One of my best professors at UCSB (and I had to retake 109B!). Despite my failings, she was incredibly accessible, fair, and became a mentor to me - playing a large role in helping me turn a 2.4 GPA into a degree with honors. Her courses aren't easy, but if you study hard and read the book you'll be able to nail 'em. Face it, o-chem's rough!

Humbleness is a virtue Bruice has yet to learn. Very arrogant woman who is very rude in office hours unless you score really well on her exams in which case she'll love you and treat you like her pet. If not, be prepared to be treated like the dumbest human being on the planet. In order to do well you must memorize the book

Need to know EVERYTHING in the book to do well. Fair grader. This class requires at least 3 times the amount of studying as most classes, the amount of material covered is insane, although not neccesarily hard. Really cold and rude in office hours, her arrogant personality is what really put me off

The only way to do well in this class is to read the book. It's alot of work but if you read the book and do the problems there is no reason you shouldn't do well. Her tests are very fair.

I really liked her personality and feel like she's a good teacher who knows what she's talking about. The book is really helpful, I learned more from the book. You really need to be diligent and constantly keep up with the material. The final is BRUTAL and she doesn't curve.

To the person below; Maybe if you read the book, then you would understand why she talked about that. But that is really what it comes down to, the book. Paula is... decent at lecturing but her book is the best. If you really want to learn and do well on her tests, you're going to have to read the book, not depend on the professor.

Lectures are difficult to follow. She just rambles on about how red unicorns and green dragons make brown rhinos even though this doesn't make any sense. Also, about how successful her and her dog are. Something about her makes me want to punch her in the face.

Superb class - Only the strong shall survive. Many students complain about the time commitment required for 109ABC, but then again, many students lack a good work ethic and resent having to work hard for their grades. If you are diligent you will find the class to be very interesting & fairly graded. If not - welcome to the real world, kids!

Very clear teaching, but too fast to learn things in depth from lecture. Very fair grading system, but three midterms and a final in one quarter can be overwhelming. Textbook = class.

Took her for 109A and B. Her tests are very long but not too hard if you study enough. This class will be your life if you want it to get a good/decent grade. If you want to get an A or B heres what you need to do: 1. Read her book 2. Read her book 3. Read her book and 4. Know how to do pretty much any problem in it. Her tests are like the book ?s

On her syllabus, she tells you exactly what you need to do to succeed in her class. Read the book, take notes in class and from the book, re-read your notes, and do the homework. There are no surprises on her tests and as long as you work at it a little and study, you should be fine.

Not a great lecturer, but the tests are fair and are from the book. Reading and understanding the book is essential to do well in her classes. Multiple choice on the tests can be found online from the book website. Definitely use clas if you like taking lecture notes

her tests are problems from the book. take the practice test at the end of the chapter in the solution manual. she recycles questions a lot. her lectures go way too fast so read on your own and take clas. go to her office hour if you can ask an intellectual question, if not prepare to get laughed at

She needs to go far far away from human civilization

Good professor, really knows the subject (she wrote the book, so she should). She goes through the material very quickly because she expects you to read the textbook. Make sure you do read the book and do the problems. It's the best way to study for the tests.

So awesome! She is such a good teacher. Only complaint is that she is really short with you during office hours. Other than that, I could not ask for better!!! Of course you will need to study, so in that sense it is 'hard'. But read the book and you will understand it. Simple as that!

Could not stand Bruice. She read from the textbook during class, quoting herself (since she wrote the textbook of course) and saying how good she was. She made me hate the O-Chem series and to this day when I think of o-chem, I shudder at the thought of Bruice. She was my least favorite teacher of all time, hands down. To this day, a decade later.

Hands down best professor at UCSB. Very passionate about the subject and it really rubs off on her students.

She is ruthless. If your best friend or a family member dies the day before a final or midterm you must still take the test even if a funeral service conflicts with the exam.

Super hard class. It will be you're life. You will live breathe, eat, and sleep ochem, but if you're about the top 10-15 students, she takes you out to lunch! The book is the best book ever written, follow the book, and you will ace her test, and she's really nice!

I feel so proud to be done with ochem and to actually have understood most of it. The textbook is the BEST science text I have ever read. It's written in plain everyday language and none of that science jargon. I based my learning off of that, because she just recites from it in class. The problems are sort of fun once you get the hang of it!

For those of you who are pre-med, I was talking to a doctor prior to taking this class and he said Organic Chem does not test how smart you are, it tests how badly you want to go to medical school. This is VERY true. The material is not difficult to comprehend. Expect to do a lot of problems, and put in A LOT of time.

You will get an A+ in this class if you do all of the assigned book problems. She recycles the book problems and study guide problems as test questions. Do not take notes while in class. Just sit there and listen to her lectures. Skipping lecture can be useful. She takes you out to lunch if you earn an A+. About 10 people in the class got an A+.

Easiest A i've ever gotten in any chemistry class. seriously, her tests are super-predictable, and she is probably the most helpful professor i have ever encountered during office hours. you will not regret taking her class. just do all the problems in the book, or at least skim them, and you will ace this class.