Retsek, Dylan  

Dr. Retsek is the best! I took Nature of Modern Math with him, and even though I haaate math, it was probably my favorite class last quarter. The class gave me a whole new perspective on math, it wasn't about finding the answer and that's it, it was about actually understanding how you got to that answer. Retsek was so enthusiastic about teaching, which is always really nice in a professor. He was so ready and willing to help if you got stuck on a problem, and he was genuinely excited for you when you figured one out. He's overall a great professor and a great guy.

Not totally sure why this professor has such a high rating. Absolutely despised this class with my entire being. He was a super nice guy, but this class made me feel dumber in math than I already thought I was. Friends that had other professors for this class were learning actual math, while this class was taught using shapes and letters. Wouldn't recommend at all

Great teacher. He is fair when it comes to students' concerns and he knows his calculus. Best math teacher I have ever had, hands down. He is most always available for an appointment if you don't understand a concept and he has never failed to explain something from different perspectives.

Simply the best math teacher I have ever had. He explains everything clearly and concisely, building on previous lectures in a way that is very logical. And if you don't understand something, he is extremely helpful during his office hours. If you want to understand calculus, take Retsek.

I missed final and he let me make it up

Dr. Retsek was definitely the best teacher I have had here, and probably the best I will have. He presents everything clearly. I took Calculus in highschool and didn't do so well, but after taking him everything was easier to understand. He is a very organized teacher and very willing to help you outside of class. I had to base my whole schedule this quarter around his 142 class because he is such an awesome teacher. Dr. Retsek is very caring and truly relates with his students. Also his tests are very straight forward, and he is not one of those teachers who puts the hardest problems on the test that have nothing to do with the section you are learning about. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who has the chance to take him.

I got a bad grade in his class because I didn't try hard enough. Go into his office hours regularly, they really help for extra practice and understanding things, I promise. He can explain the concepts clearly. Retsek has a really tough homework policy I thought when I had him, but now I realize it was very good. You turn in homework for credit by a delay of two or three days after it was assigned. Every start of the class period he will do something called the Query, this helps your grade alot! Be sure to review definitions and simple math problems from the previous lecture and you can potentially earn more than 100% in the class. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

DR is awesome. I took calc in high school and I had a horrible teacher who just figured that everybody already knew how to do it and never helped us. But DR explains things so much better and clearer that it made sense right away. If you go to his office hours, he will help you out A LOT. If you can't make them, he lets you make an appointment with him or e-mail him whenever you want. I'm in his 142 class right now and doing great. I would definitely recommend taking him for any class you can get.

Dr. Retsek is the best math teacher that I have ever had. He has very clear lectures and makes sure everyone is on the same page. I am in his 142 class right now and I enjoy just as much. I only wish he was teaching math 143 next quarter. Take him if you the chance.

I have never ever felt more comfortable listening to someone speak math. This guy is so amazing. He is the most friendly and helpful teacher i have come across. I even enrolled myself in his honors course for 142 just so i could have him as my teacher. if you get the chance to learn from this guy, take it! he makes you feel like he is on your level, cause he calls each struggle you are going to have with your homework and encourages you. he is soo supportive and he listens to you soo patiently! he doesnt ever get frustrated with stupid questions, and he always turns them around so you dont feel stupid! hes the BEST!

Everyone should make their schedules around this professor. He explains everything so clearly, and is ALWAYS around to help out when you need it. He answers any sort of question and will even schedule extra office hours if you need more help. I hadn't taken math in 2 1/2 years and he made it so easy to understand. Take him for any math class you can get!!

He's great at presenting the material clearly in class, but if for some reason you're having trouble with any concept, you can either go to his office hours, make a special appointment, or get help through e-mail. He makes himself more than available for help. He doesn't just present a concept and expect you to believe it either; he'll go through and make sure you understand why it's true and why it works. His classes always seem to fill up really quickly, but if you can get him then do it.

This man is a teaching genius. He is nice and he is willing to explain clearly to any of his students. MUST TAKE HIM! I took Calculus in high school and didn't understand jack shit; when I re-took Calc 141 with him, I understood pretty much everything. What made me get a B instead of an A is the fact that his tests can be a bit tricky.

Retsek is by far the best math teacher at Cal Poly he presents the material clearly and effectively and he is simply an amazing teacher.

As his overall rating shows, Dylan Retsek is an absolutely astonishing teacher. He is great in the classroom and is VERY willing to help outside of the classroom almost anytime as well. He cares about his students and WANTS them to understand what he is teaching the the fullest extent. I WOULD GIVE HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS if you can get him as a professor, you will be impressed. Best at Cal Poly!

seriously retsek was the best teacher I have ever had. He gives a lot of homework, but calc is hard so it is necessary. his tests are pretty hard but if you do all the homework then you should do decent. The main thing is to go into his office hours, because you will never find a more considerate and helping teacher ever again. He answers questions and understands what you are asking for in an almost psychic manner. and on top of all of this, I learned a shit ton of calculus and can actually use it for whatever its used for.

Retsek is a well prepared professor. Whenever you ask him a questions, most of which he takes at the beginning of class, he tries to put it into context using a specific example. If possible he tries and relate it to the real world. For example, when learning about work he brings in a slinky. If you need extra help with the material you can ask questions in class or attend his office hours. Be ware though that he is a very busy math teacher, who always has a line of students waiting to see him during his office hours. When it comes to midterms, do not depend on the practice midterms he posts on Blackboard. Those are more than anything just a distraction. He tends to cover material not in the practice midterms. Actually, he makes his tests even harder. All in All I he is highly recommended.

