Article provided by The Princeton Review
Some colleges are famed for their academics, some for their location and some, well, are legends for their party scene. The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 college students for "The Best 368 Colleges: 2009 Edition" revealed the top 10 party schools in the nation. Read excerpts from the students' responses to the survey below.
Some colleges are famed for their academics, some for their location and some, well, are legends for their party scene. The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 college students for "The Best 368 Colleges: 2009 Edition" revealed the top 10 party schools in the nation. Read excerpts from the students' responses to the survey below.
Article provided by The Princeton Review Some colleges are famed for their academics, some for their location and some, well, are legends for their party sc... more
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1
University of Florida
Gainesville, Fla.
"You can tell that students at UF like to have fun," undergrads here agree, and fortunately for them the opportunities abound. There is "a lot of stuff to do on campus," and if partying is your thing, there are "37 fraternity/sorority houses" and" an ample number of clubs to check out” in downtown Gainesville. The Student Union also hosts "a bunch of different activities" and "shows recent movies in [its] theater, long before they come out on DVD." Then, of course, there's Gator athletics. "Almost everybody here is crazy about our sports teams, and team spirit is really high," students tell us. One writes, "Sports, both intramural and intercollegiate, are very important. This is one of the main reasons people are drawn to UF." Greater Gainesville "offers enough things to do" that "not being Greek does not hamper one's social life." Indeed, Gainesville "is a true college town -- everything is catered to the UF student." Students who considered University of Florida also looked at Florida State University, University of Miami, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida and University of Georgia.
2
University of Mississippi
University, Miss.
Many undergrads view Ole Miss as, "a great Southern school with amazing traditions and great standards that knows how to have a good time." Popular traditions include pre-gaming in The Grove, "a social setting jam-packed with friends and families all bound by the same values of hospitality and friendship." An "extremely popular" Greek system is another tradition that hasn't lost any steam; for many undergrads, "Most all activities outside of class or studying are centered on Greek life," which includes not only "an enormous amount of drinking and partying," but also "being among the most involved and active people on campus." Hometown Oxford "may be small, but there is always something to do." Students who considered University of Mississippi also looked at Mississippi State University, Vanderbilt University, Auburn University and Louisiana State University.
3
Penn State -- University Park
University Park, Pa.
At a university this size, "you can do anything and everything" in your free time. There are, however, a couple of common threads. First, "PSU football is a religion." During the fall, "Everyone goes to the football games and tailgates on Saturdays." Second, is the partying. "People party as hard on the weekends as they study during the week." "Popular choices" for freshmen and sophomores are "frat or apartment parties," while "For those over 21, Penn State's College Avenue has a great range of over 20 bars for students to choose from." Students who considered Penn State -- University Park also looked at University of Maryland -- College Park, University of Michigan -- Ann Arbor, Cornell University and Lehigh University.
4
West Virginia University
Morgantown, W. Va.
When it comes to socializing, West Virginia students are keen to mention "exceptional partying," "some of the best NCAA football" and "amazing" tailgates as some of the school's many opportunities for fun. Of course, while there are plenty of high-octane parties, there's also an alcohol-free program each weekend called WV Up All Night. Here students can enjoy "movies and comedy shows and games and free food at the student center." Hometown Morgantown also earns high marks. Students praise its "refreshing, slower pace of life" as well as "the 15 bars downtown that are no more than 80 feet from each other." Students who considered West Virginia University also looked at Penn State -- University Park, University of Pittsburgh -- Pittsburgh Campus, James Madison University, Marshall University and Virginia Tech.
5
Ohio University -- Athens
Athens, Ohio
Not all OU students party out of bounds, but enough students love to recreate that "On the weekends you could definitely find a party anywhere on campus, and all the bars are packed, especially on game nights." The school throws a number of organized campus-wide parties, including a legendary Halloween festival that involves "the largest block party in the US." "No one misses out on Halloween. Even the graduates come back," one student reports. Students who considered Ohio University -- Athens also looked at University of Akron, University of Texas at Austin, University of Cincinnati and University of Dayton.
6
Randolph-Macon College
Ashland, Va.
Students say that "When people say there is nothing going on, it is usually because no fraternity is having any parties for the students to go to," but a little thing like that isn't something that will dissuade them easily. Whether at frat parties on campus or at bars in Richmond (which is just 10 miles away), drinking is a popular activity, many students claim. Students who considered Randolph-Macon also looked at University of Virginia, Roanoke College, Virginia Tech and Christopher Newport University.
7
University of Georgia
Athens, Ga.
UGA is "so big that there is never nothing to do," undergrads tell us, adding "UGA is the type of school you see in the movies. The sun is always shining and everyone is always having a great time." "Football is like a religion here," students insist, noting that "tailgating is insane, but classy." There "is a lot of partying" here, "but most students know how to balance play with education and maintain good grades." Students who considered University of Georgia also looked at Florida State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University and Georgia State University.
8
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
"It is impossible to be bored [at Austin]. There is always something to do," says a junior. Sororities and fraternities constitute the bulk of a lot of students' social lives, and "alcohol accompanies all sporting events, parties, and weekends in general." Whether you head downtown to the famous Sixth Street for the bar scene, tailgate on Game Day, or head to a campus blowout, "there's constantly someone somewhere having a good time." Students who considered University of Texas at Austin also looked at Rice University, Southern Methodist University and Stanford University.
9
University of California -- Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Most parties take place in Isla Vista, where "17,000 19-to-21-year-olds are all jam-packed into this six-tenths-of-a-square-mile community, so you can imagine how the parties are ... Every night is wild, but, obviously, Friday and Saturday nights are the craziest." For some, Isla Vista "can get boring, because it's the same party every weekend," but for others, it never grows old. Downtown Santa Barbara "is beautiful and perfect for nights out, movies or an outing." Students who considered University of California -- Santa Barbara also looked at University of California -- Berkeley, University of California -- Davis, University of California -- Irvine and University of California -- Los Angeles.
10
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Fla.
Life at FSU is "very socially-oriented," with "events always happening" either on campus or off. One student explains, "A lot of people at FSU are big partiers. [A lot of students] love to drink and have a good time. [A lot of students] find many excuses to drink: holidays, sporting events or a day at the pool." That said, the administration has taken steps to address this issue by creating a coalition to change the drinking culture on- and off-campus. Students who considered Florida State also looked at University of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, University of Miami and Clemson University.
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