<p>I wanted to ask people advice about joining a sorority for networking purposes and life after college. I originally came into college as very anti-greek life because of the typical stereotypes (drinking, hazing, body image issues, etc.) that are associated with them. However, after seeing friends join sororities and joining a professional fraternity myself, I have seen that hazing isn't prevalent in the greek system at my school and a part of me still longs for a sisterhood bond that lasts longer than college. The organizations I am already in have a great alumni network, but members don't have the same loyalty that I see in greek life. (Many people joined my professional fraternity and my honors society just to put it on their resume, only to leave the next semester.) I still feel like there is a gap, as I often have many friend groups that aren't part of one cohesive group and I keep making friends that graduate out of the school and leave. </p>
<p>I am considering rushing one particular sorority that two of my friends are already in and isn't considered one of the "top" sororities at my school, therefore it isn't that competitive. Frankly, I don't care about ranking, but I am in it for the experience and sisterhood bond. The only catch is that I am starting my junior year now and will be abroad until June, so I won't be able to rush until fall of my senior year. Formal recruitment on my campus is done in the spring, with sororities quietly taking non-freshman during the fall, so I am not to concerned about competitiveness. This group has taken older students in the past, so I am also not as concerned about that factor. </p>
<p>For those who live in the south, I also wanted to ask if being in a sorority is needed for life after college when living in southern states, such as Texas and Virginia. I will probably have to move to the south after graduation and wanted to hear opinions. I have one friend from Texas who says that all her friends from high school rushed, but she didn't and feels okay. However, I still hear stories about how people in the south sometimes judge you based off your greek affiliation from undergrad, so part of me wants to rush just to have that safety net for the future. Can I still have a social network in the south without being in a sorority? </p>
<p>Also, can people please give me their opinions about networking within their sorority? I know people always tout this as one of the benefits of joining, but I have only heard of one instance where such connections led to a job or internship. Otherwise, I hear that it helps in terms of meeting people, but not in other ways. I have even heard mixed things about having greek life on your resume, some people seem to think it makes you look bad. </p>
<p>I’ve grown up in the South and I can tell you that I know PLENTY of people who never were a part of a sorority or a fraternity and they’ve done fine.</p>
<p>There are really mixed feelings about greek life. Some automatically think that you were a hard core partier in college or that you had to buy your friends, while others are interested in the fact that you’ve done a lot of philanthropy and are good at networking.</p>
<p>I think it probably depends on whether the person who does the hiring was greek themselves.</p>
<p>I am curious though as to how much you’d get out of greek life if you’re only going to be in a sorority for a year. I’m not in a sorority, so I wouldn’t know.</p>
<p>I may have interpreted this wrong, but I could’ve sworn that my girlfriend told me once you join a sorority you can never switch out of it. You can leave, but I don’t think you could ever join a different one. Maybe just a different chapter of the sorority if you transferred elsewhere.</p>
<p>My girlfriend doesn’t drink or go to parties. She’s trying to maintain a 3.9 to get into Harvard graduate school. She goes go to all the mandatory events and meetings, she’s the treasurer, and she is also running for president for the next year. I’m not sure how good the alumni network is, but I know that all the party type girls from her particular sorority are pretty much stuck with crappy jobs. For instance, my girlfriend’s sister switched from Chemistry to communications, partied her butt off, became a booze-hound and has some less than 40K desk job at a TV station. The few that I was introduced to there on a campus visit I was told were unemployed. I don’t think an alumni network of a sorority has THAT much pull unless you get really lucky to have your interviewer from that sorority. </p>
<p>I will say that a majority of the women from that sorority have very much formed sisterhood/for life relations. It depends on the reasons to join it for you. My girlfriend’s sister was distant from her and she joined to spend more time and be closer to her. She complains that she hates her “little” and the feeling is mutual. She recently told me she was kneed in the face by her because the girl was having attention issues on bid day or something. Oh yeah, I don’t know about other sororities…but she tells me everything and there’s so much drama over stupid stuff I can’t believe people have brought into college. You’d think that people would be more mature these days and less catty. </p>
<p>Honestly, I believe most of your networking should be done with things relevant to your major through professors, students, and past alumni who went down your particular path.</p>
<p>The only thing I’m joining is a math club and perhaps some type of engineering/physics club that does competitions. People have asked me to join fraternities, but I turn them down. I’m not going to pay anything over $50 to join a “club”. Not sure what school you go to but my girlfriend hails from a private university and dues are pretty expensive. Like 900 bucks. Obviously that can vary dramatically and be low as 300 or maybe less but watch out.</p>
Obviously that can vary dramatically and be low as 300 or maybe less but watch out.</p>