Parents hope their children are going off to college to study and not to party, and sometimes that wish comes true, much to parents’ relief.
The Princeton Review released its annual college lists to help students select the best school for them. Among those lists are the “stone cold sober” schools.
The Princeton Review asked 143,000 students to rate their campuses in 62 categories that included everything from the best student aide to the most politically active to the biggest party atmosphere.
Schools dominating the "sober" list tend to be small religious or military schools. The exception in size is the university that earned the number one spot, which can probably be guessed without even looking.
These 10 schools, listed here in ascending order, are the most sober in the nation, according to the students at the schools.
10. United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
Some of the smartest high school graduates decide on a military career. The average grade point average for students who are selected is 4.16 and only 8 percent of the 17,000 who apply are admitted.
9. City University of New York—Baruch College, New York City
Baruch College breaks the mold for school size for non-partying colleges with more than 17,000 students. The college had three Fulbright scholars selected from among its students for the upcoming school year. It also is known for the number of graduates it produces who end up on Wall Street.
8. United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
It comes as no surprise that West Point is on the soberest college list with students trying to make the grade for a military career. Established by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802, it is the nation’s first military academy.
7. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Students in this Midwestern urban setting report that they have a good quality of life. The school was founded in 1876 as a school of ministry and has grown into a highly ranked Christian liberal arts college.
6. Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, Calif.
One of the smallest schools on the list with fewer than 400 students, the Catholic college also is one of the newest, having been founded in 1971.
5. Gordon College, Wenham, Mass.
Located near the North Shore of Boston, Gordon College is a Christian school.
4. United States Air Force Academy, USAF Academy, Colo.
The Air Force Academy admits only 15 percent of the nearly 10,000 applicants it gets each year. The academy is located in the scenic foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
3. Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill.
Another Christian, liberal arts college to make the sober list, Wheaton College is located in the suburban Midwest with close proximity to Chicago.
2. College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Mo.
Located in the rolling hills of the Ozarks, the College of the Ozarks boasts of providing a Christian education steeped in United States patriotism.
1. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
It is no surprise to find that Brigham Young University is at the top of the non-partying schools. Based on the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the school’s mission is “to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.”
The report, “The Best 381 Colleges—2017 Edition,” is available at www.princetonreview.com/best381, and in print, published by Penguin Random House.
