Professor profile for Gary Berg
Student reviews of Gary Berg
Review from a student who took M 408 D
Rather than just going on and on about how bad the prof. is I think writing survival tips will be more helpful. Because you need to face he fact that there aren't many good math teachers in this college. Do not take his class unless you took BC calc. in highschool with a good teacher.The first half of the course should be a review if you have taken BC. You really need to learn how to teach yourself in this class. Attending class really doesn't help. But do attend it atleast once a week to know which chapter you need to be studying for. Get some help from your friends or UTLC if you are stuck. I attended the final review for this class that was hosted by UTLC and it proved to be very helpful on the final. Make sure that you get perfect scores on the homework. they are worth 20% there are no quizes and the tests are very similar to the practice tests but they are a lot harder. Overall, the class is really not that hard once you stop relying on the prof. to teach you the material.
Rather than just going on and on about how bad the prof. is I think writing survival tips will be more helpful. Because you need to face he fact that there aren't many good math teachers in this college. Do not take his class unless you took BC calc. in highschool with a good teacher.The first half of the course should be a review if you have taken BC. You really need to learn how to teach yourself in this class. Attending class really doesn't help. But do attend it atleast once a week to know which chapter you need to be studying for. Get some help from your friends or UTLC if you are stuck. I attended the final review for this class that was hosted by UTLC and it proved to be very helpful on the final. Make sure that you get perfect scores on the homework. they are worth 20% there are no quizes and the tests are very similar to the practice tests but they are a lot harder. Overall, the class is really not that hard once you stop relying on the prof. to teach you the material.
Review from a student who took M 403L
Dr. Berg is an Ok teacher. He does follow the book. Solutions manuals are a must. Sometimes he wont even change the numbers on his test questions from the solution manual. Most ppl use the cheat sheet to write solved questions rather than formulas and it pays off. If you are lucky in your selection of cheat sheet questions you will get a guaranteed A in his class. I took this class a while ago and i dont think they have it any longer at UT. But i guess you get an idea of his teaching style.
Dr. Berg is an Ok teacher. He does follow the book. Solutions manuals are a must. Sometimes he wont even change the numbers on his test questions from the solution manual. Most ppl use the cheat sheet to write solved questions rather than formulas and it pays off. If you are lucky in your selection of cheat sheet questions you will get a guaranteed A in his class. I took this class a while ago and i dont think they have it any longer at UT. But i guess you get an idea of his teaching style.
Review from a student who took M 408D
He is a very nice guy, but his teaching style is a little boring. His test is really not that hard if you study, so....it's up to you to choose now.
He is a very nice guy, but his teaching style is a little boring. His test is really not that hard if you study, so....it's up to you to choose now.
Review from a student who took M 408D
Perhaps the defining moment in this class was when, during the course of one of his lectures, I decided to open my book and follow along. Lo and behold, the proof he was copying from his notes was also the proof written in the book. Unfortunately he couldn't read his handwriting so the book was actually easier to follow than he was. Moreover, these proofs were the only things he would discuss in class -- and they weren't tested over at all. As a result, this quickly became a self-taught course for me -- something that was made a little easier by the fact that he allows a notecard (front and back) and a calculator of your choosing on his exams. In my class, 20% of the grade was for homework, each exam (3) counted for 20%, and the remaining 20% was the final. The final counted 40% for those students for whom having a dropped test grade would be beneficial. The only redeeming factor for this course was that the TA that I was assigned both realised Dr. Berg's shortcomings, and attempted to fill in where he could. All this taken into consideration, Dr. Berg's class is excellent for those students who are self-starters and can learn calculus completely on their own time. The quality of the course is dictated by the quality of the TA. I got lucky -- you might not.
Perhaps the defining moment in this class was when, during the course of one of his lectures, I decided to open my book and follow along. Lo and behold, the proof he was copying from his notes was also the proof written in the book. Unfortunately he couldn't read his handwriting so the book was actually easier to follow than he was. Moreover, these proofs were the only things he would discuss in class -- and they weren't tested over at all. As a result, this quickly became a self-taught course for me -- something that was made a little easier by the fact that he allows a notecard (front and back) and a calculator of your choosing on his exams. In my class, 20% of the grade was for homework, each exam (3) counted for 20%, and the remaining 20% was the final. The final counted 40% for those students for whom having a dropped test grade would be beneficial. The only redeeming factor for this course was that the TA that I was assigned both realised Dr. Berg's shortcomings, and attempted to fill in where he could. All this taken into consideration, Dr. Berg's class is excellent for those students who are self-starters and can learn calculus completely on their own time. The quality of the course is dictated by the quality of the TA. I got lucky -- you might not.
Review from a student who took 340L
The class lectures are pretty boring but just probably because the material in the class is not particularily exciting. Berg has 3 tests and a final exam. He drops the lowest test grade if your final grade is higher than that grade. He gives weekly homework and i would higly recommend that you do your homework carefully and use the solutions manual as a guide to help you figure out how to solve the problems because they appear on the tests. He gives practice tests which are pretty similar to the actual tests. Read the book. Berg gets his lectures and most of his examples from the book. SO if you can read the textbook and understand the material then you don't really have to attend class lectures. This is not a hard class and if you are willing to read the book, spend time doing the homework and own a solutions manual, an A is within easy reach.
