<p>Just wondering how most parents feel aout greek life, because I've seen more parents involved in their childs greek life...</p>
<p>I was in a greek organization in college, as was my husband. Our parents had absolutely nothing to do with our greek lives. I can’t believe parents are involved in that …</p>
<p>My D is not greek, but we aren’t involved in any of her other activities.</p>
<p>Parents sure are weird these days!</p>
<p>How are parents involved in their kid’s greek life. The only time I am involved is when they ask for a donation, and paying for her dues.</p>
<p>My kid has never lived in Greece, so I have no opinion.</p>
<p>My D is in a sorority. I have no interaction with her sorority. She is very happy with Greek life. She is on the executive council of her chapter, and just returned from an all expense paid trip to the national convention at a very nice resort out West. Six students went from her chapter. Through her sorority she became very involved in a campus philanthropy that is totally student run, and raised $455,000 after expenses last year. She is now on the “overall” committee and next week is off to D.C. for their national leadership conference. </p>
<p>The opportunities for leadership, the alum connections, and the fact that living in the house is way less expensive have all been positives. She is at a Division I state flagship, and her sorority has helped made a large U seem smaller and more intimate. </p>
<p>My involvement is just bragging, nothing more.</p>
<p>No greek life at my undergrad and so far two out of three boys have picked campuses with no greek life. I think it would be a nice way to make a gigantic flagship campus smaller. Most of my friends and kids of friends who went “Greek” are/were on gigantic campuses. I don’t think the parents who are friends are very involved except for paying bills. How would parents be involved unless they lived in the same town?</p>
<p>Like the others here, my parents weren’t involved at all except for paying the bill. However, there are major differences between northern and southern Greek life.</p>
<p>When this topic was discussed on a different thread, I seem to recall that someone mentioned that in the houses in the South, the parents (mothers) would send the houses flowers, candy or food baskets in an attempt to curry favor. I don’t recall if that was for rushees or for already-pledged members. That concept would be completely foreign to me.</p>
<p>I was greek and other than attending “Parents Day” dinners my parents had no involvement with it.</p>
<p>A friend of mine and her H recently attended a “Parents Formal” at their D’s sorority. I had never heard of this. I have no idea if this is a new thing or a southern thing. Or both.</p>
<p>We’re in the South and 2 of our three kids chose to go Greek. (The other would rather have been boiled in oil!)</p>
<p>Our rule is that the kids need to pay Greek expenses themselves (we pay their tuition. room and board, living expenses) and our only involvement was to attend a grad ceremony for each kid. (I’ve never heard of the flowers, gifts, etc another poster mentioned.)</p>
<p>Both from being a parent an working at a university with a fairly large Greek presence, I think it can be a good learning experience. It can also be negative. Depends on the kid and the Greek culture at that school.</p>
<p>My d went Greek (on a small campus). I was involved in moving her onto the floor. I also donate to their fundraising efforts. She pays her own dues. I’ve met a few of her sisters. And I’ve purchased gifts for her with her Greek symbols.</p>
<p>There are no parent programs, nor do we send anything that I wouldn’t send to her anyway.</p>
<p>D is in a sorority and we just pay the bills.</p>
<p>S joined a fraternity his sophomore year in college (coincidentally the same one as my H/his dad -different school) for two reasons - cheaper housing and the opportunity to meet a broader range of students since he was in a program that accepted only 55 kids each year. I visited his house only once (he lived there soph and jr years), and my H did stay with him during father’s weekend one year and attended the football game, etc. He paid his own bills.</p>
<p>My S is in a frat. Since he is attending H & my alma mater, and he pledged H’s frat (father and son are now brothers) you’d think we’d be “involved.” You’d be wrong. We pay his housing and meal plan bill to the frat, but other than he and his dad sharing stories about how things work in the frat, we’re not involved at all.</p>
