middCourses
with Will Pyle6 hours ago

Professor Pyle is an extremely passionate teacher who brings energy to each class. While relatively dense, he tries to break up his lectures with humor and entertaining commentary. His expectations are very clear, and if you do the homework and readings you will do well on the tests. He also offers corrections on the test which is a hugely important opportunity for an introductory economics class. Relative to other classes, he teaches the conceptual side of micro more than the graph-heavy material one would expect, which makes for a much easier course I found. His teaching style makes it easy to understand and he was always available to help whether during office hours or a one-on-one meeting. I would 100% recommend him to a student interested in taking an economics class but who is concerned about not having enough prior experience.

Professor Pyle is an extremely passionate teacher who brings energy to each class. While relatively dense, he tries to break up his lectures with humor and entertaining commentary. His expectations are very clear, and if you do the homework and readings you will do well on the tests. He also offers corrections on the test which is a …Read more

Chill and RelaxedFair Grading
3hrs / week Low difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Steven Pecsok2 days ago

Pecsok is a very fun and engaging teacher and is clearly enthusiastic about the material, however he can sometimes teach in a manner that allows for students to misunderstand concepts during lectures, such as by spending a lot of time on one concept and then speeding through several other concepts that could be on a quiz/test. If you utilize office hours when you are confused and genuinely pay attention in class, homework and tests should be pretty straightforward and you shouldn't have much trouble understanding the material during the semester.

Pecsok is a very fun and engaging teacher and is clearly enthusiastic about the material, however he can sometimes teach in a manner that allows for students to misunderstand concepts during lectures, such as by spending a lot of time on one concept and then speeding through several other concepts that could be on a quiz/test. If you …Read more

Chill and RelaxedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
3hrs / week Some difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmes2 days ago

Professor Holmes is exactly what you want in a professor. Very knowledgeable about what she's teaching and has applicable real-world experience but is very understanding and effective at teaching. As long as you pay attention you lowkey don't even have to do the readings.

Chill and RelaxedLots of HomeworkEasy Grading
1hrs / week Low difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Will Pyle2 days ago

Pyle is obviously very passionate about economics. Although he can sometimes go off on irrelevant tangents during lectures, he still generally gets the job done in terms of reviewing concepts. Understanding the readings is more important, and the tests/homework are mostly about whether you have a grasp on those concepts or not.

Fast-PacedEasy ExamsFair Grading
3hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Jessica Holmes2 days ago

She is an outstanding professor. The class materials are not heavy and are mostly from the textbook content. There are 2 problem sets a month. In total, we did 4 problem sets for the whole term. There are 2 midterms; if you do the problem sets, midterms are very similar.

Fast-PacedFair GradingEasy Exams
4hrs / week Some difficulty High value Would take again
with Steven Pecsok4 days ago

Pecsok is very engaging during his lectures and loves to make the class fun. But he often skips over important information very quickly. You also have a problem set due every week which are sometimes very confusing if the class is behind in the lectures, but he is super helpful during his office hours.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would take again
with Steven Pecsok2 days ago

Professor Pecsock and his teaching seems intimidating at first but he's a chill professor. He makes an effort to remember everyone's names despite having hundreds of students. There are problem sets every week, which is kind of a lot sometimes but it's easy to manage if you frequently attend office hours as he goes through every question and answer. He often gives extra credits for silly activities as well.

Professor Pecsock and his teaching seems intimidating at first but he's a chill professor. He makes an effort to remember everyone's names despite having hundreds of students. There are problem sets every week, which is kind of a lot sometimes but it's easy to manage if you frequently attend office hours as he goes through every ques …Read more

Tough GradingLots of HomeworkDifficult Exams
6hrs / week Very difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsok5 days ago

I found the information in this course somewhat interesting, but I would not recommend taking it with Steven Pecsok. His lectures are very hard to follow and I did not find him super useful in office hours. I ended up learning a lot material on my own time.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
2hrs / week Low difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsok10 days ago

Although I found some of the information useful. I would not take this class again. As someone who does not plan on going into economics I would not recommend this class with Steven Pecsok at least. I would often find myself teaching myself the information after class using YouTube and khan academy. Many of my other peers found the same to be true. One of the graders was horrible and the entire class had to resubmit their homework for grading on multiple occasions. Overall very bad experience.

Although I found some of the information useful. I would not take this class again. As someone who does not plan on going into economics I would not recommend this class with Steven Pecsok at least. I would often find myself teaching myself the information after class using YouTube and khan academy. Many of my other peers found the s …Read more

Lots of HomeworkTough GradingDifficult Exams
4hrs / week Some difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmes15 days ago

I thoroughly enjoy the class. The grade revolves mostly around your performance in the two (or three if you take the optional final) exams. Problem sets are good but weigh little. I personally had a somewhat difficult time in Microeconomics, but spending more time learning concepts and graphing helps.

Fast-PacedConstant ReadingFair Grading
0hrs / week Very difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmes2 days ago

I took this class as a requirement for my major and Professor Holmes was amazing, very knowledgable and capable of effectively conveying her knowledge enthusiastically. She made me exceptionally confident in my choice of economics major.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Average difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Will Pyle2 days ago

This class is definiteley best with Pyle although he does assign lots of reading. Besides the heavy reading he is very fair in the way that he determines your final grade. He also allowed you to earn points back on every exam.

