Given that Greek life seems like such a huge component of social life at Elon, I’m wondering what are frats generally like? Also, I’m considering, if I go, on joining the club tennis team. What are Club sports like? How time consuming are they, and what is the level of competition like?
My D went to Elon wanting to play club Basketball. Unfortunately, for her she didn’t find the Club team competitive enough. However, it does seem to be that most other Club sports are better. I’ve heard great things about Club tennis.
AS for frats, well they are a huge component as you mentioned. Greek life at Elon is central to the entire social scene, unless you’re a theater kid. Some people become concerned when they hear this but my D likes to remind that Greek life is to Elon, what Football is to Notre Dame. That actually does put things in perspective. If you’re looking for a more balanced environment that neither of these schools would work well. But keep in mind that Greek life isn’t just about partying, its also philanthropic. So they are constantly holding fundraisers for their charities, they have dance competitions, they have alumni events for networking etc etc etc…So its not just about partying, although they are definitely good at that too.
I have 2 kids who have been/are involved with club sports at Elon, and both have been great experiences. It was a great way for each of them to play a sport they love without it being a full-time commitment. Each club sport has a different culture and level of competitiveness; I don’t know anything about Tennis. My S did not join a fraternity, because he found that he got all he needed from his club sport - social activities, leadership opportunities, traditions, a house that serves as a gathering spot for parties, and bonding with a great group of guys. D’s club is less structured, but she loves being part of it. They do have mixers with the male club sports teams. Both teams have Tues/Thurs late afternoon practices, I believe. Most of the travel is in-state (Wake, High Point, UNC, Duke, East Carolina) but they do travel further at times. S’s club generally plays 1-3 games on week-ends in the fall and spring. D’s club plays only a handful of games, usually on Sundays. Participation in practice and games is expected, but not mandatory. Again, I know nothing about club tennis. I suggest networking your way to someone who can give you more insight into the level of competition, how often they practice/play, and the culture of the team.
I have a freshman D who just joined club tennis and I had the opportunity to watch them play at family weekend. Here is my take - there are 8-10 very nice players, most of whom were competitive and successful high school players (my D won a state an individual championship), comprising the “travel team”, which plays both dual matches against in-state colleges (they traveled to play Wake Forest a few weeks ago) and travels a bit further for larger club tourneys sponsored by USTA. The rest of club team appears to be simply recreational players that enjoy playing and the camaraderie of being on a team. In short, there is a level of competition for everyone, and everyone is welcome. They practice Mon.-Thurs, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Hope this helps.