Retsek is an extremely nice guy and really tries to explain things clearly. He goes out of his way to make sure that everyone in the class is on the same page. He does problems from the homework in class and is always happy and excited to help. His office hours help a lot and he's very approachable. I was lucky to get him first quarter. His tests were challenging but he really does want the best for his students. He tries to tie his math lectures in with every day life and why you may need to know this in certain situations. Take him, he's not only a great teacher, but also a good ally to have at hand.

MC easy D is the man. Great Professor take him if you can. He isn't easy but he is helpful approachable and extremely nice. He presents the material clearly and brings everything together nicely.

So, if you have never taken calc in highschool this class is going to be hard. His tests are hard and require alot of studying, however the final is way easier because it is so general. Good thing is he replaces the lowest midterm with your final, this was necessary because the average on the second midterm was a 50! one last tip, go to office hours for hw help and know your trig!

Retsek is one of the best math teachers at Poly. He is an amazing lecturer and his office hours are the bomb. His tests are rather difficult and there is a fair bit of homework, but taking Calc I with Retsek is worth it.

DR is great! He is very clear in his notes and is a very approachable teacher. You turn in homework twice a week. DO IT! he never gives quizzes. His midterms are rough but the final was quite easy. He also throws out your worst midterm and replaces it with your final grade if it is better.

Excellent professor. 10/10 will recommend

If you are offered to have a seat in the Honors Calculus Courses at SLO coming into your 1st year Fall Quarter, it is worthwhile considering taking it because Retsek is the Honors Calc Professor (in the summer, you might receive an email if you got a 5 on the AP CALC AB test in high school). He has a great sense of humor and is hands-down one of the best math teachers I have had. His lectures are always fun and engaging, and he is able to explain challenging concepts really well while also giving good answers to student questions. He usually assigns nightly homework (which is never due but you should do it anyway to keep up) and 1 weekly homework assignment. Although his class is difficult in terms of the types of problems you might encounter, having Retsek allows you to take really good notes. He teaches rules but doesn't blatantly tell you that this is the rule for this problem. Instead, he will go through the process of how we get that rule, and in general I think he made this class exciting.

Excellent. DR made every attempt to get to know everyone. He is easily approachable, fair, and he knows what he's doing. His lectures usually start with a question which adds some level of interest to the lecture. I would definitely take him again.

Great teacher. I learned a lot. His final was hard but the easy homework and query points he gave made up for it. He was really easy to follow and thinks highly of his students. I wish he taught 143 so I could take him. The quarter has been over for a while and when I pass him he still greets me by name. He is one of the best teachers I have ever had.

He is simply the best teacher overall that I've ever had. If you get the opportunity, take him. I have friends that revolved their whole schedule around his course offerings just so that they could get this guy. He remembers every student's name and makes the effort to get to know you. His lectures are far from dry, making occasional "jokes" and making the material very interesting. He knows exactly what he's doing and knows exactly how to present it without any confusion. Don't be late because he starts exactly ten after the hour with his query. Go to his office hours because they help a lot, and he'll go out of his way to make sure you understand the material. E-mailing works well too. He answers his e-mails very quickly. And don't get behind in the homework. His tests are tough, but he grades fair. I'm just sad that he didn't teach 143. If you want to understand calculus and have fun, Retsek is the prof to take.

All the previous comments on Dr. Retsek are right on. He's an excellent teacher in every way. His lectures are very organized, easy to read(which can be a problem if they aren't) and understand. There are 2 homework assignments due twice a week(total of 4 assignments per week), usually due at the beginning and at the end of the week so you have plenty of time to do them. Tests were fairly easy if you go to class, do hw and study notes. There are 2 midterms and a final, on which I got an A and two B's. Retsek has these "query" questions at the beginning of class which are basically really simple questions on material covered from the previous class. Each person is asked one query question before he puts their name back in the cup so you only end up answering about 3 questions at the most during the entire quarter. This is NOT a class you can or should slack in! If you need help, go to his office hours. One of the best things I like about Retsek is he doesn't make you feel stupid. In fact, he makes you feel smart at times. Very easy to talk to. Go Dr. Retsek!

Basically, this man is the crown jewl of the Cal Poly Math Department.

Professor Retsek is by far *the* best math teacher ever. And no, I'm not exaggerating. He's very clear and concise with the concepts, and he truly does care if the class is having difficulty understanding something. He tries to answer questions as best as he can, and fully supports students asking them. He also tries to relate the concepts we learn to things in our everyday lives, and starts off each lesson with a question that we eventually answer as we proceed. If you have to take a math course, try to take Retsek. He's the best. And you'll walk away from the class with a clearer understanding of calculus.

Dr. Retsek is an AWESOME professor!!! The guy is cool, I mean, who else would say "I tuned into THE MTV"? This guy is organized and can teach the material very well. He brings up information that we already know (persay a formula) that we've always just accepted and taken for granted and uses Calculus to show us how it's obtained. He is extremely nice and never makes you feel dumb (for whatever reason, like asking a basic question). The guy loves math and it shows. I mean, his office hours are amazing as well. He is so patient and will try his best to answer all the questions that you have. There is homework assigned everyday, but the assignments are only collected twice a week. The homework policy is as follows: "Actually" attemp all problems and you get a chance at full credit (or else the highest you can get is 50%) A random (I think) problem is chosen from all the assignments turned in at that time and graded. And that one problem determines what you get for those assignments. There are 2 midterms and 1 final. The first midterm, I have to admit, wasn't exactly easy, or maybe I just messed up on it. The 2nd one was extremely fair. And the final was extremely fair as well. This guy is truly a great professor. Take him if you can! His lectures are organized, office hours are awesome, and he's just a cool dude! GO RETSEK!!!

