Should college-bound students still apply to a college that has a Party School reputation??
That’s a serious question. While I don’t encourage selecting a college solely on rankings, this particular one is a bit unnerving. According to the Princeton Review, the ranking is based on a “combination of survey questions concerning the use of alcohol and drugs, hours of study each day, and the popularity of the Greek system.” Oooh!
Before adding a “top party college” to your list of arbitrarily removing from your list, here are 3 critical questions that a family should answer:
- How grounded and self-aware is my teen?
- Does my teenager typically make their own decisions or follow the crowd?
- What campus resources will be available for my teen if the academic load is too easy or social influences are negative?
And these questions are part of a whole range of questions that every college applicant must ask as part of their due diligence. There are other questions related to the student’s social well being, academic expectations, and financial support that will determine whether a party college still remains on the list.
In considering these questions, here is a list of the top 20 party schools of 2024 by Princeton Review, along with their rate of admissions and graduation rates.
| 2024 Party Schools* | Graduation Rates | Admit Rates |
| U California Santa Barbara | 81.5% | 54.4% |
| Florida State University | 83.7% | 25% |
| Tulane University | 86% | 11.5% |
| University of Alabama | 72.1% | 80.1% |
| Syracuse University | 83% | 51.8% |
| U of Southern California | 92% | 12% |
| University of Georgia | 86.5% | 42.5% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | 88.2% | 49.1% |
| U Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 86.2% | 44.8% |
| Howard University | 63.9% | 53.4% |
| West Virginia University | 61.6%% | 88.4% |
| Penn State | 84.7% | 55.2% |
| U of Mississippi | 68% | 97% |
| Ohio University | 66.8% | 86.5% |
| Indiana University – Bloomington | 81% | 82.5% |
| Michigan State University | 81.4% | 88% |
| San Diego State University | 76% | 38.3% |
| University of Iowa | 72.3% | 86% |
| U of Colorado Boulder | 72.1% | 80.7% |
| The Ohio State University | 86.8% | 52.7% |
Additional interesting posts to check out:
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