Kathryn Bollinger

School: Texas A&M
Department: Mathematics
Location: College Station, TX
Overall Rating
rated by 7 students
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Rating Comment
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Simply put, avoid Kathryn Bollinger at all costs. Though the course material for MATH 167 is actually enjoyable, and she explains it effectively, she is truly painful to be near, as she seems to think that her students are something akin to middle schoolers, rather than adults paying for higher education. She of course doesn't let students use their phones in class, but she takes it too far by banning their use before or even after class ends, saying that it makes us "better students" and penalizing the entire class if one person is caught (not just for using it, but if a phone is seen, as her TA patrols the exit doors ardently searching for phones after class). It seems like this mindset of making "better students" through petty disciplinary measures is more important to Bollinger than the actual material, as much of her time (and much of the reason why I detest her) seems to be spent on disciplining the class for perceived transgressions, such as talking while papers are being passed back (during which she never fails to shout multiple times "no talking" under the threat of penalization), excusing yourself to use the bathroom during the 75 minute class (as she is prone to stop class and call you out, ironically for disrupting the class), or not completing practice problems, as she punitively gave the entire class "zeroes" for quiz grades for not completing a single problem in the notes. This adversarial relationship which she has created with the class is patronizing at best, as students are treated like they are abjectly incompetent, despite that not being the case. Bollinger's grading schema is also poorly constructed, as there are dozens of quiz grades, both pop-quizzes and more formal quizzes, in addition to the web-assign homework and major tests. Even if you score well on the tests, it's ultimately irrelevant as the usually pop-quizzes count for much of your grade, as there is often a quiz every single day, even during days directly prior to the test, in which she has the class take a "preparation" quiz. Moreover, she grades pettily, and takes off large amounts of points for seemingly ridiculous things, such as giving a number rounded to four decimal places when she asks for an exact number rounded to four decimal places, only to be docked points because it wasn't her definition of exact -- a fraction (which is nonsensical, considering the four decimal places stipulation). Ultimately, though the material is interesting and her teaching (if one does not include externalities such as her demeanor or grading schema) is conducive to learning, Kathryn Bollinger is a poor teacher. Her personal mission to somehow instill character in her students comes off as petty in the extreme and patronizing to her students, leading to the class's general apathy towards the material and herself. Additionally, the amount and frequency of quizzes makes little sense and is not conducive to effectively learning the material in preparation for the exams. Unfortunately, as she has been teaching since the 90's, I do not believe that Bollinger will change her "teaching" style any time soon, and as such, I do not recommend her in the slightest.
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Pros: She knows what she is teaching
Cons: the tests are tricky
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Pros: She knew her stuff
Cons: She was way too picky about the work! She was by far the hardest math professor by far
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Pros: The extra assignments and quizzes help out your grade and help you practice your problems so you can do good in the test.
Cons: No cell phones in class (makes sense)
She is willing to help you learn if you want to learn, so don't miss classes, do your work, and you'll do fine.
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Pros: She has office hours and really wants to be there to help you. If you take your homework to her office hours she will tell you what to fix and then you will get it all right when you turn it in!
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Pros: It's a small class so if you have questions, they're usually answered. She is a great teacher and makes sure you know the material. If you have trouble, she gives you a lot of opportunities to better yourself.
Cons: Don't ever leave you cell phone on. She'll call you out in front of the whole class. Also, the same with sleeping in class. Don't do either!!!
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
this is the prof you want for math 141. hands down. if you can't get in her class i would seriously wait and take your math a diff semester to ensure you get in her class. otherwise you will be miserable.

Refine Your Search

Professor Ratings Search
Search by Department Search by Last Name
Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format