I enjoyed taking Chem 14A with Dr. Lavelle. I did not take AP chem in high school, so I felt a little bit disadvantaged amongst my peers. As a result, I had to put in more time. I went to as many TA, UA and professor office hours as I could. Did a bunch of homework problems and practice tests and managed to get a B+. With the amount of time that I put in, I could have gotten an A-, but I made dumb mistakes on the midterm, final and some quizzes. In class, Lavelle pretty much reads off the slides. At office hours, he is helpful and explains the material much better because he isn't lecturing 300 kids. I found the TA and UA office hours the MOST helpful because they were ongoing: they were available 7 days a week!! To succeed in this class, I recommend to do ALL the assigned hw problems, go to a lot of office hours, and don't make dumb mistakes on exams because they add up. If you didn't take AP Chem, don't be hesitant about taking his class, but know that you have to be putting in much more time than those that took AP chem.

This class, to me, was a bit challenging to adjust to since I did not have a great AP chemistry teacher in high school. Nevertheless, I find Lavelle's style of teaching helpful to me and I find myself understanding and liking chemistry more after taking the class. Although his tests are not easy (somewhat tricky because he LOVES his conceptual questions), you'll do fine if you prepare well. I'd advise to do all the HW he gives out and know important concepts. Like other people have said, the class is somewhat based on the effort you put in to learn the material. Although he goes fast in his lectures, Lavelle gives LOTS of tutoring and review sessions.

Tough class but REPETITION of the homework problems will lead to success in Lavelle's class. And make sure to do every single homework problem because that actually can make the difference for tests since each one has a question from the homework. It's a time consuming process but the good thing is that it's a simple formula to follow. Lavelle is a great lecturer and he genuinely cares about the success of ALL students in his class. Take his class you'll learn a lot. Live Love Lavelle <3

If you want to really learn, then I suggest taking him. If you want to get an A+ through memorization, look for another prof. his tests are pretty tough which means he expects his students to actually study and immerse themselves with the topic. he has a lot of tutoring and thats great. he is also very HAPPY! ALWAYS!!!

I don’t understand all of the reviews on here. Professor Lavelle is an amazing professor. The amount of resources he provides for his students is unlike anything I have seen in my life. He is a happy guy and literally spends his free time on “Chemistry Community” helping students. I wouldn’t say his tests are “easy,” but I would certainly say that if you do all the homework problems, you’ll have a fine time getting between a B+ — A+. My description of this class is that it’s literally your own fault if you don’t get the grade you want. Don’t blame Lavelle.

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HE RUINED MY LIFE!!!! (from a 3rd year)

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Take Scerri, avoid Lavelle by all means.

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