Are classes at Yale or the University of Michigan generally smaller?

Yale usually offers the smaller classroom experience, especially for undergraduates who want discussion-heavy courses. As a private university with a much smaller undergraduate population, Yale tends to put students in seminars, small lecture courses, and discussion sections more often than the University of Michigan. Michigan is an excellent school, but because it is a large public university, introductory classes are more likely to be big lectures, particularly in popular departments.

At Yale, small classes are a central part of the undergraduate experience. Residential colleges, advising, and the structure of many humanities and social science courses all support frequent discussion-based learning. Even when a course has a lecture component, the overall environment usually feels more intimate, and it is easier to get regular face time with professors and classmates.

Michigan can still provide small classes, but it depends more on what you study and how far along you are. Upper-level seminars, honors courses, and many classes in smaller departments can feel very personal. The difference is that at Michigan, you are more likely to start out in large introductory courses and then move into smaller settings later, while Yale more consistently offers smaller classes from early on.

If your top priority is being in smaller classes as a normal part of day-to-day academic life, Yale has the edge. Michigan can absolutely become personal and discussion-oriented, but you usually have to seek that out more intentionally through major choice, honors options, or advanced coursework.