<p>When comparing the average GPAs at public and private colleges, you have to consider that most public schools have to comply with state laws requiring most of the school to be composed of in-staters, and since some schools give all in-staters within the top 10% of their graduating class an opportunity to attend, there will be a decent number of in-staters who bring the school’s average down. That’s why public colleges tend to have lower GPAs.</p>