It is going to be a difficult course in the beginning, but just power through it. You'll learn some useful things, some not so useful things, but I really think a lot of what I did learn was to approach certain problems at a different angle.

Zhe Dang will come across as strict and a difficult professor to deal with at first, but you'll soon come to understand that he really pushes you as it is not an easy or even a very interesting subject.

Attempt the homework, the problems are very difficult, but if you can get any amount of understanding on the homework, you are likely to do well in the class. Additionally, if you take it with Zhe Dang, be sure to take advantage of office hours if you need help. When I took the course (online during the pandemic), he had four hours (!!!) of office hours on a Sunday (!!!), and would talk you through things or point you in the right direction if need be.

It’s a hit or miss on whether Dang makes sense to you. Unfortunately for me and the peers I talk to he makes absolutely no sense. He makes classes harder than they need to be.

Office hours are not helpful (he just tells you to look at lecture notes). Teaches the class in an unconventional and weird way. Changing expectations and not always clear.

Always attempt the HW and turn it in. Grades seem to be randomly handed out at times but you’ll get most of the points as long as it looks like you tried

Zhe dang likes to push you, but the course is an easy A if you just do the assignments, and study for the exams with other people.

Further elaborated on my knowledge of time complexity. How to think about approaching algorithms. Zhe dang likes to open your mind sometimes with weird facts.

Pros: Fun lectures, he'll keep you awake for sure. Lots of opportunities for extra credit. Cons: Hard to understand with his accent at times, but you'll get used to it.

Homework doesn't have to be perfect. He makes it way harder than in class examples, but he really wants to try to do it. Even if it's wrong, youll get almost full points just for showing that you tried.