Fast-PacedConstant ReadingFair Grading
4hrs / week Some difficulty High value Would take again
with Steven Pecsokyesterday

Professor Pecsok has a fun teaching style and puts in the effort to get to know everyone, but he is a bit confusing on the lectures some time. Homework is one problem set per week and some reading to back up the lectures he gives in class.

Easy ExamsFair GradingFast-Paced
4hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Steven Pecsok1 hour ago

Professor Pecsok is definitely on the tougher side for introductory economics courses. He is very funny and his lectures are very entertaining. However, the homework is hard and the exams can be challenging. Professor Pecsok has regular office hours and stays after class to answer any last minute clarifying questions. I would recommend taking this course, it is just slightly more challenging than others.

Professor Pecsok is definitely on the tougher side for introductory economics courses. He is very funny and his lectures are very entertaining. However, the homework is hard and the exams can be challenging. Professor Pecsok has regular office hours and stays after class to answer any last minute clarifying questions. I would recomme …Read more

Lots of HomeworkFair GradingDifficult Exams
4hrs / week Very difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsok9 days ago

Intro Micro with Professor Pecsock was an interesting experience. He makes the lectures entertaining and likes to crack jokes, but he often flies through extremely important information very quickly. I found myself relearning the material before exams through YouTube because of this. The class itself isn't too bad though if you go to office hours for the weekly homework which is graded easily, and study for the exams well in advance to relearn some of the material.

Intro Micro with Professor Pecsock was an interesting experience. He makes the lectures entertaining and likes to crack jokes, but he often flies through extremely important information very quickly. I found myself relearning the material before exams through YouTube because of this. The class itself isn't too bad though if you go to …Read more

Fast-PacedFair GradingLots of Homework
3hrs / week Some difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Professor Holmes is great. She is great at making material easy to learn. Most classes will be lectures with slides and note taking, but Holmes explains material clearly and is very efficient while also giving students sufficient time to take in the material. Occasionally she will mix it up by having the class doing something interactive to help us gain a better perspective. Weekly homework consists of an online problem set of 20 questions (~40 minutes) and reading a few articles and reflecting (~80 minutes). Exams are fair, she won't try to trick you, but you will need to study. Only drawback is that Holmes doesn't use Canvas, materials are given through a shared google folder.

Professor Holmes is great. She is great at making material easy to learn. Most classes will be lectures with slides and note taking, but Holmes explains material clearly and is very efficient while also giving students sufficient time to take in the material. Occasionally she will mix it up by having the class doing something interac …Read more

Fair Grading
2hrs / week Low difficulty High value Would take again
with Will Pyle6 months ago

Will Pyle is a great guy with a true love for Economics. My only possible issue with this class was that Professor Pyle liked to get sidetracked and go on tangents, usually about his family. Overall, this didn't detract from my experience, however, I know it did frustrate others in the class who were struggling with the content. That being said, this was my favorite class so far at the college. It was well structured and generally well taught, and I found it easy to understand what the teacher was looking for with assignments. Also, The Core Textbook (which Pyle was very outspokenly in support of) is a phenomenal textbook that complements Pyle's teaching style well.

Will Pyle is a great guy with a true love for Economics. My only possible issue with this class was that Professor Pyle liked to get sidetracked and go on tangents, usually about his family. Overall, this didn't detract from my experience, however, I know it did frustrate others in the class who were struggling with the content. That …Read more

Fast-PacedFair GradingEasy Exams
4hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy2 months ago

Professor Ramaswamy expertly handled a relatively (considering Middlebury standards) large class, inviting people to ask questions and involve themselves in the discussions. He ended most of the classes with big picture thinking about economic problems that we see in every day life (e.g. surge pricing on uber).

Fair GradingFast-PacedLots of Homework
3hrs / week Some difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Steven Pecsok11 months ago

Professor Pecsok is a great guy. He is super understanding and lenient with grading, but I would not recommend his Microeconomics class to even my worst enemy. His teaching style is all over the place -- he tends to go off-topic (telling jokes, giving niche history lessons, etc.), move through important lessons SUPER quickly, wait to post required homework assignments, etc.-- and it is extremely frustrating to have to keep up with. Expect to read the textbook outside of class and attend office hours a few times (if not more) in order to grasp the lessons. The tests always caught me off guard, with questions worded trickily, specific topics becoming important questions when they were never discussed in-depth during class... Overall, I left this class disappointed. I certainly learned something, and Pecsok is a wonderful man, but I have never worked so hard and STILL performed poorly in a course. I suggest looking into the other professors before signing up for Pecsok's class.

Professor Pecsok is a great guy. He is super understanding and lenient with grading, but I would not recommend his Microeconomics class to even my worst enemy. His teaching style is all over the place -- he tends to go off-topic (telling jokes, giving niche history lessons, etc.), move through important lessons SUPER quickly, wait to …Read more

Fast-PacedEasy GradingDifficult Exams
5hrs / week Extremely difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy6 months ago

Prof. Ramaswamy is an incredibly knowledgable and passionate instructor. Oftentimes, Professors here are masters of their subjects, but lack enthusiasm and genuine passion for teaching. This is not the case with Ramaswamy, he balances mastery of Econ with engaging teaching. The class has a nice rhythm to it: weekly Assignments that are very doable if you give yourself enough time and readings from the textbook. The exams can be tough, but I wouldn't be discouraged from taking the course because of that. Overall, as someone who has no economic background, this class has been very interesting for me.

