Professor

Jay Phelan

AD
4.4
Overall Ratings
Based on 456 Users
Easiness 3.0 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Workload 3.1 / 5 How light the workload is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Clarity 4.5 / 5 How clear the professor is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Helpfulness 4.4 / 5 How helpful the professor is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

Reviews (456)

6 of 53
6 of 53
Add your review...
April 5, 2016
Quarter: Winter 2016
Grade: A-

Selling all problem set (homework) answers and graded quizzes and midterm.
*************
Great science GE for non science majors. A lot of the material is applicable to daily life. Professor Phelan lectures in an engaging way and really cares about his students. Highly recommend this class!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Sept. 24, 2017
Quarter: Winter 2016
Grade: A

The class is amazing, and it is a must-take! I'm selling the 2nd edition loose leaf version of the textbook "What is life" and the other required reading "mean genes". Both for $30! Please text me at **********.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
March 10, 2016
Quarter: Winter 2016
Grade: NR

Jay is a good professor and he changes my life in some ways. The knowledge in this class can be applied to make a better life.
It's not that hard and super interesting.. I think mean genes is interesting and just decide to keep it but you can get it on amazon with only 10$ or so. Selling What is Life 3rd edition. It is new without any mark so 90$
Text ********** if interested!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Sept. 13, 2015
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

FOR LS 15!
Selling: What is Life textbook and Mean Genes, buy one get one free for $100
Contact: ********** if interested!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Nov. 23, 2015
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

Selling LS 15 textbook: What is Life? A guide to biology with physiology 3rd edition with Mean Genes
- Including all problem sets, graded quizzes, graded midterm/final

$100 for both books
**********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
March 31, 2015
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

Selling "What is Life" for very cheap! **********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Oct. 16, 2023
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B

Don't listen to the reviews that say this class turns you into a science person. After reading the reviews, I was hoping the material would be super interesting, and even though the professor is funny and has interesting examples, all the work other than the lectures is so so boring. There's lots of busy work and the midterm and final are not easy. Save yourself the time and pick an easier and more fun GE.

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
Sept. 11, 2023
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A

Really good class. I agree with most of the positive reviews here already. Professor is caring and enthusiastic about teaching. The class isn't necessarily an easy GE though. You need to do good in paying attention in class, taking notes, and reviewing. The class doesn't use a percentage breakdown grading systems, rather there are a totally of 656 points available and your grade depends on how many of them you get. A good thing in this class's grading system is that a 90%, which normally would be an A- in other classes, is considered an A in this one. So as long as you get above 90%, or 590.4 points, you'd get an A. Also the class offered up to 20-50 possible extras points. I got 22 and they were easy to get—simple practice quizzes for completion only. There is also a music video for extra credit at the end of the quarter that could be worth anywhere from 10-30 points. But I didn't do I and still ended up with an A. Let me recall...I believe the final exam was worth 250 points, the midterm 150 points, discussion participation 36 points, four quizzes 40 points, debate 40 points...yeah those were the main ones.

Content wise the class was interesting. It taught life science concepts—evolution, nutrition, etc.—that are very applicable in life. A great GE to take for students of all majors, really.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
July 4, 2023
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B-

If you must take LS 15, take it with Dr. Phelan! His lectures were always engaging, and he always had a story to tell about his life that connected to what we were learning. I wouldn't recommend missing a lecture for this class, as he doesn't post the slides. You'll survive with Bruin cast, but being in the same room while he's teaching helps a lot. By week 9, the lecture hall was still almost full. This class consists of quizzes (based on problem sets you don't have to turn in), a debate, a midterm, and a final. There are lots of extra credit opportunities, which honestly saved me. This class isn't too bad as long as you really, really study for the midterm and final in ways that can help you apply what you've learned.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
July 1, 2023
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A

If you have CAE accommodations, do not take this class, he "forgot" about them for both the Midterm and the Final.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: Winter 2016
Grade: A-
April 5, 2016

Selling all problem set (homework) answers and graded quizzes and midterm.
*************
Great science GE for non science majors. A lot of the material is applicable to daily life. Professor Phelan lectures in an engaging way and really cares about his students. Highly recommend this class!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: Winter 2016
Grade: A
Sept. 24, 2017

The class is amazing, and it is a must-take! I'm selling the 2nd edition loose leaf version of the textbook "What is life" and the other required reading "mean genes". Both for $30! Please text me at **********.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: Winter 2016
Grade: NR
March 10, 2016

Jay is a good professor and he changes my life in some ways. The knowledge in this class can be applied to make a better life.
It's not that hard and super interesting.. I think mean genes is interesting and just decide to keep it but you can get it on amazon with only 10$ or so. Selling What is Life 3rd edition. It is new without any mark so 90$
Text ********** if interested!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
MCD BIO 150L
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Sept. 13, 2015

FOR LS 15!
Selling: What is Life textbook and Mean Genes, buy one get one free for $100
Contact: ********** if interested!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
MCD BIO 150L
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Nov. 23, 2015

Selling LS 15 textbook: What is Life? A guide to biology with physiology 3rd edition with Mean Genes
- Including all problem sets, graded quizzes, graded midterm/final

$100 for both books
**********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
March 31, 2015

Selling "What is Life" for very cheap! **********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B
Oct. 16, 2023

Don't listen to the reviews that say this class turns you into a science person. After reading the reviews, I was hoping the material would be super interesting, and even though the professor is funny and has interesting examples, all the work other than the lectures is so so boring. There's lots of busy work and the midterm and final are not easy. Save yourself the time and pick an easier and more fun GE.

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A
Sept. 11, 2023

Really good class. I agree with most of the positive reviews here already. Professor is caring and enthusiastic about teaching. The class isn't necessarily an easy GE though. You need to do good in paying attention in class, taking notes, and reviewing. The class doesn't use a percentage breakdown grading systems, rather there are a totally of 656 points available and your grade depends on how many of them you get. A good thing in this class's grading system is that a 90%, which normally would be an A- in other classes, is considered an A in this one. So as long as you get above 90%, or 590.4 points, you'd get an A. Also the class offered up to 20-50 possible extras points. I got 22 and they were easy to get—simple practice quizzes for completion only. There is also a music video for extra credit at the end of the quarter that could be worth anywhere from 10-30 points. But I didn't do I and still ended up with an A. Let me recall...I believe the final exam was worth 250 points, the midterm 150 points, discussion participation 36 points, four quizzes 40 points, debate 40 points...yeah those were the main ones.

Content wise the class was interesting. It taught life science concepts—evolution, nutrition, etc.—that are very applicable in life. A great GE to take for students of all majors, really.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B-
July 4, 2023

If you must take LS 15, take it with Dr. Phelan! His lectures were always engaging, and he always had a story to tell about his life that connected to what we were learning. I wouldn't recommend missing a lecture for this class, as he doesn't post the slides. You'll survive with Bruin cast, but being in the same room while he's teaching helps a lot. By week 9, the lecture hall was still almost full. This class consists of quizzes (based on problem sets you don't have to turn in), a debate, a midterm, and a final. There are lots of extra credit opportunities, which honestly saved me. This class isn't too bad as long as you really, really study for the midterm and final in ways that can help you apply what you've learned.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 15
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A
July 1, 2023

If you have CAE accommodations, do not take this class, he "forgot" about them for both the Midterm and the Final.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
6 of 53
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