BSCI105S | PlanetTerp

Information	Review
Anne Simon BSCI105S Anonymous 02/10/2014	If I could give this woman 0 stars I would. Don't do it to yourself. One of the worst teachers for 105. I switched to Nelson and was never ever more happy with my decision. Simon sucks.
Anne Simon BSCI105S Expecting an A Anonymous 01/19/2014	Dr. Simon is a great professor! She is very open to students and readily takes questions. That said, she doesn't appreciate ignorance. Don't skip class! She provides a bound book (for ~15$) that contains her lecture notes. If you follow the notes and go to her lectures, you won't even need to open the textbook. Her tests are all multiple choice questions and she includes old exams in her lecture notes. Once a week she held review sessions to go over the material which is a good refresher. The thing I found unique in Dr. Simon's class is her use of "peer tutoring" which is when eligible students tutor someone in the class who needs help understanding the material. I found this to be the most successful strategy in studying. It motivated me to know the material and offers another resource to prepare for her exams. If you are serious about sciences, Dr. Simon is the best teacher to have.
Anne Simon BSCI105S Expecting an A Anonymous 01/07/2014	BSCI105 is not an easy class. But then it is not a hard class either if you prepare for it correctly. Dr. Simon gave weekly review sessions at night where she did a question and answer session. She was very helpful in her office hours where she helped me understand any topics I had trouble with. Her tests are all multiple choice and they certainly require careful thinking. Some questions were tricky but they are also pretty similar to the style of questions in BSCI207. She also gives out old practice exams which are extremely similar in question style so its obvious what the test will be like. She does give pop quizzes and pop bonus quizzes, but she often drops hints in class about whats on it or when it is. So it helps to pay attention in class. She gives alot of analogies and demonstrations which makes the material more understandable. Simon also requires a lecture note set which is much easier to understand than a college biology textbook. I rarely took many notes in her class, just payed attention, and consistently did well on her tests. Go through the lecture notes a bit outside of class, first on your own then with some friends. Almost everything she tests on is in the note set, so try to understand every sentence. Pay attention in class, read the note set alot, take the practice tests, and make sure you don't get far behind. If you do these things you will do really well in Simon's class. Overall Dr. Simon was a great lecturer, fair with grades, and it was not tremendously difficult to do well in her class as some people may suggest.
Anne Simon BSCI105S Anonymous 10/31/2012	BSCI105C with Simon is the worse class ever. If you can take Nelson, please do. He is a saint. Simon is just downright rude and unthoughtful as to whether kids in the class are doing well. Yes, she holds review sessions, but they are as confusing as her lecture. Also she gives in-class quizzes and pray you never have to make up a missed quiz. She is brutal when having one on one conversation with you. If you aren't doing well in the class, she tries to tell you that other smart kids are going to get into med school before you. How condascending, right? I and a few others actually spoke with some advisors about this issue and they also agree it is not a professor's place to tell someone whether or not they will get into grad school. Simon thinks she is a big deal, well she isn't. And she tries to make herself look so cool in class by always talking about her work with the X-Files when all she did was proof-read a pre-written script for like one episode. Please take my advise that this class is not only hard, but the professor is not considerate.
Anne Simon BSCI105S Anonymous 10/10/2012	Dr. Simon was hands down the best professor I had at UMD, and will probably ever have during my academic career here. The thing you need to realize is that because a class is "hard" or demanding, doesn't mean that the professor you have is a bad one. I have never had a professor who was willing to hold hour long review sessions every single week, in addition to holding office hours. She gives you set of tips that you have to follow and if you do, you are bound to do well. If you don't, you will realize it was a mistake. BUT even then, if you go see her, she is willing to help you because she cares. she cares, and sometimes that is all you can ask for from a professor. BSCI105 is not an easy class... it won't be easy no matter who you take it with. If you want to move on from BSCI105 actually understanding the material take it with Dr. Simon. She has your best interest at heart, but if she senses that you are not putting the effort which the class deserves, she will not sugar coat things for you. I needed her wake up call to understand what it was that I was doing wrong. She makes science interesting and gives you an appreciation for what it is your studying. If you are a bio major and/or premed student, TAKE THE CLASS WITH HER. It will end up being a lecture of about 40 of you, and she will know all of you personally after a few weeks. And that is what you want from an introductory course. People on here keep saying it's an "introductory course"... that doesn't mean it is supposed to be easy. You can't take a class like this and put minimal effort, not get an A, and then blame the professor. Treat her class well, and she will treat you well. Give the class the attention it deserves, and you will get the attention back. If you are looking to learn something and have a better idea of what medical schools want of you... take the class with her. You will get more out of it than just biology facts. She will teach you things no other introductory professor cares enough to teach you.
Patricia Shields BSCI105S Expecting a B Anonymous 05/11/2011	One of the funnier teachers I've had. I'm not huge into cell bio, so I didn't like the class very much, but Shields made it interesting every day. Go to class and do the clicker questions. Even if you get it wrong you get points, and a lot of her questions on exams are from the clicker questions. Lab grades will really help your grades too. I got an A in lab, and that brought my overall grade up by a whole letter.
Judd Nelson BSCI105S Expecting an A mschneid 12/10/2008	He was boring. I tried to go to lectures for awhile, but I just wasn't getting anything out of them and fell asleep more often then not. I stopped going and taught myself off of the powerpoints that he posted online and got A's on his tests (Which are annoying - multiple-multiple choice...). I did not buy the book and did not ever feel like I needed it. Despite all of this, he really seems like a nice, friendly guy who genuinely wants his students to do well.

