2.1
Quality4.4
Difficulty24%
Would Retake97
Reviews24%
Would Retake
97
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
97 total ratings5
8
4
9
3
12
2
28
1
40
What Students Say
“You'll be fine as long as you study his old practice exams”
CHEM1110 - 5.0 rating“I had to teach myself EVERYTHING”
CHEM1010 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
86%
Textbook Required
11%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.06 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM3560
5.0
(1)CHEM1120
2.5
(22)CHEM1110
2.1
(49)CHEM3720
2.0
(1)CHEM1010
1.9
(22)Difficulty by Course
CHEM102
5.0
CHEM1010
4.6
CHEM1120
4.4
CHEM1110
4.2
CHEM3720
4.0
Reviews (96)
Hated this professor, he was hard to understand and would not help you if you have questions. He said the first day of class that he wasn't a math professor so we would have to figure out the equations our self. Chemistry is all math!
STAY AWAY! Stay away! Stay away! Just terrible. I worked hard, I had tutoring, and still did not understand questions on the test. Please save yourself the trouble and avoid this teacher at all costs
He makes the class harder than it should ever be at any school from any prof. Gen Chem is hard to begin with. Super hard w/ Dr. Albu. Thick Romanian accent. Offers little help. You'll have to teach yourself. Good luck if you take him! cheers.
In all fairness I think that he believes he is being a fair teacher, but in reality, he is not helpful and doesn't like working examples. Chem 2 is difficult class as it is, and Albu does not make it any better. Please use caution taking this teacher, you will have to teach yourself quite a bit of the information in order to pass anything.
Horrible teacher. He doesn't explain things. I've done tutoring and everything and its still hard to pass his exams. He is rude to students, and makes you feel dumb. He does not care to help students. Complete waste of my money taking this class from him, because I ended up teaching myself most of the material. AT ALL COSTS DO NOT TAKE HIM.
He is a tough teacher, but it is a tough class. He helped when I asked questions and his tests, although hard, where fair. I don't think he is as bad as other reviews are making him sound. Honestly I learned more since he is tougher
Don't go in thinking Albu will just hand you a good grade. If you read the book, work practice probs, and pay attention in class, you should get a B. Put in a little effort and you should get an A. He gives small EC if you come to lecture. Provides concept outlines, practice Qs, and prior exams for help. I think he teaches at the right level.
I had no choice but to take Dr. Albu, and I wish I didn't take it at all. He is a smart professor, but that is the problem. Doesn't work ANY examples in class and gives ridiculous homework. I have a tutor and still don't understand. I made an A in Chem 1110, but not sure what I'' make in his class. Stay away!!!
All the classes Dr. Albu teaches are hard. He teaches fairly and he does a good job. Regardless you'll have to do a lot of work. But because hes hard you'll learn a lot. You never get anywhere doing anything easy anyhow.
Albu is a very hard teacher. He's a pretty cool guy, but I would not recommend him as a first choice when registering for classes. I study for this class a lot and I bomb all of the tests. The homework is only 10 problems but somehow ends up taking me hours to finish. He's very smart, but unless this is the only class you're taking, u won't do grt
STUDY. STUDY. STUDY. Study everyday. Use the objectives and practice questions he posts online. Those will help tremendously!! Quiz's over a chapter basically every week with the exception of maybe one or two chapters. Remember to do the PLA those are extra points on quizzes. Albu is extremely hard and will not go out of his way to help you.
DO NOT TAKE ALBU!!! He is the absolute WORST teacher I have ever had. I studied every single day and I had a low A in his class before the final exam and ended up with a C. He gives a national final exam and the class average is below a 50%. He knows that everyone will fail the final and he laughed. He is the worst teacher, please SAVE YOURSELF.
He is a nice man, but does not know how to teach! Had a test every week, which sounds crazy but I actually enjoyed because it gave you a ton of grades rather than the other profs who only gave 3-4 for the semester. But his final was a national test with the average of a 50% and literally laughed and said we were all going to fail..
Anyone that tries to make him seem okay probably already knows a LOT about chem 2. For anyone trying to learn or someone who isn't already an expert, save your time, energy, and GPA, and DO NOT take his class. Wasn't even understanding about an absence due to my grandpa's funeral. He's pretty rude, and overall so hard to listen to.
Terrible teacher. Tests every week. Does not work practice problems in class. Only shows you them and tells the class that those who don't know how to work the problem shouldn't even bother working them on the test. Not encouraging at all. Yes, chemistry is a difficult course but He makes it so much worse. If you take him, make sure to go to class.
