DePauw ranked among top party schools
The verdict's out: DePauw University is now ranked among some of the nation's largest universities, but not in some of the ways it wants to be recognized.
The Princeton Review released its annual list of college rankings Monday, placing DePauw as the No. 10 party school in the United States.
DePauw also ranked highly in several other categories, including No. 1 for "Best College Radio Station" for on-campus station WGRE 91.5 FM, No. 8 for "Town-Gown Relations Are Strained," No. 14 for "Lots of Beer" and No. 3 for "Major Frat and Sorority Scene."
DePauw's Executive Director of Media Relations Ken Owen said he questions the validity of the list because The Princeton Review has never been willing to share its methodology, which are based on voluntary e-mail surveys of 122,000 students at more than 370 colleges across the country.
"I'm not sure if they talked to many students or any," Owen said.
Owen said he's ensured the survey ranking the university as a top party school is "bunk."
"It's sad the mechanism they use to sell a book is the whole issue of alcohol use on college campuses," Owen said.
With an estimated enrollment of 2,300, the university joins the ranks of University of Georgia, this year's national titleholder. The Athens, Ga., school has an undergraduate population of about 30,000.
Also ranked were last year's top-ranked Pennsylvania State, West Virginia University and University of Florida.
Both Indiana University and DePauw both made the list last year, ranked at 14th and 15th, respectively.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
For more on this story, check Wednesday's edition of The Banner Graphic