<p>Do i want to join a fraternity?</p>
<p>If so, what kinds are there and which ones should I join?
What are the most popular ones?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>What do you mean by 'popular'? Are you asking which frat is most desired by the less than 20% of the UNC student body who goes Greek...or are you asking if there is a certain frat which is comprised of the 'most popular' guys on campus? </p>
<p>Regarding the latter...since this is college, 'popularity' is a nonexistent thing. You go, you do the things you like, you make friends who do the same things.</p>
<p>Regarding the former...I strongly suggest you pick a frat where you feel most at home. Every house has a different 'feel' to it. My husband's frat was comprised of wrestlers and other athletes (he was a wrestler). They were extremely laid back and probably the most socially 'open' (to other Greeks and Independents) house on campus. But next door to his house was the 'suit and tie' frat that had the distinctive aura of an exclusive country club. </p>
<p>It's whatever floats your boat. After visiting, you'll know when you've found the right one.</p>
<p>Joining a fraternity is a highly personal decision and no one on CC could attempt to advise you as to whether or not you should rush, nor could they advise you as to which fraternity might be best.</p>
<p>First off, you don't pick which one you join, the members/brothers make the decision as to who they will offer a bid to after the rush period is over. Second there is a VERY big difference between the fraternities at UNC from the perspective of individual cultures and just how the personality and culture of each is shaped by the existing members. </p>
<p>UNC fraternities rush both semesters so you can go through rush the first semester and decide not to accept a bid, defer a bid or even not finish rush if you're not sure about things so early in the school year and then go through rush second semester when things are a little less hectic and you've figured out more about yourself and already have some friendships formed outside the fraternity scene.</p>
<p>You will need to decide for yourself what "feels right" and no one can do that for you. My recommendation would be to go through rush to see if you even want to be part of the Greek scene and if you are unsure wait a semester. The second semester rush is really much less hectic and you can get a better feel for what the membership is like plus you will have had more time to learn about the different fraternities....there are a few with "reputations" shall we say and it is often hard to focus on things especially at the beginning of freshman year when there is so much else going on.</p>
<p>Understand that the Greek scene at UNC is not the driving force for the social scene as it is at many other "Southern" schools like UVA, Tennessee, Georgia, Ole Miss, etc. Going Greek can really be a choice at UNC rather than feeling pressured into doing so as you might be at other places.</p>
<p>oops.... double posted with ldmom</p>
<p>My son, a hs jr, wants to join a frat in college, after talking to his friend's older brothers. I worry about rushing rituals and hope that the college admins keep an eye on such things....????????</p>
<p>I don't know... I could be wrong, but when I went to college in the late 70's, fraternities were very uncool because they were so politically incorrect (a term probably coined later)... the whole selectivity bit, the process, the "you're different so we don't want you" goes against the values I've taught my d... to be embracing, nonjudgmental (walk a mile is someone's shoes first), be open to new ways of thinking, new cultures, etc, etc, etc... Wasn't there some kind of outcry at one time against these frats/sororities?</p>
<p>well rio mom ...i must agree. i too looked down on them. and thought of the frat types as so not cool..leftover hippy in me? i als o remember the stories of stuped ugh things they done to those rushing.....however in the 8o's college drinking age and social scene was very differnt than today??</p>
<p>blueskye... don't you miss those days? A little nostalgia just hit me now... everything now is cutthroat, so competitive, so rushed, so stressful... ah, but my age is showing now...</p>
<p>The frats and sororities at UNC all seem to have their own "personality" And, for the most part if you're in one, you hang with them and them alone it seems...since they're the ones "chosen" as "socially acceptable" by your brothers/sisters. I personally did not join a sorority and don't think it's the best way to make the most out of college nor to get to know a variety of people...for the most part everyone in a particular group seems to be a clone of one another. If you feel the need to join a "frat" join a professional one for your mjr...there's more variety in the membership.</p>
<p>I think it's wise not to make any sweeping statements about ANY group, including fraternities and sororities. I would challenge the statement that members are clones of one another. My OOD daughter pledged a sorority, and I can only describe the other members as incredibly diverse. My OOS son ended up pledging a fraternity because he found it a fairly easy way to meet people, but he immediately set out to be sure that it did not become the focus of his existence. He sees the fraternity as just one part of his life at Carolina, and not the most important part. He seeks out other friends and other experiences. </p>
<p>Having said all this, I do worry that fraternities are not very diverse from an economic standpoint. Dues can be quite expensive, and fraternities are having to address this issue. I didn't find sororities to be quite such a financial hit!</p>
<p>Use this time to explore and to discover who and what you are, rather than worrying about what is the "cool" thing to do. I think you will find that fraternities and sororities don't play a huge role at Carolina. You'll be fine, regardless of what you do, as long as you remain open to whatever opportunities come your way. It's my impression that the whole Greek scene provides you with just one more choice...</p>
<p>If you're going to join a frat, I would do it first semester of your Freshman year, because if you don't, you're going to quickly become tired of them and the crap they pull. Their parties aren't fun, they think they are better than the general population, and they judge you based on your income. </p>
<p>Regardless of what any frat member tells you, Frats are not about leadership and character building, they are about drinking in excess constantly and taking advantage of Sorority girls. </p>
<p>Also, if you join a frat, prepair to get hazed and not have any time for school work. But whatever, that's a personal choice, so if you want to, go ahead and do it.</p>
<p>Not all frats are the way chillmadan describes them, though there are some that will judge you based on income and other factors. There are some fraternites that continue, despite ALL the warnings, to haze, and there are others that have no hazing policies as part of their charters and are very strict about it.</p>
<p>You can go to the national websites for any fraternity to get an idea of what they are supposed to represent but remember that every chapter will have its own personality that also can change as people graduate.</p>
<p>As I said earlier, Greek life is NOT for everyone and at UNC, the good thing is the fact that it does not dominate the social scene as it does at many other school.</p>