But Dad They Have The Type of IT Classes I Need

I fell for it... again! By the way I did not see UConn on this list.

The University of Georgia was named the No. 1 party school in the nation Monday, adding to the beer-soaked reputation UGA leaders are trying to shed.

UGA climbed up from No. 4 to snatch the top spot on the annual list compiled by the Princeton Review. The university has the distinction -- or disgrace, depending on your perspective -- of being on the top 20 party list for 10 of the past 13 years.

“UGA does have a party atmosphere, there’s always a party going on,” said Catherine Hobbs, a senior with a double major in finance and sports management. “This list is funny. It sounds crazy, almost like a cool factor. But people need to understand the parties go on at night. We do actually go to class and study.”

Joshua Delaney, the student body president, joked that the list isn’t used as a recruiting tool.

“It’s not like anyone is saying come here and party,” Delaney said. “If students want to do that, that’s their decision. It’s just important for people to do it responsibly.” University leaders have long pooh-poohed the rankings, which are based on student responses.

"UGA has been on the party school list for a while, but it’s one we prefer not to lead," spokesman Tom Jackson said in a statement. "We’d rather focus on the Green Honor Roll listing as a top environmentally conscious campus or the top 50 ‘Best Values' listing. The University of Georgia takes student alcohol education programs very seriously and will continue to do so."

President Michael Adams has launched several initiatives to curb student drinking and eliminate the school’s party image. The university has instituted tougher sanctions against students caught drinking, and it has tightened rules for game-day tailgating. UGA officials have emphasized books over bars, noting that the average SAT score and grade-point average of incoming freshmen increases each year.

Students who don’t like the party atmosphere at UGA could attend its polar opposite. Brigham Young University in Utah has been No. 1 on the “stone cold sober” list for 12 consecutive years.

Want to party?

The Princeton Review used student responses concerning alcohol and drug use, hours spent studying and the popularity of Greek life to compile a list of the top 20 party schools. They are:

1. University of Georgia

2. Ohio University, Athens

3. Pennsylvania State University

4. West Virginia University

5. University of Mississippi

6. The University of Texas, Austin

7. University of Florida

8. University of California, Santa Barbara

9. University of Iowa

10. DePauw University

11. Florida State University

12. University of Wisconsin, Madison

13. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

14. Sewanee -- The University of the South

15. Indiana University, Bloomington

16. University of Colorado, Boulder

17. University of Missouri

18. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

19. University of Maryland, College Park

20. Michigan State University

Source: The Princeton Review, 2011 edition.