Prof. Ramaswamy is an incredibly knowledgable and passionate instructor. Oftentimes, Professors here are masters of their subjects, but lack enthusiasm and genuine passion for teaching. This is not the case with Ramaswamy, he balances mastery of Econ with engaging teaching. The class has a nice rhythm to it: weekly Assignments that a …Read more

Fair GradingDifficult Exams
5hrs / week Average difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Will Pyle4 months ago

This course is manageable as long as you attend office hours. The exams can be hard if you don't go to oh but he always allows you to gain back points after a test. The weekly reading wasn't necessary but helpful in preparation for tests. Expect to go to office hours for homeworks.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingDifficult Exams
3hrs / week Average difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

Even though Professor Pecsok is nice and funny, his teaching style is very confusing and unorganized. Even when I would attend office hours for 1+ hour, I still felt confused and that I didn't understand the material. When you would ask him for more context, he gives very "straight-forward" answers, and doesn't explain how he reaches certain conclusions. He teaches very complex topics "simply" and brushes over them too quickly, so you often miss important components of topics. Additionally, the graders are very strict and take off points for small things. He is very lenient about extensions and giving "drops" for homework and pop quizzes.

Even though Professor Pecsok is nice and funny, his teaching style is very confusing and unorganized. Even when I would attend office hours for 1+ hour, I still felt confused and that I didn't understand the material. When you would ask him for more context, he gives very "straight-forward" answers, and doesn't explain how he reaches …Read more

Fast-Paced
4hrs / week Very difficulty Extremely low value Would not take again
with Will Pyle3 months ago

I loved the professor and he was very helpful in answering students questions. He would make an effort to go above and beyond to help his students. All the HW is collaborative so it was nice to work through difficult problems with peers considering a big part of your grade stems from homework.

Fast-PacedConstant ReadingFair Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Professor Holmes made this class very enjoyable. She has a precise teaching method and is patient if anyone has questions about the material or anything else. As a result, the exams are easy, and she grades exceptionally fairly. There are discussion posts every week, which can get annoying, but most of the course's material is valuable.

Fast-PacedFair GradingConstant Reading
2hrs / week Average difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy6 months ago

Prof. Ramaswamy is an amazing professor. He truly cares for his students and will work with you to help cement the fundamentals. It is a fast paced course. He is extremely approachable and is accessible to students very easily. Go to his office hours. You will not regret it! I'd take any class with Prof. Ramaswamy. He has a way to make even the most tough concept easy to understand. I HIGHLY recommend this and any class with Prof. R!

Prof. Ramaswamy is an amazing professor. He truly cares for his students and will work with you to help cement the fundamentals. It is a fast paced course. He is extremely approachable and is accessible to students very easily. Go to his office hours. You will not regret it! I'd take any class with Prof. Ramaswamy. He has a way to ma …Read more

Fast-PacedConstant ReadingEasy Grading
6hrs / week Average difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy5 months ago

Professor Ramaswamy was super passionate about the subject and his lectures were very spontaneous and informing. It's essential to do the readings before class since he may not touch on every detail that may show up on the exam in class. Overall, it was a great course.

Fast-PacedFair GradingEasy Exams
7hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Will Pyle5 months ago

I have loved taking this class. The content definitely isn't too difficult to understand and the professor is great! He makes coming to class fun and clearly cares a lot about his students. The class alternates between homework (problem sets) and a test every week but neither are too difficult if you go to office hours the night before.

Lots of HomeworkFair Grading
3hrs / week Average difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Jessica Holmes6 months ago

Straight forward and often intuitive online homework most weeks. Readings and lectures repeated the same material; I often skipped lectures and just did the readings or vice versa and was completely prepared for the homework. Easy exams if you understand the hw.

Chill and RelaxedFair Grading
3hrs / week Low difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Will Pyle5 months ago

Pyle is a great professor who clearly is very passionate about econ and overall cares a lot about students. He always tried to accommodate students whether it was allowing to drop tests or hand in test corrections. If you go to his office hours tests are very manageable.

Chill and RelaxedConstant ReadingFair Grading
3hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Will Pyle6 months ago

Pyle is an exceptionally good teacher and very capable of thorough explaining complicated topics. In addition, he holds weekly office hours before every homework assignment or test which are very helpful. His lectures often are filled with some personal anecdotes, but the test material is almost exclusively on material covered in the lectures, not in the reading.

Fair GradingFast-Paced
4hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Will Pyle6 months ago

Professor Pyle is a super nice guy and is really passionate about the material. It's a fair amount of work but never feels overwhelming if you stay on top of it. I'm not a huge econ fan but he made it somewhat interesting and I would definitely recommend the class if you're curious about econ. Go to office hours/ tutoring before the tests and homework that will help so much!!

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
3hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Will Pyle5 months ago

Prof. Pyle is very enthusiastic and can bring many interesting things to class. The method of education is fun and involving. His explanation of confusing theories is clear and helpful. He always tries to answer students' questions thoroughly. The office hour is especially helpful for the preparation of exams and homework. The whole course does not have a heavy workload but can still teach students what they need to know well.

Prof. Pyle is very enthusiastic and can bring many interesting things to class. The method of education is fun and involving. His explanation of confusing theories is clear and helpful. He always tries to answer students' questions thoroughly. The office hour is especially helpful for the preparation of exams and homework. The whole …Read more

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
6hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would take again
with Paul Sommerslast year

Although the class was relatively light and not to difficult due to the take-home exams and the not-too-harshly graded homework, the material could get slightly dull. Professor Sommers is very kind and friendly, but sometimes it felt like he explained simple concepts a little too complexly. However, he is almost always available and is very helpful when you go to his office hours.

