<p>slipper, I do not think private or public makes a difference. Most good universities (private or public) will be intense academically. I do not think top public schools like Cal, Georgia Tech, Michigan, UCLA, UIUC, UVa and William & Mary are any less intense than top private universities. Furthermore, I do not think that second rate private universities are going to be any more intense than second rate public universities. A university’s intensity is decided primarily by the quality of its faculty.</p>