<p>The entire social scene and school administration is dominated by Greek life, and quite frankly, everything else at the school takes a back seat.</p>
<p>My son was not in a fraternity, but he had a great experience at Wake Forest (just graduated this year) and made good friends. I think a lot depends on the individual. I know the pressure is heavy on Greek life–as it is in other schools-- but he was very involved in intramural sports and other activities, so it all worked out.</p>
<p>Well, this is concerning, as our son was just accepted to Wake and is very much looking forward to attending this fall. He has, however, expressed his lack of enthusiasm for Greek life. He will also be a ROTC cadet, which I am sure will make him an automatic outsider. Food for thought…</p>
<p>I wasn’t involved in Greek life, and I had no problem finding my own group of friends (most of whom were also not in sororities or fraternities). And, personally, I feel like the administration is not only not dominated by Greek life, but also non-Greek organizations actually get more leeway than the fraternities and sororities. In general, I think that Greek organizations only really affect you if you let them. Otherwise, they’re reasonably ignorable.</p>
<p>ROTC will provide your son with a core group of friends that is so important in college. That is the hardest step of college, finding the friends with whom you want to share your experience. There are other ways of meeting people, the Greek scene is not for everyone, nor should it be, it just is probably the easiest way. I have a few friends here in ROTC, and they are all very close with one another, even those that are Greek and those that are not.</p>
<p>OK, with all due respect to OP, I have an issue with posts like this that speak in absolutes. While I get that the OP may have had/be having a less than positive experience with Greek life at Wake, I don’t believe that one experience can be translated into absolutes for everyone else. Yes, there’s a prominent Greek scene at WFU; no, it’s not the only thing happening there.</p>
<p>It is undeniably big, though. iirc about 40-50% of the student body joins a fraternity/sorority.</p>
<p>I think the key to happiness at any college is finding your niche - your group - where you fit in. Joining a few clubs and activities is the best way to do this. My son is a very happy sophomore at Wake and did not pledge a frat. He is involved in a few things that he really enjoys - including intermural sports and an on-campus job. Joining Greek life is an easy way to have an immediate circle of friends - but it is not the only way.</p>
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<p>Or, put another way, 50% - 60% don’t join.</p>
<p>So how does the Greek scene at Wake compare to Washington + Lee? Did anyone here compare the 2 schools?</p>
<p>@DougBetsy - Yes, 50-60% don’t join, it’s true, but you have to remember that 40-50% participation rate is very high compared to most colleges. Also, remember that more people rush than can actually get in.</p>
<p>43% according to the WF Factbook.</p>
<p>I never rushed when I was at Wake Forest, but I had the impression that it was pretty easy to get into a fraternity. Perhaps not into the one you originally wanted to join, though…</p>
<p>In the end, I’d guess that the rush process is a little like the college search process. Most students end up happy at/with the one that offers them a spot.</p>
<p>I found it pretty easy to have a social life without going Greek at WF, though.</p>
<p>I got the same idea about the sororities. The point wasn’t to exclude people, it was more focused on getting people in the one that was right for them.</p>
<p>I feel like this topic comes up a lot. I have TONS of friends who are independents who really don’t care about Greek life … I also have TONS of friends who are involved in Greek life and love it. </p>
<p>Also, not everyone knows if they want to be involved in Greek life while they’re in high school. I wasn’t sure if a sorority was for me, and then I got to Wake and knew I wanted to rush.</p>
<p>Sadly, rush doesn’t work out for everyone, but you can say that about a lot of different things – sports, clubs, grades, you name it. Not everything will work out for everyone, and most people who don’t have a good rush experience decide they don’t want to be Greek anyway (which makes sense when you think about it). </p>
<p>There is no reason ROTC students can’t be in a Greek organization, either. There is a fair amount of ROTC representation in Greek life on campus, and personally I think I would respect someone more if they were involved in something like ROTC, not try to make them an outsider.</p>
<p>Interestingly enough, two of my close friends here (one boy, one girl) are both ROTC & Greek, although you definitely don’t need to do both, or either. </p>
<p>I’d like to conclude with one final point – not all Greek organizations are the same. Some are really intense, others are laid back, others are more like groups of friends, etc. “Greek life” is a very wide-ranging thing at Wake!</p>
<p>My son is a freshman ROTC cadet at Wake. I’ll be talking to him tonight and will ask how many go Greek. He, by the way, is currently pledging.</p>
<p>I don’t know if the OP went to wake or is planning on going there or what not. I went to Wake and graduated this past summer. I was involved with Greek life but also with student government and several other activities around campus. I made friends - Greeks, Non-Greeks and even ROTC - through the fraternity I was in as well as the other activities I was a part of.</p>
<p>Wake is one of the few school that doesn’t have ‘Fraternity Houses’; they do this so students are integrated.</p>
<p>OP - If you went to Wake/are currently at Wake and loathe Greek Life (which is what it seems like), I am sorry you are having such a miserable college experience.</p>
<p>I’m going to assume this poster is a second semester freshman and just got gut punched by half his friends suddenly being socially unavailable. That does happen. Wake officially doesn’t support Greek Life too much or too little, but the social life outside of Greek Life is not close to on par with other schools. However, its not something to worry about long term because Wake graduates tend to love the school.</p>