CHEM 1610

Metcalf gets a bad rap, especially compared to the other CHEM 1610 professors. This class wasn't fun (though I hate chem), but I honestly liked Metcalf as a teacher. His lectures can be dry but some of them were really interesting. Tests were definitely hard, as they were mostly concept-based and involved a lot of unnecessary math. Recommendations: sit in the front of the room or else you'll get distracted really easily! For a lot of people this is the biggest class they've ever been in and that can be super intimidating, and sitting in the front helped me focus on the lecture instead of the people around me. For tests, focus on concepts and equations when you're doing sample problems. Make sure you know what concepts correspond to the problem. Finally, FIND A STUDY GROUP. Find a friend who's good at chemistry and mooch off of them shamelessly. Absorb their knowledge. Also, I found Aleks very helpful when it came to reviewing for the final test, but I know that for a lot of people it was a pain. Try to get Aleks done early and often. TLDR; Metcalf's class is doable if you study right, but not fun or interesting.

Even if you’ve taken AP Chem in high school, Chemistry with Metcalf is a nightmare. His lectures are pretty dry and you will need to read the textbook to wrap your head around some of the topics. The homework is tedious, but I’m not going to lie it did help out a little bit for the tests. The tests are all multiple choice and a lot more math-based compared to the other professor’s tests. However, the average on Metcalf’s tests are still a good 5-10 percent less than the rest of the sections and there is no curve. In the end, intro chem isn’t fun with any section, but avoid Metcalf if you can.