2.3
Quality3.8
Difficulty33%
Would Retake107
Reviews33%
Would Retake
107
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
12
4
15
3
18
2
27
1
35
What Students Say
“He is by far the worst teacher in the history of teachers”
112 - 1.0 rating“he flies through the chapters, so I was left rereading the chapters constantly”
CHM112 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
33%
Textbook Required
98%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.16 avg changeRatings by Course
13471
5.0
(1)13806
5.0
(1)CHEM112114
5.0
(1)101
4.0
(2)CHEM114
2.9
(7)Difficulty by Course
CHM122
4.5
CHM112
4.5
CHEM114
4.1
112
4.0
CHEM161
4.0
Reviews (107)
Very nice and generous guy. Makes the tests very reasonable and tries his best to help all the students. If you want a good Chem 112 experience, then take him!!!!!
Doesn't do any example problem, andhas an impossible accent. I got stuck with a horrible TA and he did nothing about it. Grades are definitely not fair between each discussion section. His tests are also nothing like his study guides. One of the worst professor I've ever had to deal with
One of the worst professors I have ever had at UIC. Very hard to understand. Is not helpful when you approach him outside of class. Very unpredictable.. You do not know how to prepare yourself for the exams and quizzes. DO NOT TAKE HIM if you want to learn anything about chemistry.
Modey seems like a nice guy who actually enjoys teaching Chemistry. However, those are the only positives. Like another has said, he's continually inconsistant in his exams and quizzes in both the difficulty level as well as content. He basically reads off the screen, doesn't do example problems, and also has a tendency to go off on tangents.
Very inconsistent test/quiz difficulty, content, and grading. He gives you study guides that are useless and sometimes even misleading. I got stuck with a bad TA too so my lab grade suffered compared to everyone else's. Also he is not very approachable outside of class.
No help at all! The study guides are NOTHING like the quiz/exams. First exam was very hard, second was practically identical to the guide, and the third one was CRAZY! Worst class ever! He loves what he teaches, but the students are left clueless.
He is a very nice guy, but the way he teaches is not very helpful. The tests were mostly conceptual so you had to think A LOT for just one question and the math problems were tricky. He purposely made the second exam easy to make up for the previous one, but then the third and final killed every1s grade. Average class was a D, and no class curve.
He is a very nice man and is very interested in getting everyone excited about the material. He could have explained material better, but a lot of people struggled because they never read the textbook. If you take him, MAKE SURE YOU READ THE CHAPTERS!!
He was very energetic and he definitely knows his chemistry, however I had a hard time understanding his explanations and analogies about Chemistry. Tests were hard and did not relate to the study guides. He hardly ever finished explaining the problems during lecture. His motto "if you want to learn chemistry, you don't sleep you stay up all night"
Honestly the worst teacher ever. Test are impossible,quizzes take forever overall awful. Do not take this course.
Avoid this guy if you can. If not, even though his accent is heavy and lectures painfully boring, go to them as he makes it clear what you should and shouldn't expect on exams/quizzes. Otherwise, make sure your read the book. Also, know how to write a good lab report, it seems he requires his TA's to grade very severely. Know significant figures!!
Modey is a funny guy, but his lectures are really boring. His tests are pretty hard, even though they are multiple choice. He usually sends study guides before the exams are coming up, but they have NOTHING to do with the actual exam. Even reading the book doesn't pay off. Avoid.
DONT TAKE HIM! HORRIBLE HORRIBLE TEACHING TECHNIQUES. THE STUDY GUIDES WERE USELESS AND NO WHERE NEAR THE EXAMS. QUIZES? YEAH RIGHT. MORE LIKE 4 EXAMS PUT TOGETHER THAT TOOK ME 6 HOURS TO DO. SO YEAH. AVOID HIM. BTW THERES NO CURVE.
HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. He knows a lot about chemistry, but practically nothing about teaching. Save yourself and find a teacher who will actually help you understand and pass chem.
I just attended his lectures for 2 weeks during the semester and I immediately noticed that his lectures are incomprehensible and thus decided to study by own from text book and attended all the discussions and lab and easily got an not well deserved high B.So, you really don't need to attend his class but ask your friends details about the class.
