Professor

Gregory Okin

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3.2
Overall Ratings
Based on 57 Users
Easiness 2.4 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Workload 2.6 / 5 How light the workload is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Clarity 3.3 / 5 How clear the professor is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Helpfulness 3.2 / 5 How helpful the professor is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

Reviews (57)

2 of 4
2 of 4
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Dec. 29, 2014
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

It's kind of hard if you take it as a GE. As many evaluations said his voice goes very low from time to time. Multiple choice questions are tricky. Not recommended for those who are not interested in physical geography.

Selling textbook for GEOG1. Please contact me : weilai827500177@163.com

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March 27, 2015
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

I'm a geography major and found this course very difficult. His lectures are very difficult to stay awake during because he speaks very fast and kind of quietly. You don't necessarily have to do the readings because he discusses it all in lecture, but they do help clarify. His tests are REALLY difficult. The labs are really annoying but pretty easy. Overall, Okin makes a potentially interesting topic confusing and boring. I would not recommend.

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Dec. 3, 2011
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

I thought Okin was a great professor. He explains everything well and his study guides correspond perfectly with his lectures, so he sticks to the course material and doesn't digress as much as other professors do. Unlike common stereotypes about college professors, he actually does care about teaching this lower division course and makes sure to post course material online and have office hours. In each lecture he always periodically asks if the students have any questions. I don't find him to be cocky or condescending. On the contrary he's an overall nice guy who is passionate about what he teaches. I'd definitely recommend that you take his class.

Helpful?

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Dec. 12, 2011
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

Very brilliant professor and very good professor for first years. Studying for tests start on Day 1. The key to doing well on exams is engaging yourself in lectures and connecting the concepts together rather than remembering random facts. Not an easy A, but a very informative class nonetheless.

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Nov. 25, 2008
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

Great professor- probably my favorite at UCLA so far. Puts all his lectures online and tries to relate the subject material to things applicable to us. The class was very fair. Just pay attention in lecture and GO to his review sessions. I found that a couple of questions on the midterm/final were actually directly addressed in his review sessions... so they're definitely worth your time. take his class!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Nov. 7, 2009
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

His lectures are a bit annoying at times, and it's really hard to stay awake. I haven't decided whether it's his style of teaching or the monotony of the subject, but I think it's fair to say it's a combination. The labs are a free 40% of your grade, and his curve is very lenient for grades so the labs are definitely a way to secure atleast a B. The first midterm results were lackluster for most of the class, and it wasn't an easy test but it was definitely manageable with 3-4 hours of studying (I got very high 90s). I found that all of his questions came off the concepts from the study guide. So to study, I would say just answer as many study guide questions as you can (thoroughly), and whatever you don't get.. go back to the podcasts and fill in the answer. Don't read, and please don't even buy the book. Going to class is sometimes beneficial because the podcasts don't always have clear quality but other than that, it's a fairly easy A.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Dec. 10, 2009
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

Took Geog 1.

He was an outstanding professor. There were a few idiots in class who thought it would be okay to have a conversation in class while the professor is lecturer. At not one time did he ever kick anyone out that wasn't already annoying several other students.

He's a very interesting professor, easy to reach in office hours and seems truly dedicated to student learning despite his "wanna-be bad boy" attitude at the beginning of the class. He basically tried to scare anyone looking for an easy A off. Regardless, it was an easy B for me. I didn't crack open the book once. The labs are a given. You simply need to worry about being able to apply the concepts learned to varying situations and you should be set to go.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
March 5, 2010
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

Okin is a painfully boring lecturer. His tests are multiple choice but they can be kind of difficult if you don't study intensely for them. Be careful that on the midterm and final he will focus on topics that he didn't stress that were going to be on there. Luckily, the labs are super easy so that helps boost your grade. I got a B+ in the class, but probably could have done better if I'd tried harder or ever gone to lecture. Overall, it's a decent class but there are definitely better classes to take for easy G.E.s.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Dec. 24, 2014
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

I didn't know why i stick with this GE. I wasn't engage in the material. Professor Okins is an Ok professor. Sometimes you might feel sleepy in his class because he talks monotone and sometime very low that you can barely hear him. He does use a mic though. The labs are very elementary and easy . They are like writing definitions for the terms. but yea . Selling the textbook . text me at 626 673 6101

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Dec. 24, 2014
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A

I think Professor Okin is a very fair Professor given it's UCLA. He is extremely knowledgable and is very apparent (in a good way). However, the class is not easy! The concepts for the 1st 1/2 of the class can be hard which talk about The earth's origin (big bang), The earth in space and structure, plate tectonics, earthquakes, then where it gets challenging is when he talks about Atmosphere, Climate and weather. He talks about the physical and chemical processes going on here so he does go in depth talking about the chemistry behind it but doesn't expect you to remember the very small details. He is more interesting in the bigger concept but there is ALOT of concept to remember.