<p>The title of this thread is How do Parents FEEL about Greek life? In my son’s case, I feel fine about it. His frat isn’t terribly “fratty” (his term) - frankly, it’s kind of the nerdy frat on campus. At the time he pledged his house was the only one on campus that wasn’t on some sort of probation. Son has found friends there, and has had some semi-independent living experiences in the house. The house doesn’t pay for a cleaning service, the brothers have to clean it. Since the house is owned by the frat (not the college), if something breaks, the brothers have to fix it themselves or call a repairman, and make the decision on what should be fixed and what should be replaced. Son even spent 2 hours fixing a vacuum cleaner (I didn’t realize he knew what a vacuum cleaner was). They hire the chef, and decide whether to renew his contract. It’s given Son a leadership position he wouldn’t have otherwise had. Another plus - the housing fee and meal plan are cheaper than the college’s fees. He doesn’t eat all his meals at the frat though (he only gets 7 meals/week there) so he still eats with his non-Greek friends in the dining halls sometimes too.</p>
<p>My daughter thinks she wants to pledge a sorority. I think the philanthropy part and the opportunity for leadership positions would be good for her. If she decides she’d rather not pledge after all, I’d be completely happy with that as well. It’s up to her.</p>
<p>Neither of my kids was involved in Greek life.</p>
<p>Both, in fact, were the sort who valued the Greek presence on their campuses largely because it prompted the portion of the population they considered most undesirable to go segregate themselves by living in the Greek houses.</p>
<p>But if they had wanted to go Greek, what would it have had to do with me? I have never heard of parents being involved.</p>
<p>I would have no material objections if my kids go greek. However, in my son’s case, I’d feel a little anxiety about whether it would be compatible with his ROTC obligations. I know plenty of cadets go greek (I dated one, in fact). It’s just that the mom in me worries a lot.</p>
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<p>Wow, you have two small-minded children?</p>
<p>Both of my D’s are in sororities and I have not been involved at all except for an invitation to attend a Mother-Daughter tea during parents weekend, which I did not attend. Both have had very positive experiences, altho one who is on Exec complains that the alum advisors are too controlling, which creates friction in the house. But even that has taught her negotiating and diplomacy skills.</p>
<p>Bay, I would not jump to that conclusion right away. At the public college i attended, the Greek system was out of control and it was a somewhat segregated system in that it was a haven for those who wanted to do the minimum school work while doing maximum damage to their livers and houses they lived in. In fact, not long after I left, the school broke formal ties with the greek houses and bought up most of them (they bordered campus.) </p>
<p>Based on that experience I was very, very anti-greek life. As the years have gone by, I’ve met many people for whom greek life was an important part of their very successful college careers. </p>
<p>My son was never taken with the idea of Greek life and we were just as happy when he decided to not apply to schools where greek life has a major presence. </p>
<p>DB, My husband did NROTC and belonged to the Semper Fi Society. They used to say they were part of the largest fraternity (Marine Corps)</p>
<p>My mother decided early in her college years that Greek life was not for her. When my and my sisters’ turns came, she told us we might like it, and to keep an open mind. All 3 of us (different years, different schools) felt we wanted no part of sorority life. My niece checked out rush at her school (large state flagship) and said, “No way.” My D (rising hs senior) has already told me Greek life is definitely not for her. I’m thinking we must be genetically unsuited! :)</p>
<p>My parents were surprised I went Greek, they’re fine with it. They don’t understand the complexities of it though. They would never pay my dues though. My mom is shocked at how many business people she runs into are Greek, and is surprised at how extensive the Greek network is, even at a small school like mine. Neither of my parents went to college out of high school, my dad spent two years commuting to a 4 year school, so they didn’t have any experience with it. I guess the only concern they had was Greek life being a big party scene.</p>
<p>OK>>>>before the storm erupts. I was Greek, one daughter is and one daughter didn’t pledge. I am sorry that the one didn’t pledge. A sorority makes a large campus more accessible. For both girls they were involved in other activities. Yes, daughter’s house is integrated, racially and religiously, which they weren’t when I was there. </p>
<p>If one wants to try recruitment…do it.</p>