Comments about ‘BYU professor sits atop national rankings’

Randy was my neighbor for years, then I became his home teacher. A pure spirit who I grew to love. He lives his religion. He is deserving of this honor. Great family, great man and a true Christian.

He really is that good. I sat in on his class a few times and he knows the gospel better than anyone. If there is ever an empty seat I'd be surprised. Glad to see a BYU professor is #1!!! Let's try to see people knock BYU's education now.

Brother (err. President) Bott was my mission president when I first arrived on my mission to Fresno. But he finished his mission when I was 3 weeks out, so I never got to know him very well. But I was impressed with him none-the-less.
Another person who taught fantastic mission prep classes 15 years ago was Ed J. Pinegar, (Over at the old UVSC). I loved him so much! I still remember his wonderful inspirational lesson's in class.

I would very much like to take a course from this obviously wonderful professor. It appears that he is a fantastic man and teacher. Having said that, I'm wondering how this course can count for credit towards a degree for anything other than a religion major.

I never took a course from him, unfortunately--I couldn't get in, but I have read one of his books that was a very useful resource on my mission. I'm grateful for what he does.

Good for Brother Bott! I had the privilege of being one of his seminary students at Sky View High School when he taught there in the early 1980s. He made a major impression on my life and I understand the gospel of Christ better because of his influence. Thank you Brother Bott.

Sounds like grade inflation: Our religion professors get very high scores. If you're not excellent, you're not average. <<<=== [What a nonsensical statement].

Short, stout and 63... a low-lying crown of white hair circled his head topped by a wisp of white on top. [just like Santa Claus]

Getting an "A" from Bott is easy, according to the ratings on RateMyProfessors.com [Of course, this has no influence on his ratings, no.]

Bott is like a cool older uncle or grandfather who makes you laugh, makes you feel good about yourself..[This is actually the highest praise in the article. But kind of sad that students have to pay tuition for a foster uncle.]

He's having a good influence, obviously, but it sounds more like a squishy support group than an academic enterprise.

Brother Bott sounds like an incredible teacher! I had Brother Pace when I went to BYU back in the 60's-70's, and he was a great religion teacher too! Most BYU teacher's, if teaching by the Spirit, leave students with lasting impressions which help guide there lives forever! To me, that is the BYU Blessing!

How pathetic does your life have to be that you are willing to take the time to lambaste the work of a good person?

Perhaps if you had been part of "an academic enterprise" of any real worth you would spend your time reading the classics and not breaking down that which you could never understand.

You missed the point. Also you demonstrate that you do not have too analytical of a mind if you are unable to understand the first comment you poke fun at. All I can ask myself is "who are you?" If you don't understand the gist or bent of an article please don't comment on it.

Dear Back to the Future:
Are you still eating those dill pickles for breakfast?

Brother Bott really is awesome! I took 2 classes from him at BYU, and learned so many things, that I actually use in my every day like, unlike most of what I learned in college!

Blessings, even rich blessings are in store.

Brother Bott is the best. He made class interesting, fun, and useful. I feel like his mission prep class really did help me substantially on my mission. Congrats Br. Bott.

His class was certainly the easiest one I ever took at BYU. Easy easy A. Easier than getting an A in an education course.
Religion courses at BYU are pretty much part of the GE courses. Most of them are actually fairly rigorous (Botts classes being the exception).
He is a good teacher. But he's certainly not the best at BYU. The best teachers demand more from their students.
My nomination for best professor at BYU would be Professor Wood in the chemistry department. A great guy, an amazing teacher, a fairly tough class. Of course, he doesn't give out a gazillion A's, so he'll never get as high of rankings as Bott does.

to Wondering | 5:45 a.m. Dec. 11, 2008

It doesn't count toward any major. At BYU, everuy undergraduate is required to take a religion class every semester until graduation or the # of required hours is reached.

Though I didn't take classes from Bro. Bott nor did I go to BYU (USU grad), I did go to college and had hard classes and easy classes. I wouldn't base my best professors on whether they gave me an 'A' or not, nor would I rate them whether they were tough or not. My take is that Bro. Bott is being rated highly because of the influence he had on so many people. We should all be that lucky.

I love to see that it's a religion class that everyone loves to go to. Many believe, as do I, that the most important things in life have God as their center. You may feel that a chemistry class and/or professor deserves a greater mark, but the fact that it's an open book, open note religion professor who promotes the most important aspects of life gives me hope. The ideas and principles taught may not get you the house, car, etc., but by living these principles will lead to a far greater happiness.

The true 'test' will be how they live their life after leaving BYU...Hopefully they all get A's.

BTF . . . = knucklehead. How's that for a point ?

He teaches Doctrine and Covenants, too. His class is easy, but I learned so much in both classes. He maybe wasn't my all-time favorite teacher at BYU, but I think that students just can't miss his enthusiasm. You can tell that he loves the subject, teaching, and his students.

As someone who attended both Utah and BYU (I received two degrees from BYU) I can tell you that BYU is truly the EDUCATION OF THE WHOLE MAN. The academics are superior, but the spiritual side is just as important. Most universities neglect or even denegrate the spirituality of life. At BYU all aspects of life are celebrated.

I feel very blessed to have been able to attend my religion classes at BYU and I am a true blue COUGAR.