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She is a brilliant teacher. Her democracy class was tough but extremely rewarding. 4 1-page papers, 5 in-class responses, in-class final. Her vocabulary is very advanced and it can be difficult to keep up with her lectures especially if you are not a Poly Sci major. Readings/material are difficult but she gives a lot of xtra credit oppurtunities

Good teacher, really knows her stuff. I would definitely take another class from her. One page papers due after each unit, about every 2 weeks. Take home final. You have to read each night for this class, but the readings only take about 20 minutes. Pop quizes are pretty predictable. Overall greater teacher.

Every class needs work, this is college. The readings were boring to interesting, in order to do well take good notes, listen for quiz hints. Do not get nervous reading her syllabus, she is very fair. Read readings, which take 10 minutes, come to class, get an A like me. Put about a 75% effort, attendence rec., does talking for notes 4 you.

Gastelum is a good teacher. Taking her for summer section 305. From other comments I've read, I'd recommend her for summer section as there is necessarily a lighter workload. She does a good job of explaining theories in terms we can understand today. If you have a problem with vocab, maybe go back to high school. Get a dictionary...something...

"Essay.. word hard and complaicted (4 of them) worked my ass off and got B-.... stay away unless ur poly sci. major." Jesus, seriously, how did you get a diploma?

"Essay.. word hard and complaicted (4 of them) worked my ass off and got B-.... stay away unless ur poly sci. major." Jesus, seriously, how did you get a diploma?

Extremely intelligent. Her lectures are her just talking at you for the entire class without Powerpoint. You MUST attend class to be prepared for essays. She is a VERY difficult grader. If you don't provide EXACTLY what she's looking for, expect a B every time. Overall, she's a great teacher if your willing to let your GPA suffer.

At first I thought she was terrible, because she seemed unfriendly. As the class progressed I realized that she was the smartest teacher I've ever had at state-as long as you attend lecture, take really good notes and actually LISTEN to all of her knowledge you will do fine. She explains the information very clearly. Hard material-but worth it!

Take her any of her classes over the summer, if you show up and take notes its an easy class because its M-TH and its fresh in your head. Exam was take home final questions. She is smart and we did have discussions. I learned a lot and the books were great choices. If you take her classes other than the summer, its really a lifetime to sit in.

Interesting class and intelligent professor. The class was challenging but I learned a lot and am glad I took it.

This was the second semester I've taken this professor. She is simply excellent. Very articulate, delivers the course material at the academic level. To the person who commented "too-smart-for-me literature," you shouldn't be in college; I feel sorry for you. The readings are tough, but once she goes over it with you in class it makes sense.

The class scared me. 4 one-page papers. here are some writing tips: 1. have a very specific thesis 2. have at minimum 4 developed paragraphs 3. each paragraph must have a sub thesis/main topic 4. use key words that she uses in class in developing your answer (i got an A- TAKE MY ADVICE)

She is tough, but really smart. I would get really excited when I got a good grade on a essay quiz. It took work to get good grades.

Professor Gastelum is pretty cool. I recommend her class if you prefer writing over multiple choice (I do!)

Brilliant and engaging. Do what is required of you as a college student-go to class, take notes, and THINK, ANALYZE, & ARTICULATE the material well on quizzes and an A is obtainable! Taking her again!

Not sure what the person below is talking about. Its 4-5 paragraphs, not impossible, and and extremely interesting class. It requires you to keep up and do alot of work, but then what is college? Overall: excellent teacher and course.

Extremely difficult and demanding class, but Gastelum is such a an excellent professor that if you utilize her, you will pass with an A. Word of advice: don't skip a lecture and write down every single thing she says. If you just rewrite what she says, you'll be fine.

Brilliant Prof, articulate and approachable. Lectures are long but so interesting you do not notice the time. I have gained a renewed and deeper respect for Thucydides, Plato and Aristotle. Incredible class and nice to look at.

Brilliant teacher who is passionate about the class and has VERY high expectations of her students. She gives you all the tools you need to pass with an A but if you don't work hard you will not do will. This class is interesting and engaging and I am very glad I took this class.