He's a good lecturer. Unfortunately, the lecture, study guides, the tests, the book, and the labs are all cobbled together from various sources and are not cohesive at all.
Actually really energetic BUT you can not understand one thing he says! Lectures are pointless, I warn you to NOT take him unless you like learning completely on your own. Tests are nothing like study guides, hard to pass.
Although he is really energetic and sometimes funny, he is a pushover. I went to him to talk about my TA's grading and he didn't help at all even though it was clear my TA was nuts. Also, he told me he wasn't curving and i withdrew from his class. A week later he curved. I could have went from a low c to a high B. Thanks Bro
I took him last semester of my freshman year. You can't understand him well so you really have to try your best to comprehend what he's teaching. I would constantly go to his office hours whenever I can to be on his good side. He says he doesn't curve but he has too and does. Go to him, your TA, and a tutor to do well in this class.
I think people are giving Professor Modey a really bad wrap. Great guy, honestly was thankful to have him because I understood him better than my Calc teacher Zbigniew Slodkowski... I mean, I didn't go to many of his lectures but you shouldn't blame your professor for your lack of work. Chem 101 is honestly not that hard as long as you study!
He's not that bad at teaching. Takes notes and study and you'll get an A. Powerpoints are online so you don't really have to buy the book.very helpful and will do the best he can to make sure you succeed. Gives extra credits which are extremely helpful. Online quizzes are the best. Tests are non multiple choice. Can crack up some jokes Thick accent
He's a bad Professor, he gives really hard examples in class and expects us to understand the principle from the hardest example possible, and then has entirely different questions on his test that only tangentially relate to the class lectures.
He's good, he tries, but be ready to study on your own form OWL homework and labs. His power points do help but his explanations do not.
He is just a horrible teacher. The tests do not match the study guide, the study guides have materials you will learn in the future. Avoid him.
Good teacher. Curves although he claims not to. Has an accent, not too thick, though. He teaches, well, just pay attention.
He wil help you if you seek his help. Modey is a funny guy but he does have a thick accent. At first it is really overwhelming but it gets better as you get into the swing of things. Go to his office hours! Take an easier teacher if you can, but it's not the end of the world if you end up in his class. Good luck!
He is a funny professor. All his powerpoints are online and goes through his slides. Has office hours and if you go to office hours, he will help you.
DO NOT TAKE HIME!!! SAVE YOURSELF. EXAMS ARE RIDICULOUS. NO CURVE.
Do NOT take him as your professor. You will not understand him, he does NOT curve tests. He relies much too heavily on his TA's to teach us, yet his TA's are not understandable either. Take at your own risk.
Ok so Modeys not so terrible that you wont be able to get an A in his class. Overall his exams are very doable and usually easier then the studyguides. He doesnt teach so you'll end up teaching yourself but he honestly is that bad. Thick accent, just make sure you get an english speaking TA and you'll be good. Im taking him again for 114
He's a nice guy and he can teach, but I wish that I could understand him. If you get a horrible ta then you're basically gonna have to work your butt off. His first test is pretty decent, but his 2nd and 3rd are pretty hard. I just basically taught myself. Chances are you might get a horrible ta
He can barely speak english. In lectures he will show a problem then show the answer and never go over how to solve it. I would not recommend taking science with him
Modey is totally awesome, he is funny and shows how to do problems step by step sometimes. exams are pretty hard and very short, the longest exam i had so far not including the final was 10 question shortest being 5. If you have a good TA the class will be easy & he does give out extra credit to help ur grade. Tutorials r very helpful when studying
Very easy class. If you got to lecture and discussion, you should be fine. Professor Modey does have a thick accent and will be hard to understand for the first few lectures but you end getting used to his accent. He's very clear, his tests are really easy. He's pretty funny. I don't recommend sitting infront because he will single you out.
I would highly ADVISE against this professor. Terrible.
A useless professor. The only good thing about him is he is nice and he posts his lecture slides on blackboard. On the other hand, his accent is very thick and twice over the semester, he gave us exams with questions on topics we hadn't even gone over yet in lectures. Most of my section passed with a C or similar, avoid this professor.
