2.3

TQ Sam

Mathematics - Orange Coast College

2.3
Quality
3.9
Difficulty
9%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
2.3
Quality
3.9
Difficulty
2.3
Helpful
2.2
Clarity

9%

Would Retake

83

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

13

4

11

3

4

2

24

1

31

What Students Say

tests are a lot harder than he makes them seem

MATH030 - 1.0 rating

I had this professor twice and he's extremely hard to understand, and does really simple examples in class but the test is 5x's harder than the examples he goes over in lectures & homework, so prepare to be stuck on his ridiculously hard exams

MATH010 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

62%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

71% confidence
Based on 7 grades
Most common grades:
Drop/Withdrawal (4)
B (2)
B+ (1)
Grade Distribution
A(1)B(3)C(1)D(5)F(0)A-/B+(1)
Based on 11 reported grades
Drop/Withdrawal: 4
B: 2
B+: 1
B-: 1
Common Tags
Tough grader (4)
Graded by few things (3)
Lots of homework (2)
Tough Grader (1)
TEST HEAVY (1)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (1)
Skip class? You won't pass. (1)
Test heavy (1)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.07 avg change
Nov
Feb
Jun
Dec
May
Feb
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

MATHA180

5.0

(1)

MTH010

5.0

(2)

MATHA010

4.0

(1)

MATH08

3.5

(4)

MATH180

3.5

(10)
+13 more courses
Difficulty by Course

SUCKS

5.0

MATHMATH

5.0

PREC170

5.0

MATH30

4.4

MATH030

4.3

Reviews (83)
5.0
2.0
MATH10
Nov 14, 2003

HE IS A GREAT MATH TEACHER, HE IS WILLING TO HELP YOU AND WANTS YOU TO SUCCEED, YOU WILL LIKE HIM

5.0
4.0
MATH08
May 27, 2004

Only person who was able to teach me math. He makes math easy to understand and is willing to answer any question, even the dumb ones!

5.0
2.0
MATH10
Jun 13, 2004

nice guy, wants to help you

4.0
3.0
MATH120
Oct 26, 2004

Sam Q is very nice, but I don't think he is a good teacher. He doesn't give a study guide before taking the tests. So you have no idea what the test will cover. He is not clear when lecturing the class and he doesnt' even know what he is doing.

2.0
5.0
MATH120
Nov 8, 2004

I thought he was an aweful teacher. I'm sure he meant well, but I couldn't understand anything. He went too fast and he has a very strong accent that I could hardly understand anything. I ended up dropping.

1.0
4.0
INTERALGEBRA
Jan 3, 2005

HORRIBLE teacher. U cant understand him he doesnt speak good english, he does not help you outside of class, he doesnt budge on grades and he wears the same clothes day after day. i got a D and he wasnt willing to help at all. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS especially if you dont like math to begin with

3.0
4.0
MATH010
May 29, 2005

Horrible! I don’t think anybody did well in his class. the only good thing about his class is that your worst grade is replaced by what you get on the final. Unhelpful is putting it nicely. In his class you are dammed if you do and dammed if don’t. He tells us to ask questions then gets on your case when you do. The homework load is horrible I have

3.0
5.0
MATH10
Grade: B+
Jul 21, 2005

Sam seems like a good and humble guy, but his tests were long and very hard. He answers all questions, even the dumb one. His teaching style is not very motivating, but i think his english is not that bad. I think he chose a wrong profession.

1.0
5.0
MATH10
Sep 8, 2005

He was a very hard teacher. Must people either dropped or failed. At the most 10 pasted.

1.0
5.0
MATH010
Sep 9, 2005

He is a nice guy but not helpful at all. Three fourths of the class dropped out or failed. Don't take him, he's terrible.

1.0
5.0
SUCKS
Sep 28, 2005

No Comments

1.0
5.0
SUCKS
Sep 28, 2005

He is very nice but very hard to understand!!!

1.0
5.0
MATH170
Oct 18, 2005

sam might be a great guy when NOT TEACHING OR IN ANY WAY AFFILIATED WITH A SCHOOL. he shouldn't be teaching at all. his english is terrible and he does not test you an what he teaches. not a good professor to learn math with, pick someone else.

