ASTR 1280

Easiest A I've ever gotten at UVA (98.5% pre-exam!!). Do NOT listen to the other review LMAO. This class has to be the easiest I've ever taken. I went to one class and did the rest on zoom (he lets you attend online). The math is genuinely a joke for anyone who can solve pre-Algebra problems. He literally spoon-feeds you the exam questions by giving you a bank of questions beforehand (for midterm 1 and 2 and the final. The third midterm is literally open notes and asynchronous, a free 100!!!). You are also given a formula sheet for exams to do the math (which is literally just plug and chug). You are even allowed a calculator for exams, if you are uncomfortable working with scientific figures. Take this class, it's the easiest way to knock out a Gen-Ed req. I can't emphasize more how incorrect the other review is, with respect to the difficulty of this class.

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. Torrey is a pretty nice guy but his marketing of this course as for "non-science majors" is not true. This class contained advanced physics, geometry, and overall very frustratingly difficult concepts as a student who is definitely not a science major. If you like astronomy, this is probably fine, but DO NOT TAKE THIS TO FULFILL GEN-EDS. I worked hard but this is the worst grade I have ever gotten, and the primary reason is content that definitely belongs in a course for astronomy majors. The TA was not helpful, and while the workload was somewhat reasonable, I tried every resource to improve my grade and was still unable to really do much about it. Don't overthink it, go find another gen-ed. It is clear that the professor is passionate about the content and that he is an expert in his field, but he is not the best at teaching content (partially due to this course being a giant lecture, but still. Find another class).