He loves what he does. Indeed tests can be hard, but he wants students to learn CONCEPTS, not just how to do problems. So try to understand what you're doing& you'll be fine. He has an accent, but I got used to it. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS! That will help you understand what he expects. Getting an A isn't hard. I'm taking him again for 114.
He is funny and quiz are online and in exams they try to find flaw to deduct your score. he's key in chem101 but would not recondite him for chem102
if your looking to fail or teach yourself a hard subject like chemistry 112 then take modey he will make sure of that.
He is definitely not the easy professor by any means. With challenges come large rewards and success in his class does feel like an achievement. To succeed you must read over his powerpoint slides carefully and do the practice/review sheet problems.The more work you put into the labs, the better your grade. You will become an expert on the topic!
Practically useless, his lectures are somewhat helpful but are no where near whats covered in the exam. Not only do the exams cover stuff that is not taught or even in the textbook but he is usually behind on lectures. OWL is helpful but he assigns large time consuming homework assignments the day before the test. Not a good professor at all.
He can speak English just fine. He's not the worst professor ever, but if you can take a different Chem prof, I would suggest it. Modey's slides have many typos and he spends time in class telling stories and making jokes, when I wish he was teaching. He is a very kind person. Office hrs!
He is a horrible professor and does not make learning easy. He makes exams like 3 questions, does not give you the formulas you need, and you grade usually depends on a really difficult question. Do NOT take him unless you can survive without curves.
Very difficult tests and quizes. Your grade depends on the way your TA is going to grade your quizzes, labs, practicals, worksheets. I wouldn't recommend this class.
So HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't care what everyone says, I loved Modey. I had him for 112 as well and I feel like I've learned so much with him. Is his class easy? No!! But it's chemistry it's not an easy subject! His tests are very hard and he doesn't like to curve but I still ended up with a B in the class after failing the first midterm. He is so enthusiastic, love him
Probably one of the worst professors there is. Avoid taking him if possible. The problems in the exam do not correlate to anything that is covered in class. The worst part is he does not curve. The averages on the test ranged anywhere from 40-50. I have done well in other chem courses but his exams are ridiculous. Avoid if possible.
The people who say he is a good teacher are absolutely insane. His study guides do not correlate to the exams, his quizzes are very hard, and his lectures are completely useless. He's not helpful and completely ignored his students. I would never recommend him to ANYONE EVER. If you can take someone else please do so for the sake of your grade!
Terrible experience!!! Tests have nothing to do with lecture. The study guides dont help at all. The TA do not teach anything what was in lecture all they do is return your work. The hw on owl ir rediculous its too much although the teacher extends the due date. He doesnt curve the grade. Test & quizzes average on 40-50%. Avoid the class!!
Not a helpful teacher. Do not take him if you care about your grade. His lectures provide no help for the exams and the discussions with the TAs are equally as pointless. I love chemistry but this guys method of teaching is ridiculous. He does not do his job which is to prepare you for exams.
I did not come on here to bash professor Modey, just to be completely honest. He does not curve exams, even if the average is 50%. His exams are composed of a very small mult choice (3-10 questions) that are worth 20%, and 4 problem solving questions that are worth 20% each. Owl is super long/hard with due dates throughout the semester. AVOID Modey
Knows his Chemistry but his way of formatting Exam questions and Quizzes is confusing and unpredictable to say the least. The study guide is useful but he has a penchant for bringing out questions he hasn't taught.Still remains to be seen if he actually curves the grades.If he cares about his students, then he will.
Lectures are interesting and Modey will keep your attention. Most of your learning however, will come from hours of OWL homework rather then lecture, the exams will be long and far more difficult then the homework the quizzes will likely be on lecture notes that Modey did not work out and you'll find many of his examples are wrong :(
Modey gives very hard exams. While he doesn't curve individual exams, he does do somewhat of a curve at the end of the course. It's not much but it's something. I hated him until the end. He never emailed me back and his exams were random. Mikhail is a hard TA. Modey cares, he came through in the end. Chemistry is hard, Modey doesn't make it easier
Thought he was horrid when in the beginning, THEN her curved the class so he's not too bad. my overall grade went up about 4.5% at the end of the semester which helped a lot! He didn't curve ANYTHING until the end the semester so be patient.
