PLAP 1010

This class was a UVA institution. Larry Sabato is a legend. It was a privilege to be a part of Professor Sabato's last "Intro" class and it will definitely go down as one of my favorite experiences at UVA. The course was about as difficult as an AP Gov't class. Lectures were twice a week and consisted of Sabato cracking jokes about politicians and government (in a bipartisan way) and sharing his wealth of experience in American politics. At first, he comes across as arrogant and only talking about himself. However, once one realizes that he simply has a rich career with many incredible experiences and connections that he simply wants to share with his class, one discovers how great of a man Sabato is. Homework consisted of reading the textbook, as well as two fascinating and excellent books written by Sabato himself. There are midterm and final exams, as well as a totally manageable 6-page paper. Discussion is also once a week, and my discussion points were awarded according to participation. Emily was both the head TA and my section TA, and she was excellent. Every discussion was an exhilarating debate about specific aspects of American politics, and Emily both encouraged all viewpoints and was often better at articulating a view than the person raising it. These discussions really allowed us to think critically about the topic at hand, and remained very civil despite the fact that they were essentially political debates. Now for the real meat of the class: the guest speakers. Over the course of the semester, Sabato draws from his connections some of the most prominent and influential voices in American politics to teach us about their experiences and our government as a whole. This semester, we were visited by Senators Ted Cruz and Tim Kaine, Governor Lincoln Chafee of RI, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matt Olsen, Virginia Supreme Court Justice Bill Mims, and CBS correspondent Wyatt Andrews. And though Sabato was unable to bring us a surprise visit by President Obama while he was in C'ville, we did have a surprise visit by Governor Terry McAuliffe in honor of Professor Sabato's last class. Speaking of that last class, Sabato sure knows how to throw a political "party." In addition to the Governor, we were visited by one of the most world-renowned Thomas Jefferson impersonators. After class, Sabato proceeded to throw a party complete with pizza, cake, Center for Politics t-shirts and, of course, "Politics is a Good Thing" stickers. This class is an experience I will never forget, and I would absolutely recommend any courses taught by Professor Sabato in the future.

Sabato is a legend. Great professor and not too difficult of a class. While the material itself is very similar to that of AP Gov, Sabato brings in very cool and notable speakers that make the class extremely memorable