Lyle Isaacs

School: University of Maryland
Department: Chemistry
Location:College Park, MD
Overall Rating
rated by 12 students
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Rating Comment
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
 Pros: Nice guy
Exams are fine if you practice
Straightforward exams
Cons: Kinda boring
How to get an A in Orgo II: do the practice exams. All of them. Do them. Especially for the final. I destroyed the final and it locked me in for an A (I was borderline B+/A-). GSS isn’t really helpful for orgo II, because Isaacs teaches DIRECTLY out of the book. His problems are almost all exactly the same from the book. Accidently YOLO’d too hard the night before and missed class the next morning? No worries, just read the book. (But don’t skip class a lot, you’ll get behind and screw yourself over) If you have questions go to his problem sessions, he’s really nice and receptive during them. This entire class is weighted on exams, so don’t slack on those. No homework, no extra credit. There are clicker questions, which help a tiny bit. But you have to do well on the exams, that’s the key!! Orgo II is just mechanisms and practice, so focus on that. Isaacs is a little dry as a professor, but better than Doyle, and not as good as M.S. but he tries to make jokes sometimes, and he’s excited about chemistry, which helps. (I've heard he's not the best for orgo I so avoid him for that course)
Overall
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 Pros: -Knows a lot about chem
-Exams almost always contain problems from suggested book problems, SO DO THEM ITS EASY POINTS (could also contain problems from class)
-Always asks if there are questions
Cons: -What may seem like common sense to him might be complete jargon to you
He's a nice guy, I don't know why there were bad reviews on ratemyprofessor.com . He knows a lot about chem and is wiling to help you out provided you had already put in some effort first. Don't be afraid to ask questions, as many people do when he tends to not make sense.
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 Most terrible teacher I've ever had. He seems like an ok guy don't get me wrong but this professor has put me through hell. His exams are the hardest things I've ever taken.. Even if you think you know the material, your test results will prove to you otherwise. DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. Also studying doesn't help at all
Overall
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 Cons: TESTS are harder than other professor.
Tests have more problems to work through with not enough time.
Teacher doesn't realize he is harder than other teachers, thinks tests are easy.
Does not go through enough mechanism problems.
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 Pros: nothing
Cons: awful. do not take him
Overall
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 Pros: He is extremely smart when it comes to matters of Organic Chem and it shows in lecture. He teaches straight from the book, with linear progression.
Cons: Only teaches with examples, moves too quickly in lecture to learn anything requiring much outside of class note review and textbook reading.
He is bitter, favors extremely hard examples, and is far from sympathetic when it comes to grading. His first lecture detailed how the class test average should be 50% so that students are stretched to capacity for learning new material.
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 Pros: Great teacher. Very engaging
Cons: Grades only consist of exams
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 Pros: NONE
Cons: INFINITE !
DONT TAKE. DONT TAKE ..... one more thing ... DONT TAKE ! Take Dixon*/Ammon/ Khacik, they actually help you and teach you the right way rather than some no-life randomly writing crap and the board and treats his students as if they are worthless trash. Take me word for it, DO NOT TAKE ORGO WITH THIS MAN !
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 Pros: Provided past exams and the new exams resembled past exams, questions taken from the book
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 Pros: Unfortunately I can't think of anything good to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cons: He's just horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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 Just like any other orgo class, 80% up is an A. Really knows his stuff and is into it. Lecture questions are a good example of tests. Do the HW out of the books, go to discussion. Read the book before lecture and after if you need help on a part. Really good in office hours to discuss problems. Will make you think on exams, but they are absolutely doable.
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Easiness
 Horrible. Does not respect students' concerns and does not teach well. You will learn nothing from him and his tests are harder than you can even expect.
DO NOT take his class if you can help it.

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