AI Rate Professor

Mathematics

I-Shen Lai

MATH8 · MATH54 · MATH81 · MATH2568 · MATH15 · CALCULUS2 · MATH11 · MATH7 · 164 lifetime ratings

AI rating
88/100
RMP rating
4.6/5
Take again
88.73%
Difficulty
2.8

The decision

if you want to truly learn math with a if you only want a free A.

Best fit · Hardcore LearnerBest math professor at SMCPassionate and funnyExtra credit abundantFair but hard examsOffice hours champion
  • Students overwhelmingly call her the best math professor for Calc 2, Calc 3, and related courses.
  • You learn a lot and can earn an A with , and her study guides.
  • , and some reports of very hard or timed exams.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

HardWork

42/100

A is doable with , and study guides, but many stress it is not a free or easy A.

effort is required; online and .

Is the course easy?

Challenging

32/100

Multivariable calc and calc sequence content is hard; lectures help but self-study and workshop time are essential.

In-person Math 11 draws the strongest hard-class warnings; online is still demanding.

Is attendance flexible?

Mandatory

38/100

Many sections mark attendance mandatory or warn that skipping means you will not pass, though some list optional.

In-person and online both often require presence; a minority report optional attendance.

Is this professor recommended?

MustTake

88/100

Vast majority recommend her as the top math pick despite difficulty; a .

Recommendation is strong in both formats, with most volume and passion from in-person students.

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Fair

58/100

Partial credit and help, but and real challenge.

Format shift

A ; online more often says exams are fair if you study.

Workload

Heavy

34/100

Expect , and serious exam prep hours.

Format shift

Heavy workload complaints appear mainly in in-person Math 7/11; online also requires daily practice.

Teaching experience

Excellent

90/100

, and exceptional office-hour support define the majority experience.

Format shift

Online and in-person both praise teaching; a .

Assessment method

FocusOnExams

78/100

Exams and finals drive success; homework and study guides prepare you but .

Format shift

Test-heavy tags appear across formats; .

Luni fit check

Weigh these signals against your actual schedule.

Get help balancing workload, grading, and timing when no option is an obvious fit.

Course format

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Classroom format

In person

39 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In-person reviews dominate with rave praise for passion, workshops, review sessions, and life-changing teaching, plus a .

Main concern

Some students feel and require 10+ hours of .

What students said

“She is the .”
MATH11
“Is her class easy? No. But is she an amazing professor who cares about her students”
MATH8
“Absolutely horrible... So ... ”
MATH7

Remote format

Online

11 reviews

Medium confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward

Online students still , and strong support, while noting you must put in daily work.

Main concern

Keep pace daily; organization is strong but the subject volume remains high.

What students said

“she gives you everything you need to do well BUT YOU MUST DO THE WORK.”
MATH8
“ as the questions in the notes and hw.”
MATH11
“One of the . You can tell she really loves her job.”
MATH11

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exams are fair for prepared students and often mirror study guides, but can feel hard, timed, or proof-heavy.

Study guides similar to examsProof-based questions reportedExtra credit opportunitiesOccasional strict proctoring

Assessment risk

Standard

52/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

if you study hard, with some reports of difficult timing, proof questions, or rigorous standards.

Fair but difficult examsStudy guidesReview sessionsOccasional video proctoring complaints
“ and she doesn't give a ton of .”
MATH11
“Lots of proof-based questions on the exam. Makes you have your video on in Zoom and wants to see your hands”
MATH11

Online

Online exams are generally described as fair and aligned with notes and .

Exams reflect covered materialStudy guides recommendedExtra credit
“ .”
MATH8
“ and if you put in the necessary work it is easy to pass with an A.”
MATH8

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“Professor Lai is arguably the . She genuinely wants each of her students to succeed and do well.”

Voice snapshots generated from 50 reviews across online and hard-exam and heavy-work themes. Credibility rating: High.

🎯 Teaching Quality

90/100

“Truly the and I mean that!”

👍 Recommendation Rate

88/100

“ ! Amazing Professor and is truly passionate about teaching and her students”

📈 Real Effort Required

42/100

“Is she easy? No. Will you have to put in your work? Yes.”

❤️ Goes Above and Beyond

92/100

“Show me any other professor that will drive all over LA to deliver lecture notes students who needs it.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • and show detailed frameworks
  • You will never get bored
  • she makes the and understandable

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

  • if you put in the work and study, earning an A is definitely doable
  • Not an easy A class as you have to work for it but

Theme 3

❤️ About Character

  • Patient, humorous, and inspiring
  • she holds several review sessions EVERY week
  • I LOVE LAI!!!!

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

50

Recent reviews read by the AI

164

Lifetime ratings

92/100

Evidence confidence

50 reviews over many years with rich detail; majority themes are consistent despite a .

Inside 50 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 5137
4 out of 58
3 out of 59
2 out of 55
1 out of 55

Course coverage

MATH1126 reviews
MATH814 reviews
MATH75 reviews
CALCULUS21 review
MATH151 review
Show 3 more courses
MATH25681 review
MATH541 review
MATH811 review

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

43 reported outcomes

A range

25

A+ 2 · A 23

B range

8

B+ 1 · B 5 · B- 2

C range

0

No reported values

D range

0

No reported values

F

0

No reported values

No letter grade reported

10

Drop/Withdrawal 1 · Not sure yet 8 · Rather not say 1