How do class sizes at the University of Michigan compare to Princeton for undergrads?

Princeton will usually feel much smaller in day-to-day undergraduate classes than the University of Michigan. Princeton is a much smaller university overall, with a strong undergraduate focus, so many students experience more seminar-style courses and closer faculty access earlier on. Michigan, by contrast, is a large public research university, and that shows up most clearly in introductory courses, where large lectures are much more common.

Princeton is the one that fits a classroom experience where small discussion-based courses are part of the norm. Intro classes there can still be sizable, especially in popular subjects like economics, computer science, or introductory science sequences, but they are more likely to be paired with precepts or discussion sections that keep the class from feeling anonymous. Upper-level classes at Princeton are often quite small, and independent work like junior papers and the senior thesis also pushes students into close contact with faculty.

Michigan can absolutely offer small classes too, but the timing matters. In many intro courses, especially in STEM, economics, and other high-demand fields, undergrads should expect big lectures, sometimes with smaller breakout discussions or labs led by GSIs. That structure can work well for students who are comfortable navigating a large university and taking initiative during office hours, in sections, or through research and honors opportunities. Once you get into upper-level courses, majors often become much smaller and more personal, but the first-year and sophomore classroom experience is usually less intimate than Princeton’s.

For a student who wants the campus energy and course breadth of a very large university, Michigan’s size can be a real advantage, even if some early classes are big. For a student who cares a lot about consistently smaller classes, discussion-heavy teaching, and easier access to professors from the start, Princeton is much more likely to deliver that feel.