<p>I was wondering what the typical course-style at Bowdoin is like? Lecture? Seminar? I know the average class size is 17, but sometimes that doesn’t mean a lot since it means maybe you’ll have 4 classes with 3 people, and the rest of your classes are huge. For sciences and government, what do you /feel/ like the average class size is?</p>
<p>My intro chem and physics classes were both about 40 people, lecture style. I assume orgo and genetics next semester will be about the same, maybe a little bit smaller. My french class this semester was about 20 people, seminar style. Econ was about 35ish, lecture. My calc class was maybe 40 as well. Intro classes and really popular classes will fill, and if its a lecture, the limit seems to be around 40 students. Science classes are really determined by how many people will fit in the number of lab days they have tho, so that number could vary I guess.. I know some classes are a little bit larger, but I don't think there are any much larger than fifty. Most "big" lectures are probably around 40 students and most seminars are probably around 20 students or less.</p>
<p>As Geniusriki just said, most of the intro classes are "fairly large" (that is if you consider 50 students to be alot). Intermediate level classes have on average 20 people, this allows for professors to be interactive with students. As for upper level science courses, if you take bio, physics, or chem, you would be hard pressed to find more than 15 students in a class (some only have 4-7).</p>
<p>Intro sciences and gov classes will average about 50 people. Both of their intermediate level classes cap at 35, but the sciences rarely reach the cap. On the other hand, expect most intermediate gov classes to have 35 students or maybe one or two more (depending on how soft the professor is). The demand for gov classes often exceeds the supply.</p>
<p>How easy is it to get into upper level courses? Are there many prereqs? If you are a good student, will professors let you into their advanced classes? (As a 2nd-semester sophomore, junior...) How many advanced classes is it possible to take? Also, does anyone have a feel for how easy it is to set up an independent study?</p>