<p>UVM has about 10,000 students; that's not a huge number when compared to larger universities, but it's still a sizable student body. How does that number work into classes? Are there close students to professor relations? Does the school do a good job of making it seem like a smaller school? Is it a tight community? Is it scary being in such a large number of students?
Any feedback on how the number influences/effects the school's environment/living?</p>
<p>You’re right. Compared to larger universities, UVM does have a smaller student body, but the campus does definitely feel ‘full’ during the day.</p>
<p>The number of students in a class depends on the course and your major. I have a biology lecture that has upwards of 300 kids (in just that section…there’s three sections), and I have an english course with 25 kids. So, it really depends on the course. In the smaller classes, there is a greater sense of student-professor relations, obviously because they have the chance to learn your name and to get to know your work personally. The only time a professor of a larger lecture will know who you are (and remember who you are) is if you make a great effort to get to know them. When there’s hundreds of other students, it can be hard to make a great student-professor relationship, but it is possible if you make a valiant effort.</p>
<p>There is a cap on some classes with regard to how many students can enroll for that section. Most math sections can only enroll 40 students, and most english classes max out at 25. So usually for every larger lecture, you have a smaller class to compensate. UVM does attempt to make the school feel smaller, but its hard sometimes to not feel like ‘just a number’.</p>
<p>The people at UVM are what makes the school feel like a community, as in everyone is nice and willing to help. However, there is VERY little school spirit, so there is typically no communal activity that brings everyone together. It’s more important to find your niche that to try and become apart of the student body as a whole.</p>
<p>When I came last fall, the large number was intimidating, but I found it easy to adjust after a few weeks. If I wanted to, I could go the whole day without running into someone I know. But there are some days where I run into 5 or 6 people just on my way to class. Plus, the campus is a relatively small size for its population, so it never feels exceedingly expansive.</p>
<p>UVM does follow the stereotype of how green they are. There are recycling bins everywhere, utensils made from corn, Nalgene bottle filling stations, compostable take-out containers, etc. It’s great. I’m not a flaming environmentalist by any means (and trust me, you’ll find some at UVM), but I can’t help but appreciate everything that the school does to reduce their footprint.</p>
<p>Overall, UVM is an extremely laid back school. I see more people in flowy skirts and sweatpants than I do jeans. It feels very ‘no judgement zone’, which is always assuring when you’re going into college. Truthfully, although I am transferring, I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my first year anywhere else.</p>