<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’m not sure how much you could benefit from only being in a sorority for one year. Our sorority never initiated a senior.</p>
<p>I think you can get along just fine in the south, without having been a member of a sorority. Check out Junior League as a way of making new friends.</p>
<p>The networking was invaluable to me earlier in my career. I received several interviews when I was new to a city entirely based on reaching out to my sisters in other states. That said, I would think that trying to join a group as a junior would be very difficult, and as a senior, almost impossible. Better to go though fall recruitment if it is about to happen, then be an initiated member before you go abroad. One reason is that as a senior, you will probably not want to spend all your time with the primarily freshman pledge class. If informal recruitment is happening now, that is great. Also, if you want to be a sister, do not limit yourself to just your friends’ chapter. Get to know all the groups that are doing COB or informal recruitment. After all, meeting new people is a great part of the Greek life experience. </p>
<p>As for living in the South after graduation and not being Greek, what if you joined a chapter that doesn’t have a significant presence in your preferred state? While being in a group might be a help, I don’t think it would be a hindrance, especially since you didn’t attend an SEC school where Greek life can dominate campus culture. Even at a large Southern school, most people aren’t Greek after all. </p>
<p>One thing that I love about Greek life is that when I have had to move I felt comfortable joining alumnae groups. It was nice meeting people who were willing to help me learn my way around new areas. In truth, I have been a more active alum than I was an active member since I transferred to a school without Greek life.</p>
<p>I pledged as a junior (transfer from cc) and was not the only non freshman in my pledge class. I knew at least 3 girls who pledged senior year at my school, that’s not unheard of.
I can truthfully say that I never personally used my sorority connection to network for a job, but I do know others who have. When I was looking to return to work after several years at home, 2 women I knew from my alumnae club offered to take my resume to their employers. </p>
<p>My sorority connections were helpful for internships in college, informational interviews when I was interviewing as a senior, and a few of my first job interviews in law school. After that, they never mattered again, although the experience of rushing is great practice for job interviews later on.</p>
<p>Op, whenever you join an organized group, such as a sorority, you have a network available to you. Whether you use it for the future, or not use it, this is completely your choice and up to the individual. Joining a group where there the group selects you to join (such as sorority, or highly selective public high schools, colleges, secret societies, etc) will have stronger networks where people will feel more inclined to help someone of the same network than joining groups with no selectivity criteria (such as your honor society).</p>
<p>The networking issue, tho, is the lesser reason to join; it’s more about joining a social group of friends that you will have in college. I was in a sorority for 4 years, which felt too long; would’ve been nicer joining as a Jr. As long as the sorority is ok with you joining as a Senior, then why not go for it?</p>
<p>BTW, you don’t put your greek affilition on your resume. Only if you were an officer, and you were showing that as a leadership position.</p>
<p>YoHo, thanks for pointing out selectivity, I never thought of that.</p>
<p>I really am interested in joining for friends, the 2 friends I already have in this sorority have a lot in common with me and I think I will share the same passions as some of the other sisters. </p>
<p>Those those who are concerned about me joining as a senior, my school’s greek system is not that competitive and greek life can be ignored by GDI’s if they want to. I don’t go to a large state school where greek life is extremely prevalent.</p>