK THE FEAR OF ABBOTT OUT OF YOUR MIND! Chances are if you are taking this class it is required for your major! Make sure to go to all lectures, read the textbook ahead of the class, do all extra credit & ask him for help!
My biggest advice is to not let what other people say about this class scare you! Definitely one of the hardest courses I've taken at UConn, but doable if the right amount of effort is put in. GO TO CLASS, GO TO MENTOR SESSIONS, READ THE TEXTBOOK, and MEMORIZE THE SLIDES!
Abbott does not teach the content that is on the tests. He skips through slides very quickly without explaining them. I had to learn the material all on my own. For his lectures he puts one slide on the screen and rambles on about something that does not make sense.
So I ended up changing my major but that was because of another class. Where I ended up dropping this course you can't blame it on Abbott. He is accessible and there are a lot of additional sources to seek help. If you study and talk to Abbott then you will understand and find his lectures interesting. There are plenty of people who do well.
Dr. Abbott obviously knows a lot about biology and is very passionate about it; he just isn't great at conveying it in a "gen ed" sense. He's kind of eccentric and some of his test questions are purposefully written to mislead you. Definitely a doable class, but taught in a way that's more convoluted than it needs to be.
Abbott never gets through more than 4 slides per lecture so the rest of the learning is up to you. Unless you literally read the entire textbook and know the material inside and out, you're in for a tough time on the exams
Dr. Abbott definitely knows a lot about Bio. His lectures can be hard to follow but looking at the slides before/after class makes it more approachable. The textbook is definitely your best friend to understand the material a little better. Know what's on the slides for the exams, they're still very difficult but doable. Extra credit opps too!
Tests focused on a couple topics that he would want you to know well with a healthy mix of tricky questions. Lab was hard but manageable as long as you read the lab manual. I didn't like his style of teaching personally, but others found him inspiring. Also gives extra credit/curve at the end. Overall, a hard but doable class that is way overhyped.
Hated this class. Abbots lectures were pointless - he would go on a tangent about some random topic for 25 minutes + skip around the slides. Exams were extremely difficult and were worded to mess you up. Read the textbook and know it inside out to do well on the exams. Lectures are all over the place and don't help with the exam questions at all.
This class was personally the hardest thing Ive done. If you attend class for extra credit points, go to office hours, and actually read and understand the textbook and slides, youll pass. Don't just rely on lecture because a lot of it was just dragging on one topic that might or might not be nonsense.
Okay so everyone says Abbott is difficult. If you just read the textbook carefully and take notes, exams are pretty easy. The textbook goes into more detail of each process, but the exams test the overall baseline understanding. If you took AP bio, this class is a breeze and if you actually attend the lectures and keep up with reading, you're good
I hated this class. Worst and hardest I've ever taken. Thomas Abbott rants too much about one thing and also expects that everyone knows bio already. READ THE TEXTBOOK!
He will lecture about something irrelevant for the entirety of class and then test you on something completely irrelevant. Good luck
He typically focuses on his love for bio and doesnt explain that well. If he asks questions and people dont know the answer he gets angry. Read the book cause it will help a lot. If you ask for feedback he wont be helpful and is sometimes hard to get in touch with. he skips over 80% of the power point and doesnt explain things well. Good luck.
This course is a lot of work. Between the 5 exams and weekly lab quizzes/reports/practicals it's a lot of studying. Using the PowerPoints to study is good enough. Go to mentoring and tutorials for extra credit and do well in lab. Abbott also curves at the end by about half a letter grade.
Took this class freshman year and Im returning with another comment about this class as a junior. Ive taken higher levels of MCB, orgo classes and I can tell you none came close to the pain I suffered for this class. I put my whole heart into it and Id just keep getting Cs. My advice is that classes get better after this.
I honestly can't understand why so many people have issues with Dr. Abbott. If you put the work in, you WILL do well. Abbott is such a cool professor, his lectures were my absolute favorite. I took this in spring 2020 and like many, was terrified to take the class. But I went to SI, mentoring, read the book, and reviewed power points and did well!
So I had heard a lot about Dr. Abbott coming into the class as a bio freshman. I got an A by going to SI, which he explains in class, reading the textbook, and taking notes. I didn't take AP Bio in high school, so I was nervous, but if you put in work and truly get it, you can succeed. Don't bother going to him for help, go to SI to get that A!
Ok so I have no idea why people have issues with Abbott. He is a SUPER smart guy and he really has a passion for what he teaches, which shows in his lectures. His class is tough, and exams are hard, but with any class if you put in the work you will be fine. I never read the textbook, just use the slides to study and you'll be fine.
When you are taking upper level science classes, you will wish you were back in Abbotts class. Read the book, take good notes, and everything will be okay.
From my experience Abbott is a good professor. He loves what he does and even though I only had this online, it's easy to tell he's passionate about it and does want to help. That aside, this is a really read-heavy class, and while friendly about getting in touch, he still seems very distant. Maybe it's a covid thing. Anyway, this isn't bad!
His lectures are pretty useless. The best bet you have with this class is reading the textbook and going to supplemental instruction/ office hours. The tests aren't as hard as people make them out to be (I take them online though). He's a nice guy but not really a good teacher. You're mostly on your own for this class (which isn't terrible tbh)
BIOL 1107. My favorite class this semester by far. If you put in the work he's actually very interesting to listen to. Before every lecture, I read through and took notes on what he'll be covering. He doesn't address foundational definitions like in the book. Instead he really expands and connects concepts. Also online, exams are open note.
Dr. Abbott is very passionate about what he teaches! He covers a lot of info, as long as you're really solid on the lecture slides from class you'll be okay. Tests are not too difficult if you really nail the slides.
