3.1
Quality4.1
Difficulty49%
Would Retake220
Reviews49%
Would Retake
220
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
50
4
47
3
42
2
45
1
36
What Students Say
“LITERALLY TAKE ANYONE ELSE”
BIO160 - 1.0 rating“As a professor, she never states any topics clearly and often confuses students in the lecture”
BIOSC0160 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
61%
Textbook Required
31%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
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Stable
-0.15 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOSC1860
5.0
(1)BIOSC0155
4.4
(10)BIOSC1285
4.3
(3)BIOSC1590
4.0
(2)BIOSC1855
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
BIO800
5.0
BIOSC0165
4.8
BIOSC1590
4.5
BIO0800
4.5
BIO160
4.5
Reviews (220)
Bio for non-Majors: Incredibly easy, she makes sure you pass as long as you try a bit. offers extra credit projects to help that extra bit. extremely nice and helpful.
Zuzana is incredibly nice and willing to help when you ask questions, but it very particular about what she wants and does a poor job of explaining what exactly you are doing. Expect to be very confused and do A LOT of work for 1 credit if you take this class. Definitely one of the most challenging labs I've taken here.
She is extremely unorganized.juz rambles in class n does not pause n stop for questions.is not clear in her expectations for assignments n asks to deal with the TA's!Exams r not fair n she insists on learning to apply our knowledge..we r non-majors for god sakes!!i dont think u hv any other teacher for this class but if u do stay away frm swignova!
The worst professor I've had. Too in depth and specific for a non-majors course. She assumed we all had background knowledge and were bio majors. Accent is hard to understand. Instead of dropping the lowest test grade like many professors do, she decided to try to have us work in groups for extra credit, even though the class was huge. Stay away.
Pretty difficult for a non-majors class. I guess it would be considered easy to those who have taken a biology class before, but if you don't have a background in bio, it is really hard. She doesn't offer extra credit, but has 5 extra questions built into the tests (there are 3 tests/semester). Read the book even though she tells you not to.
Expects a lot from her students, even in her non-majors class. I only did as well as I did b/c I have a background in Bio. There's no lab, at least. Make sure you can translate accents.
Ridiculously hard to understand. Do not attend lectures because they don't help at all. Do not be fooled by the course name. It honestly should be FOR majors. READ THE BOOK even though she says not to. Only 3 tests, class avg were as follows. 76%, 64% 67%. studied my butt off and got only a B. My gpa is over 3.6. DO NOT TAKE!!!!
Zuzana is a really sincere person. She cares for people who care. She obviously has an accent that really never gets in the way of delivering information; however, she does not always say what she wants. She does scrutinize over the grading as well but overall, she is pretty fair.
Professor Swigonova is THE professor to take for biology 1. All the other teachers at the university are very hard, and it is not difficult to get a good grade in her class if you actually know the information. I was able to get %100 on both her exams so far just from learning the information well. She is willing to help you out too.
just to clarify, the only reason most of these comments say that swigonova is hard is b/c they took a nonmajors class. her regular bio classes are much easier than the other bio teachers. she does not pick on details from the book & you can pick out test ?'s from her lecture. I got an A in that class by reading chs & studying notes the night before
also she said so herself that she will not expect you to memorize anything that you don't really need to know. in other words, she doesn't want you focusing on info that will go out of your head after the test
great proffesor, one of the best bio 1 proffs. you can get, millions of times better than roberts or coffman, shes nice and adds a slight curve to a class thats already curved
great teacher! definitely not ridiculously hard like other bio teachers. doing well is not impossible! i got an a+ in the class
Queen Zuzana is AMAZING!!! You will work hard but it's soooo worth it and she realizes that the lab is hard and not many take the course. Take her, meet her, love her. Oh and she's a GENIUS!
I worked my butt off for an A in this non-majors class... but I have to say, it was worth it. You basically teach yourself by reading the textbook. Come to class if you have questions; she's very kind and willing to answer questions if you stay after class. Doesn't take attendance. Tests are hard but not impossible.
Zuzana is nice but attending her class is a waste of time. Just read the book and print off her notes and you'll be fine.
The non-majors course was definitely for majors. Class averages on tests were horrible, but she curves. Worked my ass off for a B-...she's very nice however, but the course is super tough. Try to avoid the class all together.
I got a D and thankfully passed. I found her unhelpful, the lectures over my head, and thought this class was more like a class for bio majors. I would avoid this class as the person below me said.
Challenging tests.Some were ok but one was especially difficult.The final was pretty easy, just know the basics from the earlier chapters and specifics from most recent. Had to spend a lot of time studying and found that some of her questions were incredibly random, you would need to memorize the whole book to get them. Curves up so its not too bad
For a non-majors bio, its really hard, even coming in with bio knowledge. Tests are hard & has some random things but do study a lot especially the book. Office hours are helpful & she's very sweet. There is some extra credit/homework to boost your grade. Curves nicely despite low test scores. Final was easiest test - more basic info.
Not a great teacher, but probably the best in the bio department. Clicker questions killed my grade and her accent was terrible. She is also very soft spoken and speeds up the lecture so it's hard to keep up sometimes.
I really enjoyed the class. I usually didn't go to lecture because they weren't very helpful, it's hard to understand her accent. She uses clicker points though, so it's a good idea to go. I studied very hard outside of class, and she curves each test, so it's really not that bad if you're ready to work.
Zuzana is super cute and friendly. She encourages her students to know the material and participate in lecture. However, what she goes over in class is nearly exactly what is in the textbook. If it weren't for the clicker points, lecture wouldn't be necessary if you are an independent learner, but she is really good about answering questions
Dr. Swigonova is very pleasant as a person, she is approachable and despite her being foreign she is very easy to understand and speak to. That said her lecture is not necessary except for clicker points, if she does that in the future. Reading the chapters is essentially a must and the exams are difficult. But as far as bio teachers go shegood
Take Dr. Swigonova's class! She is and extremely nice, organized professor. Before class, do some reading for the chapter to be covered in class that day and you'll not only get the clicker Qs right, but also get the most out of lecture. Do the review packets, and try to go to office hours. Bio is hard at Pitt, but Dr. S's class rewards good effort
Attendance is not mandatory except for clicker questions. Lecture was not helpful bc she has a very thick accent and teaches very fast. Enjoy the subject, but did not like her as a teacher. Must read before class to be successful on clicker questions and test. Tests were difficult but she lets you drop 1 and curves the all.
