2.3
Quality4.3
Difficulty25%
Would Retake85
Reviews25%
Would Retake
85
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
10
4
14
3
10
2
14
1
37
What Students Say
“The first day of his class he told us it was not his job to teach and he really does feel this way”
CHEM122 - 1.0 rating“I hate to write a review such as this”
CHEM123 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
47%
Textbook Required
53%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.51 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM121
3.0
(20)CHEM395
2.5
(2)CLAB103
2.5
(2)CHEM4
2.5
(2)CHEM122
2.2
(49)Difficulty by Course
CHEM395
5.0
CHEM101
5.0
CHEMCHEM
5.0
CHEM124
5.0
CHEM123
4.5
Reviews (85)
Sommerfeld is NOT RECOMMENDED at all!!!! He doesn't want to help you, and if you ask him a question - he expects that you already know what you are talking about and is very rude in his responses. His accent is hard to understand at times, and he is unwilling to provide sufficient assistance in order for you to understand the subject.
this class is simple and he doesn't help to much but his test are easy as can be. he has an accent but o well chemistry rox my sox
DO NOT TAKE!!!! This is a very rude and inconsiderate man! He assumes that you know everything about the class, so he refuses to help you when you are lost! Once again, DO NOT TAKE!!!!!
I 100% recommend him.I took Chem 122 the 1st time & made an F, then I took Dr. Sommerfeld and made an B+! Read the text, do your work, and GO TO HIS OFFICE when you have legitimate questions. He lets you use notes on exams & appreciates hard work.If you are willing to work for your grade,take Dr. Sommerfeld. He has a cool German/British accent too!
talks way to low, very good teacher, explains things well, although the tests are way to difficult, its like yea i get everything in class, but this is only an introduction to what is on the test, veyr hard expects way to much from chem 122, had us doing resonance and organic reactions blah
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is very adamant about you the student understanding everything on your own. I went to his office for help and he opened our textbook and pointed to a problem. He almost NEVER finishes problems on the board, and when a girl in my class asked him to complete a rather difficult problem he scoffed at her and said "Well, I know how to do it." :(
He's very smart...yet doesn't seem to interested in teaching. A high undertone of arrogance, but still will help, but only mildly. You will need to study your textbook a large amount. Downsides-makes you work. Positives-he makes you think, which would probably be more appreciated by Chem. majors such as myself for future research prep.
This teacher is absolutely ridiculous!!!!PLEASE DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!!!He gives the most ridiculous finals and midterms.He tells us to study the lab reports and pre lab reports...and when you get to class to take the flipping final it has nothing to do with anything!!AVOID HIM WITH ALL YOU GOT!!!
He is a nice guy, and very smart. His midterm and final are way to hard. I would not take him, but if he is your last option, its really not that bad.
Okay straight up, I like the dude. His class was EXTREMELY easy. I mean come on people. It is a lab. His midterm and final is extremely easy because he lets you right a FULL page of any type of notes. The people who said this is hard just suck at writing down correct notes. I mean, he doesn't even give quizzes. COME ON!
This guy is not for those who do not want to work hard. He is extremely unhelpful unless you know what you are doing. DO not take him for freshman Chemistry I dropped him because he was absolutley horrific.
This is the worst teacher I have ever had!!! He does not teach what will be on the tests! He assumes you know all of this before coming to class and gives you homework due online before he even "teaches" us what it is. The homework or anything we talk about in class IS NOT ON THE TEST! It is useless!! DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!
A real rating: He is from Germany so he does have an accent & speaks kinda low (so sit in front of class). He also has a dry humor & people sometimes misread him. He's a very kind & caring person. He WANTS you to do well. Visit his office for help. Chemistry is hard. Your in college. He'll make you work but it's great practice for later in college
He is really tough from the start, so be prepared to study. Not everything just "comes" right away. He's pretty clear and interesting to listen to in class, but his tests are rather challenging. He lets you bring one page of notes, so fill that thing up as much as possible. But don't think you can get away without studying.
This has got to be the worst teacher at southeastern, if thats what you want to call what he is doing. He does not explain anything well at all. He gives you a page of notes...because he cannot teach! Why does SELU have this man on staff is my real question....avoid this guy like the plague! Assigns homework that is due before he explains it??????
