ASTR 1220

I highly recommend NOT taking this class. I dropped within a week because I knew I would have to teach myself the course material. His combover isn't too fun to look at for an hour and fifteen minutes either. Just save yourself the trouble and take another astronomy class.

Literally the worst class I've ever taken at UVA. Can't understand the guy. Smartest people in the class were getting 70 on the tests. The other teacher gives all her students like upper 80s and 90s so take her class, unless you're looking to have your GPA absolutely killed for no reason. Literally got nothing out of this class. Such a waste of time, and could've easily gotten a solid A from a different professor. DO NOT TAKE SASLAW

The professor fell asleep twice in class so don't expect an engaging lecture. The entire class is about the book so if you do well with just reading the book and testing then you will do fine, else, don't take this class.

This class is almost completely self taught and the material is almost always different from what's on the test. I would not recommend this course.

Do not take this class! I read the reviews and thought that "it's okay, I work hard and can do well." NO! Saslaw is completely out of touch with how to teach effectively and teaches straight out of the textbook. Even if you read the textbook, though, you still won't be able to do well. The content on the exam is obscure and specific and the short answers are aimed at very specific pieces of information with no room for different perspectives or plausible ideas. I met with Saslaw once to discuss some of my answers that I knew to be true from the textbook (but were not the "right" answers for the test)- and he was unwavering and not accepting of other viewpoints. The average on the first test was a 61 and the highest score received was a 75. There is a curve but it is not revealed till the end of the year.
The lectures are extremely dry and Saslaw is very hard of hearing, discouraging any questions from being asked. Overall, try and avoid this class. There are better astronomy courses with way better professors!!

The class average on every test was a failing grade and studying more did nothing to change that for me. The questions weren't really from the book or lecture and he expected us to have a much deeper understanding of concepts than we should in the second level of intro astronomy. It was ridiculous and it sucked. If you have to take it for some reason, he doesn't have a mastering astronomy homework site but the study area of that helped me raise my test scores marginally I think. I just took all of the chapter quizzes offered and used the pearson site to make a deck of flashcards. Good luck :')

No need to go to class. His questions aren't from the book either. Basically you'll fail every exam and the curve is so much you'll end up with a B. Take the other professors to actually learn and get a B+ or even an A.

Professor Saslaw is very kind, but very out of touch. He normally does not ever use slides to explain the material or write on the board. He speaks physics at you and hopes you have read enough to understand what is going on. There are only 3 exams and those exams are your only grades other than one astrology lab, which is very easy. The exams, however, are not. The average grade is normally around a 60 on the exams. If you do not have a prior background in science or have no love for it, I suggest taking a different class.

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!!! I didn't know about course forum or ratemyprofessor when I signed up this class and taking this was the biggest mistake. All the reviews are true. Avoid at all costs. You can read the textbook, go to lecture, and still fail the tests. Horrible, horrible class and I actually like astronomy! Nope, nope, nope. Seriously- do not take this class.

Saslaw is one of the most irritating, disconnected, genuinely unlikable people I have ever met. Our class had 8 people, so I decided not to drop it at the beginning of the semester because I sort of felt bad for him. Our classes consisted of 4-5 people trying (and ultimately giving up completely) to understand his random, incoherent rambling. He failed to inspire interest in the subject in anyone, and his irritating and condescending mannerisms ground on everyone's nerves. This class has no homework, no final, you do not have to go to lecture to do fine on the tests, and I STILL would not recommend it.

Saslaw is easily the most boring professor at UVA. His lectures are impossible to follow, and he makes no sense. He puts absurd questions on his tests, and the average scores on all three were 55. That being said, going into each test, I knew nothing but the textbook. I studied that thing until I knew it like the back of my hand. The tests required no critical thinking, and with my knowledge of the book, I was able to average a 76 on all three tests, which gave me the highest grade in the whole class. So, in order to do well in this class, you don't really have to go to lecture. If you know the textbook, you will do well.

There's no homework except for reading the textbook and the Constellation Lab, which has to be done by early November. The only grades you receive are for the lab, and three non-cumulative exams (no final exam). Average grades on the exams are usually in the low to mid-50s. The final grade is curved. Exams go a lot better if you keep up with the reading. The professor is pretty boring to listen to and doesn't use slideshows or anything during lectures, but he'll occasionally show a graph or diagram from the textbook.

Saslaw is a bright professor, but a horrible lecturer. By the end of the semester only 15 out of the 35-40 people in the class regularly went to class. He tests things that he doesn't teach, including from footnotes of chapters not even on the exams. Do not take this class unless A. You really love astronomy or, B. You are good at math and have a science background. Wait until a different professor is teaching it-- RateMyProfessor will agree with me on this.

DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS. I read the reviews and thought "eh whatever I can do this" but NO. His lectures are SO dry and boring. Also his tests are awful, our last test average was 62. SIXTY-TWO. You can stay up all night memorizing the textbook, but he will throw in some irrelevant facts from lecture and screw you over. I also go to lecture every day and things don't get better. Don't do this. Take any other class, just not this one. Nope, nope, nope.

I can't recommend this course. Not an "easy" intro astronomy course by any means. I myself got glocked on numerous occasions. The classroom discussion itself is very bland, with no visuals or additional information to the textbook. Saslaw belongs in research, because the course fails at fostering a student interest in astronomy, and brought way more stress then it should.