Very hard. Studied for countless hours on tests and still failed them, had to withdraw(my gpa this semester was a 3.8) Tests on the most detailed information. Always includes at least 5 tricky questions that have nothing to do with understanding the material. She was however, very nice, and had many times available for office hours.
It's a shame Dr. Swig teaches biology on the off semester. Her class isn't easy nor is it ridiculously hard - but it is very fair. She puts together nice chapter review packets, and she even gave us bonus points on the final to make up for unclear questions on the midterms. Also, she is happily available during office hours and quick to grade tests
Dr. Swig is probably the best bio professor at Pitt. Tough her exams can be tricky you can easily get an A if you read the book. Didn't use notes as much as the book. She's willing to answer any question and gives out 2.5% bonus points per semester for bonus questions. Just keep up witht he readings and you'll get the A
Swigonova is THE BEST! I had her for both Bio 1 and 2 (during summer) and I loved it. Don't get me wrong, Bio requires a lot of work- mainly reading from the textbook (as does any bio class). The difference is that she takes such deep interest in the subject and with such joy that it makes you understand the importance of biology and love it.
I absolutely loved this class! Her tests were fair and there was always a huge curve so it made it easy to get that A. On top of that, she gives out bonus points. Her lectures are fun and you learn a lot from this class-- don't miss out!
Dr swigonova is easy if you read the book and pay attention the the questions in class. She gives bonus and curves her exams. Talented if you can!
Very nice lady, but her English is not the best; I think she would teach very very well in her native Czek. As it is, if you read the book and go to class for the clicker attendance points, the only think that could keep you from an easy-ish A would be understanding her test questions.
I took this class to fill a gen ed requirement under the impression that the non majors course would not be as difficult. Without some kind of biology background, this class is very difficult. Dr. Swigonova is hard to understand and her tests ask very specific questions. I studied for hours for each one and did poorly on all of them. Don't take it
the first test i took i got a D. Then after reading the book before class and going to office hours i ended up with an A in the class. She is extremely helpful if you go to her office hours because she likes to see you taking an interest and she definitely keeps that in mind.put the extra effort in her class there is no reason you wont do well.
get ready to do a lot of work! reading is essential to keep up on her lectures, which do not assume a nonmajor knowledge. go to class, iclicker points, do the review sheets and practice exams, study lecture slides (which are sometimes blank and you fill in at class) going to office hours can bump up your grade. tough class overall, but i got an a
Dr. SWAGonova is awesome! I strongly advise taking her course. She is probably the easiest Biology professor at Pitt. That said, the course is difficult and requires an organized, hardworking student. I have been benefitting from giant curves (class averages in the 50s) and plan on getting an "A". Take her!
Swiggy is the best! This is my first review, I never write them but I had to make one for her. She teaches Bio 1 in the spring instead of fall so I would recommend waiting to take her. You wont regret it, trust me!She is the easiest Bio teacher here and if you're pre-med and need a good science GPA, take her! She is very helpful and very sweet.
Excellent professor, her tests are demanding, but all the questions are derived from concepts in the textbook. She also asks a lot of questions to the class. Sit towards the front, pre-read the textbook & and slides before class (can not emphasize this enough with her class) and you will do well.
Dr. Swigonova is very hard to understand in class. Her thick accent creates a huge barrier between her and her students. I would not recommend her to someone who is not already familiar with the material
Swiggy was never hard for me to understand. Read the chapters BEFORE you go to class and her lectures will be 100 times more helpful. Her exams are REALLY specific, so you cant just sleep. She is a really nice prof so if you need help don't be afraid to go talk to her! I would def recommend taking her!
I took Dr. Swigonova's Biosc 0150 last semester and her 0160 in the summer.She is the best Bio professor at Pitt. 4 midterms and 1 accumulative final. You can drop the lowest mdterm. She gave us huge curves, which made me an A for 0150. Her accent is not difficult to understand.come on guys! I am a Chinese and I think I could easily understand her!
Swagonova is hands down one of the best Bio professors here at pitt. I had her for Bio 1 and I wish I had taken her over the summer for Bio 2! She is extremely good at clearly presenting the information, and if you prepare before class there's no reason you shouldnt get an A! Loved her class so much I'm now a TA for her. You wont regret taking her!
Undoubtedly WAIT until the spring to take bio 1 with Swiggy! She is by far the greatest teacher I have ever had. Definitely read the material before class, go to her office hours, and participate in her "active" learning style. Her tests are tough but if you study and participate in class you should be fine! LOVE LOVE LOVE her!
She is fantastic. Truly wants each and every student to participate and get a great grade in her class. The only way you can do poorly in her class is by not caring and not trying. If you come to class prepared, pay attention, take good notes, and get help to clarify topics so that you can study them more in depth, then you will succeed.
Not a bad teacher at all. Teaches well, but her tests are very very hard. TA's are also useless. However will curve around 75% average.
Genomics lab was unlike any other lab I've taken. It is essentially a semester-long mini research project. The 1st half of the semester was more time consuming than the 2nd, but overall not a huge workload. Relaxed atmosphere, unlike intro bio lab. Great option for an upper level bio lab. Learned a lot from Zuzana and Pallavi.
Dr. Swigonova is a wonderful woman. She is always willing to help and is very welcoming. Her TA's were very helpful as long as you sought them out from the beginning. Her tests are VERY unpredictable however, so doing well on her exams are a 50/50 shot. Not as easy as everyone assumes, but she is a very lovely person nonetheless.
Lecture is really just her reading the book. Know everything about what's on her slides because the tests are extremely challenging. She'll tell you the final is evenly distributed, but it's not (very little exam 4 material, lots of exams 2 and 3 stuff). Look over your old exams before taking the final. Probably one of the better bio 1 profs.
Tests often have a few tricky questions,but they are doable. there is no mastering biohw but there is iclicker questions every lecture. Her lecture notes are a bit useless because they are mostly pictures from the book. I never printed them out, because you can just bring the book to lecture and highlight the exact phrases that she says.
Professor Swigonova is an incredible teacher that shows she really cares about the success of her students getting good grades and understanding the material. She utilizes an active classroom which includes multiple questions to the students and encourages students to ask questions during class and during office hours. Do what you can to take her.
some how my rating before = poor quality?? i reviewed her on 5/3/13. I got an A in that class, to clarify that the neg review might scare off some people. She's not bad, but I felt like she really scraped off from the book and it didn't seem as interesting. i would say she's AVG QUALITY. I went to office hrs and she answered my questions ok.
