eav1277

I've narrowed down my choices to UCLA and rice. I've been leaning towards UCLA. However, I'm a lil uneasy due to the differences in class sizes. Does anyone feel that they are at a great disadvantage due to the large class sizes? Or any other aspect of UCLA being so large. Any input would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

alansda

I've found that UCLA has adapted very well to the growing student body (or one grew as a result of the other?) and that big does not always mean bad. Sure, you get to meet a lot of new people daily, but academically speaking there's a lot of resources for every imaginable thing you could think of. I'm a transfer student so it was very gratifying to see so many transfer support/counseling groups throughout campus, like the AAP Transfer Student Center, Center for Community College Partnerships, Student Transfer Opportunity and Mentor Program (STOMP), etc. UCLA's also a huge research school so if you're looking for research experience for med/grad school, there's so many university-wide programs and also departmental opportunities with so many professors and so many topics of interests that you'll feel blown away by them all. If you're interested in the brain, just take a walk down Westwood Blvd and you'll see like four different buildings that deal with neuroscience, neurobiology, neuropsychiatry, etc.

Big is good!

qipao

If you're worried about size, just go to Rice, assuming money isn't an issue. What's your major? This can be an issue... I mean, if you're in one of the larger majors, e.g. history, psychology, political science, you'll have 100-200+ classes your entire career sans a few seminar courses that you're required to take. It depends on your personality. Personally, had I done things differently, I would have gone to either a liberal arts college or a medium-sized university in a metropolitan area... I strongly prefer seminar-based classes and I don't mind going to discussion for N Campus courses... Still, I've manged to do just fine... not without a few quarters of resentment and wanting to transfer. Though, this is just the academic aspect.

Schedule of Classes: Class Listing
Just look at the courses marked between 100-199 (the 191-199 are research/small seminar classes; you can basically ignore them). You're going to be swamped with large classes. It's worse in the history department.Uhh... never mind that just about every freshman lives in a triple, right?The opportunity is there, rather...

Sure, for some majors your class sizes will diminish... they will still be fairly large. This doesn't mean this should deter you from seeking professors, whoever for help... it's just at a smaller school, you'll receive a wider support network. If you're the type of person who's proactive and goes for what they want... you'll do fine at either school.