Awesome Professor. Just Awesome! I got a B 'cuz I didn't study hard enough, but yeah that's my fault. He's simply the best math professor.

this guy is a great teacher!!! i wouldn't normally say that about a math teacher, because they usually tend to be boring, but he's a really good teacher. he tends to keep the lecture lively all the time, so he's not one of those teachers that puts u to sleep or anything like that. another thing to is that he can totally relate to you, the student, and he makes the learning envirnonment and the class environment very comfortable. he always teaches at the pace of the students, always willing to help the student, and i wish that all other math teachers would be like him, because he's the model teacher that everyone would want, because he's so clear with explanations. take him if you can, he's one of the best math teachers that i've had in a long time, if not the best. and he does this queery thing at the beginning of class all the time, which makes u look over your notes and stuff, so ya. again, i say, take him if u can.

Retsek is the best math teacher I've ever had, and I've had some good ones. He presents the theory behind the math and walks through several examples. I never went to his office hours, but heard he was very helpful from students who did. His tests are fairly difficult, but if you consistently do the homework and go to class, you should do fine.

He was amazing....Yeah, I did get a C, but that was my own fault. He taught it very well, but I just didnt really apply myself hard enough. His office hours are really a help, and totally made every student feel comfortable. Best Teacher Ever!!

You got to take him at all cost. His lectures are well organized, and he really cares about his students. Homeworks are collected twice a week, and are extremely helpful to get you ready for midterms. His midterms level are a bit above the homework problems, but you will be ready for it if you show up in class and do the homeworks. If you are in 142, watch out for his firt midterm. He is always available during office hours. Yeah, this guy kicks ass!

Retsek is the best professor I have ever had. He is tough, but you will learn the material better then any other class because he is encredible at explaining everything perfectly clear. Take this professor at ALL COST!!!

All i have to say is that Retsek is the BEST TEACHER i have had at cal poly so far. If he taught every math class i would crash and take him for every class i need. He is the nicest guy and he is so much help in his office hours. Other math professors should learn from Retsek.

he's got a perfect rating, and every post here is positive. he's just an awesome professor who's got a clear grasp of the subject matter and a talent for teaching

I have taken Calc in high school and did not have to take this class, but I decided to take the series anyways, I have no regrets, he explains the material very well, if you have any questions he will answer them in class and he is very helpful in office hours. He is a must have teacher, I will admit the test can be difficult but they are do able, and you get to replace your lowest test score with your final if you do better so that is nice. This class has a lot of hw though.

Retsek was by far the best teacher I have ever had. All the Polyratings are true, he is a wonderful teacher. I learned more math than I ever have in his class. He is very passionate about math and presents all of his material very clearly and explains everything extremely well. His grading is extremely clear and fair; two mid-terms, a final, homeworks that are due twice a week, and several points on his querys in the begining of class. He even will drop one of your mid-term grades if you get a higher grade on the final. Before having this instructor I didn't have a very strong passion for math even though I knew I would have to be taking many years of it here at Cal Poly. The man totally changed my outlook on math. If you stay on top of things and do your homework and study then you will do good in this class, but most of all you will learn much more. He makes himself very available to students he has very good office hours that everyone should take advantage of. Aside from being a great teacher he is also an very nice guy and understanding. When he knows people will have a lot of homework and things going on he is willing to let people turn in homework a little late for a point deduction. I have him for next quarter and I planned my schedule simply around his class. I highly recommend trying to get him as a teacher if you get the chance. He is everthing you could ask for in a teacher. RETSEK IS THE MAN!!!

Wow, Dr. Retsek is a great teacher. I cannot imagine how anyone fails his class. He displays the material and it always always makes sense. He will clarify anything and he is most definitely the best math teacher on this campus. Take this class not just to learn math, but take this class to see how an amazing teacher teaches.

I dont know. Everyone raves about Retsek but I wasn't very impressed. He is definatley very enthusiastic and presents the info clearly but not enough people stress the fact that his tests are rediculously hard!! I got a 41 and 67 on the two midterms and a 65 on the final. Yet I still got a C- (it was a 68% that he bumped up to a C-) in the class because of my homework and query grades. Basically, you need to try very very very hard to do well. Do all homework, go to office hours atleast once a week, get a tutor...nothing is too much to help prepare for his super hard tests. Good luck.

Dr. Retsek is an extremely talented teacher, if you want to learn math take him.

A great professor. The killer part about his class is the 7am part... Don't underestimate this factor of the class! It was difficult for me to get up each morning, let alone stay awake during class. He's a great teacher though, and you'll feel like his friend by the end of the class. Exams aren't too different from class but hard due to the material. Also his handwriting on the board is impeccable so usually pretty easy to take notes on, and he talks slowly and clearly. IF you are a morning person, I'd recommend this class

Retsek is a great teacher. Tries really hard, extremely helpful, etc. Everything everybody says is true.

Retsek is fresher than a crispy white tee.