Modey NEVER emailed me back about anything, he never curves, and he is very unorganized. I highly suggest a different professor. The only way I passed with a B is because i took AP chemistry in high school and took more from that than modeys class.
Modey has a bit of an anger problem. If he doesn't know you, he blow off your questions. He never emails back, hes the only chem professor that requires you to answer ALL the owl questions within 10 attempts. His quizzes are random. The test is unpredictable, the final was terrible and the class averaged a 50, STAY CLEAR
Although Professor Modey thoroughly explains new topics,his exams do not allow the student to demonstrate his/her knowledge on the material covered. Study guides are inconsistent, and his expectations are unrealistically high as far as grading. He rarely answers emails and sends texts during lectures. I would never recommend this professor.
I know everyone complains about Modey, but honestly one of my favorite professors at UIC. I had him for 112 & 114 & it wasn't easy to say the least, but he does care. If you show that you care, he'll help you. If you do bad on somethings, you still have a chance, but you have to show that you are working hard for the A. GET TO KNOW HIM DURING O.H.
He speaks with a heavy accent and his lecture is all about PPT, which didn't make the class interesting. Grading was tough, specially for labs and exams. His exams were hard for the class. Avoid him if it is possible. I took AP Chem and still got B in his class, what a joke.
Modey is a tough teacher and difficult to understand, but he truly wants people to succeed in his class. His PPT presentations are not very helpful in lecture, so you have to teach yourself somewhat. However, he is extremely willing to help you if you meet after class or during office hours. It's clear that his effort is there.
He has a heavy African accent which you'll be able to overcome and understand as time goes on. He describes everything REALLY well and has a fun class (throws out jokes & plays around with people in a friendly way). Tests are fairly easy with a decent amt of studying. Just study his examples he sends out and you'll ace the class!
He is the worst teacher ever!!! He is not helpful, yells way to much, and is to hard on the students. The way he grades is unfair. He doesnt understand that this is the first chem class we take and if he doesnt help us understand the basics then we wouldnt understand chemistry. He is the absolute WORST!!!!!! Do not take him what so ever!!!
He is SO BAD. Don't ever take his class! During his lecture, he always read off the slides. He has very thick accent, it took me about two month to understood. One thing that make me so disappointed is that I emailed him and he saw it and did't reply me although I had a family emergency. When I went talk to him, he had very very bad attitude.
He is a great guy who really seems to care about his students. He does his best to make absolute sure everyone understands a topic before he moves on. Is his course difficult? Absolutely, but if you put in the time and use your resources, you should do fine. Also, make sure you watch his videos he posts on BB. They are very helpful!
Pretty bad professor. It was hard staying awake in his lectures. If I hasn't taken AP Chem in high school, this class would have been incredibly hard. His videos on Blackboard help to an extent.
He is by far one of the worst teachers i have encountered. He doesn't bother to teach the material and just reads off from power point slides. His exams are always all over the place and he doesn't keep his promises about what he will be putting on the quizzes/exams.He gave the class an overall ridiculous curve of just 2%.STAY AWAY if you can!!
A lot of people really struggled with his class. His lectures are practically worthless, and his quizzes are always hit or miss. I'd leave thinking a quiz was easy, but a quiz another class a friend of mine was in got was very challenging. Overall, I'd avoid if you can. People without a background of Chemistry in high school don't tend to do well.
Not a good teacher!!! He stopped doing examples within the first week because he got lazy. Said to look in the book. His study guides were nothing like his exams, he would fly through each slide just reading off of them. Was very disappointed with his teachings here. he is a nice guy though but if possible, avoid!
The worst part about this guy is he openly told us that he knows he is a terrible teacher. He said "i bet you heard bad stories about me. i like that". This "professor" is terrible.
He is useless as a teacher, he just stands there reading from a power point provided by the company that makes the textbooks. His accent is too thick to the point where it's pointless and you're better off skipping lecture and teaching yourself the content. The one time I showed up to lecture, he admitted he was a bad professor and he didn't care.
Professor Modey was not the best professor I had, but I took him for 112 and 114 because I did well in his classes. The key to doing well here is to do the problems he gives you. His exams and quizzes are almost word for word copied at times.
