<p>Here's a thread to talk up Greek life for those of you who are involved in a sorority or fraternity. It seems as though people love to attack Greek life on this site, so I want to have a thread that correctly depicts Greek life by those who are Greek.</p>
<p>I am a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, Eta Pi chapter. I absolutely love it. Our greek system has received national recognition for service and philanthropy. Any questions on Greek life- I am here to serve.</p>
<p>Hi! I was wondering if you or anyone else would have an answer for me–</p>
<p>I am going into my sophomore year of college in the fall and plan on rushing and hopefully pledging then. However, I do work study at my school. Do many people who rush/pledge have time to work as well? Or will I be in over my head?</p>
<p>Thanks! Any feedback would be greatly appreciate.</p>
<p>Greek life could be an entire College Life subforum.</p>
<p>If you’re a really really serious student you don’t go greek, which is why there isn’t much support for it on this site.</p>
<p>Nothing wrong with Greek organizations, they have some positives.</p>
<p>I mean, any bozo can go join a frat (which can’t be denied, because who of us hear doesn’t know some bozo in a frat?), but I’ve seen some that do alot more than others.</p>
<p>My sister went to an extremely small school, located in the middle of nowhere. She was in a sorority and it was totally different than what typically pops into your head when you think of frats/sororities. They were mainly a social club, that did some volunteerism and participate in school functions. Of course, they also had parties (small ones, tiny school), so in that case I didn’t see much wrong with it.</p>
<p>I also don’t view it as paying for friends, which is what alot of people say. I mean, any organization is going to have some sort of dues & fees. I’m a member of a country club, and I pay yearly dues and fees - and I’m certainly not paying for friendship, although I have made many friends there.</p>
<p>I guess my only gripe would be is how people in fraternities/sororities act like they’ve accomplished something by being in one. Please, as I said - any bozo can join a frat.</p>
<p>^^^
If “any bozo can join a frat” then you must have a subpar greek system at your school.</p>
<p>I think the greek stuff you do is really interesting. Is that where most of the underage drinking happens? You know the greek parties, are anyone allowed in or is it just the frats/sororities in? Do you get turned away if youre not good looking for example? x</p>
<p>I resent the comment that serious students don’t go Greek. I am pre med and double majoring in neuro and psych and I made dean’s list. I take school very seriously, but I am also in a sorority.</p>
<p>^That’s a good point. I know at my school that Greeks have to maintain a certain GPA or they get put on academic probation and risk getting disbanded. Also it’s been proven every year that the Greek system at my school always has the higher GPA when comparing them to independents.</p>
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<p>As always, every school is different, but at least at Georgia Tech, I think a good part of the GPA differential can be explained by the relatively large amount of previous exams, homeworks, and quizzes that fraternities and sororities have. I took an intro CS class fall semester of my freshman year, and I often worked together with a hallmate in the same class. The next semester, he pledged the same fraternity that my roommate was in, so when it was my roommate’s turn to take the CS class, guess whose homework ended up being used as a reference point? Moreover, a friend of mine worked as a teaching assistant in the math department, and he freaked out once because he thought he lost a test while he was grading them. He swore that he saw the student take the test, but he couldn’t find it afterward. Thing is, the student never complained and never showed up for class after that test. My friend can’t prove it, but he knew that the student was pledging a fraternity and suspected that he took the test with him for his fraternity’s test bank.</p>
<p>At Georgia Tech, using previous exams, homeworks, and quizzes is generally accepted. Thus, I do not view the “test bank” practice as something unethical or unfair. In fact, I see it as a benefit of going Greek, and I say that as an independent. I just feel that the GPA differential shouldn’t be taken as evidence that students in Greek Life are “smarter” than independents.</p>
<p>not going to lie but most of the people in the greek system at my school are not serious about school. I mean at prestigious schools (ivy leagues and such) the greek system will be different but idk too many drugs in greek life.</p>
<p>I’m one of the founders of the chapter Triangle Fraternity at UC Berkeley, and what I have to say is: just like everything, Greek life can manifest itself in both positives and negatives.</p>
<p>On the positive side, there’s social networking, academic support, community service, etc. On the negative side, there’s wild parties that have gone too far, hazing, and collective ignorance.</p>
<p>I’d like to view it as an amplifier. It’s where everyone contributes all of themselves to a fraternity/sorority, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. If everyone puts in positive things into that pot, everything will work out great. If you put in negative things, then it’ll go awry.</p>
<p>Individually, you’ll do some things right and some things wrong. Usually, if it’s by yourself, you’ll hit your own limit and the benefits (or consequences) are little. The people who fail make more mistakes than good judgments. However, if a fraternity has too many of those types of people, something so bad might just happen that they end up getting themselves on the front page in an infamous way.</p>
<p>Yes, fraternities and sororities have test banks, but you can have them too if you form your own test bank society or get to know enough former students to figure it out. After all, it’s all resources. Too impractical to do yourself? Then, join a fraternity/sorority. As for classes in which you can benefit unfairly from the test banks, the burden should be on the professor to ensure that the tests are fair by rewriting them each term.</p>
<p>Finally, as to that comment that fraternities and sororities are not for very very serious students: I think what he means is that they’re not for students who are <em>too</em> serious. You can study 80hr/wk, get straight A’s, and have no social life, but I think college is much more than just academics: it’s also an opportunity to discover yourself and build social and professional networks.</p>
<p>Greek life is profoundly useless at my school.</p>
<p>The only Greek Life I would ever consider doing would be an Honor Society, but that isn’t what most people think of when they think Greek. If you wanted to meet people that share common interests go join a club. I also don’t like how expensive some of the fee’s are.</p>
<p>hate to be annoying but…is it possible to work after classes and pledge at the same time??</p>
<p>no arete in greek life. Such a disgrace to plato</p>
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<p>It depends on the fraternity – some make it impossible, some make it difficult, and some make it easy. Attend rush and ask the right people about the pledging process.</p>
<p>P.S. If I were you, I wouldn’t consider a fraternity that’s unable to make reasonable accomodations in this situation.</p>
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<p>It seems like you aren’t quite getting the point. I’d agree – if you’re looking for people with similar interests, join a club. However, if you’re looking for a structured social system in an easy package, join a fraternity.</p>
<p>Yes, you can make friends on your own, and yes, if you have the right friends, you can get the same things out of your group of friends as you can get out of Greek life. However, in the long term, it’ll end up costing you much more than fraternity fees and eat up more time and effort than pledging for a fraternity. You have to do stuff with friends in order to keep them, whether it be hanging out (a time investment) or an activity (depending on the activity, a financial investment). In fact, I’ll add that several fraternities originated with a group of very close friends who decided to add some symbolism to their close friendship and expand their scope.</p>
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<p>Not sure if you directed this to my post, but to clarify, I am not railing against Greek Life’s easier access and more organized repository of previous exams, homework, and quizzes. As I said, I view it as a very tangible benefit of going Greek.</p>
<p>I’ve gone Greek as well. I’m a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, Beta Lambda chapter, and I love my sisters! Since we are a women’s music fraternity, we put on musicales twice a year and sing at chapel services every once in a while. As other Greek groups do, we also help out with philanthropies that my school promotes.</p>