Although Ohio University continues to gain national attention for its hard-partying reputation, a university survey is telling a different story.
OU is ranked fifth on the Princeton Review's annual list of party schools, a position its held for two straight years and a jump from its ninth-place spot in 2007. In contrast, university officials released survey results this week showing that student's alcohol consumption and high-risk behaviors are in decline.
The Princeton Review bases its rankings solely on an online survey completed by current college students. The survey asks students to rate their college experience in a variety of areas, ranging from class size to political viewpoints, and uses those results to create 62 different ranking categories, said Rob Franek, author of The Princeton Review's annual guide The Best 371 Colleges
I don't think that all rankings are the same
I don't think the Princeton Review is the same we go to college experts - current college students Franek said, adding that looking at test scores or institutional data isn't the best way to find a college.
Our goal is to make sure that (new students) have the most up to date
savvy
important information about that school
he said. We are simply giving current students a voice to guide college bound students.
About 122,000 students took the survey, an average of 329 students from each of the 371 schools featured. Rankings are based on the average student response from each college, so data from larger or smaller schools doesn't skew the overall results, Franek said, adding that using an average also allows the results to reflect the typical student experience.
Some rankings, like Lots of Beer (OU is ranked sixth) are based on responses to one question - in this case, "How widely is beer used at your school? Others
like the party school rankings
are complied from responses to several questions. Party schools are those whose students indicated high drug and alcohol use on campus
low daily outside of class study hours and a popular Greek life
according to data provided by The Princeton Review.
The Princeton Review begins advertising its survey around Sept. 1 and begins compiling data the following February. While the survey doesn't require students to create an account
it does require them to respond to a confirmation sent to their .edu e-mail address
