Richard Wong
Department of Mathematics
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3.7
Overall Rating
Based on 60 Users
Easiness 3.0 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.1 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 4.0 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.1 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

There are no relevant tags for this professor yet.

GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS
22.5%
18.8%
15.0%
11.3%
7.5%
3.8%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

40.6%
33.8%
27.1%
20.3%
13.5%
6.8%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

29.8%
24.8%
19.8%
14.9%
9.9%
5.0%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

44.4%
37.0%
29.6%
22.2%
14.8%
7.4%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

ENROLLMENT DISTRIBUTIONS
Clear marks

Sorry, no enrollment data is available.

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Reviews (46)

2 of 5
2 of 5
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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Dec. 29, 2023

Wong overall was a good professor. The workload is really nice: no homework required, only group quizzes are graded (so you almost always get 100% on quizzes and will actually learn things from the individual portion that isn't graded), and 2 challenge reports. The challenge reports are pretty straightforward, all you need to do is work with other people and attend office hours if you can't figure out a problem, and explain every step of the solution thoroughly in your report. You can also request a regrade for your first challenge report. Wong posts records all his lectures and provides his annotated slides after class, so you have all of his material, and his office hours is pretty helpful for asking questions and solidifying concepts. He encourages participation in his lectures and is a very chill and gentle professor overall.

The only difficult part of his class are the midterms and finals because the practice materials he provides are much easier than the actual tests, so basically the only way to prepare for them is to practice the hard problems from the textbook. Almost everyone in my class underestimated the first midterm and didn't do well, and I think Wong noticed that and made the 2nd midterm easier, as the class average shifted from a 68% to a 80%. He does offer two grading schemes as well, where only the best midterm is considered for your grade, but the challenge report and final is worth more than usual, which saved my grade in the class.

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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Dec. 28, 2023

I thoroughly enjoyed taking this course with Professor Wong. His lectures were extremely clear and at no point did I ever feel like I was being left behind. I would strongly recommend taking this course with Professor Wong.

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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Dec. 28, 2023

I appreciated that his lectures and review sessions were all recorded and posted on BruinLearn, along with all the notes/slides, which made studying for tests more convenient. I still showed up to almost all his lectures in-person; I think he lectures fine (it was pretty common for people taking 32A with another prof to come audit our lectures), but personally I got bored and distracted at times because it can feel kinda slow, and the few times I missed class and had to watch the recording afterward, 2x speed was a perfectly comfortable pace. But still, I'd recommend going to class in-person (and don't put off watching the recordings if you ever do miss class, especially in the later half of the quarter).

The homework is optional, but I'd highly recommend doing it. I downloaded a free online copy of the textbook which didn't have the answers (and I probably would've been too lazy to check my work anyway), but even so, just doing the problems and knowing that you generally know how to do the problems is helpful. I tried to do the homework before the lecture and also read the textbook section before doing the problems, so I never really felt lost during a lecture (which I know some of my classmates have). If you get behind on homework it's not that big of a deal, but I'd still recommend skimming through at least a few of the assigned problems to see if you can do them or not.

Discussion sections were probably where I learned the most. There are group quizzes (which you can make up on your own if you ever miss discussion) that you first take individually and then discuss with an assigned group for the quarter, which was probably the only time I really talked to my classmates (talking is scary okay), but I liked working with my group. Most of the quizzes were quite easy, and the couple times they weren't and our group couldn't figure it out, I understood after the TA went over it.

Another part of the class are the two challenge reports, which I actually kinda liked. They weren't too difficult, just time-consuming. Generally, you'll be able to get all the solutions to the problems during discussion section, and you just need to write up the step-by-step process of how you got there within the next week. I used LaTeX just because I already knew how to use it, but I'm pretty sure handwriting is the fastest way. I know some people who used Google Docs or other word editors, but at that point if you're already dealing with tedious math typesetting, might as well learn LaTeX.