The class lectures are pretty boring but just probably because the material in the class is not particularily exciting. Berg has 3 tests and a final exam. He drops the lowest test grade if your final grade is higher than that grade. He gives weekly homework and i would higly recommend that you do your homework carefully and use the solutions manual as a guide to help you figure out how to solve the problems because they appear on the tests. He gives practice tests which are pretty similar to the actual tests. Read the book. Berg gets his lectures and most of his examples from the book. SO if you can read the textbook and understand the material then you don't really have to attend class lectures. This is not a hard class and if you are willing to read the book, spend time doing the homework and own a solutions manual, an A is within easy reach.
Review from a student who took M 302
Unlike the rest of my class, I liked Dr. Berg. He's pretty straightforward and has a dry sense of humor. Just don't whine about how you think he's condescending when you ask a question! Grow some balls!
Unlike the rest of my class, I liked Dr. Berg. He's pretty straightforward and has a dry sense of humor. Just don't whine about how you think he's condescending when you ask a question! Grow some balls!
Review from a student who took M 408D
Professor Berg is a pretty average 408D prof. His lectures are word for word from the book so going to lecture isn't as necessary as just keeping up with the material is. There is one homework assignment a week, 3 tests, and a comprehensive final. His class isn't too bad as long as you can teach yourself the material and are willing to put in the work to study. His tests are pretty much like the reviews he gets. I've heard he is really good one on one in office hours although I never attended them.
Professor Berg is a pretty average 408D prof. His lectures are word for word from the book so going to lecture isn't as necessary as just keeping up with the material is. There is one homework assignment a week, 3 tests, and a comprehensive final. His class isn't too bad as long as you can teach yourself the material and are willing to put in the work to study. His tests are pretty much like the reviews he gets. I've heard he is really good one on one in office hours although I never attended them.
Review from a student who took 302
People say his lectures are boring but they are very informative, and if you pay attention you don't have to read the book. His grading is very fair. He gives a quiz about once a week that is very simple. You also have a homework assignment once a week that provides you with all the information you need for the test. He also gives you a copy of an old test that is almost identical to the test, so that makes studying very simple. If math isn't your strong point I would definitely suggest him...he is very approachable and willing to help.
People say his lectures are boring but they are very informative, and if you pay attention you don't have to read the book. His grading is very fair. He gives a quiz about once a week that is very simple. You also have a homework assignment once a week that provides you with all the information you need for the test. He also gives you a copy of an old test that is almost identical to the test, so that makes studying very simple. If math isn't your strong point I would definitely suggest him...he is very approachable and willing to help.
Review from a student who took M 408d
I hated every moment of Berg's lectures, it drains the life out of you and his tests aren't as difficult but his grading policy makes the tests impossible to pass if you don't follow his methods of solving problems.
I hated every moment of Berg's lectures, it drains the life out of you and his tests aren't as difficult but his grading policy makes the tests impossible to pass if you don't follow his methods of solving problems.
Review from a student who took M 408D
Berg.... Well, he's a really nice dude as you will discover once you go to his office hours and talk to him in private. His office hours are much more helpful than his lectures. Nontheless, it's a known fact among us who have taken his class that having him as your professor is just not the best idea. Do make sure you have a study partner with whom you check the homework, which accouts 1/5 of the total grade. It's possible to get an almost perfect score on the homework if you try. His tests are easy, if you prepare yourself and make the 3*5 cheat card. Overall, unless you are a math expert and self-taught student, don't take his classes.
Berg.... Well, he's a really nice dude as you will discover once you go to his office hours and talk to him in private. His office hours are much more helpful than his lectures. Nontheless, it's a known fact among us who have taken his class that having him as your professor is just not the best idea. Do make sure you have a study partner with whom you check the homework, which accouts 1/5 of the total grade. It's possible to get an almost perfect score on the homework if you try. His tests are easy, if you prepare yourself and make the 3*5 cheat card. Overall, unless you are a math expert and self-taught student, don't take his classes.
Review from a student who took M 408 D
Berg is the best teacher to take if you want to lower your gpa. I don't know what would've happened to me if I didn't take 408D pass/fail. Berg is the worst teacher I have ever had. He teaches from the book verbatim so going to class is really stupid. Just make sure you get an A+ on every homework for extra cushion due to the difficulty of the exams. Berg lets you use a 3x5 cheat sheet but you'll rarely ever use it.
Berg is the best teacher to take if you want to lower your gpa. I don't know what would've happened to me if I didn't take 408D pass/fail. Berg is the worst teacher I have ever had. He teaches from the book verbatim so going to class is really stupid. Just make sure you get an A+ on every homework for extra cushion due to the difficulty of the exams. Berg lets you use a 3x5 cheat sheet but you'll rarely ever use it.
Review from a student who took M 408c
If you already have experience with calculus, beware, Berg will drastically penalyze you for using methods different from the hw. His monotone voice lectures through theorum's, so class attendence is a joke. Tests aren't hard if you can remember every little step for Berg's method to solve a problem. I made the mistake of simplifying a problem using physics and he criticized it, calling it "bullshit"; first time I ever got every answer correct and failed a test. Get ready to nestle up with your book and spend long hours memorizing primitive pre-cal.
If you already have experience with calculus, beware, Berg will drastically penalyze you for using methods different from the hw. His monotone voice lectures through theorum's, so class attendence is a joke. Tests aren't hard if you can remember every little step for Berg's method to solve a problem. I made the mistake of simplifying a problem using physics and he criticized it, calling it "bullshit"; first time I ever got every answer correct and failed a test. Get ready to nestle up with your book and spend long hours memorizing primitive pre-cal.