<p>I will be honest- I am STUNNED at the costs listed on here. I was in a sorority back in the day and lived in the house and had to pay for it myself- but the costs weren’t anything like this! My older son just graduated from college in 2011 and was in a frat and paid for it himself. I don’t know what it costs but I know he couldn’t have afforded anything like this! His total summer earnings were usually only around $3000 and he had to use that for all of his spending money including frat stuff. I am pretty sure that counting dues and pitches, his was less than $1000 a year. We did pay for his frat housing as it was the same as the dorm, but still!!</p>
<p>Well, everything involving young people today has kind of gotten out of hand. Bday parties are nothing like we had as kids, prom expenses are outrageous (we never did the limo thing, or did $500 dresses! AND, we did our OWN hair, makeup and nails!). </p>
<p>When I was in a sorority, things were very basic. We didn’t have mandatory out of town trips, retreats, and Tshirts for every event. We had pledge dresses, Active dresses (we made them from a Butterick pattern and pink Qiana like fabric! lol)</p>
<p>however, our House wasn’t anything like the Bama Houses. They weren’t mini mansions that must require pricey upkeep. Heck, think how much it costs to keep up your own home (repairs, utitlities, replacing appliances/furniture, repainting, yard maintanence, etc). And these Houses have paid staff (I don’t know the numbers, and some may employ more than others.)</p>
<p>While I do support Greek Life, I do wish things weren’t so expensive. It really separates the “haves” from the “have nots” to an extreme. I realize that there are a few houses that aren’t pricey, but many are.</p>
<p>So the houses are actually owned by the students? At both my college and my older son’s, the houses were owned by the colleges and leased to the students just like a dorm was. The only difference I can remember is that one semester when there was an open bed, all the sisters had to chip in to pay the rent that wasn’t being collected. We did eat dinner at the house, but you paid for that separately and it wasn’t required. Son’s frat houses had no meals.</p>
<p>Parents: if your children are spending your money at a very fast pace on luxury expenses, far beyond what they’ll be able to do as new graduates, think about how hard it will be for them to adjust to living on a new grad’s salary. </p>
<p>Do you plan on subsidizing the mani/pedis, spray tans, pricey clothes, nice cars, weekend trips, long after they graduate? </p>
<p>Are we getting our kids “used” to a level of luxury that they won’t be able to afford for themselves until they’re much older? </p>
<p>If we “cut them off” at graduation, are they going to become depressed (not clinically…lol) that their nails aren’t salon-perfect and their hair streaks are gone? When they go to replace their cars, are they going to be annoyed that instead of a showy car they’ll be buying the old reliable sedan because they now have rent to pay? </p>
<p>I’m not criticizing. I face the same questions myself after I indulge my kids (and I’m guilty!!!) Those of us who have kids on full or near full scholarships sometimes justify these luxuries because, well, we’re not paying tuition. And, some us are affluent enough to be full or near-full payers and still can write the checks for Greek Life.</p>
<p>What’s the solution? I don’t know. I like Momreads’ idea of having her kids pay. While that works for the lesser expensive Houses, it probably won’t work for the pricier ones. Sadly, I do hear about kids using Student Loans for Greek costs. That’s going to be a bite in the tush during the 10 years of payback.</p>
<p>*So the houses are actually owned by the students? *</p>
<p>I don’t think they’re owned by the students, but I could be wrong. I think each national orgn owns them. The school does lease the land at $1 per year. </p>
<p>I do think the students do have to support the bldg fund or whatever they call it.</p>
<p>I can remember having a conversation with DD a few years ago where we discussed “our lifestyle” would not be “her lifestyle” once she was out on her own. Some of our children have lived a “privileged” not “spoiled” existence, and need that reminder that it takes many years of hard work to accumulate the nice houses/cars and such.</p>
<p>I also have to say that after reading this thread my DH has a whole new appreciation of just how low maintenance our daughter is. </p>
<p>I was VP Finance (Treasurer) for my house back in the 1980s. I managed a budget of close to $200,000 and was responsible for paying the salary for all the staff members, including the house mother, and for the expenses of the day to day operation of the facility (food, power bills, routine repairs etc.) as well as the expenses related to our social and philanthropic activities. It was a great learning experience for a 21 year old.</p>
<p>For most of the groups at Alabama, the house is owned by a separate entity known as the House Corporation, which is overseen by a group of volunteer alums. Part of each member’s house bill goes to the House Corporation for the long term upkeep of the house and, when a new house is being built, for the construction of the new house.</p>
<p>Hi TxA, The demolition and moving won’t occur until the end of the semester. For 2013 rush Chi Omega is moving into the Alpha Gam house while their’s is remodeled. Alpha Chi Omega is leasing the ADPi house and tearing down their old house and the Tri-Delta house behind them and building a big new house on both lots.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if DDD, ADPi, and AGD are in the new houses yet. APimommy will know. The new houses are gorgeous. I toured the Delta Gamma house this fall and it is far from the sorority house I lived in 30 years ago!</p>
<p>I know I can’t wait to see the new houses (from the outside) at Preview! I believe Alpha Gamma Delta was supposed to move in over the semester break.</p>
<p>Alpha Gamm and DG are in now (DG has been in since Formal Recruitment 2012). ADPi has the all clear to move during Spring Break…needless to say DD is VERY excited. Not sure when Tri Delt moves but they will be in for sure by Formal Recruitment 2013. Tri Delt, ADpi, Gamma Phi and Alpha Phi should all have pics up in their houses of their new houses during Preview. I hesitate to say this but in past years “some” houses stayed open a half hour after House Tours so parents could peek in. I have no idea whether this will be the case this year…I would lurk around the Row to see if that’s the case or ask during the parent part of Preview.
