Nina Straus - Purchase College (SUNY Purchase)

Professor: Nina Straus
Department: Literature
College: Purchase College (SUNY Purchase)
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: LIT3320
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Said I should give up and choose another major/career. Most discouraging teacher I ever had.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: LIT3320
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
The only reason I took her class was because I needed the credits. She definitely knew a lot about what she was teaching, but she was never open to new interpretations or opinions. She seemed a little scatterbrained at times, and was never enthusiastic about helping you out. Thank god she retired.
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: DOSTOYEVSKY
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
She's such a great professor, I feel bad for the students who'll never have taken a class with her. Nothing bad to say about her at all :)
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: LIT3675
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
One of THE best profs I ever had! Extremely smart, knowledgeable, and dynamic... She can be harsh and as high up as she brings you, she can cut you down just as swiftly. But her door is always open and she is willing to give you her time. Bring a dictionary to class!
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: LIT3121
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
A good professor with a passion for her subject. Just be prepared to read A LOT. You will have to work hard to earn a good grade. Unfortunately there is some truth to the criticisms posted. At least she isn't boring.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: COLLOI
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Definitely one of the best teachers in the department. If you can't take the heat, get out of the classroom.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: LIT1180
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
She's extremely difficult to keep up with. She assigns one reading and doesn't discuss it for days. Make sure your vocabulary and grammar is on point otherwise she will call your out.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: CWR1010
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
She can give usefull information, but the main problem is that she does not listen to anybody else. What she feels is always right in her mind, which is not a good way to approach the study of literature where some things are open to interpretation. She is also incredibly moody and sometimes shuts down a student discouraging participation
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: LIT1520
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
she's crazy, and I love it. Interesting class, and a professor who obviously loves what she does for a living.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: LIT3003
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Straus is amazing to watch, and the best lit professor I've had. She's emotional, well-read, and no help whatsoever outside the classroom. If you sparknotes her class, you'll be missing out. Just plan on spending a lot of time reading if taking this class (Tolstoy + Dostoevsky).
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: DOSTTOLSTOY
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Very erratic. She can give good lectures when she wants to, but usually doesn't. She is hostile to intepretations conflicting with her own.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: DOSTOEVSKY
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Idiosyncratic, unpredictable, bizzare...and yet how can you not like her? Entertaining and charming. She did once say something entirely factually wrong in class, but she was not annoyed when it was pointed out.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: INTROTOLIT
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Though she is a bit frazzled at times she definitely has a passion for the subject. When reading poetry you can tell how much emotion she has for it. She definitely has a love for literature. Not too hard a grader either. She just wants proof that you're thinking and getting the text. Which is more than reasonable since she is a literature professor.
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: RUSSIANNOVELS
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Walked into this class by mistake at the beginning of the semester - serendipity. She's kind of ****y, but, as widely spoken of here, terribly knowledgeable and interesting. Plus, i'd probably sleep with her.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: CLASSICS
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Some people just shouldn't teach when they're jealous of their own students for making it better then she ever will!
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: SEVERAL
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
brilliant to a disturbing level, but hit or miss. sometimes amazing and inspiring, sometimes cold, arrogant, mean. not very helpful outside of class, can come off as if she is talking down to you or too busy to talk. seems to pick favorites.
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: CWRWAMPU
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Nina is amazing. The course I took with her was extremely difficult and challenging, but well worth the effort, and she's absolutely an incredible person to meet. If she loves you, she loves you, and if she hates you, you're screwed.
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: DOSTOEVSKY
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
No Comments
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: DUSTYANDLEO
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Professer Straus is an impressive academic and sympathetic person. She is an highly intelligent and interesting scholar. Moreover, her lectures are unusually broad in scope. From Goethe to Dostoyevsky and Kafka to Foster Wallace, as well as from Nihilism to Nietzsche and Derrida to Damasio, her classes define what it is to live a life of the mind.
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: GOETHETOFAUST
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
she's genius. absolutely brilliant. she can be challenging but it's well worth it. i was in utter awe of her knowledge. she's rumored to have a brutal streak but she showed me nothing but kindness and was helpful when asked for help. she's one hell of a lady.
Add Your Review Below:
Search Professors:
Welcome:

Before signing up for classes every students should gather as much information as possible to make a decision on which professors as well as which courses to take. This website will help you make this decision easier.

Here, the students can rate, research and cross-reference the overall performances of the professors to select the best ones, and always be informed and up-to-date with what’s important.

Join the fun! Visit all pages and get all the information you need to choose the best class and best professor that you’ll enjoy listening to and learning from.

Our Friendly Sponsor:
Schools:
Our Friendly Sponsor:


Celebrity Net Worth Visa Bulletin