Fisher, Eric  

Economics

2.25/4.00

95 evaluations


ECON 101


Freshman
A
Elective
Aug 2019
He reads these, kick rocks Fisher! Smart man, bad people skills, OK teacher.

ECON 201


Freshman
B
General Ed
Dec 2007
ANYONE TAKING THIS CLASS NEEDS TO READ THIS: Eric Fisher is a very intelligent man....HOWEVER, when it comes to presenting this information to class, he totally sucks. He gets off topic frequently, his examples are completely confusing, he tries to answer questions in class but only ends up confusing the class more, and he can't hold the interest of the class. Half the people I know don't even attend his class. I feel like I did not learn anything in this econ class. I did very well in high school economics but this class was chalenging for me. Becuase Fisher only teaches from the slides that are found in the book, you'll do better not going to classs and just teaching yourself. don't take this class if you don't have to. it's not the class thats so bad it's just fisher doesn't know how to teach.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Dec 2007
Talk about a class that was unnecessarily difficult. Fisher recites slides that are pre-made from the textbook so you might as well NOT go to class and avoid his ridiculous lack of ability to stay focused. When questions are asked he not only fails at clarifying them, but succeeds in confusing the rest of the class. If you need this for anything other than GE then find a different professor. If you actually care about economics, find a different professor. If for some reason you are forced to take this class, dont bother going to the lectures, print out the slides and read the text and use the mandatory MyEconLab program that Fisher spends 90% of his time praising rather than teaching.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Dec 2007
Fisher is not an easy professor! He recognizes this and will help the class out with points if needed. The MyEconLab system the class runs on can be quite frustrating to use sometimes. However, the included study plan is useful. Homework and study plan grades are basically free points, since the system allows you to correct answers (and will actually tell you the answer after a few incorrect tries). Lectures are helpful, especially if you read the night before and attend lecture for review. He'll give several ideas and examples not covered in the book over the course of lecture. His class is alot of work for a GE, but do consider it if you enjoy econ.


Junior
A
General Ed
Dec 2007
He requires the use of MyEconLab (which only runs on PCs) because he's used to teaching at large universities with TA's. This program does most of the work for him, so he doesn't have to do it. His lectures consist of reading over slides that are directly from the book. To succeed in this class, all you need to do is read the book thoroughly and study on MyEconLab a LOT. Do all the homework, all the quizes and all the practice tests. Wash, rinse, repeat. Lectures are pointless to go to, and do not simply think that going to the lectures and not reading the book will be sufficient. Reading the book will be more helpful than attending lecture. Basically this course requires you to teach yourself, with MyEconLab as your professor. Overall Fisher didn't do much at all, he was simply somebody who passed out the exams and posted our scores.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Feb 2008
Don't even bother going to the first half of the class, its completely pointless and you learn nothing. Fisher is a horrible teacher and you pretty much have to learn everything from the book, MyEconlab and sheer luck.


Freshman
C
General Ed
Feb 2008
This professor was unclear and unorganized. Going into this class you must be prepared to teach yourself the information because he will not do so. I would not recommend him whatsoever. He has barely any concern for students and does not take the time to help in office hours or over email. Uses a program that he doesn't even understand himself. (MyEconLab)


Freshman
B
General Ed
Feb 2008
Fisher used an online program called EconLab as a crutch to try to supplement his inability to clearly explain concepts in class. He was too lazy to actually make the tests and used a program to generate the questions. This meant that his lectures were completely unrelated to some of the concepts on the test. If i had to take it again (trust me I would never take him again by choice) i would never come to class because it is a waste of time. Do NOT take him if at all possible and if you do, only come to class for the tests because listening to him lecture is a waste of time.


Freshman
C
General Ed
Feb 2008
Dr. Fischer was very accommodating when getting everybody running on his required online MyEconlab. Unfortunately there were quite a few problems for some other people in the class. With that aside, it was very much, read the book, do the homework (which didn't take too long might I add), and us MyEconlab to your advantage. It wasn't too hard. There was one midterm, where he didn't realize where the level of understanding was, therefore a very large curve had to happen. An interesting class.


Freshman
D
General Ed
Mar 2008
Fisher is a far below average teacher. Avoid his class. The first half of class was generally irrelevant to the actual lecture and served no more than to put me asleep. He relies on MyEconLab and the textbook to teach the class, so if you want a good grade rely more on those than the lecture-if I had known that I might have earned a better grade. Overall, he comes off as arrogant and inconsiderant to student needs.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Mar 2008
Fisher is easily the worst professor I've had so far. He wasted most of his lecture time going over how to use the online homework, changed his grading policy at least two times during the semester and only gave about 5% of his class an A. On top of being a lousy professor he was a jerk. He would harass students who dressed differently or emailed him. If you end up getting stuck with Fisher for this class, just read the book, do the homework and show up for the tests. Listening to his lectures will only make you confused.


Freshman
B
General Ed
May 2008
Covered way more material than any other 201 class. He teaches using power point slides directly from the makers of the book and is sometimes confused by what is on some of the slides. He can be very easily distracted and go off the topic for a while neglecting the power point slides and leaving you to teach yourself later while spending hours on MyEcon lab trying to get all of the required material and homework covered. The homework done through MyEcon lab had a number of errors when we used it that he ignored. There were two exams directly out of the book, and pretty much copies of any work you may or may not have done on MyEcon Lab, both are cumulative. The final is cumulative as well and is just a longer midterm test taken right out of the MyEcon lab reviews and pre-tests.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2011
If you can take this class with another teacher, I would. The entire quarter we all had to listen to how superior he was because he went to 'Princeton' and how he chargers this and that much for his time as a 'consultant'. I have come to the conclusion that all of his joy in life comes from bragging to his college students about how upscale and upper class he is; he's arrogant and looks like a bum dressed him. The course isn't very difficult if you can manage to sit through his bs lectures on nonsense and his 'sun spots theory' that is a theory that he came up with that makes no sense. He doesn't really teach a class, he just rambles on and reads slides; I learned everything from the myeconlab. There is weekly homework and quiz's that are online from myeconlab; really easy and it's worth 35% of your grade. 10% is from iClicker points daily in class, 25% midterm that you need to study for about an hour and a cumulative final worth 30% that you'll need to study for an hour and a half. He does not listen to students or try to communicate with them on misunderstandings or grading. If you have a 89.9999% he will give you a B. Overall the class isn't very difficult but just listening to him talk drives you crazy. You don't really need to buy the book either because his powerpoints are straight from it.

