Professor

Joseph Esdin

AD
4.2
Overall Ratings
Based on 579 Users
Easiness 3.4 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Workload 3.5 / 5 How light the workload is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Clarity 4.1 / 5 How clear the professor is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Helpfulness 4.1 / 5 How helpful the professor is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

Reviews (579)

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Dec. 30, 2018
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: A

This is a review for LS7C since he does not have a page for that on Bruinwalk yet.

Honestly this class is fine. If you are reading this review I am assuming you have already taken LS7A and 7B and know how this whole thing goes. Just as the classes before, you have Launchpad questions, weekly practice exam problems, discussion worksheets, etc.

I definitely wouldn't call this class "easy," there is quite a bit of information to learn, especially if you have little or no background with physiology and all the organ systems. However, I believe if you make sure to do all the assignments, DO ANY EXTRA CREDIT HE OFFERS, and put in a decent amount of studying before the exams, you can get an A.

When studying for the exams, make sure to understand every single clicker question if you can. Make sure to especially review that information and any information he tells you in the review sessions. As with the other 7 series classes, the majority of the midterm will be showing you a diagram, then 5+ questions that are true/false, less/more/no change, etc. So make sure to understand every single diagram shown in the in-class powerpoints.

Do not sweat over memorizing every single piece of information in the Launchpad textbook. There is too much information in there. Just worry about what Esdin wants you to know.

If you put in some work I think you will be successful :)

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Jan. 7, 2019
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: A

Chances are, you are in taking this class, you are in the TEACH program. This class is much different from Public Health 160A, with it being student driven lectures rather than Dr. Esdin standing at a podium and lecturing. Each week there are topics, and you are in a group and presenting the topic to the class. 30 minute presentation, 15 minutes for questions afterward by your peers and Dr. Esdin. Your grade is based off your presentation, your participation at site, and the final.

The Final isn't too bad. It varies from quarter to quarter. The class itself is great, just make sure you are incredibly thorough in your presentation so Dr. Esdin won't grill you too hard!

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Jan. 22, 2019
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: B+

First and foremost, this course revolves around lots of reading and memorization. There is an incredibly expensive course reader one must purchase in order to pass the class. In addition to a midterm and a final, there are two relatively easy quizzes, as well as a pretty in-depth lifestyle report. Esdin is a sweetheart and is incredibly passionate about teaching physci. His exams are tricky AF. My suggestion is to read each question carefully because the wording can throw you off. This is neither an easy course nor is it a difficult one.; it's in between. I found it very helpful to study with other students and to attend the PLF sessions. GOOD LUCK!

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Feb. 13, 2019
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: A-

Extremely easy class, attendance is part of grade for lecture but I didn't go. Very fair midterm and final, not hard at all. Requires a little bit of studying thats it. Final project was kind of tedious if you procrastinate but very easy. 100% reccomend

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LIFESCI 7C
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
March 20, 2020
Quarter: Fall 2020
Grade: B-

Esdin is a pretty great professor. I took him when everything was going on with the super heavy rain and fires by the 405 along with the holidays. He was completely understanding about participation points by giving his students the clicker points when they didn't show up for those particular days. Yeah out of all my LS professors he was the best. :) Definitely take him if you have the chance.

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April 3, 2018
Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: B+

Honestly, this class is really good if you're just interested in altering your lifestyle for the sake of your health. Although I didn't score an A, it's a good class to have to balance with other difficult courses you might be taking for your major. Most of the work for this class is really straightforward and easy (the project is super easy just a bit tedious, workbook is easy basically completion). You just need to follow the course reader to really learn the material. The only problem with this class is that the tests are kind of difficult, as he tends to focus on details that you might dismiss as irrelevant, so just pay close attention. I didn't score amazing on the midterm and the final (around average on both) and still managed to score a B+, but it was definitely a useful class. Even if you're not doing amazing, it really does teach you a lot that can actually be applied to your lifestyle and health.

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March 24, 2019
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A

EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE THIS CLASS!!!

I took this during my senior year and it has by far been the best class i've taken (and i've taken lots of classes here thus far). You learn the most applicable and useful information in this class. This class is not a chore whatsoever and the information you learn will stick and will make you want to be conscious of what you eat in a very good way.

That being said, his exams, quizzes, and project are VERY FAIR. No trick questions, his TAs are very knowledgeable and often funny, and everything is very straightforward. He reminds you of tests and quizzes 2-3 time via email to make sure no one forgets. Very nice of him. Most of my other professors wait until the night before to announce where the exams will take place.

