<p>I understand that Lehigh is pretty much an all white school and I got that. How are the people though? Some people say they are really full of themselves and think they are the best and are pretty much jock jerks. Is this true? </p>
<p>How bad is the pledging? How long does it usually go on for? I know that you have to pledge to have a social life at Lehigh. </p>
<p>Are the girls as mean as they say? Some have told me because of the 60% guy and 30% girl population that the girls are really mean and take advantage of the guys. </p>
<p>I just got in and was wondering about this stuff.</p>
<p>It may or may not be of comfort to you to know that there are fraternities full of dorks and weirdos. There isn't a neat stereotype that all the fraternities fit into. And in four years I probably never set foot in half of them. People tend to socialize with the kind of people they have the most in common with, just like in high school or in life in general. Does the jock type exist in abundance? Yes. Do they tend to have the most well-attended parties? Yes. Do more of the attractive girls tend to gravitate to them? Yes. </p>
<p>But I have never really understood the psychology whereby someone on the outside (like the commenters you've taken to heart) disparages these kids, almost looks down upon them in the sense that they feel no affinity or kinship with them but somehow harbor the delusion that these same people they have nothing in common with should endeavor to win them over. Basically what I mean is that the more "popular" fraternities do not rule the school by any means. They're just kids who go about their business just like everyone else there and if their lights somehow shine brighter that is a value that has been placed upon them by others rather than some status they conferred upon themselves. And isn't that always the case? Honestly.</p>
<p>I mean I'm sure it is comforting in high school for people who feel they don't fit to fall back on stereotypes like dumb jocks or stuck up cheerleaders to feel smug but at a place like Lehigh where virtually everyone was in honors classes in high school it just doesn't break down that way. People collaborate to study or on projects all the time with people they have little in common with socially. Most people I knew had a core group of social friends and then another group who shared a lot of common classes/same major and the basis for their friendship was entirely different but just as likely to endure past college. There is not some cartoonish barrier between people like there often is in high school.</p>
<p>As far as pledging goes, they are all different. But if you choose to go that route I'm 100% sure that if you are comfortable/happy with the people in the house you join that pledging won't be a big deal to you. I can't say I know what every house does but the collective personality of a fraternity is a pretty good indicator. Just don't join one because you feel you have to. If your heart isn't in it then pledging will be a pain in the ass, but if you feel you're among friends it is no big deal at all.</p>
<p>As far as your other question there is definitely a male/female disparity but I'd be a little leery of anonymous internet students who characterize it the way you say they did. It should be kind of obvious that guys who are THAT BITTER are the bottom of the food chain. And if girls are routinely mean to you its probably a good idea to reevaluate how you interact with them rather than thinking they've let the disparity go to their heads. Clearly they are not all mean to everyone. And while the ratio definitely poses a bit more of a challenge for guys there it is not something you really notice until you join the real world and it suddenly seems so ridiculously easy. Of course, the million dollar question is how much of that is because spending four years at Lehigh makes guys insanely good at figuring out how to charm women. LOL.</p>
<p>We definitely had to do some things that in HS it never would have occurred to me that I'd be willing to do. Some embarassing stuff. Silly stuff. Pledging is kind like the old saying that you can't cook a frog by dropping it in boiling water because it will hop out, but if you place it in a pot of lukewarm water and turn up the heat then by the time the frog realizes it is being cooked it's too late! LOL. </p>
<p>No house is going to invite you to join unless you've spent a decent amount of time there and have developed relationships with the brothers. So you definitely won't be entering things blindly. You'll have ample opportunity to to find out what pledging will be like at a particular house before the time comes to make a decision. So I wouldn't sweat any of this just yet if I were you.</p>
<p>Are kids that desperate to belong to fraternities that they are willing to blindly put their lives in jeopardy? This young man is so lucky to be alive!</p>
<p>Frats/Sororities do good things but when things like this happen it puts a black mark on all of them and Lehigh in general.</p>
<p>Although it is my son's decision, I'm thankful he decided not to join a fraternity.</p>
<p>Prior to enrolling, Lehigh students must take an on-line course on alcohol abuse. It's also discussed during orientation.</p>
<p>This would be a great opportunity for parents to sit down with their sons/daughters and review both the benefits and responsibilities of transitioning into college-life.</p>
<p>Several engineering schools with an imbalance of males over females seem to have serious binge drinking issues. Although the students are bright and the academics are strong, the social environment is not as healthy as it should be at these schools.</p>
<p>Anyone who drinks enough to reach that kind of blood alcohol level is an imbecile. There's no excuse. There is no one else to blame. And the idea that individual stupidity is somehow confined to fraternities and sorrorities (or "engineering schools" with a male imbalance for that matter) is pretty simple-minded. Unless it is revealed that these kids were "forced" to drink this much (which is extremely unlikely) then the only thing that makes this news is that it fits into an existing (and prejudicial) narrative. It isn't news if someone drank themselves into a virtual coma in a freshman dorm or an off-campus apartment at Lehigh or any other school in the country.</p>
<p>exactly. and if you read recent brown and white articles, the frat has now been disbanded and their charter revoked. </p>
<p>It's not like kids are dumb and there are no consequences for their actions...people sometimes are desperate to fit into social groups. its just part of human nature.</p>