Smart professor, but cocky. This is a hard class, don't expect to get away with not doing work and getting a passing grade. Attendance is mandatory. Don't try to establish communication with her, she doesn't care. But she will discuss all the material you need to know, cover it, and test you on it. WRITE THE ESSAY HER WAY or points deducted. Cheers

Show up, ask questions when you don't understand, do your readings, and participate and you'll be fine. She has high expectations but never failed to clarify or help when I asked a question in class or in office hours. Readings are hard but most class time is spent simplifying them in lectures. Class isn't easy, but you're in college. Deal with it.

The first week of class I was stressing because I thought I was going to fail. Although I never participated in lectures, I came to class and took notes. The final is worth 40% of your grade. Make sure you come to the two classes before the tests because she gives out extra credit then. She is kind of an easy grader. Don't be intimidated.

this course with her is one that will push you to be the best that she knows you can be, shes passionate about what she teaches which shows in her lectures and makes the class worth going to. I got a B- but if I worked a little harder I know an A was possible. Great professor take her!!

Class was easy! Attend all her lectures or your screwed. Overall if you went to class, did some reading, by some I mean 20-30 pages worth approx. then your fine. Write like your a college student, not in middle school. She helps out a lot during office hours. GO TO OFFICE HOURS (Visited her 3 times total) That's all... that's how I EARNED MY A-.

Professor Gastelum was awesome. She is so passionate, and usually, she is right about everything. That being said, if you provide a valid argument, she is willing to listen but not if you yell and are irrational. Challenging, but you WILL learn. I got a B, but if I had tried, and A would have been easily possible. Def recommend. Super helpful too.

Dr. Gastelum is a dedicated, passionate, super knowledgable professor. She is brilliant and she is very clear with the materials. Though in this class has 10 quizzes, for each you have 45 mins to write a 5-8 paragraph essay with open notes. And you also have to write 3 essays out of 6, 3 single-spaced pages. Her class is hard but i learned so much.

I wasn't looking forward to this political theory class, but it was actually fascinating. Prof. Gastelum wasn't as challenging as I feared-- she just expects you to learn what she teaches. Attend every lecture, take notes, skim the readings, and use them to write your papers and quizzes, and you'll be fine. Easy 6 week writing-based summer class.

This was a great course and you can learn a lot! You just have to dedicate time for the readings. Attend class, read, and and questions. Prof lectures, but enjoys comments/q's from students. Attendance matters, but class is enjoyable so no reason not to attend. Do the work & you will have no problem with the essay exams/final!

Dr. Gastelum will write a synopsis of the main points of the reading that you want to include in your midterm, writing assignment and final. Be succinct, include support material and transitions in your writing and you will do well. She is analytical and will easily spot filler. Engages and prepares students well with interesting lectures.

YOU HAVE TO GO TO CLASS TO PASS!! She's actually super funny and makes political science interesting. If you print out the slides and go to class and pay attention, you should do fine on the quizzes and tests without having to do too much extra studying. Definitely recommend her for this class!

Professor Gastelum's class was my least favorite class thus far. Her quizzes are not easy to get a good grade on nor will you ever get your previous quizzes back soon enough for you to know what to improve on for the next one. She also feels like she is entitled to your attendance and will call you out if you try to leave early. It is not an easy A

A lot of test questions come from the book so u'll need to buy it, as well as lecture. The hardest part of the class are the quizzes, it asks broad questions, and her expectations are too high. She's a great lecturer. she should be an interrogator for the CIA. Offers extra credit, class is curved a little. There's a sign in sheet.

She isn't known for being lenient, but her lecturer are extremely entertaining and useful. Very high quality lecture, nothing fancy. She just doesn't read wall of text the entire time and very well-organized. Her quiz is tough though.

Yes, she may be a little strict and a little bit of a tough grader, but she is an AMAZING lecturer, very clear and concise, and overall a great professor. May not be my favorite class, but definitely my favorite professor.

If you show up to class, take notes, there is no reason you would not get atleast a B in the class. She may be a little up tight, but she is very smart and relays the information clearly. If you have a basic understanding of politics this class will be easy.

Gastelum is an amazing teacher and incredibly knowledgeable. She explains difficult subject matter in a precise and informative way. She inspired me to work hard, improve and I even switched majors to PS. She isn't easy but I was able to get an A because of how inspired and interested I was by her class which is very rare.

