# JAKE VANDER ZANDEN — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison

[View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/JAKE_VANDER_ZANDEN--instructor_82860df2933fba8496096111)

## Dataset

### revision

e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349

### repository

twangodev/uwcourses

### schema version

6

### importer version

7

### projection id

85abe9ff8837c2c5a134368dcc4cfc85eb723524b21ddeb3d2e953887d2f0c8f

### observed at

2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00

### built at

2026-09-11T07:45:51.576183+00:00

### courses

8951

### current instructors

5754

### limited

false

### terms

* 1272
* 1264
* 1262
* 1254
* 1252
* 1244
* 1242
* 1234
* 1232
* 1224
* 1222
* 1212
* 1204
* 1202
* 1194
* 1192
* 1184
* 1182
* 1174
* 1172
* 1164
* 1162
* 1154
* 1152
* 1144
* 1142
* 1134
* 1132
* 1124
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* 1114
* 1112
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* 1094
* 1092
* 1084
* 1082
* 1074
* 1072

### term

1272

### departments

| subject   | count |
| --------- | ----- |
| AAE       | 90    |
| ABT       | 20    |
| ACCTIS    | 36    |
| ACTSCI    | 14    |
| AFAERO    | 10    |
| AFRICAN   | 87    |
| AFROAMER  | 71    |
| AGROECOL  | 21    |
| AMERIND   | 53    |
| ANAT\&PHY | 7     |
| ANATOMY   | 2     |
| ANESTHES  | 8     |
| ANSCI     | 57    |
| ANTHRO    | 95    |
| ART       | 125   |
| ARTED     | 10    |
| ARTHIST   | 121   |
| ASIALANG  | 129   |
| ASIAN     | 109   |
| ASIANAM   | 28    |
| ASTRON    | 38    |
| ATMOCN    | 69    |
| BIOCHEM   | 51    |
| BIOCORE   | 10    |
| BIOLOGY   | 14    |
| BIOMDSCI  | 18    |
| BME       | 66    |
| BMI       | 41    |
| BMOLCHEM  | 10    |
| BOTANY    | 69    |
| BSE       | 44    |
| C\&ESOC   | 73    |
| CBE       | 48    |
| CHEM      | 101   |
| CHICLA    | 52    |
| CIVENGR   | 133   |
| CLASSICS  | 47    |
| CNP       | 10    |
| CNSRSCI   | 50    |
| COMARTS   | 137   |
| COMPBIO   | 15    |
| COMPLIT   | 11    |
| COMPSCI   | 138   |
| COUNPSY   | 78    |
| CRB       | 19    |
| CS\&D     | 71    |
| CSCS      | 40    |
| CURRIC    | 193   |
| DANCE     | 93    |
| DERM      | 8     |
| DS        | 88    |
| DYSCI     | 35    |
| ECE       | 155   |
| ECON      | 145   |
| EDPOL     | 114   |
| EDPSYCH   | 97    |
| ELPA      | 70    |
| EMA       | 53    |
| EMERMED   | 17    |
| ENGL      | 206   |
| ENTOM     | 40    |
| ENVIRST   | 148   |
| EP        | 15    |
| EPD       | 67    |
| ESL       | 16    |
| F\&WECOL  | 60    |
| FAMMED    | 22    |
| FINANCE   | 50    |
| FOLKLORE  | 40    |
| FOODSCI   | 43    |
| FRENCH    | 63    |
| GEN\&WS   | 145   |
| GENBUS    | 72    |
| GENECSLR  | 17    |
| GENETICS  | 60    |
| GEOG      | 113   |
| GEOSCI    | 83    |
| GERMAN    | 82    |
| GLE       | 48    |
| GNS       | 38    |
| GREEK     | 27    |
| HDFS      | 41    |
| HEBR-BIB  | 13    |
| HEBR-MOD  | 10    |
| HISTORY   | 233   |
| HISTSCI   | 56    |
| HONCOL    | 13    |
| ILS       | 43    |
| INFOSYS   | 9     |
| INTEGART  | 7     |
| INTEGSCI  | 22    |
| INTER-AG  | 18    |
| INTER-HE  | 11    |
| INTER-LS  | 22    |
| INTEREGR  | 16    |
| INTLBUS   | 21    |
| INTLST    | 50    |
| ISYE      | 83    |
| ITALIAN   | 53    |
| JEWISH    | 56    |
| JOURN     | 88    |
| KINES     | 128   |
| LACIS     | 26    |
| LANDARC   | 61    |
| LATIN     | 24    |
| LAW       | 120   |
| LEGALST   | 48    |
| LINGUIS   | 35    |
| LIS       | 89    |
| LITTRANS  | 78    |
| LSC       | 52    |
| M\&ENVTOX | 7     |
| MARKETNG  | 62    |
| MATH      | 153   |
| MDGENET   | 8     |
| ME        | 130   |
| MEDHIST   | 43    |
| MEDICINE  | 60    |
| MEDIEVAL  | 32    |
| MEDPHYS   | 39    |
| MEDSC-M   | 29    |
| MEDSC-V   | 41    |
| MHR       | 68    |
| MICROBIO  | 45    |
| MILSCI    | 16    |
| MM\&I     | 22    |
| MOLBIOL   | 6     |
| MS\&E     | 59    |
| MUSIC     | 165   |
| MUSPERF   | 126   |
| NAVSCI    | 20    |
| NE        | 44    |
| NEURODPT  | 11    |
| NEUROL    | 7     |
| NEURSURG  | 4     |
| NTP       | 11    |
| NURSING   | 111   |
| NUTRSCI   | 65    |
| OBS\&GYN  | 18    |
| OCCTHER   | 39    |
| ONCOLOGY  | 14    |
| OPHTHALM  | 5     |
| OTM       | 43    |
| PATH      | 34    |
| PATH-BIO  | 29    |
| PEDIAT    | 26    |
| PHARMACY  | 31    |
| PHILOS    | 77    |
| PHMCOL-M  | 11    |
| PHMPRAC   | 45    |
| PHMSCI    | 60    |
| PHYASST   | 37    |
| PHYSICS   | 88    |
| PHYSIOL   | 3     |
| PHYTHER   | 37    |
| PLANTSCI  | 52    |
| PLPATH    | 35    |
| POLISCI   | 192   |
| POPHLTH   | 58    |
| PORTUG    | 33    |
| PSYCH     | 101   |
| PSYCHIAT  | 22    |
| PUBAFFR   | 54    |
| PUBLHLTH  | 23    |
| RADIOL    | 11    |
| REALEST   | 41    |
| RELIGST   | 90    |
| RHABMED   | 9     |
| RMI       | 24    |
| RP\&SE    | 102   |
| S\&APHM   | 17    |
| SCANDST   | 73    |
| SLAVIC    | 89    |
| SOC       | 149   |
| SOCWORK   | 87    |
| SOILSCI   | 46    |
| SPANISH   | 83    |
| SRMED     | 21    |
| STAT      | 94    |
| STDYABRD  | 52    |
| STS       | 8     |
| SURGERY   | 25    |
| SURGSCI   | 33    |
| THEATRE   | 91    |
| URBRPL    | 60    |
| UROLOGY   | 5     |
| ZOOLOGY   | 89    |