The first midterm surprised me in terms of difficulty. It was my first college midterm so I was at least a little nervous, but I also felt like the content we'd covered in those first couple weeks was simple stuff (though I'd learned about dot products and vectors before in high school). In terms of studying, I reviewed the slides and the summaries of the textbook sections covered for maybe an hour before the exam, as well as the practice midterm he posted the week before. The practice midterm was super easy so I thought the actual midterm would be similar and... ahahahahahaha. Not even close. I kinda panicked during the exam when I read one of the problems, but I eventually figured out how to do it after like 15 minutes of staring at it. I think it was tricky in the sense that preexisting mathematical intuition was probably what made the difference and not exactly the explicit content of the course that someone would study for (at least for that problem, though it was definitely still on-topic and relevant)? I still ended up acing the exam, but the class median was like a 69%. There's no curve on exams (but possibly a curve on the final grade) so... I think this served as a substantial source of distress for many people throughout the rest of the quarter.

The second midterm was much more reflective of the practice materials we got, and though there was one concept (freaking squeeze theorem) I was kinda weak on before the exam and also during the exam, the partial credit was great, and I only ended up losing a couple points. The class median was much higher for that exam (I think in the lower B range). The final also felt pretty straightforward in my opinion, and maybe it was a good thing I felt challenged by the first exam because I studied more for the later ones.

Overall, I liked this class, and I like the way Prof Wong structured it. His class might be more challenging than that of some other teachers (from what I've heard), but I think it's worth it because I feel confident in the content of the course now. Granted, I did not have to participate in the stressing-over-grades part, but even so, I wouldn't let that be a deterrent to taking his class. Though I've never gone to his office hours, he seems genuinely approachable and is a pretty accommodating professor: with two different grading schemes to help you get a better final grade, time banks for turning in late challenge reports, organized notes/slides posted on BruinLearn and convenient make-up policies if you ever miss lecture/discussion, a little bit of revision and extra credit opportunity, and possibly more I'm forgetting that you'll see in the syllabus. In any case, this was probably my favorite class this quarter, would rate it a 9/10 experience.

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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A-
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Dec. 24, 2023

Overall, the class is above average. Wong is a great professor with a high level of organization, and he does his best to make the class as accommodating as possible. He records his lectures on Zoom with his annotated notes, so if you are ever confused in the class, his notes are always there. His style of lecturing is extremely clear and concise. He explains everything conceptually too, so there is a backing for everything that he teaches. He does a Zoom review session before every test to make sure every student is as prepared as possible. However, the homework is not graded and is optional, so you will miss out on easy points. Wong is unique in having the class do 2 challenge reports, which is where you write up a textbook solution to a difficult real-life application. This is pretty cool, but the reports are moderately time-consuming, butthey do reinforce the topics of the course. They are a big portion of your grade though, so if you spend a lot of time on them, you will be rewarded. The exams can be tough and confusing. The first midterm was crazy difficult (got a 40%) and not like the practice midterm at all, but the rest of the tests got easier and were more in line with the expected difficulty and fair. The tests were graded leniently, with a good amount of partial credit given. Some extra credit is given, and you can use a flash card for the exams, which is good. Group quizzes are also a good chunk of your grade, so make sure you get a 100% on them.

TDLR: Dr. Wong is a great lecturer, professor, and person. Extremely understanding.
Class is very organized and accommodating
Tests are hard, be prepared!
Homework is optional so you miss out on easy points
Challenge Reports can make/break your grade\
Class is fair, my grade was expected, maybe even better than expected.

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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Dec. 11, 2023

Professor Wong is very organized and a clear lecturer. He has very clear expectations and his exams are fair. However, there is no "easy" part of your grade; homework is not required, but he does make you write two challenge reports which are like essays explaining how to solve different math problems. Overall, I appreciate his clear teaching style and would take again.

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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: P
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Nov. 21, 2023

Can not understand what why his grade is so good here. He's horrible. He provided lecture slides which is good, and did make the content easy to understand. But he did not grade on hw which means that exams weigh more points. The challenge reports are extremely hard, my friends and I spend a lot of time on it and we got a low grade. Just don't understand that what he's looking for. The practice exams are super easy and the real midterms are really hard. You do not know what problems he will give to you from any practice materials. The contents are clear but it does not help with your exam. Do not recommend him at all.

