<p>You've actually just answered your own question John. He wanted to go SAE, but some brothers in the house tipped him off that he probably wasn't going to get a bid. Perhaps he rubbed some people off the wrong way (actually, the more likely reason was that some very powerful College Republican '09 prevented him from getting into the house). I must admit, for a college as "tight-knit" as Dartmouth, it was one of the most close-minded things I have ever seen. </p>
<p>If you knew full well that you were going to get dinged at a house, but you would rather take any house than no house at all, wouldn't you shake out at someplace different? Sometimes, the social pressures to join a house here can be extremely overwhelming. I can assure you that the guy was sweating bullets about it.</p>
<p>Greek Prospies...a tip: If you're close to anyone in particular from your 1st choice house, ask them what the house overall thinks about you in meetings and stuff come near rush time. Perhaps see if your upperclassmen friends can vouch for you. This is so you'll know where to focus your efforts (assuming that you're the type who'd rather get a house than no house at all).</p>
<p>I have been accepted to Dartmouth but haven't made my decision yet as to where I want to go for sure. I was wondering--Is it hard to get accepted to the sororities if you're not from out East?</p>
<p>East coasters don't get any social points at Dartmouth. My most social child goes there and of his friends I've met, most plan to join Greek houses and they are from many different states and countries.</p>
<p>FunIntheSun91, while there is formal sorority rush at Dartmouth, it is definitely more on the laid-back and non-traditional side. (I've heard that at many Southern schools, girls from out-of-state are at a marked disadvantage--this is DECIDEDLY not the case.) Alumni recs are NOT required (I imagine having them wouldn't hurt, but the local houses have no rec procedure at all.) </p>
<p>As rush is deferred a year, the girls rushing have had time to become acquainted with many of the sorority members--I would say that plays a big part. Ergo, be friendly and get involved with organizations (which is good advice whether you are rushing or not :D )</p>
<p>There are three, if I'm not mistaken: Phi Tau, Alpha Theta, and The Tabard. Phi Tau and Tabard are weird in general but you might find them to your liking; Alpha Theta is still a bit out there but not as odd. There are also two "undergraduate societies," Panarchy and Amarna.</p>
<p>Phi Tau and Alpha Theta are very nerdy. Phi Tau is also, um, a bit nudist. Alpha Theta at least sticks to more mainstream stuff, although they also do kind of geeky things like live action role playing. Both of them are not hardcore drinking frats like most frats on campus, but Alpha Theta has a more lively and slightly more mainstream frat basement than Phi Tau; the main thing Phi Tau's basement has going for it is cleanliness. Tabard is often stereotyped as the LGBTQA frat. I don't know a great deal about Panarchy or Amarna, but I've been to Amarna once, and I also got a weirdish vibe from their house. A more objective way to compare these frats would be to look at what regular events they're most known for:</p>
<p>Phi Tau: Milk & Cookies (where they serve milk, cookies, and alcoholic milk beverages)
Alpha Theta: Dartcon (live action role playing, board games, etc. galore)
Tabard: Disco Inferno ('70s dance party) and a lingerie show
Amarna: Wine & Cheese (self-explanatory)
Panarchy: The Great Gatsby costume party</p>
<p>so, i am trying to decide where i want to go to college, and before i even begin the application process (yes, i am writing this a year early. all my senior friends have just been accepted to yale, harvard, and the like, and for days i have been unable to avoid “HARVARD 13!!!” facebook statuses which make me want to shoot everyone in surrounding areas), i have a question which will determine whether dartmouth is my first choice or not. i was pretty confident that it was when i began to wonder.
will i be attacked by argyle-clad, ugg-wearing, tennis-playing, sorority girls who organize book burnings?
because i certainly hope not, and i don’t think so, but i am weird and lame and like humphrey bogart movies and russian novels and i do not want to spend 4 years of my life in a small, isolated town with tennis-playing aryans in pearls. that said, i understand fully that stereotypes are generally false, etc, etc, but could someone just tell me if the spirit of the school is sports and sorority oriented? (if so, uchicago for me!)
i know this is absurd, but who has not been plagued by late-night, existential college worries? i actually have to repeat to myself, “dartmouth. dartmouth. dartmouth.” in order to make myself do my homework every day (apush, plz die), so i’m not trying to hate on dartmouth at all. just trying to see if it is right for me before i start legimately applying myself to school for its sake. LAWLS homework.</p>
If you replace “sorority” with “Greek system” and throw in a few oddball things like the DOC, then pretty much.</p>
<p>But a major caveat is that the Greek system at Dartmouth is quite different than at most colleges. For example, most frat parties are open to anyone on campus. And while there are always those frats and sororities which are just like the stereotypes you’re used to, a lot of them are really laidback – “tennis-playing Aryans in pearls” sounds nothing like most of the sorority girls at Dartmouth to me. A lot of people in the Greek system actually didn’t really imagine they’d be in a frat or sorority – and I’ve especially heard a lot of girls say this, so I think you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>Visiting’s always a good idea if that’s an option. If you’re considering both UChicago and Dartmouth, that seems to suggest you don’t really know what you want out of college, so visit both if you can and figure out which fits better with your idea of what college should be like. (And if for some odd reason, you love or loathe both equally…good for you?) Assuming you’re middle to upper class, there’s no reason you shouldn’t visit instead of stressing out about problems that may not even be problems.</p>
<p>The comment really applies to frats, not sororities. The social dynamics of sororities are a bit different, and I’m not sure if I’m in a position to comment on that. What I do know is that a lot of girls who didn’t think they’d ever join a sorority wound up rushing and pledging as sophomores anyway.</p>
<p>I’m getting the impression that navigating the social scene at Dartmouth is easier for girls. What’s the reality for guys who are really outgoing but maybe not hardcore into the frat scene? Do they never really fit in? Would you say that to really fit in at Dartmouth you should join a frat if you’re really social? I’m from a big high school without social barriers and love that I can hang out with anybody, anytime.</p>
To really fit in at Dartmouth (anywhere, actually), you need to find your social niche. The reality at Dartmouth is that most of the social niches are Greek. If you’re really social, you don’t have a reason not to join a Greek house, unless you find some other niche that’s even more fulfilling. There are quite a few people who get really involved in one student activity or another and find it so fulfilling that they don’t feel the need to join a Greek house. So if you’re really social by nature, I’d say don’t worry about it – regardless of gender. If you’re not as social, then you’ll probably still have a good time at Dartmouth (although nowhere near as good a time as your more outgoing friends).</p>
<p>So if you’re moderately outgoing, fantastic – you’ll love it here. If you’re more of a social butterfly, you’ll probably like it here; if you’re a girl, your introversion can’t really harm you that much – you can even join a sorority for ****s and giggles and it’ll work out. But as an introverted guy, while there’s still a very good chance you’ll like Dartmouth, there’s also a small chance you’ll wind up hating it and not fitting in at all. Things work out fine for most guys here, honestly – but unfortunately things work out terribly for a handful as well.</p>
<p>Overall, the best way to get a sense of the social scene is – as I said before – to just visit. You’ll get a much better idea of what life is like here than anything you can ever get from a message board.</p>