<p>What are the pro's and con's of being in a fraternity at UCLA or being in a fraternity in general</p>
<p>Pros: Community, networking, spirit, and cheaper housing (parties too lol)
Cons: Something is always going on...meaning its hard to study</p>
<p>If I don't get in to Sigma Nu, I'm gonna jump off a cliff.</p>
<p>Some of the fraternity men I have talked to say that the hazing can be a bit much in terms of cleaning up stuff and taking lots of tests. They also said they couldn't tell me anything more or they would get in trouble.</p>
<p>Some fraternity men are nice, but a lot of the ones I have met are quite inconsiderate. </p>
<p>I heard Triange (the engineering frat) is pretty decent though.</p>
<p>I think we need to distinguish different types of fraternities.</p>
<p>Are we talking about Greek system?</p>
<p>yeah what about sororities? Is rushing for UCLA greek life as intense as it is at SC? (i've always wanted to join a sorority, but I'm not sure I have the patience for some crazy rushing process!)</p>
<p>Ah yes, I was talking about social (IFC) frats.</p>
<p>Note: The following is about UCLA Panhellenic Sororities (the social ones on Hilgard row)</p>
<p>Pixiedanzer, if you decide to rush ("try out" for sororities), I would recommend you go to formal fall rush. Even if you decide not to join, it is an experience you'll never forget. Also, remember to take everything with a grain of salt (as you would with anything).</p>
<p>I rushed, joined, and was initatiated into a UCLA sorority this Fall. I was elected to the sorority council in Winter. Before I began my term, I quit. Suffice it to say, I am a bit biased against sororities-- but you should check it out for yourself. Contact me at <a href="mailto:agent_michi@hotmail.com">agent_michi@hotmail.com</a> if you have any further questions.</p>
<p>definitely. thank you!</p>
<p>there was an article in the daily bruin today about hazing that killed someone at cal state chico. looks like the inter-fraternity council (IFC) is well aware of this and makes discussion of it, although the amount of prevention of hazing taken by the frats is unclear. </p>
<p>I try to stay clear of working with frat boys/sorority girls, and frats in general, because I plan on applying to grad school... :cool:</p>
<p>the whole hazing thing however rare the fatal events may be really turns me off abotu the whole frat/sorority scene. but yeah i don't want to make a final judgment about greek life yet.</p>
<p>S joined Sigma Chi spring of his freshman year and lived in the house sophomore and junior years. It provided him with a network of friends totally different from those in his major as well as year-round housing (he stayed in LA during the summer) for a reasonable cost. As for grades, he did his best to keep up the house GPA, so that was a good incentive.</p>
<p>Fraternity/Sorority Row is on Gayley, right?</p>
<p>fraternity row is on gayley and sorority row is on hilgard. they're on opposite sides of campus. but i think there are some of the frats that aren't on gayley, although they're still in the same vincinity.</p>
<p>kfc4u: Are you in a fraternity?</p>
<p>eiffelguy,</p>
<p>no i'm not in a fraternity. however, i WAS pledging for a professional frat but i depledged due to personal reasons.</p>
<p>Hi, I'm a Freshman at UCLA that was just initiated into a fraternity in the fall.</p>
<p>I was what recruiters call a type II guy. Type I is a guy that plans on joining a fraternity, type II is someone that is a bit interested but not necessarily planning on joining, and type III is a person that things fraternities are hell incarnate. </p>
<p>My experience with my fraternity has been excellent. It has gotten me involved in many things on campus that I otherwise would not have done. Additionally, it gives me a framework to (positively) pressure me to keep my grades up and be a gentleman.</p>
<p>I warn new UCLA admits (congrats!, btw), though, that the greek system is not perfect. Each house has good guys in it, but many houses are just about partying and socializing.
For those that will rush when you come to UCLA, be very skeptical of houses that "dirty" rush. (Dirty rushing means rushees are given alcohol at any time during the formal rush period.) Although you may think that's it cool at the time that the guy's hooking up you with some free beer, ultimately it's a bad sign. Houses that dirty rush are more likely to ignore other regulations and be rule breakers, which is bad in the greek system. </p>
<p>Also, if you decide to pledge a house, remember your values beforehand. It's very common to see guys that join houses and will stay with it even though it goes against many of their core beliefs. Most common of these is hazing, which most people before joining a fraternity thing is wrong. During the pledge period, the hazing will get gradually more tough and sometimes will be humiliating. Guys that pledge under a hazing system, for some reason, will often stick with it. Often they reassure themselves and tell themselves that they will soon be done and can "return the favor" to the next quarter's pledges.</p>
<p>Really, though, it's a terrible system. Hazing only strengthens the bonds within a pledge class, and alienates you from older brothers. It's illegal and immoral, and I don't understand why good, intelligent people submit themselves to it. </p>
<p>Hazing is not too bad in IFC (Interfraternity Council -- the traditional social fraternities), though each house is different. It's especially bad in Asian fraternities and sororities, though, so be forewarned.</p>
<p>Ultimately, for guys, rush! Get out there, especially during the fall, shop aroound, so to speak, and check out different houses. Ask lots of questions, listen to how guys talk about girls, especially, and see if they do anything shady like offer rushees alcohol. The greek system will definitely get you involved, it offers cheap housing, and can be very rewarding. Knowing that you have 50+ brothers is very satisfying and is a great thing.</p>
<p>If you've read this far, thank you, and if you have any more questions about rushing or UCLA in general, feel free to e-mail me at <a href="mailto:shulbREMOVEert@ucla.edu">shulbREMOVEert@ucla.edu</a>. Also, I'm in Pi Kappa Phi for those wondering, so make sure to check us out when you come to LA.</p>
<p>"It's especially bad in Asian fraternities and sororities, though, so be forewarned."</p>
<p>Yeah that's their reputation and I've heard many stories about that.</p>
<p>There are just fraternities for Asians? Isn't that a little exclusive and completely goes against the concept of diversity? Disgusting.</p>
<p>Can you be Asian and join non-Asian fraternities?
In other words, are there fraternities that are not ethnic exclusive?</p>
<p>And how can you find out if it is a dirty rush?</p>
<p>Yes, there are "Asian interest" fraternities and sororities. </p>
<p>I'm not real big on the idea, either, and it does kind of bother me. However, they're somewhat old (one of the houses was est. in 1989) so they probably come from a time when diversity wasn't embraced so much.</p>
<p>There's also black interest fraternities, as well as several Jewish houses (which are a part of IFC) and a recently-founded Southern Asian (Indian) fraternity.</p>
<p>I guess you could go to rush events for an Asian interest fraternity and see what happens, but you'd feel a bit out of place. There are "hapas" (half-Asians) in some of the said fraternities, though.</p>
<p>The IFC fraternities are, in general, not ethnically exclusive. IFC is mainly the traditional social fraternities that were founded 100+ years ago, though UCLA's IFC does have the Indian fraternity and two Jewish houses in it, too.</p>
<p>As a rushee, you can tell if a house dirty rushes if anyone offers you alcohol, or invites you back later for a special event, after the main rush event has happened. The extent to which houses at UCLA dirty rush is hard to tell, though most people in my house think that most fraternities here do it. We do not, but plenty of our chapters at other schools do.</p>