AI Rate Professor

Computer Science

Bill Kerney

CSCI40 · CSCI26 · IS50A · CSCI41 · CSCI45 · 87 lifetime ratings

AI rating
89/100
RMP rating
4.4/5
Take again
84.42%
Difficulty
3.2

The decision

if you want to learn computer science deeply and are willing to work, but if you only want a low-effort A.

Best fit · Effort For RewardDemanding but fairExcellent lecturesHeavy programming workGenerous extra creditHighly accessible
  • Students overwhelmingly praise his teaching, passion, and availability outside class.
  • The courses , and active participation.
  • , retakes, help channels, and fair grading make strong grades realistic for committed students.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

FairEffort

68/100

A is very attainable because of , retakes, and , but students repeatedly say you must do the assignments and show up.

Both formats show A potential, while and participation.

Is the course easy?

Standard

47/100

The material is practical and well taught, but programming projects, CSCI45 topics, and fast-moving expectations make it intellectually demanding.

Online reviews mention recorded support, while and the need to attend.

Is attendance flexible?

Recommended

42/100

as strictly mandatory, but many students say missing class makes success much harder.

, while online evidence is more flexible because lectures may be recorded.

Is this professor recommended?

MustTake

88/100

Most students recommend him because he teaches deeply, cares about learning, and gives strong support despite a heavy workload.

Recommendation is very strong in both formats, though online has one severe negative CSCI41 review.

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Lenient

74/100

Grading is usually fair with , retakes, and , though some students call him tough or unforgiving.

Format shift

and retakes, while one online review reports no late missing-work recovery.

Workload

Heavy

32/100

Many reviews mention lots of , and difficult programming assignments.

Format shift

Heavy workload appears in both formats, but , and weekly effort.

Teaching experience

Excellent

88/100

Students repeatedly describe him as knowledgeable, passionate, funny, caring, and effective at teaching real programming skills.

Format shift

Both formats praise teaching, with in-person reviews giving the strongest and most detailed support.

Assessment method

FocusOnAssignments

32/100

Grades appear driven mainly , and competency checks rather than traditional exams.

Format shift

, and competency exams; online reviews mention assignments and recorded lecture support.

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

42 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In-person reviews strongly emphasize engaging lectures, practical learning, accessibility, and demanding but .

Main concern

Missing class and .

What students said

“Tough but fair, in exchange for the challenge you will learn a great deal.”
CSCI40
“Look elsewhere for a lazy-easy A.”
CSCI26

Remote format

Online

8 reviews

Medium confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward

Online reviews are mostly positive about recorded lectures, Discord access, and , but one CSCI41 review reports harsh policies and .

Main concern

, and missing work may not be forgiven in some sections.

What students said

“If you miss certain lectures you can watch them. He records and posts on YT.”
IS50A
“ and topics he covers”
CSCI41

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

and limited, with comments mentioning competency exams, quizzes, a group final project, and occasional tests but not a .

Competency ExamsMultiple AttemptsGroup Final ProjectQuizzesBig Exams Mentioned Rarely

Assessment risk

Varies

58/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

In-person reviews mention competency exams with multiple attempts, daily quizzes, tests every six weeks, and a , but .

Competency ExamsMultiple AttemptsDaily QuizzesGroup Final Project
“ .”
CSCI41
“The ”
CSCI41

Online

Online reviews do not clearly prove webcam, Lockdown Browser, open-book, take-home, midterm, or .

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“Tough but fair, in exchange for the challenge you will learn a great deal.”

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

🎯 Teaching Quality

88/100

“He is genuinely the .”

⚖️ Effort And Reward

68/100

“Look elsewhere for a lazy-easy A.”

📚 Workload Reality

32/100

“ so manage it.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • His lectures are amazing and he constantly drills in material used in the field.
  • Kerney is a fantastic teacher, and I really enjoy his classes!
  • He makes learning the subject easy and fun.

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty And Grades

  • Be prepared for work - rewarding work.
  • Lots of homework, but how else are you gonna learn?
  • Great professor, very generous with , which is a good thing because .

Theme 3

❤️ About Support

  • Cares a great deal about you learning the material
  • and and cares more about his students learning than failing them.
  • If you are struggling with .

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

50

Recent reviews read by the AI

87

Lifetime ratings

94/100

Evidence confidence

The analysis is based on 50 reviews across many years, multiple courses, both formats, and highly consistent themes about teaching quality and workload.

Inside 50 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 565
4 out of 58
3 out of 53
2 out of 54
1 out of 57

Course coverage

CSCI4115 reviews
CSCI4514 reviews
CSCI4010 reviews
CSCI267 reviews
IS50A4 reviews

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

45 reported outcomes

A range

33

A+ 12 · A 19 · A- 2

B range

8

B+ 2 · B 5 · B- 1

C range

2

C 1 · C- 1

D range

0

No reported values

F

0

No reported values

No letter grade reported

2

Drop/Withdrawal 1 · Incomplete 1