If you are interested in economics this class is great. He really cares if you get the material and is super accessible outside of class. If you are looking for an easy grade, look elsewhere. The class is really hard, it is just a hard subject.

Macro is a hard class in general. So, Gochenour is of course a hard grader, especially when there is only 4 tests and 2 assignments that equal half a test added together. He is a nice person and loves economics, teaches on a personal level. The test are hard and a lot of your grade, but he gives lots of extra credit that does help. YOU WILL LEARN

I don't think people realize it, but he's actually one of the easiest Macro teachers here at JMU, PLUS he gives a bunch of extra credit. Macro is very hard, but his tests are easier than most professors. They come straight from the textbook. All you have to do is read in his class, and you'll do well. Also go to the pass sessions! They help a lot.

Mr. Gochenour is new to JMU but has already shown me his care and love for the subject. His class is hard, but then again it's Macroeconomics. He'll teach you what you need to know and the possibility of an A is always there if you go for it. He'll make it possible for you given enough effort from your part.

Very much based on the textbook and tests are graded very heavily. He gives a ton of extra credit opportunities, so if you take advantage of all of those you don't have to do incredibly on all tests to have an A in reach. Econ is a hard class but he does a good job of simplifying it.

He's a great professor! He has a passion for econ and his lectures aren't boring at all. I personally learned more from the textbook than in class. The textbook he uses is easy to follow and makes Macro less confusing. His test are difficult but doable. He gave loads of extra credit. Take him!

Dr. Gochenour is the one of the best professors I've had at JMU. 3 tests and a final determine your final grade, but he gives a ton of extra credit. He is super passionate, and very willing to help kids out of class. He wants you to succeed. Everyone that's leaving him a bad rating likely didn't put any effort into the class. Not easy, but not hard

Definitely easiest ECON200 professor at JMU. A lot of people here are saying his tests are very hard, but they really aren't; they are just concept based and are NOT multiple choice. If you show up to class and spend a couple hours studying before the tests, you'll do fine! His test questions are literally questions from the end of each chapter!

Smart in his field, he worked with the professors who wrote the textbook. He's a tough grader if you don't understand the material (partial credit comes easy) but he's very fair and respectful. Lots of extra credit opportunities if your grade is low. This is one of those classes you ACTUALLY learn real life stuff in if you pay attention and try.

Great professor, interesting lectures, and a lot of extra credit available. was really nervous about this class but i became really interested in macro from it and really learned a lot. if you are not willing to put in the work then don't take it, you will be successful if you work hard at this class

Gochenour is an excellent professor. I had failed economics the previous semester, and he really made me have a genuine interest. Reading a chapter or two a week is the only outside work, and he dropped our lowest exam! He offers so much extra credit, I only needed a 51% on the final to get an A. His lectures are interesting, I strongly recommend!

This class was not difficult. Yes, you have to attend class or read the textbook in order to pass and do well, but not hard. Gives a VERY large amount of extra credit that in total could bump your grade by 2 and a half letter grades. TAKE ZACH!! He is a good teacher and really cares about you doing well and prepares you.

Overall great professor. Yes, the class is difficult and the tests are tedious but he offers tons of extra credit that will really bring up your grade in the end.

Dr. Gochenour (Go-ken-hour) is exceptionally fair, knowledgable, and personable. His tests are not easy As, but look for your understanding of concepts, not rote memorization. Study hard and you'll do well. He gives a lot of EC. Students that complain about him, honestly, haven't put in the work or likely not even taken notes from the readings.

The people complaining are probably lazy students who think the world is against them. If you're willing to work hard for a good grade you'll do great. Gochenour loves his students and is passionate about teaching us. Appreciate that when you find it because not all professors will be like that. Take him!!!

Gochenour's class was kind of hard (your grade is just based on 3 tests and the final), but he gives lots of extra credit, so it's easy to end up with a good grade. For example, I would have gotten a 76 based on my test grades, but I ended up with an A-. As long as you read the textbook and use his online materials on Canvas, you'll do fine.

