Historical instructor

BENEDEK VALKO

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.07/5 from 28 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.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632
Quality 4/5Difficulty 3/5
Benedek is kind of intimidating and can be a jerk at times, although he has consistent lecture material and helpful lecture notes. He isn't as tough as a grader as might be expected, since grading isn't quite as test-heavy and it's based on a maximum of several weights.
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632 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
Valko's Lecture notes would be a good material if you have prepared a huge amount of time to study it. But I do not think anyone should have time to do it as an undergrad unless you have only 2 Major courses and are not doing research. To get an Homework and quiz extension/drops are possible, and homeworks are gigantic.
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MATH/STAT 431
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
I don't get the criticism Valko gets. He gives detailed explanation in class, is happy to help everyone who comes to his OH and once spent 50 min doing review with me. When I had personal diffculties, he gave me extension or drop that HW. He adjusted the exam weights to award gradual improvements. You can get an A without being a math genius.
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MATH/STAT 431
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
If you are not a MATH major student, don't take this course. BV is indeed an understanding prof but his lecture only focused on the textbook. Also gave tough grading and hard questions on exams.
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MATH/STAT 431
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
Valko is very good. As all math teachers, he may seem a little abrasive, but he is genuinely nice and understanding. Each lecture is dense, and covers the topics from the book. There is HW and a quiz due every week. Tests aren't bad if you do practice problems, but you NEED to understand them and do them, tests arent harder than homework.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with BENEDEK VALKO

No teaching recorded in Fall 2026.

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Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

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Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2026MATH 390Undergraduate Research with Madison Experimental Mathematics Lab
Spring 2026MATH 990Reading and Research
Spring 2026MATH/STAT 734Theory of Probability II
Fall 2025ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Fall 2025MATH 990Reading and Research
Spring 2025MATH 390Undergraduate Research with Madison Experimental Mathematics Lab
Spring 2025MATH 990Reading and Research
Spring 2024MATH 390Undergraduate Research with Madison Experimental Mathematics Lab
Spring 2024MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Fall 2023MATH 682Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2023MATH 990Reading and Research
Fall 2023MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Spring 2023MATH 531Probability Theory
Spring 2023MATH 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2022MATH 490Undergraduate Seminar
Fall 2022MATH 698Directed Study
Fall 2022MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Spring 2022ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Spring 2022MATH 490Undergraduate Seminar
Fall 2021ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Fall 2020MATH 990Reading and Research
Fall 2020MATH/STAT 733Theory of Probability I
Spring 2020MATH 531Probability Theory
Fall 2019ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Spring 2019MATH 531Probability Theory
Spring 2019MATH 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2019MATH/STAT 833Topics in the Theory of Probability
Fall 2018MATH 990Reading and Research
Spring 2018MATH 990Reading and Research
Fall 2017MATH 699Directed Study
Fall 2016MATH 699Directed Study
Fall 2016MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Fall 2016MATH/STAT 733Theory of Probability I
Spring 2016MATH 531Probability Theory
Spring 2016MATH 990Reading and Research
Fall 2015MATH 990Reading and Research
Fall 2015MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Spring 2015MATH 531Probability Theory
Spring 2015MATH 699Directed Study
Fall 2014ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Spring 2014MATH 990Reading and Research
Spring 2014MATH/STAT 734Theory of Probability II
Spring 2014MATH/STAT 833Topics in the Theory of Probability
Fall 2013MATH 699Directed Study
Fall 2013MATH 990Reading and Research
Fall 2013MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Spring 2013MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Fall 2012MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability
Spring 2012ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Spring 2012MATH/STAT 833Topics in the Theory of Probability
Fall 2011ISYE/MATH/OTM/STAT 632Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Spring 2011MATH 234Calculus--functions of Several Variables
Spring 2011MATH 990Reading and Research
Spring 2010MATH 635An Introduction to Brownian Motion and Stochastic Calculus
Fall 2009MATH 331Introductory Probability
Fall 2009MATH/STAT 833Topics in the Theory of Probability
Spring 2009MATH/STAT 431Introduction to the Theory of Probability

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

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