<p>I heard there are some frats here and there but what has higher social status: fraternities or eating clubs or do a lot of Greeks join eating clubs?</p>
<p>I'd say a very large majority, if not all, of the people in sororities and fraternities join eating clubs. </p>
<p>As far as social status, that's hard to say. It depends on who you're asking to judge. There are definitely a lot more people in the eating clubs. From what I've seen, people know more about each other's eating club affiliation than greek affiliation (unless you're in the same sorority/frat yourself). But I don't know how that translates to "social status." </p>
<p>Don't worry so much. If you go to Princeton, you'll find your friends, regardless of what your "social status" on campus is.</p>
<p>Hi 174IQPartier, I'm glad you asked.</p>
<p>Eating clubs are a tricky business - the less socially aware denizens of Princeton frequent 9 out of the 10 eating clubs. Those who know what's what spend all their time at Ivy in preparation for bicker a mere year and a half in - it's never too early to start currying favor with current members. As a side note, if you wind up in Whitman, make <em>sure</em> to participate in the freshman/senior study buddy program. Your senior will become your inside connection to the Whitman elite.</p>
<p>In terms of social mobility, though, the eating clubs rank below a number of more important, subtler factors. For instance, no matter what you want to study, you should tell people that you want to major in Woody Woo. This is <em>crucial</em>. If your audience is smart enough to be impressed, mention that you want to be an I-banker when you graduate. It's well known in certain Econ circles that I-banks are going to bounce back in a few years, hungry for new recruits straight out of the Ivies. If you want to dialog with some alternative students, go to Cafe Viv in Frist and approach a few strangers. Go ahead, we don't bite!</p>
<p>It can be a little awkward finding things to talk about with your newfound Princeton friends, but if you want to be the center of attention at your Res College-sponsored fiesta, steer the conversation towards how much work you have and how little sleep you get. If you find yourself in a quantitative science class, jokingly refer to how many assumptions and approximations you made in your problem set, and how your answer must be so incredibly zany and off-the-mark. Your classmates will commiserate, and you will bond.</p>
<p>Finally, the best kept freshman-year secret is something that you might have thought of already, if you're smart. Writing for the Daily Princetonian is one of the best social-resume builders out there. If you have what it takes to become a full-fledged writer, or even an editor, that's your ticket to practically any clique.</p>
<p>Good luck, and be sure to respond with whatever questions you may have!</p>
<p>Guest0101,</p>
<p>Um, I apologize in advance for my question if I am incorrect in my research. It appears that you have posted as being at Georgia Tech, as being at Haverford, as going into ROTC, and being a senior in high school....Maybe there are multiple Guest0101s?</p>
<p>I looked you up because your post is an odd mixture of authentic details, i.e. Woodrow Wilson is Woody Woo, and completely incorrect information, i.e. that writing for the Prince is a) called writing for the Prince vs. The Daily Princetonian and b) actually a socially neutral and non-competitive EC vs. for example the Harvard Crimson.</p>
<p>So in case I am wrong and you do have actual experience that leads you to post what you posted above, or in case I am just 52 and therefore missing the fact that this is teen irony, can you please let us know your data sources?</p>
<p>Haha, Guest0101 has to be a troll. In response to the OP's question, Greek life is relatively minor at Princeton, with roughly 15% of undergrads joining a frat/sorority. This is in contrast to roughly 75% of upperclassmen joining eating clubs. On the other hand, these Greek organizations are generally known to be informal feeder organizations for some of the bicker clubs. As many of the upperclass fratters are already in Ivy, TI, Cottage, etc., joining one of these organizations early in your time at Princeton may help open the doors to a more selective eating club later since you have a foothold in certain social circles. Of course, the same could be said of specific athletic teams on campus. If you want to social climb, then more power to you, but be aware that you may be setting yourself up for misery later in your college career. Just chill out and have fun with the type of people with which you fit in the most.</p>
<p>Ka order baby!</p>