I wanted to share how we have approached the financial side of sorority life. We told DD it’s like buying a car. Are you going to get the basic model or the “tricked” out one. Meaning that we know the basic cost of joining (the average is on the Panhellenic website but…I do think it’s a little conservative) and then there’s the extras. If you are wanting the extras then you have to build that into the budget. The truth is that a chunk of the bill is the meal plan (which you would have to buy anyway if you lived in the dorm). Since DD chose to live in Tut (cheap cheap cheap as far as dorms go) living in was still a "bargain for us compared to super suites. I am a huge proponent for girls living in at least 1 year…the sisterhood is what it’s all about…once DD has lived in she has decided she won’t move until graduation (of course since she was EVP Property and was in on the building of the new house from the first shovel of dirt she wants to live in!).
It doesn’t have to be mega bucks…that’s a decision and a discussion you have to have with your daughters…can it cost $$$$$ ??? Sure if you go whole hog on the clothes and the extras (just like the luxury packages when you are buying a new car) but you can still go with the streamlined version and have a fabulous experience!</p>
<p>Let me start by saying that we spent no where near where as much - </p>
<p>D is a freshman this year living in RCS. Her dues + are: $2200 + 850 = $3050 first semester. Now second semester there are cheaper by $450: $2200 = 400 = $2600.</p>
<p>If you subtract $1500 for food, and her house does more meals than most this semester the real cost of the living out of house is: $1100.</p>
<p>That does not include the slush fund for zaps, t shirts etc. BUT I have to say that D funded it herself at the beginning of the semester at $300 and I just put $100 in it over the weekend. So that $300 lasted her into this semester and even buying championship shirts! She has never gotten a spray tan, or spent more than $50-75 on a dress. She finds them online cheap or borrows them. We have splurged on a number of Lilly’s since we do love them…but never ever have paid more than $100 for them.</p>
<p>We LOVE her house. The food is amazing, she lives for Fried Friday and sends me pics. lol Yah, we are from the North so this is a new thing. Her house is new row and does not have a new house in the works, but they did do a major renovation just a year or two ago. The sisterhood that she has with the other girls is amazing and has really helped her feel at home. Well worth $1100 a semester for us…but that is call that each family has to make themselves.</p>
<p>buzymom3, that is why I wish each sorority would publish REAL numbers for each semester. You and your D really have little control as to where they finally end up. We would have been thrilled with $5650 as a total, but at least I knew beforehand that it could cost a great deal more. I really feel bad when people don’t have the complete picture of the financial obligation.</p>
<p>SMBradshaw…sadly it is difficult to find out the costs. I did A LOT of digging and asking and found out about 3/4 the cost of the houses at 'Bama. Honestly, if D had ended up in a house that was $10000 a year I don 't think that we could have afforded it and she would have had to decline. We were prepped for up to $4000 a semester as the UA Panhellenic site states an average of $3000 per semester figuring +/- 10%. But that is not nearly enough given the high costs that some houses charge.</p>
<p>I agree and think that they would truly do everyone a service if they just published their rates honestly and openly. My D’s school publishes each houses in house and out of house costs right on their website on each houses individual page. Really helps to know going in.</p>
<p>busymom - where does your other daughter go that they do publish the info?</p>
<p>maybe someone could get an underground list together of the real costs. : ) of course, it may not account for things like a house that includes the badge vs. not, but it would be a way better resource than what is available now.</p>