Albu is a fine teacher. He has practice questions, old test, notes, and an homework assignment every test each week. I don't know why people have horrible grades. People, it's chemistry. You will need to study. If you go to class, he gives EC for attendance and pre-lecture assignments. He also curves. I will miss him. PS read the chapters too
Tests are fairly difficult. He worked the basic examples of how to use equations in class and any homework, which is fairly difficult, can be solved by looking at examples in the book or by going online to Youtube or something like that. I don't recommend taking him unless you can focus well and study. You will either sink or swim with him.
He knows what he's talking about. Just... Don't take this class with Albu during a summer semester. Study HARD. Seriously. HARD. Make sure you can recite the information in your sleep and you'll make a B on the tests. The text book helps a little but google is better.
Do the online homework first. The lectures can use as a review of what you've got. His old test is helpful for the exam. Every time he said something is hard,just don't listen to him.Don't let this discourage you. To success: time you apply it on the questions. Every chapters have 3 to 5 types of questions.
Study and work on prelecture HW. It was not easy A, but not hard either. Thanks to his teaching method, I developed a good studying habit and did well on Organic. He really prepares you for the upper level chem.
He's super hard to understand. You have a test over every single chapter. He teaches right up to the last second even if he was done 20 minutes before. Not a good professor at all.
Dr. Albu is a great Chemistry professor. I would recommend him to people who really want to learn the chemistry, not to those who want an easy class. He is very helpful in office hours. Chemistry 2 material is hard, but you just have to get used to reading the textbook and you will do well!
Honestly, the only way you'll do well in his class is if you already know chemistry. He gives tests every week and doesn't explain the material very well at all. He also takes pride in the fact that his class does poorly, and expects no higher than a 60% on tests and 50% on the final. Avoid if you can.
He talks up to the last minute of every single lecture. His tests are hard. He isn't good at explaining. He is difficult to understand. I have had to reteach myself everything so far this semester and attend all SI sessions. I've never attended his office hours, but I feel like they wouldn't be helpful. His class averages on tests are always low.
I had Dr. Albu for General Chemistry 1 and i thought I would be fine cause I took Chemistry in high school and i did really well, that was not the case. This class is very hard but if you do get him don't worry because you can make an A i promise it's possible but you have to work hard and go to SI sessions. you can't study for just one night.
Mr. Albu is easily the toughest chemistry professor at UTC. He is very hard to understand due to him being foreign, the lecture also goes until the last minute of class. He also doesn't fully explain or go through examples for most of the material. Everything I learned in class I taught myself, or learned from a tutor. Try to get another professor.
Test are tough. Go to all the SI sessions and get a tutor! Make sure to do all the homework. You need to go to all the classes because you get points taken off for missing. Class isn't terribly hard but you have to put in the work for a good grade.
Terrible professor. He didn't let students see their graded tests even under supervision in his office. He didn't offer extra credit. He didn't curve grades. The average test scores ranged from C to F depending on the test. Difficult to understand in class.
Professor Albu has a very thick accent so at times it can be hard to understand him. Because of that I have basically had to teach myself an entire semester of chemistry. The only thing I do like about his class is he gives you 2 attempts on the homework and averages the 2 grades. Also, he gives an exam every 2 weeks so it is over less material.
I got an A from this course and take pride in this A. Do a reasonable amount of work and show up to each lecture. Once you click to his way of teaching, it works pretty well.
Do yourself a favor and take Inorganic Chemistry PRIOR TO this class. You will be in much better shape because one-fourths of the material scratches the surface of atomic and molecular orbitals. His grading scale is fair, but there was no rhyme or reason to study the class notes, unless you can understand his jargon. Pop quizzes for extra credit!
he's condescending to everyone if they get something wrong or don't understand the material, he couldn't effectively teach, and when I asked for an example to be drawn on the board he FLAT OUT told me "yeah, if you want me to waste my time". He's rude, patronizing, and I WOULD NOT TAKE HIM even if its a last resort. I had to teach myself EVERYTHING
Albu is a very smart professor who knows what he is talking about. His teaching style is VERY difficult to understand because he is almost too smart to teach. He expects you to already know what he is teaching. He is also VERY hard to comprehend sometimes because he a heavy accent. I went to tutoring and SI meetings and still struggled to get a D.
GET OUT OF THIS CLASS ASAP
Albu definitely teaches over people's heads, he does not give much background knowledge to the things he teaches, and he is also very hard to understand due to his accent. The ONLY reason i passed his class is because i got a tutor, watched endless chemistry youtube videos, and went to all the SI sessions. I would recommend another professor
He literally gives you the notes and past tests. How do you do bad in this class?