Personally I loved this class, and while I never talked to Abbott one on one, his lectures were great. He teaches synchronously but posts the lecture recording too, and theyre really informative and you can tell hes passionate about bio. He tells you whats important and posts slideshows that contain 90% of the test material. Great teacher!
Loved the class & Abbott is one of the best teachers I've had. His lectures are very intriguing and you learn a lot from them. The exams are content heavy, but if you dedicate effort and time & have a good understanding of each topic, you should do well. Pay attention to everything he says in lecture & read the slides/book. Key: SI sessions!!
Hard to get ahold of and very tough in tests and lectures.
Run-of-the mill class. Abbott is a good, enthusiastic lecturer. You need to read the book a TON, and the exams can have some pretty tricky questions. The exams require a lot, so pay attention and stay up to date with readings. Online lab wasn't too much work, but the quizzes had some pretty tricky questions.
While lecture is not mandatory, you really should attend if you want to do good on his tests. Go to his lectures, read the chapters, and attend the mentoring sessions because they really help you retain the info. Also, consider the lab like another class. Lab has homework and assignments due every week. Try to read ahead and use everything offered.
so hard to reach outside of class, and so difficult to learn, especially online
If you took AP Bio and AP Chem in high school, this class will be a breeze. Not a lot of work, just small weekly quizzes and lab assignments. TA walks you through everything you need a whole week ahead for labs (shoutout Corey, chillest TA I've ever had). If you haven't taken bio before, be prepared for a lottt of material.
READ THE BOOK and make sure you UNDERSTAND the concepts. I say this because the lecture class is basically reading chapters/ slides and the four exams are 50 Qs in 50 mins. Personally do not prefer Abbott's teaching because of the way he explains the content and puts an emphasis on everything. Honestly, the TAs and the SI sessions helped me a LOT.
Abbott very clearly loves the subject he's teaching and he knows a good deal about it. However online, he has the chat feature disable and not being able to ask question during actual lectures is not helpful. His tests are difficult but doable if you read the textbook and pay attention in lectures.
I really enjoyed taking 1107 with professor Abbott. He is clearly very interested in the subject and is engaging during lecture. While it is a relatively hard class, taking the time to pay attention in the lectures, going over concepts in the textbook and attending SI sessions makes things much more manageable. . LOTS of material!! study hard!
literally notorious for being the worst biology professor at UConn. sucks that there is no way out of getting him as a freshman unless you get into honors. doesn't curve any exams, even though everyone fails them (majority is stuff he doesn't go over in class). and don't get me started on the lectures (he doesn't teach anything). good luck boys.
While obviously passionate about what he's teaching, lectures don't nearly cover enough information for you to pass. You have to work hard to study + get good grades on exams, which you will need especially in BIOL1107, which has exams as a huge chunk of the final grade. Some things show up on exams that were never mentioned in lecture. Go to SI.
All disrespect this guy genuinely is the worst teacher of all time and should be stripped as his title as educator. Being in his lectures are like repeatedly being punted in the head. His lectures are boring and he goes on so many tangents and his exams... forget about. Good luck to y'all trying to succeed, praying for you.
Look, the dudes clearly passionate about biology. He just genuinely cannot teach. He gets himself so worked up, it can be very hard to take him seriously. Your grade is based entirely off four exams and lab, making it way harder than it should be. he explains nothing clearly, and really just goes off the rails during lecture. I don't recommend him.
Professor Abbott's lectures are very interesting but the exams are entirely based on the material in the book and on the slides. That being said, once in a while he mentioned a few things in class that were not in the textbook but were on the exam. The class is not impossible but prepare to study hard; the SI sessions/slides really helped.
Listen... He loves biology, you can tell by how he speaks and acts in class. However, he literally just does not know how to say his love for biology in a coherent manner so you can actually learn something in his class. He just goes on these random rants and hops all over the place. You grade is also determined solely on 4 exams and lab.
Prof. Abbott is a nice man in my opinion, but not the best style of professor for me. A lot of people I knew skipped lectures but I think you just have to go to lecture already knowing the info and using him to solidify certain points. My advice is sit up front, ask questions, talk to him after lecture, basically just let him know who you are.
Abbott is a good guy, definitely loves bio. With that being said, he gets through maybe a few slides of material each class and never addresses it again, so you really have to teach yourself the material. My biggest piece of advice: treat the course as if you are learning independently instead of relying only on his lectures! He curves final grades
I already left a review of Abbott but I want to add one thing: our final grade was curved an entire letter grade which saved me from failing this class. I went from a D+ to a C+. Dude's lectures are really dry and he can get all over the place, but in the end he really does want everyone to succeed.
Abbott is a really nice person, especially if you go to office hours, and is very passionate about biology. This doesnt translate to lecture- he covers a small fraction of the material meant to be covered and the rest is up to you. Go to supplemental instruction if you actually want to understand. SI boosted my exam average by about 20 points.
Abbott is passionate about biology. His lectures are not engaging and he can go on tangents. If you skip class, you'll be fine as lectures aren't helpful. Grade based solely on 4 exams and lab. He CURVES final grade almost a whole letter grade. Takeaways: study ahead of time, focus on lecture slides & SI makes content more understandable
Abbott loves bio, but he does a terrible job as professor. He expects you to know the textbook chapter(s) prior to lecture, as if you dont have any other classes or 10 hrs a day for bio. In addition, once you know stuff you have to always go an extra step or more deeper in everything, making tests extremely difficult. No HW, no E.C, just tests!
Heard a lot of bad things about Abbott going into the class, but honestly was not too bad. Its important to read the textbook but the powerpoint and SI slides will save you - the exams primarily come from them. Also, dont fall behind in lab - study for those weekly quizzes and lab practicals, they make up a good chunk of your grade
Dr Abbott is a great professor and a very caring individual. His lectures do not cover all the content, but that is to be expected with the amount of information in the course. Read the book, use the SI questions, and know why every choice in each question is right or wrong and be able to explain that. If you do these things you get an A.
