Leryn Gorlitsky
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
AD
4.1
Overall Rating
Based on 7 Users
Easiness 3.6 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.6 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 2.9 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.1 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
  • Gives Extra Credit
  • Engaging Lectures
  • Tough Tests
  • Would Take Again
  • Has Group Projects
GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS
29.9%
24.9%
19.9%
14.9%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

44.8%
37.3%
29.9%
22.4%
14.9%
7.5%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

32.0%
26.7%
21.3%
16.0%
10.7%
5.3%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

44.0%
36.7%
29.3%
22.0%
14.7%
7.3%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

45.9%
38.3%
30.6%
23.0%
15.3%
7.7%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

28.4%
23.6%
18.9%
14.2%
9.5%
4.7%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

30.2%
25.1%
20.1%
15.1%
10.1%
5.0%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

26.2%
21.8%
17.5%
13.1%
8.7%
4.4%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

38.8%
32.4%
25.9%
19.4%
12.9%
6.5%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

31.6%
26.3%
21.1%
15.8%
10.5%
5.3%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

26.2%
21.9%
17.5%
13.1%
8.7%
4.4%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

ENROLLMENT DISTRIBUTIONS
Clear marks

Sorry, no enrollment data is available.

AD

Reviews (5)

1 of 1
1 of 1
Add your review...
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A
Jan. 4, 2020

This class definitely has more assignments than the average EEB upper div, but I feel that these assignments for the most part serve to boost your grade as exams aren't worth as big of a chunk as they might be in other classes. Definitely focus on the literature review and the midterm to pour your energy into, as these are what I lost the most points to. Its nice to have a professor like Dr. Gorlitsky who is very obviously passionate about what she is teaching, and I do feel like I have come away from the class with a higher interest in the tropics than before. Overall it seemed like my peers and I did relatively well in the class and I would recommend the class to others.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2017
Grade: B
March 31, 2017

Honestly, I would not recommend this class - for the amount of work you do, it does not pay off well. I was fooled by the Winter 2016 distribution - it is inaccurate for Winter 2017. The class average was an 86% and she curved down to an 82%, which drags the A- to a flat B due to her grading scheme (see later).

Gorlitsky is an organized, compelling, engaging lecturer who integrates videos well into lectures - she just severely lacks in understanding that students are not only taking her class and she overloads not only the students but her 2 TA's for a class size of around 50-80 students. My TA was fairly sleep-deprived just from grading all the assignments due every week.

The class was at 8 - 9:15AM and she expects attendance every lecture by having random participation checks (not designed as pop quizzes, but you need to submit some sort of response to a question from class). This class is structured so that there are no +/- grades (ie a B+ is a B and an A- is an A) In the end her grading scheme was A, A-, B, B-, C, C-. Each week for discussion you are required to read research papers for ecology and write a 1 page single spaced critique/review on the paper and participate during discussion. Keep in mind that these critiques are due even on the same day as the other projects. Furthermore you have one 4-5 page double spaced literature review on a tropical ecology subject of your choice and a following 2-3 page research proposal based on your literature review - none of which we received the grades for (thus, we had to go into our research proposal blind and the final). There is also one midterm and one final and an "optional" extra credit project. In addition to studying for the detailed lecture slides for the exams, you were required to read several chapters from a book as well, as there is always a question on the exam regarding several chapters of the book. At the end of week 9, she dropped an extra 2 page paper on different tropical forests for a group project. Thus, during week 10, we had the group paper, the research proposal, and the extra credit due in class on the same day.

She graded the midterm so harshly (class average was a C) that the "optional" extra credit was mandatory in order to salvage your grade. On top of that, she curved DOWN the overall class average by 4%.

While this class is honestly very interesting and I understand the professor means well to have us do different activities (ie research proposal, literature reviews), it is excessive to the point where it draws away from study time from the lecture material itself and is killing her TA's (who themselves still have other classes).

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Dec. 24, 2023

I love Dr. Gorlitsky and her teaching style. I took her also in EE BIOL 100 and was convinced in taking her again for tropical ecology and was not let down. A very touching and engaging course with material that makes gives you a different perspective on the life around you and within the tropics. Dr. Gorlitsky is known for her teaching style that combines a TON of slides but also a bunch of embedded videos to grab our attention. This class was by FAR the most assignment heavy course I have ever taken in my undergrad year given it included weekly discussion reading response assignments, bibliography, group lit review, proposal presentation, and finally a research proposal! However, we had an absolute gem of a TA : Jordyn Regier who went above and beyond to tend our needs and any last minute questions we had. I highly recommend this course!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 26, 2023

Easily one of the best EEB classes I have taken at UCLA. Gorlitsky is a professor who is very charismatic, understanding, and entertaining. Her TAs during the quarter were incredibly patient, respectful, and accommodating. The outdated reviews below don't really give an accurate depiction of the class value. Tropical Ecology is an interesting course by itself, and Gorlitsky offers many extra credit opportunities to raise student grades. Overall, I would take this class again in a heartbeat. The structure, accommodation and TA input were beyond exceptional. 10/10 from me.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2021
Grade: A-
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Feb. 2, 2022

