On Monday night, West Virginia University hosted a party. Some 15,000, attending the annual concert to kick off the academic year, crowded into a plaza near the student union. A student ID allowed for free admittance, and those 21 or older could purchase beer.

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In Morgantown, W.Va., long known as a haven for college craziness, this controlled setting marks an improvement. West Virginia created FallFest in 1995 as an alternative to the erstwhile Grant Avenue block party, a raucous celebration that police often struggled to handle.

The change highlights the strategy in West Virginia's long struggle against its rowdy reputation. Students still drink at West Virginia -- the Princeton Review ranked the school as the No. 3 party school nationwide -- but indeed, nowaday's socializing often has the wonderful without the wild. And some WVU students and administrators see the party school tag as a label obscuring the university's progress.

"Yeah, this is a fun place to go," said Jason Gross, a 21-year-old senior and the student body president. "But if you're serious about academics, it's also a great place to go."

In the 1970s, Playboy rated West Virginia the nation's top party school. In later years, late-night revelry became a montage of High Street bar revelry, house parties and John Denver songs. The occasional burning couch didn't help.

But those on the school's Advisory Council for Alcohol and Other Drugs, realizing the problem, have promoted other options. The WVUp All Night program allows students into the student center on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The school serves free food, shows movies and creates other activities.

"It's an alternative for students who don't want to go to the bars," said Kenneth Gray, vice president for student affairs and a member of the advisory council.

All freshmen must go through an orientation program featuring alcohol education. Even fraternities and sororities are limited in the number of parties they can throw each semester -- and they must apply for permits before doing so.

"The university does more than its part," Mr. Gross said. "This is a label that's been put on our school for a long time, and honestly, it's not the best label to have."