Hes a very boring professor, and if you havent had honors or AP Chemistry you will most likely struggle in this class. He does not explain difficult concepts very well, but I f you go to the optional SI sessions you will be fine. The tests are fairly easy if you study hard.
Worst professor I have ever had and I put in the word for the class. You cannot understand him and he talks way over your head because he used to be a grad professor. He told me if I couldn't pass chemistry I would never be a nurse. He belittled me and made me feel so stupid every time i tried to meet with him. Do not take him !!
This class is fairly easy if you study. I made a 100 on all of his tests by practicing his old exams and making sure I knew how to solve all of the problems. The way his tests are set up makes it really easy to make a 100. You just have to know what you are doing. He isnt that great of a teacher, but if you can teach yourself, you will be fine.
I did not enjoy taking Albu's class. He is very condescending if you don't understand the material. I only made an A because I taught myself the material outside of class. If there is ANYONE else offering to teach the course, take them. Albu is a hard pass.
Not the best
Dr. Albu is a good professor. His class really isn't that difficult, you just have to actually put some semblance of effort in. He gives you old exams to study with and exams have lots of bonus questions + bonus earned by attending class. Pleasant to talk to during office hours. Does not hand back exams. Textbook barely used.
Super intelligent with cool personality!!! Never go to his office before class starts, bc you will end up staying there FOREVER!!!
Albu is obviously very intelligent and knows what he is talking about. With that being said, he teaches the material as if we already understand what he is talking about as well. It is possible to pass if you attend SI, study the old tests, and teach yourself the material. Steer clear of his class if at all possible.
Rude.
Yes, you are reading the other reviews and chemistry is hard. He gives you all the materials to pass just put in the work. He gives lots of bonus points so it isn't that hard to make A's if you study. I recommend getting one on one tutoring and doing his practice tests. He is a very generous grader he just makes you memorize a bit more than others.
If you want to pass this class, you have to really work for it. You'll be fine as long as you study his old practice exams. He also puts a lot of bonus questions on his tests, which gives you a better chance at making an A. Compared to the other chem professors that I've heard of, you're more likely to make a good grade with his class.
His class really is not that hard. Go to class, pay attention, and read through the book and you will easily get an A. You get out what you put in for this class. I would dedicate a lot of my time to studying for this class and the lab but it definitely pays off. He curves his tests and gives a bit of extra credit for those who don't miss class.
The man is brilliant. He knows what he's talking about but doesn't quite explain it so the rest of us understand it. His lecture notes don't really make any sense, and he rarely explains the examples.
He has an accent
Professor Albu is Romanian. He has a thick accent that will sometimes get in the way of learning but is not too bad. He makes you print and bind his lecture notes that ends up costing about $25. Aside from that, he uses just 3 tests and homework as your grade. His lectures are long and boring. I often have to fight sleep during class. Good luck.
Despite the accent, Albu is a great teacher. As long as you study for the class and put in effort, you will get the grade you deserve. Tests are all 20 questions and every test has 10 extra credit questions. They are relatively easy if you know the material. Come to class, do homework, and study and you'll get an A in the class.
Professor definitely knows what he's talking about but has no skills in teaching and doesn't seem to care about the students learning the material at all. I did end up with an A in this class but it's because I worked my booty off and taught myself everything. If you don't have to take Albu, switch out! I have heard he's better for upper courses.
Have to go to class, if you miss he takes points off test if you go he gives extra points. Hard to follow along in class and I actually have no idea how I ended up getting a C. Hes a nice man, but this is NOT an easy class.
Professor Albu is obviously very knowledgeable about Chemistry. His lectures are literally him reading his powerpoint. Barely any real explanation. With the math, he literally looked at us and said, "This one is difficult, so you all can do it at home." We never went over it again, and that same problem was on the test. Would not take again.
I emailed him, hard to reach. I went to him for study help, he wouldn't help, just said I wasn't trying hard enough. Very disappointed. Made F's on all exams except for the final, even after studying for hours. His tests are solely to trick you.
Make sure to do your online homework, its your only cushion. Heavy textbook use. Many extra credit questions on his tests. To make a good grade, rework his old exams, practice questions he gives during class, and textbook questions over and over. Definitely a hard class. Chem 2 is VERY math heavy.