She knows her stuff, is organized and more than willing to help out her students. She reviews key topics multiple times. You don't really need to read the book to do well in the class. Attend lecture and pay attention. She makes you do these "assignments" that are a little tedious. She sends out regular emails and reminds students of due dates

She's a solid choice but pretty tough. But what I will say is that I really respect her for not being biased when talking about politics especially during the 2016 election. She definitely knows her stuff, so you will learn even if you've perhaps taken AP Government in high school. However, she gives tedious work and is a tough grader so beware.

Professor Gastelum definitely knows her political science and is a solid choice. She gives good feedback and her lectures are very engaging. The quizzes were a bit tedious, but not a problem if you put in the effort. She is also very unbiased which was surprising considering I had her during the 2016 Presidential Election.

I chose this class because Gastelum has a Hardvard background and, I needed a poli sci class to complete my GE reqs. I was pleasantly surprised with her engaging lectures. I never read the book but never missed a class and always took paper notes. Her tests are online and the only hard thing about this class is that there is a lot of writing.

Respect her so much. Teaches the party system in depth and without bias (despite the elections!) though you can tell where she leans. Very lecture heavy class and, though her slides are all posted online, they make way more sense combined with the in-class lecture. She says you need to read the book but really good lecture notes are all you need.

Dr. Gastelum is one of the most effective in class communicators that I have ever had the privileged of being enrolled in their class. She communicates the lectures very well and knows the ins and outs of American Politics. She was very unbiased during the 2016. Finally, she will always talk to students after class and during her office hours.

Professor Gastelum was intimidating at first, but she's a great teacher. The material is just tricky because it's political theory. Attend the lectures and take notes and you will do fine. On her essays you just repeat back from the lectures-at least thats what I did! tests are essays so it helps being a good writer. Tricky topic, great teacher.

Simply amazing. Unfortunately this course is not offered every year, but I would highly recommend taking this course if it happens to be available. Her lectures are intriguing, and she breaks down concepts so that they are easier to understand. She may seem intimidating at first, but don't let this scare you away! She is one of the best at SDSU!

She is so sweet during and outside of class. Her lectures despite all the words and notes, if you're into the topics are interesting. The tests are very note based, online but super easy if you somewhat try. The online homework is based of the reading, not too bad. If you skip most of the lectures you might be lost but if you read you'll catch up.

Gastelum is a straightforward professor. I enjoyed her lectures, although they could get repetitive. Tests are a breeze if you go to class & skim the textbook. It's an easy GE. There's a ton of assignments that aren't due until the end of the semester and I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute to do them but still managed to get an A-.

Most average class I have taken at state. Show up to class and do all the assignments and you will do fine. Tests are given on your own time via blackboard so really easy to get A's but a lot more determines your grade. Make sure you spread out her writing assignments so you don't have to do all of them at the end of the semester.

This class was definitely interesting, and Professor Gastelum makes her powerpoints and lectures abundantly clear. Be sure to clearly phrase your questions as well as ask them in a respectful manner in order to receive a positive response. Showing up to class and having an understanding of the material is necessary, make sure to take good notes!

I have never liked history, politics, or anything of this sort, however I kind of enjoyed this class. Professor Gastelum definitely knows her material, makes the material and powerpoints very clear. Coming to class will definitely make this be much easier. Attendance is taken, a few activities for free points in class, and tests are online.

LOVED this teacher and this class. must take her for political science 102. I enjoyed her lectures and thought they were super entertaining. Her class is outlined perfectly and you will know exactly what to expect. If you plan ahead, you can easily get an A in this class. Would definitely take her again.

Very easy class. You have to do 4 short "papers" and two long ones in addition to two tests. That's it. You can miss class 10 times but honestly you could miss more because she doesn't really care. Put time into the "papers" and you will do well. She is very smart and knows a ton about the course content. Definitely take this class for an easy A.

Recommended! Lectures are okay, but she tries to make things interesting and relevant. I mostly copied the slides and tuned out. Very easy class. Tests are online and have a few writing assignments/homework. You can miss class like 10 times before it hurts your grade.

A truly great teacher who embodies compassion and excitement for her class. Highly recommended!!