The class is 40% labs (Easy, if you put effort you should get 90%+), then 30% midterm and 30% Final both of which are Multiple Choice. Make no mistake, his tests are Multiple Choice however they are hard! He likes asking questions like "All the following are true except" and put in answers that are either very similar or have one tiny detail that makes the others false and one true.
Although the 1st 1/2 of the class is harder concept and the 2nd 1/2 I felt was definitely easier to understand, The test for the final (At least I felt) was definitely harder than expected and for me harder than the midterm. BTW average for the midterm was 68% but he makes it so that the 68% is the new 75% and accordingly shifts everyones scores up. Like I said, very fair professor but not easy since tests are hard.

Key to success is do the Study guides and watch all the podcasts while doing the Study Guide AND put effort into the labs because they are graded and they are what hold your grade up. No need to even buy the book, I forgot I had it by week 4 and I got a B+ in the class.

I learned valuable information in this class because it teaches you about the processes in earth which is where we live. Now I know why it rains at different latitudes, why certain parts have different climates, why rivers meander, why we have mountains, how clouds form, how earth was formed and much much more and all in-depth. However, this class will require a lot time if you want a good grade especially for those study guides which have about 80-110 questions and each questions has between 2-5 questions and most are like "Explain why it doesn't rain at 30degrees latitude form the equator" which generates long answers. So if you don't have the time, don't take it but if you do and want to learn about the processes in our world then I highly recommend it.

Only con about professor Okin is that sometimes it's hard to hear what he says because his voice can be very very low at times so you do miss things and when listening to the podcast you can go from barely able to hear him to all of a sudden, his voice just skyrocketing up (I think this is a technical issue with the recording) which is not pleasant or good for the ears.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Dec. 29, 2014

It's kind of hard if you take it as a GE. As many evaluations said his voice goes very low from time to time. Multiple choice questions are tricky. Not recommended for those who are not interested in physical geography.

Selling textbook for GEOG1. Please contact me : weilai827500177@163.com

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
March 27, 2015

I'm a geography major and found this course very difficult. His lectures are very difficult to stay awake during because he speaks very fast and kind of quietly. You don't necessarily have to do the readings because he discusses it all in lecture, but they do help clarify. His tests are REALLY difficult. The labs are really annoying but pretty easy. Overall, Okin makes a potentially interesting topic confusing and boring. I would not recommend.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Dec. 3, 2011

I thought Okin was a great professor. He explains everything well and his study guides correspond perfectly with his lectures, so he sticks to the course material and doesn't digress as much as other professors do. Unlike common stereotypes about college professors, he actually does care about teaching this lower division course and makes sure to post course material online and have office hours. In each lecture he always periodically asks if the students have any questions. I don't find him to be cocky or condescending. On the contrary he's an overall nice guy who is passionate about what he teaches. I'd definitely recommend that you take his class.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Dec. 12, 2011

Very brilliant professor and very good professor for first years. Studying for tests start on Day 1. The key to doing well on exams is engaging yourself in lectures and connecting the concepts together rather than remembering random facts. Not an easy A, but a very informative class nonetheless.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Nov. 25, 2008

Great professor- probably my favorite at UCLA so far. Puts all his lectures online and tries to relate the subject material to things applicable to us. The class was very fair. Just pay attention in lecture and GO to his review sessions. I found that a couple of questions on the midterm/final were actually directly addressed in his review sessions... so they're definitely worth your time. take his class!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Nov. 7, 2009

His lectures are a bit annoying at times, and it's really hard to stay awake. I haven't decided whether it's his style of teaching or the monotony of the subject, but I think it's fair to say it's a combination. The labs are a free 40% of your grade, and his curve is very lenient for grades so the labs are definitely a way to secure atleast a B. The first midterm results were lackluster for most of the class, and it wasn't an easy test but it was definitely manageable with 3-4 hours of studying (I got very high 90s). I found that all of his questions came off the concepts from the study guide. So to study, I would say just answer as many study guide questions as you can (thoroughly), and whatever you don't get.. go back to the podcasts and fill in the answer. Don't read, and please don't even buy the book. Going to class is sometimes beneficial because the podcasts don't always have clear quality but other than that, it's a fairly easy A.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Dec. 10, 2009

Took Geog 1.