Lectures with the material right from the textbook (written by two of his professors from college). Grade is based on two tests and a final, plus 5 online quizzes that are essentially an easy 50 points. Not really an exciting guy but the material is interesting/good to know.

This class was really interesting, but don't take it if you don't have time to read. Every lecture was more of a class discussion on the reading. Part of your grade is based on your participation in the discussion. Only a few assignments so put your effort in to get a good grade. He really knows what he is talking about so if you can, take him!

He is very passionate and his lectures are fun if you are interested in the class. There are only 400 points in the class, and 350 of them are tests, so you need to make sure you pay attention, read, and ask for help if you need it. The class isn't hard if you are prepare, and there is a lot of extra credit available to help your grade.

Great teacher, very passionate about the course. It was his first semester teaching something that wasn't an intro class, but he did a great job. Classes are discussion based so you have to read. Midterm, term paper, presentation and take home final are the only grades. Grading system is unconventional but it works out.

Definitely do all of the readings he posts on the syllabus (online textbook has practice quizzes and questions), his lectures cover what was in the reading and makes it understandable. He's always willing to answer questions and has clear office hours. 3 tests, 5 quizzes (short and you get a week to do). He actually made me enjoy econ! Highly rec.

Great professor to take for econ200. There are 3 tests that are heavily weighted. All tests have mc, short answer, and graphing. Also each test he gives an extra credit opportunity, and he gives online quizzes which help. Also there is a pass session I would highly recommend. Don't skip class he pulls a lot of questions from lecture!

Econ is hard but Gochenour is a great professor. Class is basically just one big lecture/discussion. Attendance isn't mandatory but you NEED to go because test qs are from the lecture. Grade is based off 3 big tests and a few online quizzes. Go to the pass sessions especially the ones before the tests- you will do better!

I LOVE Gochenour! He is the reason I changed to an Econ major because of the passion he had for the subject. He LITERALLY tells you how to ace the tests (make sure to do the practice questions in the book) and his grading is very fair and lenient. Show up and pay attention, you'll do fine.

This class is definitely challenging but he really tries to make it as easy as possible. He is good at explaining things in class, so although attendance isn't mandatory, you should go if you want a good grade. You only get 4 exams grades so that kinda stinks, but he does give some extra credit.

He was a really cool guy, he could be tough sometimes and although attendance isnt taken, it helps a lot to go to class. I learned so much in an hour from him and he gives really good life examples. He also gives extra credit which helped my grade by 10 points. I would like to take him again if I could

ECON 200 is a tough course and it takes a lot of work to get a good grade. You have to read a chapter before each test, and you should really take notes on it. He goes over it in class and gives practice problems and is eager to see his students succeed. Extra Credit boosts your grade a lot and he's given us test corrections on the last two tests

Took him for macro, I took AP micro/macro in high school so had a pretty decent understanding of econ going into the class. That said, he was about as easy as you'll get for a tough class like macro. 3 tests and a final which counts as a double test grade. Really wants you to succeed, TONS of extra credit opportunities. 10/10 would take again

Dr. Gochenour is hands down the best ECON prof. Macro is kind of hard but he does a really good job explaining everything &will ALWAYS help with questions that you have. He is such a fair prof (offers test corrections and SO much E.C.)that really help to boost your grade. You definitely have to put in the work &do the readings but he helps so much

Professor Gochenour is an amazing econ professor! He really cares about how well the class does. He is very passionate about what he teaches and makes sure everyone understands the concepts. Macro is a hard class but with Gochenour, it is easier to understand!!

This professor is great! The class is graded by 3 tests and a final, but he offers a lot of extra credit. He is a really nice guy and he's very helpful if you go to him for extra help.

Two entirely essay-based tests (open-book and -notes, though), presentation on a developing country, a take-home final essay comparing your country to at least two others, and probably a research paper on said country (he forgot to put it on the syllabus this semester). Participation is really important, you better do the readings.

Zachary Gochenour is a fantastic professor. He does not use power points, he simply stands in front of class and lectures. He does his best to make a hard course easy. I would 10/10 take again.