Look He's not as bad as everyone says he is. He puts important topics on the board. Take notes well. Use your one sheet of notes for the test wisely. He's not the easiest teacher but Chemistry is not the easiest subject. If You STUDY you should at least get a B..
chemistry is hard no matter who you take! you have to study, get extra help if you need it, etc. i have a B right now and i absolutely cannot stand chem and can barely stay awake but this guy wants you to do well, go to SI sessions, get help from his office, ask questions in class. he encourages it! tests are hard but come straight from notes!STUDY
Sommerfield is not a bad teacher.. he lets u use a page of notes for the test and assigns homework thats worth a test grade.. if u study and put in the necessary effort a b should be easily obtainable..
Worst professor I have ever had. You will understand something one day and be completely lost the next. My class started out with over 120 students and at drop date was about 40. He scares you the first day by telling you you are going to fail. Very unhelpful and acts like that is the only class you have.
Gives you a full page of notes for the tests. opportunity for bonus on every test and he drops the lowest one. offers to answer questions before EVERY class to help students, but nobody ever asked. you MUST go to class, or you will fall behind easily. it helps TREMENDOUSLY to read a few pages ahead in the book. just do as he says and youll do fine.
Very tough teacher. He does give you a full page of notes, but the test are pretty hard. Make sure you do the online homework. It counts as a test grade. The homework takes a long time.He tries to intimidate you, and unless you are an A student which is only about 3% of the class he will. Try to find another professor.
Easy teacher, allowed to use one page of notes (blank page writing whatever you want on it - only rule is one sided and no magnifying glasses). Attendance is mandatory and you don't bring the book to class. Do the online homework it will help in the end!
Professor Sommerfeld is amazing. He is very clear on what is expected in the class. You are allowed to bring a one page "cheat sheet" to the test with anything on it. Anyone who does poorly in this class simply didn't try.
I did well in the class only because of high school chemistry.Don't depend on his lectures to be coherent or be relevant to the test. He offers a page of notes on each test, but compensates by making the test harder and longer. Sommerfeld is a very poor quality professor and is unnecessarily obtuse. I would recommend anyone else in the department.
I would not recommend him to anyone who does not have a strong understanding of chemistry from high school. He treats students like they already know everything. He is not very helpful in explaining things, and trying to go to his office to ask for help is a big hassle. He is not eager to help students in any way. Not recommended.
He knows the material but he assumes you do also, just not as well as him.If you ask a question you may not understand the answer he gives.he cannot explain things well enough for you to truly understand the material.good thing however is that you can use a guide on test with this test are still very hard If this is a weak subject get another prof
He is the worst teacher I've ever had. He assumes you know the material before you even get to class. If you ask a question he looks at you like you're stupid. DON'T TAKE THOMAS SOMMERFELD!!
If you are a chemistry major and you know the basics then you are higly recomended !! if not dont take chemistry , its hard anyway and he is the best professor for this !! Genious
I thought he was a great teacher! i had him for both Chem 121 and 122, and i would recommend him. His test weren't too hard and he let you break a cheat sheet for all the tests. He has a dry sense of humor and his class was always funny! If i had any problems with the material, I went to his office and he helped explain it.
Does not know how to teach FRESHMAN CHEMISTRY. expects to much out of a beginning college chemistry course. would not recommend!!! He will have no mercy on his test and rewards little partial credit. homeworks are time consuming and extremely hard! good luck
One of the best Chem teachers. Lets you bring a sheet of notes to test, which are pretty hard. Homeworks are easy. Expects you to glance through the chapter before class. Does practice problems in class and doesnt put anything we havent gone over on the test. Gets his test problems from the end of chapter questions. Lots of conceptual.
Dr. Sommerfeld is a very tough professer. He expects you to know all the math required for chemistry. He teaches more on a mathmatical basis more than anything. He is not too helpful and treats you as if you are dumb. Quite confusing and has hard tests.
You have to work hard to get the grade you want. READ THE TEXTBOOK. That is the only thing that helped! His tests are tough, and the textbook provides excellent example problem. Dr. Sommerfeld doesn't feel that he has to teach, only provide the materials for you to teach yourself. So, he's pretty tough, but it's possible to get a good grade.
He is very rude to students. If someone asks or answers a question in class, he belittles them. His lectures are very confusing and he doesn't explain things well. The textbook is your only hope. Bring it to class to follow along and then do the review questions. Do all of your OWL homework. I skipped some days and it lowered my grade a lot.
