Methods for making carbon materials are provided. In at least one specific embodiment, the method can include combining one or more polymer precursors with one or more liquids to produce a mixture. The mixture can be an emulsion, dispersion, or a suspension. The liquid can include hexane, pentane, cyclopentane, benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, diethyl ether, ethylmethylketone, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, mineral oils, paraffin oils, vegetable derived oils, or any mixture thereof. The method can also include aging the mixture at a temperature and time sufficient for the polymer precursor to react and form polymer gel particles having a volume average particle size (Dv,50) of the polymer particles in gel form greater than or equal to 1 mm. The method can also include heating the polymer gel particles to produce a carbon material.