1.0
5.0
MATH10
Oct 24, 2005

very very very very.....hard teacher some people dropped or failied last sememster DO NOT TAKE HIM TRUST ME

1.0
4.0
MATH008
Nov 3, 2005

he sux as a teacher. i did all his quizes and hw and got a pretty good grade and he still gave me a horrible grade in the class. he doesnt explain the problems right and people in my class were always correcting him cuz he did the problems wrong. it got frusterating and confusing. if you wanna learn math dont take his class.

2.0
5.0
MATH170
Jan 21, 2006

He is a wonderful, sweet person but he is a terrible teacher! On the first test our class average was a 53%. Do whatever it takes to avoid taking a class with him.

4.0
1.0
MATH10
Jul 16, 2006

It's unfair for what others said abt him. I took his class before, it's not that bad, he knows and has his methods to teach math, which will help when u move to math 30. the only thing is he often let class leave early which I don't like.

2.0
2.0
MATH30
Sep 27, 2006

feel bad for the guy. he's doing his best, he's brilliant at math, but he just doesn't make it very appealing for the math-hating population. the class seems to drag on and i have a hard time understanding him sometimes. He can't really help his accent so that i understand. the reason everyone does so poorly is that he never checks homework...

5.0
4.0
MATH180
Nov 7, 2006

Math isn't for everyone.If you don't like math or you are not planing on going into a carer in math then this isn't the Professor for you.If you want someone who will challenge you, force you to study, and if you want to take an active interest in your own education then i HIGHLY recommend him. He isn't easy, not by a long shot, but you will learn

2.0
5.0
MATH120
Nov 22, 2006

ok this teacher is not a good teacher. no hw and only four 10-15 question tests and he does not get very many answer right himself.test are open notes and book.but that doesnt help either.he made the mistake of putting a book example on the test and my friend wrote it exact from the book.and somehow only got half credit.3 of 27 student left in clas

3.0
3.0
MATH120
Dec 13, 2006

He is an ok teacher u just have to really focus, the tests were hard even though they were open note and book. If u show up all of class and study for the tests u will do good. Half my class has droped and more than half thats left has c or lower.

1.0
5.0
MATH120
Apr 25, 2007

This teacher was not the best at his job. He made the tests close to impossible and only grades on the tests. The class was constantly correcting him on slight errors in his algebra. He is a difficult teacher and you would have to be an expert in math before being able to get an a in his class

1.0
5.0
MATH010
Apr 27, 2007

DONT TAKE HIM!!!!!!!!!!GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN

2.0
5.0
MATH30
May 23, 2007

THIS IS YOUR WARNING, FUTURE MATH STUDENTS: AVOID THIS PROFESSOR. I consider myself a great student but this professor makes it nearly impossible to do well on his tests. His lectures are hard to understand (his accent seriously does not help the process); & his tests are written(not scantron) tests that will fry your brain. I barely managed a C.

2.0
5.0
MATH30
Jun 4, 2007

Avoid like the plague. This is no exagerration. He is simply the worst professor I have come across so far. His lectures are hard to comprehend, he offers no homework points and your grade is only dependent on excruciating, extremely tricky tests that you will most likely fail. Out of 30 students in my class, seven passed with a 65% and above.

1.0
5.0
MATH030
Jun 8, 2007

horrible teacher. difficult to understand with his heavy accent.

4.0
3.0
MATH10
Jul 10, 2007

I took Sam last semester for math 8 and now for math 10. In the beggining he seems hard, but really his classes are easy if you just try! His tests are multiple choice, he assigns homework but you don't have to turm it in. He may seem like a hard teacher, but that's part of his culture and he has really changed his teaching style.

2.0
5.0
MATH120
Jul 16, 2007

tests are difficult even though it's open book/one page of notes.nice person, but not a good professor for math. On the first test I did really bad, but during the middle I did pretty well on the tests, not enough for a "B". he gives hw for extra credit i think based on the class average. take someone else unless you really enjoy math!