Swiggy is a great bio professor!! Although she is hard to understand and moves at a rapid pace, she is a A LOT better than any other Bio 1 professor at Pitt. She helps run her recitations but does not run review sessions, her TA's are great though (get to know them). It also helps if you took AP Bio in high school (it helped me get an A).
Swiggy is a great teacher! She moves very fast and her tests are pretty hard BUT she gives a big curve at the end (I got a C on the final and two of the three tests but still got an A- for the class!), and if you see her during office hours she is helpful! I would recommend reading the chapter and printing out her lecture notes before class, though
Don't count on her to teach you anything, if you want to do well, learn everything on your own before each lecture. Attendance isn't required, but you'll need the stupid iClicker points. She is difficult to understand and her notes are useless, as are her recitation packets, which are often 10 pages of questions, posted 1 day before the recitation.
Swig is an average bio teacher, not the worst option for Bio 2. Be warned: the tests range from absurdly difficult to relatively easy. She tends to screw over her students with one test and make the next one easy. Fortunately, she lets you replace one midterm with your final grade, so make sure you have a good handle on the material by the end.
Difficult to understand and flies through notes in class. Lec would be useless except she tests only on what she lectures on-3 MT's which the lowest can be replaced by your Final exam grade if you do better. Recitation packets are useless and mastering bio/iClicker r required and are graded on correctness. Decent professor, unnecessarily hard class
Lecture slides are only pictures, not very helpful, but class is mandatory because of iclicker q's (graded for correctness). 3 midterms, can replace one grade with grade from final if score is better than one of the tests. Tests were unpredictable, 1st was extremely hard, 2nd reasonably easy, 3rd a bit more difficult.
Had difficulty explaining concepts to students and had numerous typos on each exam. The first exam was impossible but the second exam and final were more reasonable. Her recitations were spectacularly unhelpful. I would recommend Donovan over her.
Talks extremely fast and with an accent (protein PRAH-teen) and somehow manages to pack at least 6 complicated graphscharts onto every slide. Made concepts that were easy to understand in AP Biology extremely confusing. Would not take again.
She doesn't really know how to convey bioinformatics in a way that is clear to those who are unfamiliar with the field. Her lectures are unclear, and she expects everyone to understand the material off the bat (except no one knows what she's talking about). I didn't really learn anything from her. Talks to you in a belittling tone which is annoying
She went way too fast in lectures and tried to cram way too much info into every single one. Tests were very hard in that there would be questions about things we covered in class for 1 min. Take some other teacher for any bio class.
Excellent professor and class, very easy to talk to and helpful, but expects motivation and good work ethic. You get out of the class what you put into it. It's a lot of work but that's the nature of a course designed to prepare students for scientific careers. She treats students as real scientists, an outlook I've come to deeply appreciate.
Swig makes everything more confusing. Clicker points only count if you are correct so it is very hard to get a good grade on those even if you come to class. Tests are impossible and have tons of typos. Recitations are useless. She asks very vague questions that she wants very specific answers to. I would not recommend her.
Dr. Swigonova is one of the sweetest teachers, but she was sometimes very confusing on topics. Also, her tests were way too long, and most people never had time to complete the test. iClicker points are huge, so lectures are necessary. Read the book and study hard.
Lacks respect by the students. Lectures focus on minute details of the material, but those things show up on the test! Difficult to understand because she has a Czech accent and does not the maintain her voice volume well. Tends to confuse herself when she speaks. Tests questions are too long and too hard for the time allotted. She 3's group work.
HORRIBLE! DO NOT TAKE! LITERALLY TAKE ANYONE ELSE! accent is horrendous and understanding anything she says is impossible. this translates to tests and makes them impossible to pass in a 50 minute test. first test was 45 multiple choice and 5 free response in 50 minutes in a different language. extremely difficult to get an A. do not take
She's a nice person. As a professor, she never states any topics clearly and often confuses students in the lecture. She makes mistakes on the slides -you have to keep updated with the correct version. However, her office hours are helpful, but even then, the hours change every week. Her exams are way too long for 50min - and she writes her own MB.
I like Swig as a person but not a teacher. She is confusing in lecture and expects you to finish 50 multiple choice and 5 open ended questions in 50 minutes, which is close to impossible considering all of the questions require reading beforehand.
I like Swig as a person, but as a professor, she is very confusing. There were many times when the class didn't understand anything that she had lectured about. Lectures are pretty much out of the book - minus some examples. While her lectures are confusing, she's very helpful in Office Hours (when they're not cancelled). Tests are very tough,
Difficult to understand in lecture, & UTAs were horrible. Trick questions on tests, & unreasonable amount of questions for the a 50 minute class (50 MC ?s + Short answer) She makes her own MB which are confusing & tricky. Recitations are useless but mandatory. Office hours? Sure, if you want to sign up for a 5-10 min time slot to talk to her.
Dr. Swig was a really nice person when talking to her during office hours. However, her tests were extremely difficult (and too long to take in 45-50 minutes) & her lectures were very hard to follow. Thankfully, she curved the class and included homework and in class assignments into the grade, not just exams. I probably wouldn't take her again.
I don't recommend taking Swig, her tests are ridiculously long, most people don't finish the short answer or rush through them. There's not enough time to check your work. No point in going to office hours because she expects a group of 3 for a 15 minute time slot. Yeah, lemme just spend 5 minutes talking about my failing grade in front of others.
Tests were 45 mins, comprised of 35-45 multiple choice and 5 short answer; good luck completing them on time. Final was not too bad. GO TO OFFICE HOURS; she's EXTREMELY helpful and wants you to succeed. Keep up with the chapters in the textbook. Mastering Bio and iClickers can really help your grade, too, so take them seriously.
The tests are awfully difficult, partly because she rushes through material to stay on track with her own schedule. Getting into her office hours is almost impossible, and she uses UTAs in her recitations and none of them know what they're talking about. Taking this class ruined my GPA and chance at getting into Pharmacy School.
Tests were very tricky and extremely long. Go to recitation, do the mastering biology, and get the Iclicker points. Luckily she curved the class, but still had to work very hard to get a B-. Like her as a person, but definitely not the easiest to understand.
Swig's not an entirely terrible teacher, but she taught some topics in a weird way that screwed you over on tests. I got a C+ in this class, had to read & study fairly hard, and definitely had to attend class for iClicker points. Her tests are very difficult and definitely a time crunch. Unfortunately I have to retake this class to save my GPA :(
Lectures can be very confusing depending on the material. You must read the book if you want to understand the lecture. Her test questions are very ambiguous and she gives very limited time to complete them. She's there to help if you need it, but office hours aren't always long enough. She curves the class at the end of the semester.
