<p>I was wondering whether the small class sizes in Physics courses at Liberal Arts and Sciences colleges are because of very high selectivity, or because they get fewer applications from people who want to major in Physics.</p>
<p>So, in a nutshell, is it hard to get into a decent LAC while applying for a major in Physics?</p>
<p>Physics is not that popular a major.</p>
<p>At many schools, freshman and sophomore physics courses can be large because a lot of non-physics majors (e.g. engineering and chemistry) take them. Junior and senior physics courses tend to be smaller because only physics majors take them. If the school is small to begin with, and does not have engineering, then that can make the freshman and sophomore physics courses small as well.</p>
<p>Fewer applications. You don’t apply to a particular major at an LAC the way you do at a large university. Typically at an LAC you don’t declare a major until the end of sophomore year.</p>
<p>Science majors at LAC’s are predominantly bio majors, often with med school aspirations, but there are plenty of genuine science nerds at almost any LAC. I’m an LAC chemistry grad (Knox), and my daughter is at an LAC (Austin) planning to major in physics.</p>
<p>Thanks! Just what I wanted to know!</p>