2.0
Quality3.9
Difficulty15%
Would Retake126
Reviews15%
Would Retake
126
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
12
4
10
3
17
2
31
1
56
What Students Say
“Very nice person and LOVES to take his shoes off during teaching”
CALC211 - 1.0 rating“The MAC is a lifesaver and do your webassign homework”
MATH211 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.63 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH210
5.0
(1)MATH109P
5.0
(1)MATH155
4.0
(4)MTH108P
4.0
(1)STATS301
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
101
5.0
109
5.0
211
5.0
MATH2134
5.0
MATHSECT
5.0
Reviews (126)
He thinks he knows what he is talking about, but he doesn't actually know anything. Very strict on attendence, also attendence is apart of your quiz scores!
He has no heart. He will not curve a test where the average grade was a 40. Very unclear in directions as well as his voice in general; he's very hard to understand when speaking. Also, it is immpossible for him to end class on time.
hard to get a hold of, doesn't reply to emails...hard to learn from, he babbles and it's stuff that is not goin to help you learn.
This guy apparently doesn't know that the class he teaches is an entry-level class. While others in 110 are getting 90% and above with ease, only about 27 out of the 250 students in my class were even getting a C. If you get this guy, try switching.
Failed me the first time I took the class, very tough to learn from, doesn't curve a thing, hes to by-the-book.
Probably one of the worst teachers that I have ever had. He has no heart. He is way too strict with his grading and attendance. Do not take him unless it is your only choice.
His tests are IMPOSSIBLE. Makes the class much more difficult then necessary. Only take this guy if it is your last resort. Possibly one of the worst professors I have ever had. Class averages on exams are always 50-60%, obviously something is wrong!
Looks a lot like Michael McDonald from MadTV (commonly plays Stewart), so you're always waiting for him to do somthing funny.
No Comments
No Comments
He is very hard to understand and extremely boring! The quizzes and tests are impossible to do becuase no matter how hard you stusdy for them, the material seems different. DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER - HE IS THE WORST EVER!!!
HE is a horrible teacher, not helpful, gives you pratctice exams that are nothing like the exams, he doesnt care iif you fail he just cares about himself, DO NOT TAKE HIM HE IS THE WORST TEACHER EVER
I got a C in 109, but easily got a B in 110 without trying...hmmm
This guy sucks at life. A real freakin moron. He does not have any business being a teacher. A total dueshbag. I am nominating him biggest dueshe in the universe and I wish him the worst of luck in the world
he looks like Bob Saget, you cant read his writing, he talks jibberish, and apparently his sister is a cat. test material is very different from what he goes over from lecture. definitely would not recommend him.
He is down there with the worst teachers I have EVER had! He does not know how to teach in the slightest bit. I got a D in that class and currently am taking it over because. I even went in for help, he was just TERRIBLE! Stay away from him at ALL COSTS! Trust me, if you get him, you will regret it!
this guy is a joke. the test are so unfair.i studied for 5hrs for one test doing almost every odd problem i could, the test wasnt even similar.some of the test questions are not even from the chapters covered.i got a's on quizs and hw but failed all test. screw this guy
This teacher is nice but VERY hard. I wouldn't suggest taking this class with him because his tests are almost impossible because they are always harder than the homework problems.
awesome
I seen him walking into class with a spoon in his mouth while READING (not carrying) a star trek book. Tests are awful. No curve. Sounds like kermit the frog. I am surprised I am the first to write that. He is probably a virgin. And his TA did not speak English.
Well this class is boring and quite often a requirement for most students, I must say coming from someone who is horrible at math, I thought he was a good teacher, All the comments on here scared me, but his tests are very representative of class info and he is good at explaining things, also he offers help when you need it.
horrible teacher... very unclear and refuses to re-grade something that was right.... do NOT take this professor he is absolutely horrid!!!!
it aint easy being green....
No Comments
idk if it was cuz there were only 15 ppl in the class, but i got an A.
he just goes too fast... but thats to be expected in college courses.
This guy ****ing sucks. Hard tests, practice tests that dont even relate,****ty grading, and he isnt even into the ****ing material! Not to mention hes a ****. Sullivan is the absolute worst. If you get him, be prepared to fail (or get a C at the highest) no matter how hard you try
THIS GUY SUCKS AT LIFE and his class was hard also had some piece of crap TA who no speaky english
Very weird
Sucks as a teacher!!! Tries to be funny, but fails. Complete waist of time. Makes the exams way too hard, and dosen't prepare you for it at all. The review sessions suck because they only cover 10% of the exam. I hate him!!!!!!!! Spends more time trying to be cool than teaching the material.
