Just don't take Renato's section. He will send you down a spiraling loop of despair. Scerri teaches the course at a basic level, but Renato is under the impression that students have journeyed from far and wide to learn from the master of acids, bases, and titration. He's under the impression that we need to master the material on every level. Just when you think you understand the material, Renato will try to relate chemistry to string theory and multi variable calculus and will mentally obliterate you. Just don't take Renato.

He is the rudest professor I've ever had. I found his "dry humor" to be annoying and unprofessional....he's here to teach us, not to make fun of us, even if we do ask stupid questions sometimes.

If you do end up taking his course, buy the course reader and read the text book for the first half of the course and do the practice problems in the text book. For the second half, the intro to organic chemistry part, get your hands on a copy of Lavelle's course reader (treat this reader like it's your best friend). Also, Scerri's office hours are useless; there are too many people and he will still make fun of you and sometimes he doesn't even know how to answer your questions. Go to a lot of TA's discussions and office hours; learn how they would answer exam questions. Scerri doesn't give an answer key to the TAs when grading, so it's completely up to them on how they grade you. His curve is also usually very generous (for my midterm is was 25%)-don't depend on this though, the final is a lot harder than the midterm. Basically, if you do well on the midterm, you have a cushion for the final.

Overall, I got an A+. I studied hard, at least an hour everyday, or a few hours every couple of days. I went to a lot of TA's office hours and asked for a ton of explanations because Scerri's lectures usually didn't suffice when learning the material.

His chem 14B class was harder than his chem 14A class. The final was pretty hard. His tests are not entirely fair but his course readers are convenient.

This guy is the biggest a**hole you'll ever meet. Don't buy the books just the course reader. And he will f*ck you over on the final. I've had him for 2 classes--yes they were hell. I got B's with moderate effort. He is very picky with wording so make sure you have key concepts of ideas. Homework is worth A LOT, it might not seem like it but it is. Don't bother going to office hours, he hates his students. Nothing really good to say about him--he's obviously intelligent, but very rude. He's sarcastic and it sounds worse with his British accent. He's lucky he's attractive--that's the only thing going for him. Avoid him--than again the other teachers suck too. If you take him make sure to know the course reader and be concise & precise with concept questions. If his midterms are easy beware of the final because it'll be a curveball! The average in his 20A class was 21% (that's what a friend told me), 14A was better, 14B midterm was good but the final was from left field. Good luck!

I had Scerri for 14A/B. I thought he was actually a really great professor. His tests are exactly what his course reader covers, so you don't have to waste your time reading the book. And the material he covers is not as random as some people make it sound. I have taken Chemistry 14BL and 14C, and the concepts I learned from Scerri have greatly benefited me in those classes.

F U Thinkwell

Took him for 14B. People may say he is easier than Lavelle, but if you plan on taking 14C and D, Scerri will screw you over. You don't learn much real Chemistry in his class, and EVERYTHING on his tests is based off the course reader which is extremely unorganized and horrible tool. It's very difficult to follow and learn anything from the reader unless you're following it while watching a lecture. His tests are highly conceptual, and he likes to ask some special cases and minute details that he mentions in class.

However, if you do take him, you really don't need the book, just the reader and practice problem booklet. Those are all you need. Memorize the reader and do LOTS of practice problems.

Two words: Course Reader

Exams: Are definitely more conceptual, so if you remember the course reader, be able to recite definitions or theorems as written in the course reader.

All it takes is going thru the course reader, sitting for a day or two listening or watching to rewrite notes into your course reader before your exam and you'll be set. Everyone who's taken Scerri knows that this is your golden ticket to that grade you want.

I had him for 14A and 14B. Memorizing the course reader is how you get a good grade. I didn't bother with the book and still ended up with an A. For a science class, Scerri is actually not a very hard professor.

Scerri is pretty much as fair as you can get when it comes to a science class. I took him for 14A/14B and ended up with A's in both, and didn't find the workload at all overwhelming. Attend lectures and take note on what he focuses on most in lectures, because that is most likely what he will put on his exams. Do the pink book (old exam question booklet) from front to back and you will have a pretty good idea of how he tests. Know concepts and important definitions, and be able to explain what you know (especially for 14A and the first half of 14B). For o-chem, memorize, memorize, memorize, do practice problems and you will be fine. Don't let the south campus hype of an introductory chemistry class scare you, because Scerri will give you the grade you deserve for your understanding of the material, and he's pretty entertaining in class.