<p>If my kid were stupid enough to tell me that her main criteria would be finding a "party" school, I'd tell her to go get a job, party on her own dime, and get back to me when she's serious about college.</p>
<p>Opie ofMaybery2, while that is true, it is awfully bad logic. I like to work out and stay in shape, but does that mean I should go to Compton and see if I'm strong enough to take on a gang? The fact that a parent doesn't want their child to go to a party school has nothing to do with their trust in their child. They just want what's best... And the majority of parents are paying for their child to go to college! Shouldn't they want to invest in a school in which academics is the priority?</p>
<p>And what we're saying is just as much for students as it is for parents. I went to two different schools-- one a party school, and one not so much-- and there was a distinct difference in the campus atmosphere. I personally enjoy an intellectually stimulating environment, where there are things to do on the weekends besides tour the frats.</p>
<p>"Opie ofMaybery2, while that is true, it is awfully bad logic. I like to work out and stay in shape, but does that mean I should go to Compton and see if I'm strong enough to take on a gang?"</p>
<p>Well, I guess I'll bite because your logic is a bit off. I like that. I guess my answer would be how much ya bench? </p>
<p>Your question doesn't fit my remark, it makes no sense. </p>
<p>Is a work out the ONLY aspect you feel is necessary? Wouldn't wisdom, observing and tatical awareness come into play? If I only taught you weights for 18 years, I screwed up bigtime. </p>
<p>As a parent during those 18 years having to teach my kid how do deal with assualts ( and this is true by the way) who was being assualted daily by a gang of kids. Part of the solution was the weight room. It served him well as he was known as the fightin valdictorian at his HS, having spent a few weeks on suspensions for DEFENDING HIMSELF. I think if you search inhere you'll find the story. </p>
<p>Your question "I'm strong enough to take on a gang?"" would get a flick in the ear from me as YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO BE THE AGGRESSOR, I wouldn't have taught you that. Once you learn how to kill, the lesson becomes not to. You wouldn't seek out conflict, but you wouldn't cower either. So if you want to rephrase that we can try again. I think you choose a limited example. </p>
<p>" The fact that a parent doesn't want their child to go to a party school has nothing to do with their trust in their child."</p>
<p>Actually I agree, it has to do with self doubt in parenting. Did I do a good job? if I don't let go, I'll never have to find out. </p>
<p>You should realize a party school is in any state where booze is sold. Outside of Utah, which I simply am not sure of, a kid can turn anything from a hayfield, to a parents home into a party... Even kids at christain colleges can and do drink. Your really not going to minimize the problem, just hide it. </p>
<p>"Shouldn't they want to invest in a school in which academics is the priority?"</p>
<p>They drink there too, just better labels. No PBR. sorry. </p>
<p>"I went to two different schools-- one a party school, and one not so much-- and there was a distinct difference in the campus atmosphere."</p>
<p>Then you share your experiences good and bad and you let them experience their own. Then you'll find out if they were listening. won't you? ;)</p>
<p>" I personally enjoy an intellectually stimulating environment, where there are things to do on the weekends besides tour the frats. " </p>
<p>I worked my way through college nights, got off in the morning went to class, studied, slept for 5 hours and rinse repeat..... </p>
<p>A little more fun wouldn't have killed me looking back.</p>
<p>I still think they're pretty much all party schools for those determined to party. And it took a friend's daughter 2 years to find a non-heavy-drinking peer group at Vassar. There are plenty of serious students at ASU and UW-Madison. I'd trust my kid anywhere.</p>
<p>I think some of you would be surprised at the range of attitudes in the world. I had a meeting with some clients recently -- people in their 70s, whose grandchildren are in or approaching college. We talked about their granddaughter and my son, both seniors this year, and what they cared about most was their granddaughter going someplace where she could have fun (by which they meant Michigan, by the way). And years ago, when my sister applied to college, I know my parents encouraged her to apply to schools where they thought kids had fun (by which they meant Dartmouth and Williams, 30 years ago), since she had had a fairly miserable time in high school and my mother thought the world owed her some parties.</p>
<p>Some colleges have less parties. But if your kids excel in party then it does not matter where they go. They will always beat the crowd.</p>
<p>Tulane and Miami-Ohio? "Let's get wasted" is a huge focus- as it is at most colleges, in my opinion.</p>
<p>
I really like this description of fit.</p>
<p>I actually used to joke that our older son needed to go to a party school. He was so quiet in high school that I thought he'd benefit from a more social setting. Of course, he applied to schools like U of Chicago, Harvey Mudd, MIT, but also to Dartmouth, Columbia and Duke. We always knew that he'd do well academically wherever he went, but (especially as a mom) we also wanted him to have some fun. We are very happy that he ended up where he is. He has clearly grown socially, but I think that a true "party" school would have overwhelmed him. By attending a good academic fit, which also has fairly social kids, he found his "peeps" so to speak. </p>
