After taking STATS 102A with Professor Chen, I was excited to have him again for STATS 102B, and he did not disappoint. While STATS 102A had a heavy coding emphasis, this class focused more on algorithms and the math behind said algorithms. For the midterms--particularly the second one--I was pressed for time, but that was the only uncomfortable part of the course. Having taking STATS 101C prior to this class, it was an enjoyable experience; 101C and 102B have quite a bit of overlap. In fact, I would term 102B as "coding 101C," which I enjoyed because it allowed me to better understand how these algorithms actually work rather than simply filling out a template with defaults. STATS 102B is one of the more important classes in the stats major, and Professor Chen made it a great experience.

Participation on Campuswire is crucial so that you get full credit on that part of your grade. No homeworks are dropped, but they aren't too difficult either. Exams demand speed and thus decent familiarity with the material. Make good use of his study guides and thoroughly review his slides. He does not curve, so do study hard.

Tip: You might want to take notes during lectures, especially on discussions/explanations that are not on slides. This may help you streamline exams even faster.

Professor Chen is extremely caring and kind. He's willing to share his views on career planning, grad school and life philosophy. He loves teaching and explains stuffs well. His lecture slides are logically organized, easy to read and informative. Great instructor and awesome person.