O'Neil, Tom  

There is a lot of homework. Exams are tough but fair. 3 Exams 100 pts each Final 200 pts Homework & Quizes 100 pts

O'Neil knows his stuff well, but he has problems with his offices hours. To get a hold of this guy is like waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. O'Neil is easy to talk to when you get through the hundred foot line. His tests are hard and most people end up flunking. His curve is high enough though to bring up your grade. If you are looking for an easy A don't get into his class, but if you want to know your stuff, he's the man.

His class ain't no joke, if you plannin to take him be prepare to work hard or else your ass will be on AP...

Dr. O'Neil is one of the best teachers on campus. If you want an easy teacher, don't take him, because he expects a lot, but I don't know anybody that worked hard in his class that didn't pass with a C or better. Plus, I have talked to people that have failed his class before, and they have said that they actually feel bad that they flunked his class because he (Dr. O'Neil) tried so hard to help them pass but they were too lazy. If you can, take him, it's worth the extra work.

THIS IS A GUY WHO MAKES YOU WORK A DAY AHEAD WHILE HE IS A DAY BEHIND. The homework is daily and graded. The homework is hard and you have to teach yourself how to do it. He gives you the answers during his office hours, but don't expect to get personal help because there are 20 of your fellow classmates packed in there every day. He goes over the homework in class fairly well but that is after you turn it in to be graded. It is a very frustrating class and you should make room for his office hours because in my opion they are mandatory if you want to do well.

he says scary, threatening things that would normally be jokes, but he says them with such a dead serious attidude that you can't quite be sure; like "The last test turned in won't be graded." A few subdued chuckles. His class was really hard, lots of fails. His office was always full of people who were as clueless as me, so I wasn't the only one who couldn't understand him.

Dr. O'Neil is one of the best professors I have taken. A lot of students say his tests are really difficult, and it is true. However, if you work hard to understand, you will definitely get a good grade in the class. You will learn from Dr. O'Neil if you work hard. His curves are really generous even though I managed to ace most of his midterms. A 'C' usually goes down to 35 or 40%.

Of the three math teachers I have had at this school this professor is by far the best one I have ever had. He is very fair and tells you exactly what he wants out of you while taking the class.

Dr. O'Neil (make sure you spell it right, or else he'll bring out his bat) is an ok teacher, and I wouldn't mind taking a class of his again. He's a nice guy (if you get to know him), and he'll always help you if you need it. He grades too hard on homework though, which made office hours mandatory. It's ok though, because half of the class is there too, and they'll help you out if you can't get to Dr. O'Neil. This class is not for the faint of heart, because Dr. O'Neil is EXTREMELY sarcastic and wry. If you like those kinds of teachers, then take his class, if not, take someone else. For grading, the homework and three tests are worth 100pts, and the final is worth 200. He grades tests on a curve (sometimes a 40% is a C). The tests are extremely fair. Also, keep up to date with the LA Kings, that'll help.

Do not take Oniel If you have high blood pressure!! He takes up the whole class and speeds along the course. He could solve problems faster than I could write them down. He would assign you homework, then explain it the next day (which would be alright, if he didn't grade the homework) He "says" hes available, but if you go to see him, exxpect a line! He always says things that make you think he hates you, like "I'm gonna add another question to the test" or "A small child could do this stuff" Needless to say he is NOT an easy teacher. I believe our class had two A's.

To be honest, Dr. O'neil isn't the nicest guy. However, when it comes down to teaching and being knowledge of Math, this man's a genius. Dr. O'Neil is sometimes hard to follow, but his "sarcastic" humor helps break the ice between the students and the subject of Calc and Math. I know Dr. O'Neil can sometimes scare people, but he is a very approachable person. I would recommend this teacher because I believe he is the best and most knowledge Professor in the Math Department. He knows his stuff. Although I was one of the "very" few students who received an 'A' in the course, he grades on a huge curve (bell curve). Once again, don't fear this man who loves the game of Hockey and walks around swinging a bat!

