William Mayer is a Political Science professor at Northeastern University rated 3.07/5 on Rate My Professors by 61 students, with 2.8/5 RMP difficulty and 58% who would take them again (RateMyProfessors + Reddit, updated October 2026).
William Mayer professor reviews and ratings: 3.07/5 from 61 RMP ratings at Northeastern (58% would take again). RateMyProfessor + Reddit.
He's a kind person who offers to take students out for coffee every Wednesday. However, the terms he uses during class are extremely outdated, and his lectures are hard to listen to and are fatiguing. There are like three grades that go into the gradebook, but he does offer a makeup for students who do badly on one of them. Would not take again.POLS1150 2026-04-17 18:12:03 +0000 UTC
The class was graded on two quizzes and a midterm, but as long as you take notes during class you'll be totally fine. If you miss a day get notes from a friend. He's not great with technology (doesn't upload grades to Canvas) but it's easy to calculate your own grade. He takes students out for coffee every week, really nice and knowledgable guy.POLS2330 2026-03-23 02:25:59 +0000 UTC
Avoid at all costs! Grade is midterm + final. Only feedback comes from midterm. Won't require attendance. But expects you regurgitate his perspective on exams, so show up if you want an A. Boring lectures ONLY. They're outdated and sometimes repugnant. Used M*A*S*H as contemporary example once. Personal politics interferes with quality.POLS3320 2024-01-08 11:16:10 +0000 UTC
Lecture-heavy course on what is sometimes outdated material. Unfortunately, little feedback/criteria is given for assignments, so you won't know your grade or what you're doing incorrectly. Hard to get in contact with via email but made himself available to students via office hours.POL 2023-12-26 18:54:35 +0000 UTC
Does a commendable job towing the line between his own political views and objectively teaching the course- and what he doesnt know about the course material isnt worth knowing. That said, his accessibility and email response rate need improvement; he isnt always at his office hours when the syllabus says he will be. Otherwise very good prof.POLS3310 2019-01-25 05:34:39 +0000 UTC
He loves teaching this class, People who don't like him, are just cranky because you don't appreciate the awesomeness that is William T. Mayer. Super Clear, great guy, character, just an awesome teacher, super fair. I admire him greatly and he is very intelligent - Am Pol ThoughtPOLU330 2009-04-14 12:02:47 +0000 UTC
good teachAABA 2007-01-21 00:12:14 +0000 UTC
he was awful. i attended every class, took down every note, restated what he said and more on the exams and got graded POORLY along with others. kids who didn't show up got good grades, unfair. boring as hell. will never take another class with him.. class was based on midterm+final. marked things wrong that he said were right in lecture.. AWFULLL.POLU310 2007-01-07 01:05:11 +0000 UTC
Listen up chumps... Mayer is the man. You can complain all you want, but until you've gotten one of his priceless gambling analogies, a show of his rightwing fury over Bill and Hillary, or some sarcastic response that solidifies his place amongst the academic elite, you just haven't lived. Give the man a B+; except when teaching Quant; that's a C-.POL9999 2006-11-03 14:00:43 +0000 UTC
This is simple. He's rude to the point where its almost funny. NEVER take quant. tech. with him because he openly admits he hates teaching the class. BUT his other classes are easy, he's an easy grader, doesn't care if you're there or not, and makes the tests easy because by his own admission he hates grading/paper work.AMER1 2006-11-01 04:20:23 +0000 UTC
Interesting class if you read the material. Gives clear notes so you know what to expect on the exam. Pretty easy grader too.AMERPOLTHGHT 2006-05-13 23:04:16 +0000 UTC
Get over the fact he's conservative- he's extremely smart, and unless you're a total cretin, you should easily pass this class. It's very interesting, and if you take notes, the tests are a breeze.MASSMEDIA 2006-03-31 10:53:08 +0000 UTC
Boring+Republican. Stutters like mad. Knows his stuff tho. only midterm and final for grades. I didn't buy the book, and never read anything for the class. If you go to class and takes notes, you'll do okay. Not particularly polite or helpful, but grades easy.If its between him and someone bad, take him. I hear hes not good w/ quant tech.U320MASSMEDIA 2005-12-21 17:56:32 +0000 UTC
I'll make it simple. He's one of the worst teachers a Northeastern. Almost funny how rude he is. Way to many things to get into so the bottom is never take this class.For poli sci majors, try to wait until somebody else teaches it. During the first class,he made it obvious he didn't want to teach the class, so don't expect any extra effort from himQUANTTECH 2005-12-13 02:14:07 +0000 UTC
Light course load, only midterm and final. But I didnt learn as much as i would have liked. His teaching style is a little lame. If its between him and something you know sucks, take him.POL320 2005-11-17 11:03:56 +0000 UTC
William Mayer is rated 3.07/5 on Rate My Professors from 61 ratings. 58% of RMP reviewers said they would take them again.
William Mayer's classes have a difficulty rating of 2.8/5 on Rate My Professors.
William Mayer has taught POLS3320, POLS1150, POLS2330, POLS3310, POLS3304, POLS7255, POLS7205 at Northeastern.
Data updated October 2026.