Costanzo, Philip  

Dr. Costanzo is a challenging, but very knowledgeable professor. My grade does not reflect how much information I learned and retained from this class. I believe I deserved a better grade, but Dr. Costanzo does not curve his tests or classes, which is frustrating. However, he is a very good teacher, just don't expect an A. Costanzo teaches extremely quickly, and you cannot afford to miss class. I personally did not like how fast he taught, but I don't blame him since class was 50 minutes long. This fast-paced teaching made us get ahead of all the other classes. Overall,Costanzo is a good teacher to have for your first ochem class since it is challenging, and you will have a good foundation for the rest of ochem.

Dr. Costanzo lectures really fast which makes absorbing the material difficult in the moment so that's why it takes a lot of outside class time to understand everything. You really can't afford to miss a class period and also, when Dr. Costanzo tells you to do flashcards for all those reactions you have to know, DO THEM. Because at first, I didn't do them because I didn't see how they would help, but they really do. There are 5 quizzes throughout the quarter, but one gets dropped. He only gives 20 minutes for the quiz and also, he DOESN'T give you anything on the exams like a periodic table or IR/NMR values so you're on your own memorizing those for the tests, but this does set a good foundation for the rest of Ochem. The exams are straightforward because he tells you exactly what's on it. The midterms, in my opinion are harder than the final because there's less time pressure on the final. I would recommend taking this class with Dr. Costanzo because although he does lecture fast and DOES NOT CURVE, he does try to make things relatively straight-forward and is really helpful during office hours.

Costanzo is a very young professor and remembers what it is like to be a student. He explains all of the material very clearly and lets you know EXACTLY what you need to know for the exams. There are five quizzes (the lowest one gets dropped) which are very straight forward and help boost your grade. This was my fourth quarter of chemistry, and it was the only one I actually enjoyed. I also had Costanzo for lab. Again, he made the labs very easy to understand and they were very painless. I would highly recommend taking him in any lab or lecture. Finally Cal Poly hired a new professor who is actually good.

I swear this guy is bi-polar! At times he seems like a really nice guy, but then he can be a HUGE jerk. He goes WAY WAY too fast, scribbles on the bored, way unorganized....the class most often just sat in shock staring at the bored. The first midterm average was a 68 and he didn't curve it. If you'd ask questions, he'd ask questions back at you, making you feel stupid. In lab, he graded your participation grade on if you asked questions or not - if you asked him any, he gave you a lower score! He wast just overall horrible. Oh and another thing. Make sure you turn off your cell phone or he will definitely embarrass you about it!

Dr. Costanzo is a very young professor but impressed me a lot. He is not an "easy" teacher but he is a very fair teacher. He doesn't curve but he is painfully clear as to what is going to be on the quizzes and tests. He has 5 quizzes and he drops your lowest score (very nice). He is a very nice and respectful teacher as long as you respect him. He gives many handouts with practice problems that are very helpful and he goes out of his way to help you if you are struggling. I missed a class period due to a surgery and he spent 2 hours explaining the information to me in his office hours. His labs are relatively easy but make sure you read it before hand and go to office hours if you need help with the write-ups. He is an extremely nice and extremely smart professor. he doesn't take bull shit from anybody so don't use that as a strategy to try to pass the course. This class is not by any means easy but it's organic chemistry - it will never be an easy class with any teacher. Bottom line: he is fair and kind and gives you more than enough opportunity to learn the material well and get a good grade. You have to put in effort!!

Professor Costanzo was an exceptional teacher. The class is hard, any organic chemistry class is going to be hard. However, professor Costanzo really demonstrated a love for his subject and he conveyed that to our class by the way he taught. he is very open to questions, he will spend tons of extra time in office hours going over the work. he gives practice problems and review sheets for the tests. I also had him for lab and he was fun and fair. His tests are difficult but if you do the practice problems he gives you, you should be fine. he doesn't tolerate people who don't try, get a bad grade ,and then complain. Also, he doesn't curve. But, he is a great teacher! I would take his class again hands down!

Costanzo is possibly my favorite teacher I\'ve had at Cal Poly. He understands that the students taking 312 are there to fulfill a requirement and aren\'t necessarily chem or biochem majors, so while the material can be hard, he finds ways to make it more interesting and applicable to other disciplines. He has a tendency to go over things quickly in lecture, but is more than happy to answer questions or give help in office hours. The exams are tough but fair - he tells you exactly what will be on them and they\'re usually very similar to the worksheets he provides. Given the opportunity, I would take another class with Costanzo in an instant.

