Arizona State vs. Villanova for class size: which one has smaller classes overall?

The biggest practical tradeoff is scale: Arizona State is a very large public university, while Villanova is a much smaller private university, and that usually shows up directly in class size. In practice, Villanova tends to have smaller classes overall and a classroom environment where professors are more likely to know students by name earlier. ASU can absolutely offer strong teaching, but because of its size, you should expect more large lectures, especially in intro courses and high-demand majors.

At Villanova, the smaller undergraduate population usually means discussion-based classes become common sooner, not just in upper-level seminars. That often makes it easier to ask questions in class, go to office hours, and build relationships with faculty without feeling like you have to fight for attention.

At ASU, the experience can vary a lot by college, campus, and major. Some honors courses, upper-division classes, and niche programs can feel quite personal, but the baseline for a big public university is that introductory courses are more likely to be taught in larger sections, sometimes with breakout discussions or recitations attached.

So for your specific question, Villanova is the school that usually has smaller classes overall. If your top priority is a more manageable day-to-day classroom feel with less anonymity, Villanova has the clearer edge.