2.6
Quality4.0
Difficulty36%
Would Retake135
Reviews36%
Would Retake
135
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
135 total ratings5
29
4
16
3
17
2
26
1
46
What Students Say
“He is a great old man and hilarious, HOWEVER, he needs to give up on teaching”
PHYS206 - 1.0 rating“Do not be discouraged by the terrible reviews this guy has”
PHYS208 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
58%
Textbook Required
33%
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B+
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PHYS218208
5.0
(1)PHYSICS218
4.0
(1)PHYS218
3.4
(31)PHYS206HNR
3.3
(4)PHYSICS218208
3.0
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5.0
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5.0
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4.5
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Reviews (134)
This guy is great. He teaches things in a way that you can understand, and he wrote the book. He's entertaining, and i would recommend him to anyone.
Yes this guy wrote his own book, but that book is full of mistakes and you wont get no clue about the physics in his lectures. He fails half the class every semester. If you love getting confused, this prof is for you. Good Luck!
He was very confusing because during class all he would do is write computations on the board and he wouldn't explain them. He wrote his own book, which is full of mistakes. I've never had a book quite like it. He's funny to listen to, but he didn't teach very well.
Very tough class, would recomend someone else. -bassichis only uses variables
Insanely difficult, due to use of only variables and having to derive all your forumlas. If you have him go to A+ tutoring.
He knows how tough his classes are, but the man has the patience of a saint. Show that you are trying to work through his problems and reading the material and he will spend time with you until you get it. Also, expect points added on your exam grades if you go in and can explain your mistakes
I do not like the way he teaches. He does not encourage students doing practical problems using numbers. He always uses variables. I am not sure how a Prof. thinks all the students are Einstein to derive E=Mc2. I do not recommend him.
Go to his office hours as often as possible and he'll find a way to give you an A or a B.
Horrible, difficult, confusing. He gave like 3-5 quizzes every day on material he had not even covered yet. Thankfully when I had him it was the first year of the foundation coalition (96?) and since they curved the grades so much my 37, 82, 52 on the final and ~33% on the quizzes curved to a C. Do not take him.
great teacher. If you want to do well in his class you must be willing to commit yourself to reading the chapters before class, doing all the problems in his book, and studying at least 3 days before his tests. In other words, do what you're supposed to do in college. If you do badly on a test go to his office, this will help your grade in the end.
Unless you are a math major, this guy is not for you. He is variables all the way, and had his own way of doing things, you couldnt get help from others in other classes because they were all different from Basichis. Darn, he even wrote Hookes law in a different way. Anyway, he is a fun professor, and he'll help you if you go to his office hours.GL
Great Professor, only class i attended regularly this semester just because of his interesting lectures. Helpful book also. Will leave you with an understanding of the concepts if you are willing to put in the effort.
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Worst professor at TAMU.
He's an intelligent guy, he just goes off on his own things. Good if you're really into the fine details of physics. Not so much if you just want to deal with numbers and the application of physics (Engineering)
He prepares you for later courses in engineering. As long as you put your time into his class, you will do fine. A in final=A in course.
He is a good teacher, but you need to put in the work on your part. Getting an A on the final is an A in the course. Also, everything is graded on a curve based on the average in your particular class. All in all, do your work and you will be fine. If your not going to work you have no business being in any physics class in the first place.
Gives you a quiz almost every day on information that he hasn't taught yet, but expects you to learn yourself by reading his book that he expects you to read over multiple times. He said even he has to read over the book sometimes, and he wrote it.
Encourages students to learn on their own from the beginning. Very little sympathy for students and is set in his ways.
Not a good teacher. He's very difficult to understand, and he speaks perfect english. Although he is funny and holds attention, his teaching skills are extremely poor. Study hard outside of class to pass his course. Too bad he uses his own textbook to teach, it's awful as well.
He is a great professor, as long as you listen in class and read the book.
As long as you keep up in class you'll do well, he has a different style of grading, so just because you fail a test or two doesn't mean you fail the class, you just have to keep with it, and if you go to him for help he is actually very helpful.
