“It also has a lot to do with size,” one student said. “I took one class that had a hundred people with a professor, and it was okay. But then I took another class with just eighteen people with the same professor, and it became my favorite class. She didn’t change, but I was able to know her much better.”
Angela then asked students which professors were most clear about their expectations and coursework. “Social scientists don’t just give answers, and that can be a hard part of a class–figuring out what’s being asked of you,” Angela said. Lecturer Sonja Ivester came to mind immediately for one student. Professor Cybelle Fox was also named. “She’s incredible. You know exactly what’s going to happen, and the lectures are very clear.”
Finally, the must-take courses and professors? Students say Professor Hatem Bazian (Near Eastern Studies). “Any class you can take with him, you should,” one student said. “He has all the qualities we’ve been talking about.” Other students named Professors Robert Reich (Public Policy), Darren Zook (Political Science), Andrew Barlow (Sociology), and Khalid Kadir (Engineering).
As the class wound down, students started sharing advice to each other. “Has anyone taken this professor?,” one student called out. “What should I expect?” A classmate responded, “She’s great, but she has very high expectations. It makes you grow. Also, she doesn’t like quotes, so try not to use them in your writing.”
“That’s exactly what this class discussion is for,” Angela noted as students continued to swap stories. The student agreed. “There were some bad reviews of the professor online, but others spoke highly of her,” she noted. “That was really helpful!”