Worst "teacher" ever. Bad explanations, test questions were nothing like the class or homework, and he admittedly put trick questions on the exam. Told many students to drop the class if they can't understand the material and refused to help a classmate of mine (told her to go to CSE for tutoring instead of his office). Horrible teacher. STAY AWAY!
He purposefully tries to trick you. He openly says I am going to trick you on the test in order to see who deserves an A. That is wrong. He does not explain well at all and his tests aren't a reflection of what he has taught. You have to read the book, even then it's not likely you'll do good. He is not helpful. Avoid at all costs!
No continuity between his lectures & the HWnew textbook. Won't review material from other courses if needed (e.g., gen chem 1, algebra, calculus, etc.), dismisses questions, & uses class time to shame students. (Unfortunately, the chemphys dept. at SELU is filled with these types, but, I digress.) DO THE HW ON TIME- it's worth 15% of your grade.
Has an accent. He expects you to remember every single thing from CHEM 121. He bases his lectures off the assumption that you read the material before class. If you don't read the book, then you don't stand a chance. Tests are very hard.
His approach to 122 is math-heavy (considering the topics being covered, it makes sense), so if you're weak in that area, you should probably find a tutor from the get-go. If math is your strength, then you'll probably do well. (You'll still need to read the textbook BEFORE class, do the hw, etc.) This course will consume a LOT of your time.
The first day of his class he told us it was not his job to teach and he really does feel this way. Asking questions in this class may result in rejection or shaming. You are expected to just teach yourself and it is very time consuming. Avoid at all costs.
I hate to write a review such as this. Had such high hopes for this class,especially because I used to love Chemistry(until this class). Professor degrades students in front of class, tests are ridiculously hard, questions vague, homework is impossible. Every other student I've spoken with agrees. My tutor doesn't even understand how to help
BEWARE! He seems funny and nice in the beginning, but that changes fast, especially after exams. He doesn't teach whatsoever. He asks vague questions and expects students to answer, then humiliates them when they give the wrong answer. So no one wants to answer, which then makes him more mad. Do not take class unless you have completed calculus
In over three years of college, this class was my first C ever. He lets you bring a "cheat sheet" for every exam, but don't let that fool you. The exams are ridiculous. An A is impossible in this class unless you are some sort of prodigy. He was also the most degrading and rudest professor I've ever encountered. Good luck...
He does not curve. Even if most of the class fails a test (which happened) he blames the students for not studying well. The homework is not helpful at all. If anything the homework makes things more confusing. You can use a cheat sheet but it doesn't help too much. Definitely a class that a tutor is needed or just read and hope you get it.
You must put the effort into studying but even then it is difficult to get a good grade. He knows the subject very well, he just cannot portray it. You basically teach yourself chemistry, not sure what I am paying the university for. He belittles people and makes them feel bad for not knowing something. Maybe it is just his sarcasm, hes very rude.
His class is hard and I had to read and do practice problems in the textbook in order to get a B in the class. His exams have a lot of trick questions so be prepared. You can come by his office to look over exams and if you have trouble on the mastering chemistry homework. He was helpful and a bit intimidating. He's awkward in lecturing.
While Dr. Sommerfeld is a difficult teacher, his class was very rewarding to take. Yes, you have to read the book and do the homework. He makes you actually learn the subject being discussed and understand the underlying concepts. He will not give you a grade you did not earn. Your grade will reflect how much effort you put into learning.
For 121 he was great. He taught all of the equations and went into depth on the subject matter that other professors do not. He is very helpful with questions and his tests are at an expected difficulty. Overall he has been one of the best chemistry teachers I have had.
He has an accent that is hard to understand at times. He kept referring to what would be necessary for the higher level classes but didn't properly cover the material for this class. Do not take him. If you have no other options wait til the next semester. He can't hear well so it is impossible to ask questions and if he does hear he can't answer.
his lectures do not focus on the math work of chemistry which is what most of his tests are. he also stares at you when you take a test. i studies and took notes and did the homework and i would still get 56% on tests.
He is incredibly unapproachable. Does not seem to care about his students whatsoever and intimidating. If you weren't sure what to do in lab, he hates helping if you're struggling in the lab. Lab reports are hard sometimes, but he gives you a pretty good template of what he wants.
