I was wondering, anyone who takes physics, what's the typical class size? Are the classes small enough that the proffesor knows who you are or is there an army of TAs and grad students? What was your biggest class and what was your smallest and do you think your experience in class size is typical for most physics students.

First year physics class is pretty big, usually 100+ people in a big lecture room. Upper year physics classes are a lot smaller as not that many people take upper year physics.

First semester class sizes were pretty big, but not as big as chem or bio, in second semester my physics class (1BA3) had about 30 people in it which was really nice so it all depends on what specific physics course you are taking

Originally Posted by stephfraser

First semester class sizes were pretty big, but not as big as chem or bio, in second semester my physics class (1BA3) had about 30 people in it which was really nice so it all depends on what specific physics course you are taking

ohhhhhh!!it's really coool!!! So can i take physics the 2nd semester? is it the same as the first semester?

Originally Posted by lbqjenny

ohhhhhh!!it's really coool!!! So can i take physics the 2nd semester? is it the same as the first semester?

First semester is physics 1B03, the smaller class second semester is the follow-up, either 1BB3 or 1BA3.

Originally Posted by jhan523

First semester is physics 1B03, the smaller class second semester is the follow-up, either 1BB3 or 1BA3.

can i take the second semester class directly? can they replaced by each other?

Originally Posted by lbqjenny

can i take the second semester class directly? can they replaced by each other?

Physics 1B03 is the prerequisite for 1BB3 and 1BA3. So you have to take 1B03 before taking 1BB3 or 1BA3. And 1BB3 and 1BA3 are anti-requisite to each other, meaning you can only take one or the other,

Originally Posted by lbqjenny

can i take the second semester class directly? can they replaced by each other?

I'm assuming you're asking this because you want more one on one time with the prof and it's still possible to get that in larger lecture halls. When it comes down to it, most students don't talk to the prof after class or go to office hours, so if you ever want to sit down and talk to a prof, there'll be plenty of time for that even in a class with 250 other students. Physics classes don't get really small until second year (mainly because we usually get less than 30 physics majors each year), and that's when you really get the smaller classes and profs really begin to know you personally. Though there are less students in 1BB3 and 1BA3, the environment is still relatively similar to 1B03.

Just remember to take advantage of the office hours you're provided with, all the first year physics profs I've had were really approachable and were always prepared to help and the larger classes that you end up having in 1B03 does provide a large number of other students going through the same things as you are and there for support.