Two experiments evaluated the effects of the simple‐to‐complex and simultaneous training protocols on the formation of academically relevant equivalence classes. The simple‐to‐complex protocol intersperses derived relations probes with training baseline relations. The simultaneous protocol conducts all training trials and test trials in separate portions of the protocol. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants formed 4 3‐ and 4‐member neuroanatomy classes, respectively. When trained with the simple‐to‐complex protocol, 100% of participants immediately formed the 3‐ or 4‐member classes. When trained with the simultaneous protocol, the 3‐ and 4‐member classes were formed immediately by 75% and 42% of participants, respectively. Thus, the immediate emergence of equivalence classes was an interactive function of training protocol and class size. The remaining participants eventually formed classes after a few cycles of retraining. The incorporation of these training and testing parameters could optimize the use of equivalence‐based instruction for teaching college‐level course content.