at
1.7
/ 5
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Overall Quality Based on
108ratingsJohn Cook
Professor in the Physics department at University of South Carolina
24%
Would take again
4.5
Level of Difficulty
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I'm Professor
Cook
Professor
Cook
's Top Tags
Lots of homeworkTest heavySkip class? You won't pass.Tough graderEXTRA CREDIT
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- 108 Student Ratings
All courses
PHYS201
Apr 27th, 2024
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
4.0
PHYS201
Apr 27th, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Not Mandatory
Grade
: Not sure yet
Textbook
: N/A
This was the hardest class I've taken and I've been through multiple chemistry and biology courses. He doesn't teach anything useful for exams during the lecture and will have you going through practice problems more confused than before. I would stay far away from this professor and if he is your only option all you can do is pray.
Lots of homeworkTest heavy
Helpful
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PHYS201
Apr 24th, 2024
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Apr 24th, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Textbook
: N/A
If this is your only option, best of luck and don't do it
Helpful
PHY201
Apr 15th, 2024
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHY201
Apr 15th, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Not Mandatory
Grade
: A
Textbook
: N/A
Quite possibly the worst course I've taken. The material isn't overly challenging (it's still difficult don't get me wrong,) however, the professor is very very bad when it comes to explaining and teaching the course. Frequently blows through several slides in class and skips important ones to discuss a random personal story. Tests are very tough
Tough graderLots of homeworkTest heavy
Helpful
PHYS201
Mar 26th, 2024
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Mar 26th, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: A
Textbook
: N/A
Very tough professor. Very hard to understanding what's all going on in this class. Doesn't seem structured appropriately. Homework is excessively difficult. Exams are based on the LonCapa questions, pretty much the same. The issue is there are about 200 to study per exam. It's impossible to figure out which ones one should study.
EXTRA CREDITLots of homeworkBeware of pop quizzes
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PHY201
Mar 1st, 2024
Difficulty
5.0
PHY201
Mar 1st, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Textbook
: Yes
He needs to pursue a different career!
Tough graderGet ready to readParticipation matters
Helpful
PHYS201
Feb 2nd, 2024
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Feb 2nd, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: Rather not say
Textbook
: Yes
Every single day, half of the class left early before his lecture ended. That is how bad this man is.
Tough graderLecture heavyTest heavy
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PHY201
Feb 1st, 2024
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHY201
Feb 1st, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: Not sure yet
Textbook
: N/A
DO NOT TAKE! Reads the slides and expects you to learn the material from that. The information in class will not help you with the homework. The homework is the exam. You never get the solutions for the homework so if you get it wrong you will not be able to see how to solve it. Bonus homework will help your grade. Again DO NOT TAKE
Lots of homeworkTest heavyOnline Savvy
Helpful
PHYS201
Jan 26th, 2024
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Jan 26th, 2024
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: Not sure yet
Textbook
: N/A
He is a very inefficient teacher. Poor explanations & assumes many things. He literally doesn't teach and just babbles off the slides. Practice problems are useless in comparison to iClicker problems which are much harder. Reasoning for everything is "if you think about it". His handwriting is chicken scratch so I spend too much time deciphering it
Lots of homework
Helpful
1
PHY201
Dec 19th, 2023
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHY201
Dec 19th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: A
Textbook
: N/A
If Cook is your only option make sure your course load isn't that bad for that semester. What he physically "teaches" is way more basic than what kinds of questions you'll see on homework + exams. Chegg is needed. Exams are always curved around 10% and I made Cs and Bs on each after curve (with studying a lot). Did over 600 bonus q to secure an A.
EXTRA CREDITLots of homeworkTest heavy
Helpful
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201
Dec 19th, 2023
Quality
3.0
Difficulty
4.0
201
Dec 19th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: A
Textbook
: N/A
The class was pretty boring and he taught only the basics, and the homework was much much harder. I ended up getting a Chegg account to teach myself how to do the homework and they were the same exact problems that showed up on the exams. Do the bonus homework because it gets you a bunch of extra credit.
EXTRA CREDITLots of homeworkTest heavy
Helpful
PHYS201
Dec 16th, 2023
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
4.0
PHYS201
Dec 16th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Not Mandatory
Grade
: B
Textbook
: Yes
Save your money and take it at a tech school. He's nice and gives bonus homework to help boost your grade, but that doesn't make up for the lack of actual education in a class that is required for so many majors. Final exam review problems he gives? Useless. The Physics department has a reputation of being bad and I should've listened.