DO NOT TAKE. As a naive first year first semester student, i thought this course would be interesting and relatively easy because it is an intro course and was about stars, galaxies, and blackholes and shit. I could not have been more wrong. Saslaw is a horrible lecturer, extremely boring, and is unable to use technology such as slideshows/power point. I read the book and went to every class and still averaged around a 60 on all the tests because they were so hard, which somehow managed to curve to a B. This class was not worth the trouble, consider taking 1210 if you are set on taking an astronomy class.

DON'T DO IT. IT'S A TRAP!

I withdrew from the course because I thought it would only get worse before it got better

Stay away at all costs.

Worst teacher at UVa. Do not take this class. If you do, don't go to his lectures, read the textbook like your life depends on it. You will come off with a decent grade but it won't be any fun. Huge curve, I made an A but it's so hard.

Saslaw definitely knows his stuff, but his lectures are pretty boring. Read the book, memorize the formulas, and you'll be surprised by how easy the tests are. This course has 3 tests (but no final), one 'star' lab, and a very large curve.

This was the worst class ever. Boring lectures, impossible exams, no homework to bring up your grade. I got a D even though I went to lecture everyday and did all the readings.

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. I was expecting an easy class that would help fulfill my science requirement. I was tricked. The lectures are so boring, I could never pay attention. This is not good since the tests seem to be based mostly on lectures, not on the textbook. It's only saving grace is the huge curve on your final grade, since the average for the three tests was always around a D.

Really boring lecture. I hardly went and only read the textbook and still did better than most people on the exams. Easy class if you need something to fill your schedule with.

This class was a tremendous waste of time. I was considerably above the average and I'll be lucky to get a B. The whole course is just the three exams and its as if the professors is taking his questions from a different book. I took this class to boost my science GPA, assuming an introductory course would at least give me a decent shot at an A. Nope.

Not a bad class, just don't take it with Saslaw. He wasn't a very good lecturer and the tests were not extremely difficult, but very obnoxious. The class got into arguments with him frequently about test questions.

I'm gonna level with you. Don't ever go to class. Go to the three tests and read the book because in no way shape or form does Bill Saslaw here teach you or anyone in the class anything. Some idiot will ask questions to which he responds in cryptic and indecipherable jargon. Please if you can; save yourself... Do not take this class.

don't take astro1220 with saslaw. even though he is probably the most knowledgeable man UVa has in hte astronomy department, he can't teach - his lectures are unorganized and random. however, he grades fairly - the class average on tests (3 noncumulative exams throughout the semester with no final) is usually low to mid 60's and he curves that up to a B-

I took this class to fulfill my science requirement, and thought it would be very interesting. I also hoped it would be an easy class. IT IS NOT.

Although the material is interesting in itself the class is really dull, and it is often hard to hear the professor. Its very tempting to skip class often.

For each test I read the relevant chapters back to front, and did the problems at the end, and i still couldn't get above a low B in each test. Luckily everyone is just as lost, and there is a good curve.

The only upside to this class is that there is no midterm, final, or homework. The constellation quiz that is required is also easy to pass.

Saslaw is probably a super genius, I think he went to Princeton and is pretty well known in the field, but he's not a great teacher. Lecture was painfully boring, as was the textbook. I think pretty much everyone in this class took it because we thought it would be easy. Within the first week we were learning about the theory of relativity, and I think our midterm averages were usually in the 60s or 70s, if that. Luckily there's a really nice curve, so I think I ended up pulling an A- without getting above a B- on any of the midterms. If you're super into black holes and white dwarfs, go for it. Otherwise, don't bother with this class.

ridiculously boring lectures and impossible tests. On the bright side, other students are just as lost so the curve is generous

dull lecture, not very interesting

DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS.
WORST LECTURE EVER.
i read the entire book and still got a C. if you don't like physics - don't take. If you want to learn about constellations and stars. - DONT TAKE. if you want an easy A - DONT TAKE.

The material is really interesting, but Saslaw makes it extremely boring. He doesn't speak loud enough to hear, and makes it very easy to fall asleep..

This class is terrible. He's boring, the exam questions come out of nowhere, and the book is equally as frustrating. Pass on it, if possible.

In my opinion this class was very dull. Oftentimes I just read the text instead of attending lecture. The only grades are exams and a constellation quiz-which is very easy. The exams are normally curved extensively but its better to have a pretty good handle on the book. Its not a horrible course but not very enjoyable.

Not a very worthwhile class with Saslaw. Try to get another professor.

Saslaw seems like a nice enough guy, but dear Lord, his lectures are not only coma-inducing but quite difficult to follow as well. Also, the tests are challenging and demand very detailed knowledge. If you are a science major this may not be a bad experience, but all others stay far away.

This class was brutally boring. Tests are unreasonably unpredictable and often reflect irrelevant material and are filled with trick questions. Lectures are filled with lispy spitting, mumbling, and uncomfortable silences (up to 3 minutes) as Saslaw waits for responses for rhetorical questions.

Don't take it.

The material itself is interesting, but lectures are impossible to pay attention to. I studying my butt off on tests and did fairly well, but I studied a ridiculous amount. Avoid if possible.

He is a good guy though, nothing against him personally. You are graded solely on three tests of about 40 questions each. Graded on a generous curve, but technical questions that require knowledge of the exact wording of the text.

Lectures directly from the book. He is cute in a funny way. Focused more on the physics of astronomy--I thought I was going to be learning about the positions of cosmic objects but it was harder than that.

Saslaw seems like an intelligent man with good intentions, but his lectures are very dry. I probably learned at least 95% of the material from the book. The tests are fairly difficult, but the class avg. (65-70%) is curved to a B. By reading the book a B is pretty easy to get, but it would probably be better to find a more engaging professor. He does have a sweet comb-over and awesome laugh that keeps you at least a little interested.