I LOVED this class. Professor Gochenour was very knowledgeable and made the class very interesting. Attendance was optional and isn't really necessary, if you read! Your grade is 100% tests, but he offered test corrections for almost all of the tests, extra credit opportunities, and added extra points to final grades. Highly recommend!!!

Professor Gochenour is a great professor. He gives a lot of extra credit opportunity, so definitely take advantage of that. He only has three exams/tests and one cumulative final exam. He knows his stuff and a great lecturer. Even though he does not make attendance mandatory, it is highly recommended to attend. Great professor.

Gochenour is probably your best bet for Macro. His classes have the highest average compared to the rest of the macro professors. He teaches straight from the book, so if you read the night before he makes everything clear in class. He is super helpful in office hours, and encourages you to do practice problems in class and ask questions if needed.

only grades in class are tests and quizzes, hard for a gen ed, but good choice for econ. He's super nice & will help you out so much if you just ask him. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS. Everything from the lectures are based on the textbook

Great prof for econ, hard class

Econ is hard, there's no way around it. Dr. G is your best shot. If you put in the work you will succeed. Super funny and interesting lectures, genuinely cares about all of his students. Takes no sympathy on people who don't put it in the work.

Macro is a hard class but he is the best! I'm an IDLS major and I was dreading taking this class and I ended up loving it. He makes it so interesting and explains things really well. He also offers a lot of extra credit that helps a lot. You definitely have to put in the work but he's one of the best professors I've ever had, definitely take him!

Gochenour's class was by far one of the most rewarding classes, if youre prepared to work hard. THIS IS A HARD CLASS! I liked his class because theres no powerpoints and he just talks instead of heavy lecturing. Read every chapter and MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND what you're reading! Do all the end of chapter problems participate in class too!

Great professor for a difficult class. Must obtain a copy of the textbook due to heavy reading to prepare for class. Very willing to help only if you ask for it. Offers no sympathy for those who don't put in the work. Take all the possible extra credit opportunities offered. Take him; he wants everyone to succeed. 3 tests based on class notes.

Gochenour is a great professor when it comes to caring and wanting to help his students, however, his lectures are uninteresting and frankly useless. All you have to do is read the textbook before the test and you should do fine. He gives a good amount of points for extra credit. This will help your grade significantly.

By far my favorite professor I have had so far. ECON200 is an insanely difficult class that will take lots of diligent work but he just wants students to find passion in what he really loves, economics. He is funny and passionate. He doesn't make class mandatory, but I would not advise missing because he keeps you on track to pass tests.

Professor Gochenour gives interesting lectures and doesnt assign too much work, but the tests are very challenging (mostly short-answer). Be sure to spend a lot of time studying the textbook closely. Definitely would recommend doing the extra credit because it can give a huge boost to your grade.

You just have to study A LOT and read the textbook, especially if economics doesn't come easy to you. I highly suggest watching the crash courses he recommends and DO THE EXTRA CREDIT!!! His lectures are good because he uses real life examples. Overall, he knows what he's talking about and a passionate teacher. You just have to work hard to do good

Gochenour's class is tough, but he offers a lot of extra credit to boost your grade so DO it. Watch the videos on his website and khan academy, go see him during office hours, read the textbook, and you will do fine. If you are looking to just pass, this class should be cake, but you are going to have to work for A LOT for a good grade.

Gochenour was amazing! Taught very well and very clearly. He is a real master of economics so he knows the material VERY well and will teach it without making any errors (which is a problem some professors have). He is always available to help and is very generous with extra credit. Make sure you do the reading though! Also, expect to work.

Hard class, but the class is structured so that you genuinely learn the material instead of memorizing without understanding. As long as you read and truly understand, lecture is useless. Do the practice problems at the end of the chapter, watch the Mr. University videos he recommends, DO THE EXTRA CREDIT - easy points. Solid class, very difficult

Very nice professor. He tries to intimidate you almost every class but as long as you read and study the book before exams you'll do fine. DO THE BONUS! It increased my grade a letter. Few assignments other than tests and nothing due in class. I'm taking him again for micro next semester. I wanna be a business man but I'm a business boy ;p

Love him. Attendance is not mandatory, but go bc they help clarify. 3 Exams and a final (it is cumulative). He is great about extra credit, responds to emails quickly, and is VERY understanding. He let me take my exams with other classes when I was too busy. Take him if you can.

