<p>what university? i'm in northern california as well.</p>
<p>Oh, actually, I should probably change my location, because now I'm in Oklahoma, at OCU.</p>
<p>AXO is a goood national sorority with generally good reputations on campuses. Congrats!</p>
<p>FerstAmmendment, </p>
<p>Remember that it will be Beta's loss that you didn't join them, not yours.</p>
<p>I assume since you are in Atlanta that you at Ga Tech? TKE at GT is one of our best chapters in the nation in all aspects.</p>
<p>You will find the right chapter for you regardless of who you end up joining. Good luck.</p>
<p>ClemsonTKE</p>
<p>nirvanarageatm,</p>
<p>Sorry, but you don't get it either. Especially if you think I am "further weakening my fraternity's national reputation" (MI isn't exactly national) for calling a spade a spade. </p>
<p>I'm quite aware of the "hierarchy" system at most college campuses -- a system that's typically built on BS. Chapters on those campuses could have a huge recruitment class if they only market themselves to the individulas that don't buy into that BS (which is usually around 60%+ of students).</p>
<p>A "good" fraternity or sorority is NOT measured in terms of some of the superficial, shallow statements that have been passed around in here as fact regardless of which fraternity or sorority they were about positive or negative.</p>
<p>A "good" fraternity or sorority is measured in terms of Academic Achievement, Membership and Recruitment, Community Service and Outreach, Member Development, Extra-Curricular Campus Involvement, Chapter Organization, Alumni and Volunteer Involvement, Risk Management, etc.</p>
<p>Is my chapter perfect? I've never said it is. But it doesn't suck just because someone don't like someone's pants.</p>
<p>ClemsonTKE</p>
<p>I might join a fraternity when I transfer schools. What is involved with joining? What types of people do they accept and not accept?</p>
<p>chapters really do vary by school...a good friend of mine is a Sigma Chi...he rushed, but then disliked his chapter, he just transferred to another school and the SX's are amazing there...</p>
<p>I understand that what happens during a pledge term in terms of hazing is somewhat secret, but can people who are Greeks describe in general what this entails? And please don't say that hazing is illegal and it doesn't happen. You don't have to detail specifically what your house does (again, because your house might have rules about keeping that stuff secret) but just talk about it in general. I'm not going to judge the Greek system. I'm pro greek and I think hazing is fine, I just want to know what I'm in for.</p>
<p>You're right about the illegal thing. Every fraternity claims to outlaw hazing but it happens at nearly every chapter of every organization. </p>
<p>Hazing, at least from my experience, involves these types of things:</p>
<ul>
<li>doing chores for brothers, more or less doing whatever they ask</li>
<li>having to accomplish seemingly meaningless tasks, like scavenger hunts, as a team to bring the pledge class together</li>
<li>going through certain rituals that every new member must go through, which obviously can't be discussed here</li>
<li>sober driving on the weekends</li>
<li>setting up for parties, putting out fliers, etc.</li>
<li>going through nights where the pledge class is called togther by the brothers, and degraded mentally and physically- every fraternity is different with how they do this kind of stuff. This is a sort of way that pledges must earn the respect of the brothers to show that they belong.</li>
</ul>
<p>clemsontke, I think it is funny that the top tier houses are generally ones which excel in the catergories you have listed. So, the heirachy system is a reflection of what you define as a good fraternity. The top tier houses at most campuses about which I know fall at the top of the heiarchy system based on both "superficial, shallow statements" and the catergories which you described. Think about it-can you really be a socially top tier house if your recruitment sucks and all you get awkward, sketchy guys? Can you be an excellent house without alumni support-funding, connections, etc? </p>
<p>Hazing can definitely be good-it builds brotherhood, teaches you skills you need later in life-teamwork, perseverence, performance under pressure, and allows you to learn how to push your physical and mental limits. You also get an opportunity to learn about your chapter and fraternity as a whole. "Dangerous" hazing (90% of the horror stories you hear) is pointless and should be subject to punishment.</p>
<p>"Can you be an excellent house without alumni support-funding, connections, etc? "</p>
<p>Actually one of the lower tier fraternities here, Sigma Nu, has all of that...but the guys just arent fun or anything...they have a huge house, great location, huge alumni network and lots of money. Fraternities are top tier here for the guys that are there. Houses like KA, TKE, or FIJI have really bad location, but people are there all the time. Funding from both but KA comes from their own fundraising, not alumni support</p>
<p><snapping fingers=""></snapping></p>
<p>well put, nirvanaratm, extremely well put.</p>
<p>Ferst,</p>
<p>The Nu'ers at your school sound like the Beta's at KU - they dominate grades, intramurals and have a great chapter house, and significant alumni...however their guys are extremely uptight, dont' hang out with other houses and pretty much are dislike by all the fraternities (in part b/c they win everything but also b/c they are dicks about it) and the sororities (b/c they aren't very much fun).</p>
<p>Rush started today at my school, no one really cares though. At least, I don't really care</p>
<p>nirvanarageatm,</p>
<p>Still missing the point. </p>
<p>If a chaper follows and excells in those categories, then yes they will become a "top tier" chapter. </p>
<p>But generally "top tier" houses do not excell in those areas, much less care about them, becuse they are judged as "top tier" by social criteria. Success in recruitment is their main strength (but of course rushees must all have very nice pants to get a bid). </p>
<p>"Superficial, shallow statements" are an excuse for lack of quality, they don't go hand in hand. </p>
<p>And there is no such thing as good hazing.</p>
<p>Good luck with those nice pants.</p>
<p>ClemsonTKE</p>
<p>Ok have fun in black jorts. I will still wear seersucker.</p>
<p>i'm a frosh this fall and thinking of rushing but i have this stupid fear that i won't get any bids. :( does this actually happen often?</p>
<p>It does happen, but if you have decent social skills and don't **** people off, it shouldn't happen.</p>
<p>a lot depends on if you are a guy or a girl. Most campuses for sorority recruitment can actually promise you a bid if you "play fair" which means to go to the maximum number of recruitment parties everyday throughout rush. This may not make sense so let me explain. Basically you get invitations back to chapters each day along with a maximum number of chapters you can visit on that day. "playing fair" means that you go to the maximum number of chapters you can each and ever single day. For example suppose that the second day of recruitment is 5 party day, but you get invitations back from only 4 chapters - 3 you like, and one that you would never ever join because your boyfriend cheated on you with a member of that house. Playing fair would require you to attend parties at that 4th house even if you know you'll never end up there. At the end of rush, you will get a bid, but it might not be a house you want and at that point you have to decide what you'll do.</p>
<p>For fraternity rush, the rules arent' so strict and if you don't connect with a chapter the liklihood of rushing without getting a bid is increased. In such a case it's important not to **** anyone off.</p>
<p>Go to Greekchat.com. Click on the recruitment thread. There are 4 subsections under recruitment as well as the general thread. Lots of comments about getting cut from all.....</p>