Suzanne Balik - North Carolina State University

Professor: Suzanne Balik
Department: Computer Science
College: North Carolina State University
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: C
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: No
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Tests are awful, but professor is nice. Lots of resources available for help, if necessary
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
For CSC 116, take any professor but Balik. During lectures, she reads off of PowerPoint slides which are unhelpful. The wait for her office hours is extremely long. The tests are very hard and the content learned in class does not prepare you for them. You have to teach yourself the content otherwise it is easy to fall behind in the class.
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I would try to avoid her. The lectures are pretty bad since they're just a direct reading from the slides. They're are also extremely boring so it's really tough to sit in on 4 hours a week of that. The zybooks (textbook) and the projects allow for a basic understanding of java but I'm sure there are other (and better) professors for this class.
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Professor Balik is terrible at explaining the lectures that she teaches. She reads straight off the PowerPoint and seems like she doesn't know what she's talking about. Very rude when asking for help and directs all question to TA's instead of answering. Classwork is easy if you've take programming before but she doesn't help you lear much.
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
She's not a bad person, she's more than happy to help outside of class, but her lectures are boring and she seems to just read from the slides. You can teach yourself because Java has a lot of resources, but it sucks that a beginner class is difficult. Also, piazza is absolutely useless. Instructors ignore questions or give unhelpful feedback.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Never take her class. She is tough and not a great teacher. I mostly taught myself. The test is heavy.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Reads off the slides, doesn't teach very well, scribbles on top of said slides illegibly. TA's grade everything, not her, so if you have a TA that is a pain, this will be annoying. Mandatory Zybook exercises that are redundant and time consuming. Projects are long and drawn out. You will likely teach yourself in this class. Do not take with her.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: CSC230
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
To keep this brief, for CSC 230, take Sturgill if you can. Balik's lectures are worse, and most people ignore them. You have to show up to class for the daily exercises though. She REALLY likes java, and bashes C at every opportunity. She's a very nice person, but you'll have to teach yourself for the most part.
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Prof. Balik is a nice professor but not a great lecturer. I didn't gain much from the lectures and mainly taught myself. The TA's are helpful though, learn from them. She's overly suspicous of her students cheating as well. Projects aren't too bad as long as you start early, like a few days or so.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: CSC230
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
You must attend class in order to get credit for daily exercises. This professor does not seem knowledgable on the topic at hand, and she doesn't properly answer questions. She will tell the student to research outside of class, rather than saying she will get back to them. She is not engaging at all, and most people end up teaching themselves.
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: B-
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
The worst coding class I have ever taken in my life. If you miss one thing on the "daily exercises" the TAs give you a 75 for that assignment. This can really tank your grade for no reason. Just reads slides. You can get an A if you are an experienced coder and are OCD about every minute detail. But since this is an intro class, take someone else.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: No
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Horrid professor. I've taken 4 coding classes and this is the worst one by far. Reads off slides expecting students to actually pay attention in her class and gives out far too much homework for the little to no effort coming from her end. Avoid her at all costs.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: No
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Daily 'exercises' are basically their own extensive assignment. Redundant lectures and cannot teach anything to anyone just beginning coding due to her fast lecture pace. Too rigorous for an intro course. Not hard if you're an experienced coder but expect a lot of work for no real purpose either way.
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Below average professor who is very unapproachable. Always replies to students in condescending tone and expects beginners to get material right away for some reason. Moves way too fast during lectures for a beginner class and just reads off slides basically, luckily though I had already taken some coding classes but would have def switched profs.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
She's a mediocre professor who teaches to students who already understand Java. If you've never coded before, take someone else. There's a base level of knowledge she expects from you. If you know java at all this is an easy A. Arrays are one of the last topics covered, so it's a project heavy breeze. Projects are simple but time consuming, beware.
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: No
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I would never take her class again. First of all, she made us buy $120 textbook that we used for like 2 class days. Second, she has a very condescending tone when she talks to a student. I mean this is an introductory course, how do you expect us to know how to create 2d arrays? Like what? DON'T TAKE HER CLASS EVER NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. DO NOT.
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
She is super nice in teaching 116 java, gives TONS of extra credit on exams. Overall and easy A+ class.
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
She really only reads off the slides. She is rude to any students who don't immediately grasp concepts. Her grading policy is ridiculous. If you have never studied Java before, don't take her class, because you won't get much better than a C. If you need help, ask the TAs because she is very condescending and you won't get much out of it.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: CSC230
  • Grade Received: B+
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
She barely knows anything about C. Often times contradicts herself in class. Lectures seem very poorly prepared.
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: CSC116
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This class really requires you to apply yourself and practice what you are learning. If you keep up and do the exercises you will be fine, otherwise prepare to struggle a little like I did. The projects are a bit steep and graded tough. Her lectures aren't the best, she goes fast with little explanation which makes learning java a little tough.
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