AI Rate Professor

Foothill College · Astronomy

Geoff Mathews

ASTR10B · ASTRO10 · ASTRO10B · ASTRO1B · ASTRO10A · ASTR10BH · ASTR10 · 10B · ASTR10A · ASTR010B · ASTR1L · ASTR10L · 49 lifetime ratings

AI rating
85/100
RMP rating
4.2/5
Take again
81.25%
Difficulty
2.9

The decision

Take Geoff Mathews if you want an engaging astronomy class and are willing to show up, read, and do steady work.

Best fit · Effort For RewardPassionate lecturerEngaging astronomy teacherAttendance and quizzes matterReading-heavy structureFair but not effortless
  • Mathews is widely praised as passionate, engaging, caring, and able to make astronomy exciting.
  • Students often earn strong grades, but , and keep up with homework.
  • The main drawbacks are long lectures, frequent quizzes, group work, and .

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

FairEffort

73/100

An A is realistic for students who , and use , but it is not a free A.

Online evidence shows grades depend on showing up and group work, while , daily quizzes, and attendance.

Is the course easy?

Beginner

66/100

Astronomy concepts are usually explained clearly for beginners, but the pace, readings, quizzes, and GE class.

Online reviews describe manageable but structured work, while depending on test-taking and attendance.

Is attendance flexible?

Mandatory

25/100

because many reviews mention start-of-class quizzes, in-class activities, group work, and penalties for lateness or absence.

, while online evidence also links grades to showing up for lectures and group assignments.

Is this professor recommended?

WorthIt

84/100

Most students recommend him for passionate teaching and , but some hesitate because of , and long lectures.

, while online reviews are positive but more mixed about group work and lecture quality.

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Fair

68/100

Grading is usually fair with and clear criteria, but quizzes, tests, and .

Format shift

Online reviews mention flexibility and deadline support, while but also tough grading and .

Workload

Moderate

48/100

The workload is steady, with , and finals appearing across many reviews.

Format shift

and readings, while online reviews emphasize pre-class work, group assignments, and labs.

Teaching experience

Excellent

88/100

Students overwhelmingly describe Mathews as passionate, engaging, caring, and clear, though some complain that lectures run long or drift off topic.

Format shift

Both formats praise his passion and support, with in-person reviews showing stronger enthusiasm and more lecture-heavy complaints.

Assessment method

Balanced

63/100

Grades come from , and finals, with exams important but not the only factor.

Format shift

Online reviews mention group assignments, quizzes, homework, midterms, and finals, while in-person , and participation.

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

40 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Beginner Friendly

In-person reviews strongly praise his lectures and passion, while , and exams.

Main concern

Missing class or because quizzes and in-class activities are frequent.

What students said

“Made me fall in love with Astronomy.”
ASTR010B
“It's easy to get an A if you do the readings and show up on time”
ASTR10B
“Midterm and .”
ASTR10

Remote format

Online

8 reviews

Medium confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward

Online reviews are generally positive about organization and support, but they mention , and some uneven lecture quality.

Main concern

Online students may dislike group work, pre-class assignments, and long or off-topic lectures.

What students said

“Lectures were live but recorded so you could go back and watch them later.”
ASTRO10A
“Lectures twice a week. Get ready for tons of group work-- the majority of your grade will be based on showing up and .”
ASTR10B
“His teaching style is very easygoing and understandable and makes coming to class less intimidating.”
ASTRO10A

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exam style is standard to moderately demanding, with frequent quizzes and comment that exams are not open book.

Midterm and FinalDaily QuizzesMultiple Choice ExamsNot Open Book MentionedGroup Work

Assessment risk

Standard

58/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

, and one explicit not-open-book policy, with mixed difficulty from reasonable to tough.

Not Open BookDaily QuizzesMidterm and FinalMultiple ChoiceTough Final
“Midterm and .”
ASTR10
“The midterm and final are worth 40% of your grade, and the daily quizzes are 10%”
ASTR010B
“Thankfully all of the and midterm.”
ASTR10A

Online

, and group work, but do not clearly prove open-book, webcam, proctoring, or Lockdown Browser policies.

MidtermsFinalPre-Class QuizzesGroup Assignments
“There are also 2 midterms and a , and .”
ASTR10B
“ .”
ASTR10L
“Also did't like how I could not review midterms to see what I got wrong.”
ASTRO10

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“AMAZING PROFESSOR!! Made me fall in love with Astronomy.”

Voice snapshots generated from 48 reviews, highlighting key themes in , and . Credibility rating: High.

🌟 Teaching Quality

88/100

“ for anyone to understand, whether you enjoy astronomy like me or have little to no interest in the subject.”

📈 Effort For Grade

73/100

“It's easy to get an A if you do the readings and show up on time”

🕒

25/100

“you'll get a 0/3 if you're late or miss class in the start-of-class, even for valid reasons.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • He is passionate about not just astronomy, but also teaching.
  • His classes are a pleasure to be in and
  • He keeps his lectures engaging and .

Theme 2

📚 About Workload and Attendance

  • Everyday there were start of .
  • Be prepared to do a lot of and pay attention during lecture.
  • PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS and do not miss it!

Theme 3

🧪 About Exams and Grades

  • Midterm and .
  • The midterm and final are worth 40% of your grade, and the daily quizzes are 10%
  • Do all the extra credits cause they help your grade a lot.

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

48

Recent reviews read by the AI

49

Lifetime ratings

95/100

Evidence confidence

The analysis is based on 48 reviews with strong consistency around teaching quality, attendance expectations, workload, and assessment structure.

Inside 48 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 527
4 out of 512
3 out of 55
2 out of 53
1 out of 51

Course coverage

ASTR10A14 reviews
ASTR010B8 reviews
ASTR10B8 reviews
ASTR104 reviews
ASTRO10B4 reviews
Show 7 more courses
ASTRO10A3 reviews
ASTRO102 reviews
10B1 review
ASTR10BH1 review
ASTR10L1 review
ASTR1L1 review
ASTRO1B1 review

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

43 reported outcomes

A range

29

A+ 5 · A 14 · A- 10

B range

10

B+ 4 · B 5 · B- 1

C range

1

C+ 1

D range

0

No reported values

F

0

No reported values

No letter grade reported

3

Not sure yet 2 · Rather not say 1