For the tests, just read the book. You should get an A easily on his exams if you do just this.
For the project, he provides a very detailed outline of what he wants. If you follow it, you will get a 100.
Dr. Esdin is amazing, no exceptions. The other reviews you see about his tests being tricky or that this is a hard class is absolutely untrue. He pretty much spoon feeds you in this class and you'd have to be very lazy to not get a good grade. I was honestly very sad when this class ended

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March 29, 2019
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A-

Esdin was highly recommended to me by other students. He taught half of 7C alongside Cooper. Esdin was a very clear professor who was extremely thorough with the material. He was also very encouraging even though our class did not do too well on the clicker questions during class. Like all of the other LS courses, the exams are multiple choice. Especially for 7C, the questions are hypothetical situations in which a part of the system is changed, and you need to determine if the effect is that something increases, decreases, or stays the same. The rest of the test is true or false questions, so it could get quite tricky. I would suggest studying the clicker questions and understanding the reasoning for each of them. The practice exam questions are sometimes helpful. The most important thing for this course is understanding all of the handouts and diagrams that they show you in class. Of all of the LS courses, I liked 7C the most because we learned about many of the systems in the body, which is definitely helpful for pre-med students. At the end of the course, you need to learn how to use Genome Browser, which is part of the unit about DNA and gene modification. Overall, I would highly recommend Esdin, especially if the course is taught solely by him.

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March 30, 2019
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A-

I got an A- in the class because apparently, I don't know how to read on the midterm and final, even though I try my best. But in general its a great class with a great lecturer and you will learn alot you can apply to your daily life. Work load is fairly light, however there is a fitness project and I recommend doing that ASAP so you can fix all the kinks as you go.

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March 30, 2019
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A

Context: I am a Computer Science major and this is the first bio class I've taken in like 4ish years.

I really enjoyed this class! I felt a lot more motivated to lead a healthier lifestyle and I learned a lot of stuff about diets. I felt like the content we learned was useful, the professor makes it really easy to understand even if you don't have a background in biology.

Project: A bit tedious, but very straightforward. Make sure to follow the directions. It may be useful to start early, since it does take a few hours to finish. I worked on it when I wanted to be productive, but my mind was super dead and only able to do busy work.

Quizzes: He reminds you about them, which is nice. I'm pretty sure the ones in the discussion are graded only on completion.

Workbook/Course Reader: The only negative about this class is that you need to buy the course reader. The workbook is pretty easy, you just need to read the course reader. All of the contents for the exams are based on the course reader.

Exams: An hour long, multiple choice, very straightforward. All of the questions are based on material from the course reader. Attending class is useful, because sometimes he says stuff about particular questions that will be on the midterm/final. The final is not cumulative, which is great. Time isn't really an issue during the exam if you've studied. I've finished all of the questions in like 15 min, and then I stayed around to check my answers for another 10 min.

Attendance: There's a sign in sheet passed around each lecture. You can do fine on the tests without attending, as long as you have someone sign in for you and you check if he's given any hints about the exams.

TA: My TA was Hannah. She was super nice! She held office hours before the project was due and she went over our reports to check for any glaring errors/clear doubts.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 2
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: A
Dec. 30, 2018

This is a review for LS7C since he does not have a page for that on Bruinwalk yet.

Honestly this class is fine. If you are reading this review I am assuming you have already taken LS7A and 7B and know how this whole thing goes. Just as the classes before, you have Launchpad questions, weekly practice exam problems, discussion worksheets, etc.

I definitely wouldn't call this class "easy," there is quite a bit of information to learn, especially if you have little or no background with physiology and all the organ systems. However, I believe if you make sure to do all the assignments, DO ANY EXTRA CREDIT HE OFFERS, and put in a decent amount of studying before the exams, you can get an A.

When studying for the exams, make sure to understand every single clicker question if you can. Make sure to especially review that information and any information he tells you in the review sessions. As with the other 7 series classes, the majority of the midterm will be showing you a diagram, then 5+ questions that are true/false, less/more/no change, etc. So make sure to understand every single diagram shown in the in-class powerpoints.

Do not sweat over memorizing every single piece of information in the Launchpad textbook. There is too much information in there. Just worry about what Esdin wants you to know.

If you put in some work I think you will be successful :)

Helpful?

1 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
PUB HLT M160B
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: A
Jan. 7, 2019

Chances are, you are in taking this class, you are in the TEACH program. This class is much different from Public Health 160A, with it being student driven lectures rather than Dr. Esdin standing at a podium and lecturing. Each week there are topics, and you are in a group and presenting the topic to the class. 30 minute presentation, 15 minutes for questions afterward by your peers and Dr. Esdin. Your grade is based off your presentation, your participation at site, and the final.

The Final isn't too bad. It varies from quarter to quarter. The class itself is great, just make sure you are incredibly thorough in your presentation so Dr. Esdin won't grill you too hard!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
PHYSCI 5
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: B+
Jan. 22, 2019

First and foremost, this course revolves around lots of reading and memorization. There is an incredibly expensive course reader one must purchase in order to pass the class. In addition to a midterm and a final, there are two relatively easy quizzes, as well as a pretty in-depth lifestyle report. Esdin is a sweetheart and is incredibly passionate about teaching physci. His exams are tricky AF. My suggestion is to read each question carefully because the wording can throw you off. This is neither an easy course nor is it a difficult one.; it's in between. I found it very helpful to study with other students and to attend the PLF sessions. GOOD LUCK!

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
PHYSCI 5
Quarter: Fall 2018
Grade: A-
Feb. 13, 2019

Extremely easy class, attendance is part of grade for lecture but I didn't go. Very fair midterm and final, not hard at all. Requires a little bit of studying thats it. Final project was kind of tedious if you procrastinate but very easy. 100% reccomend

Helpful?

