lectures are super dull and make ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE,!! get ready to use CLAS or tutoring services cuz this dude has no idea what teaching is suppose to mean
You are better off reading Paul's online notes than attending lectures. Also his voice is really small and he mumbles a lot, so you can't hear half of the thing he says. Exams are not terrible but he does not prepare you for them at all!
This class was such a curveball. Midterm was doable but the final exam was completely different from anything taught in lectures. He also assigns an INSANE amount of homework every week that does not resemble anything done in the lectures. Take all the worst qualities in a professor and you have him. TAs are the only thing that saved me.
This prof is the worst. He does not explain anything, expects you to understand things skipped in class and gets angry if you do not answer his questions. Do yourself a favor and take this class with someone else.
My grade went down by two letters due to the final. He can screw you when you expect the least.
Not good but not terrible. Lectures are confusing so you have to self study. However notes are posted. Quizzes are so easy you can make a few scribbles and get a full score. Exams are way harder however. Homework is tedious but not impossible. Don't expect anything amazing say but nothing ridiculous either
Lectures are the worst and you will have to learn everything yourself. Saving grace are exams which are a walk in the park.
This class was a total joke. Exams were made too easy. To make matters worse, practice exams were nearly identical in format and content and did not test actual understanding. Everyone I know got an A or A+, even those with half as good an understanding. Other 6A classes had far more challenging exams. Avoid this prof at all costs
Pros: 20% quizzes, 25% homework. Quizzes are super easy and hw are manageable if you start on time. Exams more difficult (mean C+ to B-) but quizzes make up for it, so you can get an A even if you get B on exams. Very decent note taker and notes are uploaded the same day. Cons: long webworks, difficult exams. Lecture can be tough to follow.
He is literally the best math teacher I've ever met since high school. Though he is a Harvard Ph.D., he is passionate about teaching intro courses and really cares about his students. He's lecture note is so clear that I almost forget what textbook is. Exams will not be hard if you finish homework on time and do the practice test.
Had a really good time. If you ask him questions about math, he will engage you no matter how long it takes. Exams are mostly very conceptual which imo is great. Only downside is he can be a bit salty if you inquire him about grades or other "trivial" matters (but which is understandable given how large this class is)
I would highly recommend Dr Shah to anyone interested in the course.
He is the kindest professor I have met at UCSB so far. very understanding and will make sure you pass this class
Lectures are clear and very well-prepared. sad that the quarter is over but very excited to take his class in fall again
Dr. Shah clearly knows the material very well and his excellent teaching style made even the hardest concepts super easy for me to grasp. It is a pity that many people stopped showing up very early into the quarter because the lectures became so much more interesting after the midterm. 10/10 recommend
waqar is a brilliant teacher who makes math real fun.
Cares a lot about his students. I wish I could take all my math classes with him~
I have no idea why the reviews above are bad. This was hands down the single best math class I have ever taken and made me see a side of math that I can get behind. Also his notes are super nice and well-organized. The only downside is that there is a lot of homework but there is always Math Lab. Besides, you can always ask questions on Nectir.
Professor Shah has definitely improved from his first quarter here. He has made his exams easier and even allowed us a notecard on the midterm. He is difficult to understand in lecture, but his notes are easy enough to understand. We have quizzes in section which are definitely easy to pass if you pay attention to your TA.
took 6A with him during the fall, got mogged but thought it was bc I didn't study hard enough so took him again for 108A. safe to say it was not a me problem bc 6A and 108A are the only math classes I've gotten lower than a B in (I have taken 4A, 4B,6A, 8, 108A, 117). take him for fun, since he is hilarious, but not if you care abt your GPA.
Freakbob here, I sat through this class with my girlfriend and did homework for other classes. Waqar got all the bruzz and huzz tweaking throughout the quarter with his quizzes and even let me take a few. I honestly had no idea what his yap sessions were about, but take this class for a fun time not a good time.
Me and Freakbob thoroughly enjoyed taking MATH108A with Waqar. He was very funny but his exams and quizzes cooked me. His grading policy was generous, but buckle up for a difficult course. P.S. if you read this Freakbob wants to apologize for not seeing you one last time.
He has bad lectures where he mumbles and writes notes without explaining. Even when asked to explain, he answers questions the answers are vague and full of advanced math terms which makes it difficult to understand without knowing the topics. Also, the homework is often very difficult and requires much more work than examples found in lecture
Prof Shah radiates pure aura. Literally the only boomer I can vibe with. HOWEVER don't take his class unless you want your grade to go straight into the skibidi toilet. His exams will straight up mog you. Love the vibes, hate the trauma. 1/10