Bassichis was a great professor! The material is tough, be he makes the best of it. He uses his own book which is very straight forward. You only learn the four Maxwell equations in his class and you are able to solve all the problems on his tests and in the book. This is a tough course, so have fun with it!
I went to his office for help. Received NO HELP. In fact, he said 12 words to me, then went to his desk and began doing something on his computer. Then he literally kicked me out after being in there for 15 minutes.
I recommend him for advanced/hardworking students only. Do not be discouraged by the terrible reviews this guy has. People that fail his course are those that do not even bother to pick up the book or ask him for help. He is a good physics teacher; his fundamental approach to physics enhances your understanding very well.
I don't know how much he curves his midterms but its not enough if you make 60 averages the whole year. A on the final is an A in the class but good luck performing that miracle. If you can take this at a community college do it. Not worth having to listen to him ridicule the entire class for not being good enough to be engineers.
He is an extremely smart man so he teaches the material like you've been around physics as long as he has. He teaches like that so you will open up the book and read it. His lectures are all over the place, his handwriting is awful, and his voice is clear, but not too loud, so sit in the front. READ THE BOOK. It's so helpful.
Grades overall for the course or final only. He likes to crack jokes in lectures for comic relief.
I would recommend any other professor. His lectures are confusing and usually discuss anything but physics. During office hours he is borderline rude, although if you're willing to endure a few insults you can eventually get a little bit of help.
Too smart to teach. Will make you feel dumb if you ask a question. Decent person but terrible teacher, unless you're into teaching yourself. Loved his cheesy humor which made class somewhat tolerable. Clicker quizzes were extremely hard and seemingly irrelevant. Essentially no curve whatsoever. Every test the class average is 40-50.
He is a smart man and knows his stuff very well. I found his lectures helpful and I learned more than I ever thought I would. However, the class is hard and you have to spend a lot of time studying if you want a chance of passing. He isn't very helpful, but he wrote the text book and if you read it, he explains things well.
I enjoyed taking Physics from Bassichis. He makes the class sound really hard, but if you READ THE BOOK and make sure you understand how to do all problems you can make an A. I enjoy the book (Bassichis wrote it) and its easy to follow, very equation based. If you go to him for help, expect some sarcasm but he will help, don't be deterred.
Brilliant professor, tough class. Final exam is vital to grade.
phenomenal professor.
tough class but great prof
Dr. Bassichis will tell you on Day 1 that everybody is perfectly capable of making A's and B's in his class, it just depends on how much work you put into getting that grade. And it's true: if you don't understand, you need to read and do problems on your own that don't count towards your grade. No homework, free response tests, quiz every lecture.
One of the hardest classes at A&M. To get at least a B in the class you will have to be willing to read the book throughout the semester and do problems. However, he did grade pretty fairly and you will get used to the pace of the course pretty quickly. I honestly thought going to class was pretty unhelpful and pretty much read the book and got a B
Bassichis is somewhat of a physics legend. His lectures are very entertaining and sometimes he'll go off on random tangents, but that's just Bassichis. Major key of the class is the textbook, it's a great short and readable textbook that will allow you to master the material. However, his tests will roast you if you don't know the material well.
Bassichis was pretty hilarious. I went into the class not having any prior experience in E&M but I managed to pull out with an A--granted, it was the hardest A I've had to work for. Go to Tatiana's lectures if his aren't cutting it for you, read the book, and do the exercises in the book. It's a hell of a class but y'all can pull off an A too
Phys 218 isn't an impossible class, especially with Dr. Bassichis. His lectures are fantastic, though he tends to go very quickly and berate students who get questions incorrect in class. If you want to see him outside of class... good luck. He's extremely good in lecture but has told me twice during his office hours that "he doesn't have time"
Genuine and fair. Excellent teacher. Excellent book. Prepares you for subsequent courses and life.
The class is quite hard, but not possible. Lectures were often confusing and hard to follow, however Bassichis jokes around a lot, which makes class bearable. I relied on si and did every past test possible to pass the class. He wrote the textbook and tells you to read it or you'll fail, but I haven't touched it since chapter 4.
