would you ever join one? were you in one? would you let your children join one?

I was never in one, and I never wanted to. it just isn't my thing. I am sure it is great for a lot of people though. And honestly, if my kid wants to do it, I wont stop them. I would be overly cautious during hell week though.

for me i would let my child join under several conditions that their grades didn't fall, among other things. i was going to join but after doing a ton of research it wasn't conducive to my relationship dh.

ETA: there is a great book called Pledged that made me really think twice about wanting my child to join without conditions

for me i would let my child join under several conditions that their grades didn't fall, among other things. i was going to join but after doing a ton of research it wasn't conducive to my relationship dh.

ETA: there is a great book called Pledged that made me really think twice about wanting my child to join without conditions

That depends on the situation though. If your child is paying their own way, getting scholarships, etc...you can't really tell them they "can't" join, ya know? And, I don't know how I would feel telling them they couldn't even if I was paying for school. I also think, at least in my area, you have to keep your grades at a certain level or you can't be in one anyways.

I wanted to join one, but college unfortunately didn't work out for me that way.
If my daughters want to join one, that's fine with me.

That depends on the situation though. If your child is paying their own way, getting scholarships, etc...you can't really tell them they "can't" join, ya know? And, I don't know how I would feel telling them they couldn't even if I was paying for school. I also think, at least in my area, you have to keep your grades at a certain level or you can't be in one anyways.

the GPA requirement for most sororities is so measly...it's like a 2.0 or something like that you have to have 3.0 or better to join but you have to maintain at 2.0. my friend is in a sorority and she didn't drink much prior to getting in but now she drinks at least 4 days a week and doesn't go to class kwim? plus sororities are EXPENSIVE lol

I wasn't in one, they weren't my thing. If my kids want to join, then they can, but they'll still have to meet certain rules if DH and I are helping them with college at all.

I looked into them when I was in college and decided not to join. I think for some people they are great. I wasn't willing to pay money to make friends and do stupid shit. (I know they aren't all that way, but the ones at my college were!)

If my kid wants to join one that's her decision, she will be an adult at that point. It's also her money! But if that becomes more important than school or her grades drop she better kiss her college money goodbye :lol

My college didnt have them (werent allowed) and neither did my husbands (military college)

I would only join one for the bumper sticker lol.

Otherwise no, not good for a married relationship IMO. And I don't know much about them, only stuff from the movies- so I really don't know if I would let my kids join. Future kids.

I would only join one for the bumper sticker lol.

Otherwise no, not good for a married relationship IMO. And I don't know much about them, only stuff from the movies- so I really don't know if I would let my kids join. Future kids.

i really recommend Pledged. it's a great book, it's about an undercover reporter who went in and followed a few girls from various sororities (mostly in the south) and it's actually very unbiased

No, I HATED sororities and frats in College. I would NEVER have joined one, and I would try to convince my child to NEVER join one as well.

No, I HATED sororities and frats in College. I would NEVER have joined one, and I would try to convince my child to NEVER join one as well.

what did you hate about them? i'm just curious

My sisters were/are both in sororities at the University of Washington. I think it can be good and bad. I personally would never join one, it's just not my thing. But my one sister partied, never worked, and was trashed all the time. My other sister has used it as a platform to do charity work and has gotten many connections for her career path. I think it's all what you make of it...

the GPA requirement for most sororities is so measly...it's like a 2.0 or something like that you have to have 3.0 or better to join but you have to maintain at 2.0. my friend is in a sorority and she didn't drink much prior to getting in but now she drinks at least 4 days a week and doesn't go to class kwim? plus sororities are EXPENSIVE lol

First, I can only speak for my sorority alone, but we have a GPA requirement of a 2.5. If you fall below a 2.5 you are put on strict academic probation. We always require every member (Even if you have a 4.0) to do study hours every week, and if you do fall below a 2.5 you are required to do 5 study hours a week (All watched by me (The Academic Chair) or President or Vice President) and if you're GPA does not raise after that you are put in front of a discipline committee and social priviledges are taken away. If our sororities cumulative GPA falls below a 2.6 we are placed on social probation by our National Committee and are not allowed to hold any social functions. Also, I know that it is a fact at the University of Houston that the Sorority combined GPA is higher than the all around women's GPA.

Secondly, sororities are not for everyone, and it depends on the sorority. My sorority is comprised of many different girls from all walks of life, we aren't all cookie cutter blondes (Obviously, since I'm not even blonde.) We do a lot of volunteer work for Children's Miracle Network, attend a ton of sporting events around campus, and do a lot of other functions that involve no alcohol at all. In my personal experience joining a sorority has introduced me to a lot of lovely young women that are now some of my best friends and has given me a place on campus (I go to a commuter college) that feels like home.

