APP H4100

more than other APPH classes, but not insane.

Weekly HARD TIME CONSUMING problem sets consisting of ~5 problems (start the problem set immediately when you get it) 25%, 1 (suprisingly) moderate midterm 30%, 1 slightly harder final 45%.

The previous review is accurate, except she doesn't curve to a C anymore! I did about average on all three exams and got a B. Also, people tend to give her a bad rap because she flies through the material, isn't very approachable, and tells you to leave the room if you talk during lecture. However, given her straightforward lectures, the fairness of the exams, and the organized-ness of the class, it's clear that she just wants us to learn the material, and learn it well. It's a nice contrast from other professors in APPH who don't give a f about their classes and deliver messy lectures unprepared and have given the same exams since 2007 which aren't even relevant to the course anymore. So Latha's not evil, she's tough. There's a difference. I should also say that this is the only applied physics class I've taken where I really feel like I learned things well. It's because the individual lectures make sense, the various topics we cover through the semester fit well enough together that I have a coherent understanding of quantum mechanics, and the homework is actually relevant to what we covered in class (something I've learned to appreciate after so many APPH classes).

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND TAKING THIS COURSE AS A JUNIOR!!! HEED THIS WARNING!!! Everything about this class seems wrong, and yet they allow it to be taught in the department. For starters, Quantum I and Quantum II topics are mashed into one semester. He requires attendance, but he FLYs through material, proofs, and derivations leaving nothing to be learned. The book is ponderous to say the least; it could bore a rock. I would suggest high taking this course as a graduate student, unless you are in Applied Physics in which case you should take this your senior year coupled with A LOT of easier 3000 level classes, or some less demanding 4000 level classes.

3 exams - 30% each, 90% of grade 10 problem sets, lowest one dropped - 10% of grade No final for us!

if you're very diligent, and start early/work nonstop, or if you're a grad student, it can work out.

I think it's about time for someone to submit a new review of Latha, because the previous two are both incredibly terrifying (but mostly still accurate), so everyone reads them going into the course and loses all hope. This class is really not all that bad. As mentioned, Latha is a great lecturer and very helpful during both lectures and office hours (never went, but I've heard this). I found her to be very kind and even a little funny, but in a terrifying way. She loves students who participate, so don't be afraid to ask questions! I think she may have eased up on homework in the last few years because I disagree with the review about homework requiring an industrial stapler. It's true that they're mostly reworded Griffiths problem (especially towards the end of the semester) so you can definitely get a really high homework grade without actually learning the material, although you'll just get your ass handed to you on exams. The exams are really hard, and basically determine your grade. The semester I took it we had no final exam, just three midterms, which were each "cumulative" (but not really). I know the year before mine, she gave two midterms and a final. The first exam, which covered basically everything from a typical first semester course in quantum, was the most conceptual and scared the shit out of everyone for the rest of the semester, but also motivated people to…

This professor goes through thirteen out of sixteen chapters in the textbook...tell me, which professor goes through nearly an ENTIRE textbook in QUANTUM PHYSICS? By the end, there is so much material, it is impossible for undergraduates to master everything. To give you an idea of how much time he probably would have wanted you to devote to this class: half the problems in the homework sets are "extra" problems that undergrads don't do (and graduate students should do because this class is almost catered to them) that USED to be required but Herman made them optional because people were complaining about the insanity of the length of the homeworks. It probably wouldn't be as bad if he actually tried to make us understand the material, which he does but unsuccessfully. So you be the judge: poor pedagogy, biblical amounts of work, and it's quantum physics.

problem set every week. Long, very long. (15%) two midterms hard (20% each) avg. ~40% final difficulty on par with midterms (40%) Class participation (5%) I have no idea what this is about.

Beware of the GPA killer. Unfortunately, this class required for all applied physics majors. So most of us have no choice in the matter. There have been some clever chaps who managed to take Prof. Green's course in the college but the app physics department frowns upon this. Still, I would suggest looking for any alternatives to the course. First, let me get the positives out of the way, she is an ok teacher. She knows her stuff and follows the textbook. She has a tendency to speed through her lectures but with a bit of extra reading before and after each class, you can keep up. The course itself is interesting (from a physics student's perspective) and covers much of Griffiths has in his book. I should also mention that Griffiths is perhaps the best physics author you'll ever come across. That's about it for the positives. The negatives... well just about everything else. Her problem sets are ridiculous and most are a huge waste of time. She loves to choose questions that are algebraically tedious that don't add anything to the understanding of the material. You'll look at a question, take 10 minutes to think of a way to get the solution, work through the problem then encounter an integral that takes you 2 hours to solve. When you are done, you will have amassed a stack of paper so huge that you will need an industrial stapler to fasten them together. The class probably accou…