Reviews for Peter Wolfe
Average Rating:| Anonymous Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: A December 9, 2011, 4:28 pm | While not a specatcular teacher by any means, he is usually a nice guy. His homeworks are not collected, but they will help you on your exams if you do them. There are 4 exams during the semester which are almost exact copies of the last semester's practice exams. There are 11 quizzes each, 3 of which are dropped, and the average of these scores equal one exam grade. There are five MATLAB assigments which equal one half exam grade. He says he doesnt curve, but he does, my grade went up at least 3 points at the end. While there are better teachers out there, you can't really go wrong with Wolfe if you just put the effort in to look at the textbook. |
| Anonymous Course: Grade Expected: C February 3, 2011, 4:53 pm | I see a lot of gud comments about this professor so I guess he is pretty gud/easy in the 200 level classes but MATH411 is not a class that you want to study on your own and he was not helpful at all (even mess up on the proof that was straight from the book) in explaining the materials and helping...He couldn't care less about us in MATH411 - like giving us graduate problem for HW (not related to thing learned in class and book), giving no partial credits on exams unless you go and beg and scrape for the pts back, and leaving us to go to Starbuck for an hour while we taking the final... |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: A+ December 16, 2010, 8:48 pm | He's not a particularly good teacher, but he's very straightforward in the way he designs quizzes and tests. If you can learn from a textbook (and he does teach right from the textbook) then you can get an A in this class without too much trouble. |
| Anonymous Course: AMSC466 Grade Expected: A May 20, 2010, 7:12 am | There were plenty of people in this class who just seemed to suck at math, which is the only explanation I can come up with for why anyone would hate Wolfe. He's not fantastic or anything, and watching him type with his index fingers got frustrating, but the material in the class was uniformly straightforward (especially if you've already taken a lot of other upper level math classes). The Matlab assignments were time-consuming if you weren't totally comfortable with Matlab, but between his lectures and the book (and the internet) you could always figure out how to write the code. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: A April 30, 2010, 2:16 pm | I think everyone else that has rated Wolfe just doesn't try in this class. His tests and quizzes are pretty easy and as long as you do the hw (not collected) you will know how to do the tests and quizzes. Just know that ch15 is terrible, it is the only chapter that Wolfe has not been very good at explaining... i suggest finding a friend who got an A or B in calc III to help you with ch 15. That said I would give his teaching a 3 rating, but his tests are so easy I gave him a 4. Also, he only respects students who respect him, so go to lecture, no matter how painful it is, and get good grades, he will really respect you if you do. The MATLAB is really easy, he tells you what to input. and the thigns he instructs you to make are pretty cool sometimes. I would recommend everyone to take 241H with him. |
| jahs389 Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: D March 3, 2010, 1:55 pm | Ok, I'll be fair and say that my grade is 90% me 5% him 5% life... Still, I've taken several math courses and courses in general and Peter Wolfe is the worse professor I've encountered at this University. He doesn't understand students, is not approachable, and is very difficult to understand in class. His lectures are hard to follow even though they are slow moving - which puts you behind for the test. Also, he weight MatLab too heavily and gives not explanation which is terrible for those who lack programming experience. Too to instead get someone like Dr. Lakowski who gives clear geometric explanations and won't just talk in a thick eastern-European accent. |
| fiddlerkrt Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: A+ March 1, 2010, 2:50 am | Dr. Wolfe is not as bad as everyone makes out. His tests and quizzes are pretty easy, so as long as you know the material, you should get an A or B on the tests. His lectures are, overall, pretty useless at times. He does stand in your way and he makes countless integration errors. I wouldn't recommend him, but he isn't that bad if you end up getting him. Just do your homework and buy the calc solution manual to help you figure out how to do problems you don't understand. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: May 27, 2009, 2:00 pm | If you are not a math person, then he is not for you. But if you are a math person, you'll be fine. He is also one of the nicest professors ever. Just be respectful and he'll act respectfully towards you. He makes corny jokes and is gentle at heart. He's not the greatest at explaining things, but he's more than fair in his grading and in his creation of exams. They are hard, don't get me wrong, but they aren't tricky or unfair. The MATLAB assignments are VERY easy because his instructions pretty much tell you how to do everything. People are way too hard on him. |
| ddaily Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: F April 28, 2009, 5:41 pm | By far the worst math professor at this University. Although entertaining to watch because he gets so flustered during lectures, he makes tests that are irellivant to any other work done in class. I heard that his exams are just the practice exams from the year before so if you are somehow forced to take MATH241 with him, find those old practice exams and you should be set. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH140 Grade Expected: B April 18, 2009, 12:12 pm | I took his class during the summer in order to raise my GPA. He literally spent 30-40minutes on one problem doing it over and over again because he kept making mistakes. It got to the point that I would write down everything he put on the board. The biggest problem was when it came around the time to take the test, I would remember 6 or 7 incorrect ways to solve the problem so naturally I got a 14%. The class average was a 20%. I dropped it instantly. He is an awful teacher. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: B April 15, 2009, 2:26 pm | Dr. Wolfe is a really, truly horrible teacher. I took the class because 241H had a good average with him last semester and it fit into my schedule, and I regret it so much. As a point of reference, I have a 4.0 over two semesters as an engineer and I got an A in my hard Calc II class last semester (Calc I in high school.) Wolfe is a mean person. I tried to go to office hours once, and he completely did not talk to me. Most professors at least try to help you out, especially in an H-version, but all Wolfe says when the class average on a test is a C is "You are honors students! I expect better! Study more!" and completely disregards the fact that he mumbles into the board and his extremely large body covers up everything that he is writing. You can't take notes just by listening to him talk, because he mixes up variables and solves problems incorrectly. He tries to be funny and comes off as an asshole, and treats everyone horribly. I have studied so much for the last three tests, and only got an A on one, with the others screwed up by topics that he didn't cover well or confused by crazy hard integrals that he expects you to solve in the hour time frame. He actually said one day in class that a kid who solved a problem incorrectly should have had points taken away from his final grade. Don't take him, even if it means taking Calc III at a horrible class time. |
| jeanne1 Course: MATH240 Grade Expected: B March 5, 2009, 3:38 pm | Horrible. Linear algebra is amazing and he just kills it. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH240 Grade Expected: A December 23, 2008, 6:53 pm | Looking below I saw a lot of negative comments so I hope this will add light to the list of comments: 1. Dr. Wolfe is a nice guy, but perhaps not the best lecturer. 2. He does ocassionally make funny jokes... 3. For my class he did have a quiz system that was somewhat annoying, but still not that bad... 4. Following the study guides helps A LOT. 5. It is possible to get an A in the class. (I heard some people complaining that the C was the median in his class-to which I kind of laughed because C does mean average...) 6. The math book for linear algebra was decent (and I had a good TA). In conclusion, if you are a math person you will be well off. If you struggle in math...well...then...you will struggle. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: December 20, 2008, 11:19 pm | I was told that Calc 3 would be easier than Calc 2, but I didn't do so well in this course. I don't know why, but it just might be because of the whole format of this class, Wolfe, or just my bad luck. Wolfe sometimes gets confusing in lecture with his presentation of material and sometimes you can't get everything he writes down on the board. Every week, you have a worksheet in discussion, and often times, they seem unnecessary and irrelevant. His exams, despite seeming to be like practice exams, can really be tricky-lots of students don't do well (especially at the beginning of the year), while some manage to pull off good grades, so something seems odd about that wide range of scores. Plus, his policy doesn't allow for much room for error in terms of not doing well exams, unless you improve by the end of the semester. Sometimes it's hard for students to stay focused in class and in general, it's easy to get frustrated. Fortunately, going to discussion can be a big help and despite my comment early, he does take his time in lecture, so students don't always feel like they're "racing to catch up" (unlike other professors). His coursework isn't too hard (the homework wasn't required to be turned in so it was pretty independent in that regard (and very helpful too)). The MATLAB's, though a bit frustrating at first, aren't really that bad, and should be an easy way to boost your grade. My TA was very helpful in my class. Wolfe actually sometimes made up problems on his own in class and didn't do things right from the book, so attending class, though it is often unnecessary, can often be somewhat of help (attending discussion is very good idea though!). He has practice exams online, and his real exams are almost identical (you just have to find the previous year's one, not the current one), so you should be able to do well if you put effort into it-don't get too discouraged at the beginning if you don't do well, the class gets better. Basically, this course is what you make of it. We had 4 exams, and a final, with MATLABS/worksheets counting as an exam. The exams seem to always be on Fridays, and a couple times, the timing of them wasn't so great, so make sure you are prepared. Good luck! |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: C December 18, 2008, 6:23 am | Worst professor ever. Done and done. Useless lectures, less than a third of the class showed up. I took his class as a freshmen because people have told me I am good at math. I went to nearly every lecture and struggled through his methods. Traditional teaches teach you how to solve problems. He teaches general, conceptual math and expects you to learn how to solve the problems through homework. This is great if you love math I suppose, however for everyone else it results in really difficult tests and a GPA killer. He is very good at math no doubt, however this means he will solve crucial steps in his head without revealing to anybody what just happened. He only erases the chalk with his hand, then proceeds to scratch his head, pat his shirt, put his hand on his belt, wipe his mouth, etc. So by the end of class he's worked himself up into a mumbling frenzy over some ridiculous graph and is covered in chalk. This absurd scene should be taped for SNL and not a real classroom. Sure he's a nice guy, have him over for dinner but don't take his class. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH240 Grade Expected: December 17, 2008, 1:37 pm | He is awful. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS. NOT APPROACHABLE, HARD EXAMS, TRICKY TRUE/FALSE, SOMETIMES/ALWAYS/NEVER QUIZ QUESTIONS. IF YOU MUST TAKE HIM, PRAY FOR A GOOD TA AND DO ALL THE HOMEWORKS |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241H Grade Expected: A December 15, 2008, 11:09 pm | He's a really nice guy, but he's rather confusing with his wording during lecture. You have to read the textbook in some instances to understand the material. Tests and quizzes are fairly straight-forward if you listen to how he does the practice tests the day before the actual tests themselves. Even offered a retake on a test with the higher of the two scores being counted when the class pretty much failed. |
