Gail Begley is a Biology professor at Northeastern University rated 3.31/5 by 111 students, with 3.45/5 difficulty (TRACE + RateMyProfessors + Reddit, updated July 2026).
Gail Begley professor reviews and ratings: 3.31/5 from 111 student reviews at Northeastern. TRACE + RateMyProfessor + Reddit.
Only class I ever got below an A in at Northeastern. Tough grader on drafts, very picky, have to do exactly what she says to get points. Is nice enough in class & says she wants everyone to get an A but never happens. By far one of toughest profs for capstone in science. She is retired now but my biggest regret in college was taking her class.BIOL4701 2024-04-24 20:30:43 +0000 UTC
I disliked the pedantic way she graded drafts. Drafts are designed as a first-pass at an assignment or project. The very fact that you put a grade on the drafts incentivizes students to treat it more like the final version. I shouldn't feel the pressure to not make a mistake or explore ideas or concepts that aren't 100% fleshed out yet.BIOL2329 2023-06-05 18:17:10 +0000 UTC
Inquiries with Begley focused on the microbiome, something I am not interested in. We also had service-learning, which made the class so much harder. It was so much work outside of class and I don't think it helped me or the students I was teaching in S-L. The class was a little boring, but she was nice enough and tried to make it interesting.BIOL2299 2020-05-16 19:23:15 +0000 UTC
You could attend office hours as many times as possible and get tutoring and still come out with barely a C- in this course. She is an awful professor and doesn't follow her own rubrics. She grades most assignments on how she feels. The average for the midterm was a 70. TAKE A DIFFERENT INQUIRIES COURSE!2299 2014-12-01 13:33:15 +0000 UTC
She's a tough professor and grader, but also very fair. You don't get a grade in this class, you earn it. She forces you to think like a scientist. I would definitely recommend her if you really want to learn something. She's a great professor. But if you want a free A take someone else.BIOU964 2008-08-22 16:50:31 +0000 UTC
i really wasn't looking forward to fulfilling my science requirement, but professor begley made class worth going to. she's very enthusiastic and active in her field, both in research and community service, which made me truly admire her. the class itself is cake as long as you can make connections between class and your service learning site.BIOU141 2007-07-25 12:21:15 +0000 UTC
the best professor i've had a NU. she's really enthusiastic and passionate about the subject. lectures are always interesting and fun. i almost never used the text, everything you need to know is in the powerpoint lectures. you absolutely must keep up with the work- there's a huge amount of material covered in the course. but it's worth it.BIOCHEM 2006-12-18 22:17:19 +0000 UTC
Begley is a GREAT teacher! She really understands how to communicate difficult concepts and is always open for questions and discussion. Her tests are very fair and although it is a lot of work (you must keep up with lectures, studying and reading assignments) it was a very good class. She focuses on concepts rather than pointless details.BIO323 2006-12-10 20:39:20 +0000 UTC
She's a great person and a great professor. It's hard to get an A, but totally doable as long as you try and aren't dense. Sometimes pulls out obscure material on tests, but all has been convered in class.BIOU321 2006-11-30 13:14:07 +0000 UTC
I've had 2 classes with Begley and done research with her. She is hands-down the best prof at NU. She clearly loves what she does, and you don't feel like an idiot asking questions. She is a brilliant scientist who can communicate at the undergrad level, making hard concepts seem easy. She should be the standard by which all others are judged.BIOCHEMMICRO 2006-03-31 17:32:50 +0000 UTC
Very strict on grading to the point that it is unfairBIO232 2005-12-12 20:44:57 +0000 UTC
Awesome Prof, I wish more NU profs were like her!!MICROBIO 2005-04-04 19:26:46 +0000 UTC
great teacher, you larn a lot but a great pace, and no matter what you'll understandBIOU121 2005-01-08 18:14:15 +0000 UTC
fantasticBIO320 2004-08-16 14:07:23 +0000 UTC
No CommentsBIOLOMAGY 2004-02-25 20:19:32 +0000 UTC
Gail Begley has an average rating of 3.31/5 from 111 student reviews.
Gail Begley's classes have a difficulty rating of 3.45/5 based on student reviews.
Gail Begley has taught BIOL2329, BIOL4701, BIOL3411, BIOL2299, BIOL1000 at Northeastern.
Data updated July 2026.