Chill and RelaxedEasy ExamsFair Grading
3hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy6 months ago

Professor Ramaswamy is very enthusiastic about teaching economics and is also a great lecturer. He often does go a little out of topic — but at the benefit for students so that we can apply the things we’ve learned in the real life. Exams are moderately difficult.

Chill and RelaxedFair Grading
1hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Steven Pecsok5 months ago

Intro level course... would not really recommend taking with Peck. Yes, he is an easy teacher and his exams are easy and graded generously, but he is just awful at teaching the material. You literally will be so confused on every homework and in all the classes but will somehow still end with an A

Fast-PacedFair GradingEasy Exams
4hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmes10 months ago

I thought Jessica Holmes was a very nice professor in ways that she had very easy lectures, all through PowerPoint which looked extremely simple. We did not have that much homework, the problem sets were online and fairly easy. Although the exams were shockingly hard which created a big gap between the homework and what we did in class. Most of her exams were multiple choice with vicious questions and traps in most of the MCQs. Overall, the professor was nice but her exams were too hard compared to what she thought in class.

I thought Jessica Holmes was a very nice professor in ways that she had very easy lectures, all through PowerPoint which looked extremely simple. We did not have that much homework, the problem sets were online and fairly easy. Although the exams were shockingly hard which created a big gap between the homework and what we did in cla …Read more

Chill and RelaxedTough GradingDifficult Exams
3hrs / week Some difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Jon Isham6 months ago

Prof. Isham is an interesting professor. He likes to tell stories, which can be fun at times, but doesn't always seem relevant. His course is less economics and more activism/political science. I wish I had learned more about the math and models behind microeconomic theory, but instead, we focused on very specific case studies that seemed at times to have little to no relevance to the class. My friends in other micro classes had a much easier time moving forward in the econ dept.

Prof. Isham is an interesting professor. He likes to tell stories, which can be fun at times, but doesn't always seem relevant. His course is less economics and more activism/political science. I wish I had learned more about the math and models behind microeconomic theory, but instead, we focused on very specific case studies that s …Read more

Slow-PacedEasy GradingProject Exams
4hrs / week Low difficulty Extremely low value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmes10 months ago

Although the workload was challenging, it was well-balanced and necessary for reinforcing the concepts taught in class. Professor Holmes provided ample resources, including practice problems and supplementary readings, which greatly enhanced my comprehension and preparedness for exams.

Fair GradingDifficult Exams
5hrs / week Very difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy11 months ago

Professor Ramaswamy is an amazing professor. He is kind and enthusiastic and very knowledgable. Problem sets are not too difficult if you do the readings or go to his lectures. Definitely do the textbook readings because presentations are more of a supplement to the readings, and focus in on specific details rather than give an overall picture. Exams are fairly straight forward and not too difficult. Overall, this class is not too hard and is an enjoyable experience.

Professor Ramaswamy is an amazing professor. He is kind and enthusiastic and very knowledgable. Problem sets are not too difficult if you do the readings or go to his lectures. Definitely do the textbook readings because presentations are more of a supplement to the readings, and focus in on specific details rather than give an overa …Read more

Constant ReadingFair GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Low difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy11 months ago

Sunder Ramaswamy was an extremely passionate professor, he went into extreme detail during lectures and provided real life examples of microeconomic topics. Exam grading was very fair and provides helpful feedback. Office hours are key! Would recommend to new economics students.

Fast-PacedFair GradingDifficult Exams
5hrs / week Some difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Lots of reading for this class. You have to read in order to know what's going on, especially if you did not take Economics classes before, since the Professor would mostly wrap up the readings during class. The exams are long, but the grading is fair. Professor Wunnava is very enthusiastic about what he teaches and very approachable. Just do the readings and you will be fine.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
14hrs / week Some difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

The homework consists of problem sets and readings/responses. They aren't very difficult and if you put in the effort, you will get a good grade on them. Professor Holmes is an engaging teacher who genuinely cares about her students and wants to see us succeed. I would definitely another course of hers again

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingDifficult Exams
3hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Jon Ishamlast year

Jon Isham is a really great econ professor, he really makes an effort to go beyond the bare material and apply it to the real world, making you conscious of privilege, the environment, etc. He's incredibly kind and will make an effort to get to know you if you go to office hours. There's a decent amount of reading but not too bad, and the exams are fine if you study. Would take again.

Jon Isham is a really great econ professor, he really makes an effort to go beyond the bare material and apply it to the real world, making you conscious of privilege, the environment, etc. He's incredibly kind and will make an effort to get to know you if you go to office hours. There's a decent amount of reading but not too bad, an …Read more

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Professor Holmes is one of the best professors I have had at Middlebury. She is kind and personable and is very good at articulating the sometimes dense material and keeping it interesting and digestible for her students. She often connects the content to modern world scenarios and has us do exercises and activities to model the "real-world" side of economics. The exams are fair, and there is only one problem set a week.

Professor Holmes is one of the best professors I have had at Middlebury. She is kind and personable and is very good at articulating the sometimes dense material and keeping it interesting and digestible for her students. She often connects the content to modern world scenarios and has us do exercises and activities to model the "rea …Read more

Fair GradingEasy ExamsFast-Paced
3hrs / week Low difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamylast year

Professor Ramaswamy was a good and engaging lecturer. He had a clear interest and passion for the material and was very knowledgeable. He assigns readings, but I found it okay to just skim through them if you listen well in class. Problem sets are assigned weekly but are not too difficult. Exams are also not too hard.

