The lectures were actually very interesting and he has a sense of humor too. I never used the textbook, just go to lecture and discussion and you'll be fine. Exams were fair, just study and it won't be too bad. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. It adds up if you don't do it, and generally they are simple and questions from them are on the exams. Highly recommended

His lectures weren't so boring but he does tend to go off on tangents. He's funny but sometimes he can be a jerk. The tests were pretty easy and i never used the textbook. My recommendation would be to take very good notes to study off of..

Very unapproachable. His lectures are okay but useless. You can hardly concentrate in his class when every five seconds, there's a student coughing or sneezing in the room.

His lectures are good but the tests are somewhat hard. There's too much to know and I think it would've been better if he broke it down into 3 to 4 tests instead of a midterm and a final.Be prepared to name all the states and their rightful places + their capitals. Also, learn the major cities in the U.S. and Canada that has 1 million + populations

he seemed kind of pompous, but the class material was pretty interesting. theres a country test during the final where you need to know every country in the world, but shouldn't every college student know that? my TA was a jackass...but you had to go to section in order to complete weekly asssignments

Montello is hilarious, but loves himself. REALLY interesting class. Just took the midterm (W08) and it wasn't bad at all, but would have been brutal if I did not study. I hear alot of kids during lecture hate on this guy. Take him if you're not a **** and learn something. He has so many awesome random facts. 2 exams, GO TO LECTURE!

His lectures are entertaining, informative and to-the-point.

I attended all lectures but questions for the midterm and finals are meant to trick you!! He is lazy and does not design a study guide but gave us EVERY term ever discussed which is SO unhelpful. When reviewing midterm questions he uses logic that he says should be easy in answering the questions but it is tricky! Avoid him but the material was ok

He is kind of arrogant and an ass and what he teaches isn't that interesting. Really easy to take notes because he follows an outline. Multiple choice tests but questions are kind of tricky. You have to learn all the countries of the world which actually isn't that bad. Overall it's a good class to take for general ed because it's pretty easy.

There are a good amount of terms on the midterms from the book- you just need to review the key terms at the end of each assigned chapter. This class was definetely NOT easy, i went to every lecture but his midterm questions are hard regardless. Im definetely never taking another geography class again.

Montello is a great professor who teaches an incredibly interesting class. He can easily come off as uptight or abrasive, but give him some time before you come to a conclusion about him. I would certianly recomend his Geog5 class to anyone.

Very interesting class. If you attended all the lectures and took good notes you should be able to get an A without doing any reading. Test require some studying, but are not too hard because they're all multiple choice. Start studying for the country exam early in the quater!

What these previous posters has said is utterly wrong. This class is a piece of cake if you just go to his lectures, no textbook use at all. Tells you what will be on the final the first day of class and gives a comprehensive study guide of all his tests the class before. See him in office hours and he will let you copy test questions. Take it!!

So...yeah these ratings led me the wrong way when i picked this class. Seemed like he was gonna be funny but he really wasn't too much and really didn't make it very interesting for us.Pretty dry lectures.However, studying for tests was not hard and hardly any work and no textbook reading needed.Easy tests if you study. Countries were fun actually

One of the hardest teacher I have ever come across yet. He teachings are quite boring and I give him a little credit for trying to make the class interesting by telling lame jokes. His two midterms are difficult and it's really unbelievable how this man expects us to learn all the countries of the world. Overall, I really don't recommend this class

Not a fun class to be in. Boring and isn't really helpful.

Montello is an absolute prick of a man. He's arrogant, insensitive and completely driven by a superiority complex centered around Geography. His jokes are almost as awful as they are frequent. He quizzes you on how to cook chiles. And he looks like Wayne Knight in a slightly nicer suit. In other words hes completely amazing. Take him & sit up front

Loved his class, humor, and tests. The map test at the end of geography 5 was terrible though.

Great class. Very intresting, as long as you go to class you'll get an A. This is the only class i attended simply because it was the only one i woudlnt fall asleep through. Easy A, great Teacher. take this class

definitely one of the most organized and intiguing classes i've taken thus far. Montello clearly knows his stuff and makes for an interesting professor with jokes and a great sense of sarcasm. weekly hw assignments, two midterms, and a final - all multiple choice. highly reccomend for a GE and a way to expand your mind about geography.

Eh, Montello is a little too cynical and imposing in his views/jokes for my liking, but he was a pretty funny guy. This class isn't too hard, go to lecture and you'll be fine.

This class was great! In fact, the people who think the prof. is an ass and think the class was hard have issues. He is not an ass, he just has a great sense of humor. Plus, as long as you pay attention in lecture and write down everything he says, you'll easily ace the class. No need to read the book. Everyone should take this class!

This was one of the best classes I've ever taken. The material was interesting, the tests and assignments were easy, and I think the professor is absolutely hilarious. I honestly have no idea why people don't like him. My advice: go to lecture and pay attention, but there is no need to read the book. I defintely recommend this class!

One of the best classes ive taken here at UCSB, great lectures, easy labs, tests are not easy but not hard, interesting material.