Justin Snider

WOW. Justin Snider is by far the best educator I've ever had. I think he knew every single person in the class to a T such as our majors, hometowns, athletic events, etc. I was actually excited to show up to class every time because I knew I wouldn't have left without gaining some sort of new knowledge about the world or something as simple as how to access archived websites. He would give us each productive feedback that would help improve our essays, and I feel like I've become a better writer because of his class. That being said, this speaks to Justin's character, and I truly feel that he cares about everyone he teaches (or doesn't teach). I felt like I could reach out anytime because he was so willing to help, and it didn't even have to be about the assignment sometimes. He would even bring us candy and additional books that we could read over the summer. Overall, I worked hard in this class, but that is because I wanted to. Justin pushed me to engage with new ideas, and that encouraged me to want to do good for myself and for him. I'm going to miss going to UW, but I'm so glad I got to take it with the best professor ever.

Justin Snider is so awesome. Every time I walk out of his class I bless whatever twist of fate that got me into his section. It was a genuine highlight of my week and I am sad to be leaving it behind. He makes a concerted effort to get to know everyone in the class—seriously, I think he knew all of our birthdays, interests, hometowns, etc by heart. He also makes sure that everyone knows everyone else by printing out this cute little cheatsheet with everyone's face and name on it (with consent, of course). I think all professors should do this, it really created a nice little class community. Because of that we were able to have some awesome discussions not just about writing but life in general. His enthusiasm for writing and reading is infectious (not to mention he personally gifted out dozens of books from his own library over the course of the semester). Columbia needs more people like Justin.

My favorite professor at Columbia by far! He knows so much about everything and will teach you how to write better. The material is interesting and he is extremely understanding. The class never felt tedious and I made so many friends in it.

Justin Snider is a great teacher, and I'd recommend taking his section of UWriting if you can. He's an awesome person, and is always available to give feedback on essays. It isn't an easy-A class, but if you talk to him about your essays and revise based on his comments, you can get an A. He's opinionated and engaging, and I feel like I've learned more from arguing with him than from the class itself. Overall, one of my best experiences at Columbia!

If you can take Justin's class, definitely take it! His classes were so interesting, as were the topics assigned for the essays. The workload wasn't too bad and the readings were very very interesting as were the short writing assignments. I always looked forward to this class, as it was so fun! Justin is an incredibly nice, smart and humorous professor who will try to engage the entire class in discussions. Definitely take U Writing with him if you can.

Probably one of the kindest and most pleasant professors at Columbia. Grades fairly - not very strict, not very lenient. The readings are interesting and he has useful insights to offer on almost every topic. Would totally recommend this class.

FOLKS!! The review downstairs is a lie! I worked my tail off, and I got an A-. However, I am so happy with what I got because with Professor Justin Snider's unflagging help, I have learned how to think from a different perspective, and I have successfully utilized his techniques with my other writing-related subjects. I know people before me said this thousands of times, but I have to repeat it. Justin is so far one of the most capable, experienced, and responsible writing teachers I have ever met. At the same time, he is also the most understanding, caring and intelligent individuals. That's not to say he is an easy grader. He is not! Also, You should not expect mere lecturing in a UW class. This is not an ESL class or a political science class. In class, Justin skillfully maintains interactions between everyone involved. He respects students' cultures, knowledge, and interests. He sincerely values his students' opinions and provides everybody opportunities to express their own thoughts.If you put a reasonable amount of effort into the drafts, and truly aim at improving your writing, you just need to call on him. He will always be there for you although he is extremely busy with his 350 advisees. Trust me on this!! He attaches importance to how seriously you take this class. His feedback on each of our drafts is elaborate, encouraging us to think critically and cultivate a ha…

Easy class, very easy A, but you won't learn a thing. He is a great guy indeed, but a really bad teacher. He did not lecture once, and honestly going to his class was a joke. I got an A and did very little, not complaining. All we did was to "discuss" the material. He is very lazy, he will take forever to return your work and you will have to start working on your new material before you get your previous one, so you won't know what to improve. You don't pay Columbia 50k a year to go to class and talk to your peers, you can do that outside class and for free. If you only care about your GPA then this class is for you, but if you actually care about learning stay away from this class.

Professor Snider is an excellent teacher! He inspires and guides his students beautifully. He cares deeply about each student, and is as supportive, understanding, sensitive, and kind as can be! Every single one of his classes is deeply enjoyable and exciting!! I recommend him to everyone! I was very lucky to have him as my professor in my first semester at Columbia University. I feel very blessed! He is a true teacher. He teaches with his heart and a deep wisdom. He shares his enthusiasm, curiosity, and love of the subject freely with his students. His youthfulness and sense of fun and irony and his very sharp wit all add to the atmosphere and make it such a pleasure to be in his class. I look so forward to each class! Professor Snider is so easy to approach and very down-to-earth. He's brilliant, but doesn't show it off at all; he's actually quite humble. I like how his classes are conversational, and how he really appreciates the students' input and participation, yet doesn't put pressure on those who don't often speak. It's easy to tell that he really cares about how we feel and what we think and our progress in the class and in life.He really looks out for his students and is always concerned with our comfort and that no one is left behind or confused. And he is philosophical, so it feels like the class is relevant in the "real world." He has a lot of integrity, a strong…

Honestly, thinking about Justin makes me want to cry, because he is just THAT amazing. This is not in the least bit an overstatement. I'm being completely honest in that I will die of happiness if I ever can get him for any class again. The day he stops teaching will be the day the world ends. I had him last semester for UW, and man... it was a highlight of my freshman year. you come to columbia thinking, psch how good can these professors be anyway? go to one of Justin's classes and you'll find yourself grinning like a maniac throughout the whole thing, because it just can't possibly get any better than this. true me on this. this is coming from someone who isn't that easy to impress. if I didn't have an exam tomorrow, I can rant about this guy here all night. didnt want to review before this point, because he's just too amazing that i knew I wouldn't be able to stop once i started. i'm not done ranting about justin, so look out for another review soon. he's just awesome