Edward Modafferi

BIO20 · BIO1A · BIO12 · BIOL1569 · BIOL20 · 21 lifetime ratings

AI rating: 48/100
RMP rating: 3.1/5
Take again: 50%
Difficulty: 4.1

The decision

if you can give a hard science course full study time and can tolerate tough free-response exams; .

Best fit · Hardcore LearnerTest heavyTough graderLecture heavyStudy guides mixed resultsHigh standards for nursing path

BIO20/microbiology is exam-heavy with free-response and ; many find A grades very hard.
some call him a gem with and feedback; , and unusable study guides.
Recent serious allegations of inappropriate classroom behavior and privacy issues appear alongside older positive praise.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

HardWork

28/100

Many say an A is nearly impossible; , and picky labs demand heavy study for even a C or B.

; older BIO1A online was somewhat more passable with an 85=A curve.

Is the course easy?

Challenging

28/100

Microbiology content is dense, lecture- and test-heavy, with high difficulty ratings near 4-5 and frequent stress language.

In-person BIO20 is hardest; some BIO1A online comments describe more manageable workload.

Is attendance flexible?

Mandatory

22/100

and lab, especially BIO20.

A few older or BIO1A online notes .

Is this professor recommended?

Depends

48/100

About half would take again; success stories and , so fit depends on grit and tolerance for intensity.

Online reviews also split; .

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Strict

28/100

Tough grader tags dominate; , and .

Format shift

Strictness is consistent; BIO1A online had a slightly more forgiving 85=A threshold.

Workload

Heavy

28/100

, and multiple high-stakes tests; students advise taking it alone.

Format shift

Online still carries large exams and lab rigor.

Teaching experience

Average

52/100

, and feedback; others call him hostile, uncaring, or mismatched study guides.

Format shift

Polarization is strong in both formats; .

Assessment method

FocusOnExams

82/100

Multiple lecture and ; labs matter but .

Format shift

Online/hybrid .

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

15 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In-person BIO20 is repeatedly called test-heavy and tough; supporters say study guides work if you grind, critics report free-response depth, hostile tone, and hard-to-earn As.

Main concern

, and recent conduct allegations.

What students said

“OMG do NOT take him, he is such a . its like impossible to get an A...”
BIO20

“This professor grades extremely hard his tests are all free response meaning there is hardly ever any multiple choice questions”
BIO20

“ . Not only does he know his stuff, but he has a great personality.”
BIOL20

Remote format

Online

6 reviews

Medium confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

Online/hybrid BIO sections remain test-heavy with written exams; and lectures, others withdraw or struggle with picky labs and .

Main concern

, and hybrid in-person exams even when labeled online.

What students said

“200 point exams, written/essay questions does not drop any exam, no besides like 2-4 pts .”
BIO20

“ labs/quizzes, and has lectures that are easy to understand.”
BIO20

“his study guides does not help much; I would always do the study guide but it was not help at all”
BIOL20

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exams are high-stakes, often free-response and detail-heavy, with limited and mixed study-guide usefulness.

Free-response exams200-point examsNo exam dropsTest heavyLab examsStudy guides inconsistent

Assessment risk

Strict

28/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

, and graded strictly; study guides help some students and fail others.

Free responseTest heavyPicky gradingStudy guides mixed

“ hardly ever any multiple choice questions and he goes into extreme depth.”
BIO20

“i used his study guides for lecture and lab exams and got a and an A .”
BIO20

Online

Online/hybrid reviews cite large written exams, tough labs, and .

200-point written examsEssay questionsNo exam dropsIn-person exams for hybrid

“200 point exams, written/ ”
BIO20

“Lecture and though our class was hybrid.”
BIO20

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice
“OMG do NOT take him, he is such a . its like impossible to get an A... hes so picky with grades”
Voice snapshots generated from 21 reviews (6 online, 15 in , and polarized personality views. Credibility rating: High.

🎯 Teaching Quality

52/100

“ . Not only does he know his stuff, but he has a great personality.”

📝

28/100

“ hardly ever any multiple choice questions and he goes into extreme depth.”

⚖️

28/100

“OMG do NOT take him, he is such a . its like impossible to get an A”

👍 When Effort Pays

70/100

“Your grade is based on how much work you're willing to put in and everything he covers in lecture is on the exams.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

He loves what he does and it's obvious.
He was funny and cracked jokes with students
Hostile, uses sexual talk/swearing, shames students

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

impossible to get an A
Microbiology is HARD & you will STRESS!
if you want an easy A.

Theme 3

🧪

200 point exams, written/
study guides does not help much
so toughly and he was so specific.

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

Recent reviews read by the AI

Lifetime ratings

82/100

Evidence confidence

21 reviews across years with and grading comments; opinions are polarized but volume and specificity support a solid read of a hard, high-stakes course.

Inside 21 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 56

4 out of 54

3 out of 52

2 out of 55

1 out of 54

Course coverage

BIO2012 reviews

BIOL205 reviews

BIO1A2 reviews

BIO121 review

BIOL15691 review

Reported outcomes

B range results lead the reported letter grades.

20 reported outcomes

A range

A 3

B range

B+ 5 · B 2

C range

C+ 2 · C 3

D range

No reported values

F

F 1

No letter grade reported

Drop/Withdrawal 2 · Incomplete 1 · Not sure yet 1

Edward Modafferi

x x x if you can give a hard science course full study time and can tolerate tough free-response exams; x x x x.

Four answers before you build your schedule.

HardWork

Challenging

Mandatory

Depends

See how this professor fits your week.

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

In person

Online

See what students actually said.

🎯 Teaching Quality

📝 x x

⚖️ x x

👍 When Effort Pays

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

🧪 x x x x

See exactly what the AI read.

Quality ratings

Course coverage

B range results lead the reported letter grades.

A range

B range

C range

D range

F

No letter grade reported

if you can give a hard science course full study time and can tolerate tough free-response exams; .

📝

⚖️

🧪