2.0
5.0
MATH30
Jul 19, 2007

Worst. Professor. EVER. basically taught myself the subject the entire semester. i am an A student, and i went through hell and back for a B here. avoid avoid avoid!

1.0
5.0
MATH030
Aug 7, 2007

worst teacher i have every had. His english was horrible and his teach skills were just as horrible as his english. Walking in youre set up with an automatic drop or fial. aviod this teacher at all cost. Your GPA will suffer by his lack of teaching and lack of knowledge of the proper clear english langage.

2.0
4.0
MATH120
Nov 13, 2007

WORST teacher ive ever had. cant understand a word he says. tests are NOT MULTIPLE CHOICE! or well in at least math 120 AVOID! i cant stress it enough...complains about teaching, always late, cant teach ....what else more do you need go get a different guy..anyone else is better!

2.0
4.0
MATH170
Dec 4, 2007

has hard tests, and cannot teach well; moves too quickly.

5.0
2.0
MATH170
Dec 10, 2007

The teacher teaches fine!! all the students down there are taking out their anger..cuz they're probably failing or dont study.nd his accent isnt bad. Prof. Sam is extremely helpful ! u just need to ask for help. He wants u to pass and will do w/e he can. Pre-calc is hard! it's just that the book we used was HORRIBLE! (prof. eduardo's book) ugghh.

3.0
3.0
MATH08
Jan 14, 2008

He is a fairly good teacher.. however you must attend class regularly and do not talk in class, he will get angry. he has a strong vietnamese accent and it can be hard to understand at times. He can go pretty fast so make sure to ask him to slow down. Make sure to show him that you want to pass by paying attention in class and not ever being absent

5.0
2.0
MATH180
Jan 30, 2008

I think people on this site tend to grade a professor by the grade they earn in the class. Prof. Sam is very fair and if you do A work, you'll get an A. If you get an F it's probably because you didn't study. It's not his fault! He's always around to help so I'm not sure why people complain! His accent isn't that bad and I'm a white kid lol.

4.0
1.0
MATH170
Feb 1, 2008

Sam is cool. Understanding. Fair. If he was teaching Calculus 1 I would take him again. This class was hell because of the textbook. Written by Arismendi-Pardi. Who happens to work at OCC as well. Book has missing solutions, errors in equations, basically it was like a rough draft.The class was very fast paced

4.0
3.0
MATH120
Feb 22, 2008

He's good teacher. Sometime I can't understand clearly because his accent.

1.0
3.0
MATH010
Mar 18, 2008

Bad... His English is so horribly fragmented you will spend the whole class trying to understand him and miss the math. He not only has poor English but also talks with his back to the class while writing on the board.

2.0
5.0
MATH30
Apr 2, 2008

So basically everyone who is positively rating this failure of a professor has either gone delusional and insane from the trauma of failing or has 3 tutors teaching him the subject for him. first of all i can't even understand what he's saying, it's a mix of vietnamese and a poor attempt at the english language. second of all, he just can't teach.

1.0
5.0
MATH010
Apr 22, 2008

if you care about your grades and your not a math person like i am do your self a favor dont take him. you can understand a word that comes out of his mouth or how he gets his answers its a waste of your time and money dont take him

2.0
4.0
MATH120
Jun 5, 2008

he doesnt helpfull at all,dont ta,e him,i worked hard for A but he gave me B.STUPID

1.0
5.0
MATHMATH
Jul 10, 2008

First of who ever told him that teaching was only writing out the same problems we have in our books taught him wrong...second being a teacher means that you explaing things to your students until they understand...at least that's how the process was explained to me...and lastly don't take this teacher even if your life depended on it...he will cru

2.0
4.0
MATH120
Jul 11, 2008

He is crazy, We were 41 students in his class at the beggining and at the end we were only 9, we had one B, two Fs and the rest C, he told us that he will curve the class but at the end he changed his mind and he didn't. don't even think about taking his class