I was wary about taking his class because of the reviews and I was rightfully so. Chemistry does not come easy to me but I did ok with little assistance. He has a thick accent so it can be hard to understand him. I recommend taking someone else if you can. Or at least be able to teach yourself. I ended the class w an 89.46 and he didn't round up :(
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! I wish someone told me not to take him but he was at a better time so I did and now I have D possibly F. Hes not understanding at all Im a straight A student and have As in all my other classes except his. He doesnt give partial credit so if you do a problem right but get the wrong answer, the whole questions wrong.
If you can take any other professor for Chem 1 or 2, do it. I have always had straight A's until his class. I was afraid to ask questions in class considering how he had rudely answered other students before. Only takes 4 tests grades and a final. Participation and homework count little, so not much cushion to mess up. Get a tutor ASAP
Dr. Albu is nice professor and very knowledgeable. However, chemistry is a tough subject and the lecture notes aren't very helpful for explanations. 20+ hours a week of studying and it was still tough. He will work with you if you show him you are making an effort.
Quantum Chemistry is notoriously difficult due to the fact students do not have much of a math/physics background. Dr. Albu provides clear expectations and lectures, as well as practice exams that are very similar to the real thing. You get what you put in. Supplement learning with videos and book readings.
this class was the hardest class I have ever done! His test are incredibility hard and the final was just trick question after trick question. I would definitely recommend that you switch to a different class. I am pretty good at chemistry but with his confusing notes and thinking we should already know this information, it is by far the hardest
The only reason I did so well in this class was because I was great at chem in high school, otherwise I would have failed. His expectations for students are unwavering & (honestly) unreasonably high. I would say to avoid this class unless you are certain that you can hold yourself accountable. You will feel very burnt out by the end of it.
He doesnt want you to do well
Professor Albu is a nice person, but not a good professor. I'm a straight A/B student, and this class was stupidly difficult. His lectures were all over the place and his tests were excessively hard. I was very burnt out by the end of the semester.
For this class, you will have to work your butt off. Your grade is based on 10 homework questions due at the end of the week per chapter, 3 main tests, and a cumulative final (ACS). He offers extra credit per test. The final is very difficult because it will not be formatted like the rest of the other exams.
This class is VERY difficult. There is a one-chapter test every week and a half. It is a lot to handle and you will have to be on top of it constantly. There is a total of 10 tests, 10 homework assignments, and a cumulative final (ACS). The average of every test taken was failing, so I would recommend to eat, sleep, and breathe this class to pass.
Unless youre planning on being a chemist, lectures are super boring and material is hard to understand at times.
Professor Albu is just simply too smart to be teaching General Chemistry courses. I would avoid him. He tries to teach and explain everything as if you already know it and requires that you print out his lengthy notes for lecture. He does however give extra credit for going to class and homework credit, which are honestly the reasons I even passed
You are gonna have to teach yourself. Sweet guy- but just not a good professor for chem 1 students, and does not really cover the need-to-know basics to move onto the next course. He doesn't take questions in class, and sticks to his confusing lecture notes. He just doesn't explain things very clearly, and even in office hours was not a big help
Professor albu is a nice guy, but not the best at teaching. He is difficult to understand which doesn't help when the content is hard. I found the online hw and youtube videos helpful for studying. The exams are multiple choice and he gives you bonus points for good attendance so even if you don't pay attention it helps to show up.
For a student that doesn't have any background chemistry knowledge Albu is not the way to go! He is a great guy and seems like he has the right intention to help if you go to him but his knowledge is way above gen chem. Chemistry is a hard class in general but Albu just doesn't know how to bring it down to first time chem students level.
He is a nice guy, but lectures are confusing and relies on guided notes that are confusing.
The notes he has you do are from a packet he made but are very hard to understand if you don't know much about chemistry already and isn't really that great if you are not doing a chem related major. He is a good guy though, kinda intimidating though at first because of how tall he is and his Romanian accent but he isn't mean or anything really.
Although Prof. Albu is a cool dude, he is not a good teacher at all. The only grades in the gradebook are exams, and even though we spend at least 2 hours on one homework assignment a week, it doesn't really weigh out your grade in your favor. The exams are very hard and even though I study 4-5 hours for the exams, I still get 40's and 50's.
Very tough intro to chemistry course. The only grades were 4 tests and a homework grade that did not count for much. Nice guy, just a challenging course.
Dr. Albu is obviously very knowledgeable in his field and does well to explain concepts and answer questions. Utilize supplemental learning with this class and prepare for the exams. Practice a variety of problems and you will do well. Chemistry is not an innate subject therefore you need to study.