Holy crap, this guy is absolutely amazing. He is one of the most mathematically gifted people I have even met and is very passionate about the subject as well. He is also very enthusiastic about teaching and always goes the extra mile to help his students out. His lectures are very well done and he uses though-provoking examples to introduce ideas and concepts. I've heard people complaining that his test were extremely hard, but I thought they were actually pretty easy. There were a few questions that were a little tough to be sure, but they were definitely do-able. He is also very generous with partial credit so as long as you try you're pretty much guaranteed some points. The midterms were only 5 questions long and the final was about twice that length. Homework is due biweekly with your lowest homework grade dropped. The last part of your grade is the query. He basically pulls your name out of a hat (or rather, a cup) and asks you a question from the previous lecture. The questions are basically a way to check if you're paying attention and are usually straight from the notes. As I said before, this guy is amazing. He is definitely an inspiration to me as an aspiring teacher and mathematician. If you get the chance to take him, do it! Even if its a 7am class. You will not regret it in the least.

Retsek is definitely an awesome calc professor. The only problem I had with him was that his tests are extremely difficult. I'm pretty good at calc and would study for hours and still get average grades on his exams. Be ready to work hard for your grade. He assigns a crapload of homework, but it really does help you and your grade if you do it. I would recommend this professor.

DR is a passionate professor. I\'ve taking Calc I and Calc II with him, and I can\'t imagine a higher quality of professor than Retsek. He presents material in a very learnable manner. Homework was optional for my class, but he\'s told me he doesn\'t do that every quarter. As a supplement for our homework, we had seven weekend quizzes worth 10 points each. With the furloughs currently in place, we took two midterms and one final. But I also hear that when the quarter goes uninterrupted (ie no furloughs), he gives three midterms and a final. His calculus class was one that I enjoyed going to everyday, even at 8:00 am four days a week. He doesn\'t go out of his way to create hard problems that will make you fail, but you do need to know the material if you want to do well in the class. I\'m a good student, getting As on virtually everything he threw at us, but I even recognized that he provided a challenge. I can imagine if I didn\'t thoroughly know the material, I would have been screwed... So, take him if you want to learn and excel, because he has that motivating factor to his teaching style. I absolutely loved him.

Retsek is a really cool professor. He is able to present info in a way that his students can understand. He has two midterms and your final exam score can replace your lower midterm score. Homework is never collected (but do it anyway). Def take him if you get the chance.

this guy is brilliant! he knows his stuff and gets his point across very well! The only bad things are his classes are really early in the morning and tests are difficult but fair. Office hours really help! Take him he is an amazing teacher!

As long as you do his assigned homework problems you\'ll be fine. The weekly quizzes help because they\'re usually free points if you went to class. Be ready to do very poorly on the first midterm though if you didn\'t do the homework problems. A\'s on his exams are reserved for those students naturally gifted in math or those students who have studied profusely. B\'s are for people like me who only do about half of the homework and go to class. He\'s a very gifted teacher, explains the material very thoroughly and though I didn\'t go to office hours I can only imagine that he\'s even better one on one. He\'s a mathematical genius and an instructive genius. If you want to pass Calc 2 take him.

3.9?!?! You have got to be kidding me. Try 4.9!

I loved taking Retsek. He is EXTREMELY nice, a fair grader, and really good at explaining the material in an understandable way and answering questions when people were confused. He was really helpful, and all his homework was optional except his weekly take-home quizzes. This was really nice because then the work load was not very heavy at all but the optional problems were really useful if you were not understanding the concepts very well. He is a GREAT teacher and I would highly recommend taking him.

Retsek is the MAN! He is the best teacher I've ever had, take him if at all possible. He assigns two homework sets a week, and his two midterms are really challenging. He no longer gives quizzes though. The final was generally very easy, with one or two tough problems out of the whole batch. If your final grade is better than one of your midterm grades, it replaces it. Test are 25% each, homework 20% and the daily random "query" (easy) is 5%. While he does assign a lot of homework and loves to choose the challenge problems in each chapter, he is often flexible on the due dates and is known to do problems in class before he starts the lecture. You will not find a better teacher than Dr. Retsek, I highly recommend taking him if you can.

Dr. Retsek knows his stuff, and knows how to teach it. He'll have every students name memorized by the end of the first week and is very helpful in office hours. He enjoys teaching and gets excited by cool math problems that aren't necessarily even part of the course. The query is a little odd, but it keeps you coming to class and won't be an issue if you were there the day before. HW is a bit much, he assigns the hardest problems in each section and it takes a large chunk of time. He also makes Calculus look much easier than it actually is: sometimes something that seemed clear in class is completely confusing on the HW because you don't see the secret trick to solving the integral that Dr. Retsek knew ahead of time. Overall, an excellent teacher.

Without a doubt the best Math teacher I had at Poly. He is funny and engages the class. Rather than just telling you the answer when asking a question, he makes you think and solve it for yourself. Definitely go to office hours. He is extremely helpful there. Take Retsek if you can.

An amazing teacher. Made showing up for class at 9 am completely worth it. The tests were not super hard, but that could be because he gets you very prepared for them.

Dr. Retsek is an incredible instructor. He knows everyone by name within the first week, and he encourages students to ask questions on anything they need clarification on. I fucked up in this class and didn't really study because I thought I could remember it all from high school, but that's my own mistake. My only complaint is that he doesn't give enough exams. He only gave 2 midterms and a final. If he gave exams more regularly, it might have helped me to study more and see where specifically I needed help.

Dr. Retsek never stutters when he speaks and explains everything crystal clear. He's a super nice guy and always gives you positive feedback when you ask questions at office hours and during class. Highly recommend!

Best calc professor you can get.

