Reviews of professor Mingfu Shao

Rating: 2.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
While I don't think the class is particularly difficult, I don't think Mingfu is that good of a professor. He often overcomplicates assignments and doesn't give us adequate time to them. Luckily, he curves a lot, but i wouldn't bet on the curve.

Rating: 1.0/5, difficulty: 5.0/5
Pretty awful in general, does not care about his students much, literally records every lecture but refuses to release them to students unless you're basically dying and were unable to attend class. TAs are also kinda awful, homeworks are LENGTHY as hell barely any help. Just a terrible class for an important concept for CS folks.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
As others have said, his notes are indeed god tier. Other professors could learn a thing or two from him. Instead of mindlessly going through slides, he writes down his thoughts as he teaches. This makes note taking and understanding much easier. If you take this class, make sure he is the one teaching it.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 5.0/5
Prof Shao is a very good professor, but 465 is extremely difficult. He supplies the best typed notes i've ever seen in my life, and explains extremely complex concepts well with drawings and live problem solving. Lectures are a little too face paced, but that's just this course. 15% assignments 85% exams, so study.

Rating: 3.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
He provides really good typed notes after lectures. Sometimes a little confusing during the lecture but overall not bad. Homeworks must be done in Latex and are pretty long but you get used to it and can work in groups. Quizzes have been difficult so far and am expecting the exam to be the same. Really hope he curves

Rating: 2.0/5, difficulty: 3.0/5
Professor Shao himself is not bad; but the course is just horrible. Unclear grading criteria for assignments, wrong problems in exams, etc. All in all, I do NOT recommend anyone's taking this course.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
Cs 465 is arguably one of the hardest cs course you'll have to take. But Prof. Shao makes it less stressful, he gives great lectures with good examples. Mostly importantly, he gives really good handwriting and typed notes and he record lectures.And he was super nice and helpful when I was in sick situation where I can't attend my exam!

Rating: 2.0/5, difficulty: 5.0/5
Mingfu Shao is great at lecturing and helping students to understand concepts. However, the course grading is horrendous. If you get an algorithm slightly wrong on a midterm, expect nearly a 33% deduction for the entire exam. Same goes for homework. If you decide not to attempt problems, you get 30% which just incentivizes you to not even try.

Rating: 4.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
This man's writing was not very good but his typed notes were god tier. I understood most of the stuff he taught in the lectures. His multiple choice was difficult but his free response was doable during the exams and that is why I did decent on the midterm. He is one of the best professor's you will get for this course. Also gave a 6 percent curve