Professor Albu's Chem 1110 class is graded mainly by tests, including the standardized final at the end of the semester. He is also very heavy on homework and lecture attendance. I would not take this class considering that he is very unhelpful and unnecessarily hard. Multiple times during the semester he even said he expects many of us to fail.
I have one bit of advice for anyone in this class. RUN! Run while you still can.
Dr. Albu is a great professor! He has a good sense of humor and cares about the students. My best advice would be to sit at the front of the class where you can understand him better. Chemistry is a hard subject so his grading scale is a little different from the rest.
He is a nice guy, but he doesn't teach very well. You kind of just have to teach yourself how to do the example problems in the lecture notes and practice tests if you want to do good bc they are very similar to the test questions. There is also an entire extra credit section on the test. You're not gonna do well if you don't put in the effort to.
I was afraid to take his class due to his ratings on here. I took his class & was pleasantly surprised. I believe that his ratings are by people who do not study. Not the most approachable person, but a good professor. Tests are not that difficult if you show up to lectures & study. He included bonus questions on tests & gave points for attendance.
Currently taking his Chemistry I course. Not sure why I did not check his reviews prior, but it has costed my GPA. The material is already difficult, compiled with his inability to properly explain literally anything makes this course pretty much entirely self-taught. The tests are possible to pass, and the class itself is passable, but barely.
I had to drop his class due to some personal issues, but when I went to talk to him in office hours about my success in the class he was not encouraging at all. Being in his class completely decimated my confidence in science and I love stem subjects. I went to tutoring, recitation and studied outside of class and still had a hard time.
Great guy, but not the best entry-level chemistry professor. He has repeated multiple times throughout the class that he expects the majority of the class to fail, which is not an exaggeration. Study hard and take good notes and you can pass.
I believe most of the bad ratings are from people who don't put in the work necessary...He doesn't WANT you to fail. Exams are not super easy and you do have to do some self teaching, but you get 10 bonus questions on exams. Not many professors provide that. Homework is 10 questions, mostly due every other week. Attendance is important.
Cool guy. Some of these ratings are obviously done by people who expected to slide by without having to put in extra work. If you're too lazy to do the work, that's on you. Don't blame the professor. He isn't the most approachable instructor, but he doesn't want you to fail. Barely homework, many bonus points on exams, and much access to study mats
In my experience he was not good. His lecture notes do not explain the material well. He isn't approachable, and while resources are available, his exams are rough. The average was around 70 on exams. He also seemed proud of the fact that most students struggle. I studied for hours and did practice problems. I still didn't do well.
If you get Albu, drop the class immediately. He is the most inconsiderate and unapproachable professor I have ever had. If you get a lecture question wrong or do poorly on a test, he will publicly humiliate you. He does not teach material whatsoever and expects you to know it before hand. Amazes me that he still has a job.
This is the worst professor i have ever had. his lectures make no sense and the only thing that dictates your grade is exams
He is a really nice guy but over explains concepts which makes it confusing. When you ask him a question he will mumble over parts that he is unsure of. His accent is also SUPER heavy so you have to listen closely to understand him. Overall a great guy in personality but not fit to be teaching a tough subject like chemistry.
From a Biochem major: worst prof I've ever had. Will embarrass you in front of everyone if you get a question wrong. The one review on here that talks about being lazy is why you fail is wrong. I spend more than 4 hours a day preparing for his exams and still fail. Also everyone cheats so if you're not willing to (I'm not) you probs won't pass.
This professor does not believe in any of he's students and comments regularly on half of them failing or dropping the class. He grades harshly, no extra credit, and makes the tests hard with basically all quantitative material. You must memorize for this course. He also won't add HW assignments to your final grade until the end, so prepare.
His teaching style consists of lecture notes which he encourages to print out and have them be spiral bound, practice exams, and online homeworks. The grade in the class is mainly based upon exams and online homeworks and the exams can be hard. Overall, a solid professor.
Thought Titus was at 4.* so I didn't know what I was getting myself into, the lack of guidance and support (hws) made this material nearly impossible to handle with other heavy classes to worry. He deserves 1* but i can say he carries a funny/evil scientist vibe that was very inspiring 1on1, just don't translate to success in the course.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
86%
Textbook Required
11%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.06 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM3560
5.0
(1)CHEM1120
2.5
(22)CHEM1110
2.1
(49)CHEM3720
2.0
(1)CHEM1010
1.9
(22)Difficulty by Course
CHEM102
5.0
CHEM1010
4.6
CHEM1120
4.4
CHEM1110
4.2
CHEM3720
4.0