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Quarter: Fall 2022
Grade: A
Nov. 14, 2023

Really clear and organized slides, takes time to answer questions between most slides. Has 2 projects throughout the quarter that do take some effort/time. Weekly group quizzes that have 24 hours to submit so basically free points, and no assigned homework. Love Wong, would take him again

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Quarter: Spring 2021
Grade: A
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Sept. 5, 2023

Wong is awesome. He is super organized- records all lectures, has slides- posts annotated slides after lectures, and everything you need to know will be on the bruin learn for the class. His grade distributions are always very fair- not too heavy on midterms/finals- there are quizzes and challenge problems that weigh into the grade. The quizzes are group quizzes during discussion, which are open note and you have a day to get it done and submit. He offers a bit of extra credit and will bump you up a letter grade if you are close, I think I finished with an 89 and I got an A in the class (don't know if he meant to give me an A-, but I got an A).
He is a bit of a dry lecturer, but I see it more as straight to the point.
I also took him for 115A and this is where I got to know him better, as I attended many office hours which I didn't for 32A. He is super helpful in office hours and has really good availability. He responds to emails quick and will always be open to answering your questions, no matter how many you have. He is super patient as well with questions, no matter how simple or complicated the question is.
However, his midterms/finals can be a bit difficult, as in they make you think. He will never give you anything he hasn't gone over in class but his midterms aren't generally that straight-foward, but they also are never too complicated.
Overall I 100% recommend to take him if you see him for a math class. He is one of the best professors I've had at UCLA!

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Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B+
April 3, 2023

I appreciate the promptness of Professor Wong in posting recordings and notes on Bruin Learn after each lecture. He is very clear in explaining the concepts and problems. However, the grading of the challenge reports can be inconsistent and may not always reflect your understanding of the material. Despite this, I enjoy taking this course and find the learning experience to be fulfilling. Although the midterms are challenging, I found the final exam to be relatively easy.

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Quarter: Winter 2023
Grade: B+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
April 3, 2023

Probably the best professor for 32A. His lectures are clear and well-formatted. Notes are available online and lectures are recorded. He's kind and helpful. Homework is not mandatory. The grade consists of six quizzes, two midterms, two challenge problems, and a final. There are a few extra credit opportunities that are super easy and can boost your grade by 1%. Challenge problems are tough but collaboration is encouraged and you can redo the first one. Quizzes are done as groups and can be turned in nearly a week after the assignment's release date. Midterms and final were pretty fair in terms of tested content. Best advice for this course: make friends with other students and ask for help. Since collaboration is encouraged, take advantage of it.

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Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Dec. 29, 2023

Wong overall was a good professor. The workload is really nice: no homework required, only group quizzes are graded (so you almost always get 100% on quizzes and will actually learn things from the individual portion that isn't graded), and 2 challenge reports. The challenge reports are pretty straightforward, all you need to do is work with other people and attend office hours if you can't figure out a problem, and explain every step of the solution thoroughly in your report. You can also request a regrade for your first challenge report. Wong posts records all his lectures and provides his annotated slides after class, so you have all of his material, and his office hours is pretty helpful for asking questions and solidifying concepts. He encourages participation in his lectures and is a very chill and gentle professor overall.

The only difficult part of his class are the midterms and finals because the practice materials he provides are much easier than the actual tests, so basically the only way to prepare for them is to practice the hard problems from the textbook. Almost everyone in my class underestimated the first midterm and didn't do well, and I think Wong noticed that and made the 2nd midterm easier, as the class average shifted from a 68% to a 80%. He does offer two grading schemes as well, where only the best midterm is considered for your grade, but the challenge report and final is worth more than usual, which saved my grade in the class.

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Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Dec. 28, 2023

I thoroughly enjoyed taking this course with Professor Wong. His lectures were extremely clear and at no point did I ever feel like I was being left behind. I would strongly recommend taking this course with Professor Wong.

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Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Dec. 28, 2023

I appreciated that his lectures and review sessions were all recorded and posted on BruinLearn, along with all the notes/slides, which made studying for tests more convenient. I still showed up to almost all his lectures in-person; I think he lectures fine (it was pretty common for people taking 32A with another prof to come audit our lectures), but personally I got bored and distracted at times because it can feel kinda slow, and the few times I missed class and had to watch the recording afterward, 2x speed was a perfectly comfortable pace. But still, I'd recommend going to class in-person (and don't put off watching the recordings if you ever do miss class, especially in the later half of the quarter).

