U of Illinois Lands Top 'Party School' Ranking

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been named the number one party school in the country by the Princeton Review -- and the chancellor isn’t happy about it. The university claimed the top spot on the list Monday for the first time in more than a decade, knocking Syracuse University -- the previous winner -- down to No. 5. The University of Iowa, the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Bucknell University rounded out the top four.

Phyllis Wise, chancellor at Urbana-Champaign, slammed the ranking, calling it a “promotion for the Princeton Review” in a statement, but said it presented an opportunity for university officials to discuss safety with students and parents. This is the institution’s first time landing the No. 1 spot.

“Our student body is comprised of the brightest, most hard-working students anywhere. Their graduation rates and achievements in their careers and lives demonstrate that they take their studies seriously and that they are at Illinois to get a world-class education,” Wise said. “It’s disappointing that, once again, Princeton Review is promoting this pseudo ranking as though it were meaningful. It’s insulting to all of our students, since they are here to prepare to become leaders of their generation.”