Drinking Facts
About College Drinking
Some students may feel pressured to keep up with the expectation that everyone gets wasted when they drink.
However, new research tells us that more than 70% of students nationwide overestimate the extent to which their friends are involved in dangerous drinking.
In fact, although more students reported incidents of intoxication, the number of college students who do not drink at all is growing.
Who Is Really Drinking On Campus?
In a 2006 survey of 7,638 Minnesota undergraduate students on 12 campuses state wide, here’s what they said about their drinking:
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When asked how many drinks they consumed in the past month, nearly 28 percent of students said, “none”.
Source: NIAAA report on Alcohol Consumption Among Young Adults Ages 18–24 in the United States: Results From the 2001–2002 NESARC Survey.
- Women students said they drink on average, 3.5 drinks a week.
- Nearly 67 percent of women said they did not binge drink in the past 2 weeks.
- Students aged 18-24 who reported drinking 5 or more drinks in one sitting, experienced an average of 29 negative consequences in the past year. This compared to an average of seven negative events among students who said they did not binge drink.
- The mean blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for 18-24 years old women was 0.12 on the most recent partying occasion. In Minnesota, when a person reaches .08 BAC, it is illegal to drive a vehicle.
Find about more about the 2006 Core Survey Report for University of Minnesota (PDF: 2.5MB)
Taking Chances Or Making Good Choices
The college years and twenties and thirties may seem like a time when drinking is just a normal thing to do.
A woman may believe that once she graduates or leaves the parties behind, she’ll have no further temptations or problems with drinking.
Studies do show that many young adults will stop or decrease their drinking as they enter their mid-twenties. They will take on a job, marriage and family responsibilities and more moderate levels of drinking.
Others however, will not be so lucky.
- In national college drinking studies, about 21% of young adults met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence or abuse.
- These individuals may find that their 20’s and 30’s lifestyle choices , including excessive drinking, will have had a negative impact on their lives.
To learn more about the consequences of drinking for women, go the web page, When Women Drink Too Much.
Surviving College Drinking
Many college campus communities are working to educate and help students make better decisions about drinking.
You may wish to contact the campus housing or sorority resident assistants, student health or counseling service to find information and support to address harmful habits, stressors and mental health issues often associated with drinking.
To learn more about college drinking get a copy of this National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 2005 report, A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences.
To learn more about young adults drinking get a copy of the NIAAA report on Alcohol Consumption Among Young Adults Ages 18–24 in the United States: Results From the 2001–2002 NESARC Survey.
