IU named No. 14 party school

IU continues to live up to its party school reputation.

The Princeton Review released its 2009 top party school rankings Monday. IU ranks 14th, joining three other Big Ten schools in the top 20 – Penn State University, ranking first, and the University of Wisconsin and University of Iowa, ranked eighth and 12th.

According to the Associated Press, the Princeton Review surveyed 122,000 students to compile the official list. Every year, the Princeton Review creates “The Best 371 Colleges” guide, which surveys students nationwide on many different things, ranging from best dormitories to most jocks on campus and everything in between. Within the party ranking category, IU ranked 19th in “Lots of Beer” and seventh in “Lots of Hard Liquor.”

“We’ve always been angry with the Princeton Review for placing such a heavy emphasis on alcohol and partying,” said IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre. “We don’t think that people should take that into account when they choose a college or university. We’d prefer that they don’t do that.”

IU also received a No. 14 ranking in 2008. However, in 2007, the Princeton Review ranked IU eighth. In 2002, IU was ranked first.

Although IU is ranked as a top party school, the IU Police Department said it does not necessarily feel threatened by this ranking. The Princeton Review has “no research methodology on the way that they put the party school ranking together,” said IUPD Capt. Jerry Minger. “They have not inquired with us in any way, shape or form about what our statistics on patrol are.”

The Princeton Review typically bases its ranking system on student opinions and interviews.

“As to IU’s ranking in this party school, (it) has no bearing on the way the IU Police Department enforces the law in our community,” Minger said.

He added that he felt the ranking is purely for entertainment purposes.

Though administrators might not view the ranking as prestigious, many students take pride in attending a top party school.

“I can’t believe that we were ranked pretty low given that IU is considered one of the biggest party schools in the Midwest,” said recent graduate Dena Stamatoukos.

Some students even said IU is slacking compared to 2002 when IU was ranked as the No. 1 party school in the country.

“I am ashamed of the ranking,” Stamatoukos said. “I feel like I always see such a large amount of students out and about. Given our previous history, I honestly was expecting a higher ranking.”