Neil Comins - University of Maine

Professor: Neil Comins
Department: Science
College: University of Maine
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: AST100
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Prof. Comins is definitely a professor I'd take again. He knows the material and goes over it enough to actually teach it to you. He did not adapt to online well, but he tried and he'd apologize whenever there was an issue. His exams were super hard, but if you study and go to class they're way easier to pass. Homework was super easy.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Prof. Comins really seems like a nice guy, but that does not translate to teaching. His lectures are confusing at best and the prelim exams are difficult. The class average was always in the 50s or 60s. He does curve them which helps. Also, do the misconceptions. It's an additional letter grade for bonus points!
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: INC
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
His tests are absolutely impossible. I study weeks in advance, do the homework and read his textbook and take notes from it. Do not take this class. The average on his tests are is a 60% which he says its higher than normal. That's not something to brag about, it just means you're a terrible professor and wants his students to fail
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Greatest professor I think I will ever be privileged enough to have. By far the smartest human I've encountered, absolute genius. This guy does not need to be teaching students with his remarkable history, could easily sit back and relax, but he chooses to change the perspectives of many young minds in order to understand these sciences!
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: B
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
The tests are easy if you study past ones, but the knowing the star charts is the hardest part. Sit next to a friend and sharing answers is the best way to get an A.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Very good professor. Definitely knows what he is talking about, and wants to make sure you do, too. It's awesome to have a professor this enthusiastic about what he is teaching. His astronotes book is really helpful. The exams require a lot of memorization, but other than that the other grades in the class can be easy 100s.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: A-
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Great guy, he also wrote a lot of books. The best thing about him is he takes complicated ideas and makes them as simple as possible in order for you to understand.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: AST115
  • Grade Received: C-
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Probably one of the best teachers I've ever had. Did a great job of dumbing down complex ideas so that we would all understand. The tests were very difficult, but that's partly because I didn't study that much. He does give a pretty nice scale though.
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
If you can memorize old prelims, you can pass the new ones. MAKE SURE YOU ARE REALLY CONFIDENT IN IDENTIFYING CONSTELLATIONS AND SPECIAL STARS.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
The material in the lectures was clear and always important. Start practicing your constellations ahead of time for the prelims (which are fairly straightforward and scaled). I learned so much!
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Had him for survey level Astronomy. Really nice guy.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • 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:
A nice guy, always helpfully answered students questions and seemed passionate and knowledgeable about the material. Tests were, IMO, very easy and scaled. Learning the constellations was a bit of a pain, and seemed useless but otherwise a very nice introductory course.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Great teacher; he was a very friendly guy and, despite the difficult tests, he was willing to offer help and go out of his way for students. I loved his lectures and the few presentations that he showed in class. Overall great class; just watch out for his tests.
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Neil is a nice guy, he explains the material thoroughly, but even with attending every class and many many hours of studying I still only received a D in this class. This is an INCREDIBLY hard class, and should not be entry level.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Lectures can be hard to follow at times, but generally taking notes isn't an issue. The fact that the textbook is written by him and there is a workbook to go along with it makes notes much easier. He's obviously a really intelligent guy, but it's a tough gen ed class.
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Good teacher. Knows topic and explains CRYSTAL clear. Only issue is difficult tests, however from students whining and crying about wanting to learn constellations, 20% of all tests is on constellations, which is basically bible verse memorization style learning. You get what you ask for. Everything good beside unneccesary constelation garbage
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Not an easy gen ed as assumed. Professor is very good at teaching, and makes the class fairly interesting. The tests are EXTREMELY HARD, even when graded on a curve. Go to class because attendance is taken and it's hard to catch up on missed material. He gives lots of chances for extra credit, which is added to your actual class grade.
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I think he is a wonderful guy: witty, smart, and extremely nice. However, his tests are VERY difficult, and you are tested not on what he teaches you, but what you should be able to figure out based on what he teaches you. Fantastically interesting class, but I took it as a Gen Ed and it ended up hurting my GPA.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He is the man!!! His class is a bit difficult if you do not study but he is pretty funny and makes it worth going!!! Plus his beard is amazing!! He is an awesome professor!!!
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: AST109
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Great, great professor and it was my pleasure to have been taught by him. He takes attendance, so go to class. If you skip it will catch up with you. He lectures so much material that you have to take it down. Tests are easy if you attend/study. Lots of extra credit chances. Smart guy who makes a complicated science enticing and interesting.
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