No Comments
I hate to use name-calling to get a point across, but Mr. Sullivan really seems like a math nerd. He goes too fast, has horrible handwriting (and legible writing is essential for teaching a subject like this), and he tends to jump around a bit. He has curved his exams, however; class averages have been in the 55-65% range.
No Comments
Hmm.... VERY VERY Boring!!! Good luck getting a C!
No Comments
hes a nice guy and all but he jus gets boring after a while and also he acts like we in high school cus he takes points off your grade if your phone is out thats when i think he acts like a real ass because we are all grown and i wish he would treat us like we are
This guy sucks big time. He's a complete and total nerd and he sounds like one of the Ghostbusters. He writes illegibly. If you ask him questions he assumes you know what you're doing and barely answers the question. Grades very hard, and refers to everything as "this guy". Tries to be funny, but fails miserably. You have been warned: BAD TEACHER!!
yeah the comments all complain about his looks and that hes a dork that reads. but hes good at math and i thought he explained everything very well. i got an A in the class without too much effort. he was a nice guy. the only thing that sucked was a lot of HW but it did help me learn the material
No Comments
He'ss a real real nice guy. My glasses broke the night before a Wednesday Exam, and he let me take it that coming Monday. I would have gotten a zero on that test if it wasn't for him. If you just work in his class, and ask for help, you should do fine. He's a good guy... makes me wish I liked math so I could have him again.
hes a horrible grader and doesnt explain anything well enough for anyone to understand it. he always makes mistakes in class as well. over all not a good teacher to have for this course
This class isnt supposed to be as hard as he makes it. He is a lurch and cant write well. The material we learn in class is not on test. On the exams, expect the hardest of every question there is. BEWARE
he just plain sucked!
No Comments
It seems like no matter what math 101 class you take, you won't do well. Sullivan is a good guy, and he is enthusiastic about teaching a course that no other teachers want to touch, but he is unclear, and very confusing with his teaching. He tends to be unorganized as well.
Sully is a bad teacher. I went to every single class and had a hard time picking up what he was talking about. Thank god my TA was a good guy and was very good at explaining. Sully sounds like Ray Ramono if you guys like laughing. Terrible class though
worst experience of my life....sully does not know how to talk, which makes it a little hard to learn...
I dreaded taking math, having had only "alternative" math in high school seven years ago. Apparently Prof. Sullivan is underrated; he made learning math painless, giving thorough lectures with numerous examples so that no exam questions were unfamiliar. I highly recommend him.
The complaints for Sullivan can be explained by the fact that most NIU students **** and whine any time they are asked to do any real work. Sullivan is a good guy, a good teacher, and anyone who can will themselves to study a little can pass this class with ease.
I think he is a very good teacher. sometimes his clarity is a little shaky but not all the time. i was able to overcome my math imperfections in this class. i liked his class and he is easy to contact during finals. The TA josh is very helpful during quizzes go up and ask him to help you during one and he would.
Took off points for no reason and tried to justify it. I really cant believe he is still a teacher. He was awful. I failed his class and got Ds on my tests. Took it next semester and on the same tests with the same knowledge and answers got Bs. Take Datta she is 100 times easier.
Worst math teacher I have ever had!
Teacher is terrible
I hate this teacher! he is a complete idiot and should probably drop dead! He takes off points for no reason and this class is HELL!
Sullivan is not a bad professor, but he wasn't my favorite. His lectures are boring - all from transparencies - but he does work examples. Homework was mandatory, but only worth 15% of the grade. Offers a lot of small extra credit opportunities. Definitely not an easy A, but it's attainable if you do the work.
Loved this teacher, made learning Stats a lot less painful than it was the previous semester. Good and through lectures and answers any questions. Lots of extra points available. Very nice and extremely helpful.
I loved this guy! He is such a sweetheart. I will admit that the class boring, but it's stats! He is a pretty good teacher, with a heart who cares for his students. He is also very good with posting grades, and notes. If you have to take stats, take his class!
Didn't understand the way he taught!
Don't take his class!!!
Pretty cool guy. Grading is curved and grades are always posted. Just come to class and sit in the front and you will do fine
You cannot understand him half the time. sounds like kermit the frog. tries to make jokes but they arent funny. his handwriting sucks. attendence for miniquizzes so make sure you go. ta's were very helpful
Boring but Easy
terrible teaching...hard to pay attention when he just flips around all the time
i had to force myself to go. it is boring. can't understand anything he says. he mumbles and talks randomly about nonsense. class is passable. make sure to go to recitation and lecture because there are quizes. my TA is no help and is as lost as everyone else. there is a huge curve though. enjoy.