Hardest chem teacher at SELU. Avoid at all costs. Over 100+ students dropped this class. Teacher gives 0 help to students outside his lecture. Incredibly unapproachable. Tests are incredibly difficult, homework has zero correlation to actual test. Teacher put trick questions on his test to make it even harder. AVOID AVOID AVOID
This is the first class I have ever failed. He is able to break down some concepts, but doesnt cover everything cause he expects you to know it from lab class. Lots of homework. 4 tests and a final all super hard. Homework doesnt correlate to the tests. Class isnt mandatory but will probably help. Take another prof if possible or risk failing
The grade is only based on the tests and the hw. Although his test are hard if you go to class everyday and really try to understand the material youll do good.
It was like the more I studied the more I didn't pass. He lectures very well, but his test are hard for no reason. His way of thinking is if you don't show potential in understanding the topics, he dose not think you should stay in the class. He is to intelligent to teach people who have any type of disabilities. I Suggest not taking chemistry here
His chem 124 lab was super hard. He almost never gives full points on anything because he finds small things to take points off for that were never even mentioned. His midterm was extremely hard and he doesnt give a study guide so you have to know everything from the first day of class.
His lab was super hard!! Took off points for the smallest things without telling you. He is very vague in his responses when you ask him a question. Very unapproachable because he is rude and belittles you. His tests were super hard, there is no study guide and his "review day" is pointless because he doesn't give any details about the tests.
Many reviews on here are WRONG. Sommerfeld is one of the best professors in the chem department and since there aren't many good ones, take him! He's goofy and funny and his lectures do help! Use the questions at the end of each chapter in the textbook as a study guide for his tests! DO THE HW! His tests aren't easy but study and practice for them
This dude is terrible. Honestly horrible. Believe everything you read about him because I have never failed a course in my life and I did with this man. 10/10 DO NOT RECOMMEND
If you have a choice not to take him DO NOT!!! Dr. Sommerfeld is a great person but his tests are SO HARD and i barley passed because of the homework!!
Whatever you do try to avoid this man at all cost! He does not teach and is rude. I know chemistry sucks at SELU but he is by far the worst one I've had and in all honesty I would tell you to take this class at a community college before you even think about doing at Southeastern. If your doing pre-professional DEFINITLY AVOID THIS MAN!!
Just absolutely horrible. Your GPA will tank regardless of how much you put in. Homework means nothing when it comes to the test.
He posts lecture videos with problems at the end and says he will go over the answers in class, then doesn't. He rambles for 30 minutes of class and when you ask a question he belittles you. This was the hardest and worst class experience I've had so far, DO NOT TAKE HIM
Dr. Sommerfeld was absolutely terrible for CHEM 122. If you have a choice DO NOT TAKE HIM. I had half of my tests in person and half online. I got As on the in-person tests but the online tests are impossible. He makes up questions that are irrelevant to the homework or what he goes over in class and is not willing to give any sort of help.
Sommerfeld knows what he is talking about but he can be very boring and monotone. You need to pay attention!! Practicing and understanding the material is vital!! He has 4 exams and a final (two in-person; 3 online) and they're brutal. Do all your homework and that might be your saving grace. He also doesn't drop any grades so be mindful.
You have to extremely apply yourself. I have a tutor and attend si. I finally my homework and understand everything until I get to his class. He confused me and over complicated everything. He doesn't explain anything. He restates college is for you to teach yourself and professors are to guide you not teach you. Don't expect help if any kind
I took him last semester and ended up dropping after the third exam because I failed every single one. I'm taking him again this semester and am about to drop it yet again. His tests are extremely difficult and nothing like the homework and the lectures. He wants you to fail. I would highly highly recommend taking someone else.
THE WORST CHEM PROFESSOR AT SELU! Avoid this man at all costs! He belittles you and makes you feel dumb. He claims he loves when you visit him during office hours but he is just rude and makes you doubt yourself. I was a biology major until I took him. I am a straight-A student and was going to end up failing if I did not drop! DO NOT take him!
Dr. Sommerfeld was my favorite professor this semester. There's 5 exams worth 88% of the grade + weekly homework for the other 12%. He's lecture heavy and rarely lets out early, doesn't sugar coat which can come off as rude, has very dry humor. Exams are a 4/5 difficulty and can be worded weirdly but there's a little extra credit on them.
