HESI318O | PlanetTerp

Information	Review
Ashley Sankowski HESI318O Expecting an A Anonymous 07/31/2025	It was a pleasure to work alongside Ashley because she is really understanding. Because this class meets once a week for 2 hours late at night, there is a lot of material to cover. So they were really strict about attending almost every class. However, there is this one time, I had to miss class due to a cultural celebration, Ashley was understanding and advised me to complete the reading for that day.
Austin McDonald HESI318O Expecting an A Anonymous 07/31/2025	This year the class was lectured by the student coordinators alongside Austin and Ashley. The class teaches you about the different majors, schools, clubs, and resources on campus. Every two weeks there is a short quiz, which is straight forward if you pay attention in class. Although Austin is a strict professor, he taught me the importance of being on time and professional.
Austin McDonald HESI318O Expecting an A+ Anonymous 07/31/2025	Ignore the 2-star review because everything that they're complaining about was reiterated to us numerous times at interviews, emails, and even on the application itself. We knew about the 2.5 hour class, we knew about the training, we knew about the long days. They only took our phones so we could try and be engaged and understand our role. They're simply complaining about doing the job that they signed up for months ago. I will agree that Austin and Ashley, as well as the entirety of Central Staff, are very kind and nice people to work with, some of the best I've worked with. With the missing class, all you have to do, like any other professor, is that if you have a conflicting event, is to communicate with them and ask what can be done to make up for the class/information you missed. Both Austin and Ashley are very understanding (and this was also reiterated a lot) that we all have numerous involvements on campus and other commitments and that if we were to take this job that we were sure that we could commit ourselves to the rigorous schedule of orientation. Austin and Ashley don't take their staff for granted and tell us at any given moment when it's called for to give us our flowers and make sure we're being heard to the best of their capabilities. Yes, the class could've done better in preparing us for the role, but that's also what the training week was for. Additionally, with this role, a lot of it is based on your own experiences and your own individualism when it comes to your orientation and how you want to run your session and do what your college asks of you, as each college is different when it comes to orientation and advising and what they need their OAs to do for them. The quizzes were not hard at all; most of it was common knowledge. Everyone has different reasons as to why they apply or want to get involved with orientation; higher education is only one of them, but it's not a required attribute of your resume or interests to do it. Look at the application and talk to the OA staff and ask them their experience and what they gained, everyone is different in what they say for their answers.
Austin McDonald HESI318O Anonymous 07/23/2025	READ THIS BEFORE TAKING THE JOB. Austin and Ashley are both very nice and great people, but the class was low-key useless and a waste of time. I dont really think anything correlated to what we needed to know for the job. It was really boring and they TAKE YOUR PHONES!!!! You have a week-long training training 8 am-4 pm every day. All of this training could have been done DURING THE 2.5-HOUR CLASS EVERY WEEK. They are not understanding at all when it comes to missing class, no matter what the event. Some of the quizzes are hard for no reason. While the job has its good parts, it has extremely long hours, and if you do not 100% want to go into higher education, I don't know if I'd recommend it.
Ashley Sankowski HESI318O Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/24/2025	Ashley has a lot of energy which is good since the class is held so late but it is pretty annoying that we can't use our phones during class. The assigned work is also really tedious but the group presentations weren't too bad and prepare you for the OA job.
Austin McDonald HESI318O Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/24/2025	A lot of busy work and group assignments. The 2.5 hours of class time are honestly not too bad but it can be really boring when you have to listen to other students presenting. Austin does a good job in explaining the material and what you have to know as an OA.
Austin McDonald HESI318O Expecting an A+ Anonymous 09/16/2024	Austin McDonald was a great professor! He was very easy going and explained content really well. Whenever I had a question, I felt comfortable asking. In order to be a great Orientation Advisor, you really need a teacher like Austin McDonald. 2.5 hours go by fast enough when you enjoy what you're being taught.

Ashley Sankowski
HESI318O

Expecting an A
Anonymous
07/31/2025

It was a pleasure to work alongside Ashley because she is really understanding. Because this class meets once a week for 2 hours late at night, there is a lot of material to cover. So they were really strict about attending almost every class. However, there is this one time, I had to miss class due to a cultural celebration, Ashley was understanding and advised me to complete the reading for that day.

Austin McDonald
HESI318O

Expecting an A
Anonymous
07/31/2025

This year the class was lectured by the student coordinators alongside Austin and Ashley. The class teaches you about the different majors, schools, clubs, and resources on campus. Every two weeks there is a short quiz, which is straight forward if you pay attention in class. Although Austin is a strict professor, he taught me the importance of being on time and professional.

Austin McDonald
HESI318O

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
07/31/2025

Ignore the 2-star review because everything that they're complaining about was reiterated to us numerous times at interviews, emails, and even on the application itself. We knew about the 2.5 hour class, we knew about the training, we knew about the long days. They only took our phones so we could try and be engaged and understand our role. They're simply complaining about doing the job that they signed up for months ago. I will agree that Austin and Ashley, as well as the entirety of Central Staff, are very kind and nice people to work with, some of the best I've worked with. With the missing class, all you have to do, like any other professor, is that if you have a conflicting event, is to communicate with them and ask what can be done to make up for the class/information you missed. Both Austin and Ashley are very understanding (and this was also reiterated a lot) that we all have numerous involvements on campus and other commitments and that if we were to take this job that we were sure that we could commit ourselves to the rigorous schedule of orientation. Austin and Ashley don't take their staff for granted and tell us at any given moment when it's called for to give us our flowers and make sure we're being heard to the best of their capabilities. Yes, the class could've done better in preparing us for the role, but that's also what the training week was for. Additionally, with this role, a lot of it is based on your own experiences and your own individualism when it comes to your orientation and how you want to run your session and do what your college asks of you, as each college is different when it comes to orientation and advising and what they need their OAs to do for them. The quizzes were not hard at all; most of it was common knowledge. Everyone has different reasons as to why they apply or want to get involved with orientation; higher education is only one of them, but it's not a required attribute of your resume or interests to do it. Look at the application and talk to the OA staff and ask them their experience and what they gained, everyone is different in what they say for their answers.

Austin McDonald
HESI318O

Anonymous
07/23/2025

READ THIS BEFORE TAKING THE JOB. Austin and Ashley are both very nice and great people, but the class was low-key useless and a waste of time. I dont really think anything correlated to what we needed to know for the job. It was really boring and they TAKE YOUR PHONES!!!! You have a week-long training training 8 am-4 pm every day. All of this training could have been done DURING THE 2.5-HOUR CLASS EVERY WEEK. They are not understanding at all when it comes to missing class, no matter what the event. Some of the quizzes are hard for no reason. While the job has its good parts, it has extremely long hours, and if you do not 100% want to go into higher education, I don't know if I'd recommend it.

Ashley Sankowski
HESI318O

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/24/2025

Ashley has a lot of energy which is good since the class is held so late but it is pretty annoying that we can't use our phones during class. The assigned work is also really tedious but the group presentations weren't too bad and prepare you for the OA job.

Austin McDonald
HESI318O

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/24/2025

A lot of busy work and group assignments. The 2.5 hours of class time are honestly not too bad but it can be really boring when you have to listen to other students presenting. Austin does a good job in explaining the material and what you have to know as an OA.

Austin McDonald
HESI318O

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
09/16/2024

Austin McDonald was a great professor! He was very easy going and explained content really well. Whenever I had a question, I felt comfortable asking. In order to be a great Orientation Advisor, you really need a teacher like Austin McDonald. 2.5 hours go by fast enough when you enjoy what you're being taught.

Reviews for HESI318O