I have never written a Bruin Review before nor do I expect to ever again but Professor Nag is truly one of the most genuine, kind, and caring professors I have ever had and deserves to have this known. He genuinely cares for all of his students and makes sure to do all he can to help his students. I cannot stress this enough. The key to receiving help is a simple email or request and he will do his best. In this truly unpredictable time, I can honestly say this class presented as one of my bright spots, and who even says that about organic chemistry? As premed students, we all care about our grades and Professor Nag recognizes that. He offers tons of extra credit opportunities (about 13%) and has an incredible grading scheme that will make you want to learn the material rather that just getting through the class. To be completely clear, this class is a ton of work, but if you put in the effort it is quite difficult to not do well. 1000/10 recommend taking this class with Professor Nag.

Anish was the best professor I've had so far at UCLA. He shows that he genuinely cares about student learning and mental health. Due to the COVID-19 situation, he made the first midterm 24 hours. I found it to be challenging and thought I failed at first, but the way he grades is a godsend. He gives partial credit for breathing. After a cheating scandal with Chegg, he gave the second midterm a 3.5 hour time limit, but made the exam much shorter than the first. I thought it was a fair test, and again he came through with partial credit. I did not take the final exam as it was made optional because of the unique circumstances, but he did say that he took all questions from previous worksheets so it was an easy test.

The class grade is made up of the exams, 25% for each midterm and 50% final. He offers TONS of extra credit through online tutorials, making a music video, "for fun" questions at the end of exams, and attendance. All of the extra credit adds up to like 12% of the grade, so it's possible to get over 100%. He even makes it so that if you do 10-20% better on the second midterm, he will drop your first midterm score (same deal with second midterm to final exam improvement).

I would HIGHLY recommend taking this course with Dr. Nag. Organic chemistry has always terrified me as I haven't felt confident in any chem classes before, but Anish makes it a whole lot more bearable. Plus, his motivational speeches are unmatched.

Summary: Class is hard af but take it with Anish if you want to do well.

I walked into this class a bit scared about learning 14D. I heard that it was a tough topic and was hoping to not ruin my GPA. However, a tough topic does not merely dictate your grade as much as a professor. I can confidently say that Professor Anish is amongst the reasons I got my grade. Yes I studied for many hours, did practice worksheets, and spent a considerable amount of time learning, but it was his teaching philosophy, openness, and sense of understanding that guided me and so many others to success. I like to think of his class as a ride through the jungle. The jungle is confusing and scary but if you have a guide that knows it inside out and is willing to walk with you every step of the way, then you'll be fine. Lets talk logistics:

Note: The class was online due to the pandemic so the syllabus may be adjusted for in-person.

- Discussion, attendance, and music video submission were extra credit. Professor Anish also provided EC questions on the exams. This EC was a life-savior.
- There were also weekly assignments on BACON which were EC. I think total EC was around 10-15% (The class is difficult and EC is a must)
- There were 2 midterms and a Final. O-chem builds off itself so expect each subsequent exam to be cumulative (25%, 25%, 50% respectively)

All in all, if I had the chance to go back, I would take Anish again. He cares about your grade and most importantly, your well-being. He wants you to learn and appreciate the complexity/beauty of O-chem but also is understanding of our difficulties. He takes time to respond to students and their concerns individually. God bless that man's soul.

Best professor I've had. Tests are tough but that is balanced out by a lenient grading scheme and the fact that he goes above and beyond to help you understand the material

I took this class for the second time with Professor Nag. Originally took it with Reilly, she's a good professor but this class was too hard & I didn't succeed the first time. I am so glad I had a chance to retake it with Anish. My friend had him and recommended him, I'm glad she did. I was so scared I'd have to change my major (im a third year... needed to declare). Anish is the best professor I've had!!, He truly cares about his students' well-being and will go ABOVE AND BEYOND for us. He is so kind too and his lectures are engaging as well. He will post so many practice problems and talk to TAs and LAs to better help us. He gives you so many resources so all you got to do is put in the work. MAKE FLASHCARDS ASAP! (after 1st midterm usually) 14D is so hard due to all the reactions you need to memorize. I will say his exams are challenging (more than Reilly's by far!!) but he does it so that we learn and will not punish you by taking points off as long as you try. Literally just show that you are trying and he will give you points. He also give extra credit which helps a lot! Honestly, I was so blessed to have had him. Not only did I actually learn and understand the material more than I did winter quarter but I enjoyed solving chemistry problems! if you have to retake this class, its okay!! The second time is a lot better, don't give up. I know there are a couple of people that this happens to but don't feel bad! ( I did for a while) 14D was the hardest chem class ever. & if Anish is teaching it TAKE HIM!!! Dr. Nag if you see this.. YOURE AMAZING im eternally grateful for you <3 good luck :)

