All I gotta say is wow. He is the only chem teacher I've ever had that actually wants students to learn the material. His quizzes and tests are not difficult, and he is very passionate about what he teaches. A+

This guy is an awesome professor. His lectures are good and he is awesome at helping you out if you need help. My favorite teacher at UMD so far. His exams and quizzes are identical to those on the web and he curves his class a lot!! Zhdankin is awesome!

He's a nice guy who wants his students to do well. He recycles problems from past years' tests, so get your hands on copies of tests from previous years; some of the questions on your exams will be identical. Use the practice exams to study with. He does a thorough, organized job of presenting the material and his tests aren't bad if you study.

Great class. Really interesting. Zhdankin is really clear and his tests aren't too bad as long as you study and go to class. Even though he's from Russia, he's easy to understand.

Best Teacher Ever! Seriously, he explains difficult concepts easily and he tells you what is going to be on the test.

Great professor, brilliant person. Fabulous dry sense of humor. Very willing to help students.

Organic Chemistry is not an easy class, but Zhdankin is as good a professor as any to teach it. Uses examples well, clarifies when asked, explains what is going to be on exams, and of course has a fabulous sense of humor :)

This guy is the best chem teacher you will ever have. Take o chem with him, you'll love his sweet sweater vests!!

Good teacher...tells you exactly what is going to be on each exam. Even though he does this the class average is usually 60-70%

Viktor makes organic a breeze. Show up to class and he tells you nearly the same problems that are on the test. You also learn a lot from him. He has great Russian stories and the accent is awesome.

Viktor Zhdankin is by far the best Chemistry teacher at UMD, and let me tell you there are some very good ones. The man is a machine. He knows so much it is incredible, and the best part is that he can explain everything in terms the class can understand. I highly recommend taking Organic Chem with him if you can. His teaching skills are unmatched.

for organic chemistry he is an amazing teacher, and he really wants people to do well.

great professor knows his**** easy to understand tells u exactly what u need to know for each test and quiz

He impressed me more than any other professor I have had at UMD. He is very, very knowledgeable in the subject (he developed the rocket fuel used by the USSR during the Cold War) and teaches the material very well. He tells you exactly what will be on the exams, and he has a very fair curve system. BEST PROFESSOR I HAVE EVER HAD.

This teacher is amazing! I had him for Organic Chemistry 1. Going to class is mandatory because his test come straight from lecture materials. The lecture before every test he tells exactly what each question is on, and gives examples. Do the practice tests. They are exactly like his real tests. VERY good sense of humor as well.

Organic Chemistry is a hard class in general but this man made me want to go to lecture. He is absolutely hilarious and has unparalleled teaching skills. We had a sub for a few weeks and it was SO much harder without Zhadankin. I would highly recommend this teacher to anyone who has the choice!

Great teacher. Clearly explains exactly what is on the quizzes/exams/finals. Highly recommended. Makes chemistry interesting and throws in some good jokes too!

He really explains well in class but your basically screwed if you miss lecture.

He is awesome! I was nervous at first because I've had bad experiences with foreign professors. But, he is great. He teaches very well and is hilarious. He's really nice too, I'm not at all afraid to go to him for help. And he tells exactly what will be on each quiz and test. I've always hated chem, but I enjoy this class!

He does a good job teaching a difficult class. He has a thick accent so he is a little hard to understand. He is a good professor, one of the better o chem profs at UMD.

Zhdankin has to be one of the best chem professors at UMD. Lectures are interesting and he makes a lot of jokes during class. Highly recommended for organic chem.

Great Prof! Makes fun and is easy to catch! Better than other Ochem prof at UMD. Take him.

best chemistry professor I've had at UMD

I've never reviewed a professor on this site before, but I thought I owed it to Zhdankin. He is not only a great teacher, but an award-winning researcher, and a provider of some pretty amazing stories. Einstein said: if you can't explain something simply, you don't know it well enough. I understand what he means as a result of this course.

Chemistry is not one of my strengths, but Victor made the class very enjoyable and I did much better than I thought I would in the class.

