Anand Deopurkar

Weekly problems sets (15%)- usually had mostly straightforward problems, then 1 or 2 more difficult problems. 2 midterms (20% and 25%)- no surprises, pretty straightforward 1 final (40%)- was more difficult. No surprises in that I recognized the problems and the process for solving them, but the work was more tricky

One problem set per week (3-7 hours of work, 20% of your grade, drop the lowest 2), 2 midterms (20% of your grade each) and one final (40% of your grade).

weekly problem sets midterms were many times more difficult than the final

The weekly homework and 3 exams were somewhat challenging but definitely doable, and office hours were really helpful for the homework. I think the averages for the exams were normally about 35/50. The homework was also very worthwhile (except the last one where we had to classify almost all groups up to order 30, which I thought was kind of tedious).

Deopurkar is a very good teacher. It’s a pretty standard math class. Weekly problem sets, some were easy and some were hard. The 2 midterms were pretty straightforward, with problems that were similar to the homeworks and practice problems. The final was pretty hard for me- it seems like he made the problems more tricky than the midterms, and some of the calculations just didn’t work out for me. Deopurkar’s class notes are very good. You can definitely learn the material just from his lectures and notes. He has an accent but he is perfectly understandable. He is a good lecturer and knows how to explains things. No complaints!

Dr. Deopurkar is the best professor I have had at Columbia (1 year). Dr. Deopurkar has the uncommon ability to take a seemingly abstract and/or complex idea and break it down into steps that are understandable. The pace of the class is slow so if you are passingly familiar with calculus you will do fine. Most importantly, there is a high correlation between what is taught in the class and what is on the exams. There are no curveballs. He will definitely ask you the most challenging version of a concept SOMETIMES (IE, a more difficult limit vs. an easier one) but it is all stuff that was either on the homework or covered in class. By the time that the test comes, if you can do the homework and get them all correct without having to get help, then you can get a 100% on the exam. Quite doable. Other professors in other departments don't have as high of a correlation between material on the exam and material covered in class. Just want to stress again that he didn't have any curveballs; this alone makes his class worth taking because you know what to expect. He puts out multiple practice midterms and finals for each test so there is no shortage of material to practice with. On a downside, he seems fairly busy and doesn't seem to make a whole lot of time for students, as far as I can tell. I never really sought out his help but I know that other students have had a hard time gettin…

Deopurkar is genuinely a kind person. He is approachable during office hours. But contrary to the over exaggerated reviews on culpa, his teaching style is if anything, average. I think people are just blinded by his adorable personality. Another reason why people are raving about him might be because the math department in Columbia is pretty sad when it comes to teaching undergrads. Yes, do take classes with Deopurkar, because you can do a lot worse. But don't expect him to be the best math teacher either, like some of these reviewers are claiming. I studied both calculus II and III with Deopurkar. Somehow I found his calc II class more difficult than Calc III. I'm not sure why this happened because a lot of people find calc III more challenging. Also, expect exam questions that require you to think outside the box. He gives some difficult exam questions, which in the long run, is good for you if you are planning on majoring in the sciences/engineering/math. However, if you're a premed student who cares a lot about your grades, I suggest that you consider carefully before signing up with him. Definitely not a guaranteed or easy A even if put in a lot of hours studying.

Anand deserves a gold nugget!!! He is the best professor I have had a Columbia. Modern Algebra is an awesome class, and Anand made it thoroughly enjoyable. This guy is a fantastic teacher, and seems to do his best to ensure that every student understands what's going on at any given point during the lecture before he moves on. Plus he manages to do it all without notes, which is incredible. He is very approachable, and I encourage anyone who takes a class with him to go to office hours all the time. I was always amazed by his ability during office hours to clearly present one way to prove something, and then find some other beautiful way to prove it that made it even more clear. But the best thing about Anand is how openly he loves the material, and I found his enthusiasm to be contagious. Overall, I totally encourage anyone to take this class, and I feel bad for anyone who doesn't get the chance to take it with Anand!