He has a great guy image and I used to really like him... . Sucks, he was awesome.

So much attitude for a very meh teacher

Costanzo is the best chem teacher out there. He knows how to deliver the material clearly and is very helpful when questions are asked. He usually has a workshop to go with his class and it is the only reason i am doing so well in the class. Costanzo also gives you exactly what to study for each quiz and exam. Take his class!

Dr. Costanzo is the key to O-chem. and he's adorable.

Costanzo is the greatest professor I've ever had at Poly. He is energetic, extremely knowledgeable, and super approachable if you're struggling. He's always very clear about what is on the exams and what you need to study. Doesn't mask the fact that Ochem is a hard subject; make sure to go to EVERY lecture and EVERY lab because he does go pretty fast and it's easy to fall behind (labs are pretty fun so that shouldn't be an issue).

Professor Constanzo is a great guy. Even though I got an F, I have no hard feelings with him and I'm going to agree with the other great reviews about this professor. He's young, he's energetic, and he's obviously passionate about Ochem. Here's my only issue with the class he taught: he's so good at simplifying the material, it's very easy to feel overconfident about what you are learning and underestimate his quizzes and tests. You MUST MUST MUST listen to him. If he tells you to begin studying on a certain day, you gotta do it. He's an excellent professor but this is NOT an easy class. There is nothing he does to make it easier than the other classes- it's all on you to take him seriously and heed his every bit of advice offered. Go to his office hours AND the free tutoring offered by the Frat in the science building. This was something I failed to do and I wish I had done it early on. The important thing to know is that Costanzo does not try to trick you. He is one of the most understanding professors I've seen and will literally help you pass the class IF you show him improvement/talk to him about it. If you're slipping up, he will try to seek you out and help you as best he can. Just know that there are a LOT of nomenclature, synthesis, and reaction problems on ALL the tests (and the quizzes after week 4). And GO TO EVERY LECTURE. Seriously. You may be an A student when it comes to science classes, but go to his every.day. The *fun* stuff he refers to as "Grandma Slides" are going to be on the TESTS. And you will have to answer questions in detail about them, you cannot just glance at the powerpoints and expect to be ok. Also, just memorize the elements of the periodic table that are most frequently used in Ochem (he'll tell you week 1). You need to memorize the position of the elements so you can quickly refer to electronegativities and sizes of various atoms. My advice: don't get cocky like I did. I had everything down on week 3, then felt overly optimistic about the next tests/quizzes. I got my next quiz back and that sucked. The next test was even worse. I fell into a slum and was too embarrassed to visit the professor and get the help I needed. I convinced myself I could teach myself and catch up on my own. Don't fall into that trap. If you did not heed my advice ^ or Costanzo's, early on DO NOT GIVE UP. Visit him the first moment you receive an unexpected grade or don't understand a concept. He will tell you everything builds on top of each other. You gotta believe him.The only thing that doesn't get carried over onto the next tests and quizzes are: drawing orbitals (s,p,d), and bond angles. EVERYTHING else you should expect to be tested on multiple times. This class was not impossible but it's not an easy A. I got an F because I got cocky in the beginning, didn't do enough practice problems/repetition middle of the quarter or utilize the resources available to me, and I could not catch up to the material I fell behind on because I was too embarrassed to talk to the professor. Should you not pass the class... don't feel bad. Recognize why you didn't succeed and avoid them the next time you take the class. My graduation is offset now by half a year because I didn't pass this class. But I accept that because it was 100% on me. Take Costanzo, don't get overconfident, and be sure to let him know what's going on/what your concerns are so he can help you!

Costanzo is the bomb. I sucked the crap out of ochem and he really went above and beyond to help me out literally in any way he could. My grade does not reflect how much I learned in his class. He keeps lectures crazy interesting and always finds a way to connect the material to every day life or just things normal people care about. He doesn't curve which is a huge bummer and his quizzes are pretty tough unless you stay on top of the material. The two midterms are not crazy hard again, they are modeled like the quizzes so you know what's going to hit you. He gave a heads up on every topic that would be on the exam which was awesome, but just a bummer for me that I wasn't naturally good at ochem. The final is easier than the midterms in my opinion but you still definitely need to study a ton!