1.0
5.0
MATH170
Sep 18, 2008

jesus didnt save me from this prof. it is incredibly difficult because he uses this first edition book by arismendi-pardi who also teaches at occ. it has millions of mistakes and no graphs to help you (wth?) and only times youll understand the words coming out of his mouth is when hes talkin and drawin at the same time. DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER PLZ

2.0
5.0
MATH170
Sep 19, 2008

***HARD TEACHER. SWEET GUY BUT HARD. I DROPPED HIS CLASS BECAUSE HE IS HARD!!!***

1.0
3.0
MATH008
Nov 14, 2008

hard to understand, not very helpful

1.0
5.0
MATH170
Nov 19, 2008

HE IS HORRIBLE!!! I wouldn't recommend him even to someone I hated. He is such a rambler. He'll talk about something that is irrelevant for like 15 min. His tests are so HARD. There is a full page of notes allowed for them, but it's no use. Like 90% of the class gets an F on every test. SERIOUSLY DON'T TAKE HIM.

2.0
5.0
MATH170
Nov 19, 2008

Im sorry but please don't take this class you you don't like math. going into this class (which i have already taken) i thought it would be fun and easy... i was wrong. Sam is a nice guy just not a good teacher. he puts students down in class and doesn't believe in any of his students. if you want to teach yourself, this is the class for you.

4.0
4.0
MATHA010
May 23, 2009

ok its hard becuase of the exams, but he teaches ok! its just for some reasons the exams are always hard. But nice guy and the final exam can either pass you or fail you because it worth alot. and alot of kids would leave his class early so if they said they failed, it because they were never there and left early!

4.0
1.0
MATH008
Nov 24, 2009

Nice and flexible teacher. Attendance and homework is not mandatory, but obviously if you don't practice the problems then the tests will seem hard. Allows one page of notes for tests. Easy class if you just do the homework.

2.0
4.0
MATH170
Feb 27, 2010

terrible expanations, wouldnt entertain questions about lower level review ie algebra. have never had a problem in math before. in calc 1 now w andrew koines and its a complete 180 the class is fun easy and im learning a llooootttt more

1.0
5.0
MATH08
Apr 18, 2010

This guy should not teach,why because he does not know how to connect with students that struggle with math.His usaual responce when you ask for help is it so easy what don't you understand and if say all of it he's then lost and has in my presences call a student stupid in front of the class.Also a huge language barrier.

2.0
3.0
MATH170
Jun 15, 2010

useless of a teacher. i've been at occ for 3 years now and he's by far the worst professor i've had in my stay at occ. dont take him

4.0
2.0
MATH10
Aug 1, 2010

easy math 10 class. homework is assigned but not collected. you can leave early. tests are kind of hard but he's helpful with whats on it

2.0
5.0
MATH180
Nov 22, 2010

Do not take him. ****ing hard. I got As all of my other math classes but this class is just super hard. The class test average is 50% and he still don't curve it.

5.0
2.0
MATHA180
Jan 12, 2011

Pro. Sam is a sweet guy.I would prefer him for my Cal 2.His accent isn't that bad.He is extremely helpful.Not Mandatory and no homework required .He let us used one sheet of note for the test. He did curve the test and the grade.His tests always have one tricky question, but he grades them is freaking easy and sometime we have bonus..Work hard= A

5.0
3.0
MTH010
Jun 26, 2011

I am surprised to see such low ratings for this teacher. I hate math and got a B in this class. His notes are perfect and very easy to copy and understand. No hw, but like with any math class, if you don't put in the time, you will not succeed. He is precise and to the point. I am very bummed he is not teaching 030. good guy overall.

5.0
3.0
MTH010
Jun 26, 2011

No Homework, 6 tests and he drops 1. No quizzes. Extra Credit for attendance and paying attention (i.e. not talking or texting during class)..he said he gave a kid 30 points to pass him because the kid showed so much effort. Quiet, but a no BS type of guy- plus, he DJs for fun.

2.0
5.0
MATH180
Dec 5, 2011

He's a nice guy--he really tries to help his students out with open book tests and grading curves, but he still somehow made even the simplest concepts incredibly difficult to understand.

