<p>I already saw a similar thread about sororities, but I just visited USC today and was thrilled with the school...I am definitely going there. I was really impressed by what everybody had to say about frat life and I am definitely thinking about rushing. Just to figure out what I'm getting into, can anybody kind of break down the different frats and the type of guys that are in each one (as well as which ones go out of control with hazing...I can handle a lot but I'm not really asking for it either, if you know what I mean).</p>
<p>i dont know about the whole frat thing, but put ur name on the trojan09 roster.</p>
<p>Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Alpha Tau Omega, and Lambda Chi Alpha. Look into those. There's a bunch of others, but they're pretty much at the top.</p>
<p>I think B. Hancock (Fullback at USC) got a bid from SAE, but declined.</p>
<p>Here is something posted by CC sn Troy a few years ago, and hopefully I post it again (with a few edits for frats that aren't here anymore) with his blessing. :) Keep in mind this is somewhat outdated now:</p>
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<p>"Posted 1/22/2003
The good frats- First let me tell you that the greek system is changing as SC recruits a new breed of student...it has actually toned down over the years...it's not your dad's usc anymore although the football team is coming back (which is sweet)...The image of each house changes depending on the kinds of guys that are brought into the house. Houses that may be "cool" now can go down in flames with a bad pledge class...If the house is iffy but brings in some dope guys, the house can get "cool". If you don't like the system, then don't join but I'm going to tell you right now that the hottest girls at USC are in the greek system and like it or not they usually won't talk to you unless you're in a fraternity (pretty lame if you ask me but I call as I see it) alright these are the fraternities: Kappa Sig, ZBT, SAE, AEpi, PiKapp, Theta Xi, Lambda Chi, Sigma Chi, Sig Ep, ATO, Phi Psi, Pike, TKE, Delts. Every one of these houses have a unique personality/image to them and even if you are hell bent in joining a certain house, you better have a certain pedigree or you won't get an offer...I'll just go down the list and describe them.</p>
<p>Kappa Sig-don't join/ lame</p>
<p>ZBT-"zero b!tches there" there are some nice guys though</p>
<p>SAE-Good old boys club, they have alums on the board of trustees, tall good looking rich stereotyp, very exclusive, dickheads to non-members, athletes, a lot of girls, if you don't have the pedigree don't bother trying, don't expect AA to get you into this fraternity...I have yet to meet a minority in sae...they seem to get into trouble with the university but their connections usually save their asses, and yep they haze too.</p>
<p>AEpi- Jewish fraternity but surprisingly has a good mix of member. They are a solid house with some cool guys. Many of the leaders in the greek system seem to come out of that house. They pull in girls too and (surprise) they haze.</p>
<p>PiKapp-Pi "crap" There are some chill guys but overall they are douche bags. They're the first house you'll encounter walking to the row and freshman seem to think they are really cool the first week they get here...don't get suckered by these guys. They'll usually take anyone. This has led to a volatile mix of idiots. Did I mention they pull ugly chicks and haze.</p>
<p>Lambda Chi-"Rambda Guy" A lot of pretty boys in the house but I think their image is changing. They are starting to pick up a "prick" image with girls. Despite this, they're still one of the better houses on the row and they pull a lot of hot girls. They don't haze...but the house feels more like an organization/club than a fraternity with real brotherhood.</p>
<p>Theta Xi- A smaller house but they're some cool guys there. They seem to pull girls but it's hard to gauge the kinds of guys they got...usually you'll walk by and they'll have a fire going in the front of the house a la campfire style with guys and girls around it...with about six hundred empty beer bottles in the front lawn...they don't seem to haze but I wouldn't expect it to be a cake walk either</p>
<p>Sigma Chi- Solid house, still trying to build it's reputation up. They bring in hot girls too. I think they haze but not too bad...Awesome alumni support and presence.</p>
<p>Sig Ep- This house fluctuates in terms of the kinds of guys they pull. One year, they're really "cool"...the next they look like they're about the fall apart. It's a brand name frat and they have a good alum presence. They haze</p>
<p>ATO- These guys are top tier house cuz they have money and a <em>sniffing</em> habit...they are the hardest hazers in the whole greek system...60% on pledges drop out of their pledge semester with them. Good luck buddy if you want to be an ATO.</p>
<p>Phi Psi- Party party party...that's about it...they are always on the verge of getting kicked off...I believe they haze.</p>
<p>Pike- Pike is just like SAE except imagine them as the obnoxious little brother. Not much class to the guys but a fun group. They too are always on the verge of getting kicked off and they haze hard. Unlike sae, they'll take a minority if they're cool, usually rich, decent looking and pulls chicks.</p>
<p>TKE- this house is dying...they don't haze...I think they are building a new house though...so they may rebound.</p>
<p>Delts-Revenge of the Nerds house...they don't haze...nice guys...no girls...be nice to them, they're the future millionaires/billionaires of the university.</p>