Very nice guy! Go to class, and use the practice quizzes and exams to study!! I recommend him, he posts grades the day of and walks you through what will be on quizzes and exams the class before

Very good professor! Been out of school for 10 years. Need more professors like Viktor around. The class is a lot of work. If you put the time in you will do very well. He is very straight forward. Do all recommended questions and sample exams. BEST Prof ever

"It's Time"

Good teacher, has a deep background knowledge of real world chemistry and talks about them in class. Grades based on quizzes and tests with no homework, bout 4 of each a semester so it involves understanding the material on your own

So I took Ochem 1 with him and he is amazing. Very straight forward and explains everything very clearly. Of course just being in lecture and listening isn't enough. Reading the book is optional, but will help clear some things up that he wasn't able to talk about or give too many examples. I'm taking Ochem 2 right now, less quizzes. Go to rvws

He is the best professor I have had in the chemistry department. He explains EXACTLY what he is going to test you on and the practice quizzesexams & notes are all I studied to get A's on them. He explains everything very well. He makes lectures interesting with all of his stories. I would not have passed O chem 1 & 2 if it weren't for Zhdankin!!!

The most easy to follow chem prof I've ever had. Attend the lectures and you're sure to pass. He does curve the grade, which really helps. He has great review opportunities for his tests which are great because there's no HW and not many quizzes to balance out a bad test.

He is a phenomenal professor. I had him for Organic Chemistry one and two and genuinely enjoyed the class. Would highly recommend.

If its not in the notes/quiz/review, its not on the exam. GO TO REVIEW SESSIONS. The exam passed out there is VERY similar to the actual. If you understand all the concepts to do the practice exam, you should do well on the actual exam. Viktor is very smart but not boring. He has a great dry sense of humor. Oh, and "It's time" ;)

Viktor is the greatest! Such a nice guy, and very smart. He explains EXACTLY what you need to know, and never tries to trick you on a test. He has an odd sense of humor which made lecture more interesting. Don't let his accent throw you off; you'll get used to it very quickly. Would highly recommend him for any class!!

Favorite professor I've had at UMD. Viktor is super professional, and he explains every piece of info you could possibly need for the exams in a very clear way. Ochem is hard but as long as you show up to lecture and copy down everything the man says you should be fine. Do yourself a favor and never skip lecture. Seriously.

I have never understood a chem class as well as I did in Zhdankin's. He writes all the info you need on the board in class so missing class is very dangerous. he tells you everything you'll need to know for the exam and posts previous exams and quizzes for studying which are just like the actual exam. Grade is based fully on quizzes and exams...

Starts every class with "good morning, good morning its time to start" in his sweater vest and velcro strapped shoes of choice. He is literally the man you want to take O-Chem with. He makes it simple, and clearly lays out what you need to know for every quiz and exam. He gives you 'sample exams/quizzes' that are identical to the real thing

He's a pretty awesome teacher. Gives you all of the knowledge that you need to know. All of his tests and quizzes are almost exactly like years past. If you don't understand something, it's pretty easy to read the textbook in depth and then understand it. I don't think you could find a better O Chem teacher

I've always had a hard time with chemistry and felt I always needed to put extra work into it. With this class I was able to put in the extra work on the right stuff because he was for clear about the stuff we needed to know. Before every exam he literally brings in the actual exam and goes through what the problems will look it. SO GREAT!

Great professor. Basically tells you exactly what is on the test and rarely tries to trick you. Great review sessions the night before each exam which go over the previous years' exams. Very little assignments and tests are weighted heavily so if you do poorly on a test it's hard to dig yourself out. Best Ochem prof at UMD

Best chem professor I have ever had! He posts all his previous tests and quizzes and they are pretty much identical to the tests and quizzes he gives you. I would highly recommend him to anyone. The points in his class have no weight, therefore a test point and homework point are equal so make every point count!

Expectations are clear, no surprises on exams. If you study hard you can definitely succeed.

The material for O Chem 1 is tough, but he lays out his lectures in a very organized manner that is easy to follow, especially with his textbook. He uses questions from past exams and his textbook examples on exams and quizzes (wink wink) so I highly recommend attending lectures. A little boring at times but he is an awesome professor.

No homework, sample exams pretty much exactly like the actual exams, curves at the end. What else more can I say? Well, he speaks pretty slowly and in a monotone voice, so staying focused isn't always easy. HOT TIP: The online textbook is really glitchy for mac, so I'd recommend you buy the physical textbook for his class.

Every class he started off by turning to the chalk board and making perfect circles with the eraser on the board. After 5 minutes of this he would check his watch to make sure it was time. Then he would put the eraser down, turn to the class and say "Okay,okay,okay.... It is time" in a thick, nervous Russian accent. No prof has ever been the same.