PHILIP man oh man what a guy every class starts with "OK GOOD MORNING" he wears the same shirt everyday but in different colors i think he owns a dog and he really knows his shiiiiit about chemistry and he is very loud which wakes up in a 9 am lecture. He is very clear about what he will be testing you on and what exactly is on the tests and midterms. O chem is hard but Costanzo is helpful and willing to help u and doesnt make you feel like an idiot for a asking a question.

Great professor. Always engaged, high energy, and absolutely cares about his students. The key to this class is to stay caught up with material as it is taught, and he will tell you this at least 10 times throughout the quarter. Ochem is a dense subject and is inherently not easy for most, but if you go to class every day and put an average of 1-2 hours of work in a week, you will be fine. Quizzes and midterms are not meant to trick you. Costanzo will clearly give you the layout of exams, even down to the order of questions. Show up to class, give a f*ck, and you'll make it through this class just fine.

Dr. Costanzo is the BEST professor I've had at Cal Poly. Ochem is tough, but he tells you exactly what to expect from the class on day one. He doesn't curve, which seems annoying at first, but you'll learn to get used to it and understand why he doesn't. I worked my ass off in this class, but wouldn't have done well if I didn't reach out to him. Go to office hours as much as you can!! Seriously, go. He'll know your name after the first day of class and he's super approachable and easy to talk to. His quizzes and tests are super fair and he tells you exactly what's on them. Love this dude. 10/10 would recommend.

HANDS DOWN BEST PROFESSOR I HAVE HAD AT CAL POLY. Most knowledgeable guy I know. Presents the class in the most clear way possible. He has tons of practice problems and wants to answer as many questions as he can. Very neat writing on the board so he is very easy to follow. Very structured lectures so you know exactly what you are learning. He gives you a break down of exactly what will be on each quiz and exam. Office hours are very helpful. He will even make up questions for you on the spot so you can have some extra practice. He truly sparked my love for chemistry. Super friendly and wants you to do well. If you put in work, very hard not to pass this class. Offers a lot of extra credit on exams and quizzes. Nothing bad to say about him. Great guy. I could go on about him all day. He wants to have a personal connection with the students too, and wants you to do well. He treats his students with respect and understands the subject is hard for some, and brings the material down to a very understandable way. I wish I could take this class over and over again. Amazing human being. Kinda cute too;)

Dr, Costanzo is very helpful. He will look over your lab report before you turn it in and tell you what you should fix on it--this basically guarantees you will get 100% on it. He taught the Chem 316 lab because there were no more teachers and there were about 14 of us trying to get into a lab section. He decided to teach it last minute but was completely prepared and willing to help each of us anyways. His labs were always really laid back, as well as his office hours. He helped the 316 students a lot, even though he wasn't teaching the 316 lecture he would go out of his way to help us on homework problems. Dr. Costanzo is a great teacher and if I could have taken another class with him again, I would in a heartbeat. Don't be fooled by how he looks--when he walked in, everyone thought he was a student because he's really young--but he really knows his stuff and won't put up with your crap!

Costanzo is a badass. You take Costanzo if you want to learn. Not an easy class but comparing my level of understanding to students with other ochem professors, I seem to know so much more. Probably the hardest of the ochem professors but I don\'t regret taking him for an istant.

Hes young, funny, and a genuinely cool guy. He is passionate about the subject and he seems to really care for his students. He also expects a hell of a lot from his students...Ochem is tough but he makes it tougher...He moves through the material lightning fast and isn't as clear as he should be. I put 10x as much work in for his class to get an F as my friends did in other 316 classes to get Bs and Cs. I wouldnt say he is impossible but for students that dont get Ochem intrinsically Costanzo is a lot harder than he needs to be.

Costanzo is one of those teachers who teaches well, the only problem is the class is hard. If you were to show up to his lectures and take another teacher's test you would get an A easy.

There's a reason why Costanzo got teacher of the year and was recognized at the homecoming game this past year. He is EXTREMELY helpful in office hours and he is completely aware of the difficulties students encounter when studying organic chemistry. His quizzes and tests are extremely fair and if you go to office hours regularly AND put at least 20 min a day into the class.

He is the best teacher EVER!!! Take him if you can. O chem is very difficult but he helps you understand.

Prof Constanzo is a great guy! He is approachable and funny, however he moves VERY quickly during lecture so make sure you don't miss a single lecture or you will fall far behind. Compared to other Ochem teachers, I also know he requires us to memorize everything (no period table is even given on the tests) whereas many of the other classes don't have to. Theres 5 quizzes, 2 midterms and the final and he drops your lowest quiz score. I would recommend Costanzo, but make sure to take the SWS class because the practice quizzes in that class are pretty much identical to his actual quiz.

Firstly, I wish he wasn't married. But Other than his looks, and charisma, he is great. A very straightforward, energetic, and organized Professor. He does throw hard Spectroscopy and cis/trans and ring expansion problems on tests that slaughter everyone, but a lot of extra credit is available during the second half of the quarter- take advantage of this and an A will be in your reach. There are five 25 point quizzes, two 100 point midterms and a 200 point final. The lowest quiz score is dropped. I HIGHLY recommend taking the workshop along with it. And the key to this class is memorization and a little creativity. When in doubt, slow down, keep it simple, and remember what you learned. Goodluck

Dr Costanzo is a great guy and one of my favorite teachers i have ever taken, but requires a lot of work. He is very helpful in office hours and lab but it is important not to miss class because he goes very quickly over the material. I found myself studying a lot more than other people with different teachers and getting worse grades because of his difficult spectroscopy problems and other random questions. I would definitely recommend him but make sure to go to every class and office hours!

One phrase: Clutch money I have never had professor as helpful in office hours as this professor. Office hours are key! Studying outside for hours is obviously necessary for every o-chem class. If you make every office hour, than it is a great supplement to studying his practice problems. The tests are straight forward, which is different from other o-chem professors. He tells you exactly what will be on the test and then you study that inside and out, and you should be fine. Class is not curved because about five-ten kids will get A\'s on the tests, so they are obviously fair tests. STUDY THE MECHANISMS, if you know them forwards (and in some cases backwards) you will be fine. RING EXPANSIONS ARE ON EVERY TEST, so be sure to know what they are, and how they usually work. Aside from that, a very fair teacher that makes the tests challenging, but definitely ace-able which gets him the phrase clutch money.

One of the best teachers I have ever had. He presents the material very clearly and will give you all the credit that you deserve. He is difficult, but O chem is difficult. You will learn so much. Do anything to take Costanzo!

Costanzo is legitimately the coolest teacher I've had at Cal Poly. He's by far the fairest grader I've ever had 'cause he realizes that Ochem's a really tough subject and he wants you to do well. He's totally up front about what's gonna be on the test, you know exactly what to study and know it's gonna be one of the harder questions in that section. He's also really cool about partial credit on everything, he actually looks at what you've put and tries to give you credit for whatever he can. Also, he's super friendly and approachable, and just has a good time when he's teaching. Bottom line, take Costanzo for Ochem cause he's the man.

Nothing against Costanzo - but I do not recommend this class. Stupid amount of work for a GE. The last thing I want to do during finals week is write this 10 page research paper. The only work for this class are two presentations and the paper. This helps keep the work at a minimum throughout the quarter, but then when these projects come up it is a couple days of hours upon hours of working on it. Especially because the 50 minute presentation is a group project it is hard to do ahead of time. Costanzo doesn't actually lecture, each class is a group presentation and then an hour of group discussion that is painfully repetitive and a bunch of circular reasoning. I took this because I thought it would be interesting and was honestly very disappointed.

The guy is awesome but I think everyone knows that he sleeps with one it two students a year. None of us know who gets picked but it definitely happens. I personally have zero problem with this but other students might be concerned

Dr. Costanzo is an extremely talented chemist and a superb instructor. I actually had him for my first Organic Chem Lab as well as for the second part of the Polymers and Coatings series. He knows polymer synthesis in and out and is very adept at transferring that knowledge to you. The take home exams were the some of the most challenging yet rewarding tasks I have been assigned while at Poly. He grades completely fair and is extremely helpful in his office hours. He is young and understands what it is to be a student. If you have an opportunity to take him in any class I would highly recommend doing so.

This guy is a freaking BALLER! Take him if you can. OCHEM is difficult, polymers chem is awesome! Either way you get a great lesson. Be prepared to put forth the time needed, and you will be rewarded. He will fail you if you do not try.

Hands down the best teacher I've ever had at Poly. Extremely approachable, great at explaining things, absolutely hilarious, and patient. I wish I had taken Ochem with him!!

During this entire quarter all I could think about was how this professor reminded me of that small little dog that runs through the back of scene 23 in The Incredibles by Pixar. Seriously, if you look it up you will only be able to see it...