<p>GLO = Greek Letter Organization. Panhel is the council that oversees the women’s GLOs. IFC oversees the guys. NPHC is the council that oversees the 9 historically African-American fraternities and sororities.</p>
<p>Many women’s GLOs are actually not sororities but are women’s fraternities. The word sorority was coined after the founding of many of these fine organizations. GLO is all-encompassing.</p>
<p>In terms of diversity in southern GLOs: The 5 Washington and Lee Panhel organizations are actually more diverse than the actual student body demographics. Their candids and their composites (the big picture with little head shots of each member like this [Greeks-</a> Fraternity and Sorority Composites, Sorority bid day and Fraternity and Sorority party pics!](<a href=“http://www.greekyearbook.com/new/home.asp]Greeks-”>http://www.greekyearbook.com/new/home.asp)) show higher percentages of minorities. </p>
<p>The NPHC groups tend to be less diverse in terms of having many ethnicities in their membership but there is a Caucasion W&L student who pledged one of those fine orgs this year.</p>
<p>“the African-American frats and sororities are historically strong with deep roots and traditions - there are a lot of good reasons for a young AA student at Alabama or Ga to join an AA org rather than a traditionally white organization”</p>
<p>I think the truth is, my kids would be just as uncomfortable in an all-white sorority as they would be in an all-black sorority. They’ve just never liked segregated organizations. (It’s a huge problem with churches because so many tend to be segregated.) Plus, where we live, the world isn’t just black and white. In every class, there are kids who are Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Hispanic, Black and White-- Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and atheist-- and a lot of other categories.</p>
<p>What is the difference? A fraternity is literally a “brotherhood” and a sorority is a “sisterhood” (Latin: frater = “brother” and soror = “sister”). A “women’s brotherhood” just sounds like a confusing name for a sisterhood.</p>
<p>Why is Alpha Gamma Delta called a fraternity and not a sorority?
The Greek source word for “fraternity” means either brother or sisters. “Soror,” on the other hand, is a Latin word and has no connotation with the Greek. When Alpha Gamma Delta was founded, it was incorporated in the State of New York as “Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity,” which is its official name. Dr. Coddington, a professor of philosophy on the faculty of Syracuse University, understood the meaning and implication of the word “fraternity” and used it knowingly to advise our Founders.</p>
<p>^^I think Dr. Coddington is confusing his Latin and his Greek. “Fraternity” is a word of Latin origin, not Greek. Frater = brother. Fraternus = brotherly. Both in Latin. You can check the etymology in a dictionary yourself.</p>
<p>By contrast, Greek for brother is adelphis. “Brotherhood” in Greek is adelphotes. You can see the Greek root word at work in “Philadelphia” which is literally “brotherly love” in Greek.</p>
<p>So a “women’s fraternity” is by name if not quite in fact a “brotherhood” of women.</p>
<p>I don’t pretend to know … just the messenger! </p>
<p>Personally, I never did see the big deal either way … sorority/women’s fraternity … we were just a bunch of girls who enjoyed hanging out together!</p>
<p>You also might want to consider Tulane in New Orleans. I know of kids who were looking at several schools and when they visited Tulane, they knew that was the school for them. Plus it is in one of the most beautiful parts of New Orleans.</p>
<p>It’s not about Rice, Duke, and Vandy. It’s really about the substantial number of superior state schools. We can begin with four of the absolute best schools in the country–UVA, UNC, Texas, and Florida. And anyone who thinks that Georgia, VT, FSU, Texas A and M and even Alabama, Auburn, FSU, and South Carolina provide inferior educations is sadly mistaken.</p>
<p>Why not California or West Coast schools? Eh, my D lives on the West Coast and has applied to a few East Coast schools. I always wonder why that is okay, but East Coasters seem afraid of the West Coast? On the other hand, my D has gotten some raised eyebrows when she mentions schools she has applied to in the East, “Why would you want to go THERE?” LOL West coasters are very provincial in their thinking. I believe East Coasters are, too.</p>
<p>I only mention the West Coast because it sounds like the OP’s D would fit right in.</p>
