Current instructor
Original student reviews · all captured dates
This man is the only reason I enjoyed 343. He is super knowledge about the content, will reply to your piazza question at all hours, and is very funny in lectures. DO THE PROBLEM SETS AND GO TO LECTURE- 343 is very doable if you stay on top of the (very heavy) workload and don't try to cram!Rate My Professors ↗
Brian is fantastic. Ochem is a hard class in general but Brian makes the content easy to understand and it is laid out well. All my friends in other lectures came to Brian's lecture with me by the end of the year. By far the best instructor, I recommend taking him if possible and changing your schedule to be in his lecture.Rate My Professors ↗
This class was relatively hard in the beginning, but Brian really helps us grasp the concepts, rather than memorizing patterns. I would highly recommend going to his office hours and using piazza for help, as you will understand fundamentals for the course and how to connect ideas, all while listening to Brian's jokes. What more could you want!Rate My Professors ↗
He was a good teacher but the class was very difficult.Rate My Professors ↗
Chem 343 is defiantly not an easy course but he is a great professor. If I hadn't been so busy I really recommend reading the textbook and watching lecture videos in person and then later on your own (he records every one). Good luck! Also- attend his office hours. He is super kind and willing to helpRate My Professors ↗
Really funny guy who is clearly very passionate about what he teaches. Probably my favorite prof I've ever had. Genuinely might convince me to get a PhD in chemistry. He knows what he's talking about and makes a difficult class very enjoyable. Gives a lot of coolness at parties advice so listen upRate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Introductory organic chemistry laboratory course covering synthesis, purification, characterization techniques, and critical interpretation of experimental data.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Brian Esselman
Brian Esselman teaches a demanding course with 2+ hour labs and 5+ hour postlab reports. Students found him approachable, though some criticized the disorganization, TAs giving wrong answers, and reliance on old videos. Exams were manageable for those who stayed on top of the material, but lab grading criteria were sometimes confusing.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Organic Chemistry II covers molecular structure and bonding to predict reactivity in aromatic, benzylic, allylic, and carbonyl systems, emphasizing stereochemistry, regiochemistry, and spectroscopic analysis.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Brian Esselman
Brian Esselman taught with clear lectures and provided practice exams and problem sets that students found helpful for preparation. He emphasized understanding concepts over memorization, while exams were described as difficult and requiring significant study time. One student noted the course graded on four exams and three quizzes.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
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