Chill and RelaxedEasy ExamsFair Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Professor Holmes is the best. She made even challenging topics in Microeconomics interesting and applicable to real life. Although the course is fast-paced, you feel very prepared for all exams. The semester I took this course if you were happy with your grade you did not have to take the final exam. She was happy to provide additional support during office hours or talk with you after class. I would recommend this class even if you're not intending on being an economics major.

Professor Holmes is the best. She made even challenging topics in Microeconomics interesting and applicable to real life. Although the course is fast-paced, you feel very prepared for all exams. The semester I took this course if you were happy with your grade you did not have to take the final exam. She was happy to provide addition …Read more

Fast-PacedFair GradingEasy Exams
2hrs / week Low difficulty High value Would not take again
with Jon Ishamlast year

Professor Isham creates a very relaxed environment. We had a weekly problem set that was graded fairly. We also had a midterm that was just a few open ended questions. The final research project was fun. The readings are definitely helpful but he covers everything in class. Very little discussion.

Chill and RelaxedEasy GradingEasy Exams
2hrs / week Average difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Steven Pecsok3 months ago

Intro to Micro with Professor Pecsok was a good experience. He's funny and engaging which kept me interested in class. The grading isn't too tough and the exams are very fair if you do the homework. I'd take the class again.

Chill and RelaxedEasy GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Professor Holmes made material which could have felt boring and complicated really enjoyable to go through. The lectures mirror the textbook readings very closely, so much so that you don't necessarily need to read but if you do the lectures will very intuitive and easy. The homework aren't bad at all, only 20 questions a week and most of them are pretty easy. Professor Holmes is really fun and engaging (she makes us read current events, brought in donuts, and some classes were games/experiments rather than lectures).

Professor Holmes made material which could have felt boring and complicated really enjoyable to go through. The lectures mirror the textbook readings very closely, so much so that you don't necessarily need to read but if you do the lectures will very intuitive and easy. The homework aren't bad at all, only 20 questions a week and mo …Read more

Fast-PacedFair GradingDifficult Exams
3hrs / week Some difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Jon Isham5 months ago

Jon Isham developed an incredibly interesting and engaging class. I really appreciated the sustainable approach he took to the course, and I was able to learn useful skills that I could apply to historical events.

Chill and RelaxedConstant ReadingFair Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy5 months ago

Prof. Ramaswamy was a great teacher who loved to delve into students questions with a slight tendency to ramble but overal great teacher. About one homework assignment over the weekend which was always very doable.

Fair GradingChill and Relaxed
1hrs / week Low difficulty High value Would take again
with Jessica Holmes6 months ago

Coursework and exams were relevant and fairly graded. Professor Holmes is a great instructor who will take the extra time to help you succeed. If they fit into your schedule, definitely go to her exam review sessions.

Fair Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Will Pyle6 months ago

I liked this course a lot because it wasn't too strenuous. There are 4 tests and a final which can be a good thing for some but bad for others. Most of the exams were made from the class slides, so there is not a lot extra reading.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
4hrs / week Some difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Jon Isham5 months ago

With Isham it is less a micro class and more just what he's interested in. If you like to learn random interesting stuff about the world it's great. If you like graphs take it with a different teacher.

Chill and RelaxedEasy GradingDifficult Exams
2hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy6 months ago

He is so passionate and nice. Holds lots of office hours. If you do the textbook readings each week, you will understand the material. There is a little too much to just pay attention in class, but you only have probelm sets once a week so its manageable .

Fast-PacedFair Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Jessica Holmes6 months ago

I found this course very instructive, and though fast at times, the professor and TA were both very helpful and accommodating. Professor Holmes is very passionate about what she teaches about. I think it is a good course.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
3hrs / week Some difficulty High value Would not take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy6 months ago

Ramaswamy is the best economics professor here at Middlebury. Extremely knowledgeable about almost everything economics related and bringing together real world examples that are easy to follow make the course a joy.

Chill and RelaxedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
3hrs / week Average difficulty Extremely high value Would not take again
with Sunder Ramaswamylast year

Professor Sunder's was an amazing professor. Super passionate about what he teaches. Accessible and helpful during office hours. Occasionally, he does break off into a tangent which makes it hard to follow, but they're quite interesting. I recommend this course and this teacher if you want to major in economics, but if you're trying to just get a distribution, take Intro to Macroeconomics, it's an easier course.

Professor Sunder's was an amazing professor. Super passionate about what he teaches. Accessible and helpful during office hours. Occasionally, he does break off into a tangent which makes it hard to follow, but they're quite interesting. I recommend this course and this teacher if you want to major in economics, but if you're trying …Read more

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkDifficult Exams
2hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

The homework assignments are on Achieve (multiple choice), which means that you are not doing the traditional problem sets (writing intensive). The readings are straightforward, and the concepts are easy to consolidate since you go over everything in detail during the lectures. Professor Holmes does a fantastic job of integrating examples to make the learning experience more enjoyable and smooth.

The homework assignments are on Achieve (multiple choice), which means that you are not doing the traditional problem sets (writing intensive). The readings are straightforward, and the concepts are easy to consolidate since you go over everything in detail during the lectures. Professor Holmes does a fantastic job of integrating exa …Read more

Chill and RelaxedConstant ReadingEasy Grading
5hrs / week Low difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

As someone who isn't the biggest fan of econ, this course was pretty good. Holmes did a good job of reiterating the concepts and applying them to real life examples which really helped me understand the course content. The stuff we learned was also really useful for higher econ courses as well as life in general.

