I always wondered what were the differences between a private and public university, other than private colleges tend to be more expensive? Is a private university harder to get into than a public university?
It depends. Many public universities are very large, thus will have more seats to fill. However, there are some selective, highly regarded programs at public flagships that have admissions rates akin to those of T20 private colleges.
Admissions rates, however, mean very little. Just because a college has a low acceptance rate doesn’t mean it has great programs across the board or is a perfect fit for every student.
This ^^^
There is a wide range of both public and private colleges. The main difference is who “owns” the school.
You will find ~42 private colleges that are generally more difficult to get into than most public universities: https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/40090323. Beyond that point you will see substantial overlap. Note as well that specific selection criteria may rearrange these relationships in many cases.
Public universities are owned by the state and receive taxpayer money towards operating expenses. That’s why they charge lower tuition, at least to in state students.
There is a wide range of selectivity in both groups.