This is an establishment of higher learning, mostly funded by public resources. While the federal and state governments primarily fund these institutions, other organizations also offer funding for them. Public colleges or universities aren’t as interested in making profits as private institutions, and hence, they usually offer more competitive tuition for students. Students interested in applying to public institutions should consider their pros and cons.
The pros:
More academic options: Public institutions usually offer a wider course selection and more degree choices for students to choose from. This is highly beneficial for students who aren’t sure what major they want to study. It’s also an advantage for students who plan on studying something very specific or a hard-to-find major.
Lower tuition costs: Attending a public school may be less expensive than attending a private school. Students should also keep in mind that if they choose a public institution in the state where they’re a resident, they’ll be eligible for even more discounts on tuition. Even out-of-state students may be eligible for lower tuition rates if they apply via an Academic Common Market like WICHE. Also, lower tuition costs usually lead to less student debt upon graduation.
Diverse student population: Public institutions accept more students from many different cities, states, and even countries. As a result, they’ve much more diversity than private institutions. This means students get more opportunities to meet like-minded support groups and people. It also makes them exposed to people with entirely different backgrounds, cultures, and ideas than their own, which helps to expand their perspectives.
Large number of activities: With a large number of students attending a public institution, its list of activities is typically much larger than that of a private institution. Large public institutions can easily have hundreds of student organizations that range from general interests to specific focuses.
Extensive student resources: Public schools usually offer a wider array of resources than private schools. These generally include counseling services, fitness centers, study areas, tutoring services, sports facilities, entertainment venues, and sometimes even transportation. All of these resources are generally included in the student fees or are offered at a nominal fee.
The cons:
Higher student-to-faculty ratio: As public institutions have greater student populations, classrooms are usually larger, leading to a higher student-to-faculty ratio.
Accessibility of professors: In public institutions, access to professors may be limited because each of them has hundreds of students. Additionally, some of them may be more focused on doing research and publishing than teaching.
