<p>I really like the school, but I am concerned about the Greek life. I guess one of the reasons is because it is in the South, and stereotypically Greek life there is blonde preppy girls who are cliquey and mean. If I go to Tulane, can I have a social life NOT being a part of a sorority? Or, are there sororities with nice, down to earth girls?</p>
<p>I’m not in a sorority, and neither are any of my close friends. Greek life at Tulane is only as big of a deal as you make it. To me, greek life seems like just one other social outlet at Tulane among many (i.e. clubs, sports, service organizations, etc).</p>
<p>I will say, however, that my very superficial impression (I didn’t even rush) of sorority life at Tulane is that your experience will greatly vary depending on which sorority you join. Most of the sororities, however, do have “reputations/stereotypes” and are usually pretty accurate IMO.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me with any more specific questions.</p>
<p>My daughter does not find it overbearing. She is on scholarshiop and studious. If she doesn’t keep her grades where they have to be to keep her scholarship, she has to come home because we can’t afford the tuition. </p>
<p>As for pledging, she was concerned about 1) snobs/not fitting in and 2) the time commitment. Neither turned out to be an issue. There are snobs and witches in every sorority. There are nice, down-to-earth girls in every sorority. Much like the rest of the world. One of her best friends is in her sorority. One is not. There was an on-line informational parent meeting before rush started last year. One statement stuck with me. It went something like: “Remember that Tulane is a school in the south but it isn’t a ‘southern’ school”. The thing is, I’m pretty sure that it is OK socially not to be in a sorority at Tulane. We live in the south and are familiar with the social issues associated with not being in a sorority at some of the big southern schools. Don’t let greek life be a decision maker for you when making a choice about Tulane. You can decide to pledge or not to pledge after you’ve had a chance to experience being a student.</p>
<p>It is extremely OK socially not to be in a sorority, actually. It is also extremely OK to be in one. Remember Tulane overall is only about 30% Greek. I think it might be a bit higher for the girls, but not much. Actually now that Tulane has had about 60% female classes a couple years in a row, I think probably the % of girls in sororities might be lower, even. Anyway, as was quite accurately said, Tulane is not a southern school in that sense, and you will be absolutely fine either way you go.</p>
<p>BTW, my D is not in a sorority and has made many friends, and in particular has is part of an organization she especially likes. So as Tulane14 says, there are a lot of great social outlets and connection possibilities.</p>
<p>I find Greek life overbearing. As someone who likes to go out on the weekends and some week days, it cut options a lot once people began pledging and all the bars were empty. I think people get a lot clique-ier too. That being said I kept my good friends even though some went Greek. I will say though, 30% is an extremely high number which Tulane somehow plays down to make it seem like less (unjustly in my opinion). 30% is a lot and some days it does feel like a lot too. Just making my observations.</p>
<p>Historically 30% is not a high number. Greek participation used to routinely be 50% and higher at most private schools, including Tulane. It started to wane after the 70’s or 80’s.</p>
<p>Food for thought…</p>
<p>http://**************.com/tulane-university/greek-life/</p>
<p>edit…Oops, I see it won’t let me link to the competition. Silly. It is “college and *******”, take out the word “and”.</p>
<p>Ok, another edit… won’t let me post the word “p.r.o.w.l.e.r”. Take out the periods.</p>
<p>I’m just stating my opinion, like I said earlier, because I had a feeling someone would make a comment like that. It is a relatively high number (seeing as it’s 2011, not the 70’s nor 80’s), and it does feel overbearing frequently – something I’d say you’d have to be a student to give an opinion on.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard a student describe it as overbearing.</p>
<p>Maybe you just don’t have any friends?</p>
<p>I will admit that in the spring, there are less parties for everyone not involved in greek life to attend. All that really means, however, is that people either hang around the dorms, go to bars, or go downtown in lieu of the occasional frat party.</p>
<p>I’m seriously about as anti-sorority as them come. I would never pay money to “gain” a bunch of friends. But honestly, greek life at Tulane seems pretty mellow and has never bothered me or gotten in the way of me making friends.</p>
