Arizona State vs University of Richmond for a small class feel: which one is better?

University of Richmond is the better choice for a small class feel. It is a much smaller undergraduate environment, its classes are built around discussion-based liberal arts teaching, and students are far more likely to be taught by professors in intimate settings from the start.

At Richmond, small classes are part of the school’s basic academic structure, not just an option you have to seek out. Intro and upper-level courses alike are more likely to be seminar-style, and faculty interaction is one of the school’s core selling points. If you want professors to know your name and notice when you are or are not in the room, Richmond is much more aligned with that experience.

Arizona State can absolutely offer personal classes, but the day-to-day feel is different because it is such a large public university. ASU has honors programs, smaller departments, and upper-level major courses that can feel close-knit, but many students will still encounter large lecture classes, especially early on. At a school that size, you often have to be more intentional about finding the smaller pockets within the university.

The campus experience matters here too. Richmond’s residential campus tends to feel self-contained and community-oriented, which reinforces the sense that classmates and professors know each other well. ASU, especially at its larger campuses, feels more sprawling and high-energy, with many more students moving through the same academic spaces.

For the specific thing you care about, personal classroom relationships and a consistently smaller academic atmosphere, Richmond has the clearer edge.