I have a colleague who went to a highly regarded LAC, one that is quite isolated. I’ve never heard anyone refer to it as a party school, but she says there was a very pervasive dope culture because there just wasn’t much else to do. So not quite the same thing but yeah, that kind of thing would certainly give me pause.
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I think that, even at schools that are not considered “party schools”, there are always parties to be found. I think that is pretty unavoidable, to be honest. However, I also believe that there are schools out there that have earned very bad reputations. I am a bit worried about the frat culture at some schools. My daughter and I have read reviews of every school on her list (e.g., Niche, Reddit) and we make the decision school by school whether it should stay or go. Fortunately, thus far, we have only taken one school off her list based on stuff we have read on Niche and Reddit.
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Question- when they say “party school”, does that usually/always imply frat culture is involved? Or is it a more general term? (I went to colleges overseas so Greek life was never part of my own experience.)
D26 said she’s got 1 of the “Why our college?” supplemental essay pretty much done and is almost done with same essay for a different college. Fall break is next week (YAY!). She’s looking forward to not having class for a week and is going to use part of that time to continue working on essays.
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FWIW I went to a school pretty high on that party school list (was back then and is now). And I did my fair share of partying. I also knew plenty of people who didn’t and seemed to have a great experience too.
All that being said - even though I had a lot of “fun”, I also graduated magna cum laude, had many opportunities for leadership and career development. It’s all in finding the balance that works for you and some times it takes a bit to find that balance.
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A different perspective regarding party schools (based on personal experience): I worry less about the party school reputation, because kids inclined to “party” and susceptible to problems as a result, will likely end up with those same problems regardless of the school they attend. I do, however, look at the supports and infrastructure available for students who are struggling for any number of reasons.
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“Party school” doesn’t always imply heavy Greek culture, although it can. In my head it just implies heavy drinking culture, both at frat parties and not. Or maybe just campuses where the social scene is lively.
The vibe of Greek life varies widely by school, so it’s definitely wise to look into it – and how dominant it is – whether or not your student is interested in it.
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At my D22’s school there is an on-campus EMS service made up entirely of students, usually pre-med kids who are looking to get some experience. It’s a fantastic service, and there is some kind of amnesty policy on campus where if you call this service because you’re worried about a very drunk friend, they don’t judge or report anything (I think).
As a result, kids are not afraid to get help for other kids who need it.
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Just patting myself on the back right now! CSS profile done and submitted!
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