4.0
5.0
PREC170
Dec 13, 2011

7 tests and let you drop 1 but for my class he already drop 2 and lower his range 85% for an A. 60% you can get a C. his test is hard if you want challenges. this class is yours if not dont take him. his lectures aren't helpful too much on the exams and of course he lets you use anything you want for the exams.

4.0
5.0
MATH180
Dec 19, 2011

My 4th time taking calculus. Maybe I should change majors. He lets you use note, and books, and just when you think, "Oh, I've got this!" you see the exam and its nothing like the lecture and nothing like the homework. I must admit he will cut you some slack and try to boost your grade, but he loves to throw curve balls into exams.

5.0
2.0
MATH180
Dec 19, 2011

I had Prof Sam for Cal1. Great teacher. He lets you use the text book and notes on the exams. Though some of the algebra is tricky, he tests you on the Calculus; so, if you happen to mess up on the algebra, he only marks off a point or two. Overall awesome guy. He cares about his students. He understands it's college; attendance is not mandatory.

5.0
1.0
MATH180
Feb 9, 2012

Trust me, if you like Math, this is the professor that you should consider. Your life won't be easy if you take his class. He gives you interesting problems to solve. But seriously, isn't Calculus supposed to be challenging? I 100% recommend him for anyone.

5.0
2.0
MATH08
Jul 6, 2012

Very clear, cut and dry approach to math lets you use notes and drops your worse test. Really works with you to help you understand

2.0
3.0
MATH10
Mar 12, 2013

math 10 is not hard class, but the fact that he doesn't take points for homework it affects you. He only counts tests and some extra credit points if you have perfect attendance. i didn't pass his class by 2 points. would not take him if you struggle in math!

2.0
5.0
MATH180
Apr 17, 2013

Class average for first three tests in the 50% range, only on third test did he drop a question. Tests are open book, open note, and insanely hard. Out of the three tests, three As were given. Doesn't care about students at all, and it shows. Avoid!

1.0
3.0
MATH030
May 15, 2013

Do not take him! tests are a lot harder than he makes them seem. He makes you feel stupid if you ever ask questions.

1.0
5.0
MATH170
Jun 7, 2013

DO NOT TAKE HIM!! Trust me, precalc is not as hard as he makes it out to be. I think the highest grade on his first test was a C. That was my cue to drop the class. I had a D at the time I dropped his class, and then I took it with a different professor and got a high A.

5.0
2.0
MATH010
Oct 30, 2013

Such an amazing guy. I prefer his teaching style. I have never believed I was good at math until now. The people who do not like him are probably looking for a give away grade. This is not a give away. I plan to take him for wintermester. Also I go to office hours and that helps a lot.

2.0
3.0
20341
Oct 6, 2014

if you all ready know math you will pass it would be hard to learn anything from him it is not clear very boring class and confusing you don't learn you better all ready know

1.0
5.0
MATH10
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Oct 31, 2014

Hard to understand, and if you ask something you are not clear, he would always say "I already explained earlier" He is not up to pace with technology and I found it frustrating because we buy an expensive book with access to use mymathlab programa and he didn't have the access code. So I was on my own looking at youtube videos from other colleges.

2.0
5.0
MATH010
Grade: B-
Apr 18, 2016

He is very confusing. He lectures the easy problems and if you ask questions or for help he gets annoyed and you get made fun of. I ended up asking questions many others had but wouldn't ask to avoid his responses. He expects you to know ahead without considering some of us are there to learn! Gives extra credit for attendance I didn't learn much.

1.0
4.0
MATH010
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Jul 19, 2016
Wouldn't take again

I had this professor twice and he's extremely hard to understand, and does really simple examples in class but the test is 5x's harder than the examples he goes over in lectures & homework, so prepare to be stuck on his ridiculously hard exams. He gets mad when you ask a question & makes you feel stupid by butchering you for "not listening" smh.