Dr Abbott is a great professor and a very caring individual. This class can be hard if you do not study as you go. Read the book, use the SI questions, and know why every choice in each question is right or wrong and be able to explain that. If you do these things you get an A.
I honestly dont hate him. The class is pretty hard and he goes on the most random tangents that have nothing to do with the topic being taught. The tests are fully multiple choice and there are 4 of them. He has a lot of passion for the subject but youre better off ditching class and going to SI.
When he gives his lecture he breezes through them then tries to connect it to real life sometimes not even making any sense. He doesn't give homework so the only way to do good In that class is to pass all the exams he gives.
Dr. Abbott really definitely lives up to the reputation he has amongst UConn students. Lecture grade is made up of only 4 exams with no opportunities for extra credit. Study hard for lab quizzes and practicals, doing well on those basically saved my grade. I found it most helpful to use his slides and YouTube videos to study for exams.
The lectures are certainly not mandatory, but he occasionally tries to hammer home topics that will be on the exams so they aren't completely useless. Use the lecture slides he posts online, and you should be fine. SI sessions are great. If the SI PowerPoints are posted online, you pretty much can just show up on exam day.
Dr. Abbott's teaching style takes some getting used to. He is not very clear with what will be on the exam and often rambles during lectures. What really helped me is SI, the practice questions mimic the style of the exams very well. Either read the textbook or his slides, he often won't finish going through them but you are expected to know it.
I went to S.I, had a tutor, and met with him multiple times. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS WITH HIM. TAKE CLINE you will regret it if you dont. DOnt end up with a W like me.
If you arent in honors, definitely take Kline. Abbott is extremely passionate and the people i met in that class were great. I went to SI, did cengage, and memorized the slides for each exam. Def have to work for ur grade, lab is also not easy unless ur TA is an easy grader. I like abbott as a person, class content was just hard.
Gets a lot of undeserved hate. Passionate about the subject and makes lectures fairly interesting. You have to work really hard for the class but if you're willing to do so (read the textbook, review lecture slides weekly, study for exams) it's really not that bad.
Abbot's class is very simple, we're told to know everything on the slides, so that's what you need to study. If you are confused read the text book for more info because it perfectly aligns with the slides. Lecture is based on 4 exams and lab is a more work but it's not difficult. If you care about learning bio and study you'll be fine!
I think he gets a lot of undeserved hate. If you study and can memorize his slides you will be fine. His test questions are multiple choice and super straightforward if you just study the slides. His lectures are interesting because he is so passionate and he loves talking to students. I would take him again 100%.
Many people rate this course as insanely difficult. However, if you are a science major, this class was a joke compared to the science courses you have to take for your major. If you think this is hard, take MCB 2000 or PNB 3265 and let me know your thoughts on BIOL 1107.
Dr. Abbott is by far the worst professor I have had so far at Uconn. The material is not necessarily difficult, but Abbott goes over less than 30% of material in lectures, so you are basically required to teach yourself the remaining 70% of material. Exams are basically impossible, even if you study for hours.
I emailed Dr. Abbott about an exam question and didn't receive a response from him until a week later, that was after emailing both my TA and the lab director. His exams go over very niche information of the slides so it is helpful to memorize them and know the slides the best you can. Other than that, Dr. Abbott was an interesting lecturer.
Abbott isn't horrible but if you have the option, def choose Kline. He goes on tangents a lot in his lectures and the exams are pretty hard and not straight forward at all, however it was a 10 point curve at the end. He's not bad, the class is just really hard but then again he is not the best lecturer and could provide more material to help us.
There's an air on campus of how scary his class is and it isn't true.His lectures (while unhelpful for exams) were entertaining, and the balance between exams and the lab grade was MORE than reasonable for final grade calculation. His slides tell you everything you need to know. Use flashcards and memorize them. If you plan on taking PNB take him.
Lectures are very boring and exams have material that were not covered in lecture.
This class has changed my perspective on biology. He really emphasizes understanding why the body functions the way it does as opposed to memorization. He always made himself available to clarify anything I misunderstood from the lecture, and his enthusiasm is contagious. He really understands the material, and loves sharing his knowledge.
He's clearly passionate but he's not the best at the teaching part. The class moves insanely fast and you basically have to teach yourself and memorize super long slideshows before the Exams. Lectures are useful but only to a point. The lecture grade is made of 4 exams with 50 multiple choice questions each. I've heard he curves grades but idk.
Don't even bother going to lectures they are so hard to follow. Your best bet is using the supplemental instructor's slides. Way easier to understand. Tests are formatted like "A and C. A B and C. Neither. All. A B C D." no partial credit so its always a guessing game. He seems stressed when lecturing.
Very interesting class. Abbott is very passionate and knowledgeable about it. Grades liberally and the quizzes are open note + internet so not hard w/ good notes. 2 big projects are the majority of the grade but they are not hard just time consuming. Highly recommend to any mcb majors (especially if you need a rec letter b/c it's a small class)
AVIOD AT ALL COSTS unless you want to end up with W like me
DO NOT TAKE ABBOTT! Lectures are not given on exam content - be prepared to learn completely on your own. He is disorganized and goes on tangents about irrelevant things (a few times about peanut butter). He puts things on the exam that aren't even in the course notes or textbook - and he makes you buy the textbook HE wrote. Avoid AT ALL COSTS!
