NY influencer on quest to find America’s top party school — and ‘crazy’ college is winner so far

Marco Graci, a 20-year-old college student from Valhalla, New York, has embarked on an ambitious journey to identify the most vibrant party school in the United States. Unlike typical partygoers, Graci remains sober during his visits, opting instead to evaluate the social scenes with a critical eye and document his experiences for a growing online audience.

Currently a junior at Sacred Heart University, Graci has committed to visiting around 40 college campuses across the country, assessing their weekend atmospheres through direct immersion in fraternity parties, bar crawls, and tailgate events. His evaluations are based on criteria such as crowd size, energy, music, school spirit, uniqueness of the party culture, and the general vibe surrounding weekend festivities.

His approach to ranking these schools is systematic, with a scoring scale reminiscent of popular online critiques, offering a quantitative measure of each institution's party environment. Videos capturing the intensity and character of these gatherings have been shared widely on social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, attracting significant viewer interest.

Among the schools visited so far, the University of South Carolina has emerged as a frontrunner, earning the highest score to date. Graci highlights the university's tailgates in Columbia as particularly notable, describing a scene where multiple fraternity tents converge in a single parking lot, creating a dynamic and energetic party hub. Such events exemplify the spirited and highly social nature of college life in the South.

Throughout his travels, Graci has encountered a variety of party customs and behaviors. He has witnessed extreme examples of revelry, including risky antics that underline the intense party culture prevalent at some schools. Additionally, he has observed emerging trends, such as fraternity members engaging in attention-grabbing stunts that emphasize showmanship over traditional drinking.

Graci's journey is supported by Myroslav Khopersky, a colleague he met during a visit to Penn State, who assists by filming the outings. Their accommodations often involve staying overnight in dorm rooms of students they connect with through social media, facilitating closer access to the student experience.

The inspiration for this extensive project stemmed from a viral video Graci posted following a visit to the University of Tampa during spring break. The video’s popularity motivated him to continue exploring and documenting other campuses. Since then, his itinerary has included schools such as the University of Delaware, University of Connecticut, Marist College, and SUNY Binghamton.

Comparatively, Graci notes that his home institution, Sacred Heart University, presents a more subdued party scene due to its smaller size and lack of large-scale sports events, particularly football, which often fuels campus-wide celebrations elsewhere.

Looking ahead, Graci plans to visit additional prominent universities, including West Virginia, Florida State, Penn State, Arizona State, University of Pittsburgh, Coastal Carolina, and Syracuse. He acknowledges the occasional challenges in gaining access to parties and bar events but remains committed to continuing his assessments.

While still a student, Graci entertains the possibility of turning his passion for ranking college parties into a long-term pursuit, potentially extending beyond his college years. His ongoing exploration offers a unique window into contemporary college social life across America, highlighting regional differences and evolving party cultures.