| apekzhrk Course: MATH240 Grade Expected: December 7, 2008, 11:20 pm | Definitely avoid taking his class. If for some reason you do take his class, I recommend reading the textbook before going to lectures. His tests are evil. Very very evil. He also write on the board but covers what he writes with his body and just mumbles out the numbers. He definitely seems like he's excited about mathematics but he doesn't look like he wants to teach. He does not really respond well to students. For example, there was an incident where one of the students had a question and Peter responded "Isn't it obvious?!?!" instead of explaining. Take Justin Wyss-Gallifent instead. |
| TVanBlar Course: MATH240 Grade Expected: B November 12, 2008, 9:55 am | Focuses almost entirely on theory and definitions which, while important, create a gap in knowing how to do problems on tests. Used blackboard quizzes which were horrible and consisted of true/false, always/sometimes/never and the questions would change a single word or two to try to trip you up. A good TA is essential. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH240 Grade Expected: B November 4, 2008, 1:44 pm | A poor professor. His lectures follow the book exactly. He explains the material poorly and many students leave the class confused. The TA's at the discussion session are the main source of knowledge. Avoid this professor if possible. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: B August 5, 2008, 11:25 am | Avoid him if possible. Barely gets into the main point of any topic. I learned everything I know about calc 3 from discussion. Do the HW problems he recommends and you will do well on the tests. He likes to be tricky, watch out. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: B July 22, 2008, 4:37 pm | I was lucky to get a B. Most people did not sign up for his class, but the department switched professors at the last minute. I felt unprepared for his exams and some problems I had no idea how to solve. I think he knew what he was talking about, but it did not translate to his teaching. Also, he would take off full credit for small mistakes. The MATLAB was pointless. Also, the worksheets in discussion were pointless as they just took up time that could be used questions (most times the class did not know how to solve the worksheets anyway). If you are going to take his class, have some knowledge of the subject matter beforehand. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: May 19, 2008, 11:22 am | The comments below are really too kind. Not only is he a horrible teacher, but he is very dismissive with the concerns of students. I went to his office hours to ask about my grade after a bad exam and instead of giving me any help or advice he just said there was no way I was going to pass his class. Our TA was helpful but I don't think there was much communication between Wolfe and his TA's because they never seemed to know what to expect. The exams were tough and not a lot of partial credit was given which is why the scores were so low. He does not curve! He says in his syllabus that "grades may be adjusted upwards based on improvement over the semester" but thats really vague and you shouldn't depend on that. In short, do not take a class with this professor. It is stressful, unpleasant and it will drop your GPA. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: A May 5, 2008, 11:39 am | AVOID HIM IF POSSIBLE! He has a horrible teaching style. He basically goes up to the blackboard and regurgitates the theorems in the book except he does a very poor job explaining it. He does not lead you, instead he assumes that you understands it. Asking questions will not help either because he'll just point at the board and say something along the lines "No, well you see here... Look doesn't this say ..." As someone else wrote, he does block the board every lecture. He uses all the boards and depending on where you sit in the lecture hall you're going to be missing some of the material half the time. Exams are fair but there is not much room for error. His exam problems are very similar to book problems, so it would be in your best interest to do all of the homework and attend discussion. |
| eb Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: May 2, 2008, 10:22 am | Wolfe is probably one of the worst professors I have ever had. He babbles endlessly and never seems to get to the point of his lectures. He would frequently block the board while writing and then erase everything before the class had a chance to see it. His explanations were confusing and he usually skipped over important steps and didn't bother to explain them. He often became frustrated when no one would answer his questions or if someone asked a question about how he did a problem. I learned everything from my TA and the book. Don't take a class with Wolfe unless you have no other choice. This guy is pathetically senile and needed to retire about a hundred years ago. |
| Anonymous Course: MATH241 Grade Expected: March 4, 2008, 7:25 am | The worst professor ever!! Avoid taking his class, and if you get stuck in it like me (they changed profs at the last minute) complain like heck to the math department!! |
| OneManArmy Course: MATH246 Grade Expected: B January 22, 2008, 3:23 pm | One of the worst professors at UMD. Unfortunately, I had him for MATH241 and MATH246 in which I was able to squeeze by with a B in both. His lectures are useless, better to learn from the book or others. Homework is optional and the he tries to make the tests like the homework. Quizzes were given in 246 which were pretty difficult at times but don't affect your final grade much. MATLAB is a lot easier to do in groups and also does not affect your final grade that much. The exams are most influential and usually don't have any tricks to them. |