BIOL 3030

This is the worst class I've ever taken. No matter how much I studied for this class, I was average. Unless you have to, don't take this class. Do. Not. Take. This. Class.

Essentially, you have to teach yourself a semester of biochemistry to an absurd level of detail. Would be easier with no teacher.

I'll try and keep this brief because if the University cares at all about the quality of our education here, Professor Schafer will hopefully not be teaching this or any other course.
I am frankly amazed at how bad of a teacher she is. It is astounding how little effort she puts into lecture, and many times when she flips to a new slide on her powerpoint, it is like she is seeing it for the first time. I can deal with boring lectures, but I have never faced a professor that cared so little. She goes through the motions of having office hours every week, but whenever you ask her a question, her answers can be condescending or more of a defense of her poorly worded (and sometimes incorrect) questions/answers.
After countless hours of studying, I cannot think of one thing I have taken away from this course. I learned more about biochemistry from the last 3rd of the 2nd semester of Serbulea's organic chemistry class.
I really tried to find the silver lining of this course, but there is nothing. I do not know a single person who respects Professor Schafer. If you have to take this course, for God's sake, take it with someone else or at a community college.

Biochemistry comprises difficult subject matter, regardless of who you take it from. I actually didn't think Prof. Schafer was that bad. Lecture wasn't helpful - people only attended for the Learning Catalytics - but I found her office hours to be helpful because she emphasizes exactly what she wants you to know for the tests. I found Prof. Schafer very willing to modify her teaching tactics throughout the semester, as requested by her students - she started taking questions during exams and decided to drop the two lowest Mastering Chemistry scores halfway through the semester - so she clearly cares. If you put in the work - and I mean hours and hours of work - this class is doable. Know the pathways and don't rely on the textbook. A lot of what Schafer puts on her exams comes from the powerpoint slides.

This class was very hard. Schafer isn't the greatest teacher yet Biochemistry is also a hard subject. I mean McGarvey is not any better of a teacher than Schafer. She does give mastering chemistry during the semester and if you really work hard towards it, the assignment can act as a grade booster. Overall, I can tell you with 95% confidence that if you get an overall grade of an 81 or above in this class, you will get some form of A. This class is ultimately doable.

Schafer's exams are like having to run a 5k doused in oil away from a trail of flames... This is the hardest class I have ever taken in my life and the exams have nothing to do with the lecture or book material. I hope you are a good guesser, because that is the only way to ace her exams. The class material is very interesting, but I would rather scoop my eyeballs out with a spoon than do the impossible mastering chemistry homework. The curve was FAT though. Also, her favorite protein is actin.

This class was worthwhile and I recommend it to anyone trying to learn interesting stuff about biochemistry. Professor Schafer really seemed to get her stuff together this time around, and there is no protein project! As long as you go to class, pay attention and take somewhat decent notes, you can do well! The reading is dense, but she doesn't expect you to know it to that detail. The curve is super generous, I think you needed about an 80 to get an A-. The exams challenge you to think critically but aren't necessarily hard. The Mastering homework is pretty straightforward an are good grade boosts. Overall, you get a chance to learn really neat and important stuff, and is definitely an enjoyable course!

Biochemistry is a difficult subject in itself, so go into class knowing that. Schafer is... okay, I guess? She wasn't very helpful during lecture and office hours were a hit or miss. Her exams are brutal, but if you study your brains out you might be able to understand her logic. Might. I will admit that she does kind of try to help - the curve is very, very helpful. Downright lifesaving. What got me through this course was taking extensive notes from the book that centered around what she focused on in her lecture. When you do your readings, have her powerpoint open; the book is so dense that you won't want to read anything she doesn't cover. Memorize everything on her slides, and I mean everything. It's a lot of hard work and it's not a fun class, but the material is interesting and if you bust your butt it's doable. Good luck!

Very difficult. MAke sure to keep up with the readings

Prof. Schafer is more concerned with getting through all the material, and not with whether or not the class understands the material. She would breeze through 40 slide powerpoints in 50 minutes, seemingly only concerned with getting to the end, frequently skipping over very important topics. Discussion sections with the TA Sipe (I forget her first name) were very helpful. Sipe slowed the material down, paused many times for questions, and did a much better job of teaching the material than Schafer. Additionally, Schafer seems to assume students know as much as she does, and when discussing pathways and whatnot, will arbitrarily refer to many different topics, thinking we will easily be able to connect the dots ourselves.
4 exams that are each 15%, in class questions that are 15% (GO TO CLASS), and homework that is 11%. Definitely a very challenging course, but mostly because Schafer is a very bad professor. Tests are tough, but manageable. Know the book inside out, and attend discussion sections.