I would definitely recommend Dr. Swigonova! She is passionate about the subject and she cares about the students. Her exams are tough and her English is not the greatest, but if you put in the effort you end up learning a lot.
I liked how she presented the information.
Swigs was a very nice lady, but her accent made it hard to understand her during lecture. That was bad because her tests were mainly based on lecture material. She also had clicker questions during class everyday that were graded for accuracy and very challenging. Her tests are extremely challenging and the questions were unclear. Don't take her!
Difficult, but not unfair. Lectures are fast and details matter. If you took AP bio but didn't quite get credit, this won't be hard. Online homework sets and Learning Catalytics questions worth a total of 10% of your grade so don't get a 0. Final exam grade replaces lowest midterm. Cares a lot about students, and will help a lot in office hours.
I am so disappointed in this course. Swig is very hard to understand because of her accent and my biggest pet peeve of this class was Learning Catalytics that were graded on correctness. She gave limited time to answer and had no remorse if internet wasn't working. The averages on exams were in the 70s. The only reason I got an A is bc of curve
Dr. Swigonova is probably my favorite professor. Yes her class is not easy but it is expected to be challenging. I got a lot more than just a grade because I was prepared for upper level classes especially genetics. Also, she is such a great help in office hours and really encourages active learning and making connections with students.
Probably one of the tougher professors in the department, but not boring. Doesn't tolerate slackers, and can seem condescending during lectures. If you care about the class, she'll do anything she can to help you succeed, especially if you go to her office hours. If you're passionate about biology, take her class and you'll do well.
So Bad. Worst teacher I've had at pitt. Her lectures were horrible, very hard to understand.
Since this class is for non-bio major student, the content is not hard at all for pre-med or pre-PA student. It is more like a miniature physiology. But for student without any bio background or interest in human body, its going to be tough. So take your time to think before u enroll. BUT she is a real nice lady, and very open to suggestion.
She is very knowledgeable, however confusing at times. Tests are based on lectures and are about the practical use of material, not your knowledge of what's in the book. Great for someone who intent to be a BIO major. Wants you to succeed, but you will have to work very hard. Occasionally takes attendance. Would not recommend for non-bio majors.
I absolutely love Dr. Swigonova. She is very clear in what she expects from her students and is always available for extra help outside class. She does Learning Catalytics in class AND recitation, so attendance at both is mandatory. Her accent is very easy to understand. Tests are very fair if you paid attention in class and studied all material.
Dr. Swigonova is such a sweet lady and really does get excited about her student's learning. She teaches a very fair class and her exams are a little challenging but overall very doable. Her accent can be a little difficult to understand sometimes but the way she says hippos will literally make your day.
Dr. Swigonova is a great professor who really wants you to do well in her class. Her exams are all fair game from in-class lectures and recitation. Even though her accent is hard to make out when talking, she is very accessible during her office hours which were usually right after lecture. Definitely read the textbook before coming to lecture.
Great teacher and very accessible in her office hours. She replaces your lowest midterm with the final if you do better. Her class takes lots of work but you learn a lot.
Swig honestly isn't that bad. Her tests can be a little convoluted but the class is very doable if you're willing to work for it. Be sure to pay attention in lecture and actually study the notes before the test and you should be fine. She does curve, so just try to stay around the average.
I was worried to take this class based on the reviews, but I'm glad I did. Swig definitely makes you work for your grade and goes in depth for topics other professors just skim over, but I learned so much and really loved the material. Fair, curves to 75%, accent was not a problem.
Swig is the best prof I've had at Pitt so far. She lays everything out clearly. READ THE TEXTBOOK BEFORE CLASS. Bio 2 is not an essay class, but she makes learning the material easier; you just have to put in the effort. The learning catalytics point system is strange but everyone does pretty well with it. I learned so much. Highly recommend.
She explains the DNA + biotech stuff well but I relied heavily on the textbook for ecology topics. I reviewed my lecture notes, read some parts of the textbook where needed, made my own study guides, reviewed the TopHat questions, used the supplementary review guides she provides and I'm doing really well. Not hard just need to put in the work.
Got a C in the class but got a 25 (top 1%) in biology on the DAT in the summer. I've never felt so conflicted.
Took her for honors bio. I found her lectures to be really slow and boring, but her recitation material was really helpful and her tests were challenging. Definitely read the chapters for the week and keep up on studying. She switched up her homework about halfway through the semester, which was confusing, so watch out for that after midterm 1.
Great Professor, I took Swig in the spring of 2017 for Bio 2. Her lectures were engaging with questions asked part-way through which were graded, but largely on participation. Recitation worksheets were super helpful and she was super nice anytime I approached her outside of class. Put in the work and you'll get the grade you work for.
She is nice and willing to talk to students, but her lectures went fast and I could only take notes. I studied a lot but it did not help me, her exams are insanely hard.
I absolutely LOVE Swig!!! I took her for honors bio 1&2 and learned so much! Her exams are hard, but if you learn good study habits and get a solid study group, you can do well in the class. Try to review once a week or so. Her lectures move quickly, but she holds office hours if you have questions. She is so sweet; go and get to know her!
I took Swig for the honors Bio I & II classes. What stuck out about her is how accessible she is outside of class. Whether you want to talk about an upcoming or past exam, reinforce lecture material or just have a conversation about your future in biology, Swig will be there to talk to.
Tests are super hard, lectures are super fast, GPA after this class is super depressing
I thought she was a nice and helpful teacher. Extremely important to both go to lecture AND pay attention. There will be topics that she discusses that relate to a slide but are not on the slide, but its still equally important for the exams. You need to need know a lot of details for the midterm. The final is more generalized. Must study daily!
Had Swig for genomics lab, and let me tell you, that class was a LOT of work for one credit. She is a really tough grader and is not forgiving with points. But you will learn a lot and she is so helpful. You just have to figure out how she writes questions. I was on the fence at first but loved this class by the end of the semester.
Dr. Swigonova is amazing. She obviously possesses a very high intellect and even higher level of patience. She was very accessible and open to questions in and out of class and treated all students with utmost respect. A very organized and caring professor. You can tell that she loves teaching. It was a pleasure to absorb all I could from her.
You have to read the textbook in this class in order to understand all the material because the professor talks funny. She raises and lowers her voice at times and if you're sitting in the back you won't here her. She has a slight accent so it makes it a little difficult to understand. You have tophat, a research paper, 3 exams, and a final.
