I used to think he was bad, but now I know better. He's a LOT of fun in class, and teaches the 'reason behind' the theory and working problems. We once did a Cosmo quiz in class!

No Comments

Dr. Vines is so funny and his classes are always interesting. The material is challenging but he presents it in simple formats that are a bit easier to understand. He's quite the smart-ass too so class is always entertaining. And for an older guy, he's quite good looking!

He was supposed to be the harder of the 2 teachers teaching 301, but I wound up with a 88. Reason being-I had old tests (which is very helpful). If you can just BS and write as much as you can on tests (all his tests are essay) you will do well--but like others said, he's a smartellic and if you try to crack a joke at him, he usually can't take i

Dr. Vines is a great teacher. He is fun in class and makes you WANT to go. He also cares about his students progress. Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed the class, although at first, it was really really hard.

I LOVE dr. vines! He takes time to make sure everyone understands the material. And I think he is quite funny, and he CAN take jokes.

This class was a little tough but Tim is a great guy. Very personable and down to earth. Tests are all short answer, work problems, and definitions. No bonus but he goes easy when grading, just make sure you have an answer for everything. If you go to class and read over the definitions in the chapters, you should do good in this class.

Cool guy but goes very fast when covering material.

Good teacher- passionate about the material and stays up to date with it. Can relate each lesson with concepts beyond academia. Stay sharp and actually learn the material from day one if you want to survive. The information you learn in 301 is some of the most important for you entire undergraduate degree.

Excellent experience with Dr. Vines.

Great teacher. Go to class, pay attention and you will pass. Cool guy

Get this, I was never good with ACCT,stats,or ECON. Yet I got a freaking B in his class. This man was FUNNY as heck and no matter how many times you ask him a question, he will repeat and answer without making you feel stupid. I bought the book but rarely used it. I only relied on the lecture & problems he taught in class and that was all I needed.

great guy, great teacher, great great, great

He is a great teacher. Will explain everything to you until you understand it. Ask questions and he is more than happy to help. He is a very funny guy too. Makes finance very enjoyable and easy to follow.

Dr. Vines is awesome! He tries to make the material as easy to understand as possible. MAKE SURE TO TAKE NOTES; much of the test material comes from what he says in class. For tests, he lets you write the formulas on the board- he doesn't want you to memorize them, he wants you to know how to use them. Read the book before class, it helps.

Prof. Vines is great! He really cares about his students learning Finance. He holds chat sessions 3 timesweek, and short videos which are very helpful. The class is challenging, but you feel supported all along the way. Tests are all short answer, but he does give partial credit . The best professor I've had so far in my MBA journey!

Your grade is only made up of 4 tests so don't screw up. However he is the KING of partial credit. GO to every class meeting and at least work on the reading guide or practice from the notes at LEAST once a week and you will be fine. He is absolutely hilarious and even though the subject is boring you won't mind going to class.

Dr. Vines is an amazing professor. He has multiple online chats for students to ask questions and provides his own made up practice problems and a summary of the readings. His tests are short answer and gives a lot of partial credit. He makes up his own tests and they are easier than the homework problems. No excuse for struggling!

I would recommend Dr. Vines for any online course. He is a very involved professor. He offers weekly online coursework chats. He takes a friendly approach. He maintains the integrity of learning while offering helpful advice. Dr. Vines will help you succeed. Just take advantage of his chat sessions or email him directly. A+++

Dr. Vines really cares about his students. He is available any time of the day to answer questions. You must be dedicated to the material, however. Not easy content but he makes it as easy as possible. Only 4 tests make up grade so make sure you study, practice, and study. Learn his practice problems like the back of your hand and you will do fine.

I got a D with Chengo and an A with this guy. Partial credit on exams, make sure you use the reading guide.

Very responsive. Took as online class. You can send email and he will review your work and provide feedback. 4 exams-all essay answers but provides lots of partial credit. Has many online study sessions. Very funny. I had the PDF of text and this helps if you get stuck during exam.

Dr. V is a great professor. He is down to earth, extremely intelligent, and loads of fun to learn from. He really cares that you understand the material. He is a real asset to LSUS's Finance department. Keys to getting an A - Live by the reading guide, study specifics noted in the RG, attend the chats and pay attention and ask questions.

Awesome professor! Follow the reading guide, show up to the zoom meetings (or watch them on YouTube), do the practice problems and you should be fine. 4 tests, 1-hour timed, 10 question tests. Questions come from a test bank and most are qualitative (varies). Dr. Vines is a really cool professor. Super laid back, but helpful.

He is a great teacher that helps you learn the concepts as much as possible. He is accessible and very knowledgeable. I recommend.

