Hardest courses in Chemistry

Students report that success requires hard work, specifically completing problem sets and utilizing the many practice exams provided by the instructor.[1, 2, 3]

Historical reviews of Andrew Maza, Jennifer Schomaker: The course demands high standards for comprehension and synthesis, requiring students to stay on top of homework and reading. Learning is hindered if lectures are unclear or if instructors miss class, forcing reliance on self-study or TAs.[1, 2]

The course requires significant effort, with students advised to complete all problem sets and practice exams to succeed. Exams are described as challenging but fair, closely mirroring the provided practice materials, though some students found the workload heavy for the credit value.[1, 2, +2]

Bertram’s exams are characterized as fair and relatively easy, whereas Trate’s tests are reported as difficult and requiring significant study. Reviewers note that Trate’s regular assignments, such as homework and discussions, can make the material easier to grasp.[1, 2, +2]

The course demands substantial homework and pre-class preparation, with exams described as tough and content-heavy, requiring consistent study habits to succeed.[1, 2, 3]

Historical reviews of Clark Landis, John Moore, Judith Burstyn, Sam Pazicni: Students report tough labs, medium to hard homework, and varying exam difficulty. Workload includes weekly typed lab reports, problem sets, and lengthy pre-lectures or quizzes under some instructors, making the class super busy.[1, 2, +3]

Historical reviews indicate the course requires significant time and effort, with some instructors demanding daily engagement and thorough homework completion. Labs are often described as hard or tedious, and exams can be difficult, requiring students to master the material inside and out.[1, 2, 3]

The course is extremely demanding, requiring two long labs weekly and extensive post-lab reports. Students report that office hours are essential for success, and the workload is often considered disproportionate to the credit value.[1, 2, +2]

Historical reviews of Jeanne Hamers, Kyoung-Shin Choi, Linda Zelewski, Lloyd Smith: The project lab is frequently described as time-consuming, confusing, and poorly designed. Homework is also noted as time-consuming, and exams can be difficult.[1, 2, +2]

The course is described as difficult with hard homework assignments that are intended to set students up for success on exams.[1]

Historical reviews of Arun Yethiraj, Qiang Cui: Students reported high difficulty with unclear exam preparation. Reviews cited disconnects between homework, lectures, and tests, with some noting exams covered material not taught in class.[1, 2, +3]

Students report a heavy workload requiring about 10 hours weekly, including frequent exams and extensive textbook reading. The course is fast-paced and difficult, with exams noted as particularly hard and requiring significant study time.[1, 2, 3]

Historical reviews of Hans Reich, Tehshik Yoon: Reviewers describe the course as intellectually challenging and hard-core. The difficulty ratings are generally high, reflecting the rigorous nature of the material covered in this advanced chemistry course.[1, 2, +2]

Reviewers describe the material as insanely difficult and the workload as heavy, requiring many hours of weekly study and completion of all assignments.[1, 2, 3]

Students read handouts and watch videos before class, then complete problems during sessions under Wendt's hands-off guidance.[1]

Students face a heavy weekly workload including homework, quizzes, demos, and in-person experiments, which reviewers say leads to exhaustion by mid-October.[1, 2]

Historical reviews of Andrew Buller: The course requires reading papers and completing assignments, characterized as heavy biology with a high difficulty rating.[1]

The course difficulty is rated as moderate, with a rating of 3 out of 5.[1]

Historical reviews of Bassam Shakhashiri: Reviewers rated the difficulty as low, with scores of 1 and 2 out of 5.[1, 2]