He was an outstanding professor. There were a few idiots in class who thought it would be okay to have a conversation in class while the professor is lecturer. At not one time did he ever kick anyone out that wasn't already annoying several other students.

He's a very interesting professor, easy to reach in office hours and seems truly dedicated to student learning despite his "wanna-be bad boy" attitude at the beginning of the class. He basically tried to scare anyone looking for an easy A off. Regardless, it was an easy B for me. I didn't crack open the book once. The labs are a given. You simply need to worry about being able to apply the concepts learned to varying situations and you should be set to go.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
March 5, 2010

Okin is a painfully boring lecturer. His tests are multiple choice but they can be kind of difficult if you don't study intensely for them. Be careful that on the midterm and final he will focus on topics that he didn't stress that were going to be on there. Luckily, the labs are super easy so that helps boost your grade. I got a B+ in the class, but probably could have done better if I'd tried harder or ever gone to lecture. Overall, it's a decent class but there are definitely better classes to take for easy G.E.s.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Dec. 24, 2014

I didn't know why i stick with this GE. I wasn't engage in the material. Professor Okins is an Ok professor. Sometimes you might feel sleepy in his class because he talks monotone and sometime very low that you can barely hear him. He does use a mic though. The labs are very elementary and easy . They are like writing definitions for the terms. but yea . Selling the textbook . text me at 626 673 6101

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
GEOG 1
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Dec. 24, 2014

I think Professor Okin is a very fair Professor given it's UCLA. He is extremely knowledgable and is very apparent (in a good way). However, the class is not easy! The concepts for the 1st 1/2 of the class can be hard which talk about The earth's origin (big bang), The earth in space and structure, plate tectonics, earthquakes, then where it gets challenging is when he talks about Atmosphere, Climate and weather. He talks about the physical and chemical processes going on here so he does go in depth talking about the chemistry behind it but doesn't expect you to remember the very small details. He is more interesting in the bigger concept but there is ALOT of concept to remember.

The class is 40% labs (Easy, if you put effort you should get 90%+), then 30% midterm and 30% Final both of which are Multiple Choice. Make no mistake, his tests are Multiple Choice however they are hard! He likes asking questions like "All the following are true except" and put in answers that are either very similar or have one tiny detail that makes the others false and one true.
Although the 1st 1/2 of the class is harder concept and the 2nd 1/2 I felt was definitely easier to understand, The test for the final (At least I felt) was definitely harder than expected and for me harder than the midterm. BTW average for the midterm was 68% but he makes it so that the 68% is the new 75% and accordingly shifts everyones scores up. Like I said, very fair professor but not easy since tests are hard.

Key to success is do the Study guides and watch all the podcasts while doing the Study Guide AND put effort into the labs because they are graded and they are what hold your grade up. No need to even buy the book, I forgot I had it by week 4 and I got a B+ in the class.

I learned valuable information in this class because it teaches you about the processes in earth which is where we live. Now I know why it rains at different latitudes, why certain parts have different climates, why rivers meander, why we have mountains, how clouds form, how earth was formed and much much more and all in-depth. However, this class will require a lot time if you want a good grade especially for those study guides which have about 80-110 questions and each questions has between 2-5 questions and most are like "Explain why it doesn't rain at 30degrees latitude form the equator" which generates long answers. So if you don't have the time, don't take it but if you do and want to learn about the processes in our world then I highly recommend it.

Only con about professor Okin is that sometimes it's hard to hear what he says because his voice can be very very low at times so you do miss things and when listening to the podcast you can go from barely able to hear him to all of a sudden, his voice just skyrocketing up (I think this is a technical issue with the recording) which is not pleasant or good for the ears.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
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