For me, and I can only speak for myself, my grades have gone up since I have joined a sorority because I constantly have girls to study with, and the amount of alcohol I consume has neither risen nor fell.

Now, on the EXPENSIVE part of it, that it is. But I had a pretty much full ride to college and I pay my sorority dues myself, so my parents really had no way to complain about it. Also, DB has met all my sorority sisters and the fraternities I hang out with and is 100% comfortable with me hanging around them because he, himself has gotten a chance to know them.

:)

I pretty much hated almost everything they stood for and did. I knew A LOT of people who were in them, and I just felt sorry for them. The idea of paying to make friends is just so beyond me. Some of them 'claimed' to be all about community work and helping others, but in the end, all they cared about is getting their picture in the paper and their house name out to the public to say how 'great' they were. Ohhh, you go to and take clothes to Mexico once a year, or Ohhh you feed the homeless once a year, yea that is so noble. Yet the rest of the year, you exploit your pledges and humiliate them, hazing was so common even though it was illegal. And your weekly routine is just to party, and figure out ways to shun others or make them feel like less because their not part of your precious 'club'. I could go on and on. I was part of A LOT of organizations and clubs at school, ones that actually stood for something and did things, other than get drunk 7 days a week, and we didn't have to shell out thousands of dollars a year in order to 'fit in'. LOL sorry as you can tell, I didn't have the best experiences at SDSU with Frats and Sors. Even the 'mulitcultural' ones I didn't like.

First, I can only speak for my sorority alone, but we have a GPA requirement of a 2.5. If you fall below a 2.5 you are put on strict academic probation. We always require every member (Even if you have a 4.0) to do study hours every week, and if you do fall below a 2.5 you are required to do 5 study hours a week (All watched by me (The Academic Chair) or President or Vice President) and if you're GPA does not raise after that you are put in front of a discipline committee and social priviledges are taken away. If our sororities cumulative GPA falls below a 2.6 we are placed on social probation by our National Committee and are not allowed to hold any social functions. Also, I know that it is a fact at the University of Houston that the Sorority combined GPA is higher than the all around women's GPA.

Secondly, sororities are not for everyone, and it depends on the sorority. My sorority is comprised of many different girls from all walks of life, we aren't all cookie cutter blondes (Obviously, since I'm not even blonde.) We do a lot of volunteer work for Children's Miracle Network, attend a ton of sporting events around campus, and do a lot of other functions that involve no alcohol at all. In my personal experience joining a sorority has introduced me to a lot of lovely young women that are now some of my best friends and has given me a place on campus (I go to a commuter college) that feels like home.

For me, and I can only speak for myself, my grades have gone up since I have joined a sorority because I constantly have girls to study with, and the amount of alcohol I consume has neither risen nor fell.

Now, on the EXPENSIVE part of it, that it is. But I had a pretty much full ride to college and I pay my sorority dues myself, so my parents really had no way to complain about it. Also, DB has met all my sorority sisters and the fraternities I hang out with and is 100% comfortable with me hanging around them because he, himself has gotten a chance to know them.

:)


i knew you'd be anxious to weigh in on this topic :) i wasn't talking about you when i said "my friend", another girl i know.

I am not in one, because I refuse to pay a huge amount of money to hang out with people.

Also, in MD they cant have houses, so what is the point.


If I have kids, and they choose to join one, good for them. But if it is on the news that their frat is one that is date raping girls, or the like and they do not remove themselves from that group. They will be pulled from school so fast their head will spin.

PS: Stephanie, my above post was not in response to yours BTW, I was just talking about my personal experience ;), just didn't want you to think I was bashing your experience

stephanie's sorority is the one i actually looked into joining lol. i never did it though

I pretty much hated almost everything they stood for and did. I knew A LOT of people who were in them, and I just felt sorry for them. The idea of paying to make friends is just so beyond me. Some of them 'claimed' to be all about community work and helping others, but in the end, all they cared about is getting their picture in the paper and their house name out to the public to say how 'great' they were. Ohhh, you go to and take clothes to Mexico once a year, or Ohhh you feed the homeless once a year, yea that is so noble. Yet the rest of the year, you exploit your pledges and humiliate them, hazing was so common even though it was illegal. And your weekly routine is just to party, and figure out ways to shun others or make them feel like less because their not part of your precious 'club'. I could go on and on. I was part of A LOT of organizations and clubs at school, ones that actually stood for something and did things, other than get drunk 7 days a week, and we didn't have to shell out thousands of dollars a year in order to 'fit in'. LOL sorry as you can tell, I didn't have the best experiences at SDSU with Frats and Sors. Even the 'mulitcultural' ones I didn't like.