Dr. Gastellum is a respectable lecturer who goes into great detail to explain complex political science subjects to the class. Most of the time her lectures go over my head. However if you ABSOLUTELY MUST take political science and want to learn something, id recommend her class.

brilliant professor, she knows her stuff. Asking philosophical questions in this class and hearing her response was my favorite part

I loved this professor! Her lectures are insightful and she really guides you on what you should know. To me this class was very easy. The two tests (midterm and final) were online, and the other assignments were analyzing issues. Loved the class would take again.

I only went to this class for the first two weeks. Both tests are online that you have to take. You have 4 discussion boards to do throughout the semester and 2 short essays to write about highly recommend this class.

Professor Gastelum is a great choice for a Poly Sci 102 teacher. She's a pretty easy grader and her lectures were really interesting. 2 online exams, 4 10 point discussion posts and 2 20 point assignments.

Gastelum is a passionate teacher and breaks things down for you to understand. 2 Tests(open note). 4 ten point assignment and 2 20 point assignments. Not a hard class if u go to class and LISTEN (slides say a lot but she explains it in depth.) You really only have to be willing to do the assignments (they are doable),You get the grade you work for

Gastelum was one of the most interesting lecturers I have had so far at State. You can tell she really cares about the subject she teaches, and is always easy to understand. Take this class for sure if you need an easy GE. Two tests online and 6 small writings assignments throughout the semester.

This class has two exams that are taken online which are fairly easy and you can use your notes. The rest of the class consists of 4 ten point assignments and 2 twenty points which are fairly easy. The times I went to lectures she made the information relevant and interesting. TAKE THIS CLASS

Take this class. You will have 4 10 point assignments and 2 20 point assignments which were fairly easy (just answer them thoroughly). Don't have to show up to pass the class, but honestly I'd go to hear her lectures. Didn't read the book and passed the class with an A. The two exams aren't that bad. Honestly if you do the work you will be fine.

I think prof G is your average professor. I personally enjoyed taking this course because Im genuinely interested in politics. The tests and homework(InQuizitive) were online. There were some in-class assignments. I would recommend taking this professor. Side note: I took her for Fall 18

Professor Gastélum is very passionate about what she teaches, however, youre going to have to work for your grade. There are five mini essays and three longer ones, and she a tough grader. But you will be a better writer after taking her class and she genuinely cares about her students.

Five mini quizzes which are 4-5 paragraph take home essays. Three longer essays that are 3 pages in length, single spaced. A really great teacher who wants you to succeed. GO TO OFFICE HOURS FOR HELP. Word of advice: go to every lecture and write down exactly what she says word for word. Use to help write your papers.

Really amazing professor. I adored her lectures, and she made everything that could possibly be confusing about politics clear. She's neutral in expressing her opinion. I started off by reading the textbook, but after awhile I realized it wasn't needed due to how in depth her lectures were. Would highly recommend her class to take care of the GE.

is very intelligent and is good at teaching the material in a clear and understanding way. There are pop quizzes which are essays, inquizitives for homework, take-home multiple-choice tests, and 3 writing assignments outside of class. Do what you need to do, show up to class, and you'll do fine. definitely a great prof!!

You must show up to class and take notes in order to pass the class. The class consist of 3 papers and 4 written quizzes. It is recommended that you write 3 pages singled spaced to answer the prompts but it's not possible because you need to address every argument. The quizzes are not difficult. Do not buy the books because it is pointless.

Writing assignments are a heavy portion of the grade like once every 2 ish weeks. She's very nice and explains things very well. Lenient in terms of due dates. No cumulative tests. only quizzes for the unit that have no time limit and you can use ur notes. Put effort into the essays and youll be fine. Need textbook for essays.

This class has no tests, only easy 30 question quizzes. Grade mostly based on writing assignments which are generally not very hard. She accepts all homework a day after its due and she's really lenient on due dates. Only issue is no recorded lectures, but you don't really learn that much in class anyway. I recommend this class.

The class consisted of a few tests (which were open note), writing assignments due every 2 weeks ish, and then inquisitive hw (which is impossible not to get 100%). She clearly says what she wants in the writing assignments, but read the textbook and go to lectures to make it easier. She truly cares about her students. I enjoyed learning from her.

