Greek Life in Top Universities

College Search & Selection
1

I am trying to narrow my college list, and I want to attend a university whee wmy social life is not solely determinant on me joining a fraternity (but I want to still have the option). How would you describe th Greek life in the following list?

Ohio state university
George Washington
SUNY Binghamton

Northeastern
Boston College
University of Michigan
University of Virginia
College of William and Mary
University of Wisconsin Madison
Carnegie Mellon University

Princeton
Yale
Upenn
Columbia
Harvard
Brown
Cornell
Dartmouth
John Hopkins
Duke
UNC Chapel Hill
Georgetown
Stanford
UCLA
UC Berkeley

Thanks

2

I can speak to Cornell. About 1/3 of students are involved in greek life. While that’s a big number, 2/3 are not. Plenty going on around campus every single day. 1000+ clubs, sports (especially hockey), arts, etc…

3

BC is good choice for no Greek life pressure but not so much if you want the option. There aren’t any.

But it’s really not needed at BC to have a fun time.

I was in a fraternity at my university and it was fun for sure and made a lot of friends. If I went back In a time machine, nope, personally wouldn’t do it again.

4

UW alumnus here. Most of the social fraternities and sororities in Madison are located on or near Langdon Street, close to the union/library mall/state street area on the eastern edge of campus. Back in my day, maybe 25% of students were involved in Greek life – so there is a presence, but it certainly is not one that dictates the social agendas of most undergrads. You can be socially busy and happy at UW with or without Greek participation. Greek participation does provide some structure.

5

BC doesn’t have Fraternities

6

Of your list, Dartmouth is probably the heaviest in fraternity and sorority presence, with about 60% of eligible students joining.

In general, you can check each college’s common data set (section F1), or the campus life tab in the college’s entry on collegedata.com , to see the percentage of students in fraternities and sororities.

7

Right. That’s why it’s good for no pressure for Greek life but bad if he wants that option on the table.

8

Harvard fraternities are suing for the right to remain. They are off campus and small. There are the final clubs which act as social groups.

9

Very low percentage of kids at Northeastern in frats. There is nothing like Fraternity Row or anything like that either. Nobody cares if you join one or not. I don’t believe my son knows any kids in frats.

10

Yes, as well as among the highest of all colleges nationally, at least with respect to fraternities:

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2016-10-25/11-colleges-where-the-most-students-join-fraternities

11

UCLA has large Greek life. It’s similar to other big state schools. Fraternity and sorority row dominate two of the streets that border the campus. Approx 2,000 fraternity members and over 2,500 sorority members. Almost every single house except for 1 sorority out of 12 are housed. No fraternity is unhoused at UCLA except for 1 but they found a house to lease.

12

W&M has a moderate Greek presence. I think of it as big enough to be a thing if a student wants to participate, and small enough to ignore if it’s not a student’s thing. UVA has a much bigger Greek scene.

13

At Michigan, 20% belong to Greek life, which makes it very similar to TTG’s description of W&M Greek scene; present, but not overwhelming.