Dr. Dylan Retsek is by far the best math teacher I've had in my life. He puts his utmost effort in teaching his classes, and knows how to explain it extremely well. I never went to his office hours, but I know he's one of the most approachable professors on campus. Make sure to do all of the daily suggested homework, it helps a ton even if you only do a few problems from it! His tests are extremely reasonable. The only reason I got a B is because I slacked off during the first part of the quarter and didn't study for the chapter 6 midterm... That one was very tough, but doable! He also made up some amusing math terms in my class. I heard him say "uncommondenominatorifiable" when we were working on L'Hospital's rule, and for integration by parts "ye-ol' wraparound". Overall a wonderful teacher and a great guy, would one hundred-percent take his class for all my math courses if I could.

Professor Retsek is the best! He cares so much about every student and making sure they understand the material. He lectures really well with 2 daily queries where he randomly chooses 2 students and asks them questions about the material covered in the earlier class. Then he goes into a well planned lecture with no notes assisting him and through his great drawings, penmanship, and funny anecdotes he keeps the class's attention. The class is made up weekly homeworks that are very difficult and require collaboration or office hours to complete, 2 midterms, a final, and the query. The exams are pretty difficult with the problems having several layers but he prepares the class for them. Overall pay attention, go to office hours every once and a while, and do the suggested problems and you will learn so much and do great in the class.

Easily one of the most passionate and effective teachers I've ever had. He has led me to understand and think about Math concepts in a whole new way. The way in which he emphasizes understanding how you get an answer, not just getting the right answer, has helped me tremendously in understanding even the most difficult Calc II concepts.

This professor is arguably one of the best at cal poly. Took him for Calc 3 honors and even though the homework and tests were somewhat difficult, he would eagerly help you and even make special office hours to do so. Also, he loves what he does and it really shows, and this makes even calculus bearable and seem interesting. His lectures are structured and easy to follow, his drawings are drawn so well they seem to jump out of the board, and your notes will be sooo easy to study from because of this. I've gained the most understanding and knowledge from this class than any others and i HIGHLY suggest him to those who want a great teacher.

Great professor, probably tied for the best math teacher I've had in my life. The class is very tough, and he doesn't nearly cover enough material during class but if you go to his office hours he is great at explaining things and I would recommend this teacher! Seriously, take his class he's awesome.

Dr. Retsek is simply a brilliant, modest, and helpful professor. His ability to explain difficult calculus topics are second to none and everyday I look forward to enjoying his lectures. His weekly homework of select difficult problems looks impossible at first but through his guidance at office hours the problems blossom from a burden to greater understanding. He never missed an office hours the entire quarter and he helps ALL students through their calculus journey. Not only is he a brilliant professor, he also bonds with his students through jokes and anecdotes. He grades quite fairly and his exams are of the topic expected. If given the choice choose Dr. Retsek, if not pull some strings to get him.

Professor Retsek is one of the best instructors I have ever had. His lectures are extremely well thought out and perfectly integrate student questions. He is able to answer each question with confidence. His drawings are extremely well designed and compliment the lecture perfectly. He is amazing at encouraging students to be their best and truly believes in their potential. His testing is straightforward and fair, difficult, but not impossible. He constantly has a positive energy and an excitement for math that makes students excited. His small anecdotes here and there during lectures about the wildness of math is entrancing. His personal connection with students, remembering every single name in just a few short days, makes students really feel like they are more than just a face in his class. His true, honest, and pure dedication to his students sets every student up for success. The weekly homework can be overwhelming at times. It's almost required to go to office hours to get them done. The hours spent to do a few problems almost takes out the added value that they are supposed to provide. The problems are interesting, go beyond the book, and provide insight, but sometimes it almost does not feel worth it.

This man is a calculus wizard. He's easily the best math instructor I've ever had the privilege of taking. Unfortunately, an hour per day, four days per week probably isn't enough, but he definitely makes the most of it without making each lecture feel rushed. The notes and examples you copy from the board are extremely well structured and easy to read when you need more material to help yourself study. As far as homework, he gives suggested nightly problems from the textbook, which I would recommend keeping up with. He also gives weekly homework, which is actually collected, and rightfully so. There may only be 5 problems, but they're super challenging, and I recommend going to office hours and brainstorming with other students (which I didn't do but should've). Once you complete them (and complete them thoroughly), you're going to feel pretty damn good about yourself. As far as the 2 midterms and tests, they're all extremely fair and fairly graded. They almost feel easy compared to the homework, so as long as you devote a decent amount of time studying for them then you should be fine. Overall, I highly recommend Retsek.

Retsek is one of the most brilliant minds I have ever encountered in my entire life. He is the most well-prepared teacher that I have ever come across. He is the only professor that I can think of that never has to say, "I'm not sure; ask me about that next class." It's obvious to notice the amount of work that he puts into each and every one of his lectures as well as the amount of time he's willing to help in his office. His daily query may seem intimidating, but he takes questions directly from the notes of the day before. I think he just uses it as a smarter, more direct approach at getting students to review their notes before class. Take him if you ever have the chance and consider yourself extremely lucky if you ever have him.

Dr. Retsek is a really cool teachers, his exams were average, homework due on fridays helps your grade and is fairly easy...if you are a math major take him at all costs, he's changed my life...good luck getting in!

Dr. Retsek is one of the most thorough and patient instructors I have ever had. He always makes sure that we all understand what we are doing, and more importantly WHY (in terms of why for the class and why would you need to know this in real life). Although, you will most definitely need to use office hours to tackle the weekly homework, it will be time well spent. The mathematical discussions will be very valuable to you success on his exams.