He's an awesome guy and an awesome professor. I had him for both Micro and Macro at JMU and both classes were really easy as long as you put in the work to study. 2 or 3 tests and a final. Lots of extra credit. And he tries so hard to be available all the time outside of class.

Dr. Gochenour is very knowledgeable about economics but I fell like his effort wasnt always invested in the class. Granted he had a busy semester but I wish there was more opportunity to raise my grade. I only finished with an A on the final which allowed me to get an A in the class. Watch the videos and read the chapters this class requires time

Dr. Gochenour was a really great and fair professor. I really enjoyed going to class each day and he took the time to explain difficult concepts to us and was very receptive to questions and converstations. If you study for the tests you should be fine, I'm not a great test taker but did well because I was prepared. I will definitely take him again

You have to do the work and you need to participate. Goch loves his students and this subject, so he makes it all really interesting and fun. He is really accommodating and wants to help as much as he can, so be sure to take advantage of office hours if you are struggling. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! DO IT!

Goch is very passionate about this subject, so he always relates it back to his own life experiences or gives very good examples of certain aspects of the class. If you email him and go to his office hours, he will help as much as he can. I highly recommend him as an ECON 200 professor.

He is a great teacher that is passionate about economics and is very good at explaining it. It was very texbook heavy and each week you had to read the chapter for class and then the next class you had a quiz. The quizzes were okay, you have to put a lot in and study for them because they are very specific. Class not mandatory but I would go.

Very passionate and knowledgeable about economics. Class was mostly lectures, and homework was to read. Had a quiz every Wednesday about reading. They were short and no tests till the final. This was his first year doing this and he says he will change it next time in order to make students show up more. If you are passionate about this topic, go.

10 quizzes and takes your best 8. final is worth 20% but he said hes switching back to exams next semester. if you want an A then you need to work for it. Hes a really nice guy but sometimes he can go off on tangents. a few extra credit opportunities. he also gives us a 5 minute break during class which is nice! If youre taking econ, take him!

He is a good teacher but sometimes his lectures are pointless. We had 10 quizzes and he took the top 8. This was 80% of your grade. If you read the chapter every week it is not hard at all. You have one week to read one chapter. Went into the final with a 103% and failed the final and still ended with an A

We had quizzes every week, but he said he's never doing that again because we all did so bad. I had a 87.5 going into the final and ended up with a C+ because the final had nothing to do with what we learned in the class. Overall, the class and professor is great. I'll be taking another class with him. Out of econ prof he's the best.

Had him for marco. I was so scared of him the first day of class. You need to read the chapters, and go to class. It's not mandatory, but I would go. We had 4-8 point quizzes every Thursday and a final at the end of the semester. He is going back to exams, but offers extra credit. Loves to talk about his wife and daughter, and checks rate my prof!

It's going to be a very hard class but that's just because economics is a difficult subject. He does a great job explaining and offers a lot of resources to help you out. There is some homework, but it actually helps and isn't just busy work. If you have to take this class, I would definitely take him.

Don't make the mistake of rating the subject matter instead of the professor. Goch cares about the class, your individual performance, and is willing to help whenever it is asked. He is one of the more flexible prof. at JMU. You need to go to class, do the homework, participate, and a good grade will come naturally; if this is too much wrong major.

Thought he was a great choice for econ 201 and 200. Econ is not an easy subject and I thought he was a great teacher, giving a ton of outside resources to study for exams. He gave great lectures & was able to go over something again if you did not understand it. He is funny & a very nice guy. Would have gotten an A, but did bad on the first exam.

Prof Zac teaches with real-life examples and makes the material interesting. He has 2 midterms and a final. If you want to pass this class, get ready to put some effort. My classes turned online due to pandemic and he had flexible office hours.

