When it comes time to choose a university course, one of the most frequent doubts for a student fresh out of high school is whether to attend a private or a public university.
Which could be the best option for the student? Are there any criteria for making the right choice?
Let's try to find out together.
Which Universities Work Best?
Unfortunately, there are no simple answers to the above mentioned questions. Precisely for this reason, in the next few lines we will sort through the details of the pros and cons of each option.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Public University
Let's start with public university. Our guide will be focused on five key points.
Costs of Public University
The costs of public university can be an advantage, considering that the fees for enrollment and attendance are generally lower. Many concessions are also often guaranteed (i.e. scholarships) to current students and / or to students with a lower ISEE, depending on the fees established by the university.
Grades at Public University
It is a fallacy that public universities are "simpler" - funny thing, detractors of private universities claim the same. Well, there is no absolute truth. This is why we suggest always to see beyond the grades. Students should better look for a solid academic background, rather than for shortcuts.
Crowding in Public University
Except for faculties with limited numbers, public university structures tend to be more crowded than the private ones, where the access is more restricted.
Career Opportunities After Public University
The University where you graduated is often considered to be your business card.
Since there are many excellent and noble public universities, this point in itself is neither an absolute advantage, nor an absolute disadvantage in itself.
Quickness in Taking Exams at Public Universities
The examination calendar at public universities generally sets different dates per semester, which helps the student not to lose a year. In any case, there are plenty of opportunities to catch up.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Private University
Similar considerations can also apply to private universities.
Let's see the five key points together.
Costs of Private University
The costs of private university tend to be a disadvantage, because the fees are generally higher. Also, the generally reduced presence of subsidies and scholarships makes private universities less affordable to less well-off students.
Grades at Private University
As we have already mentioned, studying at a private university does not mean you will get good grades more easily - despite all the rumors you might have heard about private universities being more "generous" than the public ones.
We suggest always focusing your attention on the quality of your study, instead of taking the easy way out.
Crowding at Private University
Private facilities tend to be less crowded than public ones. The "initial selection" - determined by higher tuition and frequent numerus clausus - is ideal if you want to be part of a university that can potentially devote more attention to the individual student.
Career Opportunities After Private University
Graduating at a famous private university is known to be a good business card for the labor market.
This is only partially true today, as companies have adopted other evaluation criteria as well.
Quickness in Taking Exams at Private Universities
There are no significant differences in the examination calendar. It depends, however, on the individual universities.
Conclusions
We hope this short guide about public and private universities will clarify some of the characteristics of the two alternatives at your disposal.
Nevertheless, you should not generalize about this topic.
It is therefore better to look for more detailed information about the specific university and faculty you would like to attend!