Can you join a sorority/fraternity and still get good grades?

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Well not really CAN you, as i'm sure its possible.
But do MOST people?</p>

<p>I'm starting college this fall and i'm really excited about it, one thing i've been considering is joining a sorority. It sounds like a lot of fun to me, but i'm going to be doing pre-med and I HAVE to keep a really good GPA if i want to get into med school later. Grades are VERY important for me..</p>

<p>if i join a sorority, is it going to make it harder for me to make good grades?
I'm sure its technically POSSIBLE, i just want to know if its going to make it any more difficult, even just a little.
Honest answers please.
I want to know what i'm getting myself into.</p>

<p>Thanks. :)</p>

2

<p>in some schools, students who join sororities have higher GPA's than non-greek.....also, depends on which sorority you join.....</p>

3

<p>my brothers GPA dropped to a 2.7 when he pledged. my ex bf got a 3.6 when he pledged. all depends on the frat, their rules, your school, and your pledge class</p>

4

<p>It's certainly doable, you just need to be organized and a good planner. For instance, if you know you have sorority meetings or an organized event you need to get your work done early. If this is not your strong point, then you may run into trouble.</p>

5

<p>Like most things involving Greek life (or college life), it depends entirely on the school or chapter. Most of my friends in sororities and fraternities have to log X-number of study hours per week, especially as underclassmen to get used to the workload and expectations. They also have to maintain at least a minimum GPA and houses can be rewarded for things like highest GPA, or punished if they drop below a certain level.</p>

<p>Friends at other schools say they have no restrictions, just that they avoid academic probation/suspension by their school.</p>

6

<p>A former professor who went to a well-regarded Massachusetts engineering college told me that one of the fraternities kept past exams and lecture notes that students could study to prepare for exams. So yes, there can be advantages to a fraternity. I have no personal experience with fraternities.</p>

7

<p>Yes. I know that at UNC at least the average greek GPA has been higher than the average non-greek GPA for about a decade now, maybe more.</p>

8

<p>it's hard to balance everything when you're pledging because that's a big time commitment, but i think once you are initiated you have to give up less time.</p>

9

<p>I just joined a sorority this week, and part of the requirements of being a new member is is a time commitment of 3 hours a week in the library.
Some of the girls that pledged last year said that since joining, they have gotten the best grades of their lives- and a lot of sororities and fraternities have a minimum average requirement to stay in.
At least with sororities, getting good grades is a part of being involved, not just something you have to work at on your own :)</p>

10

<p>Overall, the greek gpa is higher than non-greek gpa. But each fraternity/sorority has their own gpa. My grades got higher after I joined.</p>

11

<p>Certainly depends on the school, but at the majority of the schools I'm familiar with, the GPA's for the Greeks are significantly higher than those of non-greeks. In some cases as much as 1/4 a grade point (which is a large margin when trying to get into graduate schools).</p>

<p>The reasons for this are multiple but includes things like access to test files, rewards ($$$) for getting certain GPA's, and structured study hours. You're also much more likely to have someone you know in your classes, and have a stronger connection with them that creates automatic study partners. Lastly, you get the benefits of mentoring and advice from the older members of your chapter - they can help answer questions if you're having trouble, help you avoid bad professors, schedule "good" classes, and pass along study guides. Lastly, if the house is known to be a good academic one, the people around you will care about what your grades are, because they care about you as a whole - that's not something you'll necessarily find in the dorms. The concern your sisters will have may occasionally be selfish, because your poor performance would reflect poorly on the chapter, and in turn on them, but regardless of the reason, it'll hold you accountable.</p>

12

<p>I'm in a sorority, and we have a minimum GPA (i'm pretty sure all panhell sororities do). If we don't meet that GPA, we get put on academic probation, which means spending nights when everyone goes out studying, having to go to an academic counselor, etc. It depends on the sorority, but in most schools where Greek Life is even at least moderately important, grades are important.</p>

13

<p>I'm gonna say most people's GPA's drop during pledging.</p>

14

<p>GPAs could drop depending on the school, but it's greatly over-exaggerated (expecially here).</p>

15

<p>GPA drops in sororities during new member periods are without a doubt far fewer than those associated with fraternity pledgeship. Simply put, most sorority "pledging" consists of remembering to say 'thank you' when they give you all the gifts and going to a couple meetings. The majority of inter/national sororities limit the length of their new member periods to 8 weeks.</p>

16

<p>my son's fraternity has mandatory study hours Monday -Thursday. If you don't attend, it cost you $$!!</p>

17

<p>Probably. But I never considered joining a frat out of principle. I don't apply to be friends with people.</p>