AI Rate Professor

Mathematics

John Sawka

CALC1A · 48A · MATH48 · MATH2A · 2B · MATH48A · A48 · MATH105 · MATH48B · MATH48A04 · MATH110 · MATH2B · F048A · MATH1B · 167 lifetime ratings

AI rating
45/100
RMP rating
3.6/5
Take again
20%
Difficulty
3.4

The decision

Take Sawka only if you are a self-motivated math student , and limited hand-holding.

Best fit · Hardcore LearnerPolarizing lecturerHard testsSelf-study requiredClear for someHarsh grading
  • and inspiring, while others call him confusing, rushed, or one of .
  • The course is not an easy A because , and students often need independent practice.
  • He fits disciplined math students who attend, read, and think conceptually, but weakly .

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

HardWork

36/100

An A is possible for prepared students, but , and the need to attend and practice.

and grading, while the single online review also calls the class challenging.

Is the course easy?

Challenging

34/100

The math content is conceptual and often difficult, especially when lectures feel rushed or .

Both formats describe challenging material, but concepts and .

Is attendance flexible?

Recommended

42/100

Attendance is not always described as formally mandatory, but many reviews say missing class makes success unlikely and .

In-person reviews strongly stress attendance, while the online .

Is this professor recommended?

Avoid

38/100

Recommendation is low because many students warn against him despite a sizable group praising his clarity and conceptual teaching.

Both the online review and recent in-person reviews are negative, while .

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Strict

28/100

Multiple students , and severe penalties for mistakes.

Format shift

Strict grading evidence is almost entirely from in-person reviews; .

Workload

Moderate

56/100

as not too much, but students must practice and read independently to survive the tests.

Format shift

self-study; the online review only notes challenge.

Teaching experience

Average

58/100

Some students find him clear, funny, and conceptually strong, while .

Format shift

In-person evidence is polarized, and the single online review is negative about lecture focus.

Assessment method

FocusOnExams

82/100

Grades appear test-centered, with frequent mentions of quizzes, three tests, finals, and .

Format shift

and finals, while the online review does not give assessment structure beyond challenge.

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

49 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In-person reviews are highly polarized, with strong praise for conceptual teaching and , and harsh grading.

Main concern

Tests can be difficult with little partial-credit room, and many students say .

What students said

“ and he grades harshly.”
MATH110
“If you're lazy, don't sign up.”
MATH48A
“If you want to succeed in this class you HAVE to read the book on your own.”
MATH48A

Remote format

Online

1 reviews

Low confidence · Best fit for Self Taught Pro

The single online review says lectures felt rushed and unfocused, making the class challenging without outside help.

Main concern

Students may need outside resources to fill gaps from rushed lectures.

What students said

“Lectures felt rushed and unfocused.”
CALC1A

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exams are risky because , and few questions, while proctoring or open-book rules are not clearly proven.

Hard TestsFew QuestionsHarsh GradingFinal ExamExam Policy Not Clearly Proven

Assessment risk

Strict

30/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

questions, and finals, but do not clearly prove proctoring or open-book rules.

Hard TestsFew QuestionsHarsh GradingFinal Exam
“ and he grades harshly.”
MATH110
“8-10 questions on a test- if .”
48A
“Written and Online homework every week, 3 Tests and Final.”
MATH48A

Online

The online review does not clearly prove exam format, proctoring, open-book rules, webcam use, or Lockdown Browser.

Exam Policy Not Clearly Proven

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“ but make sure that you will actually do the work.”

Voice snapshots generated from 50 reviews, highlighting key themes in , and student fit. Credibility rating: High.

🎯 Teaching Quality

58/100

“Some students say , while others say Lectures felt rushed and unfocused.”

📉 Easy A Risk

36/100

“ and he grades harshly.”

⚖️ Recommendation Split

38/100

“ a challenge.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • Lectures felt rushed and unfocused.
  • . Good at showing the big picture.
  • but khan academy exlains material better.
  • He would show up for class five minutes late, left five minutes early

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

  • and he grades harshly.
  • Even if you make a small mistake on a test, he will give you a 0 which will screw over your grade.
  • Not for the lazy.
  • , so you had to think a bit but they weren't hard.

Theme 3

🧠 About Student Fit

  • If , if not, DON'T!
  • If you're lazy, don't sign up.
  • If you want to succeed in this class you HAVE to read the book on your own.
  • but make sure that you will actually do the work.

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

50

Recent reviews read by the AI

167

Lifetime ratings

92/100

Evidence confidence

The analysis uses 50 reviews across many years with rich, consistent , and required independence.

Inside 50 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 580
4 out of 519
3 out of 533
2 out of 525
1 out of 510

Course coverage

MATH48A25 reviews
MATH1054 reviews
48A3 reviews
CALC1A3 reviews
MATH1B3 reviews
Show 9 more courses
MATH2B3 reviews
MATH2A2 reviews
2B1 review
A481 review
F048A1 review
MATH1101 review
MATH481 review
MATH48A041 review
MATH48B1 review

Reported outcomes

B range results lead the reported letter grades.

19 reported outcomes

A range

5

A+ 1 · A 2 · A- 2

B range

6

B+ 3 · B 2 · B- 1

C range

3

C+ 2 · C 1

D range

0

No reported values

F

1

F 1

No letter grade reported

4

Fail 1 · Rather not say 3