<p>Overall- These houses along with the 14 sororities create a unique community that, yes, makes for a notorious reputation. But it is also one of the funnest experiences I have ever had. Oh the stories that you will take away after four years in the greek system...</p>
<p>My stance on hazing:
I really hate to admit but I think hazing, when done right, works. I used to be totally against it when I was a freshman (for obvious reasons) but now that I look back...hazing has its merits...most the people on this site do self-inflicted hazing to gain admission to ivy league schools...Hazing only gets bad when it gets bastardized (i.e. "I got hazed and you're gonna get it worst than me"). Think of it as a breaking down process followed by a building you back up process...trust me you'll have a good laugh with your buds once you're through with it...</p>
<p>My stance on the drug culture:
There are various sub-cultures that reside in fraternities...and yes some franternities have a drugs subculture. That doesn't mean most frats and their members consume drugs. Most students and fraternity members do not engage in drugs. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of people involved in the greek system have really good moral judgement...Kids that end up using the "harder" drugs usually have severe personal issues and it's quite easy to tell who the "high risk" kids are. Fraternities try to avoid those kind of students because they bring a lot liability to the fraternity. Houses don't want to get kicked off.</p>
<p>There is a zero tolerance policy with drugs and fraternities caught are immediately disbanded.</p>
<p>My stance on beautiful girls and the greek system:
I figure I let the freshmen know which fraternities bring in the hot girls...and yes there are A LOT of beautiful ladies at SC...personally, I'm so desensitized by beauty that I'd rather date a girl with an awesome personality than a drop dead gorgeous girl with the personality of a bacterial infection.</p>
<p>My stance on not joining the greek system:
the independent route is a great way to experience SC...it also appears to be the prefered route in recent years (probably cuz the students are getting smarter). Drinking the milk without buying the cow is always best.</p>
<p>Plenty of my best friends are independent and are enjoying an independent social life...granted, these guys are outgoing, have self confidence, and aren't ugly. With those qualities, it doesn't matter what route you take at SC."</p>
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<p>Here's my take, both from my experience and the female perspective, and from stereotypes:</p>
<p>SAE: generally seen as the top frat. Rumor is that they check parents' tax returns before letting you in. Guys here are richand some of the best-looking on campus</p>
<p>Sigma Chi: good-looking guys, not always the nicest (my friend in ATO who was friends with a guy in high school that is now in Sigma Chi at USC can't stand the guy anymore, and says he's turned into a douche).</p>
<p>Lambda Chi: also has a lot of good-looking guys. Some girls don't see them as the nicest guys, but I've met some cool ones.</p>
<p>Pike: girls seem to like it, but I never really hear anything about this frat.</p>
<p>ATO: My friend from high school is in this one, so I've done a lot of stuff over there. It's pretty fun. Not every guy is the best looking, but it seems like they are really a family, and have a good time.</p>
<p>TKE: I've been to a lot of fun parties here, and they are always packed.</p>
<p>ZBT: Probably the best party I've been to in college was a ZBT one. It's not on the Row, but it is right there on a side street.</p>
<p>AEPi: Coming in to USC, I didn't really think of Jewish guys as cute. I've found that many here are both really attractive, as well as a lot of fun, and really cool. They recently got in trouble for a controversial party theme, and it's not sure how severe their punishment is going to be.</p>
<p>Kappa Sig: I've had fun here, but it never seems as packed as other houses. Guys I've met ranged from pretty cool to pretty dorky.</p>
<p>PiKapp: Not every guy is the coolest, but I've met some nice ones. I've also been to a fun party or two here. They are on 60-day probation, and their punishment might be extended.</p>
<p>Delta Chi: I don't hear as much about them.</p>
<p>Delta Tau Delta: typically seen as the dorkier house because they are super nice guys, but I've noticed recently a lot of attractive guys in this house.</p>
<p>Theta Xi: I've never really heard of a party here. I think they're getting a new house, which should help.</p>
<p>Sig Ep: eh. I've been there, but it wasn't that fun.</p>
<p>Phi Psi: I think they were on probation my first year and didn't have a house, so I really don't have any experience with them. I know some girls that really like them, though.</p>
<p>In AEPi's defense, all fraternities are required to put a fence around organized parties. And there were Mexican students in the frat that were fine with the theme. If nothing else, at least it wasn't like the one school in the article that had the KKK robes and students with faces painted black. Wow. </p>
<p>There is just a lot of drama at USC on all sides.</p>
<p>Do sororities check to tax returns. <em>sigh</em>, I guess I'm not gonna get chosen b/c my parents don't make that much.</p>
<p>steaky- don't worry. I have friends that are not rich AT ALL, and are in sororities. While there are some sororities that typically house wealthier girls, the majority are open to all. You'll be fine. Just rush, and you'll find a house that is perfect for you. They are looking for personality, not money.</p>
