Current instructor

Fabian Waleffe

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.43/5 from 116 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

MATH 321
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
I am going to graduate school to pursue a phD in math. I got a C in Fabian's class. And he likes to pretend like all his students are the problem. Oh no Fabian, you are the problem. A bunch of math, physics, and aerospace majors did not get a C in your class because they are not trying. This class is impossible.
Rate My Professors ↗
MATH 321
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
I wonder why a bunch of math, physics, and aerospace engineering majors all get a C in this class..... is it because the students don't try very hard? Or because Fabian makes the exams impossible bc he gets joy out of everyone saying his class is hard...
Rate My Professors ↗
MAT321 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
20 drawings: the best way to master complex analysis in less than two weeks with no book, 2025, Chernobyl. Pig Latin from a regurgitated math book. Eaten by a Yak and bought a flea market in Siberia. 10 random problems that have no relevant content. No TA took his class.
Rate My Professors ↗
MATH 321
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
I see Fabio's comment. HIS WIFE Leslie Smith is another department chair. All his relatives with the last name Waleffe brag they got a 4.0 in his AMEP program. HE IS SHOWN WRITING HIS OWN REVIEW BELOW. He left UW Madison and was professor at Brown University when his son attended. Grade distribution is bimodal from him cheating the class.
Rate My Professors ↗

Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Fabian Waleffe

MATH 320

Linear Algebra and Differential Equations

3 credits

Introduction to linear algebra and differential equations, emphasizing the connection between linear algebra theory and analytical/numerical techniques for solving differential equations.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.15 GPA, 40.0% A/AB (n=20 letter grades); Spring 2023: 2.88 GPA, 37.5% A/AB (n=8 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.00 GPA, 46.7% A/AB (n=15 letter grades).

Scott HiattShiva Chidambaram+1 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2027MATH 320Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
Spring 2027ME 790Master's Research and Thesis
Spring 2027ME 890Phd Research and Thesis
Spring 2027ME 990Dissertator Research and Thesis
Fall 2026EMA 421Aerodynamics
Fall 2026ME 890Phd Research and Thesis
Fall 2026ME 990Dissertator Research and Thesis

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

Instructor identity & provenance 
{
  "instructor_uid": "instructor_8114d40c33529ed7f3886e46",
  "source": "enrollment",
  "source_instructor_id": "fwaleffe",
  "identity_basis": "netid",
  "identity_status": "source_identified",
  "name": "Fabian Waleffe",
  "email": "FABIAN.WALEFFE@WISC.EDU",
  "first_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
  "last_observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
  "ratings": {
    "review_count": 116,
    "quality": 2.43,
    "difficulty": 4.83,
    "quality_count": 116,
    "difficulty_count": 116,
    "profile_id": "rmp:245451",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/245451",
    "match_basis": "exact_name",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 19:13:00.810619+00:00",
    "courses": {
      "course_cd8a47c5c8808c1cc3427d87": {
        "review_count": 58,
        "quality": 2.93,
        "difficulty": 4.81,
        "quality_count": 58,
        "difficulty_count": 58
      },
      "course_cc1de60e9953cdd9c469e9a5": {
        "review_count": 3,
        "quality": 1.33,
        "difficulty": 4.67,
        "quality_count": 3,
        "difficulty_count": 3
      }
    },
    "bayesian_quality": 2.610763761837716,
    "prior_mean": 3.65919358049647,
    "prior_weight": 20
  },
  "current": true,
  "courses": [
    {
      "course_uid": "course_0002a781bc9543f3a2ac1a94",
      "course_id": "MATH 320",
      "title": "LINEAR ALGEBRA AND DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS",
      "credits_min": 3,
      "credits_max": 3,
      "gpa": 2.948
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_03c4f87e5983019c1d00307b",
      "course_id": "ME 790",
      "title": "MASTER'S RESEARCH AND THESIS",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 9,
      "gpa": null
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_09460e8a4adb09b0cab39d2d",
      "course_id": "ME 990",
      "title": "DISSERTATOR RESEARCH AND THESIS",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 9,
      "gpa": null
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_e33ce416ca88e57dc84c5908",
      "course_id": "ME 890",
      "title": "PHD RESEARCH AND THESIS",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 9,
      "gpa": null
    }
  ],
  "revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "instructor_url": "/instructors/FABIAN_WALEFFE"
}