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Hey you. Are you thinking of taking Barbara Kacer's class? Then listen up, because I'm not writing this out of revenge. I'm writing this to help people not to go through what I did.
If you take Kacer, you may have a nervous breakdown. Accept this. If you've looked at the amount of negative reviews you should have a good idea of what this woman will put you through. She can be incompetent, rude, stubborn, unreasonable, boring, belittling--the list goes on. She was the singlemost frustrating professor I have ever met. There were times at which I literally wanted to run away from campus. I had nightmares about her, often.
If you take her, realize that you might find her likeable at times. She often offsets her students by taking a dump on them, yet acting chummy at other times. She can be unpredictable.
Here is a very important key to surviving this class: meet with her in her office often. Her instructions are often terribly unclear and you will need explanations and re-explanations. Meeting with her will also endear you to her, if you are respectful and deferring. Don't be so afraid of her that you avoid her.
Don't bother complaining to her. She will not sympathize. Defer to her. Play the part of the stupid humble student when you need help.
Get the phone numbers of several other students. You will need to support eachother as a class in order to get through this. You may need to talk to someone just to vent, if nothing else.
No matter how much time is wasted in class (you will be bored out of your mind) you need to show up, as she will give you critical information concerning her over-complicated projects. Pay careful to everything she says about her projects. If you miss small details she will dock you big time. What I mean is this: it is easier to lose points on projects than to make them. MANY times I have spent one all-nighter after another on a project. I turn the thing in to her--and I mean, my blood is in this thing--and recieve it back several weeks later, only to find I have a D along with several carelessly scrawled comments (comments that barely even make sense). You often won't find out just what it is she wanted until you get your project back. The projects will seem easy at first, by the way. Don't let this fool you. It's going to get ugly.
I suggest bringing a healthy snack and something to drink to class. You've got to be there, and you'll be there for a long time.
Another thing: Kacer will probably embarrass you in front of the class at some point. Don't take it personally. It's not you. It's her. She doesn't realize how insensitive she can be sometimes.
Finally, if there is any way at all, I plead with you to avoid this class. Most people who take it earn a B. However, after all the work you have done you may not feel the B was worth it. You will get a horrible workload, and very little helpful instruction or appreciation. You will feel your college tuition is being wasted, at times. You may feel like you're being toyed with psychologically, when she plays "good cop, bad cop."
If you can't avoid this class, don't despair. It can be done, just be careful and try not to take it along with a heavy course-load. Make friends with smart people in your class. Good luck.
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Multiple Choice