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W. Virginia top party school, U of I No. 16
By Vicki Smith
Associated Press
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- To the disappointment of school administrators — and the pride of some students — West Virginia University is No. 1 on The Princeton's Review's annual list of the top 20 party schools.

The school has made the list seven times in the past 15 years, despite efforts to curb underage drinking and rowdy behavior.

But not since 1997 have the Mountaineers taken the top spot. Last year, WVU was No. 3, bested by the University of Texas at Austin and Penn State, both of which remain in the top 10 this year.

Senior Katie O'Hara, 22, said WVU is No. 1 because ``no matter what kind of party you want it's here — bars, fraternities, house parties. ... If you want to take shots all night, there's a bar; no matter what you want to do, it's there.''

Still, O'Hara said her friends ``know how to manage their time. They know when to party and when not to,'' which wouldn't explain the school's No. 1 ranking in the category of Their Students (Almost) Never Study.

The rankings are contained in the 2008 edition of ``The Best 366 Colleges,'' which is going on sale Tuesday and is based on a survey of 120,000 college students at those schools, mostly during the 2006-07 school year.

No. 2 on the party list was the University of Mississippi, followed by the UT-Austin, the University of Florida and the University of Georgia.

West Virginia's No. 1 ranking is just speculation, said West Virginia sophomore Stuart Sauer.

``I think there's no way to measure that,'' said Sauer, 20, of Richmond, Va. ``Every school's a party school.''

Incoming WVU President Mike Garrison focused on the positive rather than the rankings, saying the students he met over the weekend and on the first day of classes Monday are more concerned with their futures ``and with the great year we have ahead'' than with partying.

``I'm focused on the way this university changes people's lives, the research that we do and the service we provide to the state of West Virginia,'' said Garrison, who officially replaces David C. Hardesty Jr. on Sept. 1. ``This is a special place, and the whole state is proud of it.''

The Princeton Review says the guide to the best schools is intended to help applicants who can't visit every school in person.

Guide author Robert Franek said each of the 366 schools ``is a 'best' when it comes to academics.

``But as anyone visiting colleges can attest, their campus cultures and offerings differ greatly,'' he said. ``It's all about the fit.''

At the other end of the partying spectrum is Brigham Young University, claiming the top spot in the ``Stone Cold Sober'' category for the 10th straight year.

The book has 62 categories in all, including: Best Campus Food, Virginia Tech; Most Beautiful Campus, Sweet Briar (Va.); Dorms Like Palaces, Smith College (Mass.); and Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians, Hampshire College (Mass).

This year, WVU finishes among the Top 10 in several other categories: No. 4 in Students Pack the Stadiums; No. 5 for Best College Library; No. 6 for Lots of Beer; No. 7 for Lots of Hard Liquor; and No. 8 for Best College Newspaper.

The Princeton Review, which is not affiliated with Princeton University, is a New York company known for test preparation courses, educational services and books. It published its first survey findings in August 1992.

On the Net

The Princeton Review: www.princetonreview.com

West Virginia University: http://www.wvu.edu/

Top party and 'stone cold sober' schools



Top 20 party schools and ``stone-cold sober'' schools as they appear in The Princeton Review's 2008 edition of ``The Best 366 Colleges.''

Top 20 Party Schools

1. West Virginia University

2. University of Mississippi

3. University of Texas, Austin

4. University of Florida

5. University of Georgia

6. Penn State University

7. University of New Hampshire

8. Indiana University, Bloomington

9. Ohio University, Athens

10. University of California, Santa Barbara

11. Randolph-Macon College, Va.

12. University of Iowa

13. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

14. University of Maryland, College Park

15. University of Tennessee, Knoxville

16. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

17. Arizona State University

18. Florida State University

19. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

20. State University of New York, Albany

Top 20 ``Stone Cold Sober'' Schools

1. Brigham Young University

2. Wheaton College (Ill.)

3. Thomas Aquinas College (Calif.)

4. College of the Ozarks (Mo.)

5. Grove City College (Pa.)

6. U.S. Coast Guard Academy

7. U.S. Air Force Academy

8. U.S. Naval Academy

9. City University of New York, Queens College

10. Webb Institute (N.Y.)

11. Wellesley College, Mass.

12. Calvin College, Mich.

13. Wesleyan College, Ga.

14. U.S. Military Academy, N.Y.

15. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Mass.

