<p>What are the advantages of joining a fraternity (besides housing)? The disadvantages?</p>
<p>How do you select a fraternity? Are there certain requirements for each one? Different "goals"?</p>
<p>The Honors fraterities, pre-law fraternities, etc. are not part of the Greek System, correct?</p>
<p>Friends and connections. The bond created is usually very strong and people recognize that connection when you go out into the world. It is about finding people you connect with and keeping that bond strong. There are others. Always having something to do. But mainly the goals are social as far as friendship and stuff.</p>
<p>Disadvantages are the stigma associated when non-Greeks. Many people think frats are all about parties and getting drunk. While this is true a lot, it is not all a frat is (some frats are pure party frats tho). Also many think frat guys are jerks. Some are but not always. It is about finding people who you like and who you think you wouldn't mind living with.</p>
<p>Frats are different that sororities as far as selection. Instead of going to all and selecting the one you like you mainly already know people in the house and just go and join. (That is why some frats have many guys from the same town in them.) You can always just do some research (asking people, sometimes websites, police records haha) and pick one that sounds like you would like it. You have certain requirements like passing a test on the Greek system and stuff but most are lenient about this. Some require you spend a lot of time with and in the frat (activities eg cleaning the house and events like intermurals are good examples). Others are lax and don't have as much devotion. Some frats are partiers and others place academics first. So you go to some parties and then talk to the guys (or your friends if you already know people) and you get a bid if they like you. Then you become a pledge. Pledges can be subject to anything that the frat feels like again lenient or hard. You go to events like intermurals and game nights and barcrawls and stuff. Some don't haze much and others have weeks like (forgot the name) Week where they just come in and steal you from class and take you somewhere. Hell Weeks vary. Many are not torturous but I have heard stories. Again you would know the requirements (time committments and stuff) beforehand nothing should surprise you. </p>
<p>There are also co-ed social fraternities. You can be in one of these and another "real" one. There is a chem one at my school. It is to keep people who have something in common together and of course the main goal of being social again.</p>
<p>I want to join one next semester when I have the time (being a chem E doesn't help much there) but I want to spend time finding one right for me. I have gotten 3 bids and rejected them all. I just don't have time. I will pick when it feels right. I hope I helped.</p>