Anne Simon
BSCI105S

Anonymous
02/10/2014

If I could give this woman 0 stars I would. Don't do it to yourself. One of the worst teachers for 105. I switched to Nelson and was never ever more happy with my decision. Simon sucks.

Anne Simon
BSCI105S

Expecting an A
Anonymous
01/19/2014

Dr. Simon is a great professor! She is very open to students and readily takes questions. That said, she doesn't appreciate ignorance. Don't skip class! She provides a bound book (for ~15$) that contains her lecture notes. If you follow the notes and go to her lectures, you won't even need to open the textbook. Her tests are all multiple choice questions and she includes old exams in her lecture notes. Once a week she held review sessions to go over the material which is a good refresher. The thing I found unique in Dr. Simon's class is her use of "peer tutoring" which is when eligible students tutor someone in the class who needs help understanding the material. I found this to be the most successful strategy in studying. It motivated me to know the material and offers another resource to prepare for her exams. If you are serious about sciences, Dr. Simon is the best teacher to have.

Anne Simon
BSCI105S

Expecting an A
Anonymous
01/07/2014

BSCI105 is not an easy class. But then it is not a hard class either if you prepare for it correctly. Dr. Simon gave weekly review sessions at night where she did a question and answer session. She was very helpful in her office hours where she helped me understand any topics I had trouble with. Her tests are all multiple choice and they certainly require careful thinking. Some questions were tricky but they are also pretty similar to the style of questions in BSCI207. She also gives out old practice exams which are extremely similar in question style so its obvious what the test will be like. She does give pop quizzes and pop bonus quizzes, but she often drops hints in class about whats on it or when it is. So it helps to pay attention in class. She gives alot of analogies and demonstrations which makes the material more understandable. Simon also requires a lecture note set which is much easier to understand than a college biology textbook. I rarely took many notes in her class, just payed attention, and consistently did well on her tests. Go through the lecture notes a bit outside of class, first on your own then with some friends. Almost everything she tests on is in the note set, so try to understand every sentence. Pay attention in class, read the note set alot, take the practice tests, and make sure you don't get far behind. If you do these things you will do really well in Simon's class. Overall Dr. Simon was a great lecturer, fair with grades, and it was not tremendously difficult to do well in her class as some people may suggest.

Anne Simon
BSCI105S

Anonymous
10/31/2012

BSCI105C with Simon is the worse class ever. If you can take Nelson, please do. He is a saint. Simon is just downright rude and unthoughtful as to whether kids in the class are doing well. Yes, she holds review sessions, but they are as confusing as her lecture. Also she gives in-class quizzes and pray you never have to make up a missed quiz. She is brutal when having one on one conversation with you. If you aren't doing well in the class, she tries to tell you that other smart kids are going to get into med school before you. How condascending, right? I and a few others actually spoke with some advisors about this issue and they also agree it is not a professor's place to tell someone whether or not they will get into grad school. Simon thinks she is a big deal, well she isn't. And she tries to make herself look so cool in class by always talking about her work with the X-Files when all she did was proof-read a pre-written script for like one episode. Please take my advise that this class is not only hard, but the professor is not considerate.

Anne Simon
BSCI105S

Anonymous
10/10/2012

Dr. Simon was hands down the best professor I had at UMD, and will probably ever have during my academic career here. The thing you need to realize is that because a class is "hard" or demanding, doesn't mean that the professor you have is a bad one. I have never had a professor who was willing to hold hour long review sessions every single week, in addition to holding office hours. She gives you set of tips that you have to follow and if you do, you are bound to do well. If you don't, you will realize it was a mistake. BUT even then, if you go see her, she is willing to help you because she cares. she cares, and sometimes that is all you can ask for from a professor. BSCI105 is not an easy class... it won't be easy no matter who you take it with. If you want to move on from BSCI105 actually understanding the material take it with Dr. Simon. She has your best interest at heart, but if she senses that you are not putting the effort which the class deserves, she will not sugar coat things for you. I needed her wake up call to understand what it was that I was doing wrong. She makes science interesting and gives you an appreciation for what it is your studying. If you are a bio major and/or premed student, TAKE THE CLASS WITH HER. It will end up being a lecture of about 40 of you, and she will know all of you personally after a few weeks. And that is what you want from an introductory course. People on here keep saying it's an "introductory course"... that doesn't mean it is supposed to be easy. You can't take a class like this and put minimal effort, not get an A, and then blame the professor. Treat her class well, and she will treat you well. Give the class the attention it deserves, and you will get the attention back. If you are looking to learn something and have a better idea of what medical schools want of you... take the class with her. You will get more out of it than just biology facts. She will teach you things no other introductory professor cares enough to teach you.

Patricia Shields
BSCI105S

Expecting a B
Anonymous
05/11/2011

One of the funnier teachers I've had. I'm not huge into cell bio, so I didn't like the class very much, but Shields made it interesting every day. Go to class and do the clicker questions. Even if you get it wrong you get points, and a lot of her questions on exams are from the clicker questions. Lab grades will really help your grades too. I got an A in lab, and that brought my overall grade up by a whole letter.

Judd Nelson
BSCI105S

Expecting an A
mschneid
12/10/2008

He was boring. I tried to go to lectures for awhile, but I just wasn't getting anything out of them and fell asleep more often then not. I stopped going and taught myself off of the powerpoints that he posted online and got A's on his tests (Which are annoying - multiple-multiple choice...). I did not buy the book and did not ever feel like I needed it. Despite all of this, he really seems like a nice, friendly guy who genuinely wants his students to do well.

Reviews for BSCI105S