<p>I have seen a lot of posts for the girls and their weekend and rush. My DH was a Delta Chi
many years ago (not at UA). So DS thought we should check out the fraternities at UA and see if there’s one that might be a fit for him. Is there a weekend for the guys? What are the cost’s like? and any other info you can think of. Thanks</p>
<p>MG thanks for posting this-- I would love more info too.</p>
<p>Yes…IFC has their own Preview Weekend on March 16th. Here is a link to their website.
[Alabama</a> IFC](<a href=“http://www.alabamaifc.com/home.html]Alabama”>http://www.alabamaifc.com/home.html)
There are several parents on here who have sons in fraternities. Guys Rush is very different from the girls. It will actually start this Spring with events on the weekends and it will continue throughout the summer months. I would suggest you go to the website and read about Rush and the costs. If you have questions I would encourage you to email the VP of Recruitment at the address given under the header Rush. DD’s boyfriend is in a fraternity so I can answer some questions but IFC is probably the group to go to. Keep checking the website as sign up for the March 16th event should be going up soon.</p>
<p>The sororities will also be having events that weekend, and whatever else on campus is happening, and hotel rooms are already tight.</p>
<p>If you think you may be in Tuscaloosa that weekend, make your reservations.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman in a top new row fraternity. The cost runs around $3500 a semester but bear in mind that includes meals. Per my son, the meals at the fraternity house are a heck of a lot better than the dining halls with the exception of Bryant Hall. They are building a new house and I know the cost will increase. How much I don’t know.</p>
<p>As one of the previous poster’s indicated, go to the IFC website are get familiar with all the content. If you can make the preview day that would be good but it’s not a show stopper if you can’t. However, you definitely need to email the rush chairs of the fraternities that you are interested in and get your name on their lists. They are forming their rush list as we speak. Since you are out of state and I assume do not have any strong established contacts/relationships with old row frats, I would advise you to focus on new row frats. The old row frats are DKE,SAE, KA, SN, Phi Gam. Phi Gam and SN might be long shots for you. Actually, Phi Delt is considered old row also but they are not as exclusive. All other frats are in play for you. As always, it depends on who you ask but a some of the new row frats are currently among the best on campus. Don’t worry about the old row exclusion.</p>
<p>Crimsondude…can you remember how much you spent on pledge gear ect? Seems like DD’s boy friend maybe spent quite a bit while he was a pledge, not only on clothes ect but other items that he had to have readily available for “the brothers”. In addition don’t forget Formal…DD’s boyfriend paid $700 out of pocket for them to go this year. Are there other costs as well? I am pretty sure his house bill is right around yours…he is also in a top New Row house. I would say that many bids are given out over the summer. I know some parents and boys were unhappy when the advertised Formal rush began this fall and most of the good houses had given out all of their bids and didn’t show up at the general meeting. I agree…email the rush chairs, let them know you are interested and get on the list.</p>
<p>Yeah, there is always “other” expenses. As far as clothing, I think my son was pretty well outfitted before he went to school. He did have to buy a pair of boots. They did have to pay $30 for each pledge party. I don’t know how much this totalled to. Probably around $300. They just had their formal in New Orleans. It cost him $300.</p>
<p>I have never heard of the terms old row, new row, or top row. What do they mean?</p>
<p>I know that DD’s boyfriend had to buy a slew of polos in several specific colors. We got them at Belk on sale for about $15 a shirt because he was told they “would not survive” pledgeship. He also had to have specific khakis, a pair of sperrys that had to be the same for all the pledges and a navy blue blazer. Since he had to wear the blazer to all of the football games as well as several other specific activities he got 3. Two he cut the lining out of so they wouldn’t be so hot. I know that he had to wear specific clothing on certain days. Wow…your son’s NOLA trip was so much cheaper!!! Lucky you!</p>
<p>Old Row refers to a couple of other things
It is, physically, the fraternity houses that are on University Boulevard next to and across the street from the stadium. Some of those houses are brand-new, but that area is the “old” place where the fraternities had their houses.
Old Row is sponsored in part by Anheuser-Busch InBev, which explains in part why many Old Row t-shirts include designs that are very similar to those used on the company’s products and possibly why the beer available at Old Row fraternity and sorority events is manufactured by that company. There are a couple fraternities that would be part of the Old Row, but their national charter does not permit sponsorship by alcohol companies and thus membership in the Old Row.
New row refers to the houses on the other end of campus, most built after 1960.</p>
<p>the good houses already had given out all their bids. Which are the good houses and why are they the good houses?</p>
<p>I think I worded that incorrectly. I was not referring to “good” as in the good vs bad but rather that some fraternities fill up quicker than others because they give out bids throughout the summer and they don’t hold any back for the guys who rush in the fall.</p>
<p>This is a dangerous question. One that I would rather answer privately and, even then, it is my perception based on talking to other people, what I seen and heard, recommendations from sorority girls within the last 3 to 5 years, etc. PM me.</p>
<p>ahpimommy, I actually saw a sorority girl wearing a t-shirt with a PBR-like design (which is neither owned, nor contract brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev). I wasn’t close enough to see of it was an Old Row t-shirt or not, but was surprised to see it on a fraternity/sorority t-shirt at UA.</p>
<p>People certainly have their personal preferences in terms of which fraternities are the best. I’m of the opinion that any specific fraternity will be a great fit for some and not so much for others, which will affect a person’s rankings of fraternities.</p>
<p>ahpimommy- I am curious why they think cutting the lining out of blazers will make it that much better- seems like the poly/wool would be itchy without the lining-just wondering b/f I send my son with his blazers</p>
<p>It’s cooler…shouldn’t be itchy at all since the boys are wearing shirts underneath…which act like lining. Plus, many might not even be wearing wool. and, the poly/wools probably aren’t itchy anyway. Summer weight wool usually isn’t itchy.</p>
<p>ok my son’s d blazers don’t seem that heavy and i just don’t see how the lining makes them that much hotter- sending with lining and he can decide…</p>
<p>Sorry…we have been on vacation …I think it is up to the individual guys as to where they perform blazer surgery or not. The truth is when you are standing in hot, humid temperatures for hours that blazer acts as a hot house…the lining just doesn’t allow any room for the fabric to breath. Remember that fraternity pledges are responsible for saving seats for members at all of the home football games. that means that they are up bight and early in their shirt (in some cases these will be long sleeved), tie, khakis and blazer. They will pre-game, attend pre-game meals, retrieve everything that actives need in order to have a great game day and then go over to the stadium to stand in line and go in as soon as the gates open to save spots…all the time wearing the blazer. It can be a VERY long day. When we met up with DD and her boy friend after a game during his pledgeship I equated the wafting odor to the same sweet smell that her brother used to emit after 4 quarter of football. Poor guy was sweaty and pretty gross. That’s the thoughts behind cutting out the lining…not everyone does I am sure but it happens.</p>
<p>Thx. May just let him decide. He only has tickets to 3 games …</p>