UCSBPlat.com directly in your GOLD Try it Now

HOLMES D E

Dawn Holmes

164 reviews
Test heavy Graded by few things Tough grader Skip class? You won't pass. Lecture heavy Clear grading criteria Caring Respected Participation matters Accessible outside class Lots of homework Gives good feedback Amazing lectures Hilarious Tests are tough Tests? Not many Would take again Beware of pop quizzes So many papers
Past quarters
PSTAT 8
75 / 150 Enrolled
Transition to Data Science, Probability and Statistics
Dawn Holmes 3.2
M W
12:30 PM - 13:45 PM
46.1% A
See All
PSTAT 8 Holmes D E Spring 2025 Total: 69
PSTAT 10 Holmes D E Spring 2025 Total: 235
PSTAT 8 Holmes D E Winter 2025 Total: 68
PSTAT 10 Holmes D E Fall 2024 Total: 287
See All
PSTAT8 . Holmes D E 5 Months Ago

Super sweet grandma type of lady but didn't bother to put effort/do anything in lecture outside reading notes/writing examples off slides She's better off retiring and you're better off skipping, got an A skipping most lectures Sections are required tho and TA was amazing explaining concepts/questions, that's where I got most learning/studying done

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 5 Months Ago

Avoid her at all costs! she's sweet lady but a terrible teacher who makes the course unnecessarily hard. The grade is based on two midterms(20%x2) and a final(50%).The midterms were very tricky. Prepare to face 50 ridiculous questions for the final. Students have been complaining about the unfairness of the questions for years but she doesn't care.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT8 . Holmes D E 5 Months Ago

don't take her. probably a nice grandmother though

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 6 Months Ago

The exams are not related to the lectures. If this is a major course for you and you want to get an A, RUN!!!! Exams are worth 90% of your grade, and no way to get a good grade on exams.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT8 . Holmes D E 8 Months Ago

I do not recommend taking any course with Professor Holmes. It seemed that Holmes put in as little effort as possible to teach, and actively tried to make learning harder for students. The course content is not difficult, however, and it was fairly easy to get an A. Grades are curved. Go to lecture/section and you'll do better than most.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT8 . Holmes D E 8 Months Ago

I don't recommend taking PSTAT 8 with Holmes. Our grades were based on 3 midterms and 1 final. She would just read from her slides so attending lectures wasn't helpful. I recommend taking it with a different professor, as your grade is entirely based on the midterms and final, with only 10% of your grade coming from attendance in the TA section.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 8 Months Ago

Took PSTAT10 with her over Fall quarter and was a terrible decision. She is a very nice lady, but the way the grading in the class was structured was very poor. The final was all MCQ and worth 50% of our grade. Final was completely different material than what she goes over in lecture. Worse class/grade I had so far at UCSB.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 9 Months Ago

Very nice lady, but vast majority of the grade was the two midterms and the final. Midterms weren't bad. Final, while said to be cumulative, was mostly the last few lectures and much harder. She curved it so I ended up with a B- in the class but as the final was worth 50% it tanked my grade from an A to a C+ before the curve. Be ready to work.

1 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 11 Months Ago

The final was 50% of the grade and was quite difficult. If you keep up with the homework, worksheets, and lectures then the class isn't too difficult. The final was tough but she curved the grade. I personally wouldn't go to the professors office hours, go to the TA instead.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 11 Months Ago

Cool prof, spoke to her during the quarter in OH/before class. Given my grade though, it wasn't her teaching style, but the 2 midterms+intimidating 50% final w/ detail-heavy questions which make up a majority of your grade that makes it tough (as others said). She curves but unless you want a challenging intro to R/data science, I'd look elsewhere

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 11 Months Ago

prof is a sweet lady. lectures are good, make sure to read through the slides and take notes beforehand. midterms were fine, very detail oriented. however, the final was insane. super detail oriented on things no one would study or know. make sure you study every single possible detail of codes, syntax, rules, and even the possible error codes

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
PSTAT10 . Holmes D E 11 Months Ago

Holmes's attitude was rude and her questions extremely unfair, you quickly get the overwhelming sense she does not want you to succeed, worst professor I have had, for years students have been telling her that her questions are unfair but nothing changes

1 helpful 0 unhelpful