Cynthia Ma
1 course · 8 reviews
All Reviews
Ma is very kind and CSE514 ended up very easy. I found her lectures incredibly boring though. The content itself is actually pretty interesting and not too hard - I just think she presents it in the wrong way. Ultimately, I think this class could benefit from a different teaching style other than lecture-based but still would recommend.
12/3/2025
Best professor I've had in this university. Lectures are clear and fun. Uses Kahoot for lecturing so it could be more interactive. Truly cares about students.
4/22/2025
Easiest upper-level class ever. You will get out as much as you put in. Cynthia is an angel and really puts a lot of effort into producing good materials for her class. The most annoying thing was when Cynthia would start lecturing and I couldn't hear her because other students in the lecture hall were blatantly talking loudly with no consideration
4/10/2025
She taught me data mining in the spring of 2024 and has instilled a deep passion for ML modeling since then. Although I didn't get an A, the seed she has instilled helped me decide into pursuing and furthering my studies in ML application. Now leading a ML team, I still come to her during her office hours to talk and discuss. SHE IS AWESOME :D
2/13/2025
Professor Ma has been one of my favorite CSE professors at WashU due to the Kahoot lecture style ensuring that everyone understands the content before proceeding. The course has a lot of callbacks/preparation for CSE417T, so it will be easier if you have taken/good to prepare for that class. Feedback on written assignments is somewhat slow.
5/11/2024
Amazing! The entire CS department should take notes on how to teach a class. Well-planned and engaging lectures. Clearly defined assignment requirements. Plenty of opportunities for extra credit. Fair exams that mirror actual activities from class and homework. I just can't do it justice with words. Take this class. Thank you, Professor Ma!
5/13/2023
Prof Ma did an awesome job with Data Mining. She was super kind, explained the content well, and gave lots of opportunities for extra credit throughout the semester. She also incorporated Kahoot into lectures, which was fun and increased student engagement. Other CS profs at WashU should take notes from her on how to teach a class properly.
12/20/2022