Looking for a party? The University of South Carolina is just a place, according to the Wall Street Journal.
With football teams, Greek Life on the rise and students frequenting Five Points, the District of Columbia all night, almost every night of the week, the Journal named USC one of the top party schools in the country.
USC was ranked ninth on the list of “Best Party Schools in the US” in 2025.
The Journal compiles college rankings each year with College Pulse, a college-focused research company. Together, they surveyed tens of thousands of students and current alumni and asked many questions about student life.
This year, the Guide asked how often students were likely to experience parties on or around campus, and whether they viewed their college as a “party school” — and to what extent. The data helped form the rankings, as well as questions about how satisfied students were with the party experience. The number of nights a week that a student could have access to a party was also a factor.
Being ranked as the school’s top school should not come as a surprise to many USC students and alumni. Niche, a popular review website, gave the university an “A+” for its party scene, noting its football games, fraternity parties and access to local bars. And The Princeton Review has named USC a top 20 party school several times over the past decade.
“We’re always happy to be recognized for our excellent student experience, even if the name ‘party school’ doesn’t give the perfect picture,” university spokesman Jeff Stensland said. “Our students have a lot of fun, and they are not ashamed of it, but they also value education and career opportunities. A fulfilling student experience is health care and that is what we offer at USC. “
For six consecutive years, USC has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for first-year student experience by US News and World Report.
Schools in the Southeastern Conference have the highest average attendance, the Journal reported. And large, public universities in the South and Midwest dominated the subject.
Tulane University in New Orleans was crowned as the top college to celebrate by the Journal, followed by the University of Dayton, Florida State University, Michigan State University, University of Alabama, University of Wisconsin, Miami University and West Virginia University.