<p>Well, if you want to be argumentative about it (besides apparently taking it so personally when it wasn’t at all), then relative to what? I will point out that you used the word extremely. So let’s see, it isn’t even 1/3 of the students, much less a majority, and it is well down from the halcyon days of Greek life. You honestly don’t think the term “extremely high” kind of fails when examined for context?</p>
<p>It’s 2011 and not 1970 or 80? That’s an argument? You should learn some history about the 70’s and you will see that if anything one would have expected Greek life to be completely falling apart then, it was so seemingly out of step with many aspects of what was going on at college campuses. And no, you absolutely don’t have to be a student to give an opinion on whether that seems like a high number or not.</p>
<p>I made no comment on the fact that you felt it was overbearing, that is obviously a personal take on it and cannot be argued with. Your characterization of the percentage, however, I find quite easy to argue with.</p>
<p>I don’t get why I have received all this negative commentary for just expressing an opinion. I agree with Tulane14 above, it has never gotten in the way of my friends and what we’re doing but I do like to meet a lot of new people and I felt that ability was slightly stymied after rush. I do have friends and I find this an inappropriate forum to be rude in. </p>
<p>Fallenchemist, we all know you are king of this domain but please do not trample other people – which is how I currently feel. You said you found something easy to argue with, why argue? I’m certainly not looking to do so. I was just pointing out stuff I found to be true in my college search / life. I think if there is to be a diversity of opinions on this site it would be nice to feel as though my opinion is at least valid to be heard.</p>
<p>Yeah, sorry, but I don’t see any reason to attack plm for her opinion. Overbearing is a subjective opinion. She feels 30% is still a big number once you’re on campus and living the student life. We all appreciate the fact that people like you guys take the time to post your thoughts on student life here =D</p>
<p>That said, my own opinion - I don’t see greek life as being the be-all and end-all of social lives on Tulane. You can still become well-connected without. Still, it opens a lot of doors for ya if ya choose to take that path. As for the reputation of the sororities, I’ve heard quite a number… but you shouldn’t judge before you know them!</p>
<p>Well, if you read carefully you will see that 1) I didn’t attack anyone, and especially not for her opinion about it being overbearing. I specifically said that was something you cannot disagree with precisely because it is an opinion. It is difficult to have a discussion if people don’t read what I actually said. 2) There is plenty of room for argument on here (I mean that in the Greek sense of the word, not the confrontational sense) You are the one that tried to limit the discussion by saying one had to be a student to participate. I would love to hear your reasoning as to why the fact that it is 2011 and not the 70’s and 80’s validates your opinion that 30% is a high number.</p>
<p>Have to agree, you seem a little argumentative and aggressive on this one, FC. Some things can truly be best explained by current students.</p>
<p>I don’t disagree that some things can best be explained by current students. That is why I offered no opinion, zero, nada, on the comment about it seeming overbearing to that student. However, I talk to students all the time and have consistently heard from them that Greek life is not a central part of the Tulane experience and that one can have a perfectly great experience without it. And with it. Literally hundreds of students, which I think brings a perspective that is at least different from that of a single student. Which, as you can see, varies quite a bit from student to student.</p>
<p>I would also make the point that some things are best explained, argued, whatever by people with a sense of history. Clearly this student has no historical context of what Greek life was like or meant to campus life just a relatively short time ago. I hardly think I was being contemptuous, aggressive, condescending or any other negative term you might like to attach to it when I was first explaining that. Indeed, I would say she was being disrespectful of me by saying I had no place in the discussion, and then making false statements about what I said regarding her expression regarding feeling that Greek life was overbearing. I find it rather unbelievable, in fact, that two people accused me of belittling that opinion when I specifically stated I would not and could not comment or disagree with that. Yes, I get aggressive when people accuse me of saying something I never said.</p>