Dr. Vines is great! Your entire grade is based on four 60 minute exams, which are not multiple-choice. You type your formula, calculations, and/or explanation of the concept. However, he gives partial credit if you were on the right track, so the exams aren't as awful as they sound. His Zoom sessions are good for clarifying the practice problems.

I love this professor! I was scared to take this course because I have never been good in finance, but he actually makes it fun! You only have 4 tests but as long as you read his notes and make sure that you understand them, listen to his zoom meetings and read, you will do fine!

You must have the book. 4 tests that's it so be prepared. Take notes as you read. The class is will take up a lot of your time. If you don't know the answer write something and you will get credit, never leave answer blank. I cannot stress no blank answers enough.

4 Tests - 10 questions each, make up your entire grade. A few video question and answer sessions per module. Really have to put a lot of time into studying/preparing. Discussion board and feedback from peers really help you get through the class. Partial Credit on tests which saved me. I earned a B, and grateful for it.

Great class

Lord knows how much a I HATE finance classes. Honestly, I would have been content to just tootle my way through his class and make my C and move on with my life. But he was so determined to help me... I've never had a teacher go so far out of their way to help me before. He really cares about his students. If you need help, just ask for it.

Wow, Dr. Vines sure gets mixed ratings. I enjoyed his class. It was fairly BS free compared to others in the MBA program. 4 tests of 10 questions each, and that's it. He provides a reading guide, book problems, and extra practice problems for each of 4 modules plus zoom Q&A sessions. Put in the time and you'll do fine. I'd take him again.

Dr. Vines is old school but a very good instructor. Although not many tests, they were straight forward and easy if you studied. His Zoom sessions are very good and he goes over any questioned needed.

The class wasn't as challenging when you figure out what the professor was looking for. I liked that there was no busy work but that also puts a lot of pressure to do well on the tests. He is a fair grader, I would utilize the zoom sessions and have equations/notes/summary open in word in case they come up on the test it saves time to copy/paste.

Dr. Vines is a great professor. The first test is a little difficult to navigate because you don't really know exactly what he's looking for, but after that it gets better. I appreciate the straightforwardness of the class. There's 4 exams, self paced, and no busy work. Keep up with the readings, practice questions, and Zoom sessions.

Zoom sessions are a must but have questions ready since there's no set agenda. There are only tests, no homework. Dr. Vines writes his own mini textbook and it's extremely helpful. You must study and attend/watch Zoom to do well. Dr. Vines explains the material well. I had no background in finance and was able to keep up.

This class wasn't bad at all. Have your book with you when you take the tests and you'll be fine. Its all short answer questions but they aren't too bad. I didn't study and came out with a solid B

Math is my least favorite choice but Professor Vines made the course interesting.

Dr. Vines CARES about his students. He is available and he hosts numerous Zoom sessions so that you can ask him ANYTHING! He helps you work through the problems and he explains it in detail. Pay attention to the word documents and PPTs that he has available on Moodle. You must earn the grade though! Do the homework problems and you will PASS!

I felt that Dr. Vines' Finance class in the online MBA was one of the top classes as far as actual learning activity for me in the entire program. Vines is attentive, engaged, and very interested in his students' understanding. His modules appear overwhelming at first, but the process of learning the material is all that is needed - no extra work.

Unless you've worked in Finance, earning an A in this class is VERY challenging. Prof. Vines' makes himself available. This is the hardest I've worked to make a B. It is essential to understand Excel in this class to succeed on the exams. Four timed exams make up your entire grade.

Dr. Vines is accessible, approachable, and caring. The topic is math and excel heavy. The course only has 4 exams for 25% each of the course grade. The exams were a mix of problem solving and some (too many?) questions that were conceptually iffy (not as much as many courses). Overall an great experience and valuable for real life.

I really enjoyed this class. Some ambiguity going into tests but mostly fixed by attending or reviewing Zoom sessions. He's really funny, and very engaged by email, discussion boards, and zoom sessions. It's mandatory for the MBA and I'm glad I took it with him!

Dr. Vines is a great professor. He is always accessible through emails and explains the concepts clearly during the zoom sessions. The test questios are not too easy and not too difficult either. He wants his students to learn the concepts. He helps any student who reaches out to him if they are finding the class difficult. Would take him again!

Overall, good learning experience. He uses live classes mode which is very unique and allows good interaction for questions / answers / discussions, as long as you have prepared your class and read the materials. However, I felt that the level and speed of the class was not for junior students or people with little finance knowledge.

