Just how big are classes at VA Tech?

[Anonymous]

DS has only looked at small schools (2-7k) so far. But he thinks he wants to be a vet and that going to Tech might give him an edge in applying to the vet college there. So my question is, just how big are the undergrad classes? How much teaching is done by TAs? Can you avoid big classes if you are in the honors program? TIA.

[Anonymous]

I am a VT alumni. Many of the general education CLE classes are indeed enormous lectures with 1-300 people. Think biology, chemistry, physics, intro to animal science, intro to _______ classes. But all labs are capped at around 30, so are the required English classes (which could be avoided altogether with the right APs), and as soon as you get past the CLE requirements, most classes are 25-75 students. However, some of my really major-specific classes once I was a junior/senior had as few as 10 in some cases.

[Anonymous]

VT PP again - I would like to add that VT's animal science program is fantastic and I know a few grad students who are at the vet school now. It will definitely give your kid a leg up in applying to VMRCVM because they cap their incoming classes at something like 35 students from Virginia, 25 from Maryland, and like 15 from all other states.

Further, I did not take one single class that was primarily taught by a TA, except my chemistry lab, which is not really teaching. The professor does the lecture and still attended my labs but would explain the basics and then let the TA handle questions during whatever experiment was for lab that day and the prof would sit in the back and grade papers or retreat to their office somewhere else in the building. Other VT alum could chime in, but I don't think TAs actually teach many classes at all. Maybe some GTAs depending on the subject.

I actually TA'ed environmental law my senior year and definitely never taught.

[Anonymous]

Thank you PP, that is very helpful! I wonder if what PP has described in terms of class size and TAs is any different from the situation at UVA of W&M, does anyone know? Clearly DC could get smaller classes at a SLAC, but not at instate rates, and without the advantage of the vet college being there.

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP, that is very helpful! I wonder if what PP has described in terms of class size and TAs is any different from the situation at UVA of W&M, does anyone know? Clearly DC could get smaller classes at a SLAC, but not at instate rates, and without the advantage of the vet college being there.

PP here. Sorry nobody else has responded. There are plenty of UVA and W&M alumni and parents on this board that should jump in.

W&M is the smallest of the three and will obviously have smaller class sizes all around.

I know from friends that UVA is similar - large lectures for gen. ed. classes (sometimes small ~20-30 student recitations accompany these lectures, ex: intro to psych) and then class size dramatically decreases as you get into your major-specific classes.

I can add from experience that the vet school is extremely competitive, I'd venture to say even more so than some med schools, because there are only 29 vet schools in the entire country and they take extremely small entering classes. Any leg up that your DC can get in that admissions process (if they are truly set on becoming a vet) is important, IMO. I know a few people who have applied year-after-year to the vet school and have not gotten in.

FWIW, I entered VT majoring in animal science and intended to be pre-vet. Immediately upon taking biology my first semester of freshman year, I failed an exam and was struggling and ended up having to withdraw from biology and quickly switch my major into something less science-heavy. I didn't even make it to the more difficult immunology, repro, and animal science courses. It is no easy task. But, VT's animal science program is HIGHLY regarded and VMRCVM plays a huge role in this. Many of the veterinarians there also teach a class or two and are highly involved in designing and re-evaluating the animal science curriculum to make sure that those students are well-prepared for applying to and getting into vet school.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again, PP. I'm afraid my son might change his mind or find the science too daunting, also, and for any major other than animal science I would prefer he attend a small school,as it suits his personality much better. The animal science program also looks pretty agriculture focused, and he is really only interested in being a small animal vet (having worked at a vet practice for a couple summers). So it will be a hard decision if he even gets acceptances to different schools. I am going to make sure he talks to a couple of the younger vets he works with this summer for advice. I appreciate your input!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks again, PP. I'm afraid my son might change his mind or find the science too daunting, also, and for any major other than animal science I would prefer he attend a small school,as it suits his personality much better. The animal science program also looks pretty agriculture focused, and he is really only interested in being a small animal vet (having worked at a vet practice for a couple summers). So it will be a hard decision if he even gets acceptances to different schools. I am going to make sure he talks to a couple of the younger vets he works with this summer for advice. I appreciate your input!

PP again. Yes, I changed my major twice before settling on the one I eventually graduated in. Hardly anyone I know did NOT change their major, only a few people ended up graduating in what they started in. I was one of those people who was strong in science and math in high school but at the college level I struggled, and that is common too. For some it is the other way around. It's even more common to switch majors a few times and I wouldn't worry if your DC changes his mind halfway through his freshman year or even after that.

You say that you prefer he attend a small school, but does he feel that way? I would make sure that you tour VT and Blacksburg - there truly is no place like it! There are over 600 clubs for every activity/interest/sport/religion you could ever dream of and once you settle into a circle or two of friends, it really is not a huge school at all. I truly appreciated being able to walk around campus and NOT recognize every person I passed or go to parties and meet people I had never met before, whereas friends I know who went to extremely small schools (Lynchburg College, Roanoke College, Mary Baldwin, U. of Mary Washington) complained that the environments were stifling and clique-y due to the small population. However, don't forget about the in-between state schools - JMU, GMU (though I grew up in Williamsburg and did not apply to W&M because I wanted to get OUT of there, so if you are in the DC area, your DC may not be interested in GMU), ODU, CNU, VCU. However, I'm biased. VT is a great school with a huge diverse student population. Go Hokies!