She didnt seem too nice in the beginning but got better throughout the semester. There are no exams, just some easy quizzes, inquizitives, and writing assignments that are fairly easy if you got over her lecture slides. I didnt read like at all and got an A. She gave a decent amount of extra credit and allowed late work!

Didn't read a single word from the book and got an A. Easy assignments, a few quizzes, and interesting lectures. Overall cool class and easy A.

Professor Gastelum is amazing. Everything she explained made me understand the 2020 election, and even elections in general, way better. She even went easy on us this semester, compared to previous semesters when she often gives exams. I literally got an A in her class without even reading anything from the textbooks we had lol.

Dr Gastelum teaches like she cares about the subject matter. She doesn't get personal with anyone and has that unapproachable feel about her but she gives great feedback on papers. 3 essays and not a lot of homework throughout the semester. Quiz after each unit and if it's online there are discussions. There were group discussions as well.

Dr. Gastèlum is very educated in political science, and her passion for it is evident. The lectures and readings themselves are helpful, always posted on canvas, but inherently boring unless you are into political science. The class itself consisted of quizzes (no pop quizzes), papers, discussion boards, Inquizitives, and discussion days. Easy GE.

She is very knowledgeable on American Politics and definitely knows what she is talking about. I felt the lectures were really helpful and she went at a good teaching pace not too fast. She was very clear about assignments I never had any confusion.

Dr. Gastelum is a good professor here at SDSU! If you show up to her virtual office hours on Zoom, she'll give you good feedback on ways to improve assignments and grades in the future. She's respectful towards students. There are 3 essays, several discussion board activities, a few assignments, and InQuizitive quizzes you'll have to do!

She is very intelligent and speaks quickly so it was easy to get confused but she is very talented at what she does. Amazing lectures. She is sort of cold but I think she means well. The writing assignments are harshly graded but if you are a solid writer you should be good.

This Professor is very intelligent and her lectures show how in-depth her knowledge and passion are about politics. Sometimes the class could feel confusing but when you go to the lectures it all makes sense. The class was graded on two essays, one midterm, and occasional group works during class (she posts which days these are).

There's no tests until the final, just Inquizitves, discussion boards, and two essays. She grades the discussion boards pretty difficultly and they definitely take some time to do. She does a lot of lectures but they're helpful. She's not the warmest teacher but she knows a lot about the topic.

gastelum is a good professor but if you dont go to the lectures you will be so confused. overall the class is pretty simply, no tests/quizzes/midterm but there is a final and no weekly homework except for the occasional paper or inquizzitive. just go to class and youll be fine.

I would definitely recommend taking Professor Gastelum's class, attendance isn't mandatory and overall her quizzes are not difficult, she assigns two essays, and one online test (the final.)

I really enjoyed this class. The TA graded way harsher than the Professor did, so no complaints there really. The slides were online for her lectures so if you ever needed to miss you could just make it up there. Not very many assignments, also every once in a while she'll do a surprise extra credit for people who actually show up.

Few and easy assignments but the prompts for essays were difficult and not clear.

Professor Gastelum's knowledge of political theory and current events is clear in lecture. Her ability to weave in relevant topics contemporary political thought is intriguing. The only knocks against her are that she is a really tough grader in my opinion, and she can get off track occasionally. She is really nice and will work with you, though.

The best poli sci professor ever!

Was skeptic because of her rating but she is the complete opposite. She is very knowledgeable and talks confidently and acts like she cares which she prob does. Very easy homework and the midterm was light work. Final is open note and taken at home and she frequently mentions if anyone needs help and allows late work. Whats not to like

Great teacher but a lot of work. Essay/writing heavy

Underrated. Took her class last semester and she explains politics really well. I would say the class is more stressful than difficult. Great professor overall.

Prof. Gastelum is one of the most underrated political science teachers you can have. Not only does she care about her students, she is so funny. I cannot wait to take an upper level writing class with her next fall!

Overall, she was a very good professor who really cared for us and improved my writing technique a lot. The only thing that bothered me were the first two essays we had were kind of short and a breeze, but the final paper was 10+ pages, and I was just not mentally ready for it since my stamina wasn't built up throughout the semester.

