Norman Jacobson - University of California Irvine

Professor: Norman Jacobson
Department: Computer Science
College: University of California Irvine
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
So after 10 years post graduation I still remember how much of an impact professor Jacobson had on me. I hated his classes and always thought his courses were too tough. But now looking back I can see why they had to be. I'm now a successful developer and have him to thank him for it. -Student who failed his intro course twice...
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • 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:
Jacobson is probably one of my favorite professors at UCI. His classes are a little difficult but he curves well and the midterms/finals are all on material he discusses. As long as you show up to the lectures, do all the work and pay attention you'll probably be fine.
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Jacobson is not as hard as everyone makes him out to be. As long as you go to class, pay attention to the lectures and do the labs you will be fine. I failed both the midterm and final and still got an A in the class, because of the lab assignments and how much he curves the class. Also he is really interesting and willing to help.
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • 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:
His class is relatively more tricky than other Professors'. Pay close attention to what he says in lecture, his midterms and finals are tricky! A lot of your grade depends on the TAs as well.
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
HARD TEACHER but he was one of my favorite. This class is designed to weed out the ones not meant to be in comp sci. I got weeded out because i found out it's not my thing but i still managed to pull a B despite getting a 8/25 on the midterm. He curves MAJORLY but don't use that as safety net. Cool teacher, i liked his lectures dont miss them!
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
The most generous professor I had to encounter in my educational career. His labs are annoying if you dont know coding because its like putting a puzzle together. His test are ridiculously hard. If you miss his lecture then you are screwed. BUT he is the most nicest and the most generous professor when it comes to grading.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Took him for 2 quarters for ICS. He was extremely difficuly, but made the class bearable with his unique attitude. In retrospect he taught me more than any other professor. I remember alot from his class. The only bad thing I would say is his labs go faster than the lecture. So you end up having to learn the material before he talks about it.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Really difficult for anyone new to programming. Avoid him if this is your first time learning programming. Tests are insanely hard. Could not understand what he taught and no use of the text
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: ICS23
  • 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:
knows what he's talking about and will make sure you know the stuff before you pass.tests are not easy at all but he's pretty generous with grading. I didn't read the book, attended every single class, did the study guid and got an A.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
F my first time, aced my 2nd time. You must pass all labs, think of them as keys to unlocking higher grades. Attend each of his lectures (don't skip) his notes can be very comparable to his exam, but they are highly detailed+hard. Learning java is just the tip of the iceberg, dont come in acting like the titanic, stumbleupon java if you must.
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This is intended to be a hard class, it is meant to filter out those who should not be in ICS. Jacobson is notorious for how tough some of his tests are. It is difficult to follow or learn from the lectures, and the book is a reference not a typical textbook. This is a challenging course, and Jacobson only makes it harder.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!! I wish some other professor would teach beginning class. This is a filtering out class. If you don't know JAVA, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING THIS CLASS. On first day, you will get to programming, (ADVANCED PROGRAMING). BE WARE~~~
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: CSE21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
if you dont have prior programming experience, dont take him. he might curve the class, but there are always a few students who already know java- and theyre the ones that set the curve. even if you do get a good grade, you probably wont have learned crap. terrible professor, terrible class. worked my butt off and barely managed a C.
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: CS23
  • 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:
Legendary prof, see linkedin, alumni talk about him decades later. He'll teach you your O-Notation like nobody's business.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I took ap compsci during high school and from my point of view, he went right in to coding which for others who don't know comp sci at all would be very difficult. Really hard class. Not recommended as ge.
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This class is very difficult. For the few people who actually did well in it, they mostly had prior computer programming knowledge. For me, I attended all the lectures, studied the book, and I will be barely passing the class. The class is curved so that failing the midterm and final is normal and passing, but overall, you don't learn Anything!
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • 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:
writing as a recent UCI graduate, I'll have to say that this class was the hardest lower-division class I have ever taken...and also the most fun due to its difficulty (not joking).
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Do not take if you have never had programming experience before. It's so confusing and I had trouble throughout the course. The professor seems like a nice enough guy, but he was really difficult to follow, at least that's what I thought.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: CSE21
  • 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:
If you do not have any programming experience, don't take this class! He won't teach you how to program!! Plus, the midterm and final are so weird that even if you score 100%, you probably still don't know how to write a Java Program...
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: ICS21
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Well, he's cool, can be funny at times, and tries hard to make the class laugh. But ironically, class is VERY boring, probably the most boring class and professor ever. He is way too smart that during lectures, most of the time, you do not UNDERSTAND what is he talking about. Work load is heavy. I suggest DO NOT SLACK OFF, you'll regret it!
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