<p>“I think the point is that not everyone WANTS to go Greek and there is plenty of satisfying life outside of it.”</p>
<p>Exactly! Each individual makes a choice, hopefully the right choice for the individual. It isn’t as if those who are not Greek have been rejected from Greek life because there isn’t room for them. While I am sure many students enjoy being Greek, there are many students who simply have no interest in it. Whether a student decides to be Greek really doesn’t determine anything about whether a student will have a good experience on the UA campus or have any less of an experience as a student or beyond. While the experience of a Greek and non-Greek student may be different, the experience is no more or less than what you make of it.</p>
<p>@lattelady, the high percentage of Greeks at W&L made me very uncomfortable when D chose to go there, but her experience indicates that Greek life is not nearly as exclusive as it seems to be at Alabama. I don’t know what it’s like for guys, but I can tell you that MANY of the girls (D included) would never have been offered bids at the chapters at our home state university with its crazy competitive recruitment. </p>
<p>I heard the same criticism of UT-Austin before I got there. My freshman roommate was even in Chi Omega. But I made plenty of friends as an engineering student. It was mostly amusing to watch all the stuff the fraternity and sorority people went through! I did not get the appeal. I would NOT pick a university based on whether it has a lot of Greeks or not!</p>
<p>Again, I think the point has been made that being Greek is not for everyone, it is there if your student wants to try to join but sororitiy and fraternity events are just a fraction of what goes on at UA. However, let’s be realistic, even if your student does not join a Greek organization, that does not necessarily mean that they will never be at a frat party or some other type of party. Is that what you fear? Your student will need to make choices at any university or college about partying, drinking and social interaction. </p>
<p>My D is a soph at UA, from out of state and did desire to join a sorority. She loves it. She has no plans of leaving the SE even though she was born and raised in Texas (Dallas) and all family here (till I get DH to retire and we can get the heck out!). D2 has visited UA and was there this year on Bid Day. She has said it is not for her. Who knows. She might change her mind in 3 years. If she wants to join a sorority we will support her. If she does not, we will support her. She also has no plans of staying in Texas. We will be making the rounds starting this spring visiting schools in the SE, she says UA is “too big”. </p>
<p>My take is as others have said, one is only going to get out of it what one puts in it.
If one goes in with a negative attitude towards any others in a group like Greek or such, they are not going to make friends with any of them and could miss out on some great friendships even if they don’t join a greek house. If one thinks that greeks dominate, that is all they are going to be concentrating on and will see. No matter where one goes there is going to be something they view in a negative light, they can’t let that be their main focus. They can’t let that be of any focus, imho, or it will fester and eat at them and distract them from being able to take advantage of the positives. </p>
<p>My D sent me a text this week with a list of business organizations that have sent her an invitation. I’m leaving it up to her to visit with them, check them out and decide which ones best suit her. Then we will support her in that decision. </p>
<p>College is a chance for them to learn and grow and become independent. A chance to meet others, expand their horizons. They are going to develop their own world views and may vary differently from their parents. I’m still going to love and support them no matter. If joining a greek organization is what makes my D1 “tick” and gets her involved in her college life, I’m all for it 100%. If D2 says she is not going to even think about joining one, she has our support with whatever organization she decides to get involved with (well, as long as it is legal and not a threat to society). </p>
<p>Greek Life is not for everyone, but do not rule it out until you really spend some time looking at what it offers.</p>
<p>My older son, a Bama grad, swore he would not go Greek when he first got to TTown. It did not interest him. He thought it was all about partying. He did not like the pledging and, I hate to say it, the possibility of hazing. </p>
<p>But, that change his sophomore year when his fraternity returned to campus (yes, it had been kicked off for hazing). The national office for his fraternity sent representatives to Bama, and my son studied everything about it. It took three months before he called and said that he wanted to join. He later served in member development and also as chapter president. He admits that he was not popular for some of the decisions he made – as in, following what the national office wanted – but it made for a better chapter. He also served on the national board for that fraternity and got to fly all over the country for meetings. The fraternity even sent him to Greece for two weeks! It was an incredible experience, one he will never forget. He made some wonderful, lifelong friends.</p>
<p>My younger son, who is a freshman at UAH, just accepted a bid to his fraternity, and he is quite excited. He always wanted to go Greek, because he saw how much his older brother got from the experience. There is a GPA requirement. There is a study hall requirement. There is a community service requirement. Things are things my younger son likes. He has made some new friends, not just the guys on his cross country/track team. </p>
<p>BTW, we never paid their dues. They need to come up with the money. We handle school-related items only.</p>
<p>The big thing is, do investigate Greek Life and what it offers. Each fraternity/sorority is different.</p>