Zachary Gochenour is a gem of a human being and is the absolute best that the JMU econ department has to offer. Do whatever it takes to have him for your classes, don't miss out on the experience of a lifetime. Never thought an ECON teacher could be so understanding but he is.

Gochenour is a strong choice for intro and advanced econ courses. I would suggest reading before class and participating at least once a week--he likes for students to add to the discussion. One of the more respectful and fair professors in the department, a solid choice.

Only take if you're willing to read a ton, class is almost entirely discussion between the students. A bunch of small and difficult long answer quizzes based on the reading, one big powerpoint presentation and one big essay. If you find the topic interesting and are willing to put in work then you'll love this class and him

Best econ professor I've had at JMU. I have taken him for 3 different ECON courses now and would love to again. He is very passionate about economics, and it makes the courses so much better. He is really nice too if you talk to him individually. For his tests, they are directly from the textbook, and he practices all the questions in class. 5/5

Great professor. total grade consist of 3 test and then the final. Explains everything great but you will have to put some work in to fully understand the material. the textbook is online and has great practice questions to study for the test.

such a nice guy talks about his family and personal life and relates it back to econ. attendance isn't mandatory at all, 3 tests online open note, but final is in person on a scantron. the only grades are the 3 tests and a final, no hw besides a weekly reading of a chapter in the textbook. couldn't recommend him more definitely take him

I have professor Gochenour this semester and from all the reviews before the class I was a skeptic. But after being almost done with the class I really liked it. He related the topics back to his personal life and gives analogies which makes it easy to understand. The people that complained must've never come to class lmao because if u did its easy

Course is relatively simple, read the textbook and you should be prepared for the exams. Most of the problems are reused from pasts tests in the semester.

Great teacher always had a fair curve and gives students lots of opportunities to succeed

If your grade on the final is better than your grade in the class, he'll only count that. Basically he only cares if you understand the material when it comes time for the two tests. Homework is full of good resources, and completely self-paced based on how much you need to study. Lectures can be a little all over the place sometimes.

Professor Gochenour is a great dude. This is my second time taking him and I have had success both times. Although the class is test heavy he exposes you to test material because the exams.

He is a good professor, he tries and cares about his students. Your only grade in the class is 3 tests and final. If you are not a good test taker then avoid taking him. You need to read the textbook and do the optional homework if you want to succeed in this class.

He is an awesome and caring professor. If you fall behind initially, you can catch up, but it is hard to do so. He only gives three midterms and then a final exam. However, if you fail all of the midterms and then get an A on the final, your ending grade will be an A. 3 extra credit assignments that add 3 points to your final grade as well.

I loved Dr. Gochenour's class. He is engaging to listen to and explains the material in-depth and thoroughly. Although he does not have any grades outside of the four exams he gives, the TA review sessions and textbook do well to prepare you for them. He provides you all the resources you need, you just have to use them if you want to succeed.

Dr Gochenour is easily the best prof if you enjoy taking tests and hate busy work. The only grades in this class are 4 tests and a final, however, the tests are not hard if you study and he gives a lot of extra credit opportunities. The lectures are very interesting and he makes them easy to understand.

He knew the content extremely well, and was always able to go greatly into depth and use real world examples and scenarios to help explain things. His tests were very important to do good on, but they weren't too bad as long as you went to class. As long as you go to class, do all the extra credit he provides, and don't bomb the final you'll be ok.

He gets a bad wrap but honestly he's a great professor. Based on what I've read here he has grown and tried to do the best for his students. You should read the textbook at some point before the lecture, but you will be able to get at least a B without it. TA has review sessions and was a big help.

Gochenour is clearly so knowledgeable about what he is teaching. The class is difficult, but he provides great examples. There are weekly quizzes and 3 extra credit opportunities throughout the semester.

Dr. Gochenour is a tough but fair professor who clearly cares about his students. The course includes two midterms, a final exam, and 17 quizzes, with the 7 lowest quiz scores dropped. There are also 3 extra credit assignments, graded on completion, each boosting your final grade by 1%. His TA is very helpful and accessible outside of class.

