Mathematics · Columbia University
G. Michael Guy is an excellent Calculus I professor. I had him on my first semester as a freshman and his class was one of the best I took that semester. He is very clever explaining things that at first seem complicated. Besides that he also had some good jokes and made the environment in the class feel very relaxed. If you actually want to learn Calculus in a classroom take him, if you prefer to learn the material on your own let someone else take your spot.
Being honest, calculus doesn't do it for me BUT if you are going to take this class or any calculus class take it with Michael Guy. He is totally enthusiastic about it, which is funny if you are like me and just dont get how people can get excited about differentiating really long things. But he made the class funny, always had a joke. And was clearly waaaay into terrible TV (Tila Tequila included) and found some way to talk about it every class.
Professor Guy is by far the best professor that I have ever had for a class. If you like professors that just lecture all day with their faces always towards the blackboard, then this is not the Professor for you. Professor Guy will make it a point to learn your name, what you struggle in, and how help you. He is very flexible with his office hours, and will do his best to find a time to meet and help you. If you have never taken Calculus before, or have taken it in the past and think you can learn more, then TAKE THIS CLASS. During class you can expect Professor Guy to be very humorous and always helpful. If you don’t know something, then raise your hand. The odds are strong that someone else has the same question. When he introduces a new concept, he explains it in full detail. Expect to always be taught the easiest way to think and do a problem. In order to pass the midterm(s) and the final, you need to do the homework, attend class, and pay attention. If you do all of this, you will pass this class. When it comes to test taking, the answer is never more important than how to do the problem to Professor Guy; show as much work as possible (even if it is wrong) and you will receive some credit. Professor Guy is very reasonable, and gives tons of partial credit. He is not there to make you fail; he is there to help you learn. In order to get an A, you will need to work outside…
Professor Guy is AMAZING. He is clear, explains things well, always willing to help, and absolutely HILARIOUS. If you want to actually learn and understand calc/if you want a good laugh, Guy is the man. Absolutely fantastic. I'd reccommend him to everyone, especially to those of you who dont love math because this guy knows what he's doing and makes compicated things easy!
Michael Guy was great! He actually teaches calculus as if you have never taken it and does not make the assumption that you're coming into columbia already having done AP calc BC. This actually works out for the better for both types of students that take Calculus at columbia. For the ones that have already take Calculus before, they get to go over topics very throughly (like going back to limits, mean value theorm, etc.) and for students that it's completely new for, it works out because you will actually learn the material! He is also a very fair grader. He makes his first exam very easy, the second one is tougher. But he's very fair!!!!! Which is exceptional in a calc professor!!!
Comprehensive Optional Homework (for your own benefit). 10 Webwork problem sets (you get unlimited tries to get the correct answer which is great). 4 Homework Assessment (only 3 best grades count) 2 Fair Midterms. 1 Long Final.
10 online problem sets. You get as many goes to get it right as you want which is great. And homework which is not taken or graded or anything...i never did it...but then kinda had to before the midterm and final. So do it. Won't take long at all if you do it when it's set.
Very Reasonable Daily Homework assignments (Optional, but for your OWN benefit)4 Homework Assessments (Best 3 of 4 are counted towards your grade)Class attendance is Optional, but Strongly Recommended.2 Midterms (Based primarily on the Homework Assignments)1 Final (A culmination of everything)
2 midterms, final, webwork, 4 quizzes (can drop one), homework which he doesnt grade.
2 midterms (25% each), 1 final (35%), Quizes every couple of weeks, webwork, and he assigns hw that's not collected but worth doing because a lot of the exam will be very similar to the hw problems so it's to your advantage to do them.