How big are intro class sizes at UVA vs W&M?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's put this debate to rest.

It's almost certainly true that UVA has some introductory classes that are larger than the largest classes at W&M.

But who the hell cares. Other than crazed parents, that is.

UVA is still the better school. Still the more prestigious school. Still the more selective school. And still the more fun school.

UVA is certainly a more selective school recently. And has a wider name recognition which can translate to more prestige.

But let's not act like being a more "fun" school is a good thing. The biggest issue with college today is that it's treated as a life experience to enjoy rather than an academic experience.

No seriously respected school is respected for being "fun".

How old are you? 100?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's put this debate to rest.

It's almost certainly true that UVA has some introductory classes that are larger than the largest classes at W&M.

But who the hell cares. Other than crazed parents, that is.

UVA is still the better school. Still the more prestigious school. Still the more selective school. And still the more fun school.

UVA is certainly a more selective school recently. And has a wider name recognition which can translate to more prestige.

But let's not act like being a more "fun" school is a good thing. The biggest issue with college today is that it's treated as a life experience to enjoy rather than an academic experience.

No seriously respected school is respected for being "fun".

How old are you? 100?

I'm much younger than you, I guarantee that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's put this debate to rest.

It's almost certainly true that UVA has some introductory classes that are larger than the largest classes at W&M.

But who the hell cares. Other than crazed parents, that is.

UVA is still the better school. Still the more prestigious school. Still the more selective school. And still the more fun school.

UVA is certainly a more selective school recently. And has a wider name recognition which can translate to more prestige.

But let's not act like being a more "fun" school is a good thing. The biggest issue with college today is that it's treated as a life experience to enjoy rather than an academic experience.

No seriously respected school is respected for being "fun".

How old are you? 100?

Respected schools aren't respected for being fun. They may be fun (and YMMV on fun), but that isn't the reason why they are respected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:W&M also has plenty of introductory classes with 200-400 students, and classes with 100+ students at higher levels as well. This is again true particularly for STEM.

No, it doesn't. citations please

This is completely false. W&M doesn't even have any classrooms that will accommodate over 200 students. Their largest lecture hall only has capacity for 200.

Yeah. I went to WM and had a class in one of those large rooms (Millington maybe?) and I think it was about 150. I can’t remember the class - Intro to Psych perhaps? Something I needed for a GER.

The largest classroom at W&M is 294. So no single in person class of 400. Introduction to Psychology and a few other classes may be close to that.

https://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/documents/academicshedoffice/PublicClassroomList.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:W&M also has plenty of introductory classes with 200-400 students, and classes with 100+ students at higher levels as well. This is again true particularly for STEM.

No, it doesn't. citations please

This is completely false. W&M doesn't even have any classrooms that will accommodate over 200 students. Their largest lecture hall only has capacity for 200.

Yeah. I went to WM and had a class in one of those large rooms (Millington maybe?) and I think it was about 150. I can’t remember the class - Intro to Psych perhaps? Something I needed for a GER.

The largest classroom at W&M is 294. So no single in person class of 400. Introduction to Psychology and a few other classes may be close to that.

https://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/documents/academicshedoffice/PublicClassroomList.pdf

I think having one intro class of that size can be kind of fun--you end up having a class with a wider array of students and can have an easier social 'in' with someone you want to talk to. I personally think it's deadening when it's more than 1-3 in your college experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:W&M also has plenty of introductory classes with 200-400 students, and classes with 100+ students at higher levels as well. This is again true particularly for STEM.

No, it doesn't. citations please

This is completely false. W&M doesn't even have any classrooms that will accommodate over 200 students. Their largest lecture hall only has capacity for 200.

Yeah. I went to WM and had a class in one of those large rooms (Millington maybe?) and I think it was about 150. I can’t remember the class - Intro to Psych perhaps? Something I needed for a GER.

The largest classroom at W&M is 294. So no single in person class of 400. Introduction to Psychology and a few other classes may be close to that.

https://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/documents/academicshedoffice/PublicClassroomList.pdf

I think having one intro class of that size can be kind of fun--you end up having a class with a wider array of students and can have an easier social 'in' with someone you want to talk to. I personally think it's deadening when it's more than 1-3 in your college experience.