<p>On religion and the South: a fellow UU told me that her son was informed at school that we are “devil worshippers.” He retorted that we don’t even believe in the devil, much less worship him (or her). But still…</p>
<p>A girl I know just withdrew from a well-regarded Southern LAC after her first semester. A latina adopted by white parents, she was troubled from the start by racist remarks and attitudes that she was not accustomed to encountering. Now she’s evaluating whether she wants to go to school in the South at all.</p>
<p>Another kid went to W&L specifically in search of a more conservative atmosphere. He transferred after a year, reportedly turned off by the frat-dominated heavy drinking social scene.</p>
<p>The kids I’ve known personally who went south and had no issues went to Florida. Totally anecdotal, of course. But culture clash can be real. And “friendliness” can be shallow or extended only to the “right” people.</p>
<p>I must chime in about the friendliness this northerner has experienced in the south, which seems to have been completely genuine and surprisingly omnipresent. And I drive the wrong car, wear the wrong clothes, carry a no-name handbag, can’t find my no-name sunglasses, and go to no church whatsoever. So if the nice folks in Tennessee (particularly at Vanderbilt) and Virginia (at W & M) have welcomed me and my family so warmly, I can’t see why they wouldn’t welcome everyone. And if it’s just good manners instead of true friendliness, I appreciate it anyway .</p>
<p>Individual datapoints are helpful, but everyone will have a different experience. My daughter, a liberal New Yorker, considers Nashville somewhat exotic but cherishes the opportunity to live there for 4 years.</p>
<p>We knew we weren’t in NY any longer when a very poised young boy, about 10 years old, boarded an elevator with us in Nashville one day. We were going to do the New Yorker thing of pretending we didn’t see anyone else, but he greeted my mother and me with a “Good morning, ma’am,” each, then responded with great politeness to our questions about whether he was there for Family Weekend, what his brother thought about the school, whether he thought he’d like to go there himself one day. He impressed the socks off of us!</p>
<p>frazzled- I have been in Nashville 19 months now, and I love it more all the time. Everyone is genuinely friendly (my husband still can’t get over being called “honey” at the grocery store) and VERY un-brand conscious. There is a small moneyed social set, but even the country stars are “regular folk” and very approachable. A bunch of them go to the same dentist as I do.
I liked my 28 years in Dallas, but felt that Dallas was a tough place to raise kids and was extremely status-conscious as a rule. Shopping was a major pasttime (and I fell right into it).</p>
Consolation, for every story of a Southern Experience gone bad , I have a Back East Story to match it. Like the very liberal NMF editor’s kid who went off to Eastern Elite U and didn’t make it through the first semester because of issues with the prevailing social norms. Or the daughter of the local surgeon who left after year one at at the top New England LAC because of the hypocrisy she felt rampant on the bucolic campus. Anecdotes are just that. They don’t tell you how your kid will do. Your broad and very provincial brush is not really that helpful to kids trying to make a decision. </p>
<p>EDIT: Folks, in my experience there are bad and good fits in most regions, for most kids. Parents, too. Especially the open-minded ones. We searched nationwide and ended up with a choice my D likes that she would have never seen had we not been on the way to someplace else. I bet that happens a lot. Keep your eyes and ears open.</p>
<p>I have a friend who had a daughter who, as a senior, applied to all kinds of schools-- this was about 7 years ago. She was interested in Yale, and so went up to visit. At the information session, led by somebody from admissions, she asked a question. It must have been related to SAT’s, I dunno. But this person asked the girl what she made on the SAT as it must have been relevant to the question. At that time, she had taken it only once, but her score was 1500. Anyway, she answers, and this man heading up the session said, “Well, that’s not bad . . . for somebody coming from the South.” Ouch. That did it for her. She never bothered applying there. One more anecdote to add to the bunch. :)</p>
<p>Most folks will have some type of anecdotal story about someone who went to school in the north - or in the south - or west - or wherever - where it may not have been a good fit - for various and/or sundry reasons - or even about that ignorant comment made.</p>
