Dave is the best! I think that people give this class a bad rep because it actually requires work. You definitely need to read the textbook but the exams are very fair, and Dave honestly wants his students to do well. Make sure you go to office hours, I definitely personally found them helpful. I would take this course again if I could!

Dave is a legend! He's an incredibly engaging professor and a lot of us took that for granted as we're learning in 2200 with Manson. The class is difficult but completely manageable. From someone who got an A, his practice exams are great ways to review, I found the mastering biology hw to be pointless, but the DSMs were great. Do all the extra credit because it'll really come in handy at the end of the semester. The textbook is great for the first 3 exams while the last 2 are more based off of lectures. I found Exam 4 to be the hardest because it was the newest conceptually for me, came in having taken AP Bio. Dave is a really quick lecturer so if you feel like you're struggling to keep up with his lectures in the first two weeks, try to record them and then take notes later on at your own pace. His powerpoints are really useless because they're all just pictures which he'll then go into a lot of depth on. Completely doable if you stay on top of your stuff. Try and read the textbook before the lecture for Exam 1-3 at least because it really helps to have a basic understanding of what he's talking about. My only regret is I didn't get to know Dave personally, he seems like a great guy would recommend going to OH.

This class is fairly simple; if you put in the work, you'll get a good grade. Kittlesen is an amazing professor; the only thing that could make it harder is the fact that he has no words on his powerpoints and he talks pretty fast too.

As an intro bio course, you are bound to take Dave's class. Dave is such a kind, warm person. He does want everyone to succeed and is very approachable. One mistake I made was not utilizing office hours more. Many in this class are incoming first years in their first semesters - spend times with your lab TA and Dave in office hours, it will help you dramatically. I received an A- in this course. It did require me to put in a lot of work, but I also had very bad study habits. 1. Record all his lectures. Many of my friends have said that he is difficult to understand. His powerpoint slides also do not have enough information for you to look on your own and learn the material. I did not find him difficult to understand in class, but when you have days where you are sleep deprived, hungover, anxious for your other test, you are bound to miss out on information. Recording lectures is a great habit to form. 2. His exams were hard, but they were not written to trick you. Probably 90% of his questions are from lecture and only some information is needed from the textbook. Reading the textbook ahead of class is a A+ student habit to have, but not everyone has the time management skills. Prioritize studying his lectures, practice exam, and any additional information before the textbook. There will be 2-4 lab based questions on the exam that sometimes require you to memorize specifics in lab so pay attention in lab too. 3. This is an intro bio course. Many of you are coming in planning to be premed and this course is designed to test you. Just because you got a bad grade does not mean you should drop premed. If you want to do your best in this class and really, I mean REALLY learn and absorb the material, learn how to enjoy it. Study with your friends and have them by your side to encourage you. Share notes and teach each other. Another way to study is by making a list of key concepts and terms. Go through each one and brain dump everything you have collectively.

Love this man. He really emphasizes the importance of truly understanding the topics (not just memorization!) and this definitely makes me feel like I'm getting a lot out of this course. Advice: go to class! Ask questions! Start studying for exams at least 3-5 days in advance. Great course.

Kittlesen is the best! So passionate and great structure to his course, after the first exam, you really can do well on the next exams because you know how he asks questions and details to pay attention to! You definitely can succeed in this very challenging but great class!

I honestly have to say I enjoyed this class. I don't know why people rip on it and act like it's hell on earth. If you pay attention in lecture, complete all assignments on time, and don't skip class, getting an A is 100% possible. That being said, why take this class if you don't have to? If you're premed or its a requirement for your major, though, no need to freak out. If you're at UVA, you're a good enough student to succeed in this class.

Kittlesen goes fast in lecture-if you don’t understand something he is open to questions however, in class or office hours. I found it challenging to transfer the material we learned in class to the exams because either I didn’t know what would be tested or because exam questions are typically extension questions and few are based upon simple facts. Wasn’t bored but I had a hard time in this class

Dave is the man. This class will slap you in the face if you underestimate the difficulty. Do the reading before class. I didn't take notes on the reading but if it helps you do it. Do all of the practice tests and learn the concepts of each question. Work together on pre-labs. Get all of your points on Mastering Bio; do the Dynamic Study Modules for extra credit if needed. Go to every class and use your iclicker. The extra credit from iClicker saves you; it got me an A. Also get all of your points in lab. Just ask your TA if you are unsure about a question or technique.

I found Dr. Kittlesen to be very nice and likable. He got a little confusing at times, but he is very approachable and open to answering questions. There was reading assigned before every lecture, but I never did it and finished with an A. The labs weren't too bad and all of the homework is on quizlet. The practice and review sessions before the exams were very helpful.