<p>How big of a party school really is U or W? It's always ranked in the top of the party lists, but I would like to know from an actual student if this ranking is true. I hope it's better than depicted because if true, in my opinion, U or W may not be that safe of an environment for all of its students... that would be really disappointing.</p>
<p>Partying does not mean a safety issue (how do you link the two?). Aside from that, with 40,000 or so students UW has plenty of people who have all sorts of lifestyles. This means those who want an active party scene probably will find it but also plenty of students do not choose that lifestyle. I wouldn’t let that reputation influence a decsion to apply.</p>
<p>According to the ever so official PR party school rankings the UW is no longer ranked in the Top 20 so no worries. </p>
<p>The Top 20 Party Schools
According to The Princeton Review, here are the top 20 party schools in the United States:</p>
<p>University of Florida
University of Mississippi
Pennsylvania State University
West Virginia University
Ohio University
Randolph-Macon College
University of Georgia
University of Texas
University of California-- Santa Barbara
Florida State University
University of New Hampshire
University of Iowa
University of Colorado
Indiana University
Tulane University
University of Illinois
Arizona State University
University of Tennessee
University of Alabama
Loyola University New Orleans</p>
<p>Read more: [Top</a> American Party Schools for 2008-2009: University of Florida Tops Princeton Review’s College Ranking | Suite101.com](<a href=“Suite 101 - How-tos, Inspiration and Other Ideas to Try”>Suite 101 - How-tos, Inspiration and Other Ideas to Try)</p>
<p>Ah, Princeton Review. They’ve got to keep updating these lists to maintain their audience and profit, do they not? Anyways, here’s my take on the atmosphere. The UW student body definitely enjoys to party but also hits the books hard - there seems to be a “work hard, play hard” kind of mentality around here. Keep in mind that UW is also a large state school with a large student body. Yes, there is quite a bit of partying. Nothing has changed in the short time since UW topped the Princeton Review list, so interpret that as you will. However, I must stress that I have never, ever felt unsafe or vulnerable on campus or on the party scene. I don’t see the correlation between the amount of partying and safety of the student body that you’re suggesting. Your experience in that realm depends on how you plan for it - think going out with a group rather than alone, etc. In addition, there are countless alternatives to parties that you can take advantage of if you’d like - contrary to what the media may tell you, not every single student on the UW campus is drunk from Thursday to Sunday every week. You will find someone with every lifestyle on campus and will find someone with one similar to your own.</p>
<p>Well there is a motto: Play hard study hard, which is very popular for the university. I think when mentioning the motto “Play hard study hard” it doesn’t completely mean the playing is party, though for a lot it may. It’s just a all around school where many have a great balance of enjoyment and academics. I was reading through my University of Wisconsin- Madison mail and notice all the activities that are on campus ( remember even reading that sking is near) and how the downtown rank tops for being cultural and live. It’s a really great school, great campus, and would be surprise if the environment isn’t safe. I have high interest in the school myself.</p>
<p>When D and myself were at SOAR on a Monday night in June, we had a wonderful dinner at a Himalayan restaurant on State St., then walked all the way down to the State Capitol & back. What I found–and this is in the middle of summer with people out & about–is that the farther away from campus (towards the Capitol), the less safe it appeared, more unsavory characters loitering. Not so many that I felt threatened, but I was aware of them nonetheless. There is also a fair amount of panhandling going on. Some of these characters I’ve heard are somewhat endearing, but the couple we encountered were a tad aggressive, similar to what I might find in Chicago. Didn’t bother us, but it is what it is.</p>
<p>I told D that Madison, aside from being a college campus, is a CITY, with city-like problems. Stay in numbers, especially at night, and be aware of your surroundings.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies! I admit I shouldn’t have used the word “safe”. What I meant to say is U or W may not be the most appealing environment for people who aren’t really party-goers, but I guess that’s probably the case for almost all schools. However, I still think U of W should try to eliminate it’s label as a top party school because academically it’s quite good, and a party school label may hinder some really good students from going there. Thanks again.</p>
<p>UW has no say in how that review makes its choices. As long as the state has the drinking culture the “party” atmosphere will seem to be there. Note that the study part of the phrase comes first, as in you need to study hard but you don’t need to party hard. Most students probably don’t often fit the party model, but with so many students a small minority is enough to get noticed by that review (and not all partiers near campus are students also).</p>
<p>Regarding safety- the campus is safer than downtown, especially at night. Unfortunately the center of the city is the isthmus and that is where the least savory characters/homeless are, this infringes on the eastern edge of campus/off campus housing.</p>
<p>Parents and students not interested in the wild side- don’t worry. There are plenty of students who don’t party and the campus is as safe as any in its academic class (I wouldn’t settle for a lesser school just to be “safe”, eg one of the small town state schools). The campus is very appealing for nonpartiers- as someone mentioned there are many other activites to partake in, as well as just hanging out with the friends you meet.</p>
<p>Looks like Princeton Review came out with their 2009 rankings and UW-Madison is # 8. Sorry Barrons…UW is right back in there. No matter it is just a ranking…all the big schools will flip flop in there.</p>
<p>BTW- the smartest students are smart enough to look beyond the Princeton Review and note the qualities of UW. You will find plenty of the top/good students at UW, although maybe not in the party scene.</p>
<p>Let me tell you this as a recent UW graduate. We drink. We drink a lot. We drink more than a lot. And pretty much everyone drinks. “Study hard and party hard” was my mantra for the past few years and in no way did it affect my grades–I got accepted to Georgetown Law School, my roommate got into Teach for America (very hard to get in to if you don’t know), my friends were all accepted to Med school, and we were the crazies out at the bars Tuesday night for Bacon Night at Wandos, Thrusday night for Thirsty Thursdays, Fridays because it was Friday, and Saturday because it’s Saturday. Also, the Terrace on the backside of the Union during summer, early fall, and late spring is where everyone does FAC-such a beautiful setting. So yes, we party. We can out drink anyone, any where and any time. People on Spring Break from other schools know of our rep and try and outdrink us but they fail. Let me say, we’re not alcoholics, no, we’re professionals. A true Badger can balance drinking and grades and maximize both. That’s the best lesson I learned at UW, time management.</p>
<p>^ That, my friend, is 100% BULL.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>Very nice, UW09!</p>
<p>That, my friend is not 100% bull. If you know how easy Poli Sci and History courses are, then you can see how I had the time to go out all those nights. PS and History are ****ing jokes. Sure, sometimes the work is heavy-Hist 600 for example–but most of it is quite easy. It is all reading, no problem sets like math and what-not, but the key to my success was time management. I would bust my hump during the day and get all my work done so I could go out and have a drink with my friends at night. But drinking, like it or not, is a part of the campus culture–like everything, you just have to know how to control it to a point where it does not start screwing up your academics. Once it crosses that line, you have gone too far. Maybe my line, my threshold, as long as my roommates, is a little more than most people–to each their own. Heavy drinking and grades may be correlated, but remember, correlation does not mean causation.</p>