+1. My favorite class at my tiny slac in California was also the largest class and it, too, was intro to psychology. I can't remember exact headcount but it was probably 200 or so students (the entire football team and all the freshmen rushing the frats, too). Great prof. Good textbook. Routinized grading. Easy A but also I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. Became a psych major (doubled in another) due to that intro course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:W&M also has plenty of introductory classes with 200-400 students, and classes with 100+ students at higher levels as well. This is again true particularly for STEM.

No, it doesn't. citations please

This is completely false. W&M doesn't even have any classrooms that will accommodate over 200 students. Their largest lecture hall only has capacity for 200.

Yeah. I went to WM and had a class in one of those large rooms (Millington maybe?) and I think it was about 150. I can’t remember the class - Intro to Psych perhaps? Something I needed for a GER.

The largest classroom at W&M is 294. So no single in person class of 400. Introduction to Psychology and a few other classes may be close to that.

https://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/documents/academicshedoffice/PublicClassroomList.pdf

I think having one intro class of that size can be kind of fun--you end up having a class with a wider array of students and can have an easier social 'in' with someone you want to talk to. I personally think it's deadening when it's more than 1-3 in your college experience.

+1. My favorite class at my tiny slac in California was also the largest class and it, too, was intro to psychology. I can't remember exact headcount but it was probably 200 or so students (the entire football team and all the freshmen rushing the frats, too). Great prof. Good textbook. Routinized grading. Easy A but also I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. Became a psych major (doubled in another) due to that intro course.

I had a great Intro to Psychology course at W&M. The professor was very good and entertaining and the material was interesting. It was in Andrews and if I had to guess the enrollment in that class was about 150. For a subject like that, class size isn't an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVA intro level classes in the College are usually around 300. ECON 101 has 500 per class. The large classes often have a discussion class once a week with around 20 students and a TA.

There isn't even a single classroom that large at UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA intro level classes in the College are usually around 300. ECON 101 has 500 per class. The large classes often have a discussion class once a week with around 20 students and a TA.

There isn't even a single classroom that large at UVA.

The largest is 484 for a classroom in the Chemistry Building. That isn't likely to be used for Econ. The largest in Monroe is 100 seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA intro level classes in the College are usually around 300. ECON 101 has 500 per class. The large classes often have a discussion class once a week with around 20 students and a TA.

There isn't even a single classroom that large at UVA.

The largest is 484 for a classroom in the Chemistry Building. That isn't likely to be used for Econ. The largest in Monroe is 100 seats.

Correct. DS was an Econ major. There is no such thing as a 500 class Econ intro class at UVA. One-eighth of the incoming class does not take Econ 101. Simple logic.

[Anonymous]

My DS Is in intro microeconomics and there are 475 enrolled and it’s in the chemistry building.

[Anonymous]

Serious question: why do all you parents care so much? We sent four kids to college and I couldn't tell you how big or small their classes were. In fact, I couldn't even tell you their classes. Hell, I barely knew their majors! LOL.

You all need to loosen the rope. Big time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: why do all you parents care so much? We sent four kids to college and I couldn't tell you how big or small their classes were. In fact, I couldn't even tell you their classes. Hell, I barely knew their majors! LOL.

You all need to loosen the rope. Big time.

Well, i just asked my kid to find out because I was curious. And some people research this because it's an objective difference among colleges that they are looking into.

Also, of course your experience may differ, but my parents were of the 'barely knew my major' variety and I interpreted that to mean they really didn't want to have that much to do with me in my adult life. Which they kind of didn't. I'm grateful that they paid for my college. I talk to them every few months and they see their grandkids once a year (less in the pandemic). It's amicable but distant. Very different than the relationship we have with my in-laws who were much more involved in DH's life, and now in mine and our kids. So people have different levels of involvement often because they are setting the stage for different kinds of relationships in adult life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS Is in intro microeconomics and there are 475 enrolled and it’s in the chemistry building.

Well, if they are getting Ken Elzinga they are in for a treat! He's a wonderful teacher and took my DS under his wing. They had many wonderful office hours conversations and Elzinga wrote an amazing letter of rec for DS.