Dr. O'Niel is a difficult teacher. I will say that. But you learn alot. Maybe I understood some of the stuff better because I was in the workshop for the class as well, but I think he did a great job of teaching. He does make lots of jokes, most of them pretty harsh, but they often are to enforce a point. Some people have called him a "drill instructor". I don't know wether to agree or not. You definately do not want to cause any trouble in his class, but he is not that bad. His office hours are crowded, but there are also 15 people from your class in the hall who can help you if you can't talk to him. Bty, someone mentioned the hours themselves were bad: the hours are often dictated by the class scheduale the collage gives the teacher, so don't blame him. My first quarter with him, the hours were right before class, great. This quarter they are an hour before any of my classes any day, oh well.

When I first took him I hated him the first couple weeks, but when you get to know him and get used to his teaching style class actually becomes enjoyable... take careful note to what he sa

When I first took him I hated him the first couple weeks, but when you get to know him and get used to his teaching style class actually becomes enjoyable... take careful note to his little comments on problems in class...if you don't it'll come back to haunt you. his review sheets make all the difference, if you can understand the review sheets, which you should make sure you do (class and office hours), you'll do fine. this class is not easy, be prepared to work. I took him twice so that must mean something...also i got 2 A's, just be prepared to work.

Dont take Dr. ONeil if you dont want to work hard. His class is challenging but he forces you to learn and understand the material. He is always really willing to help out in office hours. Other people have said that he is hard to talk to in office hours because so many other students are there with you, but he is always available to help out. In his office hours someone from the group will tell him the homework problem they want him to work out, then he does that problem for you and you all copy it down. If you arent able to get his help in office hours there are always students from your class in the hall outside his office that you could get help from. Homework is graded daily, but it only counts for about 10 percent of you total grade, so its ok if you dont finish a few problems. Also, I strongly recommend taking the math workshop that goes along with your class, it really helps. The workshop forces you to work on calculus for extra time each week and it gives you the opportunity to ask your workshop facilitator questions and get one on one help. If you have taken high school calculus this class will be easy for you. ONeil's tests are similar to the review sheets that he gives you before the tests, but the tests are easier. The good thing is that you are completely prepared for all the test questions because of the review sheet. You know what to expect. The final was basically a copy of each of the three midterms, so everyone's grades got higher after the final. If you decide to take ONEil, you will learn to love calculus. Good Luck! :)

Hes tough but worth it.

O'Neil will seem like an intimidating professor at first, but once you get to know him, he's got a great sense of humor and he's a pretty nice guy. His office hours the day before a test are just about impossible to get into, but he will ususally manage to help everyone. He assigns a lot of homework, but all of the assignments are helpful. His tests are also really hard; the higest grade was usually a 60 or 70, but he curves your grade at the end, so it's pretty fair.

On the very first day I thought I was in for some tough shit, but as the course progressed, it wasn't as hard as I had thought. O'Neil knows his stuff but always seems to be in the joking mood. He usually is very funny but of the 50 min of class, about 45 is spent going over homework from the night before. You, therefore, have to try to teach yourself how to do the homework if you want to get decent grades on it. His office hours are very helpful but usually very crowded. The grader for the homework is tough and so are his tests but if you understand the mid-term review sheets, you'll do well on the tests. My advice, go to office hours. I usually only went to them on the day the review sheets were due and it raised my grade on them significantly. Overall, I recommend O'Neil but I'm not sure if I would take him again; especially for higher level math classes. I had already taken calc in high school so I think that attributed to my grade.

The first day of class I wanted to cry and call my high school teacher to tell her she did not prepare us. But, I worked hard and got a decent grade. O'Neil is extremely challenging - but not impossible. I feel those little inconsisties I just ignored in math were explained and I understand math a heck of a lot better. You will leave this class with something. O'Neil's humor is classic too. Work hard and prosper - or die is how his class is run. It's easy to get a C - harder to get a B or D, and an A of F are for the special people of each end of the spectrum. My best piece of advise is - copy everything he writes on the board and then go home and figure out how he did it. He does ten-steps in his computer-like mind so you'll have to backtrack. Once you realize it isn't magic it is doable, it'll be better. On exams, write everything the way he does it in class. Remember = signs too! Having your notes will help for exams because he expects you to be as perfect. His final is great too - just like the three midterms! And office hours are the only way to survive the homework scores. If you're having trouble - don't hesitite to ask. He will help you if you take the time. Good luck and may the Kings have a good season when you're taking his class, you little retarded gorilla, you. (You'll understand that sentence in due-time if you take O'Neil).