Professor Modey is okay if you are naturally good with chemistry. His exams are hard because they are only a few questions long. His lectures are engaging and he is a funny guy, though.
shared the powerpoints he used but he didn't make them, so they were nothing like his tests or quizes. he flies through the chapters, so I was left rereading the chapters constantly. Didn't tell us his office hours or where his office was and he is very intimidating. He also scheduled a test at 4pm the day before thanksgiving.
Chem 112 with Professor Modey was definitely not one of the easiest classes I've ever taken here at UIC, but it was very rewarding and I learned a lot. =] He is very engaging during class, and you can tell he has a true passion for chemistry. TIPS: read the book, study hard for tests, if you are having problems go to his office hours immediately!
He is absolutely useless as a professor.He goes on in class about the concepts behind chemistry, which at the end of the day are useless, and how all you need to know is how to apply the formulas which you never do in class. Not only that but he doesn't even make his power points they come from the textbook. The guy also has an awful accent.
Modey's class isn't a walk in the park, but with hard work it's definitely doable. Unlike other science classes I actually learned something instead of memorizing it for test purposes. Read the book, do practice problems, and review the study guides he gives you and you should get and A.
He's very charismatic and animated in his lectures. He has a bit of an accent but I have no trouble at all understanding him, as he speaks LOUDLY and clearly with long pauses for emphasis. The guy is a trip, would take again.
I no longer attend this university but i still feel obligated to tell you guys about this man. He is by far the worst teacher in the history of teachers. First off, you cant understand him. His accent is terrible. his tests are impossible, 3 questions good luck. AVOID AT ALL COST. HE WILL RUIN YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
All of the people complaining about Prof Modey probably didn't even go to his lectures. I went to every single lecture, asked for help, and did all of the work necessary, and I got the forbidden A. People on here make it seem as though it is nearly impossible. He's not going to hand out A's to just anyone. Work hard and you'll get positive results.
Professor Modey is a sweet man. However, I DO NOT recommend taking him for chemistry. This class is extremely difficult with a teacher like him. The test and quizzes are only 3-5 questions. He doesn't prepare you enough for the quizzes or exams. You have to teach yourself a lot. Good luck!
Well if you dont know chemistry. DONT TAKE HIM. ESPECIALLY FOR CHEM 101 . I know that sounds ironic, but for a beginnner, you wont understand anything and you're going to need tutoring, unless Jursich is ur last choice DONT go for Modey
He is very unclear in his lectures and tends to go off topic. Attending his class is essentially useless due to the fact that he simply goes over powerpoints instead of working through practice problems. When he does provide the class with practice problems they are impossibly easy compared to what is given on the exam.
Avoid this professor at all costs! He has a tough accent to understand at times. Goes over very broad ideas during lecture while the tests are challenging. Every TA was also very horrible, it was hard to pass the class.
With my very limited knowledge of chemistry i feel extremely confident i could have taught this course better than professor Modey.
He is a really nice guy you will here the phrase " DEAD Or ALIVE" ALOT!!!! But overall, hilarious
I don't know why most people rated him this way. Before taking the class, I came here and freaked out. After taking the class with him, I realized that he isn't bad. If you go to his lectures and pay attention, he's actually a fun guy and you could easily pass just by going to lectures. I'm actually taking him again for 112.
Tbh, Modey wasn't THAT bad. He's really passionate about chem. Sometimes, he would go on tangents during lec tho. DO go to lec. It's helpful. His tests are eh. The points system tho is ridiculous. 1 question could potentially be half of your exam. He likes to combine concepts in 1 question. They're pretty short too. if ur TA is Ralph, ur in luck.
People over exaggerate Modey. If you work, read the book, go in for help, and try to understand the homework you'll get an A easy. I thought he was pretty bad when I came in because of what i heard. What you put into the class you'll get. Most those kids who said he is horrible gave up really quickly. Just Go to his office ours and your TA's
I was told by a friend who went to Modey's office hours for help that Modey told the student to look at his online videos and gave him no felp at all. Our last exam was only 3 questions of material not covered during lecture. He doesn't curve anything and is hard to understand. Definitely will be avoiding having to take another of his classes.