I had Dr. Bassichis last semester for Phys 208. He was by far my favorite professor during the semester and really knows the material. It definitely helps that he was the one that wrote the curriculum and textbook. His lectures are really engaging because he has some absolutely hilarious moments. The class is very hard but very rewarding.
Dr. Bassichis is an excellent professor. I had him last semester for 218 and he was awesome. Get ready to read but it definitely helps that he wrote the textbook. His tests are very difficult but if you read and stay caught up you will not have a problem. Overall a respected man and professor.
This professor did an excellent job at teaching the class, remember to read the book before class so you get an A in the class, but you can do well with just the test bank
Great professor, cares about students and wants them to understand material not just memorize. His lectures can be confusing so read the book and go to SI! Posts his old tests online which are very helpful to practice!
Bassichis was great! He really helps his students to understand how simple the material actually is. Your final is either 40% or 100% of your grade, so you could skip all of the lectures and labs, but get an A on the Final, get an A in the class. No homework, problems are solved out in symbols, doesn't even grade your algebra, only the physics.
Dr Bassichis is incredibly knowledgeable on the subject he teaches and is great at conveying that. He explains extremely complex topics in an easy to understand format. I hope to have him again in the future!
He works problems straight out of the textbook he wrote so you can either read the textbook or attend class, but they do use iclickers. If you dont want to read the textbook, I would recommend going to SI because they also reinforce the questions in the textbook. Knows his stuff and cracks jokes. Go to Tatianas reviews before tests.
Dr. Bassichis is incredibly knowledgeable on this subject and is really talented at teaching. He makes the class difficult - but for a good reason - as I came out of the course with a new appreciation on how the world works and in depth knowledge on the fundamentals of the universe. Take him if you want a challenge but are willing to work.
I took Physics 218 from Bill in the Fall of 2006. Before his class I didn't fully understand how fundamentally mathematics and the laws of nature were connected. He opened my eyes. He was the most influential professor I ever had both in my career and my appreciation of science and mathematics. He'll make you work, but it is worth every second.
Amazing prof
This professor is terrible. Anyone who says otherwise is blinded by his terrible jokes. There has never been a lecture where he has completed a problem and explained it completely. He always gets distracted and loves to waste class time telling stories. If you don't understand something, he makes fun of you and embarrasses you in class. Don't take
Dr. Bassichis is not meant to be a teacher. If you take this class you will have to teach yourself everything and I do not recommend buying his book to do so, because it just ends up confusing you more. He makes fun of students if they dont understand something. He is one of the few profs at A&M who legitimately does not care about his students.
You need thick skin to be successful in life, and you certainly need thick skin to take a mechanics course with Dr. Bassichis. His lectures are great when he doesn't ramble, and his tests are the devil, but doable. Bassichis wants you to pass (believe it or not) and really cares that you learn the material. Don't sit in the back of the class either
nothing
Bassichis knows what he's talking about and understands physics very well, however, he doesn't do a good job of teaching students in the class. His lectures are not organized and his writing on the whiteboard is hard to read. The final is somewhat difficult and some of the questions are worded different but it wasn't terrible.
Bassichis is an... interesting professor. His lectures can be hard to follow, especially if you don't keep up with reading. But his textbook, Don't Panic, is a very intuitive book and I completely wrecked my schedule to get a class with DP Vol. 2 for PHYS207. Past tests are online, which is good because tests are pretty much your whole grade.
Bassichis feels that since he wrote the textbook, he has already done his job. Also, the textbook often made the material even more confusing. In lecture, he complains and ridicules those who don't do well on exams. He barely worked problems in class and always got distracted. Attendance is mandatory, but going always felt like a waste of time.
Not clear in class, 4 question test, and long textbook
Did not like this class at all. Grading is pretty much only based on the exams and they were pretty difficult. Get ready to do a lot of self study because his lectures don't help at all and I had to go to other professors for help in this class since he was not helpful when I wen to him.
Terrible prof. Missed class for a whole month and was fine. I had to teach myself everything or rely on SI's. When I went for help I was told I had a lot of work to do, but wasn't helped at all. Terrible prof.