Excellent teacher. He explains everything clearly and well. His office hours are great if you have trouble with the weekly homework. Although this entire class was review from last year in HS, it wasn't a waste of time purely because he taught it, and he taught it well. I plan on taking him for every math course that I can, and I would suggest the same to everyone else

Dylan is a brilliant teacher. In lecture, he presents material in a clear and organized manner and makes you think. My favorite part about lectures is that he asks the class questions about the material, helping you come to your own conclusions. He is very laid-back and approachable, and office hours are very helpful if you can make it. If not, he is always able to make an appointment on short notice. His weekly homework in honors calc is extremely challenging, but they are the best part because the problems are really interesting and make you think (plus you feel really smart when you figure one out). Tests are hard, but he's good with partial credit. Set up an equation even if you can't solve it, or write out the steps you would take to solve the problem if you dont have time to do it, and you'll get a fair amount of credit. Basically, I'm planning on becoming a teacher, so I'm going to take as many classes with Dylan as possible while I'm at Poly, just to steal his teaching techniques for my own use. and cause he's great.

He is just the best professor out there. Everything is explained with ease and completeness with nothing confusing. He will never rest until any lingering questions get answered, so he is extremely helpful. He is capable of doing all of this and with just one hand. If you really want to advance your knowledge in math, take him and you surely will not be disappointed.

He's really caring about all his students, esp. those who are struggling. He also challenges class often and explains everything clearly with logic and examples.

He's a great teacher but his tests are way harder than the work we do in class! great professor but horrible test giver.

Awesome teacher, explains things well and thoroughly answers questions

Dr. Retsek is the bomb diggity! This is my second time taking him and I have to say he is by far my favorite professor here at Poly. His lectures are awesome, his office hours are helpful and he's just an all around great guy. His test were definitely trickier this quarter though. Our class got destroyed by the first midterm; more than half the class failed and only 5 people got above a B. He replaces your low midterm grade with your final score if you do better on it, so that helped a lot since the final was way easier than either of his midterms. There is good chunk of homework every week, but as long as you stay on top of it its no big deal. Take Retsek if you get the chance!

I failed because I was lazy. He is an amazing teacher. One of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable I have ever seen. Use his office hours.

Funny, personable, and EXTREMELY CLEAR when he presents his material. Always is willing to help students out.

This man is a God. You would be doing yourself a huge disfavor by not enrolling in his course if there is any room left in the class. His tests are not necessarily easy, but he makes sure the class fully understands his examples and he is fantastic in office hours. Take him.

Professor Retsek was an extremely awesome and helpful professor. If I had any trouble he would make sure to go out of his way to ensure I understand. His tests are extremely hard, with problems that we barely brushed through during class notes/homework, which can be frustrating. I just did not click with this subject, however Professor Retsek was such a great professor I don't feel it was his fault. His notes consist of very theoretical content, so prepare to teach yourself for the majority of the homework. Or than that, he is one funny, friendly guy and I would definitely recommend taking him!

10/10

Great professor! He presents the material really clearly, has easy to follow board work, and is very approachable. The homework for honors calc 3 is difficult, but if you go to office hours, he walks you through the problems step by step and does everything he can to help you. If you spend time studying for the class and ask for help as needed, you'll do well! I highly recommend taking this class (even with the extra work).

He really is a great teacher! He is definitely good at addressing student's questions so make sure you ask questions when you're confused! I took his honors calc 3 class and although he was a great teacher the weekly honors homework was extremely difficult and I couldn't finish them on my own. Almost everyone goes to his office hours because he'll show you how to get the answers. So if you don't have time to go to his office hours to do the homework, I would recommend finding another teacher first. BUT if you don't mind the challenge of theoretical math problems and working hard for the homework, then please do this class!

This professor is amazing and I highly suggest taking him. I had him all through Calc 3 , Calc 4, and Linear Algebra as an honors class that carried throughout the year and i have not regretted one minute. He is very informative and wants to teach all his students HOW a theorem or topic is done rather than just how to do it simply with an equation. With that said as amazing as he is, his class can go fast and if you don't keep up with the homework or what is going on in lecture it can get difficult and hard. He is always open in office hours to help with any questions. He really is there for his students and to really teach them the course in the best way possible. Regarding his teaching style and exams, he has a weekly homework every week regarding the material the week beforehand. These are difficult questions but are able to collaborate with classmates and should not wait till the night before its due to get it done. He has this thing called the "query" every day at the start of lecture asking questions about the lecture before and only makes up about 2% (1% for each question you are given throughout the quarter which is two times). As long as you read the notes before you are fine. His exams can be difficult but as long as you study hard and all of the practice problems you should absolutely pass. Great professor great class and it was a pleasure having him my first year.

Retsek's a homie. Great guy and easily one of the best professors in Cal Poly. Takes his time to make every student understand what he is teaching. Retsek is a sports nut, and tells the coolest stories in class sometimes. He's also really helpful in office hours. The midterms and final are hard, but otherwise, as long as you put in the work, you'll do well. The grading system is not bad. If you do well on your final, it will replace your low midterm. On the whole, if you get Retsek, TAKE HIM.

Retsek is the man! Yes, his exams may be a little bit difficult, but he challenges you to actually understand the material and apply it to real life problems. He is also the sweetest man I have ever met and genuinely cares about every student and will do anything to make time for every student. He makes class fun with 2 query questions everyday and using analogies to relate conceptual calculus concepts to everyday life. If you ever have the chance to have Retsek as a professor DO IT! He is the best and you will learn so much!

I didn't even deserve a c. I deserved an f. But Retsek is a god at both teaching and understanding students situations. Take him. Now. What are you doing reading this, you should already be signed up if not you're already on the wait list.