His fun personality will deceive you. His lectures are funny and he tries to make a 200 student lecture into a high school class but when it comes to exams you get smacked in the face with college. His curve was nothing. One helpful tip though, his final exam was a combination of all the previous exams; just different numbers and such. Good luck!
I had to teach myself EVERYTHING. You'll survive if you have to take him but there is no need to go to class because you're on your own for learning the material. His first two exams were abnormally easy and his third one screwed everyone over. Be cautious.
Prof. modey gives interesting lectures, it won't be easy to fall asleep during class. Study a lot on your own, go to office hours if you can. Do the homework&be ready to take difficult quizzesexams. If you are a beginner or struggle in chemistry Modey is NOT the prof. to take. If you find yourself struggling in the middle of the semester WITHDRAW!
As a freshman he is a hard professor. I wouldn't recommend him for incoming students. His exams are sometimes worded weird and he likes to make you think. He tends to say that "us American kids have it to easy" in that note this isn't a easy class you need to work HARD for the 5 credits. However he is funny.
I had a 100 and a 99 on my first two tests. I got one question wrong on my third exam so I got a 61. Then I got a 91 on my final and I still got a B.
TAKE HIM FOR 112! He is very clear and straightforward with what he expects you to retain and learn. His exams and quizzes are very short, and he will give hints during class what to expect on the exams!! Also, very kind and helpful during office hours!
Modey is hilarious. He keeps the class interesting with his many stories. He would let you know during lecture what you needed to know for the exams, for example charts to memorize. Just do the homework and you'll be fine. Also the final was really easy as long as you go over your old quizzes and tests or did well on them to begin with.
If you don't understand something it is imperative you read the textbook or go to a TA BEFORE going to him. He will literally laugh in your face if you aren't understanding something. Then if that wasn't bad enough he will proceed to go into a story about how ignorant american kids are.
Modey is good at explaining things and he is hilarious. His tests are hard and are very MATH based, he words them in a way that make the test harder than it really is. He is very helpful in office hours, goes over many examples. He says it like it is whether you like it or not.
Modey is the greatest professor I ever had. His lectures are full of charisma, and he applies real world scenarios into his lectures to make chemistry seem more applicable (as opposed to just quantitative). He is also very very funny. His tests are hard, so if you don't study, you'll fall behind very quick.
He is a tough grader but his lectures are funny. Beware, he has an accent. and if you get really close to him, he explains better and adds points :)
I had Modey for Chem 112 in Fall '14. I had heard bad reviews but took him anyway. I studied moderately hard, but the mastering chemistry homework really helped me understand the class. Modey's lectures were interesting (mainly because of his obnoxiously loud voice). Test #3 was horrible for the whole class so he gave a ton of extra credit.
There are things that you cannot fault him for--his accent, handwriting, etc. When I took him there were tedious online homework assignments and although he did occasionally extend the deadline he would notify us the night the assignment was due. His lectures are long and boring and the book does a much better job of teaching you the material.
Thick accent. Very enthusiastic about teaching, but lectures are so long and he tends to go off track. Take someone else if you can.
If you tune in to Dr. Modey, he'll teach you everything you need to know. The accent takes a few days to get used to, but after that you should have no problem. He's a funny guy. Don't be afraid to ask questions, but be warned that he will make fun of you. He doesn't allow eating in his class.
Took this class freshman year, first semester. Horrible professor. He teaches one thing and tests on something else. Thick accent (def not his fault), but it's really hard to understand him. Even if you try to read the book and study outside of class, you'll get a C max. I went to so many tutors & asked friends for help but still failed the course
Uses some useless pre-made slides during lecture. Has a terrible accent, although once you get used to it, it's fine. Quite bad at explaining things and at times comes across a bit arrogant with a "hey look at me, I'm a genius" type of attitude. Doing the homework and frequently referencing the book is your best bet.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
33%
Textbook Required
98%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.16 avg changeRatings by Course
13471
5.0
(1)13806
5.0
(1)CHEM112114
5.0
(1)101
4.0
(2)CHEM114
2.9
(7)Difficulty by Course
CHM122
4.5
CHM112
4.5
CHEM114
4.1
112
4.0
CHEM161
4.0