The homework is optional, but I'd highly recommend doing it. I downloaded a free online copy of the textbook which didn't have the answers (and I probably would've been too lazy to check my work anyway), but even so, just doing the problems and knowing that you generally know how to do the problems is helpful. I tried to do the homework before the lecture and also read the textbook section before doing the problems, so I never really felt lost during a lecture (which I know some of my classmates have). If you get behind on homework it's not that big of a deal, but I'd still recommend skimming through at least a few of the assigned problems to see if you can do them or not.

Discussion sections were probably where I learned the most. There are group quizzes (which you can make up on your own if you ever miss discussion) that you first take individually and then discuss with an assigned group for the quarter, which was probably the only time I really talked to my classmates (talking is scary okay), but I liked working with my group. Most of the quizzes were quite easy, and the couple times they weren't and our group couldn't figure it out, I understood after the TA went over it.

Another part of the class are the two challenge reports, which I actually kinda liked. They weren't too difficult, just time-consuming. Generally, you'll be able to get all the solutions to the problems during discussion section, and you just need to write up the step-by-step process of how you got there within the next week. I used LaTeX just because I already knew how to use it, but I'm pretty sure handwriting is the fastest way. I know some people who used Google Docs or other word editors, but at that point if you're already dealing with tedious math typesetting, might as well learn LaTeX.

The first midterm surprised me in terms of difficulty. It was my first college midterm so I was at least a little nervous, but I also felt like the content we'd covered in those first couple weeks was simple stuff (though I'd learned about dot products and vectors before in high school). In terms of studying, I reviewed the slides and the summaries of the textbook sections covered for maybe an hour before the exam, as well as the practice midterm he posted the week before. The practice midterm was super easy so I thought the actual midterm would be similar and... ahahahahahaha. Not even close. I kinda panicked during the exam when I read one of the problems, but I eventually figured out how to do it after like 15 minutes of staring at it. I think it was tricky in the sense that preexisting mathematical intuition was probably what made the difference and not exactly the explicit content of the course that someone would study for (at least for that problem, though it was definitely still on-topic and relevant)? I still ended up acing the exam, but the class median was like a 69%. There's no curve on exams (but possibly a curve on the final grade) so... I think this served as a substantial source of distress for many people throughout the rest of the quarter.

The second midterm was much more reflective of the practice materials we got, and though there was one concept (freaking squeeze theorem) I was kinda weak on before the exam and also during the exam, the partial credit was great, and I only ended up losing a couple points. The class median was much higher for that exam (I think in the lower B range). The final also felt pretty straightforward in my opinion, and maybe it was a good thing I felt challenged by the first exam because I studied more for the later ones.

Overall, I liked this class, and I like the way Prof Wong structured it. His class might be more challenging than that of some other teachers (from what I've heard), but I think it's worth it because I feel confident in the content of the course now. Granted, I did not have to participate in the stressing-over-grades part, but even so, I wouldn't let that be a deterrent to taking his class. Though I've never gone to his office hours, he seems genuinely approachable and is a pretty accommodating professor: with two different grading schemes to help you get a better final grade, time banks for turning in late challenge reports, organized notes/slides posted on BruinLearn and convenient make-up policies if you ever miss lecture/discussion, a little bit of revision and extra credit opportunity, and possibly more I'm forgetting that you'll see in the syllabus. In any case, this was probably my favorite class this quarter, would rate it a 9/10 experience.

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Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A-
Dec. 24, 2023

Overall, the class is above average. Wong is a great professor with a high level of organization, and he does his best to make the class as accommodating as possible. He records his lectures on Zoom with his annotated notes, so if you are ever confused in the class, his notes are always there. His style of lecturing is extremely clear and concise. He explains everything conceptually too, so there is a backing for everything that he teaches. He does a Zoom review session before every test to make sure every student is as prepared as possible. However, the homework is not graded and is optional, so you will miss out on easy points. Wong is unique in having the class do 2 challenge reports, which is where you write up a textbook solution to a difficult real-life application. This is pretty cool, but the reports are moderately time-consuming, butthey do reinforce the topics of the course. They are a big portion of your grade though, so if you spend a lot of time on them, you will be rewarded. The exams can be tough and confusing. The first midterm was crazy difficult (got a 40%) and not like the practice midterm at all, but the rest of the tests got easier and were more in line with the expected difficulty and fair. The tests were graded leniently, with a good amount of partial credit given. Some extra credit is given, and you can use a flash card for the exams, which is good. Group quizzes are also a good chunk of your grade, so make sure you get a 100% on them.