Honestly, I'm not sure why some people find this class so difficult. I had no previous Finance knowledge and my math skills are mediocre at best. I would skim the readings, then start going through the examples to understand the material. The video sessions helped too, so by test time, I knew how to show what he wanted.

Dr. Vines FIN 701 course is challenging. However, this is MBA study, and should actually be challenging if your real intention is to learn. His handouts could use a little polishing, and the four tests are not multiple choice, but this pushed me to truly understand the material. Not an easy "A", but at an MBA level, I would expect a challenge.

Dr. Vines ia an easy going and laid back professor. The class is challenging as the only grades given are 4 exams. the exams are also somewhat difficult, however, come directly out of the provided reading material. Minimal feedback after tests. unable to attend live sessions but did fine overall. Tests were roughly 70% conceptual and 30% math

Dr. Vines is an easy-going professor who wants his students to learn the basic concepts and not just memorize the reading notes. He offers ample opportunity to ask questions on the material through discussion board, live zoom sessions, or via email. His note pages leaves it up to you to do some self study but using his above sessions will help you!

Not sure why these ratings are so poor. 4 exams, he provides notes that can be somewhat confusing but does several zoom meetings and has a discussion area where you can ask for clarification. The exams aren't math heavy. 10 questions, 1 hour, and you can have a calculator, his notes, your own notes, excel spreadsheet, & bathroom break.

Take some time to review the material, then join the zoom sessions. Professor Vines is extremely helpful in answer any questions students have, but COME PREPARED. You will learn a lot of the information needed in future classes if you apply yourself. Excel formula sheets are allowed, spend the time this is a huge advantage.

Class is 4 exams. If you aren't someone who is a good exam taker avoid bc there's no extra credit. You study his notes and do practice questions. Make sure to study the qualitative because those are the questions that can get you since everything is short answer. Go to the zoom sessions, ask questions and make good notes bc you can use for exam.

Professor Vines is a great professor. He is willing to go out of his way to help you succeed in his class. The zoom sessions were extremely helpful. However, the class grade is based on 4 exams solely so you have to do well on them to get a decent grade. I'm not the best test taker so this class was very difficult as I received a C

You can use notes and excel spreadsheet during test. That's all you need to know. If you know how to read and Outline notes in your own words, you're golden. Prof. Vines just wants to make sure you know WTH you're talking about. Discussion Boards are useful for breaking down thought process in formulas/definitions/theories.

Dr. Vines is a decent professor. He is responsive and is available via zoom. He only uses his notes to teach which sometimes seem vague if you have no financial background. Only 4 tests so you have to do good on them to get a good grade.

He's a good prof. Don't listen to any of these idiots. His class is fairly easy. The material is hard but he lets you have an entire document word/excel document for the test. I work a 50+hr a week job and was in the process of moving, and only studied for like 2 days. He literally lets you have the formula in front of you. FUN CLASS 100%

I took Professor Vines for FIN 500. I didn't absolutely love that he used only a word document to test from, with his long winded ramblings that assumed the reader had ample finance knowledge already (hi, that's why I'm in FIN 500...). BUT, I took him again for FIN 701 since I was familiar with how he tested and how his class worked. Fair teacher.

Reviews are true - so here is what helped me: 1) YouTube for concepts/formula explanation 2) Chegg for thorough breakdown of formulas 3) EXCEL! Financial calculator is not the most effective. On quizzes, type out formula then copy/paste to excel for answer. answer ONLY what he asks on the quiz. Partial credit heavy but will deduct for extra.

Dr. Vines is amazing. He is extremely accessible and clearly outlines what he expects. If you put in the work, you will do well in the class.

Dr. Vines teaching method prepares you for the real world. His critics will probably wear a name tag for their chosen vocation. Reading material addresses contemporary issues. In Zoom sessions he patiently answers questions until all students are satisfied. LSUS scored a win with this instructor. Test/grading is fair for those who put in the work.

I really do not understand the hate this professor gets on his reviews. I took his class thinking it would be difficult based on the reviews from this website, but it wasn't that bad. Yes there are only 4 test that determine your grade, but he gives you practice problems and holds zoom sessions for the entire class before the exams. solid professor

I had Dr Vines for my MBA 702 and I really enjoyed his teaching style. No busy work involved. He writes his own material to read and work though which is actually nice. You will definitely have to earn your grade. He's not easy, but he is a down to earth professor. If you're good at math an A will not be a problem.

There were only 4 test with 10 questions each, so you have to know your stuff to get a good grade. He provides document with everything you need to know, and then you self-teach, create notes, create a spreadsheet with calculations, etc... He's available for questions and has a zoom call before each test. Knowing algebra makes this class easier.