16. Berea College, Ky.

17. St. Olaf College, Minn.

18. Agnes Scott College, Ga.

19. Bryn Mawr College, Pa.

20. Spelman College, Ga.

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Reader comments on this story - 34 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

ECU NC wrote on Jul 29, 2008 8:46 AM:

" just go to ECU on Halloween and i gaurantee there will be no other college that can come close to them. "

kss0728 wrote on Jun 30, 2008 3:33 PM:

" Ok so maybe you don't understand others... I've gone to ECU for 3 years now and I party all the time... I've maintained a 4.0 average all three years with an average of 16hrs. per semester... If you know nothing about ECU maybe you should come for once and understand what fun is... No one can ever have a better time than at a party... a party is a basis or foundation for social activity... this is where i got my job and girlfriend... oh and i make 6 figures so don't say you throw your life away because you have no clue waht your talking about....

#1 Alcoholic Party in America
-my apartment "

wtf wrote on Dec 19, 2007 9:08 PM:

" I don't understand why you mufftards care so much about the top spot and full time partying. The best thing that comes out of a party, is a hangover, so have fun smutting around and blowing a perfectly good opprotunity for a good job and life. Oh and the ten wine cooler comment was gay. "

SalukiAlum01 wrote on Aug 22, 2007 3:50 AM:

" SIU or ISU is nothing compared to a Univerisity of Florida or an Arizona State, I graduated from SIU in Carbondale and have been to Gainesville in Florida and ASU and saw first hand. "

Nova wrote on Aug 21, 2007 8:28 PM:

" Hook 'em Horns. "

Hotty Totty! wrote on Aug 21, 2007 5:52 PM:

" Being at Ole Miss now I can tell you that tailgating in The Grove on Saturday beats anything that ISU and SIU will ever have! And being a WVU alum I can also tell you that the only thing to do in Morgantown is go to a House party or the bars.... Oh yeah or you can burn couches! If ISU should be on the top of any list it would be STD's! GO REBS! and GO EERS! "

To: Robbed wrote on Aug 21, 2007 4:24 PM:

" Okay dude-10 wine coolers-you have got to be kidding me!!! Wine coolers barely have ANY alcohol in them and why was a guy drinking them??? Try about 6 yager bombs-a 30 pack of Bud and who knows how many shots of everything else in between and then you tell me if you think Wesleyian got robbed!!! LOL Anyway, I'm glad to see UM made it-that's my school!!! "

catfish wrote on Aug 21, 2007 3:17 PM:

" Where is Heartland on the list? "

WVU? wrote on Aug 21, 2007 2:56 PM:

" Do they have a denistry program? They could strike at rich if the did! "

Discover Virginia, I think wrote on Aug 21, 2007 2:12 PM:

" University of Illinois? University of Illinois? Who made this list? All I know is that I'm busting out for Randolph-Macon College as soon as someone tells me where it is. "

Nice to know... wrote on Aug 21, 2007 12:17 PM:

" I guess my daughter will be attending Wheaton College!! "

UM too! wrote on Aug 21, 2007 12:02 PM:

" "Are you ready?" Way to go Rebels... "

Surprised? wrote on Aug 21, 2007 11:54 AM:

" When you say you're suprised that cetain Illinois schools aren't on there, you need to realize there are over 1500 schools in the US, most of which "party." SIU ain't what it used to be, hasn't been since the early ninties. "

Saluki wrote on Aug 21, 2007 11:48 AM:

" SIU used to be a GREAT party school and they regularly made the list. Halloween weekend would ROCK!!! Guess they lost the ol party spirit. "

siu isn't there? wrote on Aug 21, 2007 10:14 AM:

" i believe it actually switched where siue is more of a party school than siuc which is shocking. and i am surprised wiu is not on there as well. "

Re: To: UofI 13? wrote on Aug 21, 2007 10:05 AM:

" I did! "

this list is horrible wrote on Aug 21, 2007 9:07 AM:

" LSU & ASU should be a lot further up and U of I shouldnt even be on the list. "

ISU wrote on Aug 21, 2007 8:31 AM:

" I am glad ISU is not on the list. I went there for an education. When I was filling out applications, SIU was considered a top "party school." I didn't visit the school for that reason. There are many people like me, too. "

to seriously wrote on Aug 21, 2007 8:30 AM:

" i believe that Florida actually should take the cake. SIU is great by the way, it is not how many people, but the fact that you get everybody in the region down and dirty. You dont have to deal with frat boy losers like other schools becasue they are vastly outnumbered. ISU is probably the worst school i have ever partied at, the girls are great, but come on, all ISU people want to do is act like tough guys, and you cant pary with that attitude! SIU SIU SIU "

Candy wrote on Aug 21, 2007 8:09 AM:

" I went to school to learn so I could get a very good job and I did. If you want to party all the time, stay home and let the kids who want to learn go to school. You need time to relax and have enjoyable times but it doesn't have to be drinking. "

Robbed wrote on Aug 21, 2007 7:56 AM:

" Wesleyan was robbed!! I saw this guy down 10 wine coolers one night at a party, it was crazy. "

Of coarse~ wrote on Aug 21, 2007 7:48 AM:

" This article comes out after the year has started. All schools party, and don't need to make it on a list, unless you go to a monk school. "

Wow wrote on Aug 21, 2007 7:36 AM:

" With the number of drunken idiots from ISU that either walk the streets on Thurs, Fri and Sat. either in Normal or downtown Bloomington, I'm shocked ISU didn't make the list. "

totally cool wrote on Aug 21, 2007 7:27 AM:

" i want to go to wheaton...they sound really fun to me! pass the pepsi dude! "

Mr.Hand&JeffSpicoli@AOL.com wrote on Aug 21, 2007 6:49 AM:

" Hey bud, let's party! Aloha, Mr. Hand. "

seriously wrote on Aug 21, 2007 6:29 AM:

" I think the ISU comment was a joke and I hope the SIU one was too...you really need to get out more, SIU may be fun, but the schools on this list exceed 40,000 students parting (now add 100,000 + on a football weekend) ...'lil SIU can't hold a candle. I've partied at 4 of these top 10 schools and they deserve it...take SIU on its craziest homecoming or basketballl weekend, double it and welcome to a normal saturday night in Austin, Morgantown or Happy Valley.... "

To: UofI 13? wrote on Aug 21, 2007 4:18 AM:

" Maybe you spent too much time partying at school, they're 16th. "

ISU wrote on Aug 21, 2007 12:51 AM:

" university of illinois shouldnt even be considered on the top 100 that school doesnt know the meaing of party and the same goes with many on the top 20 list ive been to many of those colleges and none even remotely compare to how big isu parties....they need to get some better evaluators or change the criteria cuz they are giving incoming freshman the wrong image if you want to party come to isu!!!! "

Texas wrote on Aug 20, 2007 10:44 PM:

" I've been to Austin a few times, the University of Texas is awesome. Cutest college girls around, that place rocks!!! "

To: UM wrote on Aug 20, 2007 10:30 PM:

" Howdy Fellow Rebel! "Hotty Toddy, Gosh almightly....." "

reader wrote on Aug 20, 2007 9:42 PM:

" I can't understand why ISU didn't make it? "

UM wrote on Aug 20, 2007 8:36 PM:

" Woooo!!! Ole Miss #2!!! Hotty Toddy!!! "

UofI 13? wrote on Aug 20, 2007 7:57 PM:

" They shouldn't even be in the top 50. "

SIU wrote on Aug 20, 2007 7:39 PM:

" We didn't even make the list?? "
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