Rather than teaching physics, Bassichis prefers to spend 95% of the class telling the class how they won't pass unless they figure things out instead of explaining how to figure things out. I rarely get frustrated but I left every lecture convinced that I'd wasted the last hour and a half of my life.
Worst professor I've ever had. Didn't learn a single thing in class all semester. Had to read the entire book (that he wrote) in order to end up doing okay in the class. I was at every lecture, but unfortunately he said that "he will make the final exam impossible because no one shows up to class." Very hard to do well in class so take anyone else.
Take anyone but Bassichis if you want to pass the class. I went to every single lecture but still had to teach myself all of the material. Also he will make fun of you and embarrass you in front of the class if you answer a question wrong.
Corona classes did not go well, but I was happy with in-person classes. To do well you definitely have to read the book, and during lecture you have to be the kind of person who can keep up with his messy whiteboard and fast thought processes. Make sure to do well on the three common exams so you can safely flub parts of the nightmarish final.
AVOID! There is a ton of self-teaching. Cares about physics not his students. I was in class and he said "There are no wrong questions" and then a girl asked a question and he told her "Have you not been paying attention in class?" and did not answer her question.
He's an odd duck. Terrible handwriting, so you have to pay attention in class or you'll get lost, but you may just get lost listening to his lecture too. YOU HAVE TO READ THE BOOK or lectures won't make sense or help. His final is basically your final grade and 10xs harder than the common exams. I was doing fine (B/B+) until zoom uni and the final.
Dr. Bassichis's lectures are helpful to extend understanding, but you're going to have to read the textbook to learn most of the material. He struggles somewhat with student communication, which became more apparent after COVID-19. Overall, a solid choice for an introductory mechanics professor.
If you have a good attitude going into this class, you will love it. Period. However, if you are not very good at math, you might have a rough time, which is fair. The lectures are hilarious & perfectly understandable if you pay close attention and read the textbook before or after class. He is a very interesting guy and I loved the class.
Do not take this professor if you can avoid him. His teaching method is wack and he is hella boring. He would occasionally choose to ignore people in the zoom room asking question, pretending that he couldnt hear them. He also does not care if you understand the material or not. The tests are a disaster and he is a joke. Good luck getting a C.
He is the worst when it comes to teaching. Please avoid this man for your own good. Hardly anyone respects him and people like myself are tired of his bs. He makes his tests and final exam nearly impossible and theres not much you can study for just hope you can pass the class. This class really really sucks and brings down your gpa by a lot.
He cares more about progressing his book and his knowledge of physics rather than teaching students. He does not care about either or not you know the material, and will make fun of you for asking questions stating "you should know this already." He should not be teaching at all, he needs to go back to being an author and not a professor.
I stopped attending Bassichis in favor of Tatiana and my grade did wonders. Go to SI sessions (s/o Jose) and take old tests on Tatianas site. The final was something only a devil could make but the common exams were fine. I dont really know how he still has a job here but thats tenure for you. His book was a great paperweight.
The only class I had the privilege of attending in person this semester, but I'm glad I could. I echo any criticism regarding his use of technology, as it was quite disastrous. However, while imperfect, I thoroughly enjoyed the man's lectures and humor, and his ability to convey the importance of the fundamental laws learned in the course. Take him
Going to SI's and test reviews are a must to get an A. He wrote the entire textbook himself so you need to read it religiously in order to be able to follow his lectures. Your best bet is doing a ton of practice problems, not just before tests but during regular weeks too. This will be your hardest class but it's survivable if you put in the hours.
He is probably the worst out of the Don't Panic profs. If you can get another prof do it. If not, he's basically like your grandpa with technology and barely knows how to work zoom lol. He tells a ton of random stories in class, which can be annoying but its' nice when you're lost during class. He won't answer emails, but you can call him whenever.
He literally wrote the textbook, so he knows his stuff, but he's been doing this so long that he's not good at simplifying it down and teaching it. This class was practically self-taught, and you'd be lost in his lectures unless you already knew the material. My only saving grace was my TA. Try to take Tatiana or Dawson.
