McCormick, Kathryn  

These other comments are so true. And it's not just that she sucks at teaching, she's also a bitch about it.

katie is pretty icy. cares more about her dogs than her students. not to mention has design clubs at her house for certain students but not others. Pretty unprofessional. take mary instead.

Soooooo Vague! I wish I wasn't in her class right now. I highly regret enrolling with her. If you have to take this class, get it with a different teacher. It makes allllll the difference. It's unfortunate that students pay so much money, and they don't get the help they need from teachers. There are so many different aspect of how her teaching skills aren't up to par with the rest of Cal Poly professors, but the list is too long for me to post in this small area. If you want to actually learn something, and not waste your time and efforts, do not take her! **I am warning you, don't just disregard this review, and sign up for her class anyway. You will regret it also. I'm not just ragging on her personally. I'm looking out for students best interests. I wish there was some who told me not to take her class. It's hell!

Katie is one of the worst teachers I've ever experienced. If you disagree, then you are probably one of the students she plays favorites with. Katie lectures with no passion, and acts like her students are beneath her. I went to her office hours multiple times and she told me to look online for help rather than spending a little of her time to help me. I actually had to go to other professors regarding any questions I had for HER class. She once said to the class that she is a better Graphic Designer than anyone teaching or attending Cal Poly. Why is she teaching if she is so much better than everyone, and why wont she help students that go to her office hours? Ecocentric and bitchy is how I would describe Katie.

Where to begin with this class... McCormick is monotoned, robotic, reads everything from the slides because she is too lazy, and gives out pointless quizzes. She assumes everyone is the class is familiar with process work and doesn't show students what she wants. She values process work more than the final product. She definitely plays favorites with students and is not a fan when it comes to transfers. This class work load is outrageous and a lot of busy work. Furthermore, if you try to go to her for help she does not explain clearly what she wants and is vague. If you can avoid taking this teacher do it.

Katie is harsh, but these other people/comments don't understand the underlying principal of her teaching. Whether she is meaning to or not, she is preparing you for the REAL world. In the real world, clients are late, they give you projects and need them finished in 2 days, they don't always act professional, and they play favorites, etc. Honestly, like you will come across teachers like this everywhere at Cal Poly and you just have to make the best of it. Get what you can from Katie, she definitely knows a TON about graphic design, but she is not always consistent. Whatever you have do (butt kissing, etc), get on her good side asap. It will make your class/classes with her easier! Otherwise your in for a bumpy ride!

McCormick for design history is a NIGHTMARE. In all my five years of school never have I been an a more boring and busy work class. She clearly hates teaching art history and it shows. She makes no effort to lecture but just reads verbatim from her slides. The reading assignments are a joke since half the people I know in the class copy and paste the answers from the book, while I actually read and wrote the answers in my own words haha. Meanwhile she gave the students that copied the answers +'s and myself -'s. She also has you do journals which are pointless and busywork as well. Her tests are tricky but if you study enough you will be fine. If you can avoid taking this class, avoid it like the plague.

Unfortunately, this has been one of the worst classes I've ever taken in my four years at Cal Poly. The material has the potential to be very interesting, but the professor makes every lecture more boring than watching grass grow. Every class, Katie stands in one spot behind her laptop and reads every word off of the PowerPoint for two hours straight. She never looks up or engages with the students. She rarely elaborates further than what is on the slide. I've watched students have their hands raised for minutes and she would never notice until they call out to her. She makes no effort to make the content interesting. There is no possible way any student can continually absorb an overwhelming amount of information if it is just being mechanically and tediously fed to them. Her reading assignments are very middle/high school level, with questions coming straight out of the book. None of the questions require actual thinking or inference, it's just copying the answer out of the textbook. Her grading is also inconsistent. I've compared answers between friends that have received a 'check plus' and a 'check minus,' and oftentimes there isn't much difference. If anything, just write a lot and hopefully she'll give you the plus. If you're required to suffer through this class with her, just try to take it with friends so you suffer together. Sadly, you're not allowed to use laptops in class. Stay on top of the weekly journals and write as much as you can. The short research paper is easy if you find good resources.

DEFINITELY take katie for the 300 series. i don't personally like her, but she is an amazing teacher and designer, and i definitely agree that she is the best thing the poly art department has going for it. i believe in taking the professor that you will learn the most from. if that's your philosophy and you can handle a heavy workload and some pretty harsh criticism, take her for everything you possibly can.

