CHEM 1A
SYLVESTER B M
Bryanna Sylvester
3.6
336 reviews

337
3.6
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

I had to retake chem this quarter and I would recommend anyone who is retaking Chem to do it with Professor Sylvester. Professor Sylvester's class was easy to go over, since her lectures aren't long. I would recommend everyone to use her practice tests and use CLAS since her exam problems were mostly from there. Overall, she's amazing!

0 helpful 1 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

The tests are fair if you do the many practice exams that are provided. However, her online lectures show minimal effort in teaching; professor covers only the basics and treats them like a 5 min. review, which is unacceptable for an introduction class. Do not take her online if you really want to be engaged in chemistry.

1 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

Her lectures were not the best and the tech quality kinda sucks, but theyre easy to follow along with. Its not too daunting. The exams are practice exams heavy. Book problems are not needed but can help. CLAS is great as a backup, but I didnt use it that much. Class averages on each exam was 65-70. There was a curve for us. My A- went to an A.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

Definitely a tough course! Go to CLAS and take advantage of practice tests. Aleks was annoying but def will help for exams. Her lectures are 8-16 min long but heavy in material so itll take a while to get through. Get ready to study like crazy cause tests are crazy hard.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

I do not recommend! She does not seem to care about her students. Her lectures are short and her tests are beyond what she covers. Her test make up 75% of the grade and are extremely difficult (1 hr, 20 questions). Even with studying 45 hrs/wk I had a B before the final, after a C. Only curved up 1 letter grade, even with the average being a D-.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

This class is asynchronous, but there's lectures and homework every week. The tests are weighted really heavy, but your lowest test is dropped. The class average is usually a D, but if you do all your work and go over the practice tests, you'll be fine. Make sure you understand each weeks topic! The class moves really fast.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

Sylvester's online lectures are terrible. They're so short and they only give a very brief overview. That being said, her tests are fair and are similar to her example tests. I highly recommend taking advantage of CLAS and using that in addition to her lectures. Her curve was also pretty generous, but this is definitely a class you have to work for

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

Lectures are incredibly short and brief. Her exams dont line up with how easy she makes everything sound in her lectures. Absolutely ridiculous that she only curved some peoples grades and not everyones because its a large class. The average for the exams were a D all quarter long. She expects you to already know this stuff

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

DO NOT TAKE HER! I studied an average of 45 hours a week and still received a C+ (a B before the final and a C after the final without the curve). Her tests, 75% of your grade, are only 1 hr long with 20 questions. Close to impossible to finish in time. Not approachable and does not seem to care about her students. Expect tears and sleepless nights

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

Retook this course and I enjoyed it much better! Her sample exams are so so helpful they are almost identical to the test, some tests even had the exact same problems from the practice ones. Really responsive, her lectures are really short though

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

I retook CHEM1A with Sylvester this quarter and it went way better for me this quarter than the last. I do admit I just skimmed through the lectures because most of it was review for me. CLAS was a good resource too, that really helped me. I also really liked the practice exams Sylvester uploaded for each exam.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

This class caused me physical pain. Lectures were like 5 minutes long and barely explained anything. Even with CLAS, the tests are insanely difficult and the averages for the first 3 were a D. Please stay away!!!

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

horrible

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

She's easily approachable and pretty good at explaining things during office hours. Lectures and required homework covers only the very basics, I recommend doing the optional book problems and looking over Aleks topics before the test. I did really well on all the tests but absolutely BOMBED the final.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

This class was hard but very do-able. You have to do past exams and book work problems to do well in the class. She was available in office hours, however, I found her to be slightly intimidating.

1 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

This class was actually ridiculous. She explained nothing in her lectures then tested us on the most advanced material. Told us there would be a curve and then told us the curve wouldnt affect our grades since theres so many ppl in the class. Dont take this class

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

With online learning, Sylvester was not a good choice. More often times than not she ended up testing us on material that I had never seen in my entire life, and I was watching her lectures/doing her practice tests. I had to have my friends in other classes teach me the material. idk how I made it through tbh

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

This professor was not good. All the test averages were very low and she told us multiple times there would be a curve. At the end, she emailed us and told us the curve wouldnt affect some peoples grades. Her lectures were very vague and scattered and tests were very advanced. I would not recommend

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

This is the worst Professor Ive had by far. She told the class there would be a curve, and then emailed us and told us she only curved SOME of the grades since theres so many people in the class. I ended up with a C in the class and she did not curve it at all. Take another professor

0 helpful 1 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

Sylvester was my worst professor this quarter. Her lectures made the content seem simple and even doing ALEKS and textbook problems will not prepare you for her ridiculous tests. Its completely asynchronous so if you have to take it sign up for CLAS or you will not pass. I studied hard and still didnt do very well. Would not recommend.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

This class is actually terrible with Sylvester. Her lectures were WAY to brief and she made the tests EXTREMELY complicated and advanced without teaching it. Doing the practice tests are your only hope. If Sylvester is the only professor open for chem, its better to wait until next quarter and get a different professor

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

If you plan on taking CHEM1A online, do not by any means take it from Sylvester. If doing the in lecture quizzes were not required, I would not have watched bc they were the biggest waste of time and taught nothing. Her exams, and especially her final, were unnecessarily hard especially compared to what other CHEM1A profs give out.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

By far the worst thing thats ever happened to me. This class is so bad do NOT take this class. Her lectures are 5 minutes long and does not teach ANYTHING. I'm literally begging you not to take this class it's SO bad. It's horrible. I am balding because of this class. bro im serious don't take it with her

1 helpful 0 unhelpful
CHEM1A . Sylvester B M 3 Years Ago

If you have Sylvester for CHEM1A prepare to teach yourself the material. Although she goes over material in lectures, it's a poor overview at best and even once you think you've taught yourself the concepts, the exams consist of poorly worded questions you've never seen anything like. If you want a good grade, do your ALEKs.

1 helpful 0 unhelpful
What classes should I take?
Recommend Classes
What classes should I take