I really like Dr. Gorlitsky and her lectures are pretty interesting but my TA was a mess this quarter. We didn’t have grades for anything until the last few weeks of the quarter and she would dock off tons of points with very little explanation. Since pretty much your entire grade is based off the TA, just make sure you have a decent one. There is extra credit available and a majority of your grade comes from this one group project. I still have the plant Dr. Gorlitsky gave out on the last day of the quarter, it was a really nice gift

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A
Jan. 4, 2020

This class definitely has more assignments than the average EEB upper div, but I feel that these assignments for the most part serve to boost your grade as exams aren't worth as big of a chunk as they might be in other classes. Definitely focus on the literature review and the midterm to pour your energy into, as these are what I lost the most points to. Its nice to have a professor like Dr. Gorlitsky who is very obviously passionate about what she is teaching, and I do feel like I have come away from the class with a higher interest in the tropics than before. Overall it seemed like my peers and I did relatively well in the class and I would recommend the class to others.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2017
Grade: B
March 31, 2017

Honestly, I would not recommend this class - for the amount of work you do, it does not pay off well. I was fooled by the Winter 2016 distribution - it is inaccurate for Winter 2017. The class average was an 86% and she curved down to an 82%, which drags the A- to a flat B due to her grading scheme (see later).

Gorlitsky is an organized, compelling, engaging lecturer who integrates videos well into lectures - she just severely lacks in understanding that students are not only taking her class and she overloads not only the students but her 2 TA's for a class size of around 50-80 students. My TA was fairly sleep-deprived just from grading all the assignments due every week.

The class was at 8 - 9:15AM and she expects attendance every lecture by having random participation checks (not designed as pop quizzes, but you need to submit some sort of response to a question from class). This class is structured so that there are no +/- grades (ie a B+ is a B and an A- is an A) In the end her grading scheme was A, A-, B, B-, C, C-. Each week for discussion you are required to read research papers for ecology and write a 1 page single spaced critique/review on the paper and participate during discussion. Keep in mind that these critiques are due even on the same day as the other projects. Furthermore you have one 4-5 page double spaced literature review on a tropical ecology subject of your choice and a following 2-3 page research proposal based on your literature review - none of which we received the grades for (thus, we had to go into our research proposal blind and the final). There is also one midterm and one final and an "optional" extra credit project. In addition to studying for the detailed lecture slides for the exams, you were required to read several chapters from a book as well, as there is always a question on the exam regarding several chapters of the book. At the end of week 9, she dropped an extra 2 page paper on different tropical forests for a group project. Thus, during week 10, we had the group paper, the research proposal, and the extra credit due in class on the same day.

She graded the midterm so harshly (class average was a C) that the "optional" extra credit was mandatory in order to salvage your grade. On top of that, she curved DOWN the overall class average by 4%.

While this class is honestly very interesting and I understand the professor means well to have us do different activities (ie research proposal, literature reviews), it is excessive to the point where it draws away from study time from the lecture material itself and is killing her TA's (who themselves still have other classes).

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A
Dec. 24, 2023

I love Dr. Gorlitsky and her teaching style. I took her also in EE BIOL 100 and was convinced in taking her again for tropical ecology and was not let down. A very touching and engaging course with material that makes gives you a different perspective on the life around you and within the tropics. Dr. Gorlitsky is known for her teaching style that combines a TON of slides but also a bunch of embedded videos to grab our attention. This class was by FAR the most assignment heavy course I have ever taken in my undergrad year given it included weekly discussion reading response assignments, bibliography, group lit review, proposal presentation, and finally a research proposal! However, we had an absolute gem of a TA : Jordyn Regier who went above and beyond to tend our needs and any last minute questions we had. I highly recommend this course!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A
June 26, 2023

Easily one of the best EEB classes I have taken at UCLA. Gorlitsky is a professor who is very charismatic, understanding, and entertaining. Her TAs during the quarter were incredibly patient, respectful, and accommodating. The outdated reviews below don't really give an accurate depiction of the class value. Tropical Ecology is an interesting course by itself, and Gorlitsky offers many extra credit opportunities to raise student grades. Overall, I would take this class again in a heartbeat. The structure, accommodation and TA input were beyond exceptional. 10/10 from me.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Fall 2021
Grade: A-
Feb. 2, 2022

I really like Dr. Gorlitsky and her lectures are pretty interesting but my TA was a mess this quarter. We didn’t have grades for anything until the last few weeks of the quarter and she would dock off tons of points with very little explanation. Since pretty much your entire grade is based off the TA, just make sure you have a decent one. There is extra credit available and a majority of your grade comes from this one group project. I still have the plant Dr. Gorlitsky gave out on the last day of the quarter, it was a really nice gift

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
1 of 1
4.1
Overall Rating
Based on 7 Users
Easiness 3.6 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.6 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 2.9 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.1 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
    (4)
  • Gives Extra Credit
    (4)
  • Engaging Lectures
    (3)
  • Tough Tests
    (4)
  • Would Take Again
    (4)
  • Has Group Projects
    (4)
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