TLDR: Sheesh. Buckle up and get ready to learn. See my advice at the bottom. Imagine wanting to learn how to build a rocket(with no experience) and you apply to work for Elon Musk and SpaceX. You then have to learn the fundamentals of rockets as you build and ride the rocket at the same time.

This class is technically supposed to be about design and CAD practice. But as I feel like I remember Dr. Mattson saying(maybe he didn't), if you can't communicate your ideas and designs visually as an engineer, oof. Definitely not an exact quote from him, but this mindset is accurate for real world companies and problems. He will teach you some design concepts and good methods of practice. I did enjoy the tips and tricks for fast sketching and just design up-chucking onto your sketch pad. He will "make" you get a paper notebook and ball point pen for all of your sketching in the class. As someone used to using a pen instead of a pencil i was fine with this. SOLIDWORKS 3D: You will learn SOLIDWORKS or fail trying. The first or second week of this class is by far one of the most stressfu...read more

His YouTube tutorials make me think he is trying to become and influencer. Very well put together and informative but dang dude, no need for a ring light. I know a lot of peers that did not like the high stress that Dr. Mattson put us through. I know a lot of peers that switched out after the second week into that other guys class. But by the end of the class I felt very prepared to put SOLIDWORKS on my resume and it gave me confidence to know that if I have an idea. I could make it. This is probably the most important class I have taken that has kept me from feeling an imposter and an engineering intern at work. And that's because Dr. Mattson forced us to learn SOLIDWORKS.

If you want to "learn" SOLIDWORKS, take it form the other guy. If you want to become proficient in SOLIDWORKS in 15 weeks, get projects under your belt, and feel confident in your abilities to design, take it from Dr. Mattson