Hard to understand. But, very easy & fun!

She's very clear and the class is very easy.

She is such a sweet lady. Soooooo easy. She knows we are not science majors so she makes things ten times easier.

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This lady is a sweetheart, she understand that were not all bio majors. She has a passion for certain parts, and goes longer on those, then disregauds things like evolution, which she goes faster on. Shes genuine, and shokingly funny. Take HER!

She is a great teacher!

she's the best bio prof for anyone who doesn't like science! super sweet, always willing to help or go over unclear materials. appears to be a boring class the first day or two, but she always lets you out early, suprisingly very funny! hates grading papers so she doesn't assign any

very sweet lady. tests aren't that bad if you study. Very little homework. 1 paper. Understands we aren't all Bio majors. A bit hard to understand if you don't pay attention. Pay attention, you'll be fine.

Very, very nice woman. A little hard to understand, at times, but she is very helpful. If you show interest and effort, there is no way you can get less than a B. She will give easy extra credit also. Take her if you can!!

Her class is pretty ok. Just show up take notes pay attention. If you show that you're really trying then your overall grade will be fine. She's a sweet lady.Be sure to take her for lab if u take her for lecture. She's from Alabama so she has an accent. But, if ur a typical ignorant APU kid then like the previous commentator she might seem "ghetto"

easy class, HARD test. like everyone else said, all you do is take notes. but there's little to no homework, and if you have a good (fake) excuse, she'll let you turn things in WAY late. her tests are really hard, although if you read the book along with lectures, it wouldn't be that hard. TAKE HER FOR LAB! it's so easy! Overall, sweet lady, easy.

very hard professor in the summer.some of the exams were extremely difficult in terms of content and grading.60 pts multiple choice and 40 pts short answer is very hard. very important to know lots of details for exams.I studied very hard for exams and did not get an A. Exams are very difficult because they cover lots of material. hard class!

Ms. Simms is a sweet sweet lady who is actually quite funny...you just have to work a little bit to get it out of her. If you show up and try, she'll give you a decent grade even if you don't do well on all the assignments. I had her for class and lab and am NOT a good science student. But if you're willing to try, you'll be fine.

The class isn't too bad if you really study for the test. Don't just skim over your notes because you will fail. You really need to work hard to do well on the tests. She gives a lot of extra credit to balance it all out though.

A lot of people complain about Dr. Simms. It's not her fault that the class is only 1 unit. That needs to be changed. She is doing her best to dumb it/water it down for us. I memorized the notes and understood them and was fine. You have to read the test questions very carefully and slowly.

This class was very challenging but if you do the work and pay attention you can pass. People that complain are usually the ones who do not like to the work. SImms is a sweet lady and if you visit her office hours she is willing to work with you.

She is a Very challenging professor and her test are really hard, BUT if you ask for help and show you care and stay after class and ask questions she'll pass you. Also STAY OFF YOUR PHONE! she hates that!

Tests are hard but she is great lady and willing to help if you show that you care. I studied 2+ hours for every test & got an A. Just do the work she gives you. Also, we didn't use the book, she gives out note packets for half price & every question from the tests are in them. If you get an A, you don't have to take the final exam. No phones :)

I have a helpful hint! Take her in summer! She can't possibly cram all the material so it's less overwhelming. She has to condense the course a lot, also u don't need the book! She is so nice and helpful. Sorry if u had her in the long sem, I could see that being drag. SUMMER!

Simms is a great teacher! She offers outside help whenever it is needed, lectures ONLY on what will be on the test, and wants you to learn. I studied only my notes for about 3-4 hours the night before each test and received an average A- grade on all tests. She gives out extra credit and if you question something on HW she will look it back over.

She is not easy. To be completely honest she is a little stronger on detail then anything else. She is compassionate though as long as you follow the rules to the her classroom and be respectful she will indeed help you out. DO NOT USE YOUR PHONE. She does kick people out and when you miss class you miss the material that you need for the test.

TAKE HER OVER SUMMER. She's a great professor. Ask her questions&she is eager2help. She's highly intelligent so make sure ur questions r clear. She's sarcastic, witty, & fun so dont take her2seriously. If u dont take her over summer her TA's grade the hw so grading's harder. Im a SW major&hated bio but ended up loving it. She's now my favorite prof

I highly recommend you to take her DURING SUMMER. She has the sweetest personality ever and sincerely cares about how you're doing in her class. Honestly, the tests are hard. This is not because she is a hard grader, but the science itself is difficult for people not majoring in science, including me. She now becomes one of my fav professor.

Class is tough for intro bio and a lot of people say she is the worst, but i liked her. If you show her you care, improve your test scores ( even by 1%) and ask questions, you'll pass. It may seem like you are doing terrible, but she really takes into consideration the amount of effort a student puts in when she does grades! BEFRIEND HER!