Swig is an incredible professor: she is accessible outside of class, expands on the textbook material (because it's Honors Bio), and truly cares about the well-being of her students. That being said, be prepared to WORK. Exams are tough and involve a lot of critical thinking. I recommend using the textbook to clarify any topics more in depth.
Dr. Swigonova is one of the most helpful professors that I have encountered in University of Pittsburgh. She genuinely cares about her students' success and is patient enough to explain things with you one at a time. You definitely have to put in the work in her class but she is very reasonable in grading and in the difficulty of her exam questions
Im so glad I chose Swigonova for my online bio 2 course this summer. I went in expecting to work (it was the six week course), and it definitely takes up a lot of my time in terms of preparing for exams, but she really takes the time to explain concepts and stresses her willingness to help. Expect to work, but youll definitely learn a lot.
I took both of her honors bio classes. They were my hardest classes freshman year, and also two of my favorites. Her lectures were extremely interesting, and she gets students actively involved rather than passively listening. She's also accessible outside of class if you need extra help, even when we switched to online classes. Would recommend!
Swigonova does have difficult exams and expects you to remember a lot from genetics and foundations, but she makes the class interesting with lots of case studies and is available outside of class a lot. She puts in as much effort as you do, so if you try hard you'll notice good results as well.
She is a really sweet lady, but her honor bio class is tough. The lectures move very quickly and her exams are difficult. The exams are rarely multiple choice and you have to move quickly to finish. She is very good at answering emails and has lots of office hours outside of class if you need help.
She is extremely nice and cares about her students, but her class is also very hard. I took Honors Bio with her and even with solid background knowledge her class was a challenge. You definitely have to work for a good grade, but I learned a lot. Lectures are extremely important to go to, and her tests are pretty challenging (mostly application).
UHC Bio is a very tough class. Even with a solid background, its a ton of work, but Swig is a great prof! Tough grader and looks for very specific answers on exams! Also very accessible outside of class. She obviously cares about the subject and cares about students, but be prepared to work.
Definitely had to put effort into this class but I didn't mind since it was the honors version. Make sure you do the reading ahead of time. Tough but fair.
This is an honors level class you HAVE to work for. Her exams are really hard and almost all short answer/essay that many students don't finish or have enough time for. Her lectures are interesting, but long and usually pass the 2 hour mark. She is really good about having office hours a few times a week and will help you if you reach out to her.
I took both honors bio 1 and 2 with Dr. Swigonova and dont regret it! Her class is very tough; studying and working outside of class time was absolutely necessary and she was definitely my hardest professor. However, she cares about student success and mental health and is very accessible. Personally did not use textbook but know people who did.
NO curve at all. A strong accent in the recorded video classes, and tons of work to do during the recitation. I'm not lazy and did a lot of work for this class. More content needs to be knew for bio 2 comparing with other profs at pitt. Avoid if you dont wanna have a C or worse on your transcript.
She's a sweet lady, but PLEASE do not take a class with her in the summer. Especially the accelerated version of it. Her lectures alone didn't help me understand the material, I ended up getting a whole education thanks to YouTube. She isn't good at providing feedback either.
I am a senior, and I was a happy 4.0 student until this class. My mental health has literally NEVER been worse. Multiple students have already dropped due to ''health reasons.'' There are 6 exams. Do not let the syllabus fool you, they aren't quizzes. The lectures are at warp speed, too much material, exams graded WAY too hard. Nice lady, but AVOID
Yeah, whatever you do, don't take Honors Biology. She's a fairly nice lady but the class and the course content is just not manageable. Plus, every exam question is open ended so you basically have to memorize every lecture slide word for word.
Dr. Swigonova was by far the best professor I've had at Pitt so far! Her class is certainly hard work but she is very detailed and thorough and does a great job of explaining everything. Read the textbook before each lecture! Her exams are hard but fair. Def study 2 weeks in advance (active study) and she is always accessible outside of class.
This professor is awful. I asked for a less than 1% boost for my grade in order to pass and she refused Worst processor ever
Sweetest lady. The quizzes are fair for the most part. Group assignments were graded incredibly harshly. Because this is a flipped class, you'll most likely be teaching yourself which means you need A LOT of time available
Dr. Swigonova really wants you to know the material well. She gives clear explanations for almost all concepts, and happily answers any leftover questions. This summer session was condensed + a flipped class, so you're learning a lot in between classes. Take time to understand each lecture AS you listen + do practice questions, and you'll be fine.
Dr. Swiganova is a great teacher, but she can be very inflexible as a grader. Her lectures are incredibly dense, and she has a tendency to focus on material that isn't covered on exams, but she does a fantastic job at actually teaching you biology. I would only take Honors Bio if you're willing to commit a heavy amount of time to studying material.
Such a sweet lady! The Honors biology class is definitely work heavy and you need to go to lectures. I recommend taking it if you're looking for a challenge. It's completely manageable, but your whole grade is based on 3 midterms and a final. You need to active study and you'll get an A on the midterms. It's not as hard as everyone is saying.
Honors Bio was no joke; the class was a ton of work but if you want to really learn bio definitely take Dr. Swigonova! She can be intimidating at first but she is such a sweet woman who genuinely cares. Honestly I spent most of the class feeling incredibly lost but the way she taught has really helped in later bio + even chem classes.
This was definitely a hard class and Swig is a hard grader and expects a lot of you. But she truly cares so much and is so passionate about what she is teaching and wants you to succeed. Go to office hours and connect with Swig and the UTAs and it'll make the material easier. Only take this class if you truly care and are passionate about bio.
Swigonova is an amazing teacher and clearly a smart and educated woman. But with this class, unfortunately, if you are not spending a week and a half studying for exams then you will not pass. You have 5 hours of class per week for Bio 1 and 2 Honors, and she expects 15 hours of work outside of the classroom. You are better off taking regular bio.
Professor Swigonova is very knowledgeable and passionate about Biology. However, she is a tough grader and her teaching style didn't work for me. Very lecture heavy and grade is basically determined by the 3-4 midterms. Imo it's not worth it to spend 90% of your time on this class and still end up with your GPA hurt. I would stick with regular bio.
Worst professor I've ever had in my life. Expected us to remember niche concepts from foundations of biology, extremely condescending when didn't remember topics, you earn more points on the exams from math rather than the actual concepts. 79% of your class grade relies on the exams and not the two hours of weekly homework (individual and group).
Dr. Swigonova is an amazing professor! She has a passion for educating about biology. Her lectures were very organized, and even though they could be a bit long, they were always entertaining. The class itself is somewhat demanding in the breadth and depth of information, but grading was very fair. She is also very accessible and extremely kind!