ECON 202


Sophomore
C
General Ed
Jul 2016
He's an intelligent man who's not afraid to call you out on your laziness. However, talks too much about his merits from Berkeley and Princeton. The Aplia homework is good, however is more extensive than what the material in class is. This class is tough so if ECON isn't your thing, don't take this course! He's very economically conservative so if your "a crazy liberal Bernie supporter" he'll mostly likely 1) make a joke about you then 2) explain why your opinion is wrong. He also bashes on Trump so it levels out. He teaches quickly and effectively so you're screwed if you don't pay attention or miss a day. He's professional, but personable with people (i.e. will ask students where they're from). Most of the questions on the two midterms and the final are online. Some good Quizlets out there. All in all, if your willing to get focused and really learn about ECON, take this class. If not, then don't


Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Feb 2018
I WOULD NOT TAKT A COURSE WITH THIS PROFESSOR. My poor little sister unfortunately got very ill halfway through this course and ended up having to take a medical leave from school. As it was a very serious incident every professor was very understanding and obviously complied with school policy about letting her makeup the missed time, EXCEPT Fisher. He emailed my parents/her saying she had made up the whole illness and it was an excuse to get out of class, all while she was having MRIs done on her head. It was the most disgusting behavior I have ever seen from a professor, as I am also a cal poly student. You have to be a very insecure, self-loathing person to act in that manner.

ECON 222


Sophomore
D
Required (Major)
Jun 2009
Dude is such a douchebag. Avoid him if you can. He'll spend most of the class reminding you about how much money he makes, fiddling with his equipment, bragging about his Princeton degree, raving about how much he wants to perform fellatio on the person who invented the iClicker, etc. This class is expensive. You gotta buy the $30 iClicker which is basically just for him to take your attendance (which you will lose major points if you no show) and you have to buy Aplia . he does make jokes at times and he knows what he's talking about, but he's too much of a butt pirate to make up for it. Take someone else if you can. Hardest GE teacher you can get.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2009
This professor is demeaning and disrespectful to students. I don't care how brilliant he is, he has no right to pick on his students and treat us like his inferiors. We are paying for college, therefore HE is working for US; however his attitude surely does not reflect that. He does not teach because he cares about his students, he is only interested in showing off his knowledge and bragging about how successful he is. DO NOT TAKE HIM!


Sophomore
C
Required (Support)
Jan 2010
He\'s a smart guy, thats for sure and he likes to tell you about it. He is extremely conservative and so all his lectures seem to reflect how he views the world. Its kind of entertaining to listen to him, he also likes to sound like he is there for anything you need, but he\'s kind of a smart ass in office hours and its kind of intimidating. The class was easy, just aplia and 2 midterms which he does not curve even though a large majority of my class got D\'s and F\'s.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Jan 2010
I had Fisher for Econ 222 as a freshman. I was really not too fond of the guy at first, but I think he kind of grew on me. Sometimes he can be rude but you just have to ignore it, and he really is a good teacher. Knows the crap really well. The homework was actually okay - not too much, and graded right away on aplia online. The reading was pretty straight-forward, too. The thing that sucked most about his class was that he grades on attendance with the iclicker thingy. So if you never go to class, probably get someone else. Although, if you do all the work and study you will do fine. I missed all but four of the lectures last quarter and got a B. Oh, and he usually curves the class grades at the end of the quarter which will help you out too.


Sophomore
B
Required (Major)
Jan 2010
If you have anyway of not taking this class, I would suggest it. After the first week I stopped going because all he talks about in class is how he\'s a \"wise guy\", hates democrats and thinks cavemen had a greater impact on the environment than we do. It sucks because he does have iClicker questions which grade your attendance, but if you do well on the tests you can get away with not going. On the bright side, the stuff he covers in class really isn\'t that hard if you took econ 221 because the first half of the quarter is all review. I would really suggest buying the book if you could because its really helpful to have a hard copy of it when you\'re going through the online hw. Goodluck if you end up getting him.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Mar 2010
Fisher is an awesome economics professor! He presents the information clearly in lecture and is good at explaining things in a different manner to answer questions. His sense of humor does come across as mean sometimes, but he is entertaining and keeps the class engaged. The homework on Aplia is easy and reinforces the concepts well. Go to class for iClicker points! The tests are pretty easy if you go to class and do the homework.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
May 2012
Fisher is the man. His lectures are somewhat boring but he makes up for it by being a comedian. You have 2 midterms and a final but he only takes your highest test score which means you don't even have to take the final. Defiantly recommend him and do the extra credit, it helps a lot! And if you don't want to get called out infront of the whole class I would advise you not to sit close to the isles!


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jun 2012
Eric Fisher is A) An awesome teacher who sparked my interest in Economics B) I enjoyed going to class and liked his grading policy(Best 2 out of 3. 10% iclicker points 30% hw 60% exams) C) kind of a moron sometimes.....sometimes only D) All of the above Answer: D


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2012
The class is 2 midterms and a final, but only the highest 2 count. Every day he just lectures off of extremely boring powerpoints. The tests are not that difficult, be he is not the best teacher. The first part of the class is easy because it is just basic economics, but once it gets harder, it is really hard to follow his teaching. The average for the 2nd midterm was a D. He refuses to make office hours outside his preset hours. I never went to his office, so i don't know how helpful he is there. He is a nice guy however, can sometimes be funny in class, but not that interesting. Overall, not a bad guy, but not a great teacher.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jul 2012
Honestly, I did not enjoy this class. The only reason I actually looked forward to class was because he makes class really funny. Sometimes he can be a moron. He likes to poke fun at the same 6 kids, so beware if he learns your name during office hours. In my opinion, Fisher taught this class way too fast after week 3 (the microecon basics) and I did not understand anything. He just went on and on and on without breaks, so you sit through 2 whole hours of really fast-paced stuff. The homework was Aplia, and I just bought an older edition of the book. He recognizes that people screw up and gives you a very generous amount of extra credit...but keep in mind this is his excuse not to curve tests, no matter the score. But anyways, the class is easily passable...but a torture to sit through. Quizzes are based off clicker questions in class, so it is your decision whether to attend class or not.


Sophomore
B
Elective
Jun 2013
Fischer is easily the WORST professor on this campus. Avoid taking him at all costs. His grading is ridiculous and does not actually talk to them instead he just keeps saying I don't do it moodle does. Hey idiot your controlling moodle!!! His class is hard to get an A in and he does a shitty job teaching the material. Learn on your own basically so 100 for aplia and 100 for the book for this lousy class. Worst Econ teacher to date... Whoever posted the rating saying he is a racist and a fascist and teaches dark age economics was spot on. AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID


Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Nov 2013
Professor Eric Fisher is an entertaining teacher with relevant information, interesting facts, and hilarious jokes. His mastery of economics is magnificent. He imparts knowledge like a professional. The material may be boring for individuals that do not like economics, but his attitude towards lecturing is much better than the professors that I had Autumn quarter. Lecture, homework, and tests are the basis for the Introduction to Macroeconomics. I enjoy learning economics even though I am not currently majoring in it, so this opinion should be slightly bias. I wish anybody all the success in this course.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Dec 2013
First things first, Fisher cares about teaching. You can tell in his lectures and the way he presents materials. The GOOD: Homework is online and not absolutely terrible, he takes the best 2/3 test scores for your grade, and is very helpful IF you go to office hours, and he tries to be funny to keep it entertaining, but it's still kinda bland material. The BAD: iClicker makes you go everyday (unless you give it to a friend), he will pick on the same 4 or 5 students each class to answer questions, and has some hard material he expects you to know from the book, and HW takes days (but you can get an A easy) Overall, he's actually a great professor, knows a lot and teaches it in a very understandable way. He is very personable, but can be dry at the same time. Macros a hard class to teach, he makes it bearable.