Katie is the best professor I've ever had. Period. I was ready to leave Cal Poly before I had her, she's the only good thing the art deparment has going at this point. Don't get discouraged if you're a freshman in 131 and don't like it... it's not her fault. That class is going to suck no matter what. Fundamentals are boring but necessary. Take her for the 300 series and take design history... you'll love her. She is excited and passionate about design, and she gets her students involved and excited as well. GREAT PROFESSOR. TAKE HER.

Katie is a terrific teacher and design team coach. If you ask her why something isn't working, she won't tell you a specific thing to do, she'll give you direction but make sure that YOU problem solve. I like the way she really encouraged our class to work as a design team, emphasizing how important working with your peers is now and for your future design career. She can be really tough but that's because she really wants to push her students to the next level. Katie's classes are heavy in terms of workload and her expectations of quality but very useful in preparation for a good portfolio and design process after graduation. Take her classes!

Work hard in Katie's class and expect to be rewarded as such. She presents a challenge, but is always on hand to offer advice if you get stuck. She's a teacher who absolutely loves the subject she teaches, and it's infectious -- one of the most motivational teachers ever!

The 300 series I took with her have been the most educational and helpful classes I have taken in college. She is a very passionate person that cares genuinely and deeply about her students and design in general. She will push you hard, so get ready for a large workload. But it isn't all in vain, you will learn at a far greater pace and depth than any other professor in our department. She doesn't assign nonsense "why the hell are we doing this" work that all other professors in the department throw at us (some more than others), this is actual stuff that will better your understanding and application of design. I wish the other professors in our department would shy away from their ignorance and adopt some of her teaching techniques and philosophies.

what a bitch. for being a graphic designer, her stuff sux! just check out her website and see for yourself. oh and did i mention she has no emotion? talking to her is like talking to a wall. what a waste.

Katie may have had a rough quarter last last spring, but she's hands down the one you'll learn the most about graphic design from. She has extreme passion for the industry which is infectious. She cares about your individual success as a designer and will start out treating you with respect right away. Her class, while demanding, is structured and clear. Graphic II is hands down the best graphic design class I've taken so far and its projects are extremely great portfolio pieces. She will take a while to get back to you via email, but she writes mountains of feedback on your work if you shoot her an email early enough into the process. She grades on improvement so make an effort to talk to her during office hours/email and you'll do just fine. She is extremely fair in her grading as well and is very approachable and easy to talk to/form a relationship with. She's had a hard time the past few quarters but she's really not as bad as the reviews below say and if the design department lost her this department would have lost huge chunk of its strength. She's super knowledgable - take the time to get to know her and she'll reward you with not only a decent grade if you put in effort, but more enlightenment into the industry.

Katie is a pretentious ice queen. I have absolutely no idea why students worship her. Have you seen any of her actual designs? Absolutely no spark whatsoever. She's robotic in her lectures, and has a glazed over look constantly. I could go on forever on why not to take her, but I'm in on mood to write a novel this morning. Just avoid her at all costs. But if you do manage to make it into one of her lectures, bring her a tic tac. I could smell the vodka on her breath from a mile away.

Brilliant + Beautiful = Awesome. 'Nuff Said. :)

don't make me barf!

Katie truly cares about her students: she constantly provides motivation, as well as a challenge, to each person in her classes. I have also found that, as she gets to know her students, she tailors assignments to challenge us as individuals, finding ways to interest and excite all of us about design. That said, while she is kind and caring, she is not lenient about poor design process: she is honest and constructively critical. Overall, an awesome teacher! Take all the classes you can with her!

Katy is the one of the best design professors in the department. I have taken 3 courses with her, and have seen the most improvement in her classes. Her projects are often overwhelming and extremely time consuming, but they also result in really good portfolio pieces. Her critiques are pretty constructive and she always provides positive feedback as well as improvements to be made. Overall her classes are a lot of work, but completely worth it for students looking to improve their design skills.

Katie has one of those brains you wish you could crawl inside and absorb even a quarter of what she knows. This class really let her shine--it showed just how much of an asset she is to the department. I learned so much from the class...it really had a huge impact on me.

Prof cried today.... What a weirdo hahahah get a grip of your life.