<p>A few observations:</p>
<p>Some of the best schools in the US are private: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Chicago are all private. </p>
<p>But also, many of the best schools in the US are public: Berkeley, UCLA, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin - are all public. </p>
<p>Just because a school is private doesn’t make it good. There are many mediocre or downright poor private schools. </p>
<p>Public schools have very limited financial aid for international students. That is because, being supported by (local) state taxes, their first obligation is to (local) in-state students.</p>
<p>If you need financial aid, before applying you should FIRST check whether a school offers much in the way of aid to international students. Many public schools do not. Some private schools, wanting to attract good American or international students, will offer more aid. Search the International students’ forum on this site for lists of schools known for giving aid to international students,</p>