This professor was not it. He made his number available to call at any time, but he did not pay attention to his students in office hours at all. His lectures were awful, and very hard to follow along. He wrote the textbook, and you have to read it to understand the material which is ok, but he thinks that means he already did his job. Avoid.
Dr. Bassichis has a heavy emphasis on the laws of physics. He does not teach you how to attack certain types of problems, which will inevitably fail you when you come to the final. He also is hilarious and will brighten up your day. Also, when answering a question, make sure you are correct because he will make a fool out of you.
The worst professor at A&M hands down, its not even close.
Caring guy and is very accessible, but a horrible lecturer. So for best results, use the resources at your disposal (especially the practice tests), create study groups, and ask questions afterward to either him or the other profs. It's a very hard self-taught class. Keep this in mind, stay calm, trust the process, and you'll be fine.
Hes a good guy who wants you to do your best, but hes not the best at teaching. Hell skip steps when working out problems and sometimes not even finish them, so you often dont quite understand the lecture. Read the textbook and work out problems before lecture, and sit in the front if you want to understand better. Hes helpful at office hours.
Dr. Bassichis never disappoints. He always has an exciting story to associate with the lecture topic. He hones in on the laws of physics, which is all you need to get an A in the course. Do well on the tests. Read the textbook. It is more fun in class because you will understand his jokes.
Lectures are awful and he is impossible to hear. Whenever he works on a problem he goes off on a tangent every time. Seems nice just is very misguided
I took Bassichis Spring of 2021 for physics, and I could not stand him. I felt like I learned nothing from class. It was like he wrote the textbook then said my job teaching is done and would do whatever he wanted in class. I stopped showing up to lecture/recitation, and only got an A because he let the final exam grade replace your course grade.
His lectures feel like he is rambling on forever and he constantly goes on non physics related tangents. On top of painful lectures he is unable to properly use technology leading to clicker questions which are graded being much harder. Lastly he talks too quietly many times and he doesn't use a microphone making it difficult to hear.
Has to be the worst professor I have ever had. He is an extremely intelligent professor, but after years of teaching he seems to not care anymore. His lectures are terrible, as I walk out with a worse grasp on the material than when I walked in. No homework, and quizzes and attendance worth less than 10% of the grade, meaning exams decide all.
This professor knows what he is talking about but gets off track very easily. If you read the textbook and use the outside resources they provide you, you will do fine.
I would highly advise against taken Professor Bassichis for PHYS 206. You need to attend class so that your iClicker average doesn't fall but he gets off track very easily when teaching. Furthermore, he write messily on the board so even if you are towards the front it's hard to follow what he is doing.
DO NOT TAKE HIM! He wrote the textbook (which is pretty confusing), and his lectures are almost exactly like the textbook, so they're not helpful. He is horrible with technology, but he's a VERY messy writer on the whiteboard. Past tests are the best way to learn but they don't have worked out solutions- only answers. Seriously- take someone else.
THIS IS YOUR SIGN: DO. NOT. TAKE. BASSICHIS! He CANNOT TEACH to save his life. I work my tail off, I do nothing but study. I paid for a tutor who taught me everything because his book, lectures, & unreadable handwriting were useless. His final (38% of the grade) was over NONE of the coursework. You can master PHYS206 & fail the class bc of his test
Very tough prof. If you want to do well, read his textbook BEFORE the lecture, or you will get lost. He moves very fast and is sloppy on the board. Sit close because he doesn't use a mic. The canvas resources are your best friend: use past exams and available videos. It is a tough but rewarding class, I would recommend it to those ready to struggle
Dr. Bassichis can be hard to hear, so make sure you sit near the front of the class.
DON'T TAKE HIM. Horrid lecturer, rarely finished one example problem the whole time, which is the most crucial part of Physics. If you have NO OTHER OPTION, then completely rely on 1. reading his book, 2. watching Tatiana's recitation videos on the additional resources page. They saved me. He is not deserving of the job or pay that he has. Avoid!