<p>CURM we had similar experiences with both of mine - stepped out side the comfort zone of New England (tho neither would even consider any schools in this region LOL) - and both ended up as northeners in southern states/schools - and manged things just fine - was a learning exprience for both of them - actually was one of the reasons they both wanted to leave the nor’east region - was a bit eye opening at times - but both were pretty open minded and learned to realize and appreciate the differences.</p>
<p>Read a little more carefully. I said, “Totally anecdotal, of course. But culture clash can be real.” I’m not suggesting that any region has a lock on good or bad manners, or on behaviors that are hard for other people to take. I’m simply pointing out that the feel-good stories being repeated at great length in this thread may present only one side of the picture, and that the cultural issues perhaps should be taken seriously when selecting a school. </p>
<p>Funny that you didn’t feel compelled to accuse any of the posters who burbled on about the supposedly superior friendliness of the South and the supposed gruffness of New Englanders of being provincial or painting with a broad brush. </p>
<p>It’s important to be openminded. It goes both ways.</p>
Well, I have to apologize, Consolation. I’ll try to do better with my readin’. (My 'rithmetic really sucks.) For reading practice I went back and looked for all the posters ragging on yankees, like you said. You know what, Consolation? I found one post talking about the “gruffness” of Northerners on the whole thread.
Is Connecticut in Alabama or Georgia? I forget.</p>
<p>
Say what? What did I do to deserve that derisive (on my “50cent Word of the Day” calendar) remark? My raising keeps me from questioning your skills or abilities. I don’t see how that helps.</p>
<p>I wonder what happened to the OP? I don’t think he has been around since post #23, well over a week ago. </p>
<p>He probably thinks we are an argumentative bunch.</p>
<p>FWIW, I think the stereotypes of all regions are overblown, as people move around so much now. Lots of “mixing” going on.</p>
<p>On the other hand, when we toured WUSTL, I couldn’t help but notice that all but one of the 12 tour guides we could choose from was from the east coast. I asked our tour guide why she had chosen to come to the lower midwest, and she said it was well-known that students were less cut-throat, more helpful to each other and friendlier than “back home”. Her words, not mine.</p>
<p>I think the biggest difference between the southern school my son is at and some of the northern schools he passed up may be that he can wear his shorts and sandals year round with less chance of frostbite. He is probably a good deal less concerned with “fitting in” than most students, though.</p>
<p>I should note that I lived in New England for 15 years of my adult life and loved every minute of it. I didn’t think people were unfriendly, brusque, cold or unwelcoming. </p>
<p>To the OP, in case you are lurking: go make some visits, have your daughter really talk with some students.</p>
<p>Well, I’m a New Yorker and everyone knows we’re the worst of the bunch. (Although some comments on New Jerseyites have been pretty brutal, too.)</p>
<p>You could have knocked me over with a feather when a survey of world travelers named New York the friendliest city in the world. It boggles the mind.</p>
<p>Anyhoo, I lived in a holler in West Virginia and the folks were great. I inherited a friends garden and the whole holler came to my eight course zucchini dinner. Each course was made with zucchini – everything from appetizer and soup to dessert (main courses zucchini moussaka and zucchini lasagne.) My friend who still leaves there says people are still talking about it after 25 years. </p>
<p>Most fun I ever had.</p>
<p>As for provincial, yeah I think we Northeasterners can be pretty darn provincial and not want to venture out to other regions. I almost got a kid to go to Chicago, but nope, they both stayed here. </p>
<p>Well, I do like seeing them, but no bias against the rest of the country.</p>
<p>Oh, when I was a teenager I spent a summer in southern CA and got told I’d make “the perfect dumb secretary,” because of my accent, I suppose. Haha. I think the boys thought it made me sexy.</p>
<p>Works for me: people who like my zany zucchini dinner and others who think I’m sexy? I’m happy to venture out of New York any ole time.</p>
</p>
I bet that happens a lot. Keep your eyes and ears open.</p>