He is a pretty cool guy. Tells funny stories and tries to make class interesting. Some of the material can get confusing and sometimes he looses the class because we just do not know what he is talking about. He takes attendance which kind of sucks too. Make sure you go to recitation even though the TA's are just as confused as you!
Nice teacher; confusing class.
He has a great heart, just not the best teacher. He does sound like Kermit the Frog. haha. Go to class and go to the recitation, even though the T.A.'s usually don't have a clue either. Try hard and you'll do fine. He curves like crazy.
Friendly, helpful, and engaging teacher, though a little goofy at times. Definitely willing to go the extra mile if you're having trouble, though he doesn't put up with morons trying to take advantage. Great teacher for a basic math class.
Sullivan is one of the WORST proffesors I have ever come in contact with! He is a really nice guy though. However, he COULDN'T teach if his life depended on it! He jumps around the board talking about nonsense. Whenever I get help from my previous proffesor I UNDERSTAND CLEARLY && with Tim I feel like a failure...& COUNSELOR WARNED ME NOT 2 GET HIM
Tim Sullivan is a super nice teacher. He makes a lot of jokes and is always smiling or laughing. Even though his teaching style is not the best, you can get use to it. Overall not nearly as bad as other people say. I actually enjoy going to his class!
DO NOT TAKE HIM!! I am generally pretty good at math,i got an A in 109 but he made 110 more difficult than it had to be.He shows you the wrong way to do problems, and then the right way.Very confusing teacher. He is a nice guy, tries to tell jokes but never gets laughter from them! TOUGH GRADER, takes off bogus pts. I regret taking his class.
HE SUCKS! Please dont take this mans class.
if you guys want a good teacher....then run from this guy..He is not caring and he marks questions you got right wrong
This professor mumbles all the time. He really isn't helpful and likes to take off points for silly things. PLEASE PLEASE do not take this class. You will not learn anything and will be utterly confused.
His voice is very high and resembles Kermit the Frog. This does keep class entertaining though. He is very clear with grading and his expectations on projects and tests. I actually grasped some sort of understanding of math with him as a teacher. I would recommend taking him if you need to take 101.
DON'T EVER TAKE HIS CLASS!! He sounds as he he's underwater and really resembles Kermit the Frog. He's instructions are seldom clear and he makes things more complicated than needed. For your sanity, if nothing else, PLEASE DO NOT take this man's class!! -You've been warned...good luck.
This guy just isn't a good math teacher... that simple. He mumbles and is just all over the place during lecture.
i have taken ap calculus in high school and got an a+ in that. i thought i could just take this class and get an easy a. his exams are extremely hard. nothing like the lectures. they were mc so i thought no problem but he doesn't grade on if you get the right answer or not. if you don't show any work but get the question right you get 1/5 points!
Mr. Sullivan was a funny guy, but isn't much of a teacher. He is difficult to understand at times and doesn't like solving problems in this class and mostly just reads off the notes. He tries to make the class funny, but doesn't make it an effective learning experience. Try taking this class with a different teacher, if possible.
This professor is almost impossible to understand. If you are good at math and can figure out how to teach yourself you will do fine in this class. If not, pray for a good TA because sullivan has a way of making something very simple very complicated.
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS! His lectures make no sense most of the time. I learned more from my TA during recitation than I did from him during class. You've been warned!!!
He is a very nice professor, but the reviews are right. He is a very hard grader, the exams are difficult, and his clarity really needs to improve. I worked so hard in his class, never missed a lecture and still ended up with a bad grade.
Hes all over the place, he prefers to show you 4 ways to do a question wrong before showing the correct way, and even then he does not start over from the beginning, learning anything from him was impossible. The Internet is your friend if you find yourself forced to take this class because your basically going to teach yourself.
Nice guy, terrible teacher. Lectures were hard to understand because of his speech and were very unorganized. Exams were nothing like the lecture or homework. Overall very poor instructor I would NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR
Professor Sullivan, such a nice man. That is all the positive there is on the course. For a basic math class there there is way to much going on..quizes 2x a week, 2 math projects, 4 exams, weekly hw (sometimes taking 1+ hrs to complete)..attendance is a must, lectures are confusing, text book is awful. exams are trick q's and dont test knowledge
Do not take this class with him at all. He is not a great teacher. Get AWAY!
Nice guy, just doesn't really know how to teach. Spent the whole semester teaching myself and only came to class for attendance and notes.