Controversial, but I love the way he teaches physics. His lectures are confusing and hard to follow, but with a bit of studying it will fall into place. He gives you a fundamental understanding of how to approach any problem. The textbook is a must, there is no homework, but there are ample practice problems and readings are heavily recommended.
This is the first class I've ever gotten a C in. He was a terrible lecturer and expected you to teach yourself everything from the textbook. I asked to see how I did on the final and he instead just gave me a speech about how I should be embarrassed about my grade. Weird guy, bad professor.
Poorly structured lectures made this lecture heavy class extremely difficult. The book he wrote is just as hard to follow, and skips steps in examples with no explanation. Examples were fast or difficult to follow, he explained everything as if the class was retaking the course after failing before. Avoid this professor.
Avoid taking this guy at all costs. Lectures provide very little substance, he barely writes on the board, and he rambles on for most of class. If you do end up in Bassichis, you might as well go to another lecture so you actually learn something.
Unless it is your last resort, then don't take Dr. Bassichis. His lectures consist of showing proofs for everything, but doesn't actually work through examples or anything remotely useful for the exams, which are worth 93% of your grade. The tangents that everyone talks negatively about aren't as bad as people say, so don't worry about that.
I wouldn't take this dude if I knew I wanted to be an engineer since birth. If he is the only professor give yourself a break for the semester because you do not want to take this guy. He is a great old man and hilarious, HOWEVER, he needs to give up on teaching!!!
whatever you do dont take him. thats all i have to say
He doesn't complete problems, he will get to a point where it's simple enough for him to finish it in his head and then he stops and erases it. Don't Panic has no numbers and is awful.
Your workload will be light in Don't Panic and the tests really matter, but they have a ton of partial credit. HOWEVER, Bassichis will not teach you a single thing. You will literally be better off skipping every lecture and teaching yourself through videos on the TAMU physics classroom website. I skipped for three months and my grades improved.
Great person but not a great professor. Make sure to read the textbook before going to class because that's the only way you'll survive.
He was fine, but Don't Panic was definitely my least favorite class I've taken. If you don't like homework the class will be great, but be prepared to study a lot. The tests are just a few free response questions, which is great because of partial credit, but that means your entire grade will essentially be how you do on around 20 questions.
I got 5s on AP physics 1, AP physics C: Mechanics, and AP physics C: E&M. Taking this just to ETAM. Horrible prof, intentionally more difficult final exam than the other don't panic profs. Take university, especially if you have good physics background and want an easy A.
Didn't learn much from bill, really funny dude though. Did most of my learning from recitation and supplemental videos.
Bassichis is completely out of pocket and hilarious, but it doesn't make him a good teacher. I never bothered to buy the textbook, because all of the materials are online through the physics portal. If you know how to teach yourself or if you go to SI sessions, you will do fine, but do not expect any help. He is also known to give very hard tests.
I am in love with him
I love Bassichis!!!!
"what do they show you class these days? Pornography?" - Bill Bassichis. Read the textbook and you'll be good, not as bad as people say.
The class is difficult no matter what and the professor won't make much of a difference. But Dr. Bassichis should be a professional comedian so if you want to laugh while you're learning you should take him.
Let's be honest, this man cannot teach. He does make up for this, however, in that he is the funniest old man I have ever head the pleasure of attending class. Every morning I went to class knowing that I would gain almost no further understanding of the course but knowing that at the least I will be entertained. 87/10 because that's how old he is.
Yelled at someone in the middle of class because of a question. People say his jokes are funny, they aren't he just tries to be to make up for the atrocity that is his copy paste teaching method (textbook). I would do the notes on your own, go to recitation for any questions, they'll actually answer your question, and use online recitation videos.
This is by far one of the hardest classes I have taken, but that is because you truly learn the concepts and the concepts are not easy to grasp at all. If you are willing to try hard and actually want to learn the material you will succeed in his class. If you don't read the textbook before lectures don't even bother going.
Prof. Bassichis is a funny guy who is clearly very passionate and knowledgeable about physics. The subject matter is inherently a bit tricky and he isn't a great academic lecturer at this point, but his book is helpful, along with the online resources. Didn't attend any midterms, applied myself hard for the final and got an A in the class.
