MSU didn't make a showing on the 2004 Princeton Review's party list, after landing the number 12 spot last year.

The New York-based organization surveyed 106,000 students at nearly 2,000 North American colleges to compile the data into the book, The Best 351 Colleges, 2004 Edition.

The volume reports the top 20 schools in 63 categories. Student participants were asked 70 questions about their campus' social life, study habits, political life and faculties' performance.

MSU did not rank in the top 20 in any category, but was profiled in the book as one of the best 351 colleges.

But it doesn't matter to some university officials, who say the survey isn't credible.

"There are many publications that report rankings, this particular one is not one we endorse," University spokesman Terry Denbow said.

"We think the methodology should be rigorous, no matter where we are in the rankings."

Four Big Ten schools ranked in the top 20 in partying; Indiana University ranked number two, University of Illinois ranked number four, The Ohio State University ranked number five and the University of Michigan rounded out the list coming in at number 12.

University of Colorado earned the spot as the top party school.

Robin Raskin, spokeswoman for the Princeton Review said the large Big Ten contingent on the party school list doesn't bode well for the conference.

"It says there's not a lot of studying going on," Raskin said. "One might think that students are having a really good time."

The book's editor stood behind the survey's results.

"The methodology we use is fair and responsible," Editor Erik Olsen said.

"This is probably the most accurate and honest snapshot of student opinion (school administrators are) going to get."

There was an average of 300 students per campus who participated in the survey.

Olsen said about 15 percent of the schools in the book did not rank in the top 20 of any of the 63 categories.

He added that colleges that are profiled in the book are considered academically excellent by the Princeton Review and represent a top ten percent university in the country.

Two Canadian colleges were also profiled in the book.

There were three rankings determined through a combination of student opinion and data obtained by Princeton Review.

The toughest college to get into was the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.

The best overall academic experience was Yale University in Connecticut and the best academic bang for your buck was Marlboro College in Vermont.

Other categories in the book include campus race and class relations, top stone cold sober school and most religious students.

In addition to the rankings, each university featured in the book has a two-page profile of university statistics, along with a synopsis on student life.

MSU's review said the size of the school does not allow personal contact between students and professors.

The review also says school spirit is extremely high and while students are friendly, there is not a lot of interaction between students of different races.

The review also gave excellent marks to the James Madison College.

Some students said falling off the party school list is a positive step for the university's reputation, not a negative one..

"It's a good sign," English senior Nathan Baker said.

"There are no extremes here, it's a nice medium."

Staff writer Alessa Thomas contributed to this report