Dave Metcalf - University of Virginia

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Dave Metcalf - University of Virginia

Professor: Dave Metcalf

Department: Science

College: University of Virginia

Rating # 1

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Prof. Metcalf is very knowledgeable about pchem but is not very good about explaining concepts to students and glosses over fundamental concepts that are still difficult to understand. This was a summer class, so not a lot of time to really go in depth, but each session was 2hr15min long so I feel like he could have definitely spared a few minutes.

Rating # 2

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: B+
Overall Rating: 3.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I came into Metcalf's class with no prior experience in Chemistry. The class difficulty was rather difficult but the tests were definitely possible to do well in. His lectures usually do not reflect what you need to master for the test. I recommend doing the recommended practice problems that are on the syllabus and the homework. STUDY AND PRACTICE

Rating # 3

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: B-
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 1.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Metcalf is not a good professor at all. His lectures do not clearly explain the material well. He teaches as if the students already know the material and doesn't go in depth enough. His exams are also incredibly hard for no reason. Instead of preparing us well for the exams, he spends more time telling us what to know , instead of explaining it.

Rating # 4

Overview:

Course: CHEM1610
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Nobody actually pays attention in this class. Paying attention to him and taking notes will honestly just confuse you more. Most topics he talks about aren't important and aren't on the tests. Even the TAs acknowledge he's the worst and can't even do some of the problems he expects us to do. Other professors have test avgs of 15-20 points higher

Rating # 5

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: C
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

While Professor Metcalf clearly knows what he's talking about, he simply does not convey ideas in a way students understand. Compared to other General Chemistry professors at UVA, he just does not seem to teach to the student's level or take as much care to help students understand. Most students only go to his class to get participation points.

Rating # 6

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Doesn't prepare you at all for the tests and the lectures don't make sense. He teaches random, unimportant things in class then expects you to know the things he barely mentioned inside andHe said a test average of 65 was good. The other teachers that teach this course have averages in the 80s. Save yourself the tears and don't take his class :(

Rating # 7

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you have a choice, please don't take Metcalf's chem section. If it's unavoidable, you can still pass, but it will be harder than the other profs. His lectures can be funny but he tends to assume that we all remember high school chem and therefore just rushes through concepts I find confusing. I failed the first test. Prepare to study!

Rating # 8

Overview:

Course: CHEM1411
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This was the single worst class I have ever taken in my life. You could study two weeks in advance for a test and still get a 60. Said he "aimed for an average in the 60s." This class will ruin your life and gpa.

Rating # 9

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 4.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: Yes
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Great professor. Chemistry is not my best subject, but Metcalf was interested and easier to understand than most. Encourages questions and was really helpful during office hours.

Rating # 10

Overview:

Course: CHEM1610
Grade Received: D
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Most ridiculous class I've ever taken. I'll admit I didn't like Chemistry to begin with, but Metcalf is the worst professor ever and I never even had a chance to get a good grade with his lecture style. He goes too fast and hardly ever answers questions students raise. He is perfectly happy with test averages around 62 - 67 %.

Rating # 11

Overview:

Course: CHEM1610
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:

Confusing, with a teaching style described as "stream of consciousness". Difficult tests and general confusion abound

Rating # 12

Overview:

Course: CHEM141
Grade Received: A+
Overall Rating: 3.5
Course Difficulty: 1.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

4 quizzes, get to drop lowest; each quiz 20% ,final 40%. Attendance not mandatory. class is useless. If youre smart/good at science, as good as it gets. Quiz avg 70, meaning 1 s.d. for an A is around 83-85. Got 100/100/95 on the first 3--went to see him to verify could skip last . He confirmed. Loved class. Put in 4 days of work whole sems

Rating # 13

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: C-
Overall Rating: 1.5
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Metcalf seemed to want to teach what he felt was interesting but not necessarily was important for test, very boring lecture, everyone seemed to be checking Facebook. Definitely a "weed out" course for Pre-med so unless you're on that track, it's not really like a cool science class to take.

Rating # 14

Overview:

Course: CHEM1610
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Wanders off on tangents about chemistry that aren't helpful and don't prepare you for the quizes

Rating # 15

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.5
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I actually really didn't mind Gen Chem and thought Metcalf was a good professor for a lecture hall class. His materials were clear and organized, and he even did some interesting demonstrations. He's kind of goofy, but really knows Chem inside out and does a good job showing how concepts interweave and build on each other.

Rating # 16

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 2.5
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's at least phonetically accurate in English... more than you can say about Leung. Other than that nothing special he is ok.

Rating # 17

Overview:

Course: CHEM3410
Grade Received: D
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Took this class my 4th year and loved it. PChem uses equations and relations to derive meaning out of the material. Metcalf understands this and does a great job playing with the mathematics to explain what's going on. One of the better teachers at UVA's CHEM department

Rating # 18

Overview:

Course: CHEM1420
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 2.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Terrible teacher, simply reads slides and then seems to enjoy killing students with the difficulty of his tests

Rating # 19

Overview:

Course: CHEM1420
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:

Metcalf is not a bad guy, but as a teacher he is not great. He most of the time reads right from the slides, and class has gotten to be a bore.By the end of the semester he pretty much is so tired of teaching, you have to read from the book to even understand the slides. I would not take him unless you have to.

Rating # 20

Overview:

Course: CHEM1410
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Absolute worst Chem professor. He is terrible at teaching, and downright mean. He obviously doesn't care about students and actually wants them to do poorly, he seems to enjoy it. Do not take him if you can avoid it.

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