<p>OP: be aware that when Americans speak about college students “drinking” or a “drinking culture”, they don’t mean that those students consume a glass of wine or beer socially. They mean that the students drink alcohol until they vomit, then drink some more, usually cheap beer involving “drinking games”, and this typically leads to uncouth behavior. There’s drinking on all campuses and it goes unsaid (as most American kids discover alcohol on their own and overconsume at first) so when it’s specifically referred to, it usually means “excess drinking”. How many students spend their weekends drinking in excess and what other “alcohol-free” activities are offered on campus (free films, crafts, outdoors activities, non-alcoholic parties…) should probably be part of what you look into when selecting colleges for “fit”.</p>