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There are so many colleges and universities to choose between, that it can be difficult to narrow them all down, especially if you’ve earned good grades in high school and can get accepted to many schools. However, among the many small criteria you will use to decide where you ultimately go for your college education is one very big choice. That choice relates to whether you’d like to go to a public college or university, or a private school.

What’s the Difference?
Public schools include large, state universities as well as smaller colleges, but usually they are larger in size. Private schools can also be many different sizes, but it is easier to find a small private school than a similarly sized public school. So there is one big difference: the size of the schools.

Also, private schools can be a bit spendier and tend to have higher requirements for admission. However, this is all relative to the school in question, as all schools have different requirements! Really, it’s all a matter of preference, since there are great colleges and universities, whether you want a public or private school!

Before we get into the differences between public and private schools, let’s recap what you may have missed over the last several days. We’ve discussed, how teachers can keep their skills sharp over summer vacation, the mistakes that I (and many others) made in the classroom, and how to give your best performance during tests. We also talked about how to overcome differences and work as a team in the classroom, the reasons why math is cooler than you’d think, and some of the great reasons to be a teacher!

Now, let’s get into what separates public schools from private schools, so that you’re better equipped to decide which is best for you!

Public School Pros and Cons
Public colleges and universities are known for usually being very affordable. You’ll really notice the savings if you’re an in-state resident, as your tuition will be vastly discounted from what you’d pay if you went to an out-of-state school. As a result, public schools rely on much of their funding from the federal government, and they are more likely to pack a lot of students in to help fund the institution. So you may occasionally have larger class sizes, sometimes very large ones- especially in “general education” classes that are required for the entire school population to graduate.

Public universities are great places to go if you’re a talented athlete, musician, or performer. The level of athletics and other activities in public universities is usually the highest in the entire nation, especially at the Division I level. This means that you can usually get an even better deal on tuition, even in an out-of-state school, if you’re talented in one area or another.

Sometimes, you may find a larger variety of activities in a public school, since they generally have such a large number of students enrolled. This means that there are all kinds of clubs, organizations, intramural sports and volunteer opportunities to get involved with. This also means that no matter how obscure your interests are, you’re bound to find other students who share the same passion as you do!

There are also many cultural opportunities in a large public school. After all, the larger the school, the more diverse the campus (usually), so you’re bound to be able to experience many different things than you would at home, or in a private college. Cultural events, festivals, and other opportunities to interact with people of backgrounds different than yours await you in a public university.

Finally, large public schools can provide an atmosphere that most small colleges can’t compete with. There’s simply nothing like getting your face painted and joining 50,000 other fans to watch your university’s football team take on their biggest rivals on a Saturday afternoon. By going to a large school, you’ll be a part of these kind of events.

You’ll also join a large number of alumni nationwide (and even worldwide), which means connections for jobs and other opportunities. You’ll be able to easily follow your school’s athletic performances on national television, and others that you meet will instantly know where you went to school once you tell them.

One of the cons of a large public university is that it can be easy to feel lost in the shuffle. After all, you’re a relatively small fish in a very big pond, all of a sudden. There is definitely a sense of community in a large school, but it’s a different kind of community than in a school with a few thousand students. Again, this is all a matter of your own personal preference!

Private School Pros and Cons
Private schools are often among the best academic institutions. They often have lofty requirements for admission, and they usually produce some of the best and brightest minds in the country. This means that, depending on the school you choose, your degree may really catch the eye of potential employers. After all, a degree from a rigorous and prestigious college means a lot!

However, with this kind of prestige comes a price. Private schools rely on current students and alumni donations to fund their activities, and the usually small class sizes mean that there are less students to foot the bill, so tuition is naturally higher. Of course, need-based financial aid is always available, as are scholarships. However, many private colleges and universities don’t offer athletic scholarships, so keep that in mind!

This isn’t always a bad thing, though. Since you’ll most likely end up in a college with just a few thousand (or even less) students, you’re more likely to be able to be involved in extracurricular activities. The lack of athletic scholarships, for instance, can mean that if you work hard and have a little experience in a sport, you can play at the intercollegiate level! The same goes for participating in the arts, theatre, or any number of activities, such as student government.

So as you see, a small college allows everyone to truly get involved. There’s also an outstanding sense of community in a smaller school, since you see the same people quite a bit. You’ll especially get to know those that have the same major as you, as you’ll be taking many of the same classes together over the years. This can help you to have solid contacts in your field as soon as you graduate! Alumni of small private colleges also tend to be very tight, which can work to your benefit.

Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself what type of academic institution is best for you. Most of the time, you really can’t go wrong! After all, there are great opportunities at all types of academic institutions, and every school has its own features and attributes. You really have to just do the research necessary to make a smart decision on which school is the best school for you! After all, what’s important is that once you get there, you do your best work and prepare to take on your career after graduation!