Nahum Arav

School: Virginia Tech
Department: Physics
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Overall Rating
rated by 20 students
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Rating Comment
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Pros: They're is a ton of extra credit opportunities so take advantage!!
Recitations!!! (That's how I passed)
Cons: Has the specs of a 3000 level class rather than 1000
This class was terrible!! Even one of the TAs said he made it unbearably difficult this semester which I don't understand why. This class had the difficulty of a 3000 level class rather than an entry level. The homework answers are online but I would actually do the homework because some test questions came from the homework. Only thing is that the homework didn't really relate to what we were talking about in class. And some of the math that was done in the homework was some intense physics that wouldn't even be on the exam or in the textbook!! somehow I ended up with a B even though I failed every exam except for one which I got a C+ and on the final I think I barely got a C so the class isn't too deadly.
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Pros: The online study section helps a lot!
All the slides he does in class are on the scholar site.
The iclicker questions at the beginning of class help your grade
Cons: Can't understand him that well.
If you go over the quizzes for the chapters that the test is on, you will do fine on the tests. The chapter quizzes that are in the study section online contain questions that he uses directly on the tests. Also, at the end of each chapter, there are discussion questions that give explanations for different topics. STUDY THESE & KNOW THEM. These are usually what he uses for the essays on the tests. If you do this, & keep up with the assignments, you'll do fine.
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Pros: You don't really have to go to the class if you keep up with the assignments online.
Cons: The tests can get difficult at times.
It's hard to understand him sometimes too.
This class I didn't do that well in because I was too focused on trying to take notes on the book & studying those.. DON'T DO THAT. If you go over the quizzes for the chapters that the test is on, you will do fine on the tests. The chapter quizzes that are in the study section online contain questions that he uses directly from that on the tests. I learned that too late in the semester, so take this advice & USE IT! I did so much better in 1056 because of it.
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Pros: Tests are fairly easy as long as you study for them. Gives a lot of opportunity for extra credit. Is very knowledgeable of the subject.
Cons: Homework can seem a bit time consuming and somewhat difficult.
All of the multiple choice on the tests comes from the Mastering Astronomy concept and reading quizzes. Going through those will help your test grade tremendously. The Mastering Astronomy homework can sometimes be hard but if you go to the optional recitations, they tell you how to do it and you will learn a lot at those. Almost everything I learned in the class was from the homework. Take advantage of the extra credit too. He offers up to 10 points on your final grade just for extra credit.
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Pros: Offers a lot of extra credit
Cons: DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. It used to be easy in that all the exams were questions from the online quizzes but he changed the format this past semester. Now you HAVE TO pay attention, which is difficult because 1) he has a super strong accent and 2) he rambles and always goes on long tangents about stuff that doesn't relate to what he's talking about and never actually gets to the point of things. Overall this class was way more difficult than it should have been.
DO NOT TAKE. There are so many easier classes to fill the science requirement.
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Pros: gives about 10 points extra credit
Cons: really need to do your reading in order to pass the class with an A
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Pros: He curves almost everything, including all weekly homeworks and the quizzes that come with them. It's easy to skip the final cumulative exam if you get an A on every other exam (see General comments)
Cons: There is quite a bit of work associated with the class, but it's all weekly and easy, just slightly time consuming. Nothing more than any other science class
If you look in the study area of the mastering astronomy online site and do the concept, reading, and visual quizzes for each chapter associated with an exam before the exam and do them until you get a 100% on each quiz, you WILL ace the exam. He pulls the questions word-for-word from those quizzes.
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Pros: Power Points are all relevant and he basically teaches right from the book.
Cons: He can gets pissed off when people talke during clicker quizzes or while he's talking.
Definitely take this class to get a solid A when you're taking other hard classes. It's pretty easy unless you just aren't willing to study a decent amount (like any average college class). I got an A in this class and because my 3 exam averages were above a 90 I didn't have to take the final. A LOT of extra credit. Take this class for an easy A as long as you're not an idiot and try a decent amount.
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Pros: There is a ton of extra credit, so if you do it all you can raise your grade by 10 percentage points. Also, if the average of your exams are a 90 or above, you get exempt from the final. The class follows the textbook completely, and attendance is extra credit.