I should've listened to my friends when they said not to take Abbott. Biggest mistake of my life. But if you like waking up at 9 in the morning and being degraded and feeling stupid before you even wake up, definitely take the class! He'll mention a term that isn't related anywhere to the slides and then yell at us when we don't know the answer
I genuinely don't think that Abbott's 1107 is that hard. Anyone who says he is hard doesn't have good studying techniques. However, I would be remiss to not admit that his lecture isn't helpful for exams. I haven't been to class since the first class when he went over the syllabus. And yes, I really do have an A+.
Abbott's a nice enough guy, his teaching style just doesn't work for me. I never understood the exams, regardless of how long I studied; I took the final exam without studying, and that's the best grade I got. Only really learned in this class through the lab portion, which was great. Interesting guy, not a great lecturer.
I felt like i taught myself the class even thought I attended all of the lectures. Abbott skips a lot of material so it feels impossible to keep up unless you have previous knowledge. He expects students to know things that almost no students have ever learned. very difficult.
Read the textbook. The lectures are entertaining.
He is the worst professor at UConn. His eyebrows will scare you. If you do not do well on the 4 exams, you're screwed. There's no point in attending lecture unless you want to be told to eat the bamboo off the wall or just screamed at for not knowing an answer. Don't email him because he won't answer.
Do anything u can to avoid this class. Lectures are useless. Exams r essentially impossible as each chapter has about 60-90 slides and u must pick the MOST correct answer. Ex. u will receive no credit if u choose "a" and the answer was "a and c". (this is how most questions are structured). Exams and lab are ur only grades so u better study hard.
if you actually talk to abbott after class and get to know him, you will realize that he is a really great person and wants his students to succeed. if you want to do well on his exams (which you will have to if you want to do well in the class), then memorize the textbook. you can't cram for abbotts exams and do well in lab because it will carry.
Abbott's lectures were very interesting, but do not cover exam material at all. I memorized the textbook inside and out and could not do better than a C on exams. Lab will save your grade. Almost 80% of exam questions are ones with multiple answers ("a & c" or "all of the above") so you need to know everything about concepts to do well.
Dr. Abbott is very passionate about biology, you could tell during lecture. However, lecture isn't needed. To do well on the exams, memorize the lecture slides and go to SI. The exams are difficult. Also do well in lab because your lab grade will boost your overall grade in the class.
This class is pretty hard, and grades are mostly based off of 4 exams and lab. If you study the slides sets heavily and watch videos you will do fine on the exams. If you don't get higher than an 80 on exams and you do well in lab you will end up with a B+ or an A. The only annoying thing is lectures are hard to follow bc he does go on tangents.
Abbott gets too much slack. I can admit that he is not the best professor. He definitely has high expectations for his students but he always willing to answer questions. He encouraged students to ask/answer questions in class and would never make them feel stupid if they got it wrong. He really does want his students to succeed.
Abbott isn't all that bad. Memorize your slides, because a lot of the questions are word for word from the slides. You don't need lecture, but it helps with making the connections across units and across classes tbh. ATTEND SI. Abbott is also a great guy: really understanding and is truly there to help. Also: READ THE TEXTBOOK BEFORE LECTURE!
Lectures were hard to follow as he frequently went on tangents. Going to class isnt required if you read the textbook (full of grammatical errors) and study his powerpoints. Exams were difficult, but you can get >100 in lab and offset low exam grades. Its clear that hes passionate about bio and helping students but the class can feel overwhelming.
I heard a lot of bad things about Abbot, but his class was actually quite easy. He explained everything we really needed for the exams in lecture, and sometimes would give the exact questions that would be on the exam in class. I would suggest doing the Tophat questions, and he also curves the final grade.
This course can be very smooth, but it can be very hard if you start to get behind. Abbott's lectures were easy to follow if you are focused the entire time, he says a lot of important things that are not on the slides so be aware. UTILIZE OFFICE HOURS! He is very passionate about the course and is very caring, which makes it more manageable.
He is very passionate about this class and biology in general but it doesn't help with the class. The lectures are basically pointless and there are multiple lecture slides that you must memorize to get a passing grade on the exams. If you have an option, take Clyne, because even though her exams are hard, her teaching skills are better. Go to SI.
His lectures give like half the information on the slides, better off going to SI and taking notes on the slides. The TopHat homework questions are similar to the exam questions and are helpful. Also the lab is super easy and a big grade booster if you don't do well on exams.
His 1107 was hard and unfair compared to the other bio 1107 class with Kline!! His textbook (he wrote himself) is filled with typos and makes no sense, no extra credit, not really any HW to balance your grade. There's 4 exams that have an average of ~70% (no curve). bad lectures but slides are important. I say AVOID HIM if possible
Abbott is not that bad; gives a good curve in the lab and lecture. I wish I knew how to space out my studying, though, and went to his office hours. I would mainly look at the slides and textbooks. He goes on tangents so its hard to keep up and there's a lot of self-studying, though.
I was nervous taking his class because of the amount of bad reviews but he was the easiest course this semester. Really down to earth and approachable. Little reading (20 mins/chapter HW attached w/ 3 chances) recommend reading before lecture but his lecture is all you need for the exams. SI really helps but he is avail before/after & office hours.
I would not recommend this professor.!!
Generally known as one of the toughest professors at UConn, I found early on that attending lectures is irrelevant to doing well in the course, and have self studied on Khan academy or by attending SI sections since Exam 1. If you can, take 1107 with Kline.
Abbott wasn't a bad professor, just a bad lecturer. Definitely look over the textbook pages and lecture slides that you will be focusing on in the next lecture. He barely teaches the information and makes more real-world connections and connections to prior and future chapter. For exams, look at textbook and slides, also going to SI helps a ton.
TAKE ABBOT OVER KLINE: Abbot is better than Kline. Abbot's exams are difficult, but they are really easy to understand once you go to SI. After the first exam, I can guarantee you will get As and Bs in the next exams. I have friends from Kline who have to RETAKE bio1107 because of how difficult her exam questions are. Do not take Kline.