## instructor

### instructor uid

instructor\_82860df2933fba8496096111

### source

legacy

### identity basis

name\_only

### identity status

unresolved

### name

JAKE VANDER ZANDEN

### first observed at

2025-12-14 04:50:04.653658+00:00

### last observed at

2026-01-22 01:00:26.555427+00:00

### ratings

#### review count

15

#### quality

4.27

#### difficulty

2.73

#### quality count

15

#### difficulty count

15

#### profile id

rmp:762027

#### source url

<https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/762027>

#### match basis

exact\_name

#### observed at

2026-09-07 16:34:58.189669+00:00

#### courses

##### course 0997024aa4ed7f1025c826a4

###### review count

1

###### quality

3

###### difficulty

5

###### quality count

1

###### difficulty count

1

#### bayesian quality

3.9212490191694833

#### prior mean

3.6596857835465957

#### prior weight

20

### current

false

### courses

None recorded.

### revision

e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349

### instructor url

/instructors/JAKE\_VANDER\_ZANDEN--instructor\_82860df2933fba8496096111

## history

None recorded.

## timeline

None recorded.

## term

1272

## courses

None recorded.

## reviews

### items

```json
[
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:34:58.189669+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyMDg2OTcy",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:762027",
    "instructor_name": "Jake Vander Zanden",
    "course_label": "ZOO115",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2025-12-08 01:32:01 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Jake was one of my favorite professors this semester. He is extremely funny, making his lectures very fun. We took many small field trips, which allowed us to learn in the real world. Overall, great experience, would retake his classes!",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/762027",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 2
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:34:58.189669+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM5ODU4Nzgy",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:762027",
    "instructor_name": "Jake Vander Zanden",
    "course_label": "LIMN315",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2024-10-27 19:02:48 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Jake is a great guy with immense knowledge and passion for his craft. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in his class and would recommend him to anyone. ",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/762027",
    "quality_rating": 4,
    "difficulty_rating": 2
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:34:58.189669+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMzMzU4Mzc2",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:762027",
    "instructor_name": "Jake Vander Zanden",
    "course_label": "ZOO510",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2020-05-23 02:45:47 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "I really enjoyed Prof. VZ and his lectures. He made class loads of fun, along with Prof. Lyons, and you can tell he is passionate about his area of study. Highly recommend taking his class!",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/762027",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 2
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:34:58.189669+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMwNjE3MzI2",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:762027",
    "instructor_name": "Jake Vander Zanden",
    "course_label": "ZOO510",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2018-10-26 23:20:45 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Probably one of the best professors that I have ever had at UW-Madison. He is so smart and really loves exactly what he is teaching. If you love animals, especially fish, this is definitely the class for you! He really loves when you engage with lectures, so if you are curious about something feel free to ask questions. A pretty awesome guy overall",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/762027",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 3
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:34:58.189669+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI0NzQ5NzA2",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:762027",
    "instructor_name": "Jake Vander Zanden",
    "course_label": "ZOO510",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2015-05-05 22:36:34 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Loved him. Made me really like fish ecology. Doesn't post his lecture slides so go to lecture.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/762027",
    "quality_rating": 4,
    "difficulty_rating": 3
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:34:58.189669+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTIzMjAyOTQ4",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:762027",
    "instructor_name": "Jake Vander Zanden",
    "course_label": "ZOO510",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2014-05-08 21:20:44 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Excellent professor, had him for limnology but he was even better for ecology of fishes. Kept lecture interesting and fair grading. Few easy papers and projects, and reasonable tests. Excellent zoology course.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/762027",
    "quality_rating": 4,
    "difficulty_rating": 2
  }
]
```

### total

15

### page

1

### courses

| course\_uid                      | course\_id          |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------- |
| course\_0997024aa4ed7f1025c826a4 | ENVIRST/ZOOLOGY 315 |

### matched

true

## social Image

false