The University of Florida-Gainesville now can claim the dubious title of America’s #1 party school, The Princeton Review announced in its annual list published today.
The University of Mississippi, Penn State, West Virginia University and Ohio University in southern Ohio. The list was published by the Princeton Review, a college prep service that publishes in-depth reviews of 386 schools every year. The list of party schools is based on a combination of survey questions regarding students’ use of drugs and alcohol, the amount of time they spend studying and the popularity of the greek scene.
Being at the top of the Princeton Review’s list of party schools can be a mixed blessing. On one hand, some students are attracted to the thought of four years of partying and choose to attend a school because of its placement on the list. On the other hand, being known for heavy drinking does not help a university’s reputation, campus safety and, often, the school’s overall performance. This could hinder recruiting the most gifted students and lower grant money or other financial gifts.
The University of Wisconsin, a school that topped the list less than five years ago, implemented plans to dispel its reputation as a party school and is out of the top 20 this year. Some, including the American Medical Association, have criticized the Princeton Review for their party school list saying that it "ignores the dangerous consequences of high-risk drinking."
For college rankings in a wide array of categories, including party schools, visit www.princetonreview.com
Sources: Princeton Review, Wikipedia