Dr. Simms is by far the best bio teacher I've had! All the negativity is probably b/c those students were lazy, and didn't take the time to talk to her or get help. Do not be afraid of taking this class, especially if you have an interest in bio. She is very clear on expectations, test are tough but definitely will prepare you. I've learned A LOT.

Other people who rate Dr. Simms on this website are brutal. She's actually really nice and she is very knowledgeable on the material. She will take her time to one-on-one with you and she is very reasonable. Do take her! Not much homework but do study the notes as they are the basis for the exams.

If you actually try to learn and show that to her, she will make sure to get you to the grade you want. Her work will be hard but like I said, she will work with you and will not fail anyone who puts effort into this course.

Loved this teacher. Her teaching style is very straight forward. Although it's hard to understand her at times you get used to it. As long as you take notes and study from them you'll do fine on the tests. She is super sweet outside of class too. She let me make up tests that I missed and excuses the final if you get an A in the class.

I enjoyed her class so much! I was dreading this class going into it but she is hilarious. If you don't want to work hard and you want an easy A then maybe don't consider taking her course. She expects hard work, attendance and won't dumb down the material. Provides opportunities to help improve grades. Show up, work hard and you'll do fine.

Her notes are very clear and it's not difficult to do well on her tests if you take good notes, pay attention, and make sure to study the notes closely. She assigns two pretty hefty essays the last two weeks of class, but you get to choose the style (APA, MLA, etc) and the topics for both. An A in the class means you don't have to take the final.

Professor Simms is very passionate about her job. Although she does not speak with much expression, her teaching style is amazing. I guarantee that you will learn a lot in her class. The tests are all test based which is a plus! The course does require that you study quite a bit. Professor Simms is also very accessible outside of class. Great prof!

As a nonmajor, I was terrified of taking a general biology course/lab this summer. However, after hard work, I was able to pass the class and take away a lot of knowledge that can be applied to my prospective career. I also learned a lot applicable to my personal life. Dr. Simms has obviously been in this field for a while. Dont be afraid of her.

Prior to the start of class (bio 101L), some of my peers mentioned having concern about the class content and professor's overall strictness. Let me just say, any preconceptions you may have about Professor Simms will be quickly deconstructed upon meeting with her. You'll find a caring, intelligent, and humorous woman. You will not be disappointed!

Dr. Simms comes off as intimidating, but shes actually one of the most caring professors out there. Lectures are based off of how well you take notes in class, as there is no required biology textbook. Go to office hours and really get to know her.

Dr. Simms is a professor that goes above and beyond to communicate and help you understand the material. She is clear about what is expected of you and available during her office hours and usually after class as well. With hard work and diligence you will do well in this class. Her notes are clear, use them as your study guide!

Dr. Simms may seem hard at first, but once you get to know her, she will do everything and anything to help you get your grade up. At the beginning of the semester, I found it hard to understand her, but I got used to it. I had a poor grade in the class and she was able to get me to a B. Al you have to do is ask and she will help you!!!

Don't get spooked by her ratings-- Professor Simms comes across as intimidating, but she is actually very caring and understanding. She is very blunt (especially to students who are disrespectful), but as long as you're respectful, ask questions, and participate, you shouldn't have a problem. You'll definitely need to study for the practicum.

do not be scared of the reviews, she is a kind and reasonable professor! She literally tells you what to do and you just have to do it, if you need help her or the TA will be more than happy to help! she is a few minutes late to class which is helpful for when the trolly rides to the other campus take forever!

Simms is the BEST professor I've had at APU. I'm Lib Studies so I don't know jack crap about bio. She made it so easy, and she's so easygoing and funny. She also is extremely caring and understanding. I had surgery and she told me not to worry ab anything until I was off painkillers. Two assignments, and an EXAM she excused me from. I love Simms!!!

She is an amazing professor!! Very kind, understanding, and caring of students situation! Only downside is that her class is difficult, tests are graded very heavily, so you need to study a lot. Attendance is also very important to her.

Test material takes lot of memorization but I felt like what she was asking of us was pretty reasonable, the reviews for her scared me but she ended up being a very understanding professor.

People are so dramatic...she is the most understanding professor ever. Her syllabus is scary but all of her policies are reasonable. She gives extra credit quizzes and if you have an A at the end you're exempt from the final. If you study for exams and ask questions, you're totally fine. Don't let people scare you! She's hilarious and super caring.

I loved Dr. Simms. She is a great person and really cares about the subjects she teaches. Although her class is difficult, if you study and pay attention in class you should be able to pass. Amazing professor, and even better person.

Professor Simms genuinely cares about her students. She's not as strict as some people claim, aside from attendance (3 absences allowed). She gives helpful advice and is very funny during lectures. The class includes two papers and four multiple-choice tests, but everything is manageable if you put in the work to study and pay attention in lecture.

Goodness, these ratings are dramatic. Her syllabus may seem intimidating, but everything in it is valid. She's very sweet and funny during lectures, but she is strict about attendance and no devices (reasonable) . You'll do well in the class if you study and take good notes during lecture. My best advice is to sit in the front of class.