DO NOT TAKE O'NEIL! He is the worst teacher I've had in my life. I already took calculus in High School and i still couldn't understand what this man was saying. He is very confusing and goes 90 miles and hour. The notes that I took were all completely worthless. So be prepared to teach yourself with this guy. Also be prepared to spend every day in his office if you would like to get over a 6 out of 10 on the homework (which you already spent 3 hours tring to do at home). Of course his office always has about 20 other people in there, so it was like having 2 math classes. His Tests are ridiculous!! The average grade is usualy around a 30% which he curves up to a D but it still sucks ass. He is the most anal person when correcting the homework or tests. You can get the problem right and show the correct steps to get the answer and he'll still take off a bunch of points. He's a smart man as people here have said and a funny guy, but i dont feel he was worth all of the stress and headaches. I would recomend taking someone else.

ALOT of homework, but doing the homework will really help your grade. It counts for a large percentage. Tests are medium-difficult. An outstanding teacher that loves students.

This prof doesn't explain the homework before assigning it. He also assigns a large amount of homework. Don't expect to finish his tests, he does curve the tests though. 30/100 was a C on most tests. His problems are completely above and beyond the difficulty level of the book.

Ya, I failed his class and I hate him for it. But I even had a supplemental instruction course to go with it to help me. The student teacher said I deserver higher scores on my tests that I received. But when I complained to O'Neil he couldn't care less. I suppose if you really study hard he might pass you but don't count on it, he sticks to his decisions. He also talks like he has done too much speed. So exspect to take a lot of notes and never get out of class on time.

Dr. O'Neil is a great professor. He explains the material clearly and is willing to answer questions. He is also one of the funniest professors I've had. But I would not take him again because of his teaching style. Instead of teaching what you will be doing for that night's homework, he also goes over the previous night's homework. It helps a lot with understanding, but you have already turned it in. I felt like he was always a day behind. I'd rather know what I'm doing when I do the homework, instead of finding out what I did wrong the next day.

O'Neil is like a drill sargeant. At the time you take the class you hate his guts for working you so hard but when it's all over and you look back you realize the enormous amount of work that you did was benificial. BUT, beware. He's hard as hell. His test were extremely difficult but his curves do help. Do all the homework and do it well; it's the only reason i passed the class. Oh yeah, by the way, you might as well write his office hours into your permanent schedule; youre gonna be going there every day for the whole hour. I sure did. It sucked, but if you want to get higher than a 3 or 4 out of 10 on the homework you have to go. He is always a day behind in teaching and he writes faster than any human being's brain can even process (don't ask me how), so you dont stop writing in class. If you get through his class, be proud. It ain't easy.

O'Neil was an extremely difficult professor but a devoted teacher and nice guy. He's pretty upbeat about his retirement after this next quarter and you can feel for him because he's been doing the same stuff for about 30 years. His lectures are very difficult to understand because he goes so fast and covers a new topic in the last 5 minutes of class(which is your homework topic). My biggest problem was his innability to explain things in "Layman's terms". He would sometimes answer a question that would make you scratch your head and confuse you even more... No one can doubt this guy's intelligence though because he seems to always have an answer to everything, knows what he's talking about, and can integrate like crazy. Here's the breakdown for 142: 100 pts - nightly homework(takes about 3-4 hours a night and is a very tough grader), 300 pts of midterms - (very difficult, but he understands that and will curve a test like crazy. I think my average for a test was 40% which was a C), and a final(The great thing about the final is that it is pretty much the 3 midterms stapled together. I think it is a nice reward for all the work his devoted students put in the class. The final consisted of 10 pages and 20 integrals which wears the hell out of you)... A suggestion I have for a student of O'Neil is to copy down EVERYTHING he writes on the board during class, without thinking. Then study everything you've written down when you get home, and it will all make sense to you. It also doesn't hurt to root for the LA Kings hockey team becuase you'll notice that his mood and leniency in grading is dependent on their success. If you have a chance, talk to O'Neil too, he's a nice guy and fun to has many interesting stories.

