Christopher Andrews

Professor Andrews was really passionate and knowledgeable. However, his exams have very vague standards and are basically impossible to study for and prepare for. I have taken four cs classes, and this was by far the toughest. I don't even think anyone ended the course with an A this semester.

The course itself was pretty compact and fast paced, especially once the project started. First half of the semester is learning the necessary tools to be able to work on the project, and second half is working on the project. There are 2 exams, one midterm and one final which are used towards the final assessment of your grade, which you decide. Ultimately, you get to decide the value you get out of this course for the most part.

The course itself was pretty compact and fast paced, especially once the project started. First half of the semester is learning the necessary tools to be able to work on the project, and second half is working on the project. There are 2 exams, one midterm and one final which are used towards the final assessment of your grade, whic …Read more

Andrews was passionate and enthusiastic about the material. You can tell that he thought deeply about how to structure the course which I appreciate. His teaching style REALLY did not work for me, but he is very kind. He always asks for questions and wants you to succeed. You should go to office hours 100%. But I got the sense that most people in class seemed to be struggling, and many agreed that the projects (which were mainly on building circuits in Logisim) are unreasonably difficult. I liked that they could be a challenge, but at some points they were so annoying and hard to get done that I found myself not enjoying them, like at all. I think the class could have been a lot more fun for me, because the material was so interesting and useful… these projects and exams were just so demotivating. I agree that the exams are weirdly spaced throughout the semester. I did admire Andrews’s ungrading philosophy, which is what allowed me to keep my grade up. Nailing the foundations is the key to success.

Andrews was passionate and enthusiastic about the material. You can tell that he thought deeply about how to structure the course which I appreciate. His teaching style REALLY did not work for me, but he is very kind. He always asks for questions and wants you to succeed. You should go to office hours 100%. But I got the sense that m …Read more