Fair GradingDifficult Exams
3hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Professor Holmes teaches directly from the textbook, which is helpful because if you miss class you can go right in the book and learned what you missed. There are weekly homework assignments do Wednesday night that take about 1-2 hours to finish, and weekly online discussion posts due Fridays at 5pm. It's a pretty easy class if you pay attention and do the homework.

Fair GradingFast-Paced
3hrs / week Low difficulty High value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamylast year

Problem sets are weekly and very relevant for exams. Ramaswamy is a really interesting lecturer who puts in a lot of work to make micro easy to understand, even if you've never taken an economics class.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Average difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Professor Wunnava made the class very enjoyable. He gives two midterms but you can drop one, so as long as you did fine on one of them, the class is pretty easy to get a good grade in. Also, he was a funny professor.

Chill and RelaxedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
4hrs / week Some difficulty High value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Wunnava is the man. Super enthusiastic and friendly, and grades super light. There is one problem set per week that is easy to work through if you go to TA hours. Exams are difficult but he grades easy.

Fast-PacedEasy Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Wunnava is not always very clear and is sometimes hard to understand. He is very strict about his own time, but has no regard for students'. He will scold you for being late and then the class 5-10 minutes past the end. If he has conflicts with classtime, he'll schedule a Sunday night class instead, which I think is ridiculous. The homework is reasonable and the content isnt crazy, but the teaching is really just not great. He is very enthusiastic and it is good to get on his good side, but I feel like he could be much clearer with concepts and be able to even get through things quicker.

Wunnava is not always very clear and is sometimes hard to understand. He is very strict about his own time, but has no regard for students'. He will scold you for being late and then the class 5-10 minutes past the end. If he has conflicts with classtime, he'll schedule a Sunday night class instead, which I think is ridiculous. The h …Read more

Chill and RelaxedDifficult ExamsFair Grading
2hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Paul Sommerslast year

Prof Sommers is a very interesting professor and has a very distinct teaching style that is apparent when you take his classes. He has a sense of humor, which helps make what can otherwise be a boring class more interesting at parts and can be unnecessary at other times. The problem sets generally follow from what we learn in class, but not always, which is annoying. The exams are take-home, however, which is nice. The textbook is kind of convoluted and not necessary but some chapters towards the end are helpful.

Prof Sommers is a very interesting professor and has a very distinct teaching style that is apparent when you take his classes. He has a sense of humor, which helps make what can otherwise be a boring class more interesting at parts and can be unnecessary at other times. The problem sets generally follow from what we learn in class, …Read more

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
5hrs / week Some difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Amazing teacher and very valuable course. Not too much work, but important to study for tests. Classes were interesting and often project based - lots of real life examples that made the class more applicable.

Fast-PacedConstant ReadingFair Grading
2hrs / week Average difficulty Extremely high value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

This course was interesting and relevant to the economics major. However, I felt like Professor Pecsok is an ineffective teacher. He's a great guy and he's enthusiastic about the material, but his teaching style is very confusing and not engaging.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
4hrs / week Some difficulty Average value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamylast year

This class has a great approach to microeconomics, and the Professor is extremely knowledgable and passionate about the material. Exams are usually long and require good time management, but they are very similar to the material in the problem sets. I would definitely recommend this course, it is very engaging and it feels like a good starting point going into intermediate Econ courses.

This class has a great approach to microeconomics, and the Professor is extremely knowledgable and passionate about the material. Exams are usually long and require good time management, but they are very similar to the material in the problem sets. I would definitely recommend this course, it is very engaging and it feels like a goo …Read more

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Although Microeconomics is not my favorite subject, Professor Holmes was a great professor and made it significantly more interesting. I especially liked that she would talk about her own experience in healthcare economics and tie that into the material. For the first time in an econ class, I felt like I could easily apply the material to real-world scenarios outside of class. I struggled on the exams but they weren't necessarily hard. You just need to be willing to put in some work to study for them.

Although Microeconomics is not my favorite subject, Professor Holmes was a great professor and made it significantly more interesting. I especially liked that she would talk about her own experience in healthcare economics and tie that into the material. For the first time in an econ class, I felt like I could easily apply the materi …Read more

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
1hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would take again
with Will Pyle4 months ago

This course had relatively hard exams, but they were very straight forward. If you have time to study for at least 2-3 hours before test and just pay attention in class, you should be fine. Best way to study for tests is to review the powerpoints and go over the problem sets (homework). There is a test every two weeks and a homework every two weeks (alternating weeks).

Slow-PacedFair GradingDifficult Exams
7hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

The class format is very consistent and the lectures are all closely based on the textbook. There are some points on the lecture that are not in the textbook and vice versa, but generally either one or the other would give you a good grasp of the material. The homework is pretty easy and just tests your knowledge. There are also weekly readings that you have to write discussion responses on, and the amount varies from week to week.

