PHYS 6CL
POPESCU P F
Paula Popescu
3.7
38 reviews

38
3.7
PHYS6BL . Popescu P F 10 Days Ago

6BL wasn't too bad, but it's definitely dependent on how lenient your TA is. The last lab was definitely a little difficult, but if you ask your TA for help, they'll probably help if you're struggling.

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PHYS7B . Popescu P F A Month Ago

She is a good professor and her class isn't too hard. If you try you basically can get at least an A- for sure (she gives curves and extra credit). However she has not replied to ANY of the three emails i sent her haha if you have anything just go to her office hours.

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PHYS7B . Popescu P F 2 Months Ago

Lectures are ok but there is a ton of content and not enough time to give thorough examples so watching example problems on YouTube helps a ton. Homework takes 4-8 hours to complete if you actually want to understand it, the midterm was easy but the final was incredibly hard.

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PHYS6AL . Popescu P F 3 Months Ago

The TA's aren't very good at explaining the lab procedure and answering questions, and then take off points for things we already checked with them about.

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PHYS7B . Popescu P F 3 Months Ago

Great physics professor, though physics in general can be hard to learn or understand. Tests have MCQs, and are usually easier than the weekly homework. Clear feedback. Though, she uses Pearson (the devil) so prepare to spend $85.

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PHYS6AL . Popescu P F 3 Months Ago

Physics lab was frustrating, because whatever you submitted, the TAs would always find a way to mark at least 15% of your grade off. Sig figs are always wrong, and make you lose points too. The only good thing is that this lab is only once every two weeks. Has nothing to do with Physics lecture, and seemed useless in general.

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PHYS7A . Popescu P F 6 Months Ago

Lecture videos were okay. She is probably the worst communicator I have ever tried to work with at UCSB. TPS responds quicker.

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PHYS7A . Popescu P F 9 Months Ago

Great teacher, but the class material is difficult. Go to her office hours and PRACTICE!!

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PHYS3 . Popescu P F 1 Year, 4 Days Ago

I had Popescu for Phys 1, 2, and 3. Her video lectures for Phys 1 and 2 were really well-made: informative and concise. I found her in person lectures to be hard to follow at times due to the difficult material so you really have to pay attention. She offers a lot of extra credit so it shouldn't be too hard to do well in her classes.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 1 Year, 3 Months Ago

Lectures were okay, and she definitely cared about her students. I learned a decent amount conceptually, and hw & online quizzes helped improve understanding a bit. Not too difficult to pass the class, don't expect to become a physics mastermind with this course, but you will learn general overviews of the concepts and do decent in the course.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 1 Year, 3 Months Ago

I found the lectures impossible to learn from. She will do long and complicated derivations for the formulas you need to use rather than actually practicing problems. The rest of lecture was filled with her reading from slides which are copy and pasted directly from the textbook.

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PHYS4 . Popescu P F 1 Year, 9 Months Ago

Awesome lecturer who just wants students to understand material. Doesn't care for making insanely difficult tests like most of the physics department.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 2 Years Ago

Professor Popescu is a great lecturer who really cares about her students' success. Physics 2 can be a tricky class, but the homework reflects the lectures and she is always willing to answer questions about the content. I would recommend her for any physics class at UCSB.

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PHYS4 . Popescu P F 2 Years Ago

Well, I don't think Paula is the best teacher - she may not present the material most clearly. However, she did her best to help you succeed. She gave useful hw and fair exams. She did a lot of curving, gave a lot of extra credit, and even gave a big ec assignment. I took her from Phys 2 to Phys 4 and always felt good.

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PHYS3 . Popescu P F 2 Years Ago

Made all her tests online including the final (no midterm). Weekly tests were 6-question quizzes while the final had about 10 questions, part mc part frq and did not need the entire 3 hours.17 question Pearson homework every week that made up a big part of the grade, overall pretty easy professor with easy-to-understand lectures.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

Seriously the best professor Ive had yet! She is very kind and genuinely wants you to learn. Her lectures are very loosely structured, but reading the textbook beforehand helps. Weekly homework is substantial, but doable. Easy weekly quizzes, no midterms. Discussion sections were very helpful! Overall, a well-balanced class.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

Had a great quarter with Paula! Her lectures are very clear and she gave fair quizzes and final. The section attendance was not enforced and each time less people went to the section than the last time. Extra credit was available for the final - make your study guide!

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

Good lecturer but the final was the only test so beware!

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

One of those professors who is super nice but not a great teacher. Lectures were a weird mix of easy conceptual stuff and complicated, poorly explained derivations. I went into her class with a passion for physics and left with that passion diminished. Her class is great if you just want to pass, bad if you want to enjoy the learning process.

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PHYS1 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

Took her over the summer and really enjoyed her class! No wishy-washiness, very direct about what the material on the exam is. Assigns a very reasonable amount of work. Would 100% take her again.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

Course was organized extremely clearly. No midterm. HW (MP) was big part of grade, yet quizzes and final were hardly like it. Lectures were usually short (sometimes too short). Final was extremely fair and shorter than other phys finals. Weekly quizzes were conceptual and not too hard. Def going to take her again if I have the chance.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

Professor Popescu put a lot of effort into editing recorded lectures, her videos were straightforward and the examples were helpful which I really appreciated. Sometimes it seemed like a few videos got cut short for some reason though. There are weekly quizzes, homework assignments and a final. The workload is very manageable.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 3 Years Ago

Professor Popescu wasn't did not communicate well: didn't respond to emails, nectir that often, etc. Her lectures felt rushed (sometimes they weren't even finished) and were basically very short summaries of the textbook. Homework was easy... far too easy for a physics class. No midterm, weekly quizzes and a final. Easy class, but not great.

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PHYS2 . Popescu P F 4 Years Ago

Lectures were clear and very helpful in understanding material. Exams were straightforward, there were no nasty surprises. But the weekly HW was 35% of the grade and there was way too much of it. I didnt do most of it and still got a b+ on the final so I doubt the usefulness of assigning that much work

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