I was afraid of Organic Chemistry because I heard it was extremely tough but Dr. Zhdankin makes everything super clear and has TONS of study resources including practice quizzes and exams that are basically the same as the real ones. Its still a difficult class but he definitely makes it a lot easier. Great guy and professor!

Funny, but brutally honest. I asked how to approach something and he told me that it was "in the notes" which I read, but still did not comprehend. He says things like "it's not that difficult" or "IDK why students have problems with this" which is not motivating at all. Write down/memorize EVERYTHING and you'll be fine. There's a curve at the end.

Professor Zhdankin was a great professor. The course material was hard but he did a good job teaching. He wrote the book you use in his class and it was done very well. He wrote the book without a lot of fluff that a lot of chemistry textbooks have. It was succinct and well written. Overall would highly recommend the book and his class.

Viktor co-wrote the textbook, so the chapters and his lectures coincide very nicely. He is a fair grader who makes it very clear what content will be on his quizzes and exams. This class isn't too difficult because most of the graded material is multiple choice. I really appreciated his dry humor.

Dr. Zhdankin gives excellent lectures and has a great textbook which can be used to supplement his lectures very well. The only downside is that he has a very monotonous voice.

Best professor that I have had at UMD. Gives you everything you need to know in lectures. The book is a great resource to use if you get confused on one of the sections. He curves the class at the end which is also very helpful.

Reading the book really helps to understand the lectures and the reactions you need to know (He wrote it!). He does have an accent so it can be a little hard to understand him if you're not focusing closely, but overall he is a good professor and does a lot of helpful examples. Also he can be pretty funny so lectures are usually bearable.

Viktor is a very easy going guy and replies to emails very quickly. The whole class is also curved so as long as you do better than the average, it is an easy A. OChem isn't a hard subject to begin with, but Viktor explains everything thoroughly.

Responds to emails very fast. He was available around my schedule and will go over tests with you individually and will correct you and give reasons why they are the right choice. Super hard class for most people but he simplifies it as much as he can.

Awesome Professor. He even provides sample exams/quizzes from previous years. He clearly discusses what you need to know, the lectures are basically a copy of the book. If you're good at memorizing, this class should be a breeze. His accent is an added bonus.

Zhdankin was overall a helpful professor in fall20. in lecture he went over the quiz and explanation to the questions. He can be a bit difficult to understand, but after awhile you get the gist of it. He provides sample quizzes and exams from previous years which is really helpful. This course is difficult and def. need to study to get an A or B

Dr. Zhdankin test's are based off exactly what he teaches, there are no surprises. There are homework quizzes after every lecture but you get 3 attempts and there are only 5 questions. He teaches directly from his own textbook, so if you miss writing anything down you can just read it in the book. He helps simplify hard topics.

I had Viktor for Organic Chemistry I. It was way more lecture heavy than I would have liked, but I did take it during COVID so all classes were online or hybrid. He is definitely very knowledgeable and can answer pretty much any question about chemistry that you have. Lecture were a little boring, but manageable.

Very well organized class! But you have to watch the lecture twice one time to take notes and one more time to understand. I used to watch it X2 speed. My only advice in this class is don't wait till the last minute. You need to spend 2-3 hours after each lecture if you really want to get an A. This class is so essential for the upper chem classes.

Viktor is an incredible professor here at UMD. He really cares about his student's success in the class and always makes sure that people understand the already difficult subject. He does an amazing job explaining the material and his tests are mostly multiple-choice with a few fill in the blank. He has a cool accent which is always fun.

Dr. Zhdankin is my favorite chemistry professor at UMD and a renowned organic chemist. If you are worried about taking O-Chem, make sure you take his class. He is a great lecturer, provides you with plenty of practice quizzes and exams, and teaches from his own textbook so if you miss anything it is an easy reference. Highly recommend!

He gives you everything you need to succeed.

Professor Zhdankin was by far my favorite professor that I had this school year. He made it very clear that he wanted his students to not only learn the material, but understand it too. He provides old sample exams he's used in the past as study guides for tests. His CANVAS page is incredibly well organized. He is a very good teacher.

Professor Zhdankin is very clear on what you need to know. He's lectures are straight from his textbook and explains the best way to answer problems for the tests so he makes sure you're very prepared for the exams. He posted lecture recordings from a previous year which is very helpful if you don't want to go to class.

Dr. Zhdankin is very smart and knows what he's talking about during lecture (but may have forgotten how difficult the material is to learn for the first time). He is organized and the class is structured nicely. He follows the textbook closely so definitely buy the book. From what I have heard, he is one of the better organic professors out there.

