<p>It depends on how you define party school. If by party school you mean a school where many of the students prioritize partying over academics, no. If you mean a school that has parties available to attend, yes.</p>
<p>One thing I like about U of I is there is always an academic feel. People study all around campus, day and night, weekends an weekdays. You will not be an outcast if you study on a Friday night. Also, you can select dorms based on how much socializing you prefer. You can make U of I what you want it to be, and it offers great academics, particularly in engineering, and I can assure you that the average engineering student is not a hard party person.</p>
<p>If you pick another school over U of I, being a supposed party school should not be a factor at all.</p>