<p>For the most part, I'd let kids apply wherever they wanted to, as long as the financial piece works. They usually know where they feel most comfortable, and I really just want happy kids.</p>
<p>I think mladyd has it right too. In a sense I DO hope my son will party more--just not destructively. His HS student body has been something he could adapt to, but I encouraged him to look for a better social/intellectual fit for college. I think he's found that at Grinnell, so I think he's more likely to go to parties, dances etc. than he has been in HS.</p>
<p>A student can party nearly anywhere. Any school can be a party school. Ivies can be party schools. Some of the best academic schools can have party hard reputations. And there are kids who can handle an intense academic schedule and party, alot. There are students who have 3.8-4.0 GPA at intensely hard academic schools who are also alcoholics and drink too much every day. They just haven't hit bottom. </p>
<p>But when a student looks to select a school based on the idea of having fun and partying, IMHO they can do that on their dime.</p>
<p>Now, having a healthy social life and balancing that with academics, that is what we all want for our kids, yes?</p>
<p>I applied or visited UConn, UMass and Indiana so...
But the school I'm going to isnt as party crazy. My parents never said anything because the type of school I wanted was a state school atmosphere.</p>
<p>"Bay: UCSB, SMU, Duke and USC have tough academic standards to get in. Once there, students may party, but the competition for grades is tough and kids who are excessive partiers may not last. </p>
<p>Contrast this to other schools (ASU, CSU San Diego, Chico State) the standards to get in are not too high and staying is not the biggest challenge."</p>
<p>The data on graduation rates suggest just the opposite. (At many of the top-"tier" schools, you have to work very hard to leave.)</p>
<p>I'm all for fun and parties, but there are degrees of that in different environments. I also don't think it is a matter of trust, because the vast majority of kids do party and it's a fact that peer groups are always influential (even for kids, and adults, who have a lot of self control). </p>
<p>College kids are still not "finished" adults, and it could be very advantageous to spend four years at a school where academia is the social pressure and partying is more moderate. It just sets good habits for the future, and increases the chance of having friends who are moderate partiers.</p>
<p>Funny title -- Would you help your kid look for a party school -- I don't think anyone has to <em>look</em> very hard to find a party school!</p>
<p>My D said the best parties she went to last year (she's at Northeastern) were at... MIT. That either says something about MIT's nerds-who-only-study reputation -- or something about her idea of a good party ;)</p>
<p>No, your D is right. MIT people give great parties. Did she by any chance go to any of the parties involving the disco dance floor? (My son was on the design team for that.)</p>
<p>Our son almost lost his scholarship, and still has a lot of work ahead of him, due, in part, to the social nature of his school.</p>
<p>I did not read any posts, only the topic name for this thread, and it was enough alone, for me to say, "NO, i would not help my son or daughter to seek out a party school". </p>
<p>Read my thread if you need more details.</p>
<p>As I said orginially, while there are parties at all colleges, certain colleges have a "party atmosphere" that others don't have. After discussing it with many people, the only school I will remove from my original list is Tulane. I wanted a list of major universities that weren't party-centered, and while they still have more parties than most LACs or elite schools, they are far better than their peers.</p>
<p>A reason why I think it is kind of silly to look for a "party school", is that even though the degree of partying may be greater at some schools than others (Duke & Dartmouth have more party scenes than Caltech & Harvard for instance).. just about every college in the nation has a party scene! Even University of Chicago.. the only possible exception I can think of is BYU.</p>
<p>Just as it is possible to find a party scene in almost every school... it is possible to avoid the party scene! If a kid likes to party, he or she will find it at just about any school! </p>
<p>If a kid doesn't like partying, it is very easy to avoid it at most schools.. unless the school is extremely intolerant of non-partiers.. which I know doesn't describe any school with highly intelligent students. (Most of the schools people on CC are looking for anyway, lol..)</p>
<p>Just a contrarian posting. There is no such thing as a party college, merely party prople. If a student chooses to attent a college with an over active social scene, it is the student who chooses to participate or not and there will always be sufficient numbers of students who choose not to participate.</p>
<p>A great college like Williams has a party reputation but I suspect that most students are very serious about their studies. I attended Ohio State and few students in my dorm were out partying during the week. The one on my floor who did, failed to return after the first term.</p>