Cant teach. Hard to understand. Tests are nothing like what he goes over in class. High chance your gonna fail if you take him
First test, didn't study-47.5% Second test- got some help from T.A., studied-79% Third test,same as second test-82% final, studied-47% Quizzes and HW are graded by T.A. so just hope you have a good T.A. If you put some time in the class is not that bad. Not a blowoff class, but doable. Ended with a 63% in class, he gave me a C. Funny guy. Nice guy.
Friendly guy; cracks jokes sometimes. For math 109p, fairly easy class if you pay attention & take notes (everyday) to look back at. Notes are very helpful most of the time, but is always willing to help. quizzes (fridays) are fairly easy, exams are not hard. homework is easy & not overwhelming. I liked the class for a math class.
Not clear at all. Has a funny way of speaking. He teaches so fast rather you understand or not
Have fun trying to listen to him as he is all over the place. He tries to make jokes all the time and barley makes sense. He is a hard grader and doesn't curve. He takes attendance but people sign in and leave. He doesn't care about that either. People talk in class and he just keeps going on with his life. Have fun teaching yourself.
This guy is impossible to understand when he speaks and his writing can almost be considered illegible. The MAC is a lifesaver and do your webassign homework. Good luck.
He is a very nice person, but a terrible teacher. I come to class, take notes, ask questions, and even go to tutoring and still have a failing grade in this class. I will probably have to repeat this class now. Don't take him. Mumbles, doesn't curve and writes sloppy so you can't read the notes. I literally learn nothing in class.
Nice and energetic person. Not so good at teaching calculus. Hard to understand and writes sloppy. Quizzes worth 15 pts are given every friday based off the optional HW. Exams are also similar (not exact) to homework with a few odd ball questions. Final exam is VERY difficult. The class is curved at the end. My low B in the class got bumped to A
I can't understand anything at all, might as well just watch the video online. Very nice person and LOVES to take his shoes off during teaching.
This course was extremely difficult to follow along with because the professor did not allow for many questions, along wit that the homework was extensive and led to many hours in tutoring after class and ended up making me fail other courses
Worst math teacher Ive ever had. Never learned a thing from him and just got more aggravated and stressed coming to class. Homeworks are long and cover stuff that was never talked about in class. Also, he's impossible to understand in class and his handwriting is horrible and he has very messy work. He tells you how to do problems rather then teach
Take someone else if you can. He's just all over the place, scribbling nonsense all over the notes which you will not be able to understand if you went back to look at. He shows you how to start a problem, but doesn't finish it, OR he'll show you about 2 ways to do a problem wrong before showing how to do it right, which will make you confused.
My first impression was he seemed disorganized, posting assignments late at night(3am) for example. It can be a little frustrating trying to figure out what your workload is and following him in lecture. However he offers numerous extra credit opportunities, and if you keep up with the homework, you're basically guaranteed an A or B in the class.
C to d from one test
nice guy, horrible teacher. had to teach myself which sucked. probably going to retake the course over the summer. also he never wears shoes and talks so much to the point where I question my exsitance.
Mr. Sullivan is a solid choice for those of us that like math but can find it challenging. He's quirky but, can be hilarious and is really great at getting to what's important about the lesson. He really cuts through all the extra and gets down to what really helps you learn the material. Wish he taught more classes! Get him for recitation too!
Mr. Sullivan is a solid choice for those of us that like math but can find it challenging. He's quirky but can be hilarious and is really great at getting to what's important about the lesson. Really cuts through all the extra and gets down to what helps you learn the material. Wish he taught more classes! Get him for recitation too if you can.
Hardest class Ive ever taken. Exams are 75% of your grade. So hard to understand. God a D when I took him. You have been warned
Super unorganized. Professor is late every day, at least 5 minutes but sometimes up to 20. His "teaching" is him rambling to himself and doing math problems in front of us. He doesn't really explain what he's doing, he just does it. If you're good at math you'll probably be fine, but if you aren't, I'd suggest taking this course with someone else.
He is unorganized & often times late. The 4 total exams are worth 75% of your final grade. Although, if you do well on the homework & quizzes (both done through an online platform) there is potential for extra credit. The material of the course is difficult & his teaching methods do not pair well with that. He does have office hours often to help.
Mr. Sullivan is a very nice and respectful man. His teaching though on the other hand is incredibly flawed. He is also incredibly unprofessional. He is late to class often, keeps students an extra 5-10 minutes, and walks around the classroom barefoot. I'm not paying all this money to go to here for my teacher to walk around the classroom barefoot.
