If Local College Kids Aren’t Partying, Maybe It’s Because They’re Praying
Southern California’s reputation as a party mecca for college kids is threatened by a new set of rankings in the Princeton Review.
Drawing on student interviews, the Princeton guide ranked only one local institution of higher learning here among the top 20 party schools: UC Santa Barbara at No. 20.
In other findings, USC students ranked as the 10th most faithful sports fans. UCLA came in at No. 4 in the category of “teaching assistants [who] teach too many upper-level courses.”
Pepperdine was No. 15 for “students who (almost) never study,” No. 5 for students who pray the most and No. 11 for happiest.
In the “least happy” category were UC Riverside (No. 13) and Loyola Marymount (No. 19).
Riverside rated No. 16 for least scrumptious food, which might explain its other ranking.
Oh, and academics? Caltech was No. 8, Pomona College No. 15 and Harvey Mudd No. 16. And No. 1 was Princeton. But what would you expect from the Princeton Review?
And the sweetest college: At a journalism banquet in Morro Bay, veteran L.A. newsman Henry Alfaro of KABC-TV Channel 7 recalled growing up in Lincoln Heights and being the first person in his family to attend college.
But when he won a scholarship to Pepperdine, his mother had a bit of a problem relaying the news to friends. “I couldn’t remember the name,” she told him. “So I said you were going to Peppermint.”
Guide to adventurous dining: Today’s selections (see accompanying) include:
* One happy meal that McDonald’s doesn’t serve (Art Wheelan of Orange)
* A breakfast selection that has been diced into two words (James Rodriguez of Fontana)
* An invitation for a very early or late dinner depending on how you look at it (Miriam Ferguson of Glendora)
* And a store that apparently refuses to sell used cigarettes (Christie Edinger)
Tracking down “Manhunt”: Don’t know if you saw the allegation that the reality TV show “Manhunt,” ostensibly taped on Kauai, re-shot some scenes in Griffith Park. Some critics have expressed shock. But I find it reassuring that an old-time movie mogul’s philosophy survives. I’m talking about Samuel Goldwyn’s famous reply to a director who wanted to leave California to shoot a movie. “A rock’s a rock, a tree’s a tree,” snapped Goldwyn. “Shoot it in Griffith Park.”
Caruso memories (cont).: Recollections of the late colorful attorney Paul Caruso here prompted KNBC-TV Channel 4 newsman Patrick Healy to relate a tale he heard years ago.
Caruso was defending boxer Art Aragon on charges of fixing a fight. The lawyer couldn’t be in court when the verdict was read. So Aragon rushed to a pay phone, called Caruso and cried exultantly, “Paul, Paul, justice has triumphed.”
Caruso, without missing a beat, replied, “Don’t worry--we’ll appeal at once.”
miscelLAny:
So the Latin Grammy Awards are moving from Miami to L.A. to AVOID violence. A refreshing role change for L.A., eh?
Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., 90012 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.
