“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Raw average: 3.00/5 from 5 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.
For this course: 4.0/5 raw quality · 2.0/5 difficulty · 1
reviews
RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.
William Likos explains material well and engages students, making soil mechanics interesting. Completing homework is sufficient for an easy-going experience.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.34 GPA, 62.9% A/AB (n=35 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.49 GPA, 70.7% A/AB (n=41 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.62 GPA, 79.5% A/AB (n=44 letter grades).
Historical instructors & teaching patterns
William Likos is the current instructor, but available reviews only cover historical teaching by Jesse Hampton. Hampton is described as caring, clear, and helpful, with manageable exams despite hard course material. No reviews exist for Likos to assess his specific teaching style or current course experience.
JESSE HAMPTON is recorded teaching in Spring 2022, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
WILLIAM LIKOS is recorded teaching in Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future
schedule.
Calendar & sections
Fall 2026
Schedule loads here as you scroll.
Section
Mode
Enrolled / capacity
Waitlist
LAB 303
Classroom Instruction
21 / 20
0
LEC 001
Classroom Instruction
57 / 60
0
LAB 301
Classroom Instruction
16 / 20
0
LAB 305
Classroom Instruction
20 / 20
0
LAB 303
Classroom Instruction
0 / 20
0
LEC 001
Classroom Instruction
4 / 60
0
LAB 301
Classroom Instruction
4 / 20
0
LAB 305
Classroom Instruction
0 / 20
0
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
William Likos makes soil mechanics interesting and explains material well, resulting in an easy-going class experience for students who complete the homework.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 2.95 GPA, 23.9% A/AB (n=46 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.28 GPA, 44.1% A/AB (n=34 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.62 GPA, 79.5% A/AB (n=44 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
The course is described as easy-going, with the primary requirement being to do the homework.
Students find the instruction engaging and appreciate that the professor makes the subject more interesting than expected.
Topics
Soil composition, texture, and classification
Permeability and seepage
Consolidation and settlement
Shear strength
Lateral earth pressures and retaining structures
Shallow and deep foundations
Slope stability
Subsurface exploration and laboratory characterization
Skills
Laboratory characterization of soil properties
Analysis of permeability and seepage
Consolidation and settlement analysis
Shear strength evaluation
Design of retaining structures, foundations, and slope stability
Grades
Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Fall 2026.
average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor
Grade distribution · % of letter grades
A52.3%52.3%
AB27.3%27.3%
B15.9%15.9%
BC2.3%2.3%
C2.3%2.3%
D0.0%0.0%
F0.0%0.0%
Grades over time
Through Spring 2026
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Where this course fits relative to
Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels
3.633.63GPA
Higher than 4141% of other courses
in this group.
Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range
4444letter grades
More recorded grades than 2828% of other courses in this group.
Typical course in this group: 66.066.0 letter grades.
About this comparison
1283 courses over the same term, each with at least 30
recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure
of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded
grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.
Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.
Sources & history
UW–Madison
Catalog & offerings
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Catalog observation history
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.