Mr. Sullivan is a nice guy, but he is by far the worst teacher I have ever had. He is impossible to follow in class and solves problems incorrectly on purpose to show you how "not" to do the problem. He is a terrible communicator, emails you 24/7 over nothing, and often just solves problems without even talking. Tests are extremely difficult.
Math 103 Although very nice, I do NOT recommend him. Often times he would randomly talk about his ongoing divorce revealing personal information, he was often late, graded homework harshly, and was awful at teaching the course material. He never gave us enough time for the quizzes and would over-explain simple concepts making them confusing.
He is not the best, but also not the worst. He does have two extra credit questions on all the tests and drops the lowest 3 quiz and homework scores. He is usallly a couple of minutes late to class. The are quizes at the end of evey class. And he does not wear shoes.
Mr. Sullivan is a very nice person, and I enjoyed his personal stories during his lectures, but I often found his teaching difficult to follow. He seems to love stats and math so much that he gets carried away easily. The good thing is that you don't have to rely on his lectures to pass the class. Read the book and slides and you'll be fine.
He's a really nice and goofy person but isn't a good teacher. You should be fine if you're decent at math but good luck if you aren't. Likes to walk around the classroom barefoot for some reason and his lectures are hard to follow. If you are good at math, you're probably better off learning on your own during class.
I feel like a lot of the people here just rated him poorly as this is their first actual year at a University. Tim was very nice, funny, and was accessible at almost anytime. I will say the constant emails were sort of annoying at first, but they're just emails. He rewards effort put into class, with a lot less emphasis on the major exams.
This professor is terrible took almost a month for him to respond to any emails, I had to call the dean to get him to respond to me. Tests on topics that were not listed for it. Complains about being on the verge of homelessness. I have nothing good to say about this guy, if I could give him a zero I would. Does not deserve to be a teacher at all.
Math 103 Tim has to be the most annoying math teacher with a big heart. He doesn't wear shoes and reveals weird personal stories to his students. Has weird obsession over Pokemon as well and his office hours desk is a mess (trash&papers everywhere). Teaches in a horrible way where 1st unit isn't even math related and teaches hard way before easyway
this by far is the worst teacher ever you can barely understand him because he will start to say one thing then quickly talk about something completely unrelated to the topic grades insanely hard and doesn't give feed back so you dont even know what you did wrong and u cant see ur grade in the class makes simple fraction problems hard for no reason
Absolutely the worst teacher I have ever had. How is he still working here?! Everyone in my class is so confused and he makes the simplest things so painfully annoying and difficult. Hard to understand him. weirds us out so bad. Always overshares about his life. Totally unprepared every day. I feel like he doesn't even know he's here half the time!
This is the worst teacher ive ever had, you could put a 5th grader and hed teach the class better everyone is so confused all the time and is horrible on feedback and showing what u did wrong. TIM U ARE NOT A GOOD TEACHER I GENUINELY DONT GET ANYTHING U SAY
He's a nice guy but a terrible teacher. He doesn't explain anything thoroughly and the notes leave you more confused to when you walked in. Bad at responding to emails. Exams are worth a lot and there is little review for them. To get the most points do the homework. The only reason I passed was because of the TA and recitation.
Tim how are you a teacher
Professor Sullivan can be eccentric, but his passion for the subject shines through. With the help of resources like Unstuck AI, the course content becomes more manageable.
This prof was really one of the reasons why I got out of NIU. Lacks skill to genuinely teach. He will mark everything wrong on a paper for tiny irrelevant details (that he doesn't tell you about unless you confront him). He walks around barefoot + was late to class every day. All of these other reviews are right, STAY AWAY from this professor.
Teaches so unclearly and makes many useless references. Every day I went to the MAC after class because I couldn't understand what his horrible teaching. Grades harshly I think he doesn't want anyone to get an A in his class. On everyone's exam he took points off for not drawing the graph in a straight line( He never told us once to do this) .
Please do not take this professor, especially if you're not very good at math. He so confusing, walks around barefoot, and never gives any feedback for your wrong answers. Also he seems off a lot in class... Even with tutoring, I struggled to get a passing grade with him. DO NOT TAKE!
Started at NIU as an undergrad, and now in medical school. This is the only class I struggled at NIU, and Mr. Sullivan is to blame. He can't teach, fails to reference the textbook, fails to write clean notes, and doesn't give a favorable curve to make up for his shortcomings. I can say this as someone who still managed to graduate summa cum laude.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.63 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH210
5.0
(1)MATH109P
5.0
(1)MATH155
4.0
(4)MTH108P
4.0
(1)STATS301
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
101
5.0
109
5.0
211
5.0
MATH2134
5.0
MATHSECT
5.0