TDLR: Dr. Wong is a great lecturer, professor, and person. Extremely understanding.
Class is very organized and accommodating
Tests are hard, be prepared!
Homework is optional so you miss out on easy points
Challenge Reports can make/break your grade\
Class is fair, my grade was expected, maybe even better than expected.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Dec. 11, 2023

Professor Wong is very organized and a clear lecturer. He has very clear expectations and his exams are fair. However, there is no "easy" part of your grade; homework is not required, but he does make you write two challenge reports which are like essays explaining how to solve different math problems. Overall, I appreciate his clear teaching style and would take again.

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0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: P
Nov. 21, 2023

Can not understand what why his grade is so good here. He's horrible. He provided lecture slides which is good, and did make the content easy to understand. But he did not grade on hw which means that exams weigh more points. The challenge reports are extremely hard, my friends and I spend a lot of time on it and we got a low grade. Just don't understand that what he's looking for. The practice exams are super easy and the real midterms are really hard. You do not know what problems he will give to you from any practice materials. The contents are clear but it does not help with your exam. Do not recommend him at all.

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Quarter: Fall 2022
Grade: A
Nov. 14, 2023

Really clear and organized slides, takes time to answer questions between most slides. Has 2 projects throughout the quarter that do take some effort/time. Weekly group quizzes that have 24 hours to submit so basically free points, and no assigned homework. Love Wong, would take him again

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COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Spring 2021
Grade: A
Sept. 5, 2023

Wong is awesome. He is super organized- records all lectures, has slides- posts annotated slides after lectures, and everything you need to know will be on the bruin learn for the class. His grade distributions are always very fair- not too heavy on midterms/finals- there are quizzes and challenge problems that weigh into the grade. The quizzes are group quizzes during discussion, which are open note and you have a day to get it done and submit. He offers a bit of extra credit and will bump you up a letter grade if you are close, I think I finished with an 89 and I got an A in the class (don't know if he meant to give me an A-, but I got an A).
He is a bit of a dry lecturer, but I see it more as straight to the point.
I also took him for 115A and this is where I got to know him better, as I attended many office hours which I didn't for 32A. He is super helpful in office hours and has really good availability. He responds to emails quick and will always be open to answering your questions, no matter how many you have. He is super patient as well with questions, no matter how simple or complicated the question is.
However, his midterms/finals can be a bit difficult, as in they make you think. He will never give you anything he hasn't gone over in class but his midterms aren't generally that straight-foward, but they also are never too complicated.
Overall I 100% recommend to take him if you see him for a math class. He is one of the best professors I've had at UCLA!

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Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: B+
April 3, 2023

I appreciate the promptness of Professor Wong in posting recordings and notes on Bruin Learn after each lecture. He is very clear in explaining the concepts and problems. However, the grading of the challenge reports can be inconsistent and may not always reflect your understanding of the material. Despite this, I enjoy taking this course and find the learning experience to be fulfilling. Although the midterms are challenging, I found the final exam to be relatively easy.

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Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Winter 2023
Grade: B+
April 3, 2023

Probably the best professor for 32A. His lectures are clear and well-formatted. Notes are available online and lectures are recorded. He's kind and helpful. Homework is not mandatory. The grade consists of six quizzes, two midterms, two challenge problems, and a final. There are a few extra credit opportunities that are super easy and can boost your grade by 1%. Challenge problems are tough but collaboration is encouraged and you can redo the first one. Quizzes are done as groups and can be turned in nearly a week after the assignment's release date. Midterms and final were pretty fair in terms of tested content. Best advice for this course: make friends with other students and ask for help. Since collaboration is encouraged, take advantage of it.

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2 of 5
3.7
Overall Rating
Based on 60 Users
Easiness 3.0 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.1 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 4.0 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.1 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

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