Top Party Schools for 2011

Based on surveys taken from 122,000 students, the Princeton Review has released their annual rankings of colleges. By far the list that gets the most attention is the ranking of the top party schools in the nation. The ranking is figured based on survey questions relating to student use of alcohol and drugs, hours of study done each day, and the popularity of the Greek system at the school.

The University of Georgia was ranked number one for the first time, which is surprising considering the effort put forth to curb student drinking. Georgia requires first year and transfer students to complete an interactive online alcohol course, a program that students must pass before the first day of classes. Georgia will also call home to parents when an underage student gets caught drinking.

But Georgia students still have easy access to alcohol with nearly 100 bars located near the Athens campus. In the ranking Georgia took seventh place for students who drink beer and placed in the top 10 for how little students study, the popularity of the Greek system, and how many students attend football games.

Georgia parties so hard, even one of their administrators was busted for a DUI.

But according to this letter to the editor, Georgia is partying way less than it used to:

Call up anyone you know who went to Georgia 10 years ago. Ask them what it was like. Ask them about the rule that stipulates that two alcohol related events within a year of one another will get a student suspended. Ask them about the increased security at bars downtown. Ask them about the newly-instituted pairing of police officers on practically every street corner downtown. Aid them in retrieving their jaws from the floor. Ask them about their craziest college memory – I’m willing to bet its pretty wild – or at least wilder than yours. Aid yourself in retrieving your jaw from the floor. Inquire into how the Greek life scene was back in the day – then tell them about all of the rules and ‘regs currently in place.

Two factors that determine the top party schools are those with the least amount of study time and the amount of alcohol the students drink. We think it should be those who study more, get high marks, and still make time to party that should get the higher honor. Anyone can go out and party. It takes a special dedication to want to go out late and be social, yet still manage to wake up for that 8am class.

Princeton Review's Top Party Schools for 2011

1. University of Georgia
2. Ohio University
3. Penn State University
4. West Virginia University
5. University of Mississippi
6. University of Texas at Austin
7. University of Florida
8. University of California – Santa Barbara
9. University of Iowa
10. DePauw University
11. Florida State University
12. University of Wisconsin - Madison
13. University of Alabama
14. Sewanee - The University of the South
15. Indiana University - Bloomington
16. University of Colorado - Boulder
17. University of Missouri
18. University of Illinois
19. University of Maryland
20. Michigan State University

It is interesting to note that the majority of the colleges in this list also have big football programs with a high presence of tailgating and after game festivities. These are type of schools whose game day parties begin with kegs and eggs and end with burning couches. Something about college sports just brings about the party and riot atmosphere.

Other category rankings in the Princeton Review that relate to “partying” include:

Worst Party Schools

1. BYU
2. Wheaton College (Illinois)
3. U.S. Coast Guard Academy
4. U.S. Air Force Academy
5. Wesleyan College
6. College of the Ozarks
7. U.S. Naval Academy
8. U.S. Military Academy
9. Calvin College
10. Thomas Aquinas College
11. Grove City College
12. Wellesley College
13. Mills College
14. Marywood University
15. Berea College College
16. Cal State - Stanislaus
17. CUNY Queens
18. Mount Holyoke College
19. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
20. Agnes Scott College

Most Beer Drinkers

1. Ohio University – Athens
2. Pennsylvania State University – University Park
3. University of New Hampshire
4. University of Florida
5. Claremont McKenna College
6. University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa
7. University of Georgia
8. West Virginia University
9. Colgate University
10. Providence College

Most Hard Liquor Drinkers

1. Providence College
2. University of Georgia
3. Tulane University
4. University of Wisconsin – Madison
5. University of Mississippi
6. Indiana University – Bloomington
7. Ohio University – Athens
8. University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa
9. Sewanee – The University of the South
10. Trinity College (CT)

Most Potheads

1. University of California – Santa Cruz
2. Eckerd College
3. Bard College
4. University of Vermont
5. Skidmore College
6. University of Colorado – Boulder
7. Colorado College
8. Hampshire College
9. University of California – Santa Barbara
10. Ithaca College

Students Study the Least

1. University of North Dakota
2. University of Central Florida
3. University of Mississippi
4. State University of New York at Albany
5. West Virginia University
6. Louisiana State University Baton Rouge
7. University of Iowa
8. Florida State University
9. University of Georgia
10. Salisbury University