The class format is very consistent and the lectures are all closely based on the textbook. There are some points on the lecture that are not in the textbook and vice versa, but generally either one or the other would give you a good grasp of the material. The homework is pretty easy and just tests your knowledge. There are also week …Read more

Chill and RelaxedEasy GradingEasy Exams
4hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsok5 months ago

Professor Pecsok was not the most effective professor but overall pretty good. I found his teaching style pretty difficult to grasp and his explanation of topics was vague at times. He is passionate about Micro economics but the class is generally pretty boring.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingDifficult Exams
6hrs / week Some difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

Professor Holmes manages to make an otherwise dense content-wise class enjoyable and engaging. As long as you are doing the readings and achieving assignments you'll find the class fairly easy to keep up with. She's also incredibly easy to get in contact with and accommodates those that need it.

Chill and RelaxedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
5hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

Pecsok is funny to have in class but his teaching style is confusing and sometimes unorganized. He does not explain concepts well and often rushes over important information because he is running out of time. I went to his office hours almost every week for homework and is still confused about some concepts.

Lots of HomeworkFast-Paced
5hrs / week Low difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsok6 months ago

Professor Pecsok isn't afraid of cold calling which can make has class kind of awkward. Nonetheless, he's a very chill professor who has a good sense of humor. He grades very fair and allows drops on problem sets and quizzes. Do brief skimming of the textbook before each class and go to office hours if needed — this should be a walk in the park.

Easy GradingChill and Relaxed
2hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would take again
with Jon Ishamlast year

Professor Isham is a great teacher and clearly knows what he is talking about. However, the course is not taught as intro to micro, it is political science, environmental science, history, and racial studies. no models, readings every week, tests not too bad. UPDATE: there was a student survey, and every student said to lean more into the math, model side of micro and he has!

Slow-PacedFair GradingEasy Exams
1hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

The class can be a little challenging especially if you haven't taken econ before, but going to professor pecsok's office hours helps a lot and he's a really fair grader who gives lots of extra credit.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkEasy Grading
2hrs / week Some difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Wunnava is an absolute gem. He made the lectures enjoyable with jokes and lots of personal life stories, which sometimes made everyone look at each other confused, but in a good way. He's a great teacher and his exams weren't too hard. I would definitely recommend this course to someone.

Fast-PacedFair GradingLots of Homework
4hrs / week Low difficulty High value Would take again
with Paul Sommerslast year

Paul sommers is a great man, but his lectures are confusing and slow paced. He sends out his illegible lecture notes and repeats them directly back in class. His problem sets are his own and questions can be phrased in a confusing way that TAs and tutors don’t understand. But if you go to his office hours he will help you

Slow-PacedLots of HomeworkEasy Exams
8hrs / week Low difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

This class was very confusing to me. Professor Wunnava is an awesome person, he is funny, energetic, and really cares for his students. However, he doesn't teach the material in a very straight forward way and I often taught myself from the book. Also, the exams were graded very oddly.

Fast-PacedEasy GradingDifficult Exams
4hrs / week Very difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Going into this course, I was excited to learn about economics because I've never taken an economics class before. However, Professor Wannuava doesn't make things exciting for me. Don't get me wrong, his problem sets aren't that difficult and his enthusiasm is infectious, but his teaching style isn't for me. If you enjoy sitting though a 75 minute lecture with no student interaction then this course is for you.

Going into this course, I was excited to learn about economics because I've never taken an economics class before. However, Professor Wannuava doesn't make things exciting for me. Don't get me wrong, his problem sets aren't that difficult and his enthusiasm is infectious, but his teaching style isn't for me. If you enjoy sitting thou …Read more

Fast-PacedConstant ReadingFair Grading
1hrs / week Some difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Paul Sommerslast year

Professor Sommers is a really really nice guy, but he simply does not teach. The only way to get through the problem sets and exams is to use past material from the class (which Professor Sommers provides). It is ridiculously time consuming, but an A is achievable if you take Professor Sommers' advice and download every answer key he's ever posted.

Lots of HomeworkEasy GradingDifficult Exams
4hrs / week Average difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

I absolutely love Wunnava. He loves econ but his lectures are basically him just talking about cricket. The exams are pretty easy but and homeworks are guaranteed 100s. Unfortunately, this class made me stop wanting to major in econ because the topic is unavoidably boring.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
2hrs / week Low difficulty Very low value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

For an intro-level class, he is a good professor. The lectures aren't always clear and sometimes confusing, but he is a great guy and interesting to listen to. he makes the lectures fun and jokes around. There is only one problem set a week and minimal tests.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingEasy Exams
2hrs / week Average difficulty Low value Would take again
with Jon Ishamlast year

Isham is very passionate about what he teaches you but he does not teach micro economics. There are no models or equations talked about its all social injustice not in an economics way. He tests you on people he shows you in class and the exams are very hard to study for. I feel unprepared for micro theory after this class.

Slow-PacedLots of HomeworkDifficult Exams
2hrs / week Low difficulty Extremely low value Would not take again
with Will Pyle3 months ago

I really enjoyed taking a course with Prof Pyle - he is an amazing and thoughtful professor. The only thing is I am very bad at econ and found it difficult at times. Although he is very accommodating and offers lots of additional help.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkDifficult Exams
4hrs / week Some difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Will Pyle5 months ago

Pretty straight forward, most info needed is through lectures and some in readings. Problem set every other week, exam in other weeks so like 4 exams and 4 homeworks. Lectures are a little boring but you get the necessary info for HW and exam

Fair GradingDifficult ExamsChill and Relaxed
4hrs / week Some difficulty Average value Would take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

Great and funny person, but not a very interesting course. Lectures can be boring and bear little content, so effectiveness can be impacted at times. A fun, interactive game to lighten up the mood once in a while. Exams are not hard at all, and essays were an easy task.

