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Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak PERS371 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/01/2011	Dr. Karimi-Hakkak has simply been one of the best professors I have had in my entire undergraduate career. That said, he is not easy, and do not take his courses expecting an easy grade. This warning is especially true for any Iranian heritage students who think that they know so much about Persian culture. Believe me, he will challenge you and expect more from you if you are. The up side is that you will learn a heck of a lot more than you knew there was to learn. Be prepared to work hard, but the payoffs are huge, and far beyond just a good grade. I especially appreciate how well he balances his classes, and directs class discussions. He is an adept at broaching controversial subjects in a very thoughtful manner. His eloquence is a model for students whose first language is English. Furthermore, you should take your assignments seriously. You might get away with skimming some of the reading, but he has a way of quizzing you about a detail or two buried in the text to make sure you are caught up. Your term paper will be a real opportunity for you to improve your writing. Simply put, I have NEVER had a professor read through three drafts of my paper and extensively edit and annotate it before handing it back. You don't know how charitable he is to do that for all of his students. Some students can't handle the criticism and take it personally, but my advice is, don't take it that way. I thought I was a decent writer, and was surprised to see my draft "slashed and burned", but I took it in stride, and produced one of the best final papers I've ever written as an undergrad. Finally, if you plan to go to graduate school, this is an opportunity to hone yourself, and possibly produce a solid graduate writing sample. If he really likes your paper, you may even be eligible for a the Amirsaleh Undergraduate Essay Award for $1,000, which the Department offers on an annual basis. Best of all, his recommendation carries significant weight among Middle East and Persian Studies faculty throughout North America.