Bassichis is probably one of the most funny professors i've had. That being said hes not the best lecturer. His lectures were primarily him talking about random concepts, and reiterating the same point for 20 minutes at a time. The grade is almost all exams, but he does provide previous exams which are close enough.
Bassichis is known for his quirky lectures, but learning happens mostly outside of class. Rely on recitation, study groups, and resources like unstuckstudy to stay on top of the material. Tests are quite challenging, so be prepared to put in the work.
Do not take with him if you don't already have a good grasp of E&M. I dropped before the first midterm and retook the class at CC. Talks extremely slow, very quiet, and just scribbles on the whiteboard. If you need organized lectures or slides to do well, avoid him at all costs, you will learn nothing from his lectures.
Class is almost entirely graded on exams. He is a terrible teacher, handwriting is impossible to read. He has pop quizzes and random attendance which count towards your grade. You get 3 minutes for pop quizzes which is not enough and he does not care about your grade. ATTEND RECITATION and SI SESSIONS the only time when you will really learn.
I attended lectures of all the 206 Don't Panic profs, so I can compare. LAST RESORT choice. Often condescending and sarcastic. Bad handwriting. Mutually can't hear (no mic & he's deaf). Assumes you already know content. No slides, handouts, or posted notes. Barely used Canvas. Hard participation quizzes (and worth 5% of the grade). Common exams.
he's super old, illegible handwriting, can't hear him, and he just repeats himself in every lecture. I ended up skipping the latter half of the semester. Exams aren't hard assuming you know physics, but lectures are a total waste of time.
The only time I ever learned anything was by taking practice test, that is the best way to study for this class. One way that having him as your prof. can benefit you is you know what to expect on the final. Super funny guy, besides that extremely unhelpful.
Many will say that Bassichis is the worst professor, but I disagree. You don't usually learn a lot from the lectures, but you don't do that in most courses anyway. He is very clear on what to study, and how to study. He also has a very dry sarcastic sense of humor which made lectures interesting. Overall, prepare to study a lot and master 206.
Failed every exam, but I got a A on the final. So much stress from this guy. His lectures are pretty terrible and our TA got deported 2 weeks in so I was forced to self study. Get a study group together pretty early into the course if you have no physics experience or you'll probably fail.
I would say he is a old-school professor that just not really fit to the teaching style I usually have. He is actually really funny during lectures(old grandpa jokes), but this class requires more self taught from past exams and sample questions. My TA helped me a lot in providing feedback and recitations, but still be prepared!
As an engineer I should be worrying about physics the most out of any class. Not will Bill. His class was quite easy and approachable. He preaches that all you need to do is read the textbook and take practice tests to succeed and he was right. He will not use a microphone or technology so do sit in the front. He is my favorite professor so far.
Although "don't panic" has common exams, that doesn't mean common grading. The tests are 4 questions, and although I showed my work as told to do so he would consistently give me zeros with no reason as to why when I asked. Anyone ranking him high has taken physics previously. If you get stuck with him go to Nordufts lectures. Bassichis is outdated
If you aren't a physics genius don't take him. His lectures are just rambling and writing a bunch of theoretical stuff on the board. Do not take him.
Bassichis is a very smart and funny guy. Unfortunately he cannot teach and makes the class super difficult. Tests and finals are basically the only part of your grade. Only take him if you are really good at physics.
Only take this class if you understand Physics 1 fully before you take this class. If you do decide to take this class, you must go to another lecture, such as Tatiana's or any other don't panic prof. He is funny, but that's all his class is. His book is good, as it's the only way you'll learn.
Great guy, mid professor, almost no work assigned in the class. Strongly recommend just taking him and just watching the Tatiana lecture videos instead of his lectures so you only have to learn what doesn't make sense and put your time into other more chill things instead of mastering physics assignments.
wow. bless bassichis. he was actually quite nice when i went to his office hours. he really really didn't want us to fail the class. i wouldn't have passed without his encouragement!
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Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
58%
Textbook Required
33%
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