The biggest difference between the two it seems is their financial resources. Public Colleges get their funding primarily from the government. Students are able to get cheaper tuition if the college is in their own state, of they are attending a College in a different state then they most likely wont. Private colleges get their funding primarily from tuition and donations. But they are also the ones who offer the best financial aids. Private schools tend to have more scholarships available.
Public colleges tend to be harder to get into. Because of the lower fees it attracts more students. Private colleges offer more prestige. Having a private college on a job application still holds a lot of weight in the working world. That being said, public colleges do take on more students than private do. But that is largely due to how many people apply for public colleges. So even though there maybe be more placements, there are still a high number of applications. Class sizes are also smaller in a private colleges. Smaller class sizes mean more one on one time with the teacher.
Public schools seem to offer more varieties in what degrees they offer, whereas a private college tends to specialize. Offering less degrees can be a positive thing, it would mean that there is more of a focus on the degree you are going for.
When it comes to accommodation, public seems to have the best options. Unlike many private colleges, public colleges over fraternities. There is also a huge difference in the choice of where you want to stay as a freshmen. Public colleges offer you a choice, and it is more like small apartments. Whereas private colleges don’t.
Both public and private offer a wide variety of sports.
Figuring out which college works best for you. So before you decide, find out which college is going to offer you the best course.