<p>So, I want to be intellectually challenged, but also have a fun time (both under the influence and sober). What are my options?</p>
<p>UCSB, UCSD, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, USC, Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA</p>
<p>
You forgot the other UCs. Hey, why not throw in the Claremont colleges as well? :p</p>
<p>Miami and Penn State are probably the first to come to mind. Probably UCSB, Tulane, USC, UF, UT, Wisconsin. </p>
<p>There are other schools that balance work and play pretty well (Penn, Dartmouth, Duke, Vanderbilt, UNC, etc.), but I wouldn’t call them party schools.</p>
<p>Texas and Wisconsin. Maybe Georgia too.</p>
<p>I would definatley say Vanderbilt, Duke, and UVA live by the “work hard, party hard” motto. We currently have a child at Vandy and they do stress the importance of “balance” alot. Seems like the kids work pretty darn hard but find time for lots of fun.</p>
<p>Honestly, barring a few exceptions, it won’t be hard to find good parties at top academic schools.</p>
<p>I would add Penn State too</p>
<p>University of Florida, which would be analogous to both Penn St. and Texas in that respect.</p>
<p>Sounds like: Arizona State University, Penn State, Florida State, Florida, Miami, Santa Barbara, New Jersey and Wisconsin.</p>
<p>U Arizona might fit the bill (some of their science programs are top-notch).</p>
<p>Tulane? (10 chars)</p>
<p>Top tier? Duke and Notre Dame. Stanford, too.</p>
<p>Wisconsin. …</p>
<p>I think a shorter list would be to list the “non-party” schools…</p>
<p>Essentially, the rule of thumb is…</p>
<p>If a school has a pretty strong Greek component, then it’s going to have a party element. My sons texted me from last night’s bonfire pep rally.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m worried about the schools that don’t have a Greek component/weak one. Like, HYP. What schools SUCK at partying? (So I can avoid them) And, I don’t really care if not everybody parties, but there must be at least SOME hardcore partiers.</p>
<p>If you mean reslly top schools: Penn, Dartmouth, Stanford, Duke.</p>
<p>If you want to party at a smaller school, try Rhodes College in Tennessee. Although Rhodes is not well-known, one can still get an excellent liberal arts education there. Parties abound because of the robust Greek life.</p>
<p>Check out Bucknell, Colgate and Lehigh.</p>
<p>Wisconsin has a small Greek element and they still party just fine. After today’s game I might need to party a little myself. JFC.</p>
<p>If you want to party, you can find those people anywhere. My cousin says he’s even been to good UChicago parties.</p>