Chill and RelaxedEasy GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Low difficulty Low value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamy7 months ago

Prof Ram was nice and had a great lecture style that didn't make micro too boring. Tests were okay, but the homework is super, super helpful. His office hours are also really helpful in my opinion. Good luck!

Fast-PacedConstant ReadingFair Grading
6hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Professor Wunnava is an amazing person. I like how enthusiastic and how much energy he brought towards the students and his lectures. His homework was really chill. Just have a good grasp of the lectures and try to have a really understand the concepts.

Lots of HomeworkFair GradingDifficult Exams
4hrs / week Some difficulty High value Would take again
with Will Pyle6 months ago

Good subject. The teaching style did not work for me. He shares a lot of fun, personal anecdotes which allow you to learn a lot about his life, but you definitely learn a lot less about the actual subject of microeconomics which makes homework and tests hard.

Fast-PacedFair GradingDifficult Exams
3hrs / week Some difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Jessica Holmeslast year

I really enjoyed Prof. Holmes' style--she's super kind and engaging. Great lecturer, but what I liked the most was that she ties a lot of the concepts we learn in lecture to real world events/trends, which was awesome. Very nice for an intro class.

Chill and RelaxedFair Grading
5hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Sunder Ramaswamylast year

Loved Professor Ramaswamy. I would definitely recommend his class to those trying to take into to Microeconomics. The tests were in class and could feel slightly rushed, but overall a great teacher with good stories.

Chill and RelaxedFair Grading
3hrs / week Average difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Paul Sommers2 years ago

Paul Sommer is a really nice guy, however, the average student will not appreciate his teaching style. Very dry and nobody knows what he's talking about -- not even the TAs. However his exams are take-home exams, so the class is do-able.

Lots of HomeworkFair GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Some difficulty Very low value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

Class was entirely lecture based, with one homework problem set weekly, and 2 exams and a final. Pecsok is a good guy who stops to ask students questions and try to answer them to the best of his ability

Difficult ExamsFair GradingSlow-Paced
4hrs / week Some difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Sunder Ramaswamylast year

Ramaswamy is very knowledgeable and tries to make the course applicable to the real world. He intends to get you to think like an Economist more than anything. The coursework is manageable if you ask for help or work in groups when possible.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
7hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

I liked Professor Wunnava's enthusiasm for teaching the course. He always had a smile and outgoing energy during class. However, I personally felt that his teaching style was not effective. He would kinda gloss over the topic and not really explain thoroughly. He would draw the supply and demand curve incorrectly in many instances and was confused by his own drawings.

Chill and RelaxedLots of HomeworkEasy Grading
3hrs / week Average difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

Pecsok does a decent job of explaining the material in his lectures, although I would recommend that you read the textbook if you have not taken economics before. He does not move through material too quickly, although he does explain things in a brief manner that may be hard to pick up on. Be careful on the problem sets; the TAs tend to take off points for the smallest things.

Chill and Relaxed
2hrs / week Average difficulty Above average value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

This class in general is pretty standard and isn't difficult, but a lot of the lectures were boring and Pecsok could be confusing at times. There wasn't a solid structure to the class and a lot of the time what we were learning felt random. Also, be careful with the problem sets because the graders are very critical and will take off points for small errors. Overall though the class is a pretty typical Econ course and is fairly low-commitment.

This class in general is pretty standard and isn't difficult, but a lot of the lectures were boring and Pecsok could be confusing at times. There wasn't a solid structure to the class and a lot of the time what we were learning felt random. Also, be careful with the problem sets because the graders are very critical and will take off …Read more

Fair GradingEasy ExamsChill and Relaxed
3hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would take again
with Phani Wunnavalast year

Professor Wunnava is a really fun professor. He keeps the course lively through jokes about "root beer". His homework was every week, and the reading was pretty heavy, but it was quite manageable. He definitely prepared us well for the first midterm.

Fast-PacedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
5hrs / week Very difficulty High value Would take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

Easy enough class, but boring. Pecsok is a super nice guy, but not very interesting. Very standard for micro in my opinion, middle of the road and forgettable course. But there is not too much work, which is nice

Slow-PacedEasy GradingEasy Exams
3hrs / week Low difficulty Low value Would not take again
with Sunder Ramaswamylast year

Overall, with the readings given it is easy to understand the material. Unfortunately throughout tests, you have to understand the material to a certain depth that you might not know you have to if you want to score very high.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingDifficult Exams
4hrs / week Some difficulty High value Would not take again
with Paul Sommerslast year

Take home exams and homework's can't hurt your grade as long as they're turned in. Class can be boring but material is good and generally clear. Very nice guy that will accomodate if you need extra time or help

Chill and RelaxedEasy GradingEasy Exams
2hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would take again
with Paul Sommerslast year

Sweetest man on earth. Love chatting with him but he is very old style in regard to his teaching. Relied heavily on CTLR tutors to get through the class. Exams are take home to +1. would maybe take a seminar w/him but not Econ stats or intros.

Lots of HomeworkEasy ExamsFair Grading
4hrs / week Low difficulty Average value Would not take again
with Steven Pecsoklast year

Funny dude. A good time. I would definitely recommend his class to those trying to take into to Microeconomics. The tests were in fair and you were given a lot of time to complete them. He also had extra credit opportunities.

Chill and RelaxedLots of HomeworkFair Grading
3hrs / week Average difficulty Above average value Would take again