Sylvester was the best chem professor I ever took. Writes things down on the whiteboard and doesn't post direct notes (she has videos) but I liked that because I'm a slow writer and learner. Content is difficult but she's an amazing prof and made it very easy for me. I like her way more than Anyika and Price even (sorry price ily)
watching CLAS videos was more helpful than her lectures. she teaches super fast and expects you to keep up. She never explains why or how, only what. kind of unwelcoming presence, you feel scared to ask questions. if you want to do really well on exams start studying 2 weeks before, practice exams!! this class will consume your life.
Lectures are really great and straightforward. Exams are easy if you do the practice exams.
Took Joseph Anyika n Sylvester for genchem. Retook chem1C w/sylvester. I feel like ppl r gatekeeping her because her tests compared to joseph's and anyika's are SO much easier. U still have to study but not anywhere near as brutal as the other 2 profs (her book probs r easier tbh). she only puts EXACTLY what she goes over in class on tests!!
Had Sylvester for first 2/3 of 1B then got switched with Anyika. Sylvester was straightforward and posted lecture videos that covered exactly what was on exams. Had very fair exams with Sylvester but after switching with Anyika, the final was much more difficult. Not as good as Price, but much more straightforward than Joseph.
i took this class online. do all the book problems and then redo them, but even that might not prepare you for the final exam :(
Sylvester is terrible at explaining key concepts. If you ask questions, she's really no help at all. I often felt more confused after she explained things than if I learned things just out of the book and ALEKS. I strongly recommend taking a different professor for the gen chem series.
really be prepared to focus in her class. do the aleks and dedicate your time to self-learning and reviewing the content because it's hard to follow along through the way she teaches
That final was so out of pocket nothing could have prepared me for it. Previous exams were nothing like it. The examples in lecture are so different from what you are tested on. The final though was just unbelievable.
You may think you know what you are getting yourself into by taking Chem 1B with Bryanna Sylvester. You do not. The class average on the final was a 50 percent. 50% !!! All the practice and teaching she gives you could never reflect the difficulty of her exams. Would not recommend to a friend.
Fine up until the final. It did not relate whatsoever to any lecture, book problem, midterm or practice test. I honestly think she pulled the problems out of thin air. She also did not teach a single in person lecture, but still wrote the final.
I really am a nice person. But Im here crying because she cant be bothered to explain things thoroughly. This is the first review Ive literally ever done. She wasnt even in class all semester because she had COVID and never explains her examples well so the exams are impossible. This is my 2nd quarter with her so Ik Im not being harsh.
Sylvester doesn't give a dang about her students. I was OUT for a week with COVID and she didn't give a flying funk. I was battling all the demons. She made me take the midterm regardless. I got a 58. DUH. I wasn't about to pass with her terrible teaching and non-empathetic persona.
She teaches through examples but skips over steps which can be confusing for people learning the content for the first time. I personally don't get the sense that she actually cares about her students. When I was extremely sick during midterm season, I asked to take the exam just a few HOURS (not days) later and she said no.
Took Feldwinn for 1A and Joseph for 1B (all online). Sylvester was pretty average and the lectures definitely were not as great or organized as Joseph but they were still fairly effective. There was a pretty big curve post final so that was also helpful. Not good, not bad either.
Not great, not bad. Lectures are OK, exams are tough but of consistent difficulty, just study the recommended book problems a lot, and ALEKS. Not as good as Price but a solid choice nonetheless, she also didn't troll us on the final like Joseph did to his students. Sometimes she sucks at explaining stuff but most of the time it's good enough
Her lectures are straight and to the point. Understand the book problems and youll have no problem getting an A in the class.
I took Joseph for Chem1A & 1B. I was TERRIFIED to take Sylvester at first, but she was by far the best and I wish I took her sooner. Her lectures were WAY more straight forward, there was actually a curve, she was available to Zoom anytime I had a question, and I spent significantly less time studying for her than for Joseph & I got a better grade.
in-person may be different but her online class was really bad. took her in spring, retaking it just to see her reusing all lectures (which are terrible bc she is extremely bad at explaining). however, i find her exams a bit less tricky than the other profs. sign up for CLAS asap, they explain things 10x better!
All lectures were prerecorded bc of covid and besides doing ALEKS, watching lectures was pretty much the only assignment so the class is very manageable time-wise. She posts practice exams that are similar to the actual exam so if you study those you will be fine. I didn't enjoy the class simply because I don't like chemistry but she is a good prof
Terrible Chem professor. Her online lectures are so bland and vague. She does not elaborate. Her audio sucks and her handwriting does too. Her tests are nothing compared to the practice exams and she puts questions that she's never taught. They are very difficult and even with CLAS this class is tough.
Compared to the other Gen chem lecturers, professor Sylvester is easily the worst. She NEVER elaborates on anything in lecture, doesn't connect topics well, and also doesn't explain things In a clear way. She gives a 20 question exam as opposed to other professors 15, but with the same amount of time given? Overall avoid if possible.
literally the worst lecturer ever. For the first 6 weeks her audio was busted so it sounded like she was underwater and she never bothered to fix it. Doesn't ever elaborate, is super vague, sign up for CLAS if u want to succeed
retaking chem because I was in her first 1C class that moved to online, and didn't pass. hard class, +her lectures are just bad. This quarter I had to retake with her due to scheduling, and when I clicked on the lectures, I literally facepalmed because they are the same bad videos as lastyear. she is reading offa note pad and barely elaborates.