Probably my least favorite class I've taken at UCLA. The grade is not based on percentages; it is instead a list of requirements needed to satisfy each letter grade. One of the most frustrating things was the 45% grade improvement from rough to final draft needed to qualify for an A. One of my rough drafts recieved a 70%. This automatically did not qualify me for an A in the class because my work was too good???

I completed my essays early (the final draft was due at the end of finals week) so I could focus on my exams for my other classes. This means I poured several hours into the first couple of days editing my essays. My grade on Canvas (if they finished adding in all of my extra credit) was a 95. On MyUCLA, they entered a B. I emailed, asking to see my final draft rubrics so I could know where I could improve in the future (and argue for my grade a little because we had other assignments in the class of which I got a 100 on everything and I did EVERY extra credit so like...). They responded to my email with copied and pasted feedback that they have given me on my previous assignments??? Like they gave me my rough draft rubrics back which I know? and they just said I didn't improve enough but they wouldn't tell me what grade I got or where to improve. I scheduled office hours with them (it was over spring break but it was an option in their calendly that they later confirmed!!!) and they didn't show up. I ended up emailing, and they said to schedule office hours again when their link went back up. a week later, the link was still not working so I emailed again to which they said the grade is what it is and nothing I can say will matter, and also that they basically didn't have time to meet with me???? Bc they meet tues and thurs mornings which doesnt work for me and they were like i can do friday but i hesitate to do that???? i am asking for help??? arent you as a teacher trying to uplift students and fuel passionate students?????

for the actual class it sucked. there were two essays and a debate. the debate was basically all that was talked about in class and the two essays you either could talk about climate change, friendship, or any ongoing debate. it was so frustrating and so stupid there was genuinely one of the most frustrating books ever and if I could go back and redo the class I would write a rough draft, and submit the first page of it, get a bad grade on the rough draft, and add the rest back in after. I think it is crazy I got a worse grade for having too good of a rough draft.

i hated this class and i am so glad its done. i dont recommend this class, they are unorganized, frustrating, and painfully unfunny.

Professor Juliano is really interesting and down-to-earth! The workload is very manageable (with just 1 paper a quarter); however, the grading system is a little weird. Just make sure you participate in class. However, I'd definitely recommend this class again!