One of the best professors I've had. The practice exams are extremely helpful.

Awesome professor that you can tell cares about teaching and doing a good job.

If you go to his lectures you'll know exactly what he expects from you and how to solve problems. The textbook is very helpful and good to read ahead of class. Practice exams are helpful tools to study. Go to class. He is passionate and knowledge about the material, great dude.

Dr. Zhdankin was a wonderful professor. He can be scary and intimidating at times but deep down you can tell he's a sweetheart. He has very clear grading criteria with very clear expectations on what you will be tested on. He essentially gives you the exam you will take but slightly different. TAKE ZHDANKIN, you will enjoy him.

Professor Zhdankin is, in simple terms, the GOAT. I've never had practice quizzes so accurately match the actual exams. You're fully aware of what is expected of you from any homework assignments, exams, or quizzes. Every question has a findable answer and every answer has a good explanation. I'd exclusively take Zhdankin if it were possible.

Viktor was an incredible professor. You will have to put through some effort outside of the lecture. He wants you to suceed.

Dr. Zhdankin genuinely wants every student to succeed. The course is pretty hard, but he explains every single homework and will answer every question without making you feel stupid. He loves explaining and answering questions anyone has.

Viktor truly wants his students to succeed. Practice exams are almost identical to the real exams which is super nice. Always ready to answer questions without making anyone feel dumb. W mans.

Read through the textbook the night before then go to lecture. His teaching is simple yet effective, and he revises what he puts into his textbook. Do the practice problems and practice exams because he tends to use the same or similar questions on the exam. The final is tough if you come in unprepared, but he's a great man who knows his stuff.

This instructor does a great job of turning a complex topic into one that is digestible for students new to the subject. Canvas is well-structured, exams are fair and quizzes are great practice. I've heard nightmare stories about organic chemistry, yet this instructor makes students' lives much easier for passing the class.

Zhdankin's lectures are pretty straightforward. Homework quizzes every day are 5 questions, 5 points, 3 attempts allowed. Every lecture starts with a review of the homework quiz for 10-15 min, then new material. Tests are almost identical to provided sample exams. Overall, a much easier class than everyone makes O-Chem out to be.

Clear grading, comprehensive lectures and a very engaging professor. Definitely would take again because it takes a different kind of professor to make O Chem interesting.

Zhdankin was a phenomenal lecturer, with his lectures complementing his textbook well. A typical lecture would have only about 5 pages to read. Homework quizzes were especially helpful in helping teach content, having 3 tries to answer 5 mcq w/ 4 possible answers each. Sample exams were strikingly similar to the real ones.

Dr. Zhdankin was definitely one of the best professors I've ever had in the chemistry and biochemistry department. He's very accessible outside of class, and if he responds immediately to emails.

Zhdankin makes a difficult course very manageable, lecture is not necessary but is recommended for seeing example problems. Use his past exams as examples, and find someone who took the course the semester before and ask for their exams to study from if you can. There are no surprises in his course, keep up with book problems and you'll be fine.

Zhdankin is a great professor! His Canvas is very well organized and exam grades were posted within the day. Ochem obviously requires studying but his exams usually pulled questions directly from the homework quizzes and the sample exams are pretty much the same as the real exams.

There was lots of homework but it was really helpful for the class. Lecture is not mandatory but you should always go because the information is hard to learn by yourself. Everything was easy in this class for me, except for the tests although a lot of my friends did a lot better than me. Overall a fun, easy class!

O-Chem is a hard class but this class is very structured and fair. A lot of the class is homework and quizzes, if you do well on them you will pass the class with low test scores and they are done online. Tests are very similar to practice exams with little surprises. You can do as much or as little as you want outside of class and still do well.

Zhdankin makes Organic Chem manageable. Lectures complement the textbook well, and homework quizzes are great practice. Exams are fair and similar to sample tests. unstuck ai was a helpful study tool alongside the textbook. Overall, a challenging but rewarding class.

Lectures can be boring but he is so cute. You can tell he is super smart (wrote the texbook) and cares about your learning. He posts al lectures online as well as in class so attendance isn't mandatory. Exams can be tough but I used the tutor a lot and it was fine. Do not fall behind and pay attention in class. He gives good examples in class.

He's funny and a little bit awkward in an endearing way you wouldn't expect from him at first. I liked him quite a lot, but he wasn't too good at answering people's questions in a simple understandable way. No extra credit and no dropped tests so be prepared to study.