Dr. Retsek is the BEST instructor I have ever had. He is patient, clear, organized, and knows exactly whats going on. He keeps the class fun and enjoyable and ensures that you leave with a strong background in the course. I would rearrange my schedule to take his class.

I wish I had words to explain how awesome this professor is. Excellent explanations of the material. Always in a good mood and was a wonderful person. I loved the way he occasionally brought in these fun little stories. Not only the "Real men fubinate, Tonelli got shafted" t-shirt that a class from the previous quarter had made for him, but also the mathematical great grandfather side story - I was amazed he could trace that out! Also, always helpful in office hours. Within five minutes talking to him, I had a much better understanding of the material I had been confused on. I only wish I could take all the rest of my math classes with him.

Easily the best math professor I've had at CP. I took this class with Kirk, who rushed through the material and didnt explain anything. Retsek went through extremely thoroughly and made sure everyone understood. I learned way more the second time around. His tests are hard, but if you go into office hours, he can get you to understand anything. Take him at all costs!

Dr. Retsek is by far one of the best math teachers I have ever had. I took both Calc III and Calc IV from him Freshman year, 3 because I got invited, and 4 right afterwards because Dr. Retek is so awesome. He assigns about 5 KILLER homework problems per week, but as long as you try there's partial credit, plus it's alot more rewarding solving some frickin hard problem as opposed to like 50 easy problems (but if you are someone that needs to do a lot of problems to learn the material, he has 'recommended problems' on blackboard for every night too). He's the most empathetic, understanding professor I've had at Cal Poly.. Although math can be a somewhat tedious subject sometimes, Retsek makes every day interesting and fun. Basically his class is a journey, Dylan takes the whole class on a fun and interesting math-venture, whimsey and wonder! I recommend taking as many classes from him as possible.

a god among men. Retsek (or Dylan) is missing an arm, but that actually kinda helps his lectures. When dealing with 3-d coordinate systems, he has the ability to draw images that almost jump out of the board. Even if you don't like math, it is worth taking ANY of his classes as an elective.

Dr. Retsek is a very good teacher who presents the material clearly, but there's no getting around the fact that its a very hard class especially so early in the morning. Not the easiest teacher out there but you will learn the material. Make sure to spend a lot of time working on this if you take Retsek

Dr. Retsek is not only the best professor at Cal Poly, he is the best teacher I have ever had. The way he presents and teaches material is by far the best I have ever seen. He has a way of making difficult and complex topics much easier to comprehend. I can't even think of enough words to describe him, he is so amazing! He is not only an awesome professor but just an all around great guy. Go to office hours, get to know him, you won't regret it.

GREATEST TEACHER at CAL POLY I had ever taken! I wish I had known about him since my freshman year instead of my last quarter at POLY. This man reintroduced me to why I loved mathematics in the first place. The way he teaches, the pace of the class, how he answers student's questions is flawless. The topics are not hard, but they are not easy, it requires practice, practice, and practice. Retsek is very helpful in office hours and approachable. Again, I wish all the teachers would take notes on how to teach mathematics with Dr. Retsek. I HIGHLY mandate everyone to try to take one of his math classes.

Understanding, passionate, and intelligent teacher that is insanely helpful during office hours and clear and precise when he lectures. Hands down the best math teacher I have ever had.

Retsek is such an amazing professor you MUST take his class if you can. He really takes the time during class to explain everything to the best of his ability and answer everyone's questions. He doesn't do as many examples in class, but the ones he does do, do a really good job of clarifying the concept taught that day. He's also really good at drawing 3D images which is extremely important for understanding the material in this course. His tests are super fair in comparison to the turn in homework he gives. Retsek is an overall cool guy and is always in a positive mood, being in his class makes you love math. Take his class at all costs, he is amazing.

Over the course of this quarter, Retsek became my favorite math teacher. His notes are really clear and apply to the homework that he assigns. You get an automatic A on 5% of your grade as long as you participate about twice a quarter in a little beginning of class trivia. His midterms are pretty straight forward and are a mix of true/false, short answer, and free response. What makes Retsek different than other math teachers is that he really entertains and engages the students, he makes the lectures more enjoyable and interesting make it easier to stay focused.

Hands down the best professor in the Cal Poly math department. Any class he teaches, I will gladly take for my major.

BEST PROFESSOR I HAVE EVER HAD. Yes, he may be a little bit difficult, but he challenges you to make you improve. He is also the kindest man I have ever met. He inspires me to become a teacher like him. If I ever have the chance to take him again I will do anything I can to take him. He is the best!!!

Dr Retsek is truly amazing. He will sit with you in office hours and make sure you learn the content. He wants all his students to succeed! Dr Retsek is the best math professor I have ever had, and my favorite professor at Cal Poly. Please take his class if you are given the chance!!

This guy can do proofs so you actually understand them, if you don't understand a step he'll explain it to you so that you do. He does a daily guery, which is not too hard, he helps out the idiots. His tests are reasonable, he is clear on what he expects from you so his grading is very fair, and he does the grading himself! He is very helpful during office hours. Seriously you need to learn how to write proofs well, i strongly recommend Retsek as your instructor.

Dr. Retsek is an excellent prof. He had a baby near the end of the quarter but only missed a week and came back to just one of his classes, his proofs class. he really cares about his math 248 students. I think he ended up slightly curving the class, but the averages on the tests were low 70's and the final was 73. The homework can be very time consuming so get started early on it (u have a week). Hw=20%, querry=5%, 2 midterms and final 25% each, or if you do better on the final than one of your midterms it counts as double. watch out for the querry, it can really help you in the end. basically everyday he'll pull a random name out of his mug and ask you a question from the previous days notes. If you spend about an hour studying notes before class you'll never miss it. take him, hes great!