Abbot is one of the friendliest professors I have ever taken. Contrary to what students believe, his exams are not hard. It is near high school AP Biology level. Study, ask questions, go to SI. You will ace this class.
So many people dislike Abbot, but that's because of their study methods, not the issue with the professor. I am a student majoring in puppetry and have no idea what mitosis even meant until taking this class as a junior. If I, having absolutely no background knowledge of biology, can ace this class, you can too. Go to SI and office hours. Easy A.
This is a self taught class if you care about your grades and want to learn. His lectures are a WASTE of time: all he does is ramble. His exams are incredibly unfair; if you think you know the topics well, no you don't. You have to learn how to take HIS exams. He won't finish lecture material in time for exams. GO TO SI!!! and watch YouTube.
Attend SI. Lectures are not worth going to, since he rambles a lot. Take with Kline if possible.
This class is very dense with a lot of content, but it is not paced very well and Abbott doesn't get teach all content for exams. I highly recommend the SI instructor sessions and study groups outside of class to prepare. Lab and HW give a good buffer for your grade but 50% does come down to the 4 exams. It is a good class and you learn a lot.
Anyone who says this class was "surprisingly easy" is a good test taker, because it is not easy. The grading in this class is unfair, it's almost solely based on 4 exams and the exams are hard, even with extra studying. Lab quizzes help your grade only if you do good on most of them, and those are difficult as well. Attend SI and watch Youtube!
Professor Abbot is the most difficult professor I have had. His lectures do not cover the material on the exams and the lecture portion of the class is based solely on exam grades. The other grades from the course come from the lab section, which are also very difficult. Abbott expects his students to read the textbook and teach themselves.
If you have the option, take Klein. Abbott is a kind guy who obviously cares about bio but his tests are actually impossible. if you think you know the material: no you don't. I went to all his lectures and studied for weeks and would be getting 70s on all the tests. I would suggest going to SI but even that couldn't save me .. lol
Don't take this professor, his tests were extremely specific questions and his textbook was confusing. His lectures are big, but you can't hear him speak even if you sit up close in the front and I stopped going after the first week. If you can take the other professor
Abbott is a very complex professor. During his lecture time all he talks about is concepts instead of the actual material at hand. He expects students to already come to lecture with knowledge based on the syllabus chapters. Exam are the only grading criteria besides lab.
Thomas Abbot has to be the worst professor to ever work at the university of connecticut. His exams are impossible, he almost got fired his students grades were so low, and he has caterpillar eyebrows. DO NOT TAKE ANY CLASSES WITH HIM
worse teacher I've had, literally doesn't teach anything in lecture. has PowerPoints but then yaps for half the class about one and then skips 10 slides. you're going to have to basically teach yourself everything. mind you i took an intro biology class and it was just like he assumed we'd understand everything just because he has a PhD in bio.
if you are not going to have atleast 10+ hours committing for this class do NOT TAKE THIS CLASS WITH HIM! you wont be getting good grades unless you go above and beyound! the exams are extremely hard and do yourself a favor and dont take this class with HIM.
DO NOT TAKE THIS MAN. Most horrific experience of my life. Take Kline. His test are virtually impossible. You can study for weeks and weeks and not break a 70. Ended with a B because I worked soooo hard in lab. Lab quizzes are also awful, but if you have a good TA you're set. Good luck.
PLEASE AVOID HIM IF POSSIBLE!!! Tests are impossible and he knows that and takes pride in failing students. the curve is good but that's the only redeeming quality. I have nightmares about his class. If you think you know the content, no you don't. Please take Kline if you enjoy your life
For future students, here's a guide on how I got an A: Memorize lecture slides Read the textbook Look at the SI slides Take the practice quizzes and use this to figure out which topics you are weak on Study for lab quizzes before you take them This course will give you good study techniques and prepare you well for medical school.
I read his reviews and thought that it couldn't possibly be that bad,maybe you just have to study more. But how wrong I was. If you want a class where you have to remember every bullet of 5 consecutive 80-slide powerpts, then this is the one for you. He is proud of failing grades. Almost nothing he talks about in lectures ends up on the exams.
This class takes serious commitment, but with the right study methods it can be manageable. Attend lectures, use the textbook, and try unstuckstudy ai - it really helps supplement the course material.
I took this class 3 years ago and I'm still traumatized.
The worst professor I've ever had! I knew this course was going to be hard but his exams are nearly impossible. I study 30 hours a week, go to SI and have a personal tutor for his class and still am struggling to pass a single exam.
Even though Kline is "easier", I recommend Abbott for those interested in learning about practical applications of bio to the human body. This class is challenging, especially for a general course, but Abbott is passionate about biology and it helped me stay engaged. All exam info comes from slides and make sure you understand the pictures too.
lots of studying
If you ever consider depending on a professor to actually learn the material, look elsewhere. Abbott spends a ton of time talking about irrelevant things, skipping slides, and making sure you leave the classroom knowing less than you did when you got there. Look through SI materials, go to exam reviews, and study, study, study!
Abbott is not bad. The Lab manager Rebecca Newcomer is absolutely terrible. She clearly can care less about you or any students and should not be working in anything people related as she is just a terrible person.
Worst professor ever. Abbott's lectures make no sense and his exams are impossible even after attending SI and tutoring and studying for hours. I think the class average is about 40%. Take Kline if at all possible.
