Polyratings.com: Keeling, Elena

Home Professor Search Professor List Evaluate a Professor About Us Contact Us

Keeling, Elena

Cumulative GPA: 2.42/4.00 with 26 evaluations
Presents Material Clearly: 2.65
Recognizes Student Difficulties: 2.42

Biological Sciences Department, Cal Poly, SLO
Full Statistical Analysis
Evaluate This Professor

BIO 161 Junior Grade Earned: C Required (Major) 11:38 am, Apr 17, 2013 Report Evaluation		unnecessarily difficult.

BIO 452 Senior Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 11:56 pm, Mar 21, 2013 Report Evaluation		Clearly everyone who is ripping on keeling are freshman. If you guys are having an issue with her just wait until you take a class other than 161...because i'm sorry, but you will be in for a RUDE awakening. My experience with keeling for cell bio was great! Ive never had her before, and based on these previous ratings bio 161)was slightly scared. But WOW--this woman is by far the smartest person i have ever been acquainted with and it was a great experience to learn just a smidge of whats inside that brain of hers. She is an AMAZING lecturer, very clear with what she wants you to know. Do not get me wrong though, you cant go into one of her tests having just memorized the material from lecture and expect an A...or even a B--you must work with the material/manipulate it so you can apply it to her test questions. There are some classes I have taken here at poly that I feel I wasted my money on (Bio 426, 361 etc.) but this class was super interesting and is applicable to every other bio class you take. Im rambling on, but my point is...Keeling is a great teacher and friendly human being...please do not base your class decisions on what dumb freshman say about her...because they know nothing about what makes a decent professor. For all you seniors who are waiting to take Black for 452 and not keeling because you heard she is more difficult...suck it up...take keeling Black is just as hard.

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 10:56 am, Mar 12, 2013 Report Evaluation		Keeling really is an amazing professor. She knows what she's talking about and her classes keep you active and motivated to participate. The only issue I ever experienced was obviously the difficulty of her exams. She words things really strange and in a way that makes you feel stupid. But no worries! You can at least get a B with the lab!!

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 12:54 am, Mar 3, 2013 Report Evaluation		Dr. Keeling is an annoying ass cunt. She gives a bunch of meaningless assignments and grades them really harshly. She also puts a bunch of unfair wordy questions on tests and quiz to trip up her students. The clicker questions are also always very difficult and stupid. She always tries to get the class to participate by doing dumb shit like telling us to put two hands in the air for a particular answer and her voice is so irritating. Overall she is just like all of the other terrible professors that are to stubborn, ignorant,or full of themselves to tell the difference between making something rigorous and making a class hard.

BIO 161 Senior Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 3:53 pm, Jul 4, 2012 Report Evaluation		I loved Dr. Keeling. People complaining about her are the ones who did not put enough effort to learn. I basically didn't have much of a social life because I was busy studying for this class, but it was worth it in the end. I took BIO 161 3 years ago with her and now as a senior student, I am so glad that I did. Her office hours were extremely helpful and she would work with you one on one until you really understood it. I could tell that she really wanted me to succeed. She has no other choice but to conduct fast paced lectures due to the amount of material, but she does it well. Her tests are very difficult because they require you to not just memorize facts but actually understand the material, which is what you should be doing anyway. She was a fantastic professor, and I would definitely recommend her for this course. Also, Dr. Keeling knows TONS of stuff about biology AND YOU WILL HAVE QUESTIONS. She expects a lot out of you, but you are in school, so get used to that. I have also taken genetics with her. This class is a ton of work, but I got my moneys worth and feel very much prepared for the future. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS FOR A GE...haha

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 7:55 pm, Apr 1, 2012 Report Evaluation		I loved Dr. Keeling. Most of the people complaining about her on here are the ones who did not put in effort or try to learn it, and sorry, but it's time to grow up and take responsibility for the coursework and if you are having trouble, then go to office hours. Her office hours were extremely helpful and she would work with you one on one until you really understood it. I could tell that she really wanted me to succeed. Yes, her lectures are fast paced, but that's because it's a challenging course with a lot of material that needs to be covered; she has no other choice but to conduct fast paced lectures. Her tests are very difficult because they require you to not just memorize facts but actually understand the material, which is what you should be doing anyway. She was a fantastic professor, and I would definitely recommend her for this course.