<p>As far as being argumentative or aggressive, I am not sure why one should let the statement “I will say though, 30% is an extremely high number which Tulane somehow plays down to make it seem like less (unjustly in my opinion)” pass unchallenged. Extremely? Really? Compared to many similar schools that is not high at all. And saying Tulane plays it down really should require some evidence to back that up. I just find the statement unjustified and unsupportable, but she is welcome to prove me wrong. If disagreeing with someone is aggressive, then I guess I am. But I am really sorry for anyone that is in the arena of intellectual pursuits if they think arguing a point is considered bad form. I guess we can just let this be a bulletin board where people post their opinions and no one replies.</p>
<p>Plm;</p>
<p>If you are going to make statements like “30% is an extremely high number which Tulane somehow plays down to make it seem like less (unjustly in my opinion)”, which came across as a statement of fact, not an opinion, you are going to have to have thicker skin or provide some facts or context to justify or explain such a statement. You don’t have to read much of CC to see people will likely disagree with blanket statement of facts. That said, FC’s immediate response (#6), did not take issue with anything you said, it simply added a historical perspective to the discussion.</p>
<p>Go back and read his initial post. FC didn’t offer any opinion at all. He was offering historical background facts, none of which were contrary to the “facts” or opinions you offered. It was you that tried to immediate discredit his post by claiming one would need to be a student to give an opinion on how Greek life felt to non-Greek students at Tulane, which again, he has yet to comment on. As for whether Tulane students, non-Tulane students, Tulane Alumni or non-Tulane parents are best able to comment on this or any other issue, how about letting everyone speak and have the rest of us judge for ourselves. That is really the only way to have the “diversity of opinions” you appear to desire. </p>
<p>FC wasn’t “trampling” on anyone. Your opinion was “heard” and smchls, Tulane 14 and LamTran all offered different opinions. As a parent of a prospective Tulane student, I value your perspective about how Greek life feels to you, as well as how it feels to smchls, Tulane 14 and LamTran. But I also appreciate knowing the historical role of Greek life at Tulane.</p>
<p>and stereotypically Greek life there is blonde preppy girls who are cliquey and mean.</p>
<p>there are many depictions of the south that are very much over blown. I will say that the Greek life at Tulane is not the same as Greek life at Ole Miss. The Tulane Greek life is not the typical southern Greek life that turns many students off. Ole Miss is in a whole different league. However, there are those who have a problem with any Greek life. I always found the Greek life to be a good way to meet new friends. You automatically have at least one thing in common with a group of people.</p>
<p>Yes, I mean I agree I could’ve had thicker skin when saying stuff that I had thought to be true but maybe isn’t. Saying things like “extremely high” aren’t necessary the right way to go about describing Greek life. I also will say that I do find a lot of Greek participants not your average members. At the same time there are a lot of stereotypical members. I really don’t spend enough time on here to argue with someone who gets upset with me for going off what I learned in my college search. Tulane was the only school I looked at down South so my numbers were probably very different in what “high” was. I just don’t think it’s going to make students very comfortable to post if they have to argue with someone’s father online, which I’m finding uncomfortable enough as is.</p>
<p>plm, all I can say to that is that A) I wasn’t trying to be confrontational at all, and you really shouldn’t shy away from a debate or discussion where someone disagrees with your interpretation of a fact. It really shouldn’t matter if it is a father, mother, sister, brother, or alien (as in ET). When people “speak” in a reasonable tone and are respectful, everyone gets along just fine. Well, there are sometimes a couple of flamers, but fortunately they are relatively rare. B) CC has never been a student-only forum, so you will always be getting parents on here. Which I think most students find rather valuable most of the time. Besides being a father I am also an alum, so I do have some insights sometimes that others may not, or at least some context.</p>
<p>In any case, I know you were not trying to “pick a fight” or anything like that. So as fellow Tulanians let’s shake hands or whatever the online version of that is and appreciate together everything that is great about Tulane.</p>