A memorable college experience is about more than your coursework. It’s a total experience that revolves around the communities you discover in addition to the lessons you learn. An advantage to attending one of the top party schools is that you know you will have tons of fun on your way to a bright future.
That doesn’t mean that schools known for being party schools are the right choice for everyone. It’s also important to remember that any college is a choose-your-own-adventure set of possibilities — not a single experience that every student shares. You’ll be able to find parties at other schools, and the schools ranked here have a lot more to offer. If you want to, you can stay away from the party scene.
But for those who dream of tailgating in addition to studying, a school known for being a party school might offer the perfect blend.
How Do We Rank the Top Party Schools?
In large part,wedon’t. You — and people like you — do. We issue surveys to students and ask them to rate the party scene at their school. That means our information is always current and grounded in the actual student experience.
The depends on other factors, too. The total breakdown of our calculations is:
- Student surveys on party scene (70%)
- Access to bars (10%)
- Athletics grade (7.5%)
- Greek life grade (7.5%)
- Access to restaurants (5%)
For more information on how we rank party schools and other colleges, check out the .
Is a Party School Right for Me?
Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine you are now in your sophom*ore year in college. You’ve made it through the first year at your dream school, and your life has started to settle into a clear and consistent groove.
It’s Thursday night. You’re at:
- The library. That 8 am lab on Friday mornings requires a lot of preparation.
- Rehearsal or a new exhibit. You can’t imagine passing up the cultural opportunities around you.
- Home with a couple of friends. You might be watching TV, finishing up some work, or hanging out.
- The game. Obviously.
- The house of your sorority/fraternity or its brother/sister house.
- A bar, party, or any other place you can start the weekend right.
If you tend to favor the higher numbers in the list, a party school might be right for you. The best college party schools have very active non-academic offerings, including , an athletic campus, and an amped-up social scene.
For more specific recommendations, take our . It’ll let you rank your priorities as you search for colleges.
How Should I Use the List of Top Party Schools?
If you think a party school might be right for you, look through this list. You can filter by geography, majors, and many other factors.
Then read some of the recent reviews for schools that interest you. At Niche, we have more student college reviews than any other place on the internet.
Do you like what you see? Do you feel like you relate to these students and want similar things?
A vibrant party scene can mean different things to different people. Listen to the students that know the schools best. Do you want to attend their party?