Um, yea...that's basically what the ones at my college were like. But they didn't have houses. They claimed to do all this wonderful community service work, but they didn't. I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but UNF's selection was a big thumbs down!

I pretty much hated almost everything they stood for and did. I knew A LOT of people who were in them, and I just felt sorry for them. The idea of paying to make friends is just so beyond me. Some of them 'claimed' to be all about community work and helping others, but in the end, all they cared about is getting their picture in the paper and their house name out to the public to say how 'great' they were. Ohhh, you go to and take clothes to Mexico once a year, or Ohhh you feed the homeless once a year, yea that is so noble. Yet the rest of the year, you exploit your pledges and humiliate them, hazing was so common even though it was illegal. And your weekly routine is just to party, and figure out ways to shun others or make them feel like less because their not part of your precious 'club'. I could go on and on. I was part of A LOT of organizations and clubs at school, ones that actually stood for something and did things, other than get drunk 7 days a week, and we didn't have to shell out thousands of dollars a year in order to 'fit in'. LOL sorry as you can tell, I didn't have the best experiences at SDSU with Frats and Sors. Even the 'mulitcultural' ones I didn't like.

Once again, I can ONLY speak for my sorority, but we do events for the Children's Miracle Network 6-7 times a year and we are still working with them over the summer. There are also STRICT hazing policies in my sorority. You aren't even allowed to ask a pledge to open the door for you, much less exploit them. In fact, when I was a pledge at our pledge meetings every week we got fed dinner and dessert and got presents. :). Also, I think on average my sorority 'Parties' maybe 4 times a semester, as a whole. I realize a lot of people do see it as I'm paying for my friends, but I see it differently. I'm paying for an experience I could not have obtained other wise, especially considering I go to a commuter college, and I'm paying for all the events we get to attend throughout the semester that our dues go for, and all the endless networking opportunities I have ALREADY received out of being a member of my sorority.

Like I said, I can ONLY speak for my sorority, I do not deny that the sororities at your college were like that, because they very well could have been. I am speaking for the actions of my sorority and it's members alone. :)

Once again, I can ONLY speak for my sorority, but we do events for the Children's Miracle Network 6-7 times a year and we are still working with them over the summer. There are also STRICT hazing policies in my sorority. You aren't even allowed to ask a pledge to open the door for you, much less exploit them. In fact, when I was a pledge at our pledge meetings every week we got fed dinner and dessert and got presents. :). Also, I think on average my sorority 'Parties' maybe 4 times a semester, as a whole. I realize a lot of people do see it as I'm paying for my friends, but I see it differently. I'm paying for an experience I could not have obtained other wise, especially considering I go to a commuter college, and I'm paying for all the events we get to attend throughout the semester that our dues go for, and all the endless networking opportunities I have ALREADY received out of being a member of my sorority.

Like I said, I can ONLY speak for my sorority, I do not deny that the sororities at your college were like that, because they very well could have been. I am speaking for the actions of my sorority and it's members alone. :)

yeah UH is a huge commuter school, it's easy to get into a dorm there because so many people commute.

PS: Stephanie, my above post was not in response to yours BTW, I was just talking about my personal experience ;), just didn't want you to think I was bashing your experience

Yeah I know :)

Jill can tell you, my sorority is a little bit different than others. LOL. Actually, the Greek system at my college is a little different based on the fact that it's such a huge commuter college.

Um, yea...that's basically what the ones at my college were like. But they didn't have houses. They claimed to do all this wonderful community service work, but they didn't. I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but UNF's selection was a big thumbs down!

Interesting fact of the day: In Lafayette, Louisiana it is illegal for sororities to have houses that are lived in, because if more than 15 women live in the same residence it is considered a brothel. :giggle Always thought that was a little funny.

Yeah I know :)

Jill can tell you, my sorority is a little bit different than others. LOL. Actually, the Greek system at my college is a little different based on the fact that it's such a huge commuter college.

yeah UH is different than most other college campuses like UT or A&M. my really good friend from jr. high had the sh!t kicked out of him at a UT frat halloween party by a "rival" frat. his brother's just looked on and then dragged him back to the house and left him there. he had compound fractures to his face, several bruised ribs, a broken leg, and some internal damage.

yeah UH is different than most other college campuses like UT or A&M. my really good friend from jr. high had the sh!t kicked out of him at a UT frat halloween party by a "rival" frat. his brother's just looked on and then dragged him back to the house and left him there. he had compound fractures to his face, several bruised ribs, a broken leg, and some internal damage.

:( Ouch, your poor friend.

:( Ouch, your poor friend.

yep and it was because alcohol was involved