Does Size Matter?

With access to the opinions of thousands of undergraduates across the country, the popular college search site Unigo recently conducted a survey of 15,000 college students asking them to rate their schools in 9 categories. Among the more interesting findings was the list of colleges and universities with the “most committed professors”:

Rank	Institution	Size
1.	Wabash, IN	911
2.	Harvey Mudd, CA	737
3.	Washington and Lee, VA	1749
4.	Whitman, WA	1421
5.	Claremont McKenna, CA	1209
6.	Pomona, CA	1523
7.	Pepperdine, CA	2977
8.	Bennington, VT	613
9.	Davidson, NC	1668
10.	Pitzer, CA	976

Compare this with a similar list compiled by the Princeton Review, in which undergraduates ranked colleges or universities where “Professors Get High Marks”:

Rank	Institution	Size
1.	Davidson, NC	1668
2.	Wellesley, MA	2190
3.	Sweet Briar, VA	767
4.	Middlebury, VT	2430
5.	Reed, OR	1402
6.	Kenyon, OH	1636
7.	Franklin Olin College, MA	301
8.	William & Mary, VA	5776
9.	Whitman College, WA	1421
10.	New College of Florida	785

Do you see any patterns? The largest school represented on either list is the College of William and Mary, which enrolls just under 6000 full time undergraduates. The rest enroll no more than 3000 undergraduate students. Even taking into account the generally unscientific nature of these studies, it’s clear that schools on the smaller end of the scale tend to receive the highest ratings for professors.

Why would that be? Maybe it has something to do with the ability of undergraduates to foster closer relationships with professors in smaller environments. Perhaps it’s because small classes lead to greater intimacy with teaching staff, more individualized attention, and a deeper mutual respect between professors and students. And maybe these relationships lead to a greater appreciation for professors and better outcomes.