Party school rankings 2024

[Hibush]

This may not be the category rankings-obsessed parents follow, but there is a niche.

In the olden days, many colleges claimed to be ranked the Number One Party School by Playboy Magazine. That pubication seems like the most credible to rank this category.

Perhaps for a different niche or the present time, the Wall Street Journal has offered its own.

The party rankings are based on questions asked of students during WSJ's survey for their main college ranking, but responses to party-related questions were only used for the party-school rankings.

Tulane is on top with a comprehensive offering of party modalities.

Here are the Top Ten

• Tulane University
• University of Dayton
• Florida State University
• Michigan State University
• University of Alabama
• University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Miami University, Oxford
• West Virginia University
• University of South Carolina
• Sewanee: The University of the South

Tulane's spokesman said "We also have a highly relational campus culture and are located in a city known worldwide for its joie de vivre"
The University of Dayton didn't respond to requests for comment.

[RatGuy]

I was at LSU for a bit and some students were angry that Playboy never seemed to include LSU -- but somehow Chico State or Santa Barbara got all the hard-partying rep? Some of the fraternities took it as a personal affront and a challenge. Outside of that Alabama sorority documentary I haven't heard personal horror stories from schools on that list.

[mythbuster]

The trends I notice in this list. All in either the Deep/Rural South or the Rustbelt. Both areas with strong cultures of drinking. All but Sewanee have known D1 sports programs- Tulane has massively improved Football of late, and Dayton is a constant mid-major presence in March Madness. The SEC schools on this list are well known as being "fun "places to go and have an easy time in college for those who want Greek organization networking and the to be on College Gameday.

[Hibush]

The trends I notice in this list. All in either the Deep/Rural South or the Rustbelt. Both areas with strong cultures of drinking. All but Sewanee have known D1 sports programs- Tulane has massively improved Football of late, and Dayton is a constant mid-major presence in March Madness. The SEC schools on this list are well known as being "fun "places to go and have an easy time in college for those who want Greek organization networking and the to be on College Gameday.

Sports watching as an excuse to drink seemed to be a common theme.

It can go so far that a commenter on that article wrote that their New Orleans French Quarter visit was ruined by all the drunk Tulane students vomiting in the street. [Do they email professors asking to be excused from lecture on Monday?]

Edited to add, interthreadularly, that Ben Sasse didn't help Floida's standing at all because he didn't invite student to those lavish parties. 

[Diogenes]

I'd like to see a ranking for the little guys and liberal arts schools. My undergrad liberal arts alma mater is known for being hard partying.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Glad not to see my school on the list.

I grew up not far from Dayton and the neighborhood next to the university (then called "the Ghetto") was basically massive party on the weekends.