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A Florida College Was Voted The 2nd Best Party School In The Country

Rutgers did not make the best party school list

Jen O’Leary is tossed in the student section after the Rutgers Scarlet Knights scored a touchdown during a college football game against North Carolina Central Eagles on September 1, 2011 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Choosing the college that's right for you is a big deal. Cost is always a factor, along with location, and of course, academics. But all of that is really secondary if you're looking for the best party school. And as a Florida resident, it's certainly cheaper to stay in-state.

Let me be a little too honest here. Very little of what I learned in college was actually useful when it comes to my current job. I think employers just want to see if you can finish something. Like getting that degree. You're also 'learning how to learn'. Which is important.

But what about the times when you're not in class, and you're not studying? College parties. Here's some more honesty. The parties that you go to in college? You'll likely never experience that again after you graduate. So really, you need a blend of academics, and best party school.

Niche is out with it's list of the 2024 Top Party Schools In America. And it's quite comprehensive. I'm not surprised to see a Florida school ranked so highly. What I am surprised by is that only one Florida school is ranked in the Top 20.

The 2nd Best Party School In The Country

Coming in second place in the entire country for party schools in Florida State. Looking for a spot to hit up after class? Try Recess, Potbelly’s, The Strip, Clyde's, The Warehouse or Baja’s. Greek Life is also a source for parties. FSU has 18 fraternities and 17 sororities.

Add in all of that and that Florida State really just feels like an amazing college campus. Asthe second best party school in the U.S., going to see a game at Doak S. Campbell Stadium is just magical. There's just a vibe around the campus that's hard to explain.

Florida State University the 2nd best party school in the country

Florida State University in Tallahassee

The Top 10 Party Schools

Here's a quick rundown of the Top 10, then we'll see where other Florida Schools stack up.

  1. University of California - Santa Barbara
  2. Florida State University
  3. Tulane University
  4. The University of Alabama
  5. Syracuse University
  6. University of Southern California
  7. University of Georgia
  8. University of Wisconsin
  9. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  10. Howard University

Only 1 Florida school in the Top 10 seems a little strange to me. I live in Florida, I know how we are. The truly astounding part is that the next highest ranked Florida school doesn't even crack the Top 20.

21 Florida A&M University

It's not hard to imagine some of the party culture from FSU may be spilling over. The campuses are only 3 miles away and the students frequently share the same bars. FAMU has some solid party culture.

28 University of Miami

The Coral Gables school here in Florida actually ranks 2 spots behind the Miami University in Ohio. So many students go to Coconut Grove on Thursday that the school provides transportation to get them back and forth safely. If there's not a frat party to attend that weekend, they can head off to the beaches at South Beach or Key Biscayne. UM has a lot of party options.

41 University of Florida

With frat parties during the week, the weekends are for the clubs and bars. The bars at Midtown are within walking distance and the clubs downtown are only about a mile away. Like most colleges, Sundays are for laundry and catching up on the course work you've been putting off.

65 University of Tampa

The University of Tampa is a smaller school, without the big tailgating parties or the national following. What is does have is that it's close to downtown and just a short trip to Ybor. Or just hang back at campus for a frat party or hit up the pool.

85 University of Central Florida

During football season, UCF hosts tailgates. Walk around, score free drinks and play games. A lot of the campus parties are invite only so your best bet is to join a lot of the clubs so you can get in.

199 Florida International University

FIU all the way down at 199. Still good for 7th best in Florida. FIU is more of a commuter school, but you're still in Miami so it's always easy to find a good time. There is the occasional party on campus.

7 schools in the Top 200. Not bad. Not many other states can say that.

Florida Gulf Coast University

Since this is a Fort Myers based website, I need to see when our very own FGCU ranks. 463 out of 1,512 on the list of top party schools in America. Not bad, considering the size of the school. One thing FGCU certainly does right is pool parties.

Joe Winner spends his days combing through memes and off beat stories to bring you the side of Florida not always seen.