Is it normal for Sprint signal to be so much lower than roaming signal?

[akates]

My Sprint EVDO signal usually sits between 2 and 4 bars (out of it looks like 6) with it going to 0 or 1 periodically. Where I go to school I end up switching back and forth between Sprint and roaming because of a weak Sprint signal and when it's on roaming it's almost always 5 or 6 bars. Then it'll switch back to 0 or 1 Sprint bars.

This is first very frustrating because it KILLS my battery. I'll go from 8am - 6pm and use 25% of the battery (75% remaining) but then I go in to class and with the switching back and forth my battery is done in another 1-2 hours. I'm wondering if this is just a Sprint issue with my phone in particular or if this is normal? Just seems strange that my roaming signal (even where Sprint sucks) is always at like 5-6 bars and my Sprint signal never gets above 4 and is usually 2-3.