Marc Sher - College of William and Mary

Professor: Marc Sher
Department: Physics
College: College of William and Mary
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS201
  • Grade Received: B
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Homework difficulty varied wildly between chapters, but he would always try to reel back the difficulty after a particularly hard week. Loved his enthusiasm, even if he didn't always explain as well as I'd like. Over all, on the good side of average, and I think COVID remote learning made it harder than in-class would've been.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS108
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Prof. Sher is a good choice for 108. He explains the material well and integrates life science applications. Grade is mainly based on 3 tests, PollEv quizzes, Webassign homework, and the final. He also drops either one test or half of the final. Take this class with Sher if you can!
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS201
  • Grade Received: C
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
What more can be said of a professor who really knows his stuff? Dr. Sher was an amazing lecturer. This is the first physics class where I felt comfortable enough to ask questions and they were received well. Homeworks and exams are difficult, so it's best to see him as soon as possible about material when you are confused, this is my only regret!
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS1078
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I'm the professor. I've taught Physics 107/108 at least five times each over the past decade. Evals (100+ students per course) averaged 4.0 for 107 and 4.3 for 108. 107 evals declined the last couple of times, and I've looked over student comments and will consider them seriously. RMP scores have such low stats as to be of little use.
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS107
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
This class was fine, kind of annoying but not too bad. Sher is very sweet, and though his lectures seem confusing in the moment, when you look over your notes it tends to make sense. Tests are fair. Daily quizzes to check for attendance. Didn't particularly enjoy but had to take for my major/grad school.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS107
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Do not expect to get much out of class. Professor Sher races through problems and his writing is horrendous. I am studying for the final just by redoing assigned practice problems; looking back at notes is pointless. Maybe he teaches other physics classes well, but not 107. Still, by doing the practice problems you can easily get an A on tests.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS107
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I just don't understand why he can not use a power point. His notes are awful and he rushes through information. Horrible professor for intro physics.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS176
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I love astronomy, so I may be a bit biased in saying this class was ridiculously easy. The lectures were good, no required homework, tests were easy. Sher is my major advisor now and he's super helpful and encouraging. Can't wait to take astrophysics with him.
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS107
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Prof. Sher is really good. Great demos and daily physic applications are inspirational. Pretty helpful for pre-med students for physics.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS107
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Do not take this class with Sher if you have never taken physics before! He talks extremely fast and has the handwriting of a toddler. I couldn't keep up in class, my notes were a mess, and he doesn't post his notes online. There are daily quizzes to make sure you're in class and he goes out of his way to catch/punish people who skip class.
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS172
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Professor Sher is a good professor and his stellar astronomy class is really interesting. His exams are not very easy so you definitely need to study and read the textbook. He is a really nice guy overall and easy to talk to if you need him.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS172
  • Grade Received: B
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I taught myself everything that I needed to know in the class through CrashCourse Astronomy Youtube videos and reading the textbook. I was forced to do this to pass the tests because the professor doesn't actually teach in class and then gives hard tests. I have never regretted taking a class more than this class.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS201
  • 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:
Everybody here complaining about the difficulty of the class completely misses the point. *Physics* is hard, Sher is simply fair. His exams are of middling difficulty, as well as the homeworks. Most importantly, he is a good lecturer of physics. Many professors put you to sleep - Sher is not one of them. Physics is hard, don't shoot the messenger.
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS201
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Lectures are interesting if you are like the subject. If not, you'll fall asleep. He gives weekly homework, 2 midterms, and a final. The homeworks they can be challenging at times. But the tests can be extremely difficult if you don't pay attention to the example problems he does in class (meaning you can't just read the textbook and get an A).
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS172
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Decent professor, and Astronomy is a solid NQR choice for non-science people. Weekly online homework, 2 response papers, attendance grade, 2 midterms, and a final (curves generously and replaces lowest midterm with your final exam grade if your exam grade is better). READ AND TAKE NOTES ON THE BOOK! If you do the class won't be that hard.
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS172
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Definitely one of the hardest classes I've taken - you've got to put in the time for the grade. That being said, it's fascinating stuff and Sher explains it very clearly - it's easy to tell that he loves his subject. Show up to lectures, study the book, ask questions, and you should be fine. Plus he curves the grade at the end of the semester.
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS172
  • Grade Received: B
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
DONT TAKE ASTRONOMY IF U NEED GER2! went 2 every lecture, A's on HW & PAPERS- 4 pgs, super difficult topics & only got a B. The syllabus says that its not a class for science majors, but the difficult exams make up entire grade with papers only worth 10%. No easy A, take geology. Wish my gpa could get changed the same way this class needs to be
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS172
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I'm the professor, and have been at WM for 27 years. 50 semesters in a row, my student evaluations were 4.0 or above. This course was only 3.6. The homework was messed up, connecting with the new curriculum caused problems, etc. All I can say is that I'm reading the student evaluations carefully and will make major changes next year.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS1071
  • Grade Received: A-
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Horrible
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: PHYS172
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Gives no idea of what to expect on each test. First midterm was nearly all math, second was all conceptual. Told us the midterms would be on only what he goes over in class, which simply wasn't the case. Based on other reviews, he seems like a good teacher normally, just don't take this class if he's still the professor.
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