Each fall the Princeton Review releases a list of the top ten party schools in America. The organization ---an American-based standardized test preparation and admissions consulting company --- began listing the top party schools in the nation in 1992. While its primary revenue generation comes from test preparation (ACT, SAT, AP, etc), the Princeton Review also uses student surveys and various data to rank the best colleges overall and regionally as well as the best party schools.
Princeton Review's Rankings
Princeton Review derives its top party school rankings based on email surveys that it administers to 122,000 students enrolled at nearly 400 colleges across the nation. Responses received about alcohol and drug use on campus, the number of fraternities and sororities on campus and the number of hours spent studying outside of class factor into which schools make the top ten list for prevalence of partying. Survey responses are voluntary and are filled out by about 325 students from each institution. The ranking is one of many included in Princeton Review's annual 800-page book about America's colleges.
Top Dog
The University of Georgia, whose mascot is the Bulldog, topped Princeton Review's 2010 list for top party schools in the country. While the university wasn't proud of the ranking, a University of Georgia spokesman did mention being proud of its ranking on the Green Honor Roll and being one of the top 50 "best values" for universities in America, according to a statement given in an interview with the Washington Times. The school is set in Athens, Georgia, which is a small college town. The campus is surrounded by nearly 100 bars and partying is a part of college campus life Thursdays through Sundays. While the University of Georgia had been on the top ten list before, 2010 marked its first No. 1 showing.
Perennial Party Powers
Pennsylvania State University (No. 3), West Virginia (No. 4) and the University of Florida (No. 7) all made the Review's list of top party schools for 2010. However, each school has been on the list many times and has even held the No. 1 spot in years past. Ole Miss (No. 5), the University of Texas (No. 6) and Iowa (No. 9) all repeated on the list as well.
Remainders
The remaining schools on the list are ones that might not be thought of as traditional party-hardy schools. Ohio University ranked No. 2, something that school officials were ashamed of and said that did not represent the historical tenor of the school, which is known for academic excellence. The University of California at Santa Barbara pulled in at No. 8 and DePaul University in Chicago rounded out the list in the No. 10 spot.
Tags: Princeton Review, list party, list party schools, party schools, University Georgia, been list, campus number