Professor Gastelum is an engaging lecturer who cares about her students. While the workload is heavy, especially with the essay assignments, her lectures make the material interesting. I found unstuck study a helpful study aid alongside the textbook.

Clearly very knowledgeable and gives engaging lectures. Class is mandatory with only being allowed up to 2 absences. Coursework is a bit challenging and requires that you study and know your stuff. Cumulative final exam that was taken online. Decent amount of writing but nothing too crazy. Challenging but doable.

I loved Professor Gastelum. She is an amazing lecturer and if you have any interest in political science at all you'll find her class very engaging. Exams are taken at home and you get a week to do them. There were not very many assignments other than tedious inquisitive and a couple of discussion posts. I love her class and think she's excellent.

Tests are extremely easy, all online/essay form. lectures are interesting but a little long. attendance isn't mandatory.

I loved her when I took her for 102. Her lectures show that she's passionate about the subject and if you're a poli sci major shes a great resource. Not very forgiving in her grading but it's because she lectures the exact homework answers day of so if you show if you'll know the answers. Would take her again for 300 levels.

Professor Gastelum is clearly very knowledgable about what she's teaching and has interesting lectures. There isn't much work other than reading articles/the textbook sometimes and annoying inquizatives. The tests are take home and fairly easy. As long as you attend the lectures and keep with her points you'll be fine.

her lectures are very insightful and i enjoyed the content! very good for an intro level class. a few assignments every week and readings but very manageable! midterm was a few essays and final was an online multiple choice test and final project. pretty easy

Straightforward class, attendance was mandatory at beginning of semester but after time she didn't care. Midterm and final was take home and there was a final slideshow project that was pretty easy. There was a good amount of readings and 1-2 assignments a week. She gave extra credit opportunities

fast paced lectures and gave lengthy homework assignments that were difficult. finals and exams were all online/take home. attendance used to be mandatory but it's easy to catch up if you miss you just lack a little context for the material. pretty straightforward assignments but difficult and info heavy.

if you do not go to class for pols305 you will not pass. literally had to write down every word she had however it was so helpful for the papers. i ended with an A. interesting topic about american political theory

Loved her! However, make sure your questions aren't bias. She's very big on facts so be prepared. She gives good details but don't worry if you don't catch everything during lecture, she provides slides on the modules.

Amazing professor that gives lectures directly related to graded material. If you show up and take decent notes the online assignments/essays will be a breeze. Very easy to understand and very accessible by email, and gives a few days after due dates to turn work in for no late penalty. Highly recommend.

Loved her class! The way she explained the course is pretty straightforward, doesn't go out of topic and teaches the content that is in the modules. She really knows how to teach her class and the way the class is organized it's really easy as well. Quizzes, midterms and finals were totally manageable!!

Super passionate. Good or bad. Easy enough class. Straight forward.

Incredible professor, she beautifully enunciated her curriculum into such a profound teaching unique that is centered around incentivizing discussion through a gradual natural process. Easily the best professor in SDSU, SDSU should be beyond thankful that they possess someone with her abilities as a professor but also as an academic.

Prof Gastelum knows a lot about the subject and articulates it well. She is pretty biased but her discussions are very open and she doesn't shut down ideas she doesn't agree with like other people say. There are a few discussion board assignments, in class participation points, and a take home midterm/final that aren't hard if you took good notes.

It was evident that professor Gastelum is extremely knowledgeable on the content she teaches. Her lectures were very informative, and she allows citation of the lectures on most assigned papers. Has a tendency to go on tangents, but they are usually spun to be constructive and relatable to the lecture itself. Would recommend taking her for 406.

She is very knowledgeable and her lectures are very engaging and enlightening. Most of this course is lecture heavy, her assignments are simple as long as you understand the subject and the readings. One of the best political science courses I've taken. Most of my classmates have an A and actually enjoy coming to class.

She cares about the students that put effort into their work, and is willing to meet for office hours. Professor Gastelum is very knowledgeable about the course. Would definitely recommend students to take her writing course POLS390.

She is very easy to learn from, and I liked her lectures. She made attendance mandatory in the beginning, but didn't care later in the semester. Her midterm was easy, as she had been given the questions before, and the notes I took during lectures made it easy. Her final was a little bit harder as it was timed short answers and 100 multiple choice