Got a 5 on AP BIO exam, A+ in HS Bio. Got a B+ in this class. Genuinely hard. Seriously considered dropping next sem, to save my gpa. And yet, I can't do it. This class makes me like pitt. The fact that im giving her a 5 when i got a B should be convincing enough to take the class. Favorite quote: *insert russian accent* "This is AP, right guys??"
By far my hardest class, but also my favorite. Swig is TOUGH, but fair. She expects a lot from you. Go to TA office hours and actively study for the exams 2 weeks in advance. Don't just reread your notes! Exam questions are all open-ended, so you need a good understanding of the material. Def take this class if you LOVE biology and a challenge.
I took honors bio and I loved her. She is a tough grader and expects a lot of work outside of class, not homework wise but content. She is lecture heavy, has a few words written on the slides, but she goes in a lot of depth, so take notes on slides. Very accessible outside of class, take advantage of it. don't buy the book, literally never used it.
Swig is such a great professor. She is so passionate about biology and genuinely cares about her students. Only take this class if you want to learn a lot and are willing to work. Her tests were difficult but fair. Don't take this class if you just want the grade. Study for the tests 2 weeks in advance.
Lectures were lengthy, and she only spent one day on each topic, so if you didn't understand something, you were forced to teach yourself outside of class. Exams are completely open-ended and could be a few pages long. Forces you to do a lot of studying and memorizing. Study guides do not match the actual exam much. She is sweet, though!
not accommodating
She is a really good professor - you will learn a lot about the topics and how they are applied to real-world scenarios. That being said, the class is very tough. The tests are open-ended questions (no multiple-choice) and require an insane amount of memorization of even the smallest details. You have to know all of it inside and out.
really hard class
The class is requires a LOT of studying outside of class if you want a good grade, but it is possible! I would still definitely recommend for students with a good foundation in biology. Dr. Swigonova is an AMAZING lecturer and extremely kind. She genuinely wants her students to succeed and has an obvious passion for education.
I took honors bio in the fall and regular bio in the spring. Looking back, I definitely learned a lot more in Dr. Swigonova's class than I did in the spring. Her lectures are very detailed and much more complex than regular class. However, it was hard because I wasn't used to studying that much in high school. I don't regret taking it though.
Zuzana is a very nice and polite professor. In addition, she is a decent lecturer. However, that is about all the positives there are. Averages for this class were around a 35% - 45%, despite getting a 55% to 60%, I'm still not confident about passing as her criteria specifies that there will be NO CURVE.
Exams are 80% of the grade which would make sense and be totally fine if the class averages were passing or if she curved. I am currently in this class and we have taken 2 exams so far with averages of 60 and 68 and without fail Swig is always quick to blame the students for this problem when it is very clearly a professor issue/ terrible teaching.
If you get her intro to biology class, just know that you are at a disadvantage compared to other intro to bio students who have different professors. Class average on first exams (which are 80% of the grade) in the 60 percent range, and she blames this on the students rather than changing something.
She was a very nice person and wants her students to succeed. There is a heavy lecture every class that is hard to follow because it is very quick. Tests are very difficult and require countless hours of outside work to just get a passing grade. I only took honors bio is highschool so this may be different for others. Use office hours to help!!!!!!
Swig is a nice woman, but that is basically it. She speeds through lectures and leaves no time for thought. Averages are coming out as 60's and she does nothing about it. I have also taken AP Bio, but it rarely applies except for the first two tests. Be prepared to teach yourself and READ THE TEXTBOOK!
If you are not the kind of student who is always in the library or if you have the slightest feeling that your other STEM courses will be too heavy of a workload, DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS. I am currently in other challenging courses that I am able to balance workload for, but taking this class actually almost killed me with the amount I was studying.
Swig is so amazing and nice, that being said the material is hard! She normally teaches honors, so she goes a lot more in depth than I think necessary. I took AP bio, but she adds a lot more complex things.Extra credit on exams, homework and recitation is hard, averages for tests seem to range from 60-75%. She really cares about her students.
Swig is a tough but fair prof. Her lectures are in-depth, so take thorough notes. Exams are challenging but doable with 2 weeks of prep. unstuck AI was a lifesaver for studying!
DO NOT LISTEN TO REVIEWS SAYING SHE IS A GREAT PROFESSOR. Unless you are are gifted, in honors, or have a significant background in bio, you will fail. I took bio honors in high school and am struggling to pass her class. I go to numerous UTA hour and study endless for this class and fail most exams. She is kind but that's it.
Swig is a very sweet professor, but her class is far too difficult for a non-honors bio 1 class. She is available for help, but oftentimes, she just expects you to already know everything. Her TAs are great, but the class is graded mostly on challenging exams. It is not impossible to do well, but you will be studying more than any other class.
If you don't want to kill yourself.. DON'T TAKE. She is sweet, don't get me wrong. but thats it. She provides little additional help, very fast in lectures, and tests don't reflect lectures. Class average of 5 different tests have yet to be of a passing percent. Should not be teaching non honors classes, or any at all.
DO NOT TAKE HER IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A STUDY REGIMEN OR CAN NOT THINK PAST BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF BIOLOGY. Ngl guys, I was doing amazing in biology in HS but i got here and suddenly i fail my first class. Swig goes BEYOND her lectures and you will not pass unless you devote ur life to biology. Pls look at anyone other than swig. Be prepared to WORK
Dr. Swigonova is very passionate about biology and is a very nice lady, but that is about it. She goes very quickly through lectures and makes tests harder than they should be. Tests account for 80% of your grade, so if you miss one test or fail, it's very hard to pass the class. I wouldn't recommend her overall.
Prioritize life over whatever this class was...
She talks so fast during lectures. A lot of students don't go to lecture and do better than those that show up. Her exams are extremely difficult, so go to office hours and ask as many questions as possible. There's basically a quiz every recitation and the homework is just as hard as the tests. Lowkey might fail.
dont listen to the reviews saying shes evil, swig is such a nice woman who truly cares about her students. her exams are more than fair, if you go to lecture, ta office hours and look over your notes regularly youll be fine. 2-4 bonus questions on exams from past units that arent bad. the only criticism i have of her is she's not very accommodating
When compared with other bio teachers, the material in Swigonova's class is unnecessarily too in-depth, and if you don't study quite literally everything, you will not do well considering exams are 80% of the grade. For sure manageable, but there are better alternatives.
She is a wonderful person but extremely difficult. She speeds through lectures and exams are hard and very concept based. If you took AP Bio you would be fine but otherwise it's rough.
