Andrew Swafford

This class was difficult for me because I did not have a strong background in bio before coming to middlebury. Prof. Swafford is super passionate about biology but I felt like he came very unprepared for lectures and did not find his teaching method effective. I often had to rely heavily on the textbook to understand the concepts. While he is super accomodating, I often felt like i was missing some of the structural support and consistency to manage my workload wisely.

This class was difficult for me because I did not have a strong background in bio before coming to middlebury. Prof. Swafford is super passionate about biology but I felt like he came very unprepared for lectures and did not find his teaching method effective. I often had to rely heavily on the textbook to understand the concepts. Wh …Read more

This is a hard course, or at least it was for me. The textbook isn't necessarily mandatory to read, but it was very important to me. Without it, I probably wouldn't have understood half the material. Professor Swafford is incredibly understanding and wants to help you succeed. The oral exam was nice because you could tell he wanted you to get the right answer and would try to nudge you in the right direction.

This is a hard course, or at least it was for me. The textbook isn't necessarily mandatory to read, but it was very important to me. Without it, I probably wouldn't have understood half the material. Professor Swafford is incredibly understanding and wants to help you succeed. The oral exam was nice because you could tell he wanted y …Read more

I took Mol Gen with Prof Swafford and really enjoyed it. He runs his lab much differently than others where you are largely responsible for finding and writing protocols. This can be challenging, but is very helpful in understanding how a lab works. The lectures are split between fast-paced material and lab preparation. He does oral exams where you make a presentation and he asks you questions. While stressful at first, they ultimately provide you with great opportunities to show your learning. Overall an amazing course.

I took Mol Gen with Prof Swafford and really enjoyed it. He runs his lab much differently than others where you are largely responsible for finding and writing protocols. This can be challenging, but is very helpful in understanding how a lab works. The lectures are split between fast-paced material and lab preparation. He does oral …Read more