The Biggest Art Party Schools in the US

Art students have to hunker down in studios day in and day out to create works for scathing critiques and ruthless grading. No wonder they need to blow off some steam every so often. And how to college students relax? By throwing outrageous parties of course.

Some of the best art schools in the US also have some of the biggest party reputations around. It seems like creative students across the board have taken the "work hard, play harder" mantra to heart. From the beer pong table to the design studio, these students throw themselves wholeheartedly into both academic and non-academic activities. These are The Biggest Art Party Schools in the US.

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Location: Bronxville, N.Y.

Sarah Lawrence is renowned for its alternative studies in art, literature, and queer theory. It's also famous for partying. The Princeton Review ranked it in the top schools of marijuana users in 2012.

Location: Providence, R.I.

Maybe it's the increased rate of depression that heavy drinkers have, but not a lot of "happy" schools ended up on our list. Brown made the top of The Princeton Review's Happiest Colleges list without losing its party reputation. Its art department is ace, too, and Brown is ranked at the #14 best college in the nation by US News and World Report.

Location: Providence, R.I.

Beyond being one of the best design and art schools in the nation, party life at the Rhode Island School of Design "is what you make it." Whether that means slaving away on your studies or venturing out into the world for a night of drinking somewhere on the tiny RISD campus, if you want to party, you can party here.

Location: Hanover, N.H.

Dartmouth has been covered in the press recently for having too loose a policy on student drinking, as well as a reputation for being one of the most drug-fueled campuses in the nation. But the Ivy League institution has no shortage of pedigree in its arts program—it's even attached to the Hood Museum, the oldest active museum in America.

Location: Worcester, Mass.

Students at Holy Cross were found to be some of the most studious in the nation, but the general attitude of the student body seems to be, "work hard, play harder." The party situation there has gotten so outrageous on the Worcester campus that neighbors around the school were calling police on the first day of classes not so long ago.

Location: Delaware, Ohio

Another on the list of most pot-smokers for the year, Ohio Wesleyan University lands on our list for the high enrollment rate of arts majors—nearly 10 percent—at this variously disciplined, small college.

Location: Annandale on Hudson, N.Y.

Bard College landed at the #4 spot of most potheads in the nation, according to the 2014 rankings from The Princeton Review. Dope might work in mysterious ways because it's also the #38 best liberal arts college in the US. Located in upstate New York, among 500 acres of trees, lawns, and parks, Bard is surrounded by an idyllic setting perfect for woodland parties.

Location: Savannah, Ga.

Who knew that a near-coastal Southern arts school is full of creative hippies with a reputation for partying? Sure, it's one of the most expensive schools in the country, but that doesn't mean the party opportunities are any less. If anything, the high tuition will inspire you to learn how to party more economically.

Location: Lewisburg, Pa.

Bucknell often ranks high on list for academics, campus life, and of course parties. The school's notoriety for ragers has gone so far that its president recently cancelled an intramural event because he was tired of seeing students stumble drunk through the streets. Bucknell is also one of the smartest party schools in the nation.

Location: Schenectady, N.Y.

Union College, one of the best liberal arts schools in the country, also has one of the largest beer-drinking contingents in the US, according to US News and World Report and The Princeton Review. Many students claim that its parties are numerous and insane.

Location: Winston-Salem, N.C.

Wake Forest hasn't made party school rankings in any significant form recently, but students at the small North Carolina liberal arts college swear by the power of their parties, particular of the frat variety. Enjoy the Greek life, and get your fine arts on.

Location: Athens, Ga.

One of the best fine arts schools in the US, the Lamar Dodd School of Art, also happens to be one of the most boisterous. In 2010, the University of Georgia, Athens was the reining champ of beer-pong and bong-rips, taking the #1 party spot in the nation, according to The Princeton Review. Located in a city that's produced the likes of some of the greatest artists and musicians of our time—REM and of Montreal, to name a couple—this place is an incubator of inspiration and carefree spirits.

Location: Iowa City, Iowa

The gorgeous building housing the University of Iowa School of Art and History is almost reason enough to attend the college, but if you're looking for a little more than modernist architecture, don't fret. The Princeton Review named the University of Iowa the #1 party school for the 2013-14 academic year.

Location: Athens, Ohio

Ohio University was The Princeton Review's #1 party school in 2012, #2 in 2011, #3 in 2013, and sits at the #7 spot for this year's rankings, so there's no shortage of merrymaking in the small town. In fact, when the students there throw their annual Palmer Fest, a huge block party, it attracts partiers from all over the state, including other colleges. If you happen to find the time to put the beer down, you may be attending the #53 best fine arts program in the US, according to US News and World Report.

Location: Boulder, Colo.

The first state in the nation to legalize marijuana also houses one of the most boisterous party schools, known for a massive marijuana "smoke out" that existed many years before the grass was legal. The University of Colorado at Boulder took the #3 spot in Playboy's ranking of the top schools for revelry in the US. The school's art program "affirms the power of art to transform individuals and society," making it one of the best spots to produce strong work and to ingest chemicals of all stripes, even as the college fights to shed that perception.

Location: Madison, Wisc.

Who knows partying better than Playboy? Based on sex, sports, and nightlife, the gentleman's mag routinely includes the University of Madison Wisconsin among its top rankings, last year putting the Badgers at a respectable #2 spot. Beyond letting loose with vigor, the school also houses the #18 best arts program in the country, boasting the #2 printmaking program as well, according to US News and World Report.

Location: Austin, Texas

Austin has a notoriously strong art and music community, and the university there has ranked in the top 20 party schools for the last five years, according to The Princeton Review. It's also the #22 college in the country for fine arts, #16 in painting, #10 in printmaking, and #15 in sculpture. Diverse, wild and prone to create, this school knows how to party the artsy way.

Location: New Orleans

Not only has this school been ranked by US News and World Report as having one of the best fine arts programs in the country, this school landed at #18 on The Princeton Review's list of top party spots in the country. Down here, it's always Mardi Gras.

Location: Eugene, Ore.

The huge draw of the University of Oregon's powerhouse football team lends the place to a true party atmosphere. It's location in the idyll city of Eugene, known for its liberal stance toward drug use, makes U of O one of the most potent party spots in the country. This year, it's #20 on The Princeton Review's list of party schools. The School of Architecture and Allied Arts has consistently ranked as one of the best in the country by the US News and World Report. Blaze on, Ducks.

Location: Santa Barbara, Calif.

The University of Santa Barbara has been ranked by The Princeton Review as a top contender for big-time party school for years now, also ranking high on the most beer and liquor-consuming campuses in the nation. Not only that, but the Review also notes a high contingent of marijuana users at the college. Pair that with a climate that encourages a "less is more" principle of clothing, and you're looking at all the elements of a top party spot.