Thought that Swigonova was a great professor. As long as you go to class regularly and study the lectures you should be fine. I would say this class is definitely useful. One thing is the class is very fast paced and you get limited time to study for the test so it's harder to keep up with all the material but it's not too bad.
This class is much more difficult and in-depth compared to other Bio 1 courses. Test averages were consistently in the 60-70 range without any curve. Homework is very challenging and often unrelated to the lessons. Additionally, the professor asks key questions but doesn't review them after students answer. However, you do learn a lot.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS. I took AP in high school, attended every lecture, studied for countless hours and still was forced to withdraw. Extremely fast lectures, tons of homework, ridiculously hard exams worth 80% of grade (all with failing averages) Ruined my passion for Biology and has me reconsidering my major. Much harder than every other Bio 1 prof
Dr Swig was a very kind professor and really wants everyone to do well. Her class was very difficult and I spent a lot of time studying for her class. I do recommend going to UTA office hours and her office hours for help. She does not curve anything except for she did curve recitations.
Showing up to lectures is so important to pass the exams, which were worth 80% of our grade when I took the class. Her exams are difficult and the class requires a lot of studying and out-of-class time.
Passed, but wasn't going to, her lectures are EXTREMELY in depth, you HAVE TO KNOW every little detail to pass. Exams are 80% and extremely hard so if u do bad on 3 (which you will) that's your grade now. She is not a good teacher and if you want to pass bio DO NOT TAKE HER, as someone who is a good student and get A+s this is a professor of hell
Evolution- super easy, if you studied the stuff that was on the group worksheets and emphasized in lecture you were fine. she is a fast lecturer but posts the slides and the textbook is a great resource too. 1 test drop, super friendly. A good bit of group work tho
Dr. Swig was very kind and wanted her students to do well; but should not have taught regular biology. She required students to know details that a first time biology student shouldn't. She expected students in her lecture to come in with a foundation in biology. Exams are 80% of the grade. There's no curves, no makeups, and no earning back points.
Dr. Swig is very kind and cares a lot for her students. Willing to help during her office hours and listens to student feedback during lecture and recitation. However, moved through content REALLY quick, so it was really hard to learn topics well. HW and Recitations were hard. Definitely use TAs, tutors and youtube videos for topics in the class.
She cared about students but she definitely should NOT be a regular biology professor. You can clearly see her passion for biology and she isn't a bad person she just teaches at an honor level. The exams take up 80% of your grade, the final is optional but you'll probably need it considering how hard the rest of the exams are.
I don't have much experience with professors as i am a freshman but i literally got anxiety thinking about that class. Anytime there was an exam I knew it was going to be hard and I got extremely anxious. I'm pretty sure this class and professor docked 10 years off my life and gave me grey hairs. Avoid taking at all costs.
By far the most challenging class I have taken so far. She is very knowledgeable, so she teaches at a high level. If you are up for a challenge and willing to do A LOT of work outside of class to keep yourself on par with the curriculum, then by all means this class if for you. Tests are challenging and very application based.
don't do it. avoid at all costs. good luck.
Honors Bio 2 can be described in one word: DIFFICULT. However, Swigonova is a very good lecturer. She can be intimidating at first, but she tries to engage the class and can be really funny at times. On the other hand, she and the exams were sometimes difficult to understand due to the language barrier and her expectations were VERY high.
A good professor if you are willing to put in the work. I know many people that W from the class due to the difficulty. If you stick it out you will definitely learn how to study. More content heavy than the other Bio 1 classes due to Dr. Swignonova being an honors professor. I was not prepared for the difficulty of an honors class for a regular.
I had Dr. Swig last semester for Bio 1, and to put it shortly, she was way too advanced for this lower level course. She often explained things in ways students couldn't understand and her tests were pretty difficult. I would avoid taking her for beginner bio-level courses, but if this is inevitable read the textbook prior to lecture and STUDY!
DO NOT TAKE
To all the freshmen reading this not knowing what to expect lol: Pros: - she's super sweet - great for pre-med/bio majors Cons: - tests can get pretty hard, study as much as possible - requires dedication if you want to do super well Advice: - TA OFFICE HOURS GO - go to her office hours - use the slideshows to study I beg, study the tiny details
Don't take her for Bio 1 she is evil and the worst professor I have ever had. Tests are extremely difficult and on specific information that she mentions once. Don't take her for bio 1 if you want to pass, if the class average is low she blames the students.
Her tests are so hard and she is very advanced for this bio 1 class. The average for every test is so low and she doesn't believe in a curve!! Tests are 80% of your whole grade. Don't take her !
Great professor. Encourages you to think critically and challenges your thought process in a productive way. You do have to read a lot but if you read before every lecture while taking notes you will gain so much more from her lectures. Hw and review are super helpful.
DO NO UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TAKE THIS CLASS. Exams are 80% of your grade and the average test grade is below failing so unless you are extremely smart you WILL NOT pass this class. She teaches way way above the normal foundations of biology level due to being the previous honors teacher so she holds on level students at unreachable standards.
Truly, do not take this class. I am a good student, I had a great GPA in high school, and I am dedicated to my classes. Swig is a nice woman, but she wholeheartedly ruined my first semester. She moves so fast through units, assigns copious amounts of reading, and expects you to know the foundations of biology before you get there. Do. Not. Take.
Dr. Swig is a wonderful lecturer and incredibly passionate about biology. Her class is difficult but nowhere near impossible and the rest of the bio department is a cakewalk after taking her once for Honors Bio 2. I nearly failed the first exam and still managed to pass the class with a A (not borderline either)
She goes through the lecture fast, tests are very harder then they need to be, does not care about getting to know students.
DO NOT TAKE HER FOR BIO 0100. Teaches the class like its advanced bio class not 0100. Expects everyone to know the material before entering semester.
tests are fair but harder than other bio classes. students are review bombing this prof and comparing her to HS teachers as if she isn't teaching at the college level + has more to cover than AP. I did well and know plenty of people who also did well. if you want to actually learn (the point of higher education btw) take her and study hard
Really sweet and fun professor, but hard for the course she teaches. You really have to study for the tests, but she is very thorough in lecture and there are no trick questions.
Swig is a great professor and it's clear that she really cares about the success of her students. She is a very kind person and gives many resources that you can use to study with. take good notes for lecture and review them frequently before the exams. Reviews before exams are super helpful.