EXTRA CREDITAccessible outside class
Helpful
PHYS201
Dec 11th, 2023
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Dec 11th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: Not sure yet
Textbook
: Yes
This class and this professor was awful. The way he teaches does not make sense. The homework does not make sense. The progression from lectures to the tests is so different. I study so hard and this class feels impossible.
Lots of homeworkLecture heavyTest heavy
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PHY201
Dec 9th, 2023
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHY201
Dec 9th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: B
Textbook
: N/A
Class structure isn't clear at all. Focus strictly on iClicker, hw, bonus hw. Lectures not useful, but attend them for iClicker. Bc of feedback, he did a few review problems in class that ended up on the 3rd exam.Get socratic app for iClicker polls, invest in chegg, do a few bonus problems a day and u will thank yourself at the end/could make an A.
Lots of homework
Helpful
1
PHY201
Dec 7th, 2023
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHY201
Dec 7th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: C
Textbook
: N/A
DO NOT TAKE. His homework is practically impossible with the information he gives during the lectures. Even after the homework is due, he gives NO solutions. What are the exams based off of? The homework. This class is literally impossible and I passed because I spent HOURS doing the bonus homework problems for extra credit.
Lots of homework
Helpful
PHYS201
Dec 5th, 2023
Quality
4.0
Difficulty
3.0
PHYS201
Dec 5th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Would Take Again
: Yes
Grade
: A
Textbook
: N/A
This class certainly isn't easy but he normalizes test scores, the homeworks/bonus homework/practice tests prepare you SUPER well for the exams and he offers extra credit. The homeworks are time consuming and kind of difficult and he does iclicker points every class so just attend and complete the homeworks and you'll be ok!!
EXTRA CREDITLots of homeworkTest heavy
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PHYS201
Dec 4th, 2023
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
2.0
PHYS201
Dec 4th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Would Take Again
: Yes
Grade
: A+
Textbook
: N/A
professor is not great at teaching. only take this class if you have a background in physics from AP physics in high school (or the equivalent). Exams directly reflect homework assignment questions. Exams are not too hard if you do the homework and he normalizes exam grades by 20-30 points for each one. Extra credit is available for every exam
EXTRA CREDIT
Helpful
PHYS201
Dec 3rd, 2023
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
4.0
PHYS201
Dec 3rd, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Not Mandatory
Grade
: B-
Textbook
: N/A
The lecture is pointless besides the iClicker problems. He doesn't really teach the homework and you are on your own for a lot of it. Chegg really will save your life. My best advice is to do all of the bonus HW to study because you also get extra points for it, and it will save your grade. Tests are curved HEAVY.
Lots of homeworkTest heavyGraded by few things
Helpful
PHYS201
Nov 27th, 2023
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Nov 27th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: A
Textbook
: Yes
Exam questions are based on homework and practice tests, if you do not do them you will FAIL!! The lectures are somewhat helpful, but most of the time not. If you ask a question, he will attempt to re-explain, but in the end say, "that's just how you do it." He really loves physics, but the class is too difficult for an intro to physics course.
EXTRA CREDITLots of homeworkLecture heavy
Helpful
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PHYS201
Nov 19th, 2023
Quality
1.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Nov 19th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: A
Textbook
: N/A
Cook is a nice man and tries his best, but this class is god awful. There is an ungodly amount of homework. You will 1000% need a Chegg account if you want to do well on the homeworks. An A is possible if you really prioritize this class, but it will take a lot. This class genuinely took a few years off my life.
Tough graderEXTRA CREDITLots of homework
Helpful
PHYS201
Nov 18th, 2023
Quality
2.0
Difficulty
5.0
PHYS201
Nov 18th, 2023
For Credit
: Yes
Attendance
: Mandatory
Grade
: A
Textbook
: N/A
Take physics somewhere else. Mr. Cook is nice man, but phys201 is very difficult. It is possible to get an A, if you prioritize this class. Use Chegg and memorize the problem solving steps from the homework for the exams. Extra credit is available by doing bonus hw. Uses iClicker for a hw score. Good luck if you this is required for your major
EXTRA CREDITTest heavyGraded by few things
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