<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I'd really appreciate everyone's advice on this. I'm taking CS 33 and Physics 1B next quarter (along with. Physics 4AL and Math 32A. I'm a CS major).</p>
<p>So the three physics 1B profs are Whitten, Gekelman, and Corbin. I want Whitten, but he might be full before I can get to him. I'd be okay with Gekelman (I have him this quarter for 1A), but his Tuesday lecture slot conflicts with my CS 33 class.</p>
<p>My choice comes down to this: take Gekelman and skip every Tuesday, or take Corbin. Which would minimize the decimation of my GPA?</p>
<p>Thank you thank you thank you in advance. I'd love to hear everyone's opinions on this.</p>
<p>I’d go with Corbin if you don’t get Whitten. **** your GPA.</p>
<p>I just realized I didn’t answer you question. You shouldn’t skip every Tuesday of Physics 1B. It is one thing to never go to discussion but it is completely different to skip 1/4 of the lectures.</p>
<p>In addition, if you take Gekelman, what happens when CS33 and Physics 1B have a midterm on the same Tuesday?</p>
<p>The thing about Corbin is that yes, he is quite tough, but he’s also probably the best in the business. You will learn a lot from him and have a great time doing it. He’s also a pretty fair grader (he’ll explain his philosophy further in class but he basically grades you on how well you learn the material). He knows he’s difficult and he adjusts for that in his policies.</p>
<p>With regards to your other classes:</p>
<p>Math 32A is not hard at all. You should do pretty well in it as long as your professor is at least mediocre.
CS33 next quarter is with Riemann. Thank the Gods that Rohr got sacked… now you have a competent professor and can actually do well in the class.
Physics 4AL isn’t too bad concept-wise, just takes some time.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your advice, but I’m quite relieved that I won’t need to heed it-- I got a spot in Whitten after a nail-bitingly slow page load of the enrollment menu haha. So happy!</p>
<p>I’m going for Butler for 32A, he has a few good reviews. Although Vilenchik would also fit with my schedule too…he’s new though, so I should ask around. And I’m very very excited to have Reinman (i.e. not Rohr) although I hear that Reinman is very good in his own right. I’ve managed to take the 30 series with Smallberg for 31, Nachenberg for 32, and now Reinman for 33-- not bad :)</p>
<p>If you find out anything about vilenchik, please share. There’s a REALLY scarce amount of information about him anywhere. He looks pretty young though, but that doesn’t always mean good.</p>
<p>It looks like I’m not going to get into Whitten… So Corbin or Gekelman? How nice are the curves for Corbin? (Will it even matter considering I get killed on Gekelman’s exams?)</p>
<p>Coldness, I definitely will, and I’d love it if you’d pass anything you learn along to CC too. I’m tempted to sit in on one of his classes next week.</p>
<p>Silvercross, all I can say that Gekelman is a nice guy and while not the greatest teacher, he does take an interest in the class (surprising but nice coming from a guy who runs a $1m/year lab). My only complaints about Gekelman in 1A are that he overestimates our math abilities (i.e. assumes we know way more techniques than we actually do) and that his exams are tricky. The class is based on two midterms and a final-- no homework or quizzes or anything else. He doesn’t like the Mastering Physics online thing, doesn’t use it in 1A, and has stated that he won’t in 1B next quarter. Hth.</p>
<p>@dylpkls91
Glad to hear everything worked out.</p>
<p>@silvercross
Corbin is a great professor and he will make you work hard for your A. Prepare to get 50%s on exams and still end up with an A after the curve.
His grading scale is how well he thinks you learned the material, so if you have a significant improvement on the final over your midterms, you’ll probably get an A.</p>
<p>Edit - nvm, looks like you got Whitten.</p>