The amount of material she teaches is literally insane. Her lectures move super fast and barely made any sense to me. I had to work SO hard outside of class to understand her content, and it was just too much for a simple intro bio class. If you're not naturally smart, you're not going to succeed I fear
very sweet woman, but way too advanced for general bio. i did okay in this class by putting in HOURS AND HOURS every day, which is insane compared to my friends w other profs that studied a night or so before. i understand that college bio is obv harder than AP, but swigonova takes things to a much, much more intense level than normal.
Professor Swigonova is very nice, but she should not be teaching this course. The work she assigns and the amount of work I had to do compared to my friends taking the same course is ridiculous. I would find myself doing 20 hours of work per week in this class, and that's insane for a introductory biology class.
i think i cried over this class daily. my best advice is to take notes directly on the slides (using an ipad or printing them out) because she talks fast, then review them later. exams are difficult and require hours of studying. go to ta office hours and use the practice resources provided
Only take swigonova if u've taken AP bio!!! The only reason I did so well in her class was because I had prior knowledge from HS. She teaches at a fast pace and her tests are super content-heavy. You zone out for 5 seconds and you miss 10 topics. The plus side is she gives a lot of resources ex. practice problems, homework assignments, office hrs.
Say a prayer before you walk in
her tests are so hard, the average for every test was horrid. and her reviews were nothing like the test
Be prepared to put in the work if you want to succeed in Dr. Swig's class. Exams are 80% of the grade, but she provides lots of resources for understanding the material via the homeworks, recitations, UTA created worksheets, and reviews. Lectures cover lots of material & constant review is key to doing well on exams.
Overall, a decent professor; however, if you are not naturally good at bio or haven't taken AP Bio, DO NOT TAKE HER. Lectures are in-depth, but move SO fast. She would go on tangents that didn't really help. The exams were difficult and required application knowledge. All in all, unless you are really into bio, AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!
Please only take her if you have a solid background in biology! I took AP biology before this class which helped immensely but I still had to spend a lot of time studying to do well. Tests are very difficult. Start studying early, go to UTA office hours and use the practice TopHat questions.
I had Professor Swigonova for Foundations of Biology 1 and it was rough. She is a very nice lady but she is a hard professor. She is very lecture heavy, test heavy, and you have weekly homeworks plus reciation packets which are about 20 to 30 questions each. I would recommend on taking a different professor because she is pretty advanced.
She is a very straightforward professor. Very easy to communicate with. Very structural, difficult tests.
lectures are so heavy, be prepared. way too much for a bio 1 class, i get overwhelmed just thinking about it. take literally anyone else for bio 1! good luck solider.
She is very, very sweet - when you aren't talking to her about biology, if you are, be prepared for a slightly condescending tone. Her lectures are extremely heavy, cover unnecessary material that she still expects you to understand as well as the required content, and her tests can be ruthless if you don't know explicit details on each topic.
If you're not naturally a biology genius, I do not recommend. She teaches at a way higher level than is necessary for Foundations 1. It's definitely passable, but be prepared to spend most of your time out of class trying not to fall behind on her content.
Here's a question I think no one can answer. If a freshman taking this biology 1 class has attended every lecture, gone to the TA's office hours, tutored every week, attended all recitations, and talked 1-on-1 with her, how does said student not pass the class? She has ruined not only my first semester and my GPA, but also my confidence. DON'T TAKE
DO NOT take swig for bio 1. If you aren't coming in with prior bio experience you are going to have to devote nearly all your time to bio. Laughed at me during test review once and consistently was somewhat belittling to students. Shouldn't be teaching this course AT ALL! Went to study lab, TA office hours, and attended review sessions still failed
Her class is so much harder than the typical bio 1 class. She has homework due on Saturday night. She goes way too into detail that other professors don't teach and test. She expects her students to only study bio, disregarding are other classes and personal life.
Do not take her for bio, I took AP Bio and knew what I was doing and I truly think that was the reason I did well in this class. Will not curve even though most of the class was failing, graded on 5 midterms one of which the friday before finals on a unit no other bio teacher here covers. She use to be an honors bio teacher so
To freshmen taking her because she's the only choice: I never had anything close to AP bio, and I still got an A, so don't listen to everyone saying you'll fail. If you put in the effort, you'll be ok. My advice: 1) the UTAs are SO helpful, 2) memorize EVERY detail on her PPTs, that's what's on the exams, 3) do the optional worksheets for practice
Professor Swigonova class for Biology is definitely harder asf.If you wanna pass the class, I recommend using her lecture and textbook side by side and make you own notes. Her slides aren't detailed to the extent of the questions she asks on exams. Before every test go over hw, UTA reviews, reviews because she like to reuse a few questions.
ABSOLUTELY NOT. She was extremely confused in lectures, always zooming through them. Her TAs were helpful in study sessions (SO HELPFUL!). Reading the textbook before class barely helped. It only gave you a minimal understanding of the concept. Be prepared to drop your other courses to understand this one.
DO. NOT. TAKE. HER. CLASS. whatever u do avoid at all cost. doesn't believe in curving when most of the class needs it because of her teaching. i have always been 4.0 student and this class just ruined it. will be taking again BUT NOT WITH HER. #watchout #beware
She is really sweet and very knowledgable but not a good professor. Her lectures and exams are extremely hard. If you have not taken AP Bio before, this is gonna be a very hard class for you to pass. If you do somehow end up with her as your prof, I'd suggest memorizing everything on her slides. She asks alot of application based questions. ALOT.
Swig was a difficult teacher but not the worst. If you have a background in AP Bio that will help a lot with the class, I did not. I had to put some work in, going over the lectures before class and studying a LOT. Just use all the resources given to you, and you should be doing good in her class (redoing hw and rec ws, going to review sessions).
Swig is kind and cares about her students. However, she teaches at a level way above the average bio 1 prof. She teaches the honors bio 1, and so she teaches the normal bio like her honors class, so it is very fast paced and difficult. It is possible to get an A, however be prepared to spend many hours studying. Look over the homework for exams!!
Dr. Swig is kind, but I would rather switch majors than ever take her class again. If you're in the honors school you might like her, but she teaches gen bio 1 the same way she teaches honors. She gives you so much info and goes so quickly in a way that requires more time than anyone has to go over, especially with other difficult classes.good luck
She's a very nice woman, but the class is mostly graded on tests and they are difficult and very specific. Her lectures are interesting and more complex than other bio professors at Pitt, and her test averages are generally lower because she still teaches an honors curriculum.
If you don't attend lecture, good luck. homework and tests are hard - all of the questions are based on abstract concepts rather than the material itself. read the textbook or suffer
Class Info
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61%
Textbook Required
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