I've never met a professor who genuinely doesn't care about his students as much as Abbott. The entire class seems like it's built around his interests and preferences. Lectures are full of rambles that include nothing useful for the exams. Your entire grade is made up of 4 exams making it incredibly hard to redeem your grade if you preform badly.
don't take him he is the worst professor ever. He spends his lecture times talking about nothing, he skips slides, he gives no opportunities to redeem a bad grade, he is truly unfair and should stop teaching. I study everyday at least 20-30hrs a week studying and i still get a low grade on exams.
no just no
He really isn't that bad people are very dramatic abt it for no reason like you just have to use the SI resources and you will be fine. The lectures are helpful like 50% of the time. Also he is horrible abt replying to emails so just talk to him after lecture. I would recommend trying to get a different prof but if you can't it's not a big deal.
Everyone makes Abbott out to be worse- he's not a good lecturer, but he's not a bad person. Definitely time consuming, and NEED to go to SI. Course is very content-heavy, but manageable if willing to dedicate the time. If you read over the slides, take in depth notes, and go to SI, you should do fine on exams, plus lab counts for half the grade.
If you want to know about proteins go for it! Does he explain everything else in the entire course? Absolutely not.
Lectures are full of aimless rambling about stuff that won't be on the exams, slides are so hard to comprehend it makes note taking impossible, and exams are super confusing. Take another professor if possible.
Tough class. Be prepared to study the slides and read the textbook. Watch YouTube videos to help. His lectures don't really help, so go to SI! The instructors are incredibly nice and supply lots of resources. Lab isn't terrible as long as you have a great TA. Study, read, and study more.
This class requires A LOT of outside effort. His lectures and slides were not helpful at all, I didn't even use them for the last few exams. SI is helpful, but you need to do more than just go to SI. Youtube videos saved me with this class.
There's a reason he has the reputation he does. All of his exams are very content heavy, and for those who have taken AP Bio, this is more content in half the time.
no matter how hard you study you will still get a low grade, skips most slides and rants about random things not pertaining to the lecture and test material. he is a nice man but should not be teaching this class, do good in lab it will help your grade at least by a whole letter
Such a hard class. Read the textbook, look over the lecture slides, and (I cannot stress this enough) go to Supplemental Instruction!!! Nice guy who is passionate about bio, but not the best lecturer. If you attend SI then the lectures aren't necessary imo.
I heard the horror stories of Prof. Abbott but i couldn't have known how bad the class was gonna be. Lecture will not help you. I started doing better in his class when i stopped going to lecture. The one thing id say to anyone who has this class is do well in lab. Make sure on the lab quizzes you get 80+ because its worth 45% of the final grade
He often goes on tangents and doesn't cover the material necessary on the slides. SI was helpful in getting the big picture, however learning and memorizing is up to you. Tests were difficult and I felt that there was always material we weren't prepared for. He is extremely kind and generous, not the best teacher. Gives a great curve though.
Dr. Abbott is a professor I'd try to avoid. He often goes on tangents and doesn't cover the material well. His tests are fair, but you'll need to learn most the material on your own or go to SI. I recommend joining the 1107 tutoring program, my tutor helped a lot and was key to my grade. Lab counts for 40%, so do well to boost your grade.
I never bought the textbook.I never read.I only did the questions in the textbook for the last three units. Started the free trail 3rd unit I think. If you time it right you don't have to buy the textbook either. Shits like $90 bucks or something and I think her wrote it. MEMORIZE the slides. If you think "this won't be on the exam" ur wrong
Ask questions, go to office hours, and go to SI if needed. If you put in the work, you'll do fine in this class. If a question on an exam is worded weird, just ask for clarification. If you recognize what you need to practice before exams, you'll do fine on them.
People make it sound harder than it is. You teach yourself, I used SI slides and filled the gaps w Abbotts slides bc he would include random facts ab animals you need to know. 78 1st exam then all 90+. Have to discipline yourself/take the time to study all the content/teach yourself how to take his exams, I went to office hours to figure that out..
Dr. Abbott tried to fill me full of his genetic information
To succeed in class, it's crucial to study independently and utilize outside resources like SI slides and quizzes. Asking questions after class is also recommended as he is more direct. I recommend Pre-med students to take Abbott over Klein, as he teaches practical application of learning. He's super nice and gives grandpa vibes. 10/10
No just no. just take Kline its really not worth it.
I love this man so much. Is he passionate? yes. Too passionate? debatable. Can you hear him well? no. Do I still love him? yes. You just have to match his energy, lock in on the information, believe in yourself and you will do well. This mans love for this topic is inspiring.
Just please try to switch to Kline if you can.
Abbotts class is hard but there are ways to do well you just have to figure out how to studyASAP Take lab seriously you can get above 100. Use SI slides first.Then go through Abbotts slides for little details because he puts little details on the exams. You have to study a lot. A lot of memorization. His tests are hard multiple answers can be right
Biology department has a lot of questionable characters, Abbott is at the top. Yes you can get an A, but be ready to self-teach more than anything. It's genuinely just not worth the trouble for an introductory course. Take it with Kline if you can. If you can't, then wait another semester for an earlier pick time.
This is the worst professor at UConn. He made gen bio into a nightmare. Lectures weren't helpful and only had exams. He doesn't even help you when you ask him for help and will not email you back. He simply thinks it's funny if you fail his class. He thinks an average of 60 is a good grade. Also half his exams have options of A, C, B, A or B . A
Dr. Abbott's class has students that either really enjoy his class or hate it. His exams are challenging and ambiguous, but if you put effort outside of class you'll be fine. It's a weed-out course so it's going to be tough but fun for anyone who likes bio. It's definitely not as bad as people make it out to be.
not as bad as people make him out to be. Memorize his lecture slides. In my opinion, lecture was a waste of time, I just studied on my own time. Quizlet and YouTube videos helped a lot. You get used to his tests and know what to study for. My problem was lab. With a bad lab TA, expect to have a rough semester.
His lecture are all over the place, but don't get me wrong he teaches well. But there are only 4 exams and no extra credit. You have to depend on the lab to pass the class.