1 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 7C
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Fall 2020
Grade: B-
March 20, 2020

Esdin is a pretty great professor. I took him when everything was going on with the super heavy rain and fires by the 405 along with the holidays. He was completely understanding about participation points by giving his students the clicker points when they didn't show up for those particular days. Yeah out of all my LS professors he was the best. :) Definitely take him if you have the chance.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
PHYSCI 5
Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: B+
April 3, 2018

Honestly, this class is really good if you're just interested in altering your lifestyle for the sake of your health. Although I didn't score an A, it's a good class to have to balance with other difficult courses you might be taking for your major. Most of the work for this class is really straightforward and easy (the project is super easy just a bit tedious, workbook is easy basically completion). You just need to follow the course reader to really learn the material. The only problem with this class is that the tests are kind of difficult, as he tends to focus on details that you might dismiss as irrelevant, so just pay close attention. I didn't score amazing on the midterm and the final (around average on both) and still managed to score a B+, but it was definitely a useful class. Even if you're not doing amazing, it really does teach you a lot that can actually be applied to your lifestyle and health.

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
PHYSCI 5
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
March 24, 2019

EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE THIS CLASS!!!

I took this during my senior year and it has by far been the best class i've taken (and i've taken lots of classes here thus far). You learn the most applicable and useful information in this class. This class is not a chore whatsoever and the information you learn will stick and will make you want to be conscious of what you eat in a very good way.

That being said, his exams, quizzes, and project are VERY FAIR. No trick questions, his TAs are very knowledgeable and often funny, and everything is very straightforward. He reminds you of tests and quizzes 2-3 time via email to make sure no one forgets. Very nice of him. Most of my other professors wait until the night before to announce where the exams will take place.

For the tests, just read the book. You should get an A easily on his exams if you do just this.
For the project, he provides a very detailed outline of what he wants. If you follow it, you will get a 100.
Dr. Esdin is amazing, no exceptions. The other reviews you see about his tests being tricky or that this is a hard class is absolutely untrue. He pretty much spoon feeds you in this class and you'd have to be very lazy to not get a good grade. I was honestly very sad when this class ended

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
LIFESCI 7C
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A-
March 29, 2019

Esdin was highly recommended to me by other students. He taught half of 7C alongside Cooper. Esdin was a very clear professor who was extremely thorough with the material. He was also very encouraging even though our class did not do too well on the clicker questions during class. Like all of the other LS courses, the exams are multiple choice. Especially for 7C, the questions are hypothetical situations in which a part of the system is changed, and you need to determine if the effect is that something increases, decreases, or stays the same. The rest of the test is true or false questions, so it could get quite tricky. I would suggest studying the clicker questions and understanding the reasoning for each of them. The practice exam questions are sometimes helpful. The most important thing for this course is understanding all of the handouts and diagrams that they show you in class. Of all of the LS courses, I liked 7C the most because we learned about many of the systems in the body, which is definitely helpful for pre-med students. At the end of the course, you need to learn how to use Genome Browser, which is part of the unit about DNA and gene modification. Overall, I would highly recommend Esdin, especially if the course is taught solely by him.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
PHYSCI 5
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A-
March 30, 2019

I got an A- in the class because apparently, I don't know how to read on the midterm and final, even though I try my best. But in general its a great class with a great lecturer and you will learn alot you can apply to your daily life. Work load is fairly light, however there is a fitness project and I recommend doing that ASAP so you can fix all the kinks as you go.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
PHYSCI 5
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
March 30, 2019

Context: I am a Computer Science major and this is the first bio class I've taken in like 4ish years.

I really enjoyed this class! I felt a lot more motivated to lead a healthier lifestyle and I learned a lot of stuff about diets. I felt like the content we learned was useful, the professor makes it really easy to understand even if you don't have a background in biology.

Project: A bit tedious, but very straightforward. Make sure to follow the directions. It may be useful to start early, since it does take a few hours to finish. I worked on it when I wanted to be productive, but my mind was super dead and only able to do busy work.

Quizzes: He reminds you about them, which is nice. I'm pretty sure the ones in the discussion are graded only on completion.

Workbook/Course Reader: The only negative about this class is that you need to buy the course reader. The workbook is pretty easy, you just need to read the course reader. All of the contents for the exams are based on the course reader.

Exams: An hour long, multiple choice, very straightforward. All of the questions are based on material from the course reader. Attending class is useful, because sometimes he says stuff about particular questions that will be on the midterm/final. The final is not cumulative, which is great. Time isn't really an issue during the exam if you've studied. I've finished all of the questions in like 15 min, and then I stayed around to check my answers for another 10 min.

Attendance: There's a sign in sheet passed around each lecture. You can do fine on the tests without attending, as long as you have someone sign in for you and you check if he's given any hints about the exams.

TA: My TA was Hannah. She was super nice! She held office hours before the project was due and she went over our reports to check for any glaring errors/clear doubts.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
30 of 45
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