BIO 452 Senior Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 11:11 pm, Mar 9, 2012 Report Evaluation		Dr. Keeling knows EVERYTHING and holds her students to very high standards. As senior biology majors taking a senior level class, she expects you to be able to explain things in the same depth that she does and to really understand the mechanisms behind all of the detailed components of cellular functions. This class is a ton of work, but having taken it with Dr. Keeling I guess I can say that I definitely got my money's worth. P.S. all of you freshman below crying about how hard 161 is are in for a RUDE awakening.



BIO 351 Junior Grade Earned: C Required (Major) 6:32 pm, Jan 14, 2012 Report Evaluation		Understand the concepts and the mechanisms, how they work and can go wrong or right. Read before and go to office hours she is more than willing to help, especially if she know that you are trying. Study the notes and the book sections that match the note titles and you will do fine.

BIO 161 Sophomore Grade Earned: N/A General Ed 4:38 pm, Dec 12, 2011 Report Evaluation		She was awful. Yes, she's very intelligent, but that doesn't mean that she's a good teacher! Her powerpoints are completely scattered, her tests are NOTHING like what she talks about, and she's also quite boring. I would not recommend this class, regardless of whether or not you're ridiculously good at bio.

BIO 351 Junior Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 7:39 am, Dec 10, 2011 Report Evaluation		Dr. Keeling is an incredible professor. Yes - her class is difficult. It's a 5 unit lecture! I studied more for this class than any other class, but I still only got a B. That being said, Dr. Keeling presents the material in a way that makes you pay attention - her animation and passion for the subject is outstanding! She will make you learn. Her tests are predictable as far as format goes - you know what to expect. They are difficult, but that is the nature of the material. I definitely recommend Dr. Keeling for any class, and I am going to try to take more classes with her in the future.

BIO 161 Sophomore Grade Earned: F Required (Major) 10:36 pm, Dec 7, 2011 Report Evaluation		nah

BIO 161 Sophomore Grade Earned: C Required (Major) 12:02 pm, Dec 6, 2011 Report Evaluation		Dr. Keeling is one of the teachers that some people will just get and do amazing in her class while others will have an almost impossible time. She never makes an attempt to simplify the material she explains it to you like you've had an incredible background in it. I did not, which made her class super hard for me. She is very arrogant and always speaks in a sarcastic tone. If you do not do well her exams be prepared to have every question in class directed your way. Basically she loves to call on students. Her office hours are pointless because she will have these weird followers that attend every office hour every single time. I cant say I'd fully reccomend her. She isn't a very inspiring teacher and I would suggest taking another teacher if possible it will save you a lot of time and headaches.

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 7:21 pm, Nov 15, 2011 Report Evaluation		Dr. Keeling was one of my favorite teachers of freshman year. Her lectures are very clear and she even manages to make them interesting. She is very personable as well, she learns everyones name in the class. Her tests are straightforward from what she teaches in lecture, however due to the large amount of information this class requires you to know they can be a bit difficult to prepare for. She is very helpful in office hours, and is very eager to help you to understand the material. Overall a very helpful teacher, one worth getting to know.



BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 12:35 pm, Jun 9, 2011 Report Evaluation		Dr. Keeling blew me away with her overall knowledge of cell biology. I have never met someone before who knew so much about a subject. In lecture, there was not one question that she did not know the answer to. She portrayed the information very well and her powerpoint slides are helpful as well. Her "homework" assignments are small, but incredibly beneficial. As a freshman going into her class I did NOT know how to study, and by doing these homework assignments, they helped to redefine my knowledge of how to study. Office hours are extraordinarily helpful as well, given that she does not just sit there and throw answers at you. On the contrary, she asks you questions that require you to think critically, which is what college is supposed to be. These questions connect perfectly with her tests, which were incredibly challenging, yet satisfying. Her tests are not simple by any means, and do not ask brief, "fill in the blank" questions. Rather, they literally test your knowledge of inductive reasoning and critical thinking ability, which is satisfying if you know the material, but devastational to your grade if you don't. Dr. Keeling is the epitome of brilliant, and it shows in her class. Do not take a class with her if you are looking for an easy way out. You will be kicking yourself in the face. If she is teaching a required course, by all means take her. You will learn so much!

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 4:33 pm, May 30, 2011 Report Evaluation		I have to agree with the person below who said "it seems to me the only people who love Keeling are the people who only got an A in her class" Those students must leave her office hours with a little brown on their nose if you know what I mean. I got an A but damn I did not like her! Be ready to bring you game face as soon as walk into class because shes a fast talker and will call out on questions. For me, it was good and bad the way she presented the material. There were days when it was very clear and straightforward and then the bad days, you would tell yourself I know for a fact other students in this class besides me are completely lost. Her tests are insanely hard and the questions were very wordy to the point were it seemed unfair she would put it on the test. The only reason I barely got an A was because I had a private tutor. I would not take her for any bio course she will teach in the future

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 8:23 pm, May 17, 2011 Report Evaluation		So im confused why people have been hating on keeling. She is an amazing teacher. She tests straight from her notes. So listen up! And hellloooo its college not high school anymore freshman! Just because you had AP biology doesn't mean your going to get an A. A word of advise, if you found this class impossible, the maybe you should reconsider your major or at least your study habits because folks it doesn't get any easier if your a Bio major. It gets a lot harder actually.

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 6:44 pm, May 14, 2011 Report Evaluation		Dr. Keeling is an amazing teacher. Yes, she will push you to work hard and she will challenge you, but isn't that what learning is about? She is brilliant and excellent at explaining concepts in class. If you go to class and work hard, you can do very well. She gets to know everybody's names within the first week and will call on you sometimes, so make sure you are paying attention. Dr. Keeling has a heart for her students and I love how passionate she is about Biology. I recommend her to everyone!

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 12:43 am, May 14, 2011 Report Evaluation		-Speaks extremely fast, you better be a fast writer -Loves answering questions, but just won't have that much time to do so in class. go to office hours -extremely intelligent, knows basically everything about molecular bio -helpful, holds review sessions & encourages students -there is a LOT of material in this class. you can't procrastinate on the reading. -don't think i ever fell asleep in this class, mostly b/c she talks so animated & calls you out sometimes.. asks for participation

BIO 161 Sophomore Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 6:38 pm, May 10, 2011 Report Evaluation		I normally dont do this stuff. But someone reminded me today about this class and I felt the need to write one. This class was awful, just awful. Keeling presented the material well but her tests were insane! Even I'm surprised I ended up with a B in the class. I literally guessed on at least 15 questions. Well I must of got them right cause I swore I thought I was going to end up with a C. Throughout the quarter she gives you these little assignments to do but its completely pointless and wont affect your grade whether you do bad or not. For example, a research paper was worth 8 points. Pssh come one Keeling, thats a bunch of bullshit. Your grade is based off your exams and lab so you dont need to worry about those little assignments. I never enjoyed going to class with this lady...shes awful, tests were way too hard and I would NOT recommend Keeling for this class, let alone any biology course she teaches



BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: C Required (Major) 5:09 pm, May 3, 2011 Report Evaluation		Professor Keeling is one smart lady...too smart actually. Everybody do yourself a favor and take someone else. Whatever you do, try not to take her. Yeah shes nice, yeah she knows your name no matter how people are in the class, and yeah shes stoked about biology BUT make sure you dont take her. Class with her was just ridiculous and I couldnt stand it. The tests were hard..really hard. Like the person below me said, if this isnt a weeder course then i dont know what is because Keeling did a fucking fantstic job of doing that. I know 3 students in that class who are changing their majors now. Good job Keeling! Way to represent the Bio Department

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: C Required (Major) 2:01 pm, Apr 19, 2011 Report Evaluation		If 161 is not a weeder course, I don't know what is. Keeling is so difficult; there is so much material, and she really demands backwards and forwards knowledge of EVERYTHING. Her lectures are extensive, and that's just the tip of what you need to know. It feels like the course was structured for people who had the privilege of taking AP Bio at their high school, so the basics were just review; the only people I knew who got As were those who took AP Bio. The little study assignments and quizzes won't make up for the midterms. I spent most of my 25-35 on this class after the first midterm, and I never could get better than a C-. Lab saved me, but barely (avoid Emily if you can). Basically, if the purpose of Bio 161 is to make you feel like you'll never be able to be a biologist, Keeling did a fucking fantastic job.

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: C Required (Major) 2:43 pm, Mar 15, 2011 Report Evaluation		Alright listen up people. First of all, DONT TAKE HER!! Yes, this woman is super stoked about biology and yes, she is a really good lecturer. One of those professors who knows everyones name in a 150 person lecture class on top of that. Here is what will happen if you end up taking her class...your going to show up to lecture and she will do her powerpoint slides and your going to understand the material and say to yourself "oh! I totally understand this!" mainly because Keeling presents the information clearly. Then your going to show up to the test and be like "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!?!?!?" Seriously people, her tests are ridiculous/insane/nearly impossible. I felt like a graduate student from taking those tests because how advanced the wording is and the questions tend to be more applications like real life scenarios than facts based from reading the textbook. If you honestly want a good grade to help your GPA either take 12 units with two easy courses and just focus on that class or definitely take someone else. Also if your just taking this class as a GE, get the hell out right away, its not worth your time/money. Overall, shes really nice and very helpful but I wouldnt recommend her to anyone. The people who absolutely love her are the people who easily get the information and receive an A in the class; well yeah no shit you people will love her. Want more proof on that? Go to her other poly rating with her old last name, Levine, Elena. Mostly all of the comments are the kids who received an A. But if for any reason you do end up having to take her you must study, study, study!! Make outlines, charts, go to office hours, anything you can think of besides just reading the textbook. I would even suggest bringing a tape recorder because she gets very detailed during lecture. I hope you guys understood me because people may love her but she is hard, a very hard professor for what is supposed to be an intro class.

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 7:23 pm, Mar 13, 2011 Report Evaluation		Keeling has to be my favorite professor at poly. She's extremely smart and if you ask any questions in class she will call on you by name then answer your question and sometimes even go more in depth if it's relevant. She goes over everything you need to know in lectures and her tests are set up so if you understand the material well enough, you can make the connections and answer the questions correctly. Some people find the tests difficult for this reason but they really depend on how well you can make connections for yourself. I didn't do anything extra and the lecture material was enough to do well. Even if it's for another class, if you get the chance take Keeling!

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 8:20 pm, Mar 1, 2011 Report Evaluation		Professor Keeling is really informative in her lectures and thanks to it, the information presented to you seems worthy and exciting. She also immerses you in lecture by making you do hand gestures for answer choices for questions which she asks. It's all good UNTIL THE TESTS!!! Ladies and gentlemen, in this day and age, all that matters are the grades. Sure people say education is important and it is but sadly, grades are the only thing which define your future. But never mind this tangent. I felt like I had everything studied and that i knew everything there was to know. I made almost 20+ pages of notes to study, and i walk in. The questions are absolutely insanely difficult. In fact, I got such a bad grade I burst into tears. Guys, if you want a hard core challenge then consider but otherwise i would steer clear of this class because the tests and the infinite stress which Keeling's tests cause are absolutely not worth it at all. I wish I took someone else.

BIO 161 Freshman Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 10:34 pm, Feb 28, 2011 Report Evaluation		Keeling is overall just bad. her tests are unnecessarily difficult considering the rather straight forward material. i helped other students with their comprehension and did not receive an A myself.. maybe im the idiot.. anyways she is just not a great lecturer and a poor explainer of overall simple biological themes. If you can choose another professor or want to wait for a better priority for a different teacher i recommend that. If you want a GE class, it baffles me that this is an option if you are signed up and are not a bio/chem/some science major that needs 161 get the fuck out of it because its miserable. literately.



BIO 351 Senior Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 11:26 am, Feb 28, 2010 Report Evaluation		This is a very conceptual class. You must know much more than the basic mechanism. Dr.Keeling is willing to give helpful pointers if your grade isn\'t where it should be. Make sure that you go to her office hours and keep up with the reading.

	Home Go Back Professor List Professor Search