<p>Just a question, in the descriptions it mentions what houses haze the most...what are typical USC hazings like? Sometimes I hear it's absolutely nothing at all (just shouting) and sometimes I hear it's absolutely out of control and kids get beat up and stuff. I'm guessing it's somewhere in between, but what can I expect next year in terms of what they do to haze students?</p>
<p>thanks uschicka. I've been contemplating the idea of rushing, but I've heard too many things. One is that the GPA goes down during pledging. </p>
<p>Another question- once in a sorority, do we live inside the house? And is it a good studying area or is it really noisy?</p>
<p>Allright well i currently go to USC and the frats deffinately chang their images, and currently i'll tell you how it is. I personally am not in a frat, but i rushed for fun both semesters, and i am very good friends with many guys in different houses, and am living with some next year off campus. Now.... Phi Si is currently the hottest frat on the row. They are very chill guys, i have gone to both of their registered parties and they have been some of hte best ones of the year. Very nice house, and chill guys. ATO is a pretty good house for parties, sketchy house, and it is pretty much all stoners (i know this because i know 1/2 of the current pledge class, and my x roomate and 2 of his friends were also in ATO). AEpie is the jewish frat, but the guys there are really chill. I went there last night, and met a lot of cool guys, they are not dicks like the guys at SAE and Sigma Kai (although i am living with 2 chill guys from Sigma Chai next year). Lamda Chai gets made fun of a lot, because its all "pretty boys", and the "face" guys...they are for lack of better word, gay. ZBT, Kappa Sig, TKE, Theta Zai, are all absolute jokes....don't even consider them. SAE is nicknamed "sexually assualt expected" they are pretty much all white, rich guys, kinda dick. Pi Kapp is once again a lot of stoners, and a bunch of dirty, slacker guys, who are out of shape etc... the kind of guys you wouldnt expect to be frat guys. I dont know much about PIKE, although i do know they are moving to BETA's old house which is quite nice.
The top houses that pull girls are AEpie, Sigma Chai, Phi Si....ATO has a lot of fun parties too that a lot of people attend.</p>
<p>If i were to actually pledge a frat it would be Phi Si.</p>
<p>jwsteele- I really don't know anything about hazing.</p>
<p>steaky- I can't be sure about the GPA going down for pledges, but I doubt it. While it is a busy time, sorority pledges are treated well. Besides, usually you are pledging your first semester of college, so you can't really say it's going down since you've never had a GPA at USC before. The GPAs of sororities are higher than the overall USC GPA average, though. </p>
<p>When you are finally in the sorority, you can live in the house if you want to and if there is room. Usually freshmen stay in dorms their first year, even after joining a sorority, and then many move into the house sophomore year, and some junior year. Sorority houses are usually not loud; you can always find somewhere to study. For me personally, I would just find it distracting having so many friends around.</p>
<p>And I can attest to ATO being a stoner house. :) Although there are always exceptions to everything.</p>
<p>Wadup, you know a Chris majoring in acct that's in Phi Psi?</p>
<p>Cool thanks uschicka. I have good information on greek life now. I'm thinking about rushing sophomore year maybe. Is freshmen year to soon since I don't even know what's going on at USC and I'm already putting myself through all the rushing and then pledging. I hear it starts on the first week. How will freshmen know where to go for the rushing? and also...what exactly is rushing for sororities?</p>
<p>You'll know about rush once you walk onto Trousdale during the first few weeks of school... People will be flying at you from every direction with information regarding their respective organization.</p>
<p>I've heard that rushing a sorority/fraternity is often very expensive, like it adds thousands of dollars to your school expenses with initiation fees and membership fees, etc. even if you don't live in the house. How expensive is it? Are costs often prohibitive to students who want to rush?</p>
<p>Living in the house is cheaper than living off or on campus. From my knowledge, even with the annual dues, living in the frat is one of the cheapest ways.</p>
<p>Trust me, trust me, trust me:</p>
<p>You don't want to listen to a bunch of stereotypes you find online to make the decision about which house you join! People on this board have their own agendas in many cases, and if you go with anything except your gut, you will regret it!!!</p>
<p>Besides, the reps of the houses that were posted earlier in this thread are very outdated- some of those houses have since fallen off the row or their reps have completely changed! And for the student that claimed to "really know" the current reps, well he couldn't even spell most of their names right, let alone post accurate reputations.</p>
<p>Visit the frats on trousdale during the first week of class. That is all you need to do.</p>
<p>To Steaky and all other girls:
Rush freshman year. Don't wait till sophomore year. My friends that are in one of the top houses told me that they barely even look at sophomores and will even take a ok freshman over a great sophomore.<br>
It is a BIG disadvantage to wait to rush.</p>