Freshman
C
General Ed
Dec 2013
First of all, I'm not just saying this because my grade wasn't great in this class. But the thing about Fisher is that he definitely picks his favorites in a class of 200+. His office hours are kind of a joke, because even after going almost every week, he still didn't remember my name. Not my favorite class overall, just glad I passed.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
I took the class Fall quarter of 2013, and my final overall percentage in the class was 98%. Therefore, it is definitely possible to get an A, but you will have to put in a tremendous amount of effort to make that happen. Professor Fisher's lectures and powerpoints only serve to solidify your learnings from the textbook, so you must read the textbook! I spent on average 3 hours reading, taking notes, and doing the Aplia homework for one chapter. Before a midterm or final, I spent an hour reviewing for each chapter, so if the midterm was consisted of 5 chapters, I would have a 5 hour study marathon. It was a lot of work, but I learned a toooon! So here is what you have to do. Attend every lecture and actually pay attention in class. Right after each lecture, read the textbook and do the Aplia homework, meaning do not wait until the last minute. Finally...study, study, and study before midterms and final. Be the best you can be, and you will definitely ace this class!


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
Professor Fisher did a poor job teaching Macroeconomics to my class during the Fall of 2013. I had his class Mondays and Wednesdays from 8-10 am and his class would do little to keep you awake. He showed powerpoints that he posted online and explained things so poorly that it is was better to read the book and not pay attention to him because he would confuse you. His homework (using Applia) is so much more difficult than what you are taught in his class. It is also more difficult than his tests. You usually have to teach yourself the concepts for the Applia homework which gets annoying. During my quarter, he fell behind in his lectures but we still had to do the Applia homework even though he did not teach it. I got a B on the first midterm without studying and the average was a B. I failed the second midterm with a good amount of studying and the average on that was a C. And on the final I received a C with a lot of studying, but I do not know the average. He makes you bring an iClicker to class for attendance points and he only counts 2/3 tests (so if you do well on both midterms you don't even have to show up to the final). Overall, Fisher is not a good professor at all but it is very manageable to get a passing grade in his class.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
The class was hard to go to at 8 in the morning but I managed. His class is pretty straightforward and it can be a bit dry, but he keeps it interesting and his lectures aren't that bad. You do have to go to class everyday because he has iclicker questions that are used for attendance points. So, go everyday or give it to a reliable friend. The homework is just online aplia. And there are 2 midterms and a final - but he only grades the best two. Go to his office hours as well to do your aplia. He will help you on the questions and also you can get to know him which is a big advantage when it comes to turning in midterms (he won't have to check your ID). Just go to class, do well on aplia, and study for midterms using the book and you'll pass easily.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
Eric is very nice and an awesome professor who truly cares about his students and wants to help them succeed. Macroeconomics (econ 222) was set up with 2 midterms where if you like your grade at the end you dont need to take the final which was very helpful. He then also has homework and iCliker questions. The homework is online and very helpful review for the tests. Recommend taking a class with him he is obviously very smart and you will enjoy learning from him.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
Fisher is a pretty interesting professor. He cares about his students and makes sure that they know the material. The tests are pretty easy if you take the time to read the textbook and you take good lecture notes.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Jan 2014
Although the 2-hour lectures can be very boring at times, the way to go in this lecture is by READING THE APLIA CHAPTERS. I found out about the benefit of this a little too late, but reading the online chapters make a TREMENDOUS difference. At the beginning it might be pretty easy stuff, but eventually the last few chapters require studying! His powerpoint slides were not very helpful, but if you do well on Aplia assignments and KNOW what's going on you should do well. I went to office hours, and on scale from 1-10, it was helpful with a 6. ALSO, the iClicker points make a big difference. I didn't show up for 2 lectures and maybe that could have made the difference between my B- to a solid B...


Freshman
C
General Ed
Feb 2014
I was actually kind of excited and looking forward to this course (other than of course it was a 2 hour lecture from 8-10am). However, it did not end up that way. Before taking this course, I heard from other upperclassmen that the economics classes at Cal Poly are just taught through power points. I absolutely hated this and would find myself sleeping and dozing off every couple of lectures. He also makes his classes use iClickers, which as you might know you pretty much have to attend every class and pay attention when the questions come up. (They're all pretty easy.) Or of course there's that other option, ask a friend but if you get caught...oh boy. (I suggest just go to class.) I guess I could've studied a bit more and gotten at least a B but regardless, his class just isn't engaging enough and he picks his "favorite" students in the first couple of weeks. Professor Fisher definitely knows his stuff but his style of teaching is not suitable for everyone. I'd recommend everyone to take another professor for Macroeconomics. Fisher is below average regarding teaching.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2014
Really easy class to get a good grade, you just have to attend all the extremely boring lectures because he has participation points. I didn't pay attention all year in class, just showed up for the participation points, and still got a B+. There is a lot of online homework but it helps you understand the readings. Doing the readings will make or break your grade in this class. He tells you from the start that the only way to get a good grade in his class is to do all the readings, essentially because his lectures are boring and pointless while the book does a much better job at explaining things.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2014
Let me just say this, Eric Fisher plays by the rules.


Freshman
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2014
Professor Fisher is an awesome professor! He genuinely cares about whether his students understand the material and his lectures were very interesting to me. I feel that I learned a lot of useful information and am definitely more informed about practical concepts that I was never aware of. All you need to do to succeed in his class is to attend the lectures, read the book, do the Aplia homework, and maybe even go to office hours if you're struggling with a concept (which he laid out quite clearly from the beginning). He seems a little underrated on here, but you are lucky if you get Eric Fisher as an Economics professor!


Freshman
N/A
Required (Major)
Jul 2014
Dr. Fisher is the most confrontational professor I've ever come across. When you ask him for assistance on enrolling in the class, he calls you out as being "immature" and "unprofessional." This was unacceptable, especially after I had been in contact with him earlier and made an agreement via email that I would enroll in the class (Economics 222). His behavior towards students in a one-on-one setting is unacceptable. Yes, he is an esteemed professor, but that gives him no right to treat his students unfairly. I have never written a PolyLearn complaint, but something about Dr. Fisher is severely off. If you wish to have an enjoyable experience in your economics class, do not take Dr. Fisher's course. And if you do, just avoid any contact with him in which you require his help, because he will make you feel like your only purpose in life is to mop his floors and wash his dishes. Aside from personal interactions with Dr. Fisher, he is an okay lecturer. He (as his reputation states) calls out students and is not afraid to voice his discontent if a student does not know what he considers to be "general knowledge."


Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Jul 2014
I would agree with the below rating. Fisher is a good professor and really makes you understand the material, but is a bit on the odd side. Take the course because you'll learn a lot. Just be prepared to stay awake during lecture because he likes to ask questions!!


Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Apr 2016
What a dick. He thinks his shit don't stink, yikes. Very unprofessional responses to formal emails, "what are you calling me a liar" was the last reply I got from him when I emailed him wondering if I got credit for an inclass experiment. Posts the practice tests the morning of the real test, I had him at 8 am. Just snobby asshole really. He is smart, I give him that but man his people skills suck.


Freshman
B
General Ed
May 2016
A pretty weird guy. I crashed his class and got in. Cold-calls people all the time.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2016
Professor Fisher is a straight-forward individual who will call you out if you depend on excuses to make up for lack of effort. With that being said, Fisher does offer the appropriate tools and guidance needed to receive an A in the course, however, it is up to the individual to decide whether or not they want to put in the time and effort. It is a necessity to complete every Aplia (online homework) assignment, attend and participate in every class lecture, and engage in his office hours as frequently as possible. I understand how this may seem quite demanding, but I promise it will ensure an A- or A in the course. A final note to the those taking the course, make a few friends in the course. You can thank me later.


Sophomore
C
General Ed
Jun 2016
I honestly loved fisher. He's fucking hilarious. He's not afraid to call out the lazy asses (myself-included) in front of everyone. He would always make fun of this one kid (he was totally cool with it) and he definitely likes to make jokes. They were legitimately funny though. Fuck the haters, if you want an A you can get one. I did the assignments, never studied, ended up with a C if you are a lazy ass that wants a ballpark. I still learned a lot, the lectures had substance and were enjoyable and funny. Good luck choosing your Econ professor


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Aug 2016
This professor reads off of powerpoints and shows a terrible effort/desire in wanting to help his students succeed. He has a poor attitude and is extremely impatient. I managed to get an A- in this course, but I recommend seeking other professors for ECON 222.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Jun 2017
As a student who uses poly ratings every quarter, I'm going to try and be as honest as possible here. Purely based on economics, Fisher is an amazing teacher and if you're at all nervous about the class, don't be. All I heard before Macro was that this class was crazy hard, but Fisher makes the material super clear and easy to understand. There's two midterms and final that are pretty hard, but he only counts your two highest scores and curves the whole class to a B- average at the end. However, if you get fired up really easy over politics, then this is not the class for you. He constantly jokes about and bashes on both parties. One of his favorites is talking about how Californians are all of one cookie-cutter mold, made to be perfectly politically correct, have no opinions of their own, ect. However he would never direct political criticism towards one student, and never attacked anyone for their views directly but rather encouraged people to share. If you're prepared to listen to his trash talk once in a while then I would highly advise taking his class because he is an excellent econ teacher. Also don't sit in an isle seat because his teeth are a little messed up so he'll spit everywhere as he walks up and down the isle lecturing.


Junior
A
Required (Major)
Jul 2017
Fisher is a good guy. You may not be the biggest fan of his humor or political views, but he knows his stuff and he will treat you fair at any given time. The class is easy if you show up and pay attention - which you should because you'll lose a ton of iClicker points if you don't. Also, homework is easy because if you don't know it you can look it up in the book at every time. If you don't get an A here you should really ask yourself where you motivation do educate yourself in common and basic knowledge did go missing.

ECON 330


Senior
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2007
Where to start with Fisher.......he is an incredibly eclectic guy to say the least, however he does provide amusement for the class. If you are not economically minded then I would not take this class. I myself am not gifted with economics and I worked my ass off and thankfully pulled out a C-. Also, if you are not a fan of extremely difficult short answer problems on tests then stear clear of Fisher. I initially had mixed feellings about Fisher because to put it plainly he is terrifying, he is not afraid to put you on the spot and humiliate you in front of your peers. However, upon going to his office hours I found that he really does care about his students learning, so I do have some respect for the guy. Overall, semi-interesting topic taught at a graduate level, I say you decide but don't say I did not warn you!


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2008
i got a B+ in this class. the homework was easy bc on myeconlab you can find the answers to the hw questions on the practice tests. fisher was weird, you have to get his sense of humor and want to joke with him. i learned nothing from him. i just went over the slides before the midterm and final to re learn the stuff my self. the tests are multiple choice, fill in the answer, and word problems. the word problmes are hard. he ended up curving the class bc it was too hard, but he did fail plenty of people. some of the questions on the test are from the reading and he doesnt go over in lecture so you have to read too. the class sucked. but its not impossible if your willing to study for the tests


Junior
C
Required (Support)
Mar 2008
The workload for this class is not hard, read the chapters and really pay attention to what he does when solving problems on the board. You are graded on three tests (two midterms and a final), to small quizes, and online homeworks that are really easy if you read the chapter in advance. The best thing about Fisher is that if you show dedication to learning the material, he will help you in any way possible. I missed the final because of my own, unexcused problem and he let me retake it which saved me from failing. He has a funny sense of humor and loves to pick on people in the class, especially exchange students. Do the reading and copy the steps of the examples and you will do fine. Also if you are shy, do not let him know your name or else he will call on you at least twice a day.


Junior
F
Required (Major)
Mar 2008
Prof. Fisher is a good teacher,. He is brilliant and expects students to not only come to class, read the chapters but to REALLY apply the theories to everyday problems. He doesn't want you to simply solve a bunch of book problems etc. The class is tough but if you are interested in this field and actually want to learn and be challenged take this course. He really cares about his students and was sad of my grade, which i knew was my fault. Class is not impossible, the foreign students rocked it. Humorous guy, go to his office hours. P.s. He speaks several foreign languages, at least in portion. Try to figure out how many. P.s.^2: confront him about his polyrating, he will love it


