UCSBPlat.com directly in your GOLD Try it Now
MCDB 139
LOW S H
Seng Low
2.5
238 reviews

238
2.5
MCDB26 . Low S H 11 Months Ago

this is NOT an easy GE. lectures are interesting but the tests are basically a biology test. If you're really into bio i would say take it, but im not a stem person so it was pretty hard. lectures and sections aren't mandatory. very easy weekly quizzes and assignments. tests were honestly the only hard part of the class.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
111 . Low S H 1 Year, 8 Days Ago

First Midterm average was 58% second was 54%. Low is unhelpful and often crass. Despite a multitude of grading errors on both midterms (due to use of AI to grade [supposed to be just students copping out of their work]) she fumes at any regrade request. While I am sure she is capable in her field, this class is a waste of an interesting subject.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
111 . Low S H 1 Year, 23 Days Ago

Average for the first midterm was 58% Half the class dropped. I studied a lot and never went to lecture. She is not approachable at all. Annoyed when you ask her a question, acts as if you are wasting her time, so be prepared to just rely on yourself for this one. Take a different Prof if you can. Needed if you're pre med

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB26 . Low S H 1 Year, 30 Days Ago

DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS. Advertised as an easy GED but consists of extremely hard upper div bio chem concepts. Everyone in my class struggles and the tests have things we hardly talked about in class. Don't take it.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 2 Months Ago

Emphasis material, when this is done it is not on the test. Material is 50/50 slides and lecture material, but tests heavy things barely talked about. don't take.. do this class with anyone else. She's also not very accessible outside of class.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCBD6 . Low S H 1 Year, 2 Months Ago

This class is tough, but manageable if you put in the work. The exams are challenging and cover tiny details, so studying the textbook thoroughly and using tools like Quizlet and Unstuck ai are key. The curve helps, but don't rely on it - stay on top of the material.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 2 Months Ago

I took MCDB 1B in the summer, and Professor Low got more negative reviews than she deserved. She knows the material and sets clear expectations. While her lectures are detail-heavy, all intro bio requires memorization. It's essential to learn to accommodate different teaching styles. Just go to her office hours, and you will do better on tests.

1 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 2 Months Ago

The stuff you learn in MCDB 1B is super complicated and hard, and Low isn't the best person to explain all this content to you. She expects you to know the content as she's lecturing, and one of her favorite things to say during her lectures is, "I told you already!!!" She's low-key kinda funny, but funny doesn't make good professors.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 2 Months Ago

Anything emphasized in class will not be in the test. The questions are designed in very ambiguous ways an often times will compare most to least correct. Also seemingly frustrated at questions.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 2 Months Ago

Looks at student as though they are beneath her. Expects you to memorize everything she says. Anything heavily emphasized will not

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 3 Months Ago

Exams are ridiculously specific, questions comes from obscure concepts touched on during lectures so you have to memorize every word she's saying on top of lecture slides. When asked about the wording/ambiguity of the questions during the exam, she seemed annoyed and gave brief, dismissive answers that offered no help. Would not recommend.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB111 . Low S H 1 Year, 6 Months Ago

It is hard, ngl. But if you can do well, you will remember content for the rest of your life and will ace any physiology MCAT question. Grind every single slide, every single word until you understand. Watch lectures on full volume because she literally SAYING what will be on exam and gives you an answer. Every time the explains, it will be in exam

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 6 Months Ago

Low gets more hate than she deserves just because her tests are SO HARD. Her lectures are hilarious and you can tell she knows her stuff. I put in more work than I ever have for MCDB 1B and it was well rewarded. If you can truly understand what shes teaching, even the minutia, an A is very possible. Test questions were specific but still relevant.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCBD6 . Low S H 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

I did the bare minimum and passed, but tbh it was my past biology knowledge and the curve that saved me. This is a difficult class for PBS majors bc it requires gen chem levels of studying which a lot of people don't realize until it's too late. Drill the textbook.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCBD6 . Low S H 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

Quizzes and practice exams are NOTHING like the actual exams. The exams are very difficult and be prepared to be tested on topics that are only covered in the textbook or briefly in lecture. Lectures are also very dense in material. The article summaries are an actual assignment that counts for credit, not extra credit like she makes it seem.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1B . Low S H 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

insanely difficult exams, and it's just so much material. she vaguely goes over stuff and then adds them to the exam. she's not as bad as ruth, however combined for this course they're no help. the weeder course is definitely weeding. I went to all the lectures, to CLAS, and rewatched ALL her videos, and I still bombed her midterm. boo introbioteam

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB132 . Low S H 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

I'm typically an A/B+ student but I had to withdraw from this course after the first two midterms were graded so difficultly that I was going into the final with a D+. The worst part is, when I asked her about my exams that I felt were marked down incorrectly, she took away MORE POINTS from other questions on my tests and my grade went down more.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCBD6 . Low S H 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

Just don't take this class. trust.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB132 . Low S H 1 Year, 8 Months Ago

She wasn't as bad as some people had said she was but she wasn't great either. The entire grade is based on exams, and she wants extremely specific answers to her test questions. She goes over the material so fast but all lectures were recorded so you can rewatch them whenever needed.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB1A . Low S H 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

Honestly her slides and her lecturing for 1B isn't horrible. She does move fast and you definitely have to utilize the recordings because she moves quickly. However, if you go to her office hours and talk to her after lecture she's very dismissive and does not do a good job answering questions at all. Not approachable at all.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB111 . Low S H 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

grade was determined by weekly section quizzes, two midterms, and a non-cumulative final with averages around 60-65. exams are insanely specific, the frqs are decent in that you can get half credit but the multiple choice section is impossible. go with another professor for this already difficult class

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCDB111 . Low S H 1 Year, 10 Months Ago

The most nit picky test questions ever. Her slides are poorly organized, hard to follow and she jumps around often. I learned more watching youtube lectures from other teachers than in her class. She is kind and passionate I will say that, but thats the only good thing about this class. 10/10 would not recommend or take again.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
MCBD6 . Low S H 1 Year, 11 Months Ago

Primarily graded by exams, & practice tests give unrealistic expectations vs. what is actually given (watch out!). Midterms were doable through creating Quizlets of quiz questions, practice exam questions, lecture questions, etc. and studying it w/ somebody days before each exam. Make sure to really understand processes. Final was VERY difficult.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
111 . Low S H 1 Year, 11 Months Ago

Average scores were 58% and 64% on midterms. I got a 70% and 75% and still got a C+ in the class so the curve is marginal. She only curves at the end of semester after all points are in so you never know what grade you actually have in the class. Just reads off lectures we have no idea what questions might be on exams so rely heavy on section.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful