Deaton, Leonard  

Mathematics

1.80/4.00

74 evaluations


MATH 118


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Aug 2002
This guy cannot communicate with people at all. He has no answers for any questions, even one's that don't relate to math. I would never take him again.


Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Feb 2003
tries to be nice, doesnt know how to teach, will screw you over on tests


Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Feb 2003
This guy does not know how to teach. His monotone voice helps people fall asleep, so they get to learn the sections at home. He seems nice at first, but at office hours he is an ass. Do not get him. If you do do not go to class, you will have to re-teach yourself for the homework. Try anything possible not to get him.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Mar 2003
This guy needs the following advice: 1)Don't mumble--no one can understand you--especially at 8 o'clock in the morning when the lack of sleep is impairing everyone's judgment. 2)Don't ask the class a question and stand there for 5 minutes silently staring everyone down--it's just creepy. and finally, 3) Realize that you are a math professor and you have a duty to TEACH math so students UNDERSTAND (keyword there) the material.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jul 2003
I took this class in high school and took it again here because I'm bad at math and didn't want to rish failing. Deaton seemed like a nice guy, I never really connected with him. He spends the first half of class going over any homework problems that people had trouble with and then the second half he does examples from the next nights homework. You have homework every night but not tons of problems. If you do the homework correctly, you can always change your answers while he goes over it in class, you get the full points. You turn homework in every day, but it isn't due until toward the end of the quarter, so you don't have to go if you don't want to. I did anyway. He isn't very good when it comes to helping someone. You can try office hours, I went to friends instead. I'm glad that it was review. His tests were really easy. Where some teachers give a couple problems for each concept, he only gave one. I liked it that way.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Oct 2003
Dude is not a good teacher, but he looks like Mr. Clean. So, if you like Mr. Clean I would definitely recommend him.


Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Dec 2006
Monotone, Mr. Clean, took a long time to figure out a math problem and didnt always get them right. overall, not very helpful. He's nice though.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jan 2007
There is no argument that the guy is not the most interesting person you have ever met, but he does go over problems right out of the book in his lectures for your homework assignment. Definetly do the homework he gives you credit for them that goes towards you final grade, so if you do the hwk, it's like 100pts in the bag. I was nervous about the mid-terms but if you study and go to class, they aren't that bad. If you go to office hours he will try to help you further.

MATH 217


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Feb 2004
this class is extremely straitforward...a lot of people have a hard time with it, but if you are decent at math it is pretty simple to copy down his examples in class and then just use that as your mold to the the homework. The test can get a little tricky but they are open note open book and there is a huge curve. Addendance to this class is optional considering all of the notes you take in class are in the class notes book which is nice. Deaton is incredibly boring but not rude or demanding.

STAT 217


Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Mar 2003
deaton is a great guy. he served our country back in the day, and he is a respectable guy. but as a teacher, this guy sucks. first of all, he gives a ton of homework. second of all, he makes you buy a book with all the notes in it. at first it seemed nice (the fact that i didnt have to take notes). however, i soon learned that it wasnt. the notebook is confusing as hell, and you dont learn anything. i had to teach myself everything in the course. deaton has an extremely monotone voice and his lectures seemed like they were two hours rather than fifty minutes. if you are going to take stats, do not take it with deaton.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jun 2003
Deaton is a nice guy but a horrible teacher. However, if you have taken stats before, like I did, this class wasn't hard at all. You don't really have to go to class, because he does not teach. Just do the homework, which you don't have to turn in on time, he gives you weeks and weeks, but stay on top of it.


Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Dec 2003
He's has his doctorate and knows his material really well. The downside to this is that he knows everything, and teaches as if the students do. He explains concepts only to an extent that he sees fit, not his students. I didn't know anything about stats, and coming in to this class made me feel like I should've known something beforehand, even though this was an intro course. His lectures are boring and last forever it seems. He doesn't explain the material well at all, and homework is usually tough. Take another teacher unless you know stats already.


Junior
C
Required (Support)
Feb 2004
What a joke of a class. I didn't learn anything. I don't know how to do stats. I don't even know what we discussed in class. Because of how he does the grades, I got a C in the class, and I don't know anything about statistics. He grades you twice, one is only your final test. The other is the final, plus the other tests, and plus the homework. He'll take the better of the two and thats your final class grade. The final was open book and open notes. I showed up and literally taught myself the test DURING THE TEST! It was the most ridiculous thing ever.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Aug 2004
I do not know why everybody rips on Deaton. I will admit that he is monotone, but if you actually attend class, it is really easy. I think it was my easiest class so far. I noticed a lot of people did not go. They were the ones complaining. I took the m-r 1 hour block. The class went so fast. I recomend deaton. I never wanted to take stats but it was much better than i thought.


Senior
N/A
General Ed
Dec 2005
Deaton's great but I couldn't handel his monotone drone. He requires that all the homework be completed by the last week of class (so there's no late penalties - sweet!) Also, the 3 midterms and 1 final are open book/open note - sweet! If you're not self-motivated to finish the hw ontime or you fall asleep easily like I do, you may get a D like I did. This class is straightforward and easy, but because Dr. Deaton reads from his notes each day, it's SO BORING I resolved to read the notes and teach myself on my own time. I thought I prepared well for the final, but I tanked. He must have taught something, but the drone-factor repelled me. If you're even a little disciplined and want an easy G.E. this is it. Please attend class semi-regularly and you'll be fine. Deaton's a nice guy, too.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Dec 2005
I'm sure statistics is a very relevant, useful and interesting subject. Heck, I would have loved to learn some statistics myself, and in fact thought that's what I would be doing when I registered for this class. As it turns out, my classmates and I spent all of our time in the class staring blankly at the board as Dr. Deaton scribbled strange symbols and occassionally mumbled about sigmas and x-bars. The small amount that I learned was entirely self-taught and is something that I still don't know how to apply in the real world. He's not fit to be a professor at Poly and I would advise avoiding him if at all possible.


5th Year Senior
C
Required (Support)
Mar 2007
okay this guy knows his stuff, but it is really complicated and seems repetitive throughout the year. it seems like you are learning the same thing over and over again for a long period of time. on the tests though he helps you out. the first test you were able to use a cheat sheet. on ever other test, including the final, you could use anything, notes, book etc, and they are all multiple choice, so even if you dont know what to do at first, you can plug in formulas until you get one of the answer choices. the material is kinda hard to learn as you follow along on a notes that you purchase. you have to go over the book to really get what to do. all homework is due at the end of the quarter, so thats good. he looks like Shrek and if there is nothing to teach, he will talk about the navy and launching rockets or something like that.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2007
I had never taken statistics before, I'd always done calc, so i was a little nervous, because i heard that if you're good at math, doesn't mean you're good at stats, but he went really slow, you get a book of notes for the class, so you always know what you missed, and at 8 in the morning, your bound to miss, but i was always able to teach myself those days and turn in the homework. 3 midterms, homework and a final, lots of ways to earn points but if you get an A in the final, you get an A in the class.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Apr 2013
Lectures are boring as heck...I missed/didn't pay attention in quite a few and ended up with a B. It helped that I took stats in high school for sure. He let us use open notes/book on the midterms (except the first) and exam. You'd think this would be great and you wouldn't need to study but definitely make sure you fully grasp the concept before you go into the test. Do every homework assignment and take a study session if possible. It helps. In the study session I got most of the homework done and when I had a question I just asked and got the answer. Overall I would say Deaton is a pretty average and fair professor.


Freshman
C
Required (Major)
Apr 2013
I would not recommend Deaton to anyone. I had no other option as far as classes went and needed to get STATS out of the way so I took his class. It was awful. He is so incredibly monotone and you really have to teach the entire class to yourself. If you are very comfortable with statistics, then you should do better. However I had never been in a stats class and so it was an incredibly rough quarter for me with this class. This is a class for procrastinators. Except I advise you, if you do end up taking him - Don't procrastinate. Do you work even though he gives you the options of hardly trying. It will highly help your grade if you stay on top of homework, attending classes, and listening. BE WARNED: he is the most boring professor I have ever, and I do mean EVER had.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Apr 2013
This professor's lectures are literally of him reading the textbook to you. There is a textbook you buy and do problems out of and then there is a book of lecture notes. He is really bad at understanding questions that students ask him and just says what is in the book again. If you have a mac, don't take his class because he has you use an application that do not work on macs. He has the most monotone voice I have ever heard. He goes off about random times he had in the navy or air force or whatever. He does let you out early sometimes and his tests are not too hard if you study. He lets you have a cheat sheet. The only reason I got an A in this class is because I studied my ass off for the final and if the grade you get on the final is better than the grade you would get as a whole, he just puts the grade you got on the final, as your final grade. One time I stayed after class when he let us out after only half the time class was supposed to last, so he literally had time to re-explain EVERYTHING. I told him I felt like I was looking at Latin and he asked me if I liked Latin. I told him "No. I never took it so I don't understand any of it." He said: "Oh, thats unfortunate" and walked out of the room. Deduce what you will about his willingness to help students from that anecdote.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Jun 2013
Deaton himself is very boring, the class sucks. But, it is possible to do well! You have to teach yourself the material pretty much. I reccommend taking it with friends so you can study together! its pretty hard, but manageable. i would take anyone but deaton though

STAT 218


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2010
Do not take this professor. He only speaks in monotone, which makes it impossible to stay awake especially in the mornings. He tries to explain the material but he only shows the formulas to get the answer and doesn\'t explain the concepts. If you get stuck with this man I recommend signing up for a study session in the library. Saved my life. On the plus side, the homework load isn\'t bad and he lets you have open book and open note on every test except the first one. He is a fair grader and the homeworks are only graded on completeness not accuracy. In the end, if you had to get this guy just make sure you have some alternative method to being taught the material.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
May 2010
Most of my friends and myself received an A in his class. He is a part time teacher, so you won\'t see him too often on PASS. I only took this course because I had last registration and I figured because I took stats in high school, this would be a breeze. It really was, well, I got B\'s on his tests, but I have no idea how he changed my grade to an A. He gives three tests (including the final), but he will drop your lowest test score. All of his tests, except for the first one are open book and notes. He also gives out homework assignments, but they aren\'t due until the end of the quarter. They are super easy to get full credit on. If you attempt to do the hw and make sure you label every question, you\'ll be fine. As for the class, oh my gosh, it is so freaking boring. He drones on and on in his monotone voice and super tight t-shirts. He never takes attendance, so if you are comfortable with the material, just check the lecture notes that he emails to you and read the book. He claims you\'ll need the CD in the book, but really you don\'t ever need it. As for the stats program, MINITAB, it doesn\'t work on macs. However, I NEVER used it. He doesn\'t ask for you to use it on the test or homework, so screw MINITAB. This was one of the worst classes I\'ve ever taken. On the first day of class he\'ll talk about his life and how he blames minorities for his problems. So I really regret taking this class with him, but at least it was a class I NEVER had to worry about.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Nov 2010
Deaton was an okay professor. He covered all the material that he tested on pretty well, and his midterms were open note, so as long as you reviewed the material you could do well on his multiple choice exams. Not the greatest class, but if you have to get it over with, Deaton\'s class is not that difficult.


Junior
A
Required (Support)
Feb 2012
Okay so this guys rating is like 1.5/4, but it was seriously the easiest class of my life. Go ahead and scroll down the reviews to see the grades the students got...all A's and B's, this class, although extremely boring, requires minimal effort. I went to half the classes for the quarter but still ended up with a solid A. Do yourself a favor and take his class.

MATH 221


Freshman
N/A
Required (Support)
Apr 2002
Unorthodoxed way of testing calculus: multiple choice tests. Homework load is decent. He lets you turn it in late until a few weeks before finals. This guy can't really answer your questions. He isn't a people-person. The students and the math workshop coordinator go to him for advice and come out little to nothing.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Apr 2002
Professor Deaton tries hard, but the fact is: if you arent understanding the material, he cant help you. Just try not to fall behind because he wont be able to answer your questions. He is fair, and presents the material somewhat clearly, but like I said, he can only explain things in one way--his way, so try to adapt.


Freshman
C
General Ed
Dec 2002
The homework load was not too bad, but make sure you really understand the material because he won't teach it to you. I would suggest not taking this professor, but if you have to then you should read through the section before you go to class so you have an idea of what you're going to learn because he won't teach you. His test are really hard, eben though they are multiple choice. They are a lot harder than any homework problem he assigns. So, basically stay away from Commander Deaton if you can but otherwise get outside help to elarn the material.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2002
HE was able to present the materail but the class was quite boring. He taught mainly from the textbook.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Dec 2002
Len's workload overall is not too bad...there is homework every night (which is graded on effort and can be turned in late without penalty), 3 midterms, and a cumalative final. The midterms and the final is primarily composed of multiple choice questions and a few short answer, and the questions are fair. He allows you to use a calculator (even a TI-89, which I would highly recommend) on all homeowrk and exams. His lectures are pretty boring and he is rather hard to hear if you are sitting in the back. He will usually explain things in terms of theory which ends up becoming the most complicated way, so it is easy not to get confused. Overall I would recommend him to those who are good at math and don't need much explanation, but if math isnt your subject he definitely is not your guy. Either way be sure to get the solutions manual which can serve more helpful then your notes.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2002
Deaton knows his material but explains it unclearly. And it's hard to stay awake in his class, he is very monotone and boring. He is very uninteresting which makes it hard to pay attention and learn the material. However the tests aren't too hard, they are about 30 questions, multiple choice with 2 or 3 short answers. No pop quizes. He is quite boring, however it's an easy B class.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jan 2003
Professor Deaton knows a lot about calculus, and if you have taken this class before it will be very easy. He can be a bit confusing because he goes over material fast but he is willing to answer all questions and is very easy going. He never gets mad. He grades based on 3 test which as mostly multiple choice and a final but will give you the higher of your cumulative grade or final exam grade for the class.


Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Feb 2003
Deaton was a cool guy. He means well, but is not the greatest teacher. Homework counts, so that helps pull up the bad test grades. I went into the final with a D and came out with a B. I did get lost a lot in class and usually did my homework for that night while he was lecturing. If you want a chill guy, take Deaton, but to learn the material, maybe try another teacher.


Freshman
D
Required (Major)
Feb 2003
Dr. Deaton definitely tries. He is a genius, and that makes it difficult for any math teacher to have it make sense. His tests are very easy, all multiple choice, but they do require that you still know the material. Yeah, I got a D, but that's only because I didn't show up to class. Show up to class, and you're guaranteed at least an A or a B. If you don't understand the information, don't see him because he won't be much help. Go to tutoring or something and you might learn a lot more. He gives homework every night-and collects it. Homework is equal to a test grade, which really boosts up your grade. Take him if you know a little about math or are good at it.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Nov 2011
Len is an interesting man. I mean stats is not easy but he tries to help the students by allowing whatever grade you get on the final to replace your overall grade in the class (as long as it is higher than your regular grade). All tests are open book or note card but shockingly that is not as easy as it sounds. Naturally with a test being open book, you'll study less. The problem is you only have 50 minutes for at least 30 questions, so not much time for open book anyways. People did not do too well on tests but put some time in and study and you can pull it off. Dont go to class, so boring, but if you do take good notes cos it will pay off for those open book tests. Make sure you write examples in your notes. Boring teacher but seems like a good guy, classy. I would probably take him over most stats teachers anyways.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2011
Picture if you will: Mr. Clean meets Ben Stein. This class is the most boring and monotonous class you will ever take. It is extremely hard to 1. Show up and 2. Stay awake. Your grade is either a composite of 3 midterms, homework, and the final OR just the final. Deaton will not teach you (I once asked a question and his response was “I don’t know why you think that way…”). He provides you w/ a book consisting of his lectures verbatim which is handy b/c you basically have to teach yourself the material (I recommend a study group). Take this class if you can teach yourself stat or already know it pretty well.

STAT 221


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Sep 2002
Professor Deaton is an okay teacher, but he can only teach one way (his way). He presents material clearly enough, but it can be easy to dose off since he speaks in monotone at least half of the time. If students have questions, he will answer them as best he can. I had his class five times a week, and I skipped about one session per week to keep my sanity. His tests are multiple choice and all but the first were open book, so no complaints there. I would have gotten an A instead of a B+ if I studied harder, but the subject matter isn't very interesting. There may be better statistics professors out there, but don't dread taking this one if you have to.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2002
Professor Deaton is a great guy. The work load is very heavy. I'm not kidding, at least 20 stats problems a night. The tests are fair, but on the last 2 midterms and the final you get to use any notes and it is open book (the first midterm you only use a cheat sheet). Deaton really knows what he is talking about and he presents the material straight forward and very clearly. The only way to get through the class is to attend it EVERYDAY. If you miss one class you fall a week behind. If you want a fair and knowledgeable teacher take Deaton, otherwise good luck finding anyone better. I give Deaton my highest recommendation.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2002
Deaton was a great instructor! This class was no breeze by any means. It is a lot of work and you definately need to attend class as MUCH AS POSSIBLE. It was a hard class, but he did a great job going through every section with great detail. He was always there to answer any questions. If you make the effort, he will definately help you as much as possible.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Jan 2004
easy class. his tests werent really based on math, just concepts and definitions. he assigns a lot of hw but he only grades it on the completeness of it, not if you did it right, and hw counts for a lot so it really helps. if you want an easy stats class, take deaton


Freshman
N/A
Required (Support)
Feb 2008
Okay, why the heck is everyone giving him such bad ratings? I was a little weary to take him after reading this site, but turns out Mr. Deaton is VERY CLEAR in his lectures, VERY PRECISE, answers any and all questions, and for your mid-terms and final you're allowed to use ANY AND ALL NOTES--including the book of notes he wrote and the textbook! His tests are all multiple choice too--no surprises and VERY easy. DEATON IS THE MAN!


Freshman
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2009
I only missed one class and what did i learn? nothing of value. His tests were mutliple choice, and he skipped sections of the book at the end. He tells you how to understand minitab, which is not helpful because you cannot use it on the test. The class was not hard, but he didn't explain anything well. He is a well-capable man, he is smart,but he was just not good at explaining anything. If you have already taken stats, I recommend him for an easy A but if you're looking for a professor to explain stuff to you, don't take him.


Sophomore
N/A
Required (Support)
Dec 2012
Unanimous champion of the Most-Boring-Lecturer award since he was tenured back in 1875... Not only does he have a lackluster personality and a voice that could put an ADHD child on cocaine to sleep, but he puts in absolutely zero effort into teaching the course. Unless you have a God given talent to teach yourself college material, or a knack for STATS - if you have ANY other option, don't take Deaton.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2012
Jesus, Deaton sucks as a lecturer and it surprises me that Cal Poly has kept him on the payroll. Students have to teach themselves entirely by practicing and reading the problems in the book book if they simply want to pass. Deaton does not teach the fundamentals during lecture. Needs to retire or retake a communications course because he is SO DULL.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
May 2013
Could never stay awake in this class because of his monotone, soft voice. Not only that, but he is literally 70 years old and cannot relate to his students at all. He read off the slides exactly what was in his class notes and did not teach at all. If you have the choice take someone else over him. The final was SO f-ing hard but the other 2 midterms weren't too bad. The homework is also BS because there are 30 something assignments that he averages to give you only 100 points for homework..and he can never get anything straight in his grade book and forget about reasoning with him about it. Pretty much his class was a disaster and even cheating couldn't save some of the students. Don't take him

STAT 251


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2005
There is no way Deaton deserves such a low rating. His class may be a little boring at times but the material is boring in the first place. His tests are very fair and easy. The average midterm score for the class was 85 and the final was very easy. I've heard a lot worse about teachers with higher ratings... This class was easy i reccomend it.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Jan 2006
This guy is MONOTONOUS. If you like taking a nap every day in class (or at home...) take this guy. He can put you to sleep SO easily. However, if you can just sit through those BORING lectures, you'll be fine in the class. I skipped a lot of class cuz it was too boring and he doesn't take role. That resulted in a pretty bad grade since I can't teach myself math very well. His grading is really easy, though. Just do the homework and you get 10 points for each assignment. The tests are all open-note and open-book, even the final. You grade is either your cumulative grade or your grade on the final--he takes the best one. In short, it's not a difficult class IF you go to class every day and listen without falling asleep.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2006
i love Deaton!! He is such a nice guy, even though the class is FREaKING boring and he doesn't really know what he's talking about....but it was a really easy class, and he's a very nice guy. Just ask him about his days in the military and he will love you


Sophomore
C
Required (Support)
Oct 2006
Two Words: Mr. Clean. That's for sure your first impression of this fool. Bald head, big arms that he always crosses over his chest. Serious look alike. Beyond that, first day of class you'll be aware of how boring he will be. Yeh stats sucks balls anyways so of course its boring, but Mr. Clean is also Mr. Monotone. I'm taking Ben Stein status. You like the guy cuz he is nice and easy to manipulate. My grade was totally my fault. I had him for 251 and 252 and never really went to class cuz I found myself drowning out his lectures anyways so didnt waste my time. A lot of students did that b/c attendance wasnt graded and while homework had due dates, you arent punished for late work, so really all hw is due at the end of the quarter. he is a nice guy, and if you want to strain yourself and sit through his lectures, or at least read the chapters, you should do fine. i just didnt want to do that, and thank god i had him for 252, or ida been screwed mega hard for that class.


Sophomore
C
Required (Major)
Feb 2007
Ok DEaton Was boring as Hell, But the class is so simple. You have open note/open book test. Basically as long as you go to class and try to listen to what he says and write somekind of notes down you will pass. I skipped class alot, barely did my homework without copying from the sloutions manual and passed no problem. The test are long, but just take your time and use your notes. TAKE HIM IF YOU WANT A WAY CHILL CLASS!!!


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Jan 2008
Deaton does have a terrible monotonous voice that completely put me to sleep too many times. The class was rough to pay attention to and really absorb information. He wasn't too helpful in office hours either. But mulitple choice midterms and final really helps. Also after a while he gives open notes and formula sheets. Do the homework to get easy credit points and make a good formula sheet and you're golden for at least a B. Just drink some caffeine before you go.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2008
easy multiple choice tests and final if you know what your doing. I taught myself everything and thought he was really easy but if you don't know what your doing another teacher might be better at teaching, but probably also have harder tests. He doesn't care if you come to class or if you turn in all your homework at the end of the quarter. I'd take him if you had stats in high school.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2008
Deaton's class is extremely boring and I learned more by reading the textbook every day after class. He just uses overhead notes that he typed up ahead of time, and then he just reads the notes to the class. There is almost nothing interactive about his class. He has nightly homework assignments which are generally pretty easy. He gives two midterms and a final. For the first midterm you can use one page of notes, and for the second midterm and final, you can use notes and the textbook. In general, he's not a good teacher and he doesn't teach you anything that you can't read about in the textbook. In fact, I found that the textbook is more clear and gives better examples than him.


Freshman
A
Required (Major)
Mar 2011
downside: ridiculously monotone voice, lectures are a fat snooze fest upside: 1st midterm is open note, 2nd midterm and final are open note & book. if you do better on the final than your cumulative grade in the class, he gives you that grade in the class. hence my grade went from a C to an A. very lenient on homework due dates. horrible teacher in class but extremely helpful during office hours. easy A if you are good at reading/teaching yourself the material via textbook. potential disaster if stats doesnt come easily to you


Freshman
Credit
Required (Support)
Mar 2012
IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS CLASS: I have the book for sale. It's brand new in the wrapping and all from the Corral Book store. I bought it too late, so I can't return it for a decent refund. If you were planning to buy the book from the book store, I would appreciate it if you could just buy mine so I get my money back! I mean, if you were gonna pay that much anyways...... Just e-mail me for it - lthreets@calpoly.edu. You don't have to go to class because you probably won't learn anything and he usually just does examples the whole time. Minitab means nothing, you will be never be graded on it and if you work on a Mac you can't use it anyways. He lets you turn in the homeworks late up until a certain date. The tests aren't too hard. SO, basically this class is made for a slacker/procrastinator. You can literally do nothing for the entire quarter (no homework or midterms, the only assignments) and then take the final and get an A. That's not what I did (haha, oops), but you totally could because the grade earned on the final can replace your overall grade. As he told me, all he cares about is that you know the material at the end of the quarter. If you're good at teaching yourself things, feel comfortable with Stats, feel uncomfortable with Stats and just want to get it over with, don't like attending class, aren't looking for a super involved teacher, aren't willing to take on a heavy workload/don't want to have to worry about assignments frequently, are a good test taker, just don't want this class to be a big deal, and/or have limited choices due to a late rotation - this may be the class for you! On the other hand, if you're looking for a real learning experience with an involved teacher and intense course outline, this is definitely not the class for you.


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2012
If you have taken Stats in High School, this is an easy A. If you haven't, you basically teach yourself in this class. Imagine the most boring lecturer you've ever had, then multiply that times 100. Thankfully he doesn't take roll.


Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Jun 2012
If you're taking this class e-mail lthreets@calpoly.edu and I'll sell you the book. It's still in the packaging from the Corral Bookstore. Business STATISTICS 2nd ed (Sharp, DeVeaux, Velleman)


Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Nov 2015
Although he may talk about his life and his stories of the war often, Len is a cute old man and a great teacher. His class gets boring because, especially when you're in his 7 AM but it was a great class and an easy A. All the powerpoint are on polylearn so don't bother copying the powerpoint unless he does extra credit. His tests are pretty easy, especially with the first midterm having one cheat sheet and the second midterm and final being open book and note. You learn a lot in this class because he actually teaches and if you got at least twice a week and study the notes and do the homework, you'll get a B at least!

STAT 252


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2002
ok, somebody explain to me why this man is a college professor? actually i will restate this.........how is it possible that anybody allows him to teach anywhere? First he has no ability to communicate. He talks and talks and nobody knows what is going on until somebody asks a question and he gives some bulcrap answer. I did not really learn one thing the whole class that i will remember. Just study right before the test and you will be fine. The homework is really easy, the tests are openbook, but it is a five unit class five days a week and if you want to suffer through a whole quarter with this man than good luck to you.


Junior
A
Required (Support)
Jul 2002
I don't know what everyone's big fuss is over Len. He presents all material simply enough, then gives a multiple choice test. It is easy to do well in his class, but that doesn't make him a bad teacher. I liked him, and I still remember most of the material.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Feb 2004
I'm not sure that Prof. Deaton actually earned his teaching credentials.....ever. I'm pretty sure he got into teaching at poly becuz he was a naval commander. He started the class VERY unprepared, not having read much of the text or learned how the math system here works (he didn't know what SI classes were). Every day he would pass out packets that teach us how to input data into a computer program and thats all he expected from us. He didn't want us to know how to do stats cuz he believed when we had a job we would have a program or a computer to do the work. All tests are open book and open note, and basically a joke. His teaching method is boring and he can't really answer student's questions either. Basically I would say take ANYONE else for 252. I've heard a lot of professors suck, but I have talked to other people and I KNOW that they are better than Deaton. Unless you think that 65 year old men that have bigger bicepts than your legs are cool, take someone else.


Sophomore
N/A
Required (Support)
Mar 2004
Dr. Deaton is a really nice person and a solid professor. He really knows what he's talking about and I believe he genuinely wants his students to do well. He was always helpful in class and was willing to assist people who had trouble understanding concepts. The lectures can get tedious at times and I sometimes found it hard to concentrate, but that's because the material is not very interesting. You need to have a solid understanding of the material covered in 251 or else this class will be much harder. Dr. Deaton does assign homework, but it's very easy to get full marks and you're allowed to turn it all in near the end of the quarter. He gave two midterms this quarter and I didn't find them to be too difficult, but you definitely need to study and know what's going on. Take Dr. Deaton if you did well in 251; he's an asset to Cal Poly.


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2004
BEWARE OF DEATON! he's terrible! i didn't learn anything from him and only got a B because homework is worth a really high percentage of your grade. he has a good policy that if the grade on your final exam is higher than the combination of final, mid-terms, and HW, he'll give you the higher grade. but still, he confused me .. and i think he confused himself. i don't even think he knows how to do statistics! he's even more confusing during office hours .. his tests are all mult choice (which is weird, but good i guess), but seriously .. avoid him if you can.


Senior
B
Required (Support)
Jul 2004
Deaton is a cool guy. He is laid back and that really helps the learning process with a subject such as statistics where you have to learn the basics before you can conquer difficult questions. Some found class boring, but whatever, it's stats, don't expect a class where you are sitting on the edge of your seat and you'll appreciate Deaton. He is a smart guy that is retired military, probably doesn't need to be teaching, but enjoys it and that is worth a lot.


Sophomore
C
Required (Support)
Apr 2007
Deaton is horrible. The guy doesnt know how to teach. We would show up he would read his slides to us (which are in his corral notes) and then say any questions and let us leave in 20 min. Nothing on the HW or from lecture was on the test. I dont know where he got his test questions from. I went in after the first midterm to see if i could get some help and all he said was do the hw and study my notes. THAT OBVIOUSLY DIDNT WORK THE FIRST TIME. I went from an A- in 251 to a C+ in his class. DO NOT TAKE DEATON

STAT 321


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2007
Pretty much everything said here so far about Deaton is true. This guy has the most monotonous voice ever, you'll think it's a joke at first. There were 3 midterms and a final, all multiple choice, and after the first midterm everything was open-book and open-notes, so they shouldn't be much trouble. This class is pretty much a joke, I didn't do any of the homework and studied only a few hours for the tests and still ended up with a B. If you know a little bit of stats already and just want an easy good grade I guess Deaton's for you, but don't expect him to explain anything to you without putting you to sleep.


Senior
A
Required (Support)
Nov 2008
Thank goodness the weather is getting chilly and he started wearing a jacket b/c he has iron hard nipples everyday that shows through his tshirts. On top of those disturbingly distracting man-features, he wears shoes that sqeak way louder than his old man mumble & grumble. I got an 100 and 86 on the first two midterms because they were multiple choice and were very easy. However, after the half way point of the quarter, he stop lecturing and started to read the statistic textbook to the class. This class is pretty easy, I've never ever been so irritated and disturbed by any teacher before. Go ahead and endure him for 10 weeks for an easy A.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2009
Like the reviews below, Deaton has an extremely monotonous voice. There were many times when I found myself dozing off in his class during some of those ridiculous problems that take a half hour for him to solve on the board. Not to mention that sometimes he mumbles and speaks at a low volume so if you're in the back of the room you might miss what he's saying, especially since he keeps the door open and distracting noises come from the hall outside. I was surprised that I earned a B in his class. I got a B- on the first test, and then failed the next 2 midterms with a 64 and 57 respectively. The tests get harder as you progress. I'm pretty sure I didn't do well on the final either, so the only thing I can think of that earned me that B was the fact that I did and turned in ALL of the homework. The homework counts as much as a midterm in the class, so since I technically aced that part it may have helped. Use cramster.com! I downloaded a copy of the solutions to the homework problems in the book but it was for an old edition - I couldn't find the current edition's solutions. Fortunately most of the problems he assigns are odd, which cramster gives to you solved out for free if you sign up for an account with them. So yeah, be prepared for MANY boring lectures!


Junior
A
Required (Support)
Dec 2013
Deaton is not as bad as his polyrating score makes him out to be. Yes he's monotone, and yes he doesn't answer questions very well, but he presents the material clearly and grades fairly. He accepts late homework until the end of the quarter and allows your grade final to count as your overall grade if it's better than what your overall grade would be. Overall, he's about average.


Junior
C
Required (Major)
Dec 2014
It's ridiculous how boring he is in class, having him early makes it unbearable. No excitement or passion at all. Some below have said that it's still an easy A, but I found the concepts to be pretty challenging (STAT 321) while I was basically self-teaching myself everything. If you're going to take him, get ready to snuggle with your textbook every night.


Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2015
I had a good time in Len's class. He is an easy going guy that is very lenient in terms of homework and attendance. His midterms were straight forward and multiple choice, open book, open note for all except the first. There is a lot of homework, especially if you lag behind but all of the answers are in the back of the book. If you took stats in highschool, this class will be a breeze.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Feb 2015
Although most of the ratings say Professor Deaton is boring and bad at teaching, my view of him is quite the opposite. Yes he is somewhat monotone, however he definitely knows what he's talking about and is passionate about it. You have to just realize that he's a quiet kind of person. When you ask a question he's never condescending about it (unlike most teachers I've noticed), and he rarely looks at his notes when giving lectures (meaning he knows what he's talking about). I have his class every morning from 8-9, and most of the time i don't even look at the clock. If you want a respectful teacher who is kind and willing to help, choose Professor Deaton. Oh, and all of his tests are easy open note/book tests and you can turn in homework whenever, so it's really easy to get an A.

ENGL 347


Senior
B
General Ed
Nov 2016
This is the first C I have recieved in my entire life. I hope that says something to all of you out there watching their GPA. Do not take him--this class was a nightmare!