Tests are purposely made to trick you and mess with your head so make sure you really know your stuff when heading into the exam. Not much of a teacher, just spends the whole class reading off of a slide. All his exams are 50 multiple choice which can be a pro or a con, it was more of a con for me. Wouldn't recommend.
Definitely a tough class, I stopped going to lecture bc they were pretty unhelpful and he just went on tangents which was frustrating. I spent most of the time studying the content on my own. Tests were tricky, if u do good in lab you should be fine (granted u have a good lab TA like I did) take advantage of SI and the tutoring program!
DO NOT TAKE BIO 1107 WITH THIS MAN. Abbott made everything in this class 10000x harder than it had to be. To put it into perspective, on our first exam on the semester, he said that our section had the highest class average he's seen in his career. Our class average for that exam was in the 60s. So take that for what it's worth.
This class is difficult and the reason I am switching out of stem. You really have to work for the grade but that doesn't mean its impossible. Grade is based on three exams, lab, and textbook questions. The textbook is only so helpful so attend SI and use other outside resources. The first exam may go poorly but don't let that discourage you.
If you don't want to dedicate an inordinate amount of time before finals week studying for this class don't take this class. The first three exams are fine but the last one is brutal so don't take this class especially if you have to study for other harder classes simultaneously. Lecture isn't helpful but make sure to look through all his slides.
Abbott is not a bad professor, in my opinion. The class was good. I learned a lot, and he is very passionate about the topic. If you took AP Bio in high school, this class will be a breeze. Grade is based on Exams = 50%, Lab = 45%, and practice questions = 5%. The practice questions are in the same online platform as textbook - TopHat. Just study.
Definitely hate this man with a passion and think he was one of the worst teachers ive had at UCONN. What makes me the most mad is that his class is so much harder than Kline [the other bio 1107] and he puts questions and ideas on the test that have never been mentioned in class or lecture.
Here is a guide to how to scrape by his class: 1. Try switching out to Kline if possible, she sets her students up for success 2. STUDY FOR LAB QUIZZES 3. Go to SI or review slideshows first 4. READ EVERYTHING ON HIS SLIDES, do whiteboard regurgitation 5. Important things said in lecture, write those down. Will learn how to study 100%
honestly horrible exams, would study for days and days and then get at best a 50%. but at the end of the semester he gave an insane curve to everyone so i would not panic as much as you probably will be
This class was the hardest for me this semester. I was studying for weeks in advance for the tests and still couldn't do well on the tests. Lectures were never helpful as he always skips through material. Tests are bad and often don't include what you studied. Made it through the course, but my advice would be to not take Abbott unless you have to.
Abbott is honestly a very nice man who is passionate about biology, he just simply does not know how to teach. He goes off on tangents that are not related to what we need to be learning for the exams. I studied SO much for this class and still did terrible on the exams. My TA Prachi was TERRIBLE. Avoid if you can!
This class is rigorous and requires a lot of self teaching since Abbott is not a great lecturer. Exams are hard but lab will bring your grade up. IMO unless you are pre-med don't take Abbott and take Kline instead. If you are pre-med this class is great because it sets you up for a very great foundation especially if you end up taking A&P.
This class is very time-consuming and you will have to self-teach but if you put in the work you will do okay!! Do your best in lab, especially on the lab quizzes. Before taking this class the reviews scared me and I didn't think I would make it however if you take advantage of the resources provided then you will be fine.
He uses a textbook that he wrote himself so it's just as confusing as lecture, he rambles all the time about things that aren't related, and 50% of your grade is based on his exams that often have questions on things never once talked about. No extra credit, just do well in lab, do the homework, and review lecture slides often.
He explains material with examples nobody understands unless they have a heavy science background. Then, the textbook, which is written by him, does the exact same thing. The exam questions are weirdly worded and require a deeper understanding of the material.
This man's class tested my will to live. I will never forget his first lecture, where he spent most of the class discussing a rock. He is very passionate for sure, but unfortunately spends most of the lecture time speaking on his passion for biology instead of teaching us content to prepare us for his exams. No amount of studying was enough.
Barely taught us biology talked more about his passion for biology. I'd pay attention all class and come out with no information obtained. He speaks so confusingly
Has gotten better over the years. Just watch SI videos and take notes on the slides. Make sure to do the tophat questions.
dont do it.
Loves what he teaches. You need to put in the work out of class to fully understand the concepts. SI is very helpful. Not good at answering emails but is very nice. He asks questions in class but forgets to answer them. Good diagrams and his book is helpful if you need more details and he has linked videos in the additional resources section.
Dr. Abbott is a very boring lecturer, and he often does not finish going over his slides during class. He also uses his own textbook for the course that says basically the same as what he says in class. The exams were difficult, but it was possible to get a good grade if you memorized almost everything on the slide.
Not as awful as people might say. Exams require a good amount of studying but your grade is 50% lab so that helps a lot. Nothing he says in lecture is important. Just take notes on his slides, go to SI, and you'll be fine.
Horrible. Don't take this class if you don't have a background in biology. Practically unreachable when you email him, he rambles a lot during his lectures. Exams are the worst part, question options are either: A B C D AB AC AD all of the above none of the above. Mind you, he tells us proudly how the exam avg is 60> and how it's the best he's had.
He is terrible. Lectures are pointless as he just rambles about nothing, exams are multiple choice but the options are stupid like "Both A and D", I ended up withdrawing because I was failing. However you can get a decent grade if you do REALLY well in the labs, but I also hated the lab portion for this course.
Abbott is a very passionate, but a terrible teacher. There is no extra credit, no homework, only four gruesome tests. The exams center on niche topics from his old textbook, as if the goal is to make sure everyone buys and reads the one he wrote decades ago. You WILL have to study 8+ hours to even think about passing a test. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!