He is one of my favorite professors I have ever taken. He understands the students' struggles and does all he can in order to help. Exam 2 is hard, but he says that the class is hard many times throughout the semester. Overall, he is caring and extremely articulate. I feel like I learned a great amount as an Econ major and hope to take him again.

Criminally underrated, extremely intelligent and knowledgeable of the material he is teaching. Very dedicated to the craft. tough course but each topic is explained very well and made to be understandable. Only gripe is using class time for discussion not related to the topic, would prefer more practice problems in class.

Great teacher with easy to follow lectures. Weekly quizzes with lowest dropped depending how many quizzes taken. Fair tests just study and attend TA reviews. TA is very helpful and holds frequent review sessions. Offers extra credit that boosts your final grade 1 point per each extra credit done. He is reasonable and would take again.

There is weekly 5 question quizzes , he drops the lowest 2, he is nice, offers 2 extra credit assignments. Also curves midterms and if you do better on the final he will replace your midterm grade with final grade. You will need to do reading outside of class

Gochenour is SO passionate about economics and is a wonderful professor. You can tell that he truly cares about our education. He is an honest and authentic teacher and many students are not ready for that. It takes lots of effort to master the material, but he is very generous with grading and acknowledges progress.

Prof. Gochenour is such a caring teacher. There are two midterms, a final exam, weekly quizzes, and a few extra credit opportunities. He really tries to help students improve and is passionate about economics. The class is very hard but is one of the most important subjects to have knowledge in.

weekly quizes but drops the lowest ones. really passionate. if you read the book and show up it will all make sense. he has good explainations, 3 tests all on paper. gives extra credit and curves. he wants you to do well.

I really enjoyed taking the class as he made a subject that I thought going in would be extremely boring and time consuming to something I liked to learn about. He is really passionate about teaching and cares a lot about his work and reputation. I got to know him through office hours and one of my favorite College of Business professors.

3 tests, quizzes every week, but 5 lowest are dropped. Quizzes help balance out your overall grade. He gives a lot of extra credit opportunities. His lectures mainly go into examples, and he can rant about that sometimes. He wants to be there for students and is always willing to help. Attendance isn't mandatory.

Very knowledgable and passionate about what he teaches. 2 midterms and a cumulative final. Weekly short quizzes. Many extra credit opportunities. Lectures were good. Attendance not mandatory or taken.

He is a nice professor and really wants you to pass but it takes him around 10-15 minutes to start class bc he gets off topic about the same issue every class. Three exams worth 20% each and a cumulative final worth 25%. Lectures are helpful but attendance is not mandatory.

I took his 8 am class and I still enjoyed it. Over explained a lot but that was never a problem. His tests are pretty easy if u study the study guide. Very kind professor and I would definitely recommend him.

Don't know why ppl don't like Prof Gochenour?? He comes into class with the mindset that econ is a hard class and you will have to do more than the average class to get a good grade. Which it is hard, BUT he explains concepts through real world examples and is seriously hilarious. Quizzes almost every week; five are dropped. Lot of extra credit.

If you put in the work for the class he will reward you with a good grade, I also visited his office hours all the time, hilarious dude, you do have to read but it aint that difficult. Overall great guy take his class

Gochenour is a realist. He preaches that you have to study a lot to do well, but class is not bad.. Can get sidetracked but lectures are very helpful. 3 midterms, final, and completion homework every week. Pay attention and do the practice exams and you'll be fine.

He doesn't take attendance for a grade and is flexible about tests and homework. If you miss a test, he just makes the final exam weighted for whatever that test would be weighted. All the homework is a completion grade and he offers extra credit at the end of the semester. He gets off track sometimes, but it's never enough to hurt your grade.

THE GOAT. I actually love this professor, he helped me so much with econ last semester and we became friends too actually. I still visit his office hours occasionally to say hi and he's been writing me fire recommendation letters. Take this dude he's awesome. Also read the book and go to office hours if u need help