Small class or large class? Forum

[greg737]

So I've never been at a "small school". Huge public high school in California and large undergrad school, so I don't really know whata small school -- or small class -- environment willl be like.

But I'm currently deciding between a school that should have 80 to 100 students and one that should have 300 or so in a class. What are the pros and cons of each?

It seems to me that the one con of a small class size is everyone will know everything about everybody, but other than that I'm not sure it won't be better. I imagine it is a more comfortable learning environment when you know everybody in class; maybe you're not as worried to make a fool of yourself and can be more active in the classroom.

[sarahlawg]

So I've never been at a "small school". Huge public high school in California and large undergrad school, so I don't really know whata small school -- or small class -- environment willl be like.

But I'm currently deciding between a school that should have 80 to 100 students and one that should have 300 or so in a class. What are the pros and cons of each?

It seems to me that the one con of a small class size is everyone will know everything about everybody, but other than that I'm not sure it won't be better. I imagine it is a more comfortable learning environment when you know everybody in class; maybe you're not as worried to make a fool of yourself and can be more active in the classroom.

I'm a 0L, but I went to a small undergrad. We had 30 and fewer students a class (usually 20 or less). The big, big advantage of a small class size is being able to get to know professors. They are gold. Getting to know your classmates is not a bad thing either. You'll want those connections. Law school is not the time to get lost in the shuffle, IMO. Yes, you have to do the work, and yes you have to participate. Both things you'll want to do in LS, though. They will notice when you're absent. Remember that if you're looking for a big UG feel, many law schools are on UG campuses where you can lose yourself.

my $.02.

[MrPapagiorgio]

I'm a 0L, but I went to a small undergrad. We had 30 and fewer students a class (usually 20 or less). The big, big advantage of a small class size is being able to get to know professors. They are gold. Getting to know your classmates is not a bad thing either. You'll want those connections. Law school is not the time to get lost in the shuffle, IMO. Yes, you have to do the work, and yes you have to participate. Both things you'll want to do in LS, though. They will notice when you're absent. Remember that if you're looking for a big UG feel, many law schools are on UG campuses where you can lose yourself.

my $.02.

Second all of this. My undergrad's classes, except for one, was always 30 kids and below, and I even had one with 6 students in it. Small classes are fantastic. BUT, for example, do not pick UConn (smaller classes) over Harvard simply for that reason.

[CanadianWolf]

OP: Are you referring to class size or first year section size ? I do not believe that any law school has section sizes larger than Georgetown's roughly 120.

[tgir]

I'm a 0L, but I went to a small undergrad. We had 30 and fewer students a class (usually 20 or less). The big, big advantage of a small class size is being able to get to know professors. They are gold. Getting to know your classmates is not a bad thing either. You'll want those connections. Law school is not the time to get lost in the shuffle, IMO. Yes, you have to do the work, and yes you have to participate. Both things you'll want to do in LS, though. They will notice when you're absent. Remember that if you're looking for a big UG feel, many law schools are on UG campuses where you can lose yourself.

my $.02.

+1

I will say, though, that larger law schools do offer a greater number and variety of law school-wide events, programs, etc. But then of course it's usually fewer events/programs per student, so things aren't as intimate and inviting.

So if you're not concerned about getting lost in the shuffle, you might prefer a bigger school for that reason.

[maglialoro]

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[greg737]

I was referring, really, to overall class size rather than section size. I figure very few law school classes will be over 100 and, when you get to the 2L and 3L year, you will have 25 and below-person classes at any school.

For someone who hasnt' ever been in a class with, say, 100 people, just wondering that would be like rather than going to a class of 300 and a school of 1,200.

[CanadianWolf]

Largest first year class section sizes are:

Georgetown--117
GWU----103
Cornell--99
BYU-----100
Hawaii--97
New York Law--114
Miami---100
New England--110
Columbia--95
Chicago--93
Texas-----99
Minnesota--96