No matter how big your class is, the majority of professors want to know you - especially by name. Obviously if the class is larger it will take more effort on your part, but professors are interested and eager to know you.
Class participation is common. Barnard students have a lot to say. It is not a place where people skip a ton of class.
My favorite class...either Literature of the Harlem Renaissance or Reacting to the Past. Harlem Lit was SO interesting. My professor made the reading so accessible. It was much more than just a lit class. It was an experience in learning all about the time period: the history, the people, the role of New York City, the music etc. We even got to take a tour of Harlem. In Reacting to the Past, we learned history by doing. Class participation is a huge portion of the class, since we are creating our own version of history while learning about it.
Students study a lot. Definitely daily. I work probably five hours a day outside of class. Of course, there are days I will do less and make up for it on other days. Your workload can be as large or small as you want it to be. Try to balance your semesters. Don't take five hard classes at once. I did that one semester and ended up working nonstop. College is about more than the academics - although they are important. College is about learning about yourself and growing. I think Barnard is the most nurturing and interesting environment to do that.
The Psychology department is very large. There are a ton of Psychology majors. My advisor is fantastic. She really knows what she is talking about and gives great advice in all of my academic choices, not just the ones pertaining to my major. She also has taken a very quick and genuine interest in my life as a whole. The Psych department offers a wide variety of courses and labs and there is plenty of opportunity for research. While the classes are interesting and I have actually enjoyed all of the professors I've had, the classes are large, about 50-70 people, many of these being required courses.
I often meet with professors outside of class, although this is a personal choice. Depending on the professor, they may be available anywhere from 2 hours to 10 hours a week.
Barnards gen ed requirements, the nine ways of knowing, are great. They ensure that you get a little taste of everything, but that you have choice in these disciplines.
Barnard definitely encourages learning for the sake of learning.
You will not find course offerings like those of Barnard at any other school. The courses are unique and often interdisciplinary.
I loved my class: Applied Anatomy of Human Movement. It merged the study of anatomy and dance. You couldn't find a class like this anywhere else.
Barnard also works hard to take advantage of the city. We use the city as a classroom, visiting the Museum of Natural History for Biology and the Spanish Repertory Theater for Spanish Theatre.