1.0
5.0
MATH170
Dec 2, 2017
Wouldn't take again

He takes only 3 of 5 hours a week of his class time to lecture, he then ends class and tells you to go home and practice by yourself. He expects you to know everything you previously did in pre-calc, every single log, ln, and trig property. Total of 5 tests. Optional assigned but not collected homework. Miss class and fail test, you will be dropped

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
4.0
MATH010
Oct 2, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Awful! If you struggle in math, don't take it with Sam. He doesn't grade homework, only tests that are way more difficult than any example he shares in class. He is very condescending when you ask a question and don't get it right away. Math is difficult enough for some without this guy making you feel like an idiot for not understanding.

Lots of homework
1.0
4.0
MATH030
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Nov 14, 2019
Wouldn't take again

I would not suggest you take a class from this instructor. Instead of explaining the concepts, he just says "you should know this" and skips over the material. I agree he puts down students and does not answer questions. I wish I had checked on his ratings before I signed up for the class.!!!!!

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
MATH180
Nov 10, 2022

makes students feel stupid for asking clarifying question and does not explain explains all examples that are explained by textbook

Graded by few things
2.0
4.0
MathA115
Grade: B
Feb 13, 2023

Sam isn't that bad of a person; he's nice enough. It's a shame that his teaching skills are terrible. Instead of covering specific topics, he says, "You should have covered this in prealgebra/algebra 1/algebra 2." He only grades based on 4 tests, but the curve is nice enough that you can mess up a little and still do good in the class.

Tough grader
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
PREC170
Grade: C
Jun 17, 2023

This guy is easily one of the worst teachers I have ever had in my life. He is absolutely unclear in his lectures and because of that his tests are horrible. If you asked him a question he'd just say that we needed to know that already. Find anyone else to take Precalc with because this guy is terrible

Tough grader
4.0
3.0
MATH180
Grade: A
Dec 15, 2023
Would take again

you don't have to do any hw but if you don't you will prolly fair his tests. Grades on a grading scale where a 85 is an A and ur test is based off 5 tests, no final. Tests are hard if you don't know your trig/precalc and really understand the concepts ur gonna fail

Tough grader
Graded by few things
1.0
3.0
MathA115
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
May 22, 2024

I HAVE NEVER REVIEWED A TEACHER BUT CAME ON HERE TO REVIEW TQ SAM. I have never had a worse teacher in my life. He is rude, will laugh at you if you don't understand, make you feel bad in front of the whole class. He was hard to understand and impatient. He is always thinking people are out to get him and is very defensive. DO NOT TAKE.

1.0
5.0
MATH170
Grade: D
May 23, 2024

Very fast-paced, expects you to learn all of the material on your own, then proceeds to throw curveballs at you. study guides are nothing like the actual exam, doesn't even give answer key. Average exam scores for each exam were literally 50, 60, etc there was one exam where only 5 students passed and not even with an A, they got a 70 or an 80.

Tough grader
1.0
4.0
MATH170
Grade: B
Feb 9, 2025

Just watch Khan academy. his canvas is barely functional and is lacking absolutely everything. You just have to teach yourself from the textbook but attendance is mandatory. Can barely understand him, and everything is handwritten on the board with zero resources provided online, massive waste of time.

Get ready to read
Lots of homework
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

62%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

71% confidence
Based on 7 grades
Most common grades:
Drop/Withdrawal (4)
B (2)
B+ (1)
Grade Distribution
A(1)B(3)C(1)D(5)F(0)A-/B+(1)
Based on 11 reported grades
Drop/Withdrawal: 4
B: 2
B+: 1
B-: 1
Common Tags
Tough grader (4)
Graded by few things (3)
Lots of homework (2)
Tough Grader (1)
TEST HEAVY (1)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (1)
Skip class? You won't pass. (1)
Test heavy (1)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.07 avg change
Nov
Feb
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May
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Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

MATHA180

5.0

(1)

MTH010

5.0

(2)

MATHA010

4.0

(1)

MATH08

3.5

(4)

MATH180

3.5

(10)
+13 more courses
Difficulty by Course

SUCKS

5.0

MATHMATH

5.0

PREC170

5.0

MATH30

4.4

MATH030

4.3

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