Partying. It is one of the most coveted rites of passage in college. Many high school graduates are ready to take a break from the stressful life they led in high school by partying every day. 

The reality of the situation is that the people who are partying every day in college are most likely failing their classes.  

The University of Iowa has been ranked No. 1 on the Princeton Review’s list of the top 20 party schools in the U.S. Traditionally, West Virginia University has held that position, but it was passed by Iowa in 2013. 

As a generation raised on scenes from crazy college movies, our expectations of college parties are ridiculously high and totally misleading.

The truth about college parties is that a very small percentage of them are “keggers”— parties with large kegs of beer.  

According to the Core Institute, 73 percent of college students drink occasionally. Increasingly, colleges are requiring that incoming freshmen take an online course about alcohol awareness before they even arrive on campus. 

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with partying it up on the weekends when you do not have classes or homework to complete. But those who go to college just for the wild nights obviously do not have a very bright future. 

For one thing, it’s unfair to your parents. A study done by Public Agenda showed that 63 percent of students who graduate from college received some kind of financial help from their family. 

In high school, the government is paying for your education, but it is a complete waste of money to fail out of college. Parents spend so much of their time worrying and saving for your future, it’s the least you can do to try your hardest and pass your classes.

People who pay their own way through college by working part time are less likely to party and get mediocre grades. The dedication and determination it requires to pay your own way through college is not compatible with the party-animal lifestyle. 

This is one reason for parents to let their kids pay for part of their college tuition. Another vital step to being completely independent is being able to support yourself financially. Holding a part time job while in college teaches one about time management and dependability. 

As the seniors leave for college in the fall, it is vital that they take with them the diligent study habits that enabled them to be accepted in the first place. Study first, party second.