Gregory A. Antipa

Yes, I did read the reviews before I took the class and they did scare me. I did, however, really want to learn electron microscopy. Through the semester, I had a great time. Dr. Antipa was always willing to help. I liked him alot and really enjoyed his sarcastic sense of humor. Maybe I saw him in a different light since there were only 6 people in the course. I think if people were to know him at this close of level, they would actually see that he does want to help. You just have to get past his sense of humor and he ends up being a really great teacher, as well as a great person.

This class has been a trip into the Twilight Zone because he's scattered and the information is not emphasized fully. In the end, most of the students - myself included - scurry through terms and cross our fingers that he'll ask what we memorized out of the millions of terms. It is not an enjoyable challenging class. It has been an academic "bs" class that is uninspiring. Oh yeah, he lies about the class average scores and does not curve.

My advice is find another class to fulfill your requirements; check with your advisor. First of all, allow me to preface this review by telling you why I had to take this class. I already have a cell science BS degree,but the SFSU bio dep't, in its infinitly asanine wisdumb made me take this course as a prereq to my MA program. As though the dozen or so cell classes I've already taken aren't enough. They should rename Cell Bio 350 "Ancient History and Dogma of Cell Bio", as we rehashed the same tripe we've all been hearing since 10th grade or earlier(Remember, Schlieden, Schwann, and van Leeuwenhook are on the first exam) SFSU in general and SFSU Bio dep't in particular love to justify their own existences, which would be great if we were an Ivy league/ top 10 school, but SFSU is so far from there it's depressing. I would never want to teach there, I think I'd need Prozac, or end up taking my own life. It's too bad really, because there are a few good instructors/researchers, but you'd never know it due to all the crap the university imposes. The class wasn't really too bad once you figured out Antipa's system. Remember to complete EVERY outside assignment for extra credit, and study the old exams extensively, on a daily basis. Review your classnotes every day, and compare with other students, small study groups meeting on a regular basis are the way to go. Consider taping the exams to study from. They'll come in handy later on when you are considering a lawsuit. As far as how good of an instructor he is, who the hell cares. We're all gonna wind up as research drones anyway, with the exception of a few fortuneate, coddled preemie brats. So, study up, beat those premeds at their sick, corrupt game, get the hell out of SF State, and onto the career path. Surprisingly, you really can learn a great deal of esoteric crap in this class, much of which is useful at interviews for grad school or biotech jobs. Remember this is an upper division class, not for the timid.Don't try to squeeze this class in the same semester you are doing OChem, Physics and Genetics. If you really hate Antipa try Auleb, but I don't think you will get anything more out of his class. Antipa really whips you into shape, so wimps beware. He's really fun to watch what with the remnants of his skull surgery visible below his scalpline and his frequent verbal misassociations. Sometimes he will use an inapproprite or inarticulate word in every sentence, so if you are a foreign student, watch out. On the other hand, if you are planning to go into neurology, Antipa may be your first case study on the damage which may occur as the result of an anuerism. The semester I took it, the graders screwed me for points,repeatedly. Make sure you get the answer key and go over every point. Check the addition of points, there were errors on my exams and many others. Go to the office after the final has been graded and check your final exam and total points. Here's another clue: this was the first time in my entire education where a final grade was reported incorrectly. So, if you need practice memorizing every word someone says so you can impress the medical schools, take this class. It'll fit in nicely with the other miniscule scraps of knowledge that pass for an education that you'll get as a preemie. Otherwise, seek an alternative to this class. I have seen Auleb lecture and I doubt if taking it with Auleb will be much more interesting, but it might be more a little easier. I thought the class was a major hassle at first, but grew accustomed to it after some time. Antipa does get you prepped for competition; sort of like boot camp for bio majors.In retrospect, I enjoyed it, but wouldn't take it again! I would take the electron microscopy class with Antipa, though.He can be a good guy, but he comes across as a jerk, at first. Once you make the grade with him, he'll take care of you. Strangely enough, his grad students seem to think he's great. People either like him or hate him.I once walked into Trader Joe's and an attractive woman I'd swear I'd never seen said to me "I'll kill that fucker!". Turned out she sat behind me a few rows, but that's a typical response. Do not fall behind. If you aren't pulling a 70 on the first exam, I'd drop, unless you are getting A's on the take homes.Try and get A's on the take homes. I can guarantee you'll get screwed on the final. Also, follow all assignments to the letter.

Best of Luck

Standard Midterm and Tests. He went through the trouble of publishing his own text to save students money. Very cool, easy to get interested in his lectures! The Electron Microscopy Class is really a lot of work, but work every single of those hundreds of hours I put in!!! That class rocks!!!! Just be prepared to get a reinvention of the wheel when you ask a question. Make sure you know the material in the class, although it's interesting, it's not B.S. - you gotta know your stuff.

ANTIPA'S NAME FITS HIM PERFECTLY IN SPANISH"ANTIPATICO" IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ANYTHING ABOUT THIS CLASS LOOK THIS WORD UP IN THE SPANISH DICTIONARY. IT SAYS IT ALL. UNORGANIZED,RUDE,TREATS STUDENTS LIKE MIERDA. OVERALL HE'S GREAT KNOWLEDGE IN ELECTRON MICROSCOPY TAUGHT ME ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT CELL BIOLOGY, THE COURSE TOPIC. PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF AND TAKE AULEB, I DID WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! I WAS FORTUNATE TO PASS HIS CLASS,BUT SAT IN IN ONE OF AULEB'S COURSE AND HE'S DEFINITELY AN INSTRUCTOR. PROPS TO DR. AULEB A TRUE PROFESSOR. ALLOWS STUDENTS TO LEARN, WITHOUT SHOWING OFF HIS PERSONALITY OR HIS STATUS.

Okay, so the guy talks a little fast. But it's no faster than it takes for you to jot down workable, legible notes. He always talks alot before he writes stuff on the transparency, but any experienced note taker would not be overwhelmed. The thing is that the book has almost nothing to do with this class. I would say, don't even bother buying it. Becasue he totally tests based on lecture, and his lecture usually consists of a little of cell bio here and there, and then experiments on how they found out this or that, and some of his favorite "Tetrahymena" or "protozoa" examples thrown in. It's very clear what he asks on the tests. He usually gives you 6-7 questions at the beginning of class to write down, and those are what you have to find out and know for the test. And get a hold of his old tests and know them like the back of your Tetrahymena. Also, the review sessions are helpful. If you go to his office hours, he'll usually hedge around questions, becasue he wants you to think of the answer yourself. I know, not the most effective way, but he's definitely not Satan. The only major flaw in his teaching is that he pauses a lot, and makes a few disjointed sentences here and there. But he's never so disjointed that you can't ace his tests.

This professor has been affectionately named "Satan" by many in the class, as his sarcastic mannerism and over-inflated ego make it impossible for any students to seek outside help. Within the first few hours of the class, he succeeded in demeaning the students in the class roughly twenty times. His lectures are too fast to be understood by most, and delved entirely too far into his speciality Electron Microscopy, which he reminded us countless times The class also meets in the middle of the afternoon, when most students are ready to take an afternoon nap. If you would like to come out of a class constantly irritated and frustrated with life, take Dr. Antipa. Otherwise WAIT for spring. He teaches in the fall semesters.