Best professor I have ever met in UCSB. Took the class as a BA upper-div requirement but Bill's lecture was so brilliant and critical that I am obsessed by education after taking his class. Class material is interesting and the class is mainly occupied by group projects and presentations, so go to the class and get an easy passing grade.

This was the worst math professor I've ever had. His lectures are super confusing, there was no textbook to use for reference and the readings he put online were just as confusing. He just kinda yells in class and is generally unapproachable. Syllabus was super vague, homework problems took hours and were much different than lecture.

Truly amazing professor! He design some of the most interesting courses (4BI) and he's really experienced in solving problems. He gave us some interesting problems in CCS classes and asked us to model! Really enjoy the process.

Really amazing teacher. Lectures are detailed and fun, class was very enjoyable to attend. Homework and tests had a good difficulty, not too difficult, not too easy. Take this professor, one of the best at this school so far.

Taking math 8 with jacobs is the best choice. truly captivates the entire class.

Definitely recommend for this class in specific

I haven't had Professor Jacob for a lower div, but I love 111A! His lectures are great if you are interested in the material, and he is very helpful in office hours. He uses a free online textbook too! Homework is very time consuming, but overall one of my favorite classes.

Basically yells at the board during lecture. May be good for upper division, but terrible for lower division stuff. Lectures are pointless; his teaching is like an upside down pyramid. He teaches specifics first, then generalizes, which isn't good for MATH4A.

His explanations of the material were very unclear and what he writes on the board is too fast to keep up with and too messy to read. His explanations usually didn't make sense, probably due to him not explaining half of the material he was going over and barely giving any examples. Tests were nothing like the reviewhomework and too long to finish

Jacob is a really terrible professor. His lectures are boring, uninspired and scattered. Avoid this professor at all costs. He really made my quarter unpleasant. Tests are graded terribly and not curved well at all. Averages in the thirties and forties.

Bill is a brilliant mathematician, but unaccommodating professor. He tries very hard to stimulate his students, but also fails hard at it. The only people who really knew what he was saying in lecture were those who were taking the class again. He has poor organization and makes too many mistakes with his examples. Never gave enough time for tests.

Most confusing professor for Math 4A. DO NOT TAKE HIM FOR THIS CLASS! He teaches it a little backwards, and very difficult to understand what he's even saying most times. The online homework does not help prepare you for exams at all, and his tests are ridiculously hard. Made this quarter miserable for me because I was so confused most of the time.

Find another professor for 4A. Your life will be easier and you will thank me. I thought I knew the material until I saw the tests. If he was going to make the tests this difficult, he should at least prepare students for it, such as post practice midterms or homework with similar difficulty. I've seen other prof's tests, and it's a lot easier.

His tests are ridiculously hard. just avoid Jacob if you can. He will destroy your passion if you don't work hard enough. Homework is short, easy, and somewhat related to the midterms but hardness is not even comparable.

Very very difficult tests especially compared to the averages in the other classes (40-50%) with no generous curve. Avoid at all costs, HW is much too simple for the tests and going to lecture is pretty useless because it is so convoluted and he doesn't really explain what he's talking about.

If you're contemplating Jacob, here: DON'T. He is very hard. Math 4A shouldn't be this hard. His tests are very difficult and designs them that way on purpose. Would avoid him at all costs. Even though webwork is easy, it doesn't count for much

Webwork is so easy which is really nice. Tests are rediculously difficult. THE GRADERS ARE THE WORST! I got a 45% on the first midterm, not because I didn't know the material (I did all of the work right) but because I missed a negative or something. Don't need to memorize theorems and such because he doesn't test on it really.

I'm an international student. And I REALLY had a hard time understanding and following his lectures. Attend EVERY class but USELESS! He drive me CRAZY! Textbook r hard to understand! Never will I take his class AGAIN!

Lectures confused me beyond belief. Thought I understood the material before lecture. Jacob teaches in a way as if he is trying to confuse you. Our midterm test average was 40% if that's any indication to his teaching ability. Avoid if possible.

He encourages students to participate in his lecture. His homeworks are long and hard, but his tests are relatively easy.

VERY VERY helpful if you dont understand go to office hours he is such a helpful professor and a wonderful person

If you're stuck with this guy, take a quarter off or kidnap someone long enough for you to take his spot in another class. He makes complicated questions incomprehensible, insists that you can solve your problems by "guessing" and will throw things you've never seen at you in your midterms. Also, his curve wasn't very generous (though I got an A-).

First off, take CLAS. Lectures are mind-numbing and muddled; excellent sleeping aid. Discussion sections were equally useless. Textbook is absolute garbage. I've ever come across. Tests are predictable but the TAs are out for your blood. Don't get discouraged if the first two tests get sent back with 60s. Take CLAS. It will save you.

If you get this guy CHANGE IMMEDIATELY! The midterms contain stuff from 5A and material he never taught. Also he's a horrible teacher, he talks about one problem while writing about another one people say he curves nicely, but it isn't enough considering that there's no way to prepare for half of the problems he gives. I hope he retires soon.