No one can honestly answer to this question without having attended, worked for, or otherwise had extensive interaction with both types of schools. What follows is largely my opinion based on attendance at a public school. And to those who dismiss public education as inferior, at least this graduate knows to qualify conjecture with the word "may" and also realizes that many of his statements could be proven or disproven by consulting the existing results of research. In giving my answer I assumed that the word college also refers to larger universities. While there are excellent, large private universities, many private shool are small colleges. I began my college search by visiting small, schools with the classic ivy covered buildings, a small faculty, and limited course options. I ultimately decided to attend a meduim-large university and have always been thankful that I did. I made changes to the direction of my education several times as I became aware of the options available and gained an understanding of my field that let me narrow my focus to their niche I enjoyed. This was something I never could have done at a small college. The courses, faculty, and facilities were simply not there. And while community colleges may be an affordable way to start your education, I always urge any student attending a "commuter college" to move to a school with on-campus housing as soon as possible. That is the only way to totally integrate the school into your life and get the true "college experience". No private school can compete with the facilities and range of faculty expertise available in a statewide public university system. Private schools may be more selective in choosing students, but admissions are not based solely on academic excellence. And public schools are likely to have a population of students that are just as intelligent and talented as the best students of a private university. While the average student in a selective private school is likely to be more capable than the average public school student, those at a public school who want the best education can find it if they make an effort. The exclusivity of a private school may make public schools more reflective of the real world. Having been a student and, after graduation, an employee I recognize that academia often exists in a bubble, separate from the real world. The more sheltered you are, the less likely you'll be able to deal with the outside when you leave. That said, those that are lucky enough to live in an elite, upper class world, whether born there or arriving through their own efforts, may find that at least their professional lives are identical to those at their private alma mater. But, not everyone can maintain their position in that world without effort. The name of a private college may give a graduate an advantage in landing a job, but that can be a double-edged sword. Students can put too much faith in the ability of their school's reputation to mask an education that didn't meet the assumed standard. The quality of the school could have decreased without yet affecting its reputation or that reputation may never have been deserved in the first place. More likely, the problem was with the individual student who put less effort into their education. Several responses stress a private school's focus on courses over research. As someone with a field that places high importance on participation in undergraduate research, I don't quite understand this arguement. Facultiy with strong teaching skills are critical for lower level courses. Students are just beginning their education and don't yet have an understanding of their area of study that lets them correctly chart a path. Unfortunately its been my experience that introductory courses tend to have huge class sizes with a cricullum sometimes geared towards seemingly below average students. And of course the large size means little to no interaction with the professor. But this is not always the case. Class sizes can be on par with upper level courses. Some schools recognize the need to place talented, student-friendly professors in these courses. And the need to teach to and interact with a diverse group of students can improve the teaching skills of the instructor. Its been my experience that many introductory courses are taught by the same professor for years. The stagnation of cirriculum that could develop is not as determinal as it would be in advanced courses. It could even have some benefit as all students can be expected to start with the same basic knowlege, which the faculty teaching upper level courses should be aware of. Back to research. Every student in every field should participate in undergraduate research. The form of that research can vary considerable across disciplines. But nothing forces you to understand a topic more than applying it to a problem. That credit is often given to teaching, but you have to dig in even more when research leads you into areas you don't understand or never even encountered. And nothing prepares you for all the challanges of life more than recognizing a dead end and figuring out a way around it. I could continue on topics like facilities available, expertise of faculty, extra cirrucluar activities, beauty of the campus, etc. But this should be long enough to show you I consider the quality of your education to be almost totally determined by the effort you put into it. And education is primarily what college is about. And its an education in many areas beyond academics. Career oppurtunities are often the result of personal connections and being in the right place at the right time. Attendance at a private school may put you in a position to make "better" connections and while that is certainly a major plus, putting too much emphasis on it diminishes the importance placed on actual education and abilities. The idea that a degree from a private school will catapult you into an elite world may have some merit. But without ability remaining their will be luck. Being accepted at a "select" private school may mean you already have that ability. But without effort it can be lost or simply fail to develop. Effort is required and that doesn't change based on where a school's funding comes from.