<p>I wanted to weigh in another perspective on why so much “negativity” directed towards the Greek system pops up on CC.</p>
<p>I went to a school where the Greek system was very popular among many students. Even though only a small percentage (something like 17%) of UGs at my alma mater are actually in frats and sororities, the schools seems to have a reputation of being a “big Greek school.” I personally made the decision not to rush a sorority for many reasons – cost, being a major factor, but also the fact that I was very different than the “typical” sorority girl my school. I am sure that had I gone to a small LAC where the sororities would have been less image-focused and competitive, I would have joined – but at my alma mater, the Greek system is cutthroat and I wouldn’t have been selected either way.</p>
<p>My boyfriend was in a frat at our school, though, and I experienced a lot of the college’s Greek life through that route. Many of my close girlfriends were also in houses, and I was a witness to their experiences as well. </p>
<p>While in college, I saw many instances where the ideals and values expressed in the article linked in this thread’s original post manifested themselves in the Greek system. I don’t think anyone who looks negatively upon frats and sororities denies that they can be like surrogate families and support groups for their members. </p>
<p>Similarly, while parents might view the “partying” ways of the Greek system in a negative light, I don’t think many students consider this a “good” or “bad” thing. In fact, I can say that most non-Greeks at my school didn’t care that the Greek culture was largely based around partying; the opinion was actually quite neutral. As long as it didn’t affect us, we didn’t care.</p>
<p>Based upon my experience in college, and hearing from people who rushed/didn’t rush/dropped out of their house, I think the major negative viewpoint held by most people who don’t like the Greek system has to do with the presupposed “Exclusivity” of the system that exists at Greek-heavy schools.</p>
<p>It’s very easy to dislike an organization that selects people based upon their looks and their family’s financial background. At my college, when you applied to rush, you had to submit your family’s tax returns. Some houses, if your parents didn’t make a ton of money, would immediately drop you from their rush groups for that very reason. Similarly (but this mostly went for sororities) if you didn’t embody a specific “physical ideal” for one of the more “elite” houses at the school, you also would be immediately rejected.</p>
<p>For those of you struggling to understand, try to imagine yourself in these two scenarios:</p>
<p>You’re an outgoing, friendly and intelligent female college freshman who has a history of being well-liked by everyone you run into. You would very much like to rush a sorority at your Greek-heavy college. However, you are also overweight and not “conventionally attractive.” Upon seeing how all the sorority members at your college look, you become reluctant to rush. You do, but are rejected by all the houses you wanted to be a part of.</p>
<p>You’re a popular, successful and talented male college freshman attending a big-name school on full-scholarship. You were prom king, on the varsity football team and valedictorian – so why shouldn’t you join a frat at your Greek-heavy school? One problem – you come from a low-income family and you’re a first-generation college student. The frats at your school are very “old money” and because of your family’s background, you fail to receive a bid at any house.</p>
<p>If you were in either of these situations, how could you look upon the Greek system in a favorable light? For the record, I’ve seen both of these situations play out in my University’s Greek system. Things like this DO HAPPEN, as much as anyone on CC will try to deny it. (Again, this is at the Greek-heavy schools, and probably doesn’t happen as much in other Greek environments that aren’t so competitive.)</p>
<p>In the “top tier” and “respected” sororities at my University, there was not ONE overweight or obese female. The only house without conventionally attractive women was also the house that was the butt of every frat house’s jokes. They were the house that was never asked to invites, never paired up for exchanges, etc. Additionally, my roommate junior year who was a year younger joined a house her sophomore year. Upon receiving a bid, she was told she had to lose 10 lbs and dye her hair lighter as soon as possible. She was already thin, pretty and very physically fit – but she did as she was told and the next day, she was bleach blonde. How is something like that OK?</p>
<p>It’s this exclusivity and “holier than thou” attitude held by many Greeks at my alma mater why I hold a generally negative view of the system. If I had gone to another school, I admit I might hold a different view – but for now, I have problems speaking positively about an organization that only cares about how you look and how much money you have, rather than your personality and what you can bring to a house.</p>
<p>Sorry, long post!</p>