Dr. Retsek continues to be the best teacher I have had at Cal Poly so far. If you can't make his office hours he will go out of his way and make an appointment with you and if you don't get a concept he won't quit helping you until you understand it completely. There is no reason not to take a class of his.

Do not let my D fool you. The class material is conceptually harder and different than previous MATH courses. I worked by respective rear end off to come away with a D, as I struggled through most of the quarter. For sure, get an early jump on homework (unless you are a genius, you will not be able to start and finish homework the night before that you have a week to do) As for Professor Retsek, by far he is one of the best MATH professors you will ever have at Poly. All the praise he gets on Polyratings is totally accurate. He WILL make separate office hours for you when needed. He will personally invest time into each and every student. For the people that got less than passing grades, they do not have the excuse that he is a poor teacher and never went out of his way to help them. Seriously, an amazing teacher but a difficult and time consuming class.

There aren't enough words in the English language to describe just how awesome this professor is at teaching. He's lively, presents the material perfectly, knows *exactly* when students are struggling and how to help them, and is dynamic in that he adapts to each student. Take this professor!

Retsek is as good as it gets. He is AMAZING in every sense of the word. If you turn down the opportunity to take this guy, you're an idiot.

TAKE THIS PROFESSOR!!! Professor Retsek is an amazing math professor. He did not just teach math, he taught tools to use for a lifetime. The way he teaches you to approach a problem and think can be used as life lessons. I really do not like talking in front of a class of people. However, in his class, by the end I was comfortable enough to give enough presentations that I had to give. He was understading, and he encouraged me and gave me enough confidence to give the presentations. The grade includes presentations (in which you are presenting homework material), a query, exams, and portfolio. For the query, pay attention, ask questions, and review the day before and you will be completely fine. By the time exams came up, if you continued to work and review the entire time, there was not much studying to do for the exams. For the portfolios, do NOT wait until the last minute. There is just way too much to do.

Best math teacher at poly, best teacher I've taken at poly.

It's all true, he really is amazing. If you have the opportunity, take him. You'll feel privileged the entire quarter.

Retsek takes a different approach to teaching this class. He basically hands you a blank book full of proofs to do along with definitions to use for those proofs. Then you spend the whole quarter working on it. Every day, he will put 4 proofs or exercises from the book to present on the board and people volunteer to present their proof. Everybody must present at least 4 times. From talking to students in other classes, Retsek's class seems to be easier, but if you do better learning by watching the professor do proofs then I wouldn't take this class because Retsek doesn't "teach", you are expected to do all the proofs. He basically helps hold discussions about the presentations and clarifies any questions but never presents proofs himself. This class is is difficult due to the material, but I think Retsek is the best option as professors go (even if he doesn't really teach). Overall, Retsek is the coolest and nicest guy you'll ever meet and cares about his students.

He really is fantastic. I personally had a really really really hard time understanding proofs but any other teacher would have made it unbearable for me. Retsek is the nicest teacher out there and really wants you to understand everything. Homework is stuff you go over in class so it isn't a huge time commitment. I bombed the first test but got back on track with some extra time going over problems. I would highly recommend getting a little study group together with some people in the class - I think nearly everyone in my class did. The presentations really truly aren't that bad - and this is coming from someone with enormous stage fright. The whole class is pretty much taught by students presenting proofs so do your part and present! Don't get me wrong this was a HARD class and I'm not sure how I came out with B, but you can do it if you put in the time and talk to Retsek!

TAKE RETSEK!!!! I swear you will not regret it. This class is not easy, but he will do everything he can to help you succeed (going to office hours is super helpful). He is one of the kindest and most genuine people on this planet, I looked forward to his class everyday (which is saying something becasue I was absolutely dreading taking this class). A word of advice, try to make friends with people in this class ASAP as its so much easier to bounce ideas off your classmates when doing the homework rather than sitting and struggling alone.

Excellent excellent excellent! He makes all of the abstract concepts easy to understand. I highly suggest taking him for any math class if you can!

Dr. Retsek is awesome. He presents the material very clearly and is more than willing to answer questions and help out. I'm taking 409 with him next quarter. The material for 408 wasn't very difficult; maybe he just made it seem so.

This man is amazing. He will go the extra mile for students. He explains material clearly. He brings in humor to the class. His lectures are never boring. If you have the opportunity to take a class with him, you will regret not doing it!

I was nervous about Math 412, but Dr. Retsek got rid of all the worries. He is extremely prepared and has a great pace at lecture. I felt privileged the entire quarter.

Absolutely amazing. I can't thank him enough for the impact on my life he has made.

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I have been at Cal Poly for several years, first as an undergrad and now as a graduate student. There's only one professor that even compares to Dr. Dylan (and that's Dr. Agronsky, if you're wondering). He presents the material in an organized, immaculate fashion. He points out the exceptions to the rule, but at the same time leaves some of them for you to discover on your own. When you go to his office, he has this magical ability to get YOU to answer your own questions. About his exams...I have SEEN his exams from the undergrad classes, and just because they are not identical to homework questions doesn't mean that they are impossible. In fact, most of the time the technique IS the same!! Pay attention while you are doing your homework--don't just be some robot. This guy makes you think and will give you probably the best educational experience that Cal Poly has to offer.

Another reason why freshman should have their polyratings responses autodeleted. They have no idea that college requires work. Good luckw with your business major!