He is the worst chemistry professor I have ever taken. Some of the stuff on the test is in the textbook, or you will have to do extra work by watching youtube videos on your own time. His lectures hardly correlate with the test and he gives lectures on how you should be learning as a college student which just waste class time. Do not recommend.
Dr.Sommerfeld has a bad reputation but I believe he is a great professor. His lectures are good and his homework does help a lot. His exams are hard and do require days of studying to get an A or a B. Some questions are not even things we have learned because he expects us to use out of the box thinking. Don't be scared to take him.
Dr. Sommerfeld definitely gets a much worse review than he deserves. However, he does not go over a lot of stuff he puts on his exams and expects you to read the textbook thoroughly. Even then his questions can be very confusing. Would not recommend unless you are already great at chemistry.
I took this class 3 times and finally passed with a C the third time. I never attended any lectures because all he does is read directly from his ppt. I taught myself all of his material through YT lectures and homework assignments. Hw is worth 12% of your grade so make sure you complete them. It will bring your grade up by ALOT. Prepare to study!
I am normally an A/B student, but for his class I had high Cs on all his test and only pulled off a B because of the homework grade. I do think that his powerpoints are difficult to understand because of the lack of detail. His class requires you to study small amounts at a time instead of cramming the night before the exam.
Dr. Sommerfeld gets a bad rap, but he is a good professor. If you go to class everyday, take notes on what he says out loud, study everyday for at least a week before the test, and do your homework then you should get a good grade. He doesn't sugar coat anything, so be prepared for him to be brutally honest if you ask him why you aren't doing well.
if you have a question he will say "refer to my slides, the textbook, or the homework", so he has little to no interest in talking to you in his office hours and he never tells you how to prepare for exams. His exams are so hard because if you make a mistake in calculating something the answer is there on the exam.. Not a good chem prof.
avoid at all costs. had to drop bc i was borderline C/D before drop date. went to tutoring 3 times a week and still couldn't pass the tests. he didn't want to help/answer questions and doesnt care about his students. took with another teacher and ending up making an A. don't do it to yourself.
I was scared about taking his course bc of the reviews, but he really isnt that bad. There are 5 exams but only 4 are really required. He uses ALEKS a lot but its nothing like the tests - easy points just tedious. He gives partial credit when he can and is fair in my opinion. Use the textbook to supplement his lectures and you will be fine!!!!!!
Dr. Sommerfeld gets an extremely bad rep for his class. General chemistry is not easy to begin with and many students tend to blame this on him. However, if you study and actually try in his class, you will pass. He is very knowledgeable and a great teacher. He give a natural curve, allows note sheet for tests, and will answer any questions asked.
He is very bad at teaching. He uses ALEKS for homework but doesn't know how to work it. He isn't very helpful if you come into his office hours. On one exam he was literally disappointed that so many people showed up because he expected more of us to drop the course. I don't know how I survived.
Sommerfeld lectures the entire class but half of the problems are the "easier" problems and you pretty much only have the harder questions on each test which mostly come from the textbook and achieve. . He tends to wander off in his lectures and cannot really stay on the same subject for more than five minutes.
I feel complex. He is an intelligent man, and I have utmost respect for him. That said, I enjoyed his lectures. His tests were very difficult for me. I have since retook the class and passed. So there is that. I think his class has lots of value but sadly I fell behind. Regardless he is a very nice, kind, and intelligent professor
Dr. Sommerfeld's is not good at lecturing, the course is simply you reading the textbook and learning the material yourself. I tried to go into office hours and he wasn't in his office during his required office hours. I do not recommend Dr. Sommerfeld unless you plan on being a Chem major. It is a very difficult class.
Dr. Sommerfeld is an amazing professor. I genuinely don't know how he has so many bad ratings. The things he teaches in class are on the test very straightforward. I did have a good high school chemistry teacher, so I did have prior knowledge; however, Dr. Sommerfeld is a very intelligent man. We have optional homework and it does help a lot too.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
47%
Textbook Required
53%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.51 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM121
3.0
(20)CHEM395
2.5
(2)CLAB103
2.5
(2)CHEM4
2.5
(2)CHEM122
2.2
(49)Difficulty by Course
CHEM395
5.0
CHEM101
5.0
CHEMCHEM
5.0
CHEM124
5.0
CHEM123
4.5