Is this an easy A?
FairEffort
68/100CMST students often report smooth As for attendance and participation, while JOUR students work harder for B-range grades.
Easy-A claims ; the one online JOUR review earned a B with heavy help.
The decision
Key questions
Is this an easy A?
CMST students often report smooth As for attendance and participation, while JOUR students work harder for B-range grades.
Easy-A claims are almost entirely from in-person CMST; the one online JOUR review earned a B with heavy help.
Is the course easy?
Content is approachable for communications, but readings, projects, and journalism production add real effort.
In-person CMST feels easy; JOUR110 content is practical but time-heavy.
Is attendance flexible?
Nearly every review marks attendance mandatory with in-class work you miss if absent.
Evidence is almost all in person; the online review also flags skip-class risk.
Is this professor recommended?
Most students would take her again for caring teaching, though JOUR critics warn of busywork and tough logistics.
Strong in-person CMST recommendation; JOUR in-person is polarized; online is positive but single-sample.
Course guide
Grading
Fair
66/100
Many call her fair and patient, yet JOUR tags include tough grader with subjective feedback.
Format shift
CMST in-person feels generous; JOUR in-person is stricter.
Workload
Moderate
48/100
CMST has solid weekly work; JOUR adds heavy homework, papers, podcasts, and Coast Report expectations.
Format shift
Workload complaints concentrate in in-person JOUR110.
Teaching experience
Good
78/100
Energetic, knowledgeable lectures and genuine care dominate, with some friction over tech tone and syllabus clarity.
Format shift
In-person CMST is highly praised; JOUR quality swings from 1 to 5.
Assessment method
Balanced
52/100
Mix of participation, homework, projects, open-note tests, and occasional pop quizzes.
Format shift
CMST ends with video projects; JOUR is more paper and quiz heavy.
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
Classroom format
High confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward
In-person CMST students love energy and easy As; JOUR students either adore hands-on journalism or resent heavy homework and rigid deadlines.
Main concern
Mandatory attendance plus heavy outside work, especially in journalism courses.
What students said
“Just show up on time and participate every once in awhile and you will get a smooth A.”
“Her tests are open-note which is pretty nice though”
“Hw is heavy with unrealistic deadlines and she won't give you an extension”
Remote format
Low confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward
The single online JOUR110 review praises pandemic flexibility and grade-rescue meetings.
Main concern
Only one online data point, so online experience is thinly evidenced.
What students said
“Mrs. Thomas will do as much as she can to pass you.”
Exam style
CMST tests are open-note and project-friendly, while JOUR may add pop quizzes and heavier testing.
Assessment risk
StudentFriendly
72/100
Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.
In-person CMST uses open-note tests and a short video final; JOUR can include pop quizzes and papers.
“last exam was a video project which doesn't take more than a day to do!”
“Her tests are open-note which is pretty nice though”
Single online JOUR review focuses on support meetings and pandemic handling rather than exam mechanics.
“She will take time out of her day to set up a meeting and even assign work to bring your grade up.”
Student evidence
Top student voice
“Just show up on time and participate every once in awhile and you will get a smooth A.”
“Prof. Thomas was energetic and knowledgeable. She went out of her way to make sure students didn't fail.”
“I LITERALLY LOVE THIS PROFESSOR SO MUCH!”
“I do not agree with any of the ratings this professor has been given.”
“the class is heavy with homework, especially readings.”
Theme 1
Theme 2
Theme 3
Data context
Analysis sample
14
Recent reviews read by the AI
14
Lifetime ratings
72/100
Evidence confidence
Fourteen reviews with rich detail and clear course split (CMST vs JOUR) support medium-high confidence despite one thin online sample.
Inside 14 stored ratings
Reported outcomes
13 reported outcomes
A+ 4 · A 2 · A- 1
B 3
C 1
No reported values
No reported values
Not sure yet 2