Tonight I’m gonna party like a Nittany Lion
Congratulations to Penn State University, which placed first in this year’s annual survey of the top “party” schools in America. Is this a welcome ranking for the school’s administration or a dubious honor and PR nightmare? Be careful how you answer!
“These rankings are not more than popularity contests,” said university spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz. She noted that groups on the social networking site Facebook have urged members to make Penn State the top party school. “It’s a badge of honor at this point. Nationwide, kids want to pump their schools in these surveys,” Mountz said. “It’s not connected to reality.’
Mountz understands that these and other rankings are fatally flawed because the results are so easily manipulated. But that doesn’t mean people don’t pay attention regardless. You know how I feel about rankings. So I don’t think there’s any credibility to this poll, even if it is administered by the, ahem, Princeton Review. But perception is sometimes reality.
Penn State might poo poo these rankings, but they don’t seem to mind all the other rankings they’ve achieved. For example, in the recent U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges 2009 the school ranked 3rd in Supply Chain Management/Logistics!! I’m not so sure being perceived as a top party school is such a bad thing. I wonder which ranking will help their enrollment more next school year? 
By the way, ASU came in 20th in the party school poll. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
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Comments
July 28th, 2009 at 8:35 am
There’s not a lot to do in the Nittany Valley/State College, PA area besides go to football games, hunt deer and party…or head up to Bellefonte. Of course, Clearfied County is just down the highway where I believe there’s a Walmart and a nice hospital.
July 28th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Didn’t see a lot of partying on Jan. 1 of this year…hmmm….
July 28th, 2009 at 9:20 am
You bahstad, Wool!
July 28th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
So, is this a welcome ranking or a dubious honor and a PR nightmare for Penn State?
I’ve noticed that for students who are serious and work hard, the “party school” reputation, if it sticks, can knock a college right off the radar screen.It doesn’t take much to get the buzz going around a class of seniors, either!