<p>D has the live version of this class for Fall. The book listed has an ISBN that is nothing that seems to match when I search the internet to buy the book. I know there is a lot of bundling that goes on so the packages sold at UF have a different ISBN, but you can very well buy the components if you know the individual ISBNs for each piece. </p>
<p>So when you buy the bookstore version is there the textbook plus a study guide? Is anything else included? Also, do you need an online access code for homework or anything? The books that seem to match the Micro book by Parkin 9th Edition have a MyEconlab 1 semester Student Access Kit.</p>
<p>I appreciate anyone's input. It looks like the book is brand new edition, so no used ones out there yet.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. It seems pretty common that people don’t buy the book or study guide. They just use the lectures and practice from prior exams.</p>
<p>If so, that’s a real cost savings. Now if only CGS2531 wasn’t so expensive.</p>
<p>The key to Rush’s class is the old exams. Unlike Denslow, taking 2-3 old tests per day starting 3 days or so before the actual exam is like guaranteeing an A. </p>
<p>With regards to CGS, be prepared to have a very upset and frustrated D. Aside from the money you’re forced to throw out the window for the cd you need, it is by far the worst class I’ve taken in my life. A good amount of my friends have ended up with c’s, after having been great students in high school and straight A’s to that point in college. To add two quick things about CGS, the recommended book is never ever ever ever used and virtually no one buys it. Lastly, I heard through the grapevine that Rory, the head instructor of the course and one of the most righteous, fake, and patronizing individuals I have ever met, was actually going to be changed for another instructor starting in the summer. Not sure how accurate that is though but it could only mean good things.</p>
<p>I should also add a personal testimony to my statement about CGS. I had received 95%+ averages throughout every course I had taken in the summer and fall including Micro, Macro, Stats, etc, and would have gladly taken a B for CGS in March in order to avoid dealing with it for another month in the spring. Luckily, I was somehow able to pull a 93% or so, but I would probably still go back and take the B to have avoided that last month.</p>
<p>The thing is, you wouldn’t think that a computer class can become such a horror show. I came in very skeptical as to the horrible reviews considering that I had a relatively good background in computers and thought I’d have a fairly easy time. For starters, the class is VERY time consuming, and Rory Desimone teaches it as if each student is taking her class and her class alone, not to mention teaching as if it is a high school class. Four tutorials are assigned, each consisting of pages upon pages of poorly articulated instructions. The mistakes within the instructions are so bad that it takes most people approximately two entire weeks to finish one tutorial alone. The situation is made even worse by the fact that you realize that you are toiling for hours on things that you will most likely never have to know off the top of your head. One such thing is using very advanced procedures in excel like vlookup and such. As you know, this is a required course for all business majors, but it will only help a very small number of them, and the teaching itself could be much more efficient. Once you are able to finish the tutorial, the day after the tutorial is due, you get to take one of her infamous tests. They are filled with completely irrelevant pieces of information like obscure shortcuts to obscure commands. Studying hours on end doesn’t really do much good in the end either because there will always be random facts that you won’t remember and you’ll be penalized about 4 points each for them (I believe, can’t quite remember). Before you know it, you’re averaging an F on the tests and are relying on the poorly explained tutorials to prop your grade up. The average grade for tests must be a around a D, including the one on Word and Windows, which you would expect virtually everyone to be well acquainted with. </p>
<p>I can go on for hours on end about this travesty that they call a course, so if you want any more specific info, feel free to private message me. </p>
<p>As for Rush’s old tests, they can be found on the E-Learning site like tzais01 mentioned.</p>