I took A&O 103 and let's just say he doesn't care about his students. His midterms were hard, yet he only added 1-2 points as a "curve. avoid at all costs, or be prepared for a shocking grade.

- Professor Baschek is currently working a strong and well-paid position in Germany, and there’s no certainty if and when he returns to UCLA as a professor.

- In the instance he does, he is very knowledgeable about the topics in physical oceanography. The concepts are heavily focused upon in this class, as you will find out.

- Homeworks (best 3 of 4 at 30%), midterm (30%) and final (40%; focuses more on post-midterm material) are reliant on you comprehending the material.

- Few hints are given because he wants you to figure them out, and he lets the TA know the same thing, so don’t expect many hints in discussion either. Without comprehension of the material, especially at test time, it will be an uphill battle for you.

- There is no textbook for this class to purchase; he provides one in pdf format.

- I would recommend sitting toward the front because he is pretty quiet, and some of the info he does mention is important and helpful toward getting the bottom line of the topics.

- Despite how serious he is about you learning the material, he is really nice and funny at times.

- He was certainly approachable for questions and concerns, though it was hard to gauge because he had a class right after this one on Tuesdays (AOS 103 until 1:50 PM; AOS 130 started at 2:00 PM – from Winter 2012) and office hours that fell at the same time most classes occur (Wednesday at 10:30 AM and Thursdays at 9:30 AM – from Winter 2012).

- Overall, there were a lot of interesting topics for this class, and comprehension of the material should earn you a respectable grade.

I took A&O 103 and let's just say he doesn't care about his students. His midterms were hard, yet he only added 1-2 points as a "curve. avoid at all costs, or be prepared for a shocking grade.