AI Rate Professor

Biology

Jim Holden

BIO141 · BIOL2389 · PHYSIO141 · BIO140L · BIO118 · BIO141L · 73 lifetime ratings

AI rating
70/100
RMP rating
3.9/5
Take again
76.71%
Difficulty
3.0

The decision

if you can tolerate a sometimes polarizing lecture style and want a fair chance at a strong grade through steady studying and attendance.

Best fit · Effort For RewardPolarizing teaching styleClear study guidanceGenerous gradingLecture and test heavyLab grading delays
  • Many students praise Holden as , and fair, especially when they follow his study guidance.
  • A large minority report disorganization, rambling lectures, yelling, strict attendance, and .
  • Grades are often achievable because , and grades generously in some labs.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

EasyA

79/100

A good grade is very reachable if students attend, study exactly what he identifies, and , though lecture courses still require effort.

Online reviews describe easier structure, while but more effort in physiology lecture.

Is the course easy?

Standard

48/100

Physiology content is inherently heavy and though and study-guide material.

Online BIO118 appears easier, while in-person BIO141 is consistently described as information-heavy.

Is attendance flexible?

Mandatory

22/100

, and some reviews say lab or class attendance is mandatory even when sick.

, while online reviews mainly describe being present for lectures and quizzes.

Is this professor recommended?

WorthIt

72/100

and generous grading, but serious complaints about disorganization and temperament lower confidence.

Online reviews are more consistently positive, while .

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Lenient

78/100

Many reviews mention generous , and clear expectations, despite a few tough-grader complaints.

Format shift

Both formats support fair grading, but .

Workload

Moderate

45/100

The workload includes weekly , and steady studying, but many students find it manageable.

Format shift

Online BIO118 is lighter, while and .

Teaching experience

Good

72/100

Teaching is effective for many students, but repeated , and late grading keep it from being consistently excellent.

Format shift

Online teaching is described as clearer and more structured, while .

Assessment method

FocusOnExams

73/100

Grades rely heavily , and tests, with assignments and lab write-ups also present.

Format shift

Both formats mention quizzes and tests, while and midterms.

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

44 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward

but lean positive, with strong praise for clarity and kindness balanced by repeated complaints about rambling, yelling, disorganization, and .

Main concern

some students find him excellent, while others say lectures and .

What students said

“He's very good at explaining complicated concepts and everything you need to know is either in his lectures or online.”
BIO141
“We are teaching ourselves - lectures are a complete waste of time.”
BIO141
“He grades VERY graciously and made physiology so simple to understand.”
BIO141L

Remote format

Online

6 reviews

Medium confidence · Best fit for Easy A Hunter

Online reviews are mostly positive and , and easy grades, with one review calling BIO118 simple and boring.

Main concern

Online learning may feel dry or self-directed, and some reviews describe slow lectures or textbook-based learning.

What students said

“This was a simple, boring online class.”
BIO118
“His study guides are clear on what you need to know so you'll never be confused on what is expected on the test.”
BIO141
“Very easy class w/ simple structure.”
BIO118

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exams and quizzes are frequent but usually aligned with lectures, study guides, modules, or review questions, making the format demanding but fair.

Weekly QuizzesFour TestsLowest Test DroppedMultiple Choice and Short AnswerStudy Guides

Assessment risk

Standard

65/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

, short-answer portions, lab midterms, and dropped low scores, but do not clearly prove proctoring or closed-book rules.

Weekly QuizzesFour ExamsLowest Test DroppedMultiple ChoiceShort Answer
“He bases grades off of weekly quizzes and 4 tests but .”
BIO141
“4 exams, which include 40 multiple-choice questions and 3 short-answer questions”
BIO141
“40 mins for 50 question tests.”
BIO141

Online

, and clear expectations, but do not clearly prove webcam, proctoring, Lockdown Browser, open-book, or closed-book rules.

QuizzesTestsStudy GuidesTwo Quiz Attempts
“His study guides are clear on what you need to know so you'll never be confused on what is expected on the test.”
BIO141
“ . Two attempts per quiz.”
BIO118
“A .”
BIO118

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“He's very good at explaining complicated concepts and everything you need to know is either in his lectures or online.”

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

🎯 Teaching Quality

72/100

“ and makes lectures easy to follow.”

⚖️

78/100

“He grades VERY graciously and made physiology so simple to understand.”

⚠️ Consistency Risk

40/100

“I had to nearly everything because nothing he said made any sense.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • He is very knowledgeable and .
  • He does not have a linear teaching style - he jumps from one thing to another and back again.
  • He often rants and gives so much fluff information in lectures.

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty and Grades

  • All you have to do is put in the work and an A is very easy
  • as long as .
  • Physiology is hard, but if you put effort into it and attend every lecture day you'll get a good grade.

Theme 3

🧪 About Exams and Labs

  • He bases grades off of weekly quizzes and 4 tests but .
  • , but he gives you a .
  • .

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

50

Recent reviews read by the AI

73

Lifetime ratings

95/100

Evidence confidence

Credibility is high because 50 reviews span multiple years and formats with detailed, repeated themes despite polarized opinions.

Inside 50 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 539
4 out of 512
3 out of 56
2 out of 56
1 out of 510

Course coverage

BIO14134 reviews
BIO141L10 reviews
BIO1182 reviews
BIO140L2 reviews
BIOL23891 review
Show 1 more courses
PHYSIO1411 review

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

48 reported outcomes

A range

33

A+ 5 · A 25 · A- 3

B range

7

B+ 4 · B 2 · B- 1

C range

4

C+ 2 · C 2

D range

0

No reported values

F

0

No reported values

No letter grade reported

4

Drop/Withdrawal 1 · Not sure yet 3