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2008
Eric Fisher attempts to be a professional, knowledgeable economics professor, but don't be fooled by the illusion. The class is based upon two midterms, a final, homework, and quizes. The two midterms are about 40 multiple choice questions that are pretty difficult and a lot of them seemed to come from the book. Not many of the multiple choice questions were discussed in detail in class. There are also about 5 short answer problems on each midterm. These are based off of examples that you have gone over in class. The sad thing is, Fisher's lectures are very obscure and you really have to sift in order to get the information he wants you to know out of them. He doesn't use any notes to refer to while he is lecturing, and I believe that his lectures suffer due to this. His lectures are very disorganized and scattered. When he is going over problems on the board, sometimes he gets stuck, and if he is having trouble presenting us the material, how are we supposed to know it fully? One example of his lack of professionalism is his constant interruption of the class to speak in a foreign language with certain students in the class. We had two foreign exchange students that he adored and he was constantly interrupting the flow of class to speak with them (in another language). It seems like he wants to show off his knowledge of language, but he shouldn't do this during classtime. He also made jokes all of the time and the jokes weren't really related to class material and didn't help lighten the mood either. He was occasionally insulting to members of the class with how he addressed them and constantly referred to every student by his last name, which is very formal, and which highly contrasts with his informal style of teaching. He joked about his polyratings and even suggested to us that we need to rate him higher on polyratings. You will get fair reviews Fisher, not ones made up to get good grades, and it seems he is too concerned with his own popularity. Teach, and do it well, and you will be a popular teacher. Lastly, he also ate in front of the class while lecturing and did this to prove a point several times to students who ate in his class while he lectured. This was very immature and it was very distracting. The final was cumulative and was 50 multiple choice questions as well as short answers, but a few more than the midterms. The homework was due every week and was on the internet. It did take some time, but Fisher was so disorganized he would miss putting up the assignments and eventually just gave everyone credit for the last three homeworks. When Fisher said that we would have a study review session for one of the midterms, he actually made us listen to a bullshit podcast about the fur trade in north america. This was rediculous and didn't help us at all for reviewing the hard material for the test. This is very unprofessional, because it seems that he didn't want to teach and to top it off there was no question about it on the test, at least on my test! Overall the work for the class was much harder than a 300 level class and with the material not being taught effectively, many students were struggling in his class. We went over problems that were not in the book and went far beyond the scope of the book with lots of numerical financial calculations. This class was very difficult and it was hard to get through with Fisher as the teacher. Take someone else if you can.


Junior
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2008
This professor is intelligent, passionate, and experienced. He unfortunately is unsuccessful translating these qualities to his students due to an extreme personality focused on berating and embarrassing his students. He has appreciation for students taking his course who are not Econ majors and find the economic mindset unpracticed or unnatural. He expects a full comprehension of all prerequisites to the course, which is absolutely acceptable, if not practical. Because the prereqs are general ed classes, instructors have a tendency to dumb down information. Most students also took those classes two years ago. He spends an average total of 30 minutes each class insulting individuals or students as a whole, particularly for being stupid or lazy. I wish he would have spent that time further explaining topics in the class, then perhaps we known the answers when he asked for them. He expects top notch work from students, which I respect and love. But if he ever actually cared about his students, those days are past, and he now only finds excuses to blame them for not understanding material. It makes it hard for him to be a good teacher.


Sophomore
N/A
Required (Major)
Feb 2009
Professor Fisher is a very bright person and deserves more credit than this website gives him. I am taking his class now and I will not deny that it is difficult. But I am an Econ major and only professors like Fisher will teach you what you need to know. He is reasonable, brilliant, and enlightening. Definately my favorite professor so far. He makes good jokes mixed in with his lectures. I enjoy going to class even though it is a challenge (you dont hear me saying this very often). Great professor, he only asks a few things of you and he will make it clear what he wants of you on the first day of class. His lectures have changed my beliefs on the global economy...


Junior
A
Required (Major)
Feb 2009
Fisher is one of those quirky guys who was probably a huge nerd in college and graduated in like 3 years and immediately went into acadamia. He is obviously a brilliant guy, but he has a problem communicating with students. If you take this class be prepared for A LOT of online homework, and be prepared for some ranting, but overall this class isn't too bad.


Junior
A
Required (Support)
May 2009
Fisher was a great teacher. He loves making jokes at others peoples expense which is hilarious unless you are that person. He likes to pick on people which keeps you awake and paying attention. That being said, all homework is done online and is multiple choice. Furthermore you get three attempts at each problem (if you want them) and it tells you the right answers after each attempt. This means without doing the reading you can guess at the homework and get at least 75% on every homework. I never studied for this class, took both midterms hung over, and got an A. Then again maybe this stuff just comes easy to me?


Sophomore
B
Required (Major)
Jun 2009
Fisher is very outspoken about his beliefs and tends to phrase some things harshly ("if you don't like how this works then you don't like being wealthy" instead of a more mild "this is the most efficient solution, but not necessarily the most equitable"), but is still a good professor. I wouldn't recommend him if you don't want to learn econ, but he teaches upper division econ so you should want to learn it if you're taking the class. He knows his stuff and wants you to learn it, even if his methods can seam questionable to some. He's joking when he makes fun of kids in class and often apologizes after. Sure he's an outspokenly pretty conservative, but I don't see why that bothers so many people; it doesn't really effect the materials he teaches. I'm pretty liberal but I can respect someone who honestly and intelligently came to a conclusion different than mine. If you can't or don't like econ, don't take him. Oh, about one of the previous comments, he didn't go straight to academia, after getting an undergrad in something like math, he taught himself econ out of library books while in the peace corp before going to grad school for econ. He knows his stuff and if you're willing to learn it, take him. If not, don't.


Junior
C
Required (Support)
Jan 2010
What to say? After accusing the class of stealing his lost clicker, he purposefully created a more difficult midterm. Also, he would confront students (during said midterm) and make jokes at others\' expense, that would just flop. Take someone else, anyone else. You WILL regret not having him.


Senior
N/A
Required (Support)
Mar 2010
The people must know: Eric Fisher shines through in his honest character, but lacks depth of sight into his students. My section was a little less than responsive due to his (slightly) abrasive nature. i caught his calculus-founded explanation given to a student during break and that was all the reasoning i needed to understand the concept. what i mean to say is that his teaching style might work for you or it might not. His ability to teach the course earned (to me) average due to his inability/unwillingness to incorporate different teaching styles. you can earn a fair grade in his class by doing the readings(for which aplia internet coursework is a must for your grade and may help understanding) and attending class, as his testing style is comprised of a written portion where you solve problems just like that which he covers in class. um yeah nice guy tho, take the class, you can learn about making money!


Sophomore
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2010
I actually liked Fisher. I\'m not sure why he gets a ton of bad reviews, I thought he did a good job presenting the material. Now I\'ll agree he has some abstract examples, but I don\'t think he\'s mean. He will stand for fair grading, and I would guess the kids who give him bad reviews are because they want to get an exception to his grading. I completely support how he grades because he gives you the grade you deserve. Overall good class.


Sophomore
A
Required (Major)
Nov 2011
I absolutely loved professor Fisher. He is very sarcastic and loves to pick on his students but he does it to be funny not to be mean. If you understand his sense of humor it is a hilarious class. There is aplia homework due once a week which are not the easiest but if you get a group together they aren't that bad. He gave us 4 of the 5 questions for the midterm a few days before the midterm which made studying for the midterm a million times less stressful. The midterm is short answer, there is no multiple choice or true or false. He doesn't take attendance but it is useful to go to class if you want to do well on the midterm and final. Overall fun class.


Junior
A
Elective
Dec 2011
Fisher is the man. He has an interesting style of teaching that may not suit your strengths in learning though. I personally loved the way he lectured and feel as though I actually have a great understanding of International Trade. Aplia is a big portion of this class (about 1/3) and as long as you start it with a couple of hours left you can get around a 90% without too much struggle. Overall i really liked this class and would recommend to anyone who does not get offended easily. He might pick on you during class a little but its usually hilarious.


Junior
A
Required (Major)
Dec 2011
First of all, Fisher is hilarious. If I could take this class again just to get his jokes, comments, and remarks I would...I would take it at 7 a.m. if I had to. Seriously though, Fisher is as smart as they come. He knows his stuff inside and out. His ability to create an environment with such a combination of casual conversation and serious, focused learning is unrivaled. The work load was very reasonable: weekly HW assignments, 2 quizzes, 1 Midterm, and 1 Final. While there was some disconnect between the HW (based on the textbook) and the other graded material (based on Fisher's lectures), he did a very good job of keeping students informed about what to expect. Top shelf guy.


Junior
A
Elective
Jan 2012
I've never rated a professor on Polyratings before, but felt inclined to do so when I saw how low Fisher's rating was. This guy is a straight boss and a big reason I switched into Econ. Yes, he calls people out in class and makes jokes about people, but it's all in good fun and is never aimed to be mean. I almost convinced my friend to sit in on the class simply because it is an experience you won't get from any other professor. He's smart as shit, and teaches the class in a unique way that is a nice change from normal, boring lectures. He was definitely one of the weird fucking kids at his high school, but I promise it's beyond hilarious learning from the guy. Overall great teacher and great class. I hope his ratings improve, so everyone can experience this guy.


Junior
B
Elective
Feb 2012
If you want to learn dark age economics from a racist than take this class. I literally had to teach everything to myself, but I never took anything he said seriously he is a complete FASCIST and talks down on everyone. Newsflash! Any rich white man could get into Princeton during his time!


Senior
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2012
Fisher is totally awsome!!! He is brutally honest so if that's not your style he's not for you. He will call you out for stuff but he made me feel accountable. I loved his class and learned so much. He really cares about you learning and growing as a person. His lectures were clear, organized and consise. We had two quizzes, a midterm and a final along with weekly Alpia hw. Sometimes the Alpia hw took a very long time so plan ahead and dont procrastinate on it or you won't finish it every time. Go to lecture. It's very important in order to understand the material well. If you go to office hours he is amazing at helping you out and will even help on the Alpia problems. Totally amazing class and I felt it was not full of fluff and bs. I look foward to taking another class from him again beacuse I loved the first one so much. Have fun!!


Senior
B
Elective
Mar 2012
For those of you who think fisher talks down to you are either slackers or don't have a sense of humor. He is fun and likes poking fun but get over it and stop being so sensitive. He is a fun guy. Put solid effort into his class, go to class and learn and you will do fine in his class.


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
It will become very clear, very fast that Fisher thinks very highly of himself. Aside from his egotistical, "fun-poking" personality, he assigns a lot of homework that is not clarified in class. His lectures are not only 180 degrees opposite of the homework problems, but do nothing to help you get an A on the test. If anything, his lectures will leave you more confused than when you went into the course. That said, expect a lot of aplia online homework, decent "pop" quizzes, and decent midterms. If you read the book and understand the homework, you should do fine on the exam. Don't think that going to lecture everyday will be enough to pass though.


Junior
B
Required (Major)
Feb 2014
Fisher cares a lot about his students and he is very passionate about what he does. He is definitely an old school kind of professor and really tells it like it is. He has been known to tease students in class but he does it for one of several reasons: a) you are a jerk/disruptive/ignorant and he is trying to bring you back to reality in a dry humor/sarcastic way, b) he really likes you and thinks you add value to class discussion, c) he is trying to illustrate a concept in an illustrative way and you just happen to be making eye contact with him. Regardless, he is a really nice and highly intelligent person and he has a lot to teach. In economics often times the models and the equations point to a result or an equilibrium that may "sound" heartless or really liberal or really conservative, especially with International Trade Theory. I would get extremely frustrated when students would try to argue with him over a basic economic concept because it didn't sound "right" or "politically correct" or "nice". Just because he does not sugar coat things or tie it up with a nice bow does not mean that its false, or that he is ignorant. You have to take some things with a grain of salt with him, and you have to really focus on what he is saying, not how he is saying it. It will make your time much easier, remember part of being a good professor is being able to perform in front of a class, rather than just word vomit facts, he is a performer because he wants you to really remember what he is teaching you. He hates people who slack off or try to lie to him, and believe me, if you make an excuse he will investigate the validity and he will know if you are lying. Overall, if you show up, take notes, and really try to understand the forces at work that make these economic models you will succeed and you will have a great experience. The downside to his class was Aplia...expensive and hard to mesh with the class lecture. Take him and don't be a snob about it because you cant take sarcasm.


Junior
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2016
Some of the material covered in ECON 330 was hard however, other parts of the class were extremely easy. Professor Fisher is a good professor and I would recommend taking his class. Be ready to be called on in class. His lectures are very engaging in the sense that he will just call on you to answer a question. Class followed the structure of 2 quizzes (10%), online homework once a week (30%), and two midterms and a final (60%). The nice thing about the class is that he drops your lowest test score out of the three so if you do well on the midterms, you don't have to take the final.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
May 2020
Eric is a great professor who cares a lot about his students and wants them all to understand the material. He is good at describing the concepts and uses good examples . He engages the class and wants people to participate. He loves what he teaches and knows a lot about economics.

ECON 333


Junior
N/A
General Ed
May 2016
He's the reason cal polys frisbee team is going to nationals! Plays flute like a boss

ECON 337


Junior
C
Required (Major)
Jan 2008
fisher is an awful teacher. do not take him.

ECON 339


Senior
N/A
Required (Major)
Feb 2007
This teacher does an awful job presenting the information and cannot hold the classes interest if his life depended on it. The class is yet to be over and I am evaluating on how bad he is so that people do not register for his class next quarter. If you have to take Fisher let god have mercy on your soul.


Senior
C
Required (Major)
Mar 2008
Words cannot express how much I dislike this professor. Avoid him at all costs. He's brilliant, I admit that, but he doesn't know how to teach undergrads. Unless you're a stats major, his econometrics class is amazingly difficult due to how he teaches it. He doesn't explain things very well and the book he used is no help at all. It has no examples or answers for homework. He puts you on the spot in class and then humiliates you if you don't know the answer. Basically, over the course of the quarter he told me my 5th grade math teacher should quit teaching because I obviously don't know basic math, that I'm lazy and expect to live off my parent's trust fund, that all my other classes at Poly were joke classes that didn't teach me anything, and that he hates sitting through office hours with me. That's another thing, I found his office hours completely unhelpful and just was another excuse for him to humiliate students.


Senior
B
Elective
Mar 2008
This class was hard. If you are looking to take classes to challenge your thought processes and analysis then you should definitely take this class. If you are looking for one of the normal Poly classes to skate by and do nothing all quarter, then dont even think about this one, because you will absolutely hate it like the guy below me does. This class was probably one of the hardest classes that I have taken at Poly, yet challenged me to learn at a level that was not typically expected of Cal Poly students (aka definitely worth it). Although Fisher is a hardass, if you really do not understand the material and show up to office hours, he WILL help you (Sometimes he just gives you crap and you have to put up with it). Before you take this class, brush up on your STAT 252 stuff, because it is used a lot. (If you hate stats, dont take the class). Tests were hard but open everything (ie internet, book, and notes), which helped the students who did not pick up the material as quickly. Fisher always gets stuff graded on time and efficiently (You get what you deserve). He does like to put people on the spot, but thats life, and it is good practice...if you dont know, just say that you dont know. I would recommend econometrics to anyone who WANTS to actually take a challenging class and learn something.


Senior
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2008
Fisher is not bad for a minority teacher with very low beauty and a thick accent. (only people in the class would understand this heh) C'mon people! Fisher isn't all that bad. Honestly I learned a lot from him and hes a very smart man. He has a huge resume and is very smart and he is a great instructor, a little intimidating... He tells you the first day if you scratch his back, he'll scratch yours... And he does! Here are my main criticisms of the course. 1) The book offers no solutions so you never know if you're doing your hw right. Since we are quizzed on only one hw problem, he'll put the solution to the quiz up, but the other 9 hw problems you never knew if you ever got them right or not, hopefully fisher will put up all solutions next time. 2) The emperical assignments were good but some people didn't pull their own weight. Perhaps we should have smaller groups for these. Here are some good things about the course. 1) He keeps you on your TOES and calls on people at random. He calls on some more than others (the less shy ones). This is a GREAT way to keep people focused and paying attention because they don't want to sound dumb in front of the class so they pay attention. 2) Fisher is SO FUNNY! omg he is so hilarious like before class and even during. Very entertaining. 3) He uses good examples to illustrate complex ideas. This is an econ course not a stats course, so to get the stats through to people he helps with great examples 4) He makes you THINK! Not just throw crap into a computer. He goes through what the computer does and makes you interpret not just spit out a number. 5) He CARES about his class and will help anyone in need. YOU CANNOT GET BELOW A C IN THIS COURSE if you show up to class and at least act like you're trying. He'll give you at least a C if you do that even if you have a 30% at the end of the day. Theres really no reason to not to take this class. I can't believe his current rating... i'm glad i didn't see this until after i already signed up for the course or i would have been scared away. 6) He makes you WORK and thats why some people hate him. I love you fischer! PS he likes to be called "eric" and he doesnt like the Dr. prefix. He says hes not a Dr. so don't call him one. Anyways, just call him Eric and its all good :D


Junior
N/A
Elective
Mar 2008
After an Eviews regression, I am 95% confident that Eric is an above average teacher. He does make you work for a good grade, but you will learn a lot. This is not a BS GE class, this is work...and Fisher rewards people who try with nothing less than a C. And to those who thought he was usless in his office hours, it is true that sometimes there are 400 people in his office and he is of little help. But if you get him alone, or in an appointment, he'll teach you a lot. Do not be afraid of Eric Fisher, just be ready to do work.


Senior
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2008
Okay, so aside from being forced to deal with Fisher's incredibly ugly face twice a week for two hours (class joke, you'll get it later), the course was not the hell everybody makes it out to be. I know Fisher has a bit of a bad reputation, but he's really not a bad guy. I've taken two courses with him, and his bark is a lot worse than his bite. You do have to show up to class and do a bit of work to earn your A (or B), but it could be a lot worse (think Gorman). A bit of advice: (1) GO TO CLASS!! He likes to take a personal interest in his students, so he notices when you're not there. He will give you a hard time about missing class too, in front of everybody else. (2) In every one of Fisher's classes there is the equivalent of a verbal human punching bag. Don't be that person. Everything he says is in jest, but if you aren't the kind of person that lets that kind of stuff roll off your back, it will really get to you. If you are forced into the unfortunate circumstance of being the punching bag, give as much lip back as you can with out being disrespectful. Fisher likes to act tough, but hes secretly got a soft, gooey center. I learned a lot, and I recommend this class to those who aren't afraid of a little work and would like to learn some useful information about econometrics.


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Apr 2008
Moderated Comment
If Fisher's teaching at cal poly, who's running hell!!!!


Senior
A
Required (Major)
Dec 2008
I was so curious to finally experience a class with Fisher. He is not as scary as some say and I think he deserves better than the less than 2.0 rating he currently has. He does subject unprepared students to a good amount of scrutiny, but at the same time he involves more students in the lecture. He was unprepared for certain lectures, but he usually apologized and spent the next lecture clarifying issues. Going to office hours is extremely helpful. He goes over homework problems one by one (which quizzes are based on) and gives hints on what the upcoming quiz will cover. Most of the learning comes from doing homework problems and examples and not from lecture notes on generalized equations and concepts. Overall, I thought Fisher was an interesting guy, smart, sometimes unable to clearly explain topics, but definitely concerned about students ultimately grasping the main ideas. I give him lots of credit for teaching what he does given the sketchy background in statistics most students come in with.

ECON 401


Senior
B
Required (Support)
Sep 2009
I feel very sad for him. I am equally sad for all of us who must be exposed to his b.s.

ECON 404


Senior
B
Required (Major)
Mar 2010
Fisher is crazy, hilarious, rude…the kind of teacher that even if the class is hard you don’t mind going to class just to see what he’s going to say next. Supposedly he tried teaching this class at a “graduate” level this quarter, so most of the stuff we were learning was pretty complex stuff, but we weren’t really responsible for it. He said at the beginning no one would get below a C. Everyone bombed the midterm, but he didn’t really seem too upset about it. I have a feeling now matter what type of work you do, you are going to get a B or if you go above and beyond an A. Take him if you can. Pretty low stress class because you don’t have to worry about your grade during the quarter (which is the way all classes should be).


Senior
B
Elective
Mar 2012
Seems like he teaches to his ego. Constantly berates his students and puts them down. He definitely has his pets that suck up to him but really he's not a very good professor. It's not terribly hard to get an A in the course if you suck up to him though. The homework is in groups so usually one out of the 6 person group does all the work and everyone else can coast with the same grade. The groups are chosen by him based on alphabetical order on the roster so even if you omit names of your group they still benefit on your work. The midterm isn't bad at all. I'd say 5 out of 6 or 7 questions are directly from the study guide. I don't think he event changed the values. The final is a paper but he slacked off giving details until the very last lecture. Attendance matters. If he likes you, you get full credit even if you only show up to half the class. If not then he can give you a 0 for being 2 minutes late.


Graduate Student
B
Elective
Mar 2012
Fisher is an interesting character. His lectures are hard to follow because the material is "on the cutting edge of research" and has never been taught before. Despite this i still managed to learn quite a bit. He cares about his students that care. Going to office hours and having Econ 330 definitely made the class easier.


Senior
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2012
Overall, Fisher is a very good teacher. The man is incredibly smart and it shows in his lectures. The problem with his intelligence is that it often seems to leave many of his students in the dark about what's actually going on with the material until the midterm or other homeworks are brought up. That being said, this is the first time he has lectured on his own International Trade Theory material so it was a challenge for both the students and Fisher to follow along. The class was structured as follows. -Attendance 5% -Final Paper 40% -Midterm 30% -Group HW 25% If you complete and understand the homeworks, the midterm is not too bad. He gave a review for the midterm which had all of the questions from the review verbatum (granted they were difficult problems to figure out on the review). The final project isn't hard, he gave an example to follow of what he wanted. Overall a differently structured class but I definitely learned a lot. Fisher clearly likes some people more than others. My advice is DONT BE LATE, some dumbass kids in my class would be late to almost every lecture which pissed Fisher off enough to pick on them. Needless to say they got a bit butthurt.


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2012
I would not recommend this class or teacher- you would expect a course in international economics to be somewhat stimulating, but I found this class to be the opposite. He doesn't grade too harshly to make up for his lectures that are all over the place- he doesn't explain theories well, e.g. will use phrases like "no monkey business" to justify using it. He won't really point out the important points of the lecture and this wouldn't be a problem if there was a well written, finished book that students could use as a second resource. I think towards the end of the class it was a lot easier to catch on to his lectures, and students that took his previous courses obviously benefited from knowing his teaching style. He DOES seem to have "favorites" in class but I don't know if his gradings reflect this. He also picks on certain students and puts them on blast. Fisher is very pretentious, I mean he's an econ teacher at cal poly, so the research is not that relevant.

ECON 405


Senior
B
Required (Major)
Jun 2010
There was no book in this class, meaning if you don’t go to class you will be screwed. Most of it was a lot of math and theory that you aren’t responsible for. Even the midterm was semi-take home with him giving you the questions a week before the test. Five group homeworks and a final paper instead of an actual final are the rest of you grade. You do a lot of work in Excel and a little bit in Matlab toward the end of the quarter otherwise it’s not too bad. Good class to take to get a 400 level out of the way.


Junior
N/A
Required (Major)
Jun 2014
This guy and his wife(kathryn marshall) need to get out of the Orfalea. This clown literally shows up every day in the same dirty ass clothes and tried to teach us in his motorcycle boots. Literally rants for days about nothing. Calls students out in class more than any professor I've had at this school. Can't even do his own math or data on the spot without errors and is constantly wrong and must be corrected by students. Just a flat out eye sore of a person. Dr. fisher please just go ride your motorcycle into the sunset in the opposite direction of San Luis Obispo. -Sincerly, Student who went to almost every class and didn't learn a thing from you


Senior
A
Elective
Dec 2017
I got a good grade, so this is not to rip on a professor for that. This is simply to help other students know that he was the worst professor I have had in my 4 years of university. Tried his best the first two weeks, and then everything went to hell. We were behind on the material all quarter, he showed up unprepared to class, yelled at and insulted students multiple times, many times personally. Called us "dumbos" "stupid", etc., when we simply didn't know what he was doing because he was an awful teacher. We spent over 1.5 classes waiting on him to figure out how to run his own programs on Excel and Matlab. Honestly, I'm glad it's over with, but would not recommend to anyone. Learned a little bit, which is good, but I also tried extremely hard all quarter long.


Junior
B
Required (Major)
Jan 2018
I really wish someone had warned me about Fisher before I took this class. Professor Fisher is not only an unclear, ineffective lecturer, but he is also a very terrible person inside and outside of class. After three years of loving economics, Fisher made me want to drop out of the major; he makes students feel like they are stupid for asking questions, and calls out people in class for needing help and attending office hours. Much of the class wasn't able to take much out of the lectures, as Fisher was often unprepared for class and wasn't able to offer any kind of clear explanation of the topics. With this, he also failed to assign a book for the class, which left students no other way to figure out the material than attend office hours. He called students "morons", "boneheads", and "idiots" for seeking help, and even kicked kids out of his office if he didn't like their questions . It is one thing to be a poor instructor, but if you are going to be as blatantly unprofessional, egotistical, and flat out mean as Fisher had been all quarter, you have no place being a professor. I really hate writing negative reviews, but I think students should be aware of what they are getting into when taking a class with Fisher. My advice: avoid Fisher like the plague.


Senior
A
Required (Support)
Feb 2020
Fisher is actually one of my favorite ECON professors. If all the angry ass people on this site knew that Fisher served on the Federal Reserve Board, I'm sure they would have more respect for the guy. He's a relic of a professor, and he tells it like it is, which I actually really enjoy. Sure, sometimes he goes a bit overboard in class with picking on students, but I don't see how that's a bad thing. There was no reading for the course, which is another plus. If you plan on skipping/complaining about the lack of reading so you can not go to class, don't take the class. You can easily get an A in this class if you simply put on your big boy/girl pants and go to class like a normal person :) He has forgotten more about Economics than most of us will ever learn.

ECON 460


Senior
N/A
Required (Major)
Jan 2017
Eric Fisher is funny af. Free A in the class just read the brief papers before class and don't be a dumbass.


Senior
A
Required (Major)
Jun 2019
Dr. Fisher is an awesome professor! His layout for this class helped me learn more about Economics than any other econ course I've taken throughout college. For the first half of the quarter, we examined famous well-written papers in the field. Then we brushed up on some important concepts from Econometrics before beginning our senior projects. Overall, the workload is pretty light, though make sure you're bouncing senior project ideas off him and starting your literature review before the very end. I was lucky enough to get a lot of one-on-one time with Dr. Fisher since my class was pretty small, so I was able to start the beginnings of what I hope will be an awesome senior project. I highly recommend getting as much face time with him as possible throughout the quarter; he is super knowledgeable and helpful. I will admit that he does not coddle his students, so if you cannot deal with that, go back to high school where you don't get challenged and there's no push back on your ideas. If you simply just show effort in his class, it will pay dividends. I have also seen posts calling Fisher racist/sexist, which is absolutely absurd! He comes from a different time, so occasionally his choice of words are questionable, but he comes from a good place and never says anything with the intent of harming someone. He's one of the few professors willing to be open and have discussions about dicey subjects, which we need more of in our colleges (and world). College isn't a place you should go if you want to only be surrounded by your own values and ideas. I'll get off my soap box now and finish with this: if you get the chance, absolutely take Fisher unless your skin is microscopically thin.

ASTR 899


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Nov 2016
What else is there to say? Fine person, nothing interesting. Class was meh... Blah, blah, blah... Fine person.