My D says she would like join a sorority, is that really possible time wise in a MT program? Any current students/parents of that participate in one? if so which school? Thanks!
I know some schools have theater sororities, that would be great too!
Son is in a local fraternity (non-national) at Otterbein. He has a classmate in the same fraternity and another is in a sorority. Though we had reservations about son’s involvement in a fraternity, it has been a positive experience for him.
D is in a sorority at OCU. Many of the MT kids there participate in Greek life. Because so many students there are performing arts majors, there seems to be a good understanding for scheduling issues and how to work with them. Greek life can offer a nice change of pace from being immersed in theatre 24/7 and also broaden your circle of friends. i know there are MTs at Coastal and Millikin who are in sororities also. And acting BFAs at USC who are in sororities.
Thanks @entertainersmom & @vvnstar. My D has not said much yet about what she wants in a school but just mentioned a sorority to me. She thinks it would be a great way to meet more people,especially outside of theater and get involved in other activities. So glad to hear that it is possible!
When my D visited U of Michigan and stayed with a friend who at the time was in the BFA in MT program, the friend lived in a sorority house.
My D was not in a sorority. However, for four years, being in an a cappella group was a huge commitment, but had a lot of similar type bonds and benefits of belonging to a sorority (though it was coed). It was a big part of her college experience.
Our D pledged to a sorority at Northwestern, as did many of her MT friends there. D ended up dropping it after her second year, in part because she could rarely attend evening events but in larger part because she felt that some of the different rules between frats and sororities are outdated and anti-feminist, which didn’t sit well with her. That said, she made many great friiends and isn’t at all sorry to have tried it, and it certainly can work with an NU MT’s schedule.
My daughter is going to be a Sophomore and is rushing a sorority this coming year. She has found that the majority of them will work with her time commitments and will not penalize her for not attending meetings if she is in rehearsal or a show.
^ Yes. Son’s fraternity considers his production commitments to be education related, and education comes first, which we were pleased to know.
I was surprised that she is interested but she left school every day for community theater so took a while and a commitment to stay and attend a lot of clubs for her to make good friends. I think she figures this would be a way to be very involved and make friends. She can be one those MT kids who is very quiet and shy off stage and a completely different kid onstage.
You are right @MomCares she can always give it a go and if not for her or hard to fit in she can drop out.
I know University of Alabama has a theater honors fraternity for the kids so they can belong but it fits in with their schedules. I think that is great! But glad to hear @LoveMyMTGirl (where does your D go?) & @entertainersmom that other schools allow for the busy schedule too.
My D is in one at Ball State as are a couple other kids in her MT class. For my D, she just had to make sure the sorority understood there would be some meetings etc she would have to miss because of rehearsals. She made sure they knew about it before rush and they were fine with it.
My daughter is not in one and has no interest whatsoever, but one of her MT peers (at Montclair) is in one, so it is possible!
@Joyfulmama, my daughter goes to Western Kentucky University.
I know several MT majors at Coastal Carolina who were very active in sororities. It’s definitely possible there.
Thanks @Calliene Montclair is on our list so that’s great to hear as is Coastal @austinmtmom. Nice to hear of others too @LoveMyMTGirl …
Sorority is not a must have just a gee that might be nice to join. So having the option is enticing to her, right now at least.
We know a TCU MT BFA girl who was in a sorority. So there is another option!
Thanks @austinmt !! Sounds do-able in many schools! Thats great just as an option for her.
At JMU there is at least one woman currently in the musical theatre program who is active in her sorority, and she is able to balance that with her commitments in the major. A few other women have rushed, pledged, and then ending up deactivating over the years, mainly because they didn’t like it as much as they thought they would.
There are quite a few dance majors and music majors in sororities, and some theatre majors as well. There are also quite a few majors in the School of Theatre and Dance who are in accapella groups, are student ambassadors, and participate in other organized extra curricular activities. Usually they cannot really balance more than one outside group, but some do manage two. So, it is definitely doable.
@KatMT Thank you! As you know JMU is top on her list so I am happy to hear it is available. Yes I think joining a dance group or accapella group may be more up her alley anyway. She tends to love to be around artsy people mostly as I am sure most MT kids do too. I think she wanted to have the option of trying something new.
I’d say D’s co-ed A Cappella family ultimately filled the role sorority might have, but she also had theatre friends who did both so that’s an option at some schools.