Greek Life

[Little Fishy]

Why do people Rush and Pledge Fraternities and Sororites...

It makes sense to me at bigger schools so that you can have a sense of comunity, but what about at smaller schools, ~4000 or fewer students??

i'd like to hear whatever you guys have to say on the topic so feel free to digress

people like to feel like they belong, even if it's a small school to begin with. or maybe their only option was to buy their friends which is kind of what they are doing. but hey, i'm no expert.

[Sniper]

Pulled this off one greek site, if you want more info, you can easily do a quick search yourself...

Why Go Greek? What's so special?

Greeks are leaders! Leaders on campus, leaders in business, communities, states, and other organizations. No matter how you look at it, Greeks just stand out!

Here are some interesting Greek Facts:

Since 1825, the founding of Greek-letter organizations, all but two U.S. Presidents were Greek.
All but two U.S. Vice-Presidents were Greek. (since 1825).
7 out of 10 people listed in Who's Who are Greek.
Both females elected to the U.S. Supreme Court were sorority members.
85% of the Fortune 500 executives are Greek.
Of the nation's 50 largest corporations, 43 are headed by Greeks.
63% of the U.S. President's Cabinet members since 1900 have been Greek.
Nationally, over 70% of Greeks graduate, while only 50% of non-Greeks graduate.
76% of U.S. Congressmen and Senators are Greek.
Less than 2% of an average college student's expenses go toward Greek membership dues.
Over 85% of the student leaders on some 730 campuses are members of a Greek-letter organization.
Since 1910, 40 of 47 Supreme Court Justices have been Greek. Three Canadian Prime Ministers have been Greek.
Maybe you will be one of those great numbers!

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Here are some interesting Greek Facts

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Ah well... it all becomes clear. That's why we the US of A are in such a mess.

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I graduated from UC Berkeley, where I joined Theta Chi Fraternity.

I came to campus believing I would not join a fraternity, but in any event I decided to look around. At Theta Chi, I found a bunch of guys that I got along very well with, and indeed, have made the best friendships I've had yet.

So that should be your answer: go around and meet the brothers and judge whether you think you want to hangout with these people for the next four years or longer.

The benefits are: lots of access to poker games, making friends and dates, academic help, support, and leadership/organizational experience. After being in a fraternity, I am not at all surprised that so many people in charge of complex entities (countries, businesses, etc.) were members of fraternities.

Potential drawbacks: distractions, interpersonal conflict, cost.

In all, the benefits are usually more likely than the drawbacks- plus, you can always leave.

If you want specific advice, feel free to ask me.

Man... I pledged Sig-Tau and not once did i get laid. Every party was a sausage fest with the guys saying stuff like "let's go pick up some girls" "where are all the girls" "man, i wish there were some girls here" but would just huddle aruond the keg getting drunker. I didn't go through with those losers.

[wall_st]

It seems there are a lot of reasons to do it other than just "paying for your friends". Some orgs are not just a big party fest there are a lot of academic greek orgs as well. I know a lot of people who joined these solely for the resume booster, they had no interest in getting wasted with the bros.

I never liked the idea of them either. It was something I checked out when I first went to school, just to see what it was all about. It really wasn't for me and I found that out quickly. A lot of people I know who were really excited about them at first were pretty much over it by the end. There are also a lot of people who get stuck in that lifestyle even after they graduate. At my school the greeks were like a breeding ground for STDs as well. Something like 1 in 3 at the school has or had a STD, but like 80% of those people were greeks.

[DWarrior]

I'm pledging for Alpha Kappa Psi, a business frat. I want to see if it's really what they say, plus it's a resume booster. I'm kind of getting annoyed by the anal rules they have, like having to memorize a crapload of names and history.

I'm really not into the whole Greek thing though, the whole concept sounds retarded.

[billyjex]

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At my school the greeks were like a breeding ground for STDs as well. Something like 1 in 3 at the school has or had a STD, but like 80% of those people were greeks.

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it still doesn't burn when i pee

(we went to the same school and i am in a frat)

[surfinillini]

like warren up there, I also went to school thinking of not joining a frat. With a 25,000 undergraduate population at university of illinois you quickly knew the guys you were hanging out with in the dorms were not connected socially to the majority of the social/bar scene.

I joined a house with a bunch of good guys, great parties and exchanges, and also a group of people I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life.

Don't knock it till you try it.

[vexvelour]

Because they want to be able to call all the normal people that can make friends on their own GDI's.

At least thats how it was at my University.

Some small schools are Greek-dominated despite their relatively small populations, which might compel many students to rush.

I attended a small college in Illinois with a student body of 1800. The percentage of students in frats or sororities was more than 1/3. I had no intentions of joining a house and didn't rush in the fall of my freshman year, but when most of my dorm friends joined one, I followed suit in the spring. I don't really regret doing so, although my GPA might have been higher if I hadn't had so many social options.

10 years following graduation, I don't remember my fraternity pledge, and barely remember the secret handshake, but those weekend keggers and mid-week sorority mixers sure were fun.

[nebben]

I think you guys are misunderstanding the idea of social dues and initiation fees. social dues are there so you can have parties, initiation fees are there so that you can pay for the overhead of the organization that manages everything about your house, from insurance to contracts.

[ltb]

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With a 25,000 undergraduate population at university of illinois you quickly knew the guys you were hanging out with in the dorms were not connected socially to the majority of the social/bar scene.

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wait, you joined a frat to get "connected" to the "bar scene?"

that certainly sounds dumb, especially considering you can build your own group of friends (that you don't pay for) and go out to the bars and such...

[DCWildcat]

I'm in a fraternity at a liberal arts school (1700 students).
It's fun, it's actually cheaper than a meal plan, the parties are great, and we do some good service.

[DCWildcat]

My dad, a psych PhD (what I'm going after), was greek as well.

[KeysrSoze]

A need for stupid tribal ritual ingrained by evolution from 100,000 years of living in caves, chucking spears, injesting psychotropic substances, and dragging women by the hair?

[Scotch78]

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or maybe their only option was to buy their friends which is kind of what they are doing. but hey, i'm no expert.

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Gotta love that stereotype. What most non-Greeks fail to realize is that dues go to three places: rent, nationals, and the chapter budget. Rent is rent, and the chapter budget is basically a bunch of money that you decide how to spend on yourselves. National dues do disappear to some old guys halfway across the country, but they are typically less than $50/person/year. The concept of paying for friends is simply a myth.

In my opinion, the biggest reason to go Greek is for convenience. With enough effort you can build a tight-knit group of friends, organize large social gatherings on a regular basis, participate in philanthropy activities, play intramural sports, accept a position of responsibility in a student organization, schedule your electives with a bunch of friends, network for life after college, and so many other things. The catch is that you will have to search out, and often create, each specific opportunity on your own. A Greek organization pulls all of those things together and provides them for you.

Scott

[einbert]

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A need for stupid tribal ritual ingrained by evolution from 100,000 years of living in caves, chucking spears, injesting psychotropic substances, and dragging women by the hair?

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This answer seems to have some truth to it.

[KaneKungFu123]

my greek membership card allows me to buy coke at a discount...