Selective colleges and universities are, by their very nature, exclusionary as well. And those that use “holistic” criteria are even more so. Do we object to those? Some students will choose big state schools because they don’t want to go to college in that type of elite environment. For others, such a place holds enormous appeal.
While I’ve never been particularly drawn to Greek Life and understand the appeal of schools that don’t offer it in any way, shape, or form, it seems that going to a school that includes a vibrant fraternity and sorority life, with proper oversight and accountability, makes the most sense for the vast majority of students. For those who find Greek Life inherently divisive, there are some good options. But at some point, most of us have to deal with a real world that can be quite cruel. Life is filled with disappointments, and no school is perfect, but one would hope most students can find a school that offers more good than bad and where they can thrive.
I’m officially neutral on Greek Life. If my kid wanted to join one, I would consider helping to pay for it if it seemed like a good decision for him. But, then again, we’re happily footing the college bill anyway. We bought him a car, too, because he needed it for his co-op job. Lots of families would make their kids pay for it. And that’s fine. For us it has to do with behaving responsibly in all areas of life, and I’m not sure why Greek Life is any different in that regard.