Cons: There are online assignments every week that get annoying by the end of the semester. A good thing though is that a lot of the exam questions come from these assignments.
If you read the textbook and do the assignments, you really don't even need to attend class. I found the lecture repetitive after reading the assigned reading. I easily got an A without even doing most of the extra credit.
Do the extra credit if you need to. It is easy, simple, and not too time consuming.
You can definitely tell that Arav loves the subject, and the TA is really organized and great at supporting students when they need it.
I took this class because I needed a science credit and I definitely made the right choice! It's great for people who aren't really passionate about sciences like biology and chemistry.
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Pros: Easy A
You never have to talk to him
Cons: He is a douchebag
Thinks he owns the unaccredited physics department
Don't use your cell phone in class or a ginger will attack you.
Brandon Bear really teaches the class - he is the only asset to the students plus a few dedicated LA's
Brandon, if you are reading this review. Thank you for all of your hard work and the university should be paying you the $75,000 that Arav takes home.
Arav continuously takes the extra credit opportunities/weight each passing semester.
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Pros: Insane amounts of extra credit, great attitude, very welcoming during office hours, recitations make homework easier, one exam dropped
Cons: Tests can have some trickiness, though not enough to be a real 'con'. I'm just scrambling to fill something in here.
Don't let people whining about his 'accent' (pfft hardly) deter you; this has a good chance of being one of your favorite classes coming out of the course. I've never been fond of science, but this stuff blew my mind. Great experience and very easy to get an A as long as you max out your extra credit (around 10 pts added to final grade) even though 94 and up typically accounts for an A.
I could not recommend this class enough. Truly one of the nicest and interesting profs out there, too.
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Pros: Arav is funny and super nice. Homework is a breeze if you go to recitation and your LA reads the answers off to you, plus you get extra credit for going to recitation.
Cons: Super boring.
Tons of extra credit, tests are on Koofers for the most part, and it fulfills a CLE. I recommend it!
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Pros: A LOT of extra credit, utilize that. Recitations are worth every minute.
Cons: Hard to understand. Very boring lectures.
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Pros: Good professor
Cons: none
Nice guy and a great teacher
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Pros: Lots of Extra Credit
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Pros: The class is really easy, and most of the time you don't even have to read the book. However, in most cases you will get better grades on test and quizzes if you do. You may learn a few things about astronomy that you didn't already know, and for this class attendance isn't even necessary, which I only say because refer to the Cons
Cons: Can't stay on the topic of astronomy for a whole class to save his life. He continually goes on rants about the impossibility of the supernatural and how he can't understand it and it can't be understood. He will spend about a third of every class doing this which is a completely waste of time because it has nothing to to with astronomy. If you are religious, you should probably not be offended easily if you take this class. He tries to make it sound like he isn't bashing religion by saying he isn't and then he goes on for ten minutes about how stupid religion is and how it hinders science because apparently science is the most important thing in the world...I guess he doesn't care that much about his family.
Take the class if you want/need an easy science credit, it's easy he doesn't take attendance and all quizzes are extra credit.
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Pros: Very knowledgeable, extremely smart.
Cons: Not the most interesting subject matter. Tests can sometimes surprise you in a bad way.
Brandon Bear, the TA, is essentially the brains behind this class. He's a very nice guy and allows you to look over your old tests. Also is very helpful if you have questions or concerns. Explains things very well.
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Pros: knowledgeable
passionate
funny
Cons: moderate accent (didn't trouble me)
long lectures can get boring
go to class, do the clicker questions (read the assigned pages beforehand so you get them right). do the concept, reading, and visual quizzes from the homework website (masteringastronomy) for each test - he basically takes his test questions straight from the practice quizzes. pretty easy class
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he teaches right from the book, so make sure you read it. in class, he pretty much just goes over the book, but you have to go because he does mini-quizzes every class (theyre really easy, but you just have to be there). hes really nice and makes jokes
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Prof. Arav does a great job about teaching this course. You can tell he really has a passion for astronomy and cares about his students. Always made time to help me when I needed it.

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