Historical instructor

NICK BALSTER

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.20/5 from 64 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

ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Dr. Balster has immense respect and care for his students, he makes a point to learn everyone's name. His lectures were engaging and informative but required you to pay close attention. You cannot be a complacent learner otherwise you will fall behind, however, Dr. Balster offers many opportunities for support and will meet you in the middle.
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230SOIL · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 4/5
Dr. Balster is truly a great professor. This class is definitely difficult (especially if you are not a STEM major), but it is so worth it for a lecturer as engaging and passionate as he is! Attendance is basically mandatory (but you won't really want to miss class anyway). Light readings, lots of extra credit opportunities, and written notes only.
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SOIL250 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
Dr. Balster is a strict professor but extremely passionate and very friendly. He may seem tough but he ultimately just wants you to learn the material. Honestly, what you put in is what you take out, so you might need to give a little extra effort but it'll pay off Heads up, there is a good amount of reading so be aware of that :)
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230SOILS · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
No matter how much you study, it is never enough. Willing to sell my soul to pass. His quizzes and exams are quite literally impossible
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230SOIL · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
Do not take his classes. Classes are way too hard for them, being intro classes for many majors. Class time is spent talking about nothing that will help you on exams, and when students come up unhappy with their grades, they are told that thinking wrong is incorrect. Makes it hard to skip class by having many in class quizes
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230SOIL · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
dont suggest. exams are not well prepared for in class. asked help multiple times and kept saying its "logically" based thinking. what does that even mean..
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with NICK BALSTER

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 2026ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2026F&WECOL 410Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology
Spring 2026F&WECOL 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2026SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2026SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2025AGROECOL 303Agroecological Systems: Working Towards Sustainability
Fall 2025SOILSCI 250Introduction to Environmental Science
Fall 2025SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2025SOILSCI 399Coordinative Internship/cooperative Education
Fall 2025SOILSCI 990Research
Spring 2025ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2025F&WECOL 410Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology
Spring 2025F&WECOL 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2025SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2025SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Spring 2025SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2024ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2024F&WECOL 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2024SOILSCI 250Introduction to Environmental Science
Fall 2024SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2024SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Fall 2024SOILSCI 990Research
Spring 2024ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2024F&WECOL 410Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology
Spring 2024F&WECOL 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2024SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2024SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2023ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2023F&WECOL 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2023SOILSCI 250Introduction to Environmental Science
Fall 2023SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2023SOILSCI 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2023ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2023F&WECOL 410Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology
Spring 2023SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2023SOILSCI 699Special Problems
Fall 2022ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2022SOILSCI 250Introduction to Environmental Science
Fall 2022SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2022ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2022SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2021ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2021SOILSCI 250Introduction to Environmental Science
Fall 2021SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2021SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2020ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2020SOILSCI 250Introduction to Environmental Science
Fall 2020SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2020SOILSCI 699Special Problems
Fall 2020SOILSCI 990Research
Spring 2020ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2020SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2020SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2019ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2019SOILSCI 250Introduction to Environmental Science
Fall 2019SOILSCI 301General Soil Science
Fall 2019SOILSCI 399Coordinative Internship/cooperative Education
Spring 2019ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2019SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Fall 2018ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2018SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Spring 2018ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2018EPD 654Teaching in Science and Engineering
Spring 2018SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2018SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Spring 2018SOILSCI 875Special Topics
Spring 2018SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2017SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2017SOILSCI 990Research
Spring 2017ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2017EPD 654Teaching in Science and Engineering
Spring 2017SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2017SOILSCI 399Coordinative Internship/cooperative Education
Spring 2017SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Spring 2017SOILSCI 875Special Topics
Spring 2017SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2016ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2016SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2016SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Fall 2016SOILSCI 990Research
Spring 2016ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2016EPD 654Teaching in Science and Engineering
Spring 2016SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Spring 2016SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Spring 2016SOILSCI 875Special Topics
Spring 2016SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2015ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2015SOILSCI 299Independent Study
Fall 2015SOILSCI 399Coordinative Internship/cooperative Education
Fall 2015SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Fall 2015SOILSCI 990Research
Spring 2015ENVIRST/GEOG/SOILSCI 230Soil: Ecosystem and Resource
Spring 2015EPD 654Teaching in Science and Engineering
Spring 2015SOILSCI 399Coordinative Internship/cooperative Education
Spring 2015SOILSCI 728Graduate Seminar
Spring 2015SOILSCI 875Special Topics
Spring 2015SOILSCI 990Research
Fall 2014ENVIRST 600Environmental Studies Capstone
Fall 2014SOILSCI 301General Soil Science
Fall 2014SOILSCI 699Special Problems

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

Instructor identity & provenance 
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