She is one of the worst professors I have ever come across with. She does not accommodate for students needs and quite literally calls people stupid when she is approached to clarify something. Her lectures are just audio recordings from pre-covid classes with distracting background noise. DO NOT TAKE HER IF YOU CAN

Lacks empathy and contributes to the (minimal) toxicity in the bio major. I dont understand how she has a job considering the immaturity and lack of self-awareness that she has. How did she even end up running the Intro Bio Labs? I cant believe the intro lab classes for the most impacted major on campus is this disorganized. UCSB deserves better.

Professor low is definitely a great professor. She is reachable during OH, answers every question I had without any hesitation. For maintaining the course as university-level as possible, she made the exam a little harder than the impersonal class. But it is absolutely workable if you try to focus on the course material. For bad student, it is hard

If I could give her a zero I would. She is by far the worst faculty member I have ever had experience with at UCSB. This class was horribly organized, had unclear requirements, and Dr. Nguyen displayed a complete lack of compassion for her students on several occasions. I was actually excited to this class but this professor ruined it. TA was nice

Class is terribly organized, she doesn't respond to emails, changed grading policy to be harsher mid-quarter during a pandemic, even though the class uses 3 different websites to turn things in, all with different times due which is extremely confusing and difficult to keep track of. She is also uncaring and unsympathetic to student hardship.

literally the worst and least organized professor ever, does not respond to emails, is NOT understanding, changed the grading policy mid quarter to be less accommodating during the pandemic, and is m o n o t o n e

complete disregard for pandemic. 2 midterm 1 final, equal weightage. tests fully misaligned from lectures. used old live lecture recordings and overlayed with ppt. unresponsive to emails. tried to raise concerns after 1st midterm and was ignored. friends took with another prof and did not struggle half as much as i am. avoid when possible.

Low's recorded lectures are from live class pre-pandemic audio and therefore not adapted to online learning at all. Gave rarely any clarifications or communication all quarter. She ghosts students' questions on Nectir and email. Tests are more complicated and nuanced than they would be irl. The absolute worst and most uncaring prof of all my 3 yrs.

For all of the reviews stating how she's funny and all, you're just falling for the bait. She is narcissistic at the core and condescending to her students. Her lectures during the pandemic are just pre-recorded lectures from the regular school year. She is incompetent for this job because quite frankly she doesn't work at all. One of the worst.

Our grade is basically 2 midterms and a final. The midterm tested us on things that were not in the lecture, in the textbook, or verbally stated. She is very condescending and quite frankly the worst professor I have had at UCSB.

If I could rate her worse I would. She is by far the worst professor I have ever had. She is degrading and does not care about her students. Her tests are awfully specific and sometimes covers materials that aren't even covered in her lectures or in the textbook. When asked to clarify material or questions, she completely disregards her students.

Her test questions are purposefully made to waste your time. She's degrading and rude to students. Marks things incorrectly. Her lectures online are just prerecorded laid over powerpoints (sometimes they don't even match up). Asks questions about material that was never taught (oftentimes not even in the textbook). Worst STEM teacher I've had.

The class wasnt well run but not necessarily that difficult besides that. Dr. Nguyen didnt do her PhD in a molecular biology field, which was apparent when she tried do discuss even intro molecular biology topics, and especially more obvious in hindsight as you go on to upper div MCDB classes. Not the same level of quality as other UCSB profs.

This is my 2nd class I've taken with Low online. The lectures are pre-recorded so you can watch them at your own time. She gives out quizzes every week which are not hard at all if you read/watch lectures. Online the lectures feel pretty long but it could be different in person. Midterms are usually 75% multiple choice and a couple short answer.

Really frustrated with how this course went. Your entire grade is essentially two midterms and a final. There is very little room for error in this class. Test questions are often written very vaguely but will want a specific answer. Also, took this during the pandemic and was my only class where there was no curve and no accommodation whatsoever.

Hard to understand. Grading on tests is really tough and not too clear. Obvious lack of communication between students and professor on whats going to be on the test or what should be studied.

The exams and quizzes are very very very difficult. Professor Low is very funny but the information she is teaching is extremely challenging and she goes very quickly and tests us on SO much information.

The exams were rough.

I went to every class, read all the required readings, and studied extremely hard for the midterms and final; yet passed, and that is only thanks to the curve. Be ready for exams that are nothing like her practice tests. Her lectures barely dip into the content covered on exams, so read EVERY sentence of the required readings if you want to pass.

Exams are definitely challenging. Must memorize and understand all the concepts to do well. Curve is decent though.

MCDB 6 was the hardest class Ive ever taken, but not impossible. 2 midterms and a final; all extremely difficult, but there is a curve. Rewatch her lectures online and study for at least a week before any exam and youll be fine. I found writing down all the notes from the slides helpful and listening to what she emphasizes in class.

Get ready to memorize almost everything learned in intro bio, in much more detail, in 1 quarter -- graders dock points if your answer is not what her key says nearly verbatim, and barely-covered details from the slides will be asked about. Luckily, exams are not cumulative and the textbook is only necessary if her verbose slides confuse you.

mcdb1A is a weeder class for med students, so you're better off taking this. It seems difficult cause most fail the first midterm, but it is heavily curved. she posts all slides online, so just memorize them and you'll get a decent grade

Yes she's difficult, but there is no way I'd recommend taking 1A over mcdb 6. I have many friends in 1A and it is 10x harder and has a lab. She isn't a great teacher, but if you are able to teach yourself material you'll be fine. The class is curved to a B-, so you'd have to try to fail. Hard to get a good grade though, but most of are fine w/ a C