Great professor! Super approachable, very nice about questions and all. The tests were super straightforward -- easier than the webwork and around the same as the review assignments. The class was relatively difficult, especially if you've never done calculus before, but definitely doable if you put the work in.
Definitely take him if you have the option. The tests are very similar to the review worksheets and are super easy. Homework completion is important. Overall, awesome and very considerate professor.
Math 2A is difficult if you have minimal pre-calculus experience, but doable. If you need help, utilize his office hours along with math lab and CLAS. Lectures are not mandatory, but would highly recommend attending, 8 am makes it easy to skip, but going will save your grade.
Easy grader. Boring lectures, though.
The HW was a lot but it represented 50% of our grade and the lowest score was dropped. This class is a surprisingly easy A as long as you put in the work.
If you are given an option to take Porter, TAKE HIM!! He makes the class very easy, all you have to do is watch/attend lecture, do webwork, take 2 midterms, and final. The tests were online and super easy too like the review worksheets. The prof is such a great lecturer, a little monotone, but explains math very well and is overall such a nice prof
Took it during Winter 22 and the midterms and final exam were online. Lecture attendance doesn't matter but section attendance does count.
Genuinely cares about his students and their well-being. Took it during Fall 21 and the final exam was online. Lecture attendance doesn't matter but section attendance does count.
One of the best professors I've ever had! His lectures are very clear and all his notes + short videos are posted online, making it easy to catch up on things you may have missed. His grading is very generous with a majority of your grade being based on homework & exam practice problems rather than exams, which helped me learn the material better.
If you don't take his class, you will regret it for the rest of your life.
Take him for 4B. Easy grading scale and his class is super organized.
Great professor overall, extremely well-organized course site with generous grading. Lectures are a bit dry but I can't blame him because that's the nature of an ODEs course.
I think people like Prof. Porter because homework is 50% of the grade, so it's a very easy class to do well in, especially for diff eq. However, his lectures are so boring I find it hard to understand what he's saying. He speaks in a low monotonous voice all class. His notes are good and posted, so the lectures aren't even worth attending.
His lectures are super clear, he really makes statistics easy. I did online/asynchronous, but he was always accessible outside of class. Not an insane amount of work, but enough that you really get it. Just watch the videos and take notes on the blank notes he gives you and you will be fine. Homework is often more difficult than the exams.
He is SO FKING NICE!!!!! His homework takes 50%!!! His notes are very clear so we do not need any textbooks. He also provides a video of each chapter. PICK HIM! PICK HIM!
Only 2 weeks into the course and I'd say Matt is hands down one of the best Math prof at UCSB! His lectures are super clear, recorded(even the recording is high quality), organized, and very nice grading distribution towards the students (50% homework and 10% final).
Had Prof Porter for MATH 2A/2B and was able to do well on both with no precalculus experience beforehand. His lectures are a bit monotonous, but if you take notes and go to mathlab to complete the homework assignments you will grasp the content just fine. The grading scale is very fair and the study guides are quite reflective of the test material.
I had Prof Porter for both MATH 2A and MATH 2B, and have absolutely no complaints at all. He is very responsive to emails, and seems to really care about the success of students. Your grade really depends on the amount of effort you put in. There are so many resources to get an A in these classes.
Professor Porter can be a little monotonous while lecturing, but his lectures are extremely clear, he is easily the most accessible professor I've ever had (answers emails the same day), and his tests make sense.
Don't take this class. I physically cried during his midterm. Take literally any other professor. Is this the only math class open? I don't care. Take a math class next semester.
A respectful and accommodating professor. He teaches well, dont be afraid to ask questions. However he did not provide a lot of resources for if youre sick and cant make it to class. Section was very lame, but required. The midterms were fair.
Very clear lectures, explains every step. Posts lecture notes. Webwork is sometimes kinda useless, but the exam review packets are really all the studying you need for the exams. Exam aren't easy but with just some prep you'll get an A. I definitely walked away having learned stuff. Porter's also very unintentionally funny which is nice. Great prof
Good lecturer, would recommend going every time because they really help me understand the material. Homework can take forever sometimes, but does help me get it. Tests are like the practice work but easier.
Professor Porter would be a great professor, in my opinion, if his lectures weren't at 8am. He can be a little monotone and trying to focus at 8am with a teacher always within the same cadence is a struggle. Webwork (online hw) can take forever sometimes but tests are pretty easy and very similar to the review packets.
