Professor
Vida Yao
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2025 - This class sounded interesting, so I took a risk in my first quarter with it despite seeing no ratings for the class or professor at all. That is the LAST time I do that. For content so abstract, the grading scheme was brutal. The class strongly averaged a 90% on exams, which sounds good but it was quite difficult to get above that. Although the TA's individually are nice and understanding usually for discussions, it lulls you into a false sense of comfort. There is virtually no workload throughout the course besides required readings and the studying seems straightforward enough, but the test grading may kill you. Do NOT get comfortable. I should have dropped this class the moment I saw timed in-person essays with only an hour allotted for each one were altogether worth a whopping 85% on the grade scheme. They are open note, but that won't help much here. The first midterm was graded somewhat generously to deal with the learning curve but that set dangerously high expectations. After I put in loads more effort and felt I largely understood more before the second midterm, I earned 2% lower. Going into the final, I would've needed a 99% grade on those 3 essays in the final combined to earn an A. It would've been nice if the grading reflected a variety of forms of representing your knowledge for a grade buffer. Had we had one, I think more people would have appreciated the content and focused more on taking away a philosophical outlook, rather than resentment of the tough grading scheme. ALSO: The professor did not account for Veteran's Day not having class, meaning we did not get our second midterm score (purely numerical with no specific feedback) until A MINUTE before our final. A grading scheme was posted, but this does not compare to individual feedback. However, if you do take the class: - show up to office hours to show your TA you are putting in effort despite how inaccurately your grade may reflect that - brain-dump all the key terms you know when summarizing a philosopher's views (essays graded on how accurately you represent their view which may include components you did not believe relevant) The professor was passionate, and my TA was very nice and helpful during office hours. However, that is not enough to warrant taking this class. If this class is going to continue being taught, I would hope there is some MAJOR restructuring of the grading scheme to more accurately reflect what students have learned.
Fall 2025 - This class sounded interesting, so I took a risk in my first quarter with it despite seeing no ratings for the class or professor at all. That is the LAST time I do that. For content so abstract, the grading scheme was brutal. The class strongly averaged a 90% on exams, which sounds good but it was quite difficult to get above that. Although the TA's individually are nice and understanding usually for discussions, it lulls you into a false sense of comfort. There is virtually no workload throughout the course besides required readings and the studying seems straightforward enough, but the test grading may kill you. Do NOT get comfortable. I should have dropped this class the moment I saw timed in-person essays with only an hour allotted for each one were altogether worth a whopping 85% on the grade scheme. They are open note, but that won't help much here. The first midterm was graded somewhat generously to deal with the learning curve but that set dangerously high expectations. After I put in loads more effort and felt I largely understood more before the second midterm, I earned 2% lower. Going into the final, I would've needed a 99% grade on those 3 essays in the final combined to earn an A. It would've been nice if the grading reflected a variety of forms of representing your knowledge for a grade buffer. Had we had one, I think more people would have appreciated the content and focused more on taking away a philosophical outlook, rather than resentment of the tough grading scheme. ALSO: The professor did not account for Veteran's Day not having class, meaning we did not get our second midterm score (purely numerical with no specific feedback) until A MINUTE before our final. A grading scheme was posted, but this does not compare to individual feedback. However, if you do take the class: - show up to office hours to show your TA you are putting in effort despite how inaccurately your grade may reflect that - brain-dump all the key terms you know when summarizing a philosopher's views (essays graded on how accurately you represent their view which may include components you did not believe relevant) The professor was passionate, and my TA was very nice and helpful during office hours. However, that is not enough to warrant taking this class. If this class is going to continue being taught, I would hope there is some MAJOR restructuring of the grading scheme to more accurately reflect what students have learned.
AD
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