My D is really torn between her top two accepted choices. She really wants small class sizes, but likes so much of what Rochester has to offer. Are there small class sizes on offer for underclassmen? Or will most offerings in the first couple of years be lecture hall style?
Hi! I am a current sophomore here and the answer to your question is…it depends! I am a Molecular Genetics major, so I spent my first/second year doing the standard bio/chem track with some math thrown in. I’d say in general all of these classes have had anywhere from 150-350 students, but I’ve never felt at a disadvantage due to these larger lecture sizes. All of my professors recognize my face and if I go to office hours or ask a question they also know my name! There are also workshops, recitations, and labs associated with all of these classes, so getting help is SUPER easy (plus the general atmosphere among students is collaborative).
That being said, I’ve also taken classes in English, Italian Language and Culture, Anthropology, Public Health, and Philosophy, and these courses have had as little as 10 students!!! So, if your daughter loves everything else about the school, I wouldn’t let the class sizes deter her. For the most part they are small, and when they aren’t, they still somehow FEEL small.
@theperfecttaco , thank you.