out of the two professors ive heard of, she is definitely the better one. though she seems to go fast in class and it may be hard to keep up, she is generally nice and light-hearted. if you go to her asking for help she'll do her best to help you out and make sure you succeed. definitely pay attention to the group quizzes/examples, as they are helpful for preparing for the exams. the exams aren't too difficult, just make sure you keep up with the concepts. person homework is annoying but get them done.

Reasonably clear grade expectations from the onset: 20% final, 30% midterms (2 for 15% each), 12% group quizzes, and 38% for weekly HW assignments (reading, standard problem solving, and written notetaking/chapter summary). Lectures are decent, and involves working through problems together based upon the prior initial reading. Attendance is only mandatory for weekly group quiz. If you've already taken Physics in high school and did well, much of the content will overlap and it'll be mostly straightforward, but if you haven't or struggled than the course will be challenging and quick paced. However, there are plenty of group quizzes and hw assignments which should boost your grade and still make an A obtainable. Finally, professor Xiaochao is a reasonably respectful professor who cares about her students.