One of the worst professors at UConn. Exams relate little to material discussed, and questions are worded very odd to confuse you. He rarely gets through all of the material that he is supposed to, and will skip half a topic if he doesn't finish on time. He relies on SI instructors to do his job for him and teach the material that he doesn't cover.
He is an amazing lecturer and definitely a brilliant man. His tests require critical thinking, which a lot of students aren't used to. If you actually want to learn Biology and be healthily challenged to learn from a great professor, take him. If you like pure memorization more, take Elizabeth Kline. She is great too.
If you're not religious pick a religion and start praying. Nothing you do will ever be enough for this class. He doesn't teach most of the material that he puts on the exams. Amazing SI though!!!
Ok I don't think he's as bad as people say. If you didn't take AP Bio, definitely don't recommend him. I did well in this course but I also think I just got lucky. A lot of smart people have a hard time w/him. Lab makes up 45% (easy). HW makes up 5% (very easy). Def take Kline if you can, but if you get stuck with Abbott you're not 100% screwed.
I was NOT prepared for this class. Prior AP Bio/Human Bio knowledge would've been helpful, instead i took f-ing plant bio in HS. For the exams, you're gonna need to know the topics front/back, left/right, top/bottom. His exams are multiple choice with A & B, B & C, all of the above, etc, and they trick everyone. Lectures irrelevant for the exams.
run. if you're stuck with abbott you might as well wait til next semester. if you've never really had to study, this is gonna be the wake-up call of the century. when the semester begins, you should already be preparing for the exam.
Everyday I would question my will to live because of this class.His exams are basically impossible and you will have to solely rely on SI to explain each topic. If you have to take it with him prepare for WAR. The only way to pass is to do well in lab and study for DAYS for the exams. Oh...he also doesn't curve any of the exams.
If you are taking Abbotts class, please do not fall to the hysteria. YES, you need to put in some work. But this does not mean that his class is crazy. He is very sweet, professional, and responsive. His lectures are very entertaining and make for some funny moments. If you go to SI, you'll be fine. Exams are difficult but not crazy; Lab worth 40%.
While it is very clear Abbott is a passionate and intelligent individual, his exams were nightmare fuel. Be prepared to study for hours only to receive 50 and have him tell you this class average was "excellent". Rarely answered my emails pertaining to questions and taught from his own textbook...yeah.
this class haunts me
This is the absolute worst class in my whole life. Never have I thought about jumping off the top of Homer Babbidge library more until taking this class. He makes NO SENSE and his lectures are more confusing than life itself. Even studying for days his exams are impossible to do well on. Your grade is literally based on the 4 exams.
If you take his class, you'll just have to teach yourself the material. He teaches his intro course as if students already know the material. If you're someone who works better without guidance or on your own than this might be the professor for you. He does curve the grades at the end.
Your grade is literally based off the lab and 4 tests and that's it so if you want to teach yourself biology for a semester go ahead but if you need a professor to teach you, take someone else
lost my will to live after this class. jumped for joy one the last day.
The class is difficult. It is very information dense and he likes to ramble. It is not impossible but def need to know how to use active recall. he doesn't answer emails, best bet is to talk to him in class. Do good in lab and try your best on the exams and you should be fine overall. The exams are 50% of your grade and lab is 45%.
Easier than people say. Have hope. Grades by four exams and lab. In class quizzes are given that are not worth anything, but are beneficial for practice questions/getting a hang of the question type even if he gives quizzes before you learn material. SI slides posted are helpful. All of the information is on his slideshows, worth looking at.
This class was genuinely the worst thing I've ever experienced. Never have I wanted to run into the middle of N Eagleville Road more than on the days I had his class. He rambles on about proteins and unrelated garbage, he teaches out of his own textbook, and is impossible to understand. It felt like being in a psych ward with schizophrenic man.
If you gave me the option of wiping my behind with sandpaper while flipping of the Sentinelese while simultaneously bouncing on ape dih and taking this class again I would ask you to tell me what brand of sandpaper you want me to use. You are going to teach yourself throughout this entire course and the SI slides will be your best friends.
bro made his own textbook using text to speech so its just like his lectures: rambling and confusing. This class will only make sense if you've already taken (and understood) a biology course. going to lectures made me more confused and they barley covered the topics the test was on. I would study for weeks, understand material and not do well.
I found his lecture was pretty rambling, but attendance isn't required, which is great. People will complain about Abbot about the difficulty of his exams which have A B C D, A and B, C and A style questions, which require you to understand the concept fully. However, at the end of the day it's a BIOL 1107 class and is reasonable in difficulty
You need to study outside of this class to do well. You don't need to go to the lectures, but he will say stuff that will be on the exam that will not be in the lecture slides. Overall difficult class, but I thought it was fine.
Don't even go to lecture. Grade is based solely on 4 exams+lab. 1 exam covers 200-350 slides of material. You need to deeply know every slide because he asks about extremely small details. My friend and I would study INTENSELY for a week leading up to exams and pull an 80 only IF you got lucky. Others who say it's not bad must've taken AP bio.
Ur grade is based on literally 4 tests and the lab so it's a lot of work and you need to study a bunch but Abbott himself isn't horrible he just yaps on and on and his TA is annoying iykyk but its pretty standard bio.
Lectures weren't great because he would ramble on tangents and only get through 3/60 slides, but they did get a lot better later in the semester. The textbook is written by him so it's not much help. I had 2 different tutors and had to spend 15+ hours studying for exams, so it's possible to succeed in this class but it'll be really hard. Good luck
dr abbott is a nice guy who is passionate about biology. his exam questions can be somewhat unwarranted but overall his exams were pretty much covered by his slides & lectures. GO TO SI and you should be fine
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