My family’s income is around 50k, so I qualify for full financial aid from Dartmouth, covering both tuition and room/board. One of the main reasons I want to attend Dartmouth is the Greek life. If I decide to live in a frat house instead of a dorm, would my financial aid cover that?
Also, can someone give an estimate of how much a fraternity costs at Dartmouth?
I’ll appreciate any info, thanks.
Does it cost more or less than the housing estimates your financial aid was based on?
I’m not sure how much it costs to live in a frat, if it costs the same as a dorm would financial aid cover it?
Isn’t that something you should know?
I’m still a prospective HS student so I’m still researching
Good. Keep working on it.
You had better ask the Dartmouth financial aid office about that. Different schools can have different rules. I’ve not heard of fin aid students not being allowed to live in a frat house, however, in order to continue getting that aid Alot of frat house residients I"ve known on fin aid. But this is a school thing, so you had better ask that schools fin aid office.
One thing to understand is that Dartmouth frats (and sororities) do not necessarily match your image of what a frat is. The houses are small. Very few members actually reside in them A fraternity will have 10 times as many members (that may be an understatement) as it has rooms. The frat is more of a social club. That said, putting in work for the frat might entitle you to room preference. Financial aid does not cover frat dues, but the frats (I believe)( have their own system for reducing or waiving dues. Anyone with better info, feel free to correct me.
Generally, fraternity housing costs are at or slightly below the normal room rate. There’s a rule that it can’t be less than 85% of the college’s rate, to keep things equitable all around.
The other variable on this question is some frats are owned by the college and others are privately owned, but associated with the college. This will likely affect the answer.
The third piece I’d like to bring up is that you can’t join a Greek house until your Sophomore year (which I love personally and from experience) and even then you wouldn’t live in a house until your Sophomore spring at the earliest, barring some rare exceptions. This all adds up to “you can ask financial aid experts throughout your freshman year when you get there, you have time”
Thanks for the replies everyone
My S was on close to a full ride and he was able to live in his house as long as he wished to.
@Consolation Did your son have to pay seperately for the fraternity house? Or was the cost included in his financial aid?
As far as I know it was included in his FA.