Talk about a tough teacher. Difficult homework assigned every day and those test review sheets are hell! Despite the rather intense workload, O'Neil really preps you for integration. After hours and hours of studying and earning a C, I feel totally prepared for 143 and beyond. Overall a great teacher if you do the work. Recommend.

His lectures are unclear and unorganized. Homework is turned in daily and graded, which would be fine except that it is due before the topic has been lectured on at all. It is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get help in office hours, because he spends most of the hour helping his math major students with their senior projects, and there are a million people in his office who also want help. His curves usually contain mostly C's and D's. The only reason I passed this class is that I had friends who tutored me and I spent hours with my book, teaching myself everything because I did not learn a thing in class even though I went every day. If you want to learn anything, and if you want to pass your class, I recommend ANYONE but this guy.

I love Dr. O Neil!!!!!!!! At first he does seem a little intimidating but you learn to understand his sense of humor. He would always say, "You could get a retarded gorilla to do this." His jokes made the lecture more interesting. Dr. O Neil is really a sweetie at heart and he wants all of his students to succeed. At the end of the quarter you will definitely know your stuff. I would say that he is one of the best math professors at Poly, but don't take him if you dont want to work your butt off in the class. After finishing that class you are prepared for your future math classes. There were definitely a percentage of students who failed the class, but the was only because they didn't put the time into it. He has a sweet curve at the end of the class, so everyone does better than they expected.

THIS GUY IS TOO OLD AND GROUCHY TO TEACH. He assigns homework everyday and is due the next day. It's a good idea but the problems are difficult and the grader grades them harshly. The test are hard as hell. In class he bitches to the class that he thinks none of us care or pay attention then on every question he does on the board someone in the class has to correct him. I don't want to pick on the old guy but he can't teach anymore. He lost his marbles a long time ago.

I hated this guy. I don't care how I should feel sorry for him being so old and retiring. Don't take him. If your his grader, GO FIST YOURSELF.

First of all, you have to get used to O'Neil's sense of humor. Otherwise, don't take him as a teacher. He genuinely wants to help his students but expects way too much of students, especially when taking the course for the first time. His homework assignments are fairly challenging, meaning that they take up to 5 hours to do (if fully completed) and are due the next day. There are no quizzes, but 3 tests that are 8 problems long. (Too many differential equation problems for 50 minutes.) I would take this professor only if you are fairly strong and fast in math. (In ability to do hard differential equation problems.)

This guy sucks, Don't take him. He is the author of the math book we had to use, and I think hes on a power trip about it. The homework is all even, so the back of the book is useless in checking your answers. He talks fast and writes on the board even faster. In the end you dont know what you wrote on your own paper let alone what the heck it means. Maybe its the cours, maybe it the professor...Avoid at all costs...

Dr. O'Neil is the most dedicated teacher at Cal Poly. I have had the pleasure of taking 3 classes from him. He is very tough because he expects a lot out of the students and wants to see them turn into a SUCCESS. If you want to coast through life, good luck. If you want to learn something take Dr. O'Neil.

If you are an arrogant idiot (preferably male) who likes a competitive format with an instructor of like mind, then take O'Neil. Otherwise, avoid him. He has all the tack and kindness of a crocodile. Most of the students in my class felt that he went too far in his efforts to "toughen" his students through humiliation. It's too bad, really. He's a very smart guy. I hear from other professors that he's a likeable enough person in a social setting, and it's unfortunate that he's stuck in the drill sergeant model of teaching.

Extremely tough in academic policy, but friendly during social encounters, Dr. O'Neil uses strict guidance as his main teaching trait. Probably the most brillant applied mathematician I've ever met.

BOYCOTT!!!