<p>how inclusive is the greek community? I liked UPenn a lot when I visited, but I am worried that either
a) I won't join a sorority and will have no social life
b) I will try to join but not get in anywhere
or c) I will end up joining the laaame sorority</p>
<p>For b., are the sororities at UPenn like the stereotypical ones you see in movies? Where they won't let you in if you aren't very attractive? Maybe that is weird of me to ask, but it is a legitamate concern! I don't want to go to a school where I won't have a great social life if I'm not in the Greek system!</p>
<p>Any comments about Greek life at UPenn would be very helpful!!</p>
<p>Basically everyone who wants to join a sorority can do so… there are eight sororities on campus, all of which are generally very nice… sure there are stereotypes, but most are largely untrue. Also, 66% of undergraduates do not join a Greek community, so if you don’t join a sorority, you will still be able to have a social life. Make sure to join groups since that’s where you’ll find your best friends, more than likely. </p>
<p>Have no fear! You will find friends if you want to find them!</p>
<p>Being in a sorority is just like any other club-it is not like all your friends are from that one group. There is definitely no exclusivity…if you want to be in a sorority, you are guaranteed to get in. It’s really not as big a deal as it seems. I am honestly only reminded of sororities when they do philanthropy or wear their greek letters (usually only a few sororities even do that, on a large enough basis to be noticeable). they have a presence, but the school is very decentralized.</p>
<p>According to what Penn reports to collegeboard.com, the percentage of Penn undergrads who don’t join fraternities/sororities is even a bit higher than what chrisw cites. Only 30% of men join fraternities, and only 27% of women join sororities:</p>
<p>So, given that the vast majority of Penn undergrads–more than 7,000–do not participate in Greek life (except for possibly attending an occasional frat/sorority party), you certainly do NOT need to join a sorority to participate in Penn’s famously robust and diverse social scene.</p>
<p>“if you want to be in a sorority, you are guaranteed to get in” = FALSE. I have multiple problems with the panhellenic system, one of which is that each pledge class is like…50 people. Which is ridiculously large. It’s also really, really expensive. (I’m also slightly biased since I’m doing a business frat, and the dues are really cheap as well. People I know in sororities do tend to really like it, though).</p>
<p>You can have a totally awesome social life (and not spend 1000+ dollars a year on dues) if you’re not in a sorority. Like other people have said, there’s a lot more to the social life than sororities.</p>
<p>I mean, a lot of the parties are “greek” but that just means they’re thrown by frats, and anyone can go, generally. Honestly, don’t worry too much about it–things will work out and you will have a social life, regardless.</p>
<p>Technically, you are guaranteed to get into <em>a</em> sorority at Penn, not necessarily your favorite. No, you might not get into Tri-Delt, or whatever sorority you feel is the best, but there is Greek life available.
If you have any specific questions, PennFresh has a sorority member answering questions about life at Penn in general, and has some answers about rushing.</p>
<p>“c) I will end up joining the laaame sorority”</p>
<p>If you feel this way, then it’s a real risk. Not everyone can be popular. Yes, there are sororities that the frat guys think are laaame. If your goal in joining the Greek system is to impress the right guys, then your looks, and perceived social status before you join, will matter in rush.</p>