I’m a junior at a competitive magnet school in NJ and Dartmouth is one of the schools that I am very interested in applying to and possibly attending. However, I am not particularly interested in joining a fraternity in college. According to a list of "T compiled by StartClass, Dartmouth College
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*According to a list of “The Frattiest Colleges in America” compiled by Start Class (http://colleges.startclass.com/stories/9948/frattiest-colleges-america#25-Dartmouth-College), an imposing 61% of male students are members of a fraternity. Is there any social pressure from fellow students to join a fraternity, and will you be in anyway ostracized or put at a disadvantage for not joining?
I believe there is some pressure to join. Disadvantages with staying out? Maybe. Ostracized-not likely.
If you get involved in an activity, such as a sport, team members belonging to a fraternity may encourage you to join them. This was the situation with a Freshman I know. So, next year he will be joining their fraternity. The concern for any parent, and some students, is that such a membership will promote excessive partying. However, I think today’s students respect an individual’s decision to not drink/drug if they don’t want to.
Dartmouth’s fraternity system is incredibly inclusive. Although it may feel like everyone is involved in Greek life, there is no external pressure to join without one’s one volition. Deciding not to join a fraternity will not preclude you from having a social life. Students in general are very accepting of these kinds of personal decisions.