<p>Can you help me out?</p>
<p>Hi Nicklscott - TCU Greeks have a web site. I think it’s [TCU</a> – Fraternity and Sorority Life](<a href=“http://www.greeks.tcu.edu%5DTCU”>http://www.greeks.tcu.edu)</p>
<p>It is not a great site, but you will find information about IFC which is Interfraternity Council. Somewhere there is a link to a registration page. I believe it is $100 and you will need to upload a photo of yourself. Additonally, on that TCU Greeks web site you will find a list of the various fraternities at TCU. If you Google them (say Sigma Chi TCU), you’ll find that most of them have their own website. On their websites, you’ll find tabs about recruitment where you can register for more information. Last, a lot of the fraternities have Facebook Pages.</p>
<p>Formal fraternity recruitment is the first day of school. You’ll have a formal orientation to go to and you’ll get a schedule of events. But try to hook up on some of the individual websites or Facebook pages over the summer. Good luck!</p>
<p>Nicklscott, are you going to Frog Camp? We are from a neighboring state, but several kids from our city go to TCU. I know that last summer a couple of the incoming freshmen from here became friends with Frog Camp staff in June and were then invited to parties and events after they returned home. I don’t know the rules about recruiting while at Frog Camp, or to what extent they’re enforced, but the whole point of Frog Camp is to begin making connections with fellow Frogs before the school year begins. If you have positive interaction with some of the Frog Camp staff, even if fraternity life is never mentioned, you might find yourself with some invitations for events later in the summer.</p>
<p>Depending upon the fraternity, the costs range from $1,000-$2,000 per year for dues. There is another thread on TCU that goes into some of your questions. My son found out that almost ALL of the bids are given out during the summer. He received one of only two given out once the school year started versus the total recruiting class of about 20 freshman. For some organizations, the first of school is late. Fraternities are different from sororities and do most of their work well before school starts. Also, as we have been schooled by our fraternity son, they are referred to as Fraternities…Frats being a derogatory term. Good luck and have fun.</p>
<p>When I was in a fraternity at TCU, dues were $600/semester and they claimed to be the second highest on campus. So yeah $1,000 per year is probably an accurate estimate.</p>
<p>Terri9678, regarding summer recruiting it depends on the fraternity. Some fraternities (SAE, Phi Delt, for example) give out all of their bids before school even starts. Others (Pi Kapp, Sig Ep) will do more of their recruiting during the first few weeks before school starts through the first few weeks of classes, in which they’ll take prospective members out to dinner, to concerts, to parties, etc. So I guess it just depends on the fraternity and how they do things.</p>
TCU Fraternity INFO:
OK a few key facts. There are many good things about the frats, but not so great things too. Also, it is a bit of a rigged system that the University either ignores or is clueless about. There is a lot of drinking and a little hazing, nothing serious, but it is there. KNOW THIS:
- Most offers to join a frat are given out before you arrive on campus. The high schools TCU recruits from have a pipeline or connections. In a pledge class of 30-40 85% of bid are given out before summer ends. That being said, my son arrived on campus not knowing anyone went through rush and did get 3 bids, but that is not usually the case. Some boys got just one from a new fraternity. Advice: I would work any connection early.
- When you are a pledge. It takes a lot of time and it is a commitment of time. It also take LOTS of money. The pledges pay for all Tailgates (home games) about $100. Plus “mixers” $50. AND the members make the pledges go do all sorts of stuff from going to get them food to, booze to bongs and the pledges pay for it. That can be up to $2000. SO all said that can be 3K PLUS the due which are between $1200-$1500 depending on what frat you are in.
So student and parents this is the deal. It was a bit of a shock that all these kids blow through all this money their first term but it is the TCU way. So, sign up for it or don’t, but know what you are getting in to.
IMHO, TCU should follow the lead of other schools and defer rush to 2nd semester of freshman year. That would allow students to get acclimated to school, make friends across the spectrum and figure out the social landscape. Fall rush occurs the first week that the kids arrive on campus (or before) and it’s like a game of musical chairs.
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