12 - The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition 2003 -CAMPUS LIFE Survey rankings say 'U' is one of top party schools in nation 4 By MenarSprow September25, 2002 Students who want to know how life at the University stacks up against other higher educational institutions can for- get about U.S. News and World Report's list of America's Best Colleges, which offers information on universities' grad- uation and acceptance rates and the school's student-faculty ratio. The Princeton Review released its yearly rankings for 2003 last month, comparing colleges in categories rang- ing from how happy students are and how engaging professors are to which ones offer the most "bang for the buck" and which have the most alcohol and marijuana use on campus. "Instead of just using one overall ulti- mate list, we decided to create a whole number of lists," Princeton Review Editor Erica Magrey said. "We believe all the schools included in the book are outstand- ing institutions, but for their own reasons. They have their ownpersonalities." According to the rankings, the Uni- versity may not be as academically- focused as some would think. Though it scored high in almost all social categories, including Party Schools (No. 13), Lots of Beer (No. 13), Reefer Madness (No. 15), Lots of Hard Liquor (No. 10) and Major Frat and Sorority Scene (No. 16), it did not make the Top 20 cut for many academic categories. Those categories include Professors Get High Marks, Professors Make Themselves Accessible, Class Discus- sions Encouraged, Best Overall Acade- mic Experience for Undergraduates and The Toughest to Get Into. The Universi- ty ranked No. 15 when it came to aver- age number of hours students spend studying and No. 16 in the Great Col- lege Libraries category. Last year, the University was ranked the No. 8 college in the category "Pro- fessors Suck All Life out of Material" To compile the rankings, The Prince- ton Review collected surveys from are the real college experts. "We think that is most valuable per- spective for students," she added. University Provost Paul Courant said while student opinion is very valuable, the survey's results should not be taken too seriously and were not a cause for alarm. "It's a funny thing. When we look at (other) surveys, we find that our students find us to be very strong aca- demically, they make wide use of the academic breadth of our University and find diversity to be a very impor- tant quality that contributes to our academic life," he said. "It's interesting to me that this portrait of us is quite different than the U.S. News and World Report portrait. "I would hate to be in a college where the students study just as much as I would hate to be in a college where the students just party. Neither of those would be a good thing for the Universi- ty," Courant added. "I don't believe that we are both. I don't believe that we are either." Several students agreed with Courant's statements, saying they do not believe the rankings accurately reflect life at the social level of the University. "Comparing it to other universities, there is a bigger social life here. There are a lot of people who do a lot of stuff and there are a lot of parties, but I think that is healthy," Engineering junior Maria Pobre said. She said she believes most stu- dents give academics a higher pri- ority than partying and that professors here are widely-respect- ed and available to students. "I think this is a great school," Pobre said. "But it just shows that a successful student doesn't have to be cooped up in a library all day. It shows you can be 4 Pregame festivities in the University 35-12 win over Western Michigan University on September 7, 2002 at the Michigan Stadium, was filled with energy and excitement. successful in both areas." The University ranked high in other areas, mostly dealing with the number of activities available on campus, including Most Politically Active (2), Great/Most Read College Newspaper (5), Everyone Plays Intramural Sports (9) and Great College Town (20). It won the Jock School and Students Pack into Stadiums categories. However, it did not make any of the lists in the Demographics or Quality of Life divisions, which include Stu- dents From Different Backgrounds Interact, Diverse Student Population, Students Pray on a Regular Basis, Gay Community Accepted, Happy Students, Great Food, Dorms Like Palaces, Beautiful Campus and The Best Quality of Life. And although many students believe the University is a liberal campus, it did not make the Top 20 in the Students Most Nostalgic For Bill Clinton catego- ry. Courant said although the rankings are fun, students and potential students should not use it or other publications to judge whether to enroll ina university. "There is no right way to do this because students have their own inter- ests, their own skills, their own needs. Those things vary widely,"he said. "I think students should learn about the colleges of their interest from many sources. They should visit, they should talk, they should read and they should make their own decisions about what university meets their ownneeds." In a two-page profile, the Prince- ton Review also highlights the Uni- versity's academic strengths. 100,158 students from 345 colleges and asked them 70 questions about the insti- tution they attend. The rankings are based from student responses to questions like "How much of your overall course time is devoted to discussion (as opposed to lectures)?" and "overall, how happy are you?" Magrey said the publication chose to survey students because "we feel they Area museums offer more than average learning experience By Karen Schwartz September3, 2002 Instead of sitting in a classroom, LSA junior Joe Rothfarb's class took a trip to the museum. The University of Michigan Museum of Art, located across from the Michigan Union, and the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, located on Geddes Avenue, are two museums on campus open daily and frequented by students for assignments, class trips and fun. Rothfarb said going to the museums is a good alternative and a way to make the subject matter more real, applicable and meaningful. "A lot of the time, it's good for class. It goes along with some subjects you take and you get to talk to people and discuss topics while you're there. I think it works very well," he said. He added that trips to the museum are also great places to approach the person "you've been looking at across the room all semester" and impress them with museum knowledge. Ricky DeNardis, a Business junior, said he thinks having museums nearby is a definite benefit to students, and that he feels it is worthwhile to "take advantage of all that the University has to offer, including the local museums." DeNardis said that his favorite museum on cam- pus is the Museum of Art because of the variety of continually changing exhibits it offers students. and-a-movie' date," DeNardis said. "If you appreciate art, it's a must-see," he said. For LSA alum Nathalie Dube, the art and nat- He added that he feels lucky to be attending a ural history museums were places she returned school with an art to more than once museum conveniently when she had some loc ated on campus free time or to take a because it provides break between classes. him with opportunities She said she liked he would not be able to the fact that the take advantage of oth- museums are very erwise, including a accessible to students chance to enrich his and that she could go college experience. back as many times as "Your college expe- she wanted. rience is what you :- "It's not like it's a make of it. It can start whole day thing. You and stop with classes[ -- can just pop in and or it can be a continu- walk around when you al four-year experi- have some extra time. ence'. Taking in dome I could come back a of the cultural aspects few times and still see of the University can DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily stuff I hadn't seen really add to the expe- The University of Michigan Museum of Art is in the before," Dube said. rience," he said. heart of campus and features a variety of exhibitions. Another advantage The museums are to the museums, she also ideal and original places to take a date, said, was that she did not have to go out of her DeNardis said, for a chance "to stroll hand in way or get dressed up to go inside. Experiencing hand through the galleries" and explore art and history without having to pay money was exhibits. "It beats the usual 'go-to-dinner- another big bonus, she added. "You don't have to pay. You don't run into that a lot and it's definitely worth taking advantage of," Dube said. "It's a good chance to see lots of different stuff without having to go all the way to Chicago or Detroit." The museums give students a chance to see sci- ence and art up close, opportunities Dube said should not be missed because "once you're out of school, it's just that much harder to have access to thatkind of opportunity." Dube said she remembers walking up to the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History museum and being amazed at how close shewas to the artifacts. "You can walk right up to them and really look at them - I don't think I've ever been that close to dinosaur bones before," she said. "It's very interesting stuff and I think it's worth it to go check it out." Located off-campus on East Ann Street, The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum offers students another local museum option. The museum charges a five dollar admission fee to students with valid student identification. Law student Pierce Beckham, who went to the Hands-On Museum for a day out with friends, said he enjoys the many activities at the muse- um, especially the "tornado machine" which creates a miniature vortex visitors can watch and run their hands through.