Are class sizes generally smaller at Pomona than at Cornell?

Yes. Pomona’s classes are typically much smaller than Cornell’s, especially in introductory courses, and its residential liberal-arts-college model makes regular faculty interaction a central part of the undergraduate experience. With a much smaller undergraduate population, Pomona can offer discussion-oriented classes across more of the curriculum rather than reserving them mainly for upper-level seminars.

At Cornell, class size depends heavily on the school and major. Large introductory lectures are common in fields such as engineering, economics, biology, computer science, and psychology, sometimes paired with smaller discussion or lab sections led by graduate students or teaching assistants. Cornell students can absolutely find small seminars and build close relationships with professors, particularly after completing introductory requirements, but they should expect a larger university environment and more variation in instructional format.

Pomona also gives students access to courses at the other Claremont Colleges, so its small-campus experience does not mean a narrow catalog. For a student who learns best when professors know them personally and classmates regularly contribute to the conversation, Pomona offers the more consistently small-scale academic setting.