I never write reviews for any professors but Professor Nag has truly made organic chemistry seem less daunting and exciting to learn. You can tell that this man loves what he does when he gives his little speeches about how each student should feel proud and confident in their abilities. A student would, for instance, write on campuswire about how nervous they are about their test or how they performed badly and Professor Nag takes his time to write a LEGIT PARAGRAPH about how to never underestimate what each student is capable of and how he is proud of all of students for trying their best. He always said that if you try your best on the exam then that is all he can ever ask for. He is extremely lenient on grading even though his exams may be difficult. I have never been pushed so hard in a class before and honestly, I did not think that I was capable of handling all the workload that comes with 14D but Professor Nag truly pushes his students to their full potential. I feel as if he's not only a professor but he's a great man with great intentions and passion for what he does. I want nothing but the best for him. He not only pushes his students to their best academic level but also teaches his students about empathy and compassion for one another. He is a professor that teaches his students about the hardships of life and how to overcome them. I love Professor Nag and although this class is very difficult, it is very rewarding in the end. This has been my favorite class at UCLA simply because of the mere presence of Professor Nag. I have not even met him in person but I feel this close personal connection with him which is something that I have never felt with a professor. I felt fully supported in this class and I could not have asked for a better professor. Professor Nag, if you're reading this, you a real one. I can't wait to meet you in the fall (:

ANISH IS A GOD

This was the best professor I've had at UCLA ever. He really gave me hope that STEM professors can actually care about their students. He gave so many points in extra credit that it would probably have been hard to even get below a B if you just showed up to lecture. He makes lecture interesting and easy to understand. He showed us memes before class and had a fun fact every Friday, so he's very engaging and funny. I am NOT good at Chem and I got an A. His tests are pretty hard but if you go to lecture, use flashcards to study the reactions, and practice you should be fine. 100/10 would recommend him.

Anish is an absolute king. I took this class remotely, so I suppose my review should be taken with a grain of salt, but I'm sure he's just as kind, energetic, and generous with the in person course! He gives a lot of extra credit that isn't hard at all to get 100% of. His exams are tough, but they are graded generously. Dr. Nag values us challenging ourselves to give tough problems our best effort more than getting 100% perfect details on easier problems. Other accommodations given due to the pandemic and social upheaval: open note exams with extended time given, and a no harm+optional final. Highest grade I've ever gotten in a chem class, and not just because of Nag being an easy grader. His lectures are engaging and he does a lot to help people pay attention, and the discussion/extra practice worksheets he gives are very helpful. The whole teaching team for this class was excellent when I took it and you could tell everyone cared about the subject and students' understanding.

14D is by no means an easy class and I don't think anyone coming in to the class expects it to be easy, but that being said, Nag is by far the greatest professor to have teach the class. Yes, it's a lot of material and a lot of memorization that you will just have to put in the work for in order to do well, but Nag does such an amazing job providing you with all the resources necessary to succeed in the class. Lectures are extremely clear and organized with Nag working through all the mechanisms and reactions that are necessary for you to know. The class has no homework. There are weekly worksheets in discussion that review material in class, but that is not all, Nag posts a crazy amount of additional problems that cover and recover ever aspect of the class. You will never feel as though there wasn't enough practice or resources. Even for the midterms and finals several forms of practice exams are created and posted well in advance.

Don't even get me started about the amount of extra credit in the class - Nag offers so much because he understands that it is not an easy class and understands Pre-Meds obsession with doing well, and he wants to see all his students succeed. Granted, his exams are not easy by any means, but they're not ridiculous and unfair either. If you study, do the practice, and memorize reactions they are more than fair. They do challenge you and require some intense brainpower, but he doesn't throw anything you've never seen before on the exams. There are small nuances that you need be careful to catch while testing, but if you prepare they are so doable. Plus, since the exams are slightly more difficult Nag scales them so generously to the point where several students were earning above 100% on Midterm 2.

Overall, Nag is a really really great professor and overall cool guy. He is one of the only professors I've had that genuinely cares about his students and is receptive to students' concerns and feedback. He made an effort to learn every student's name, and he practically did. He has faith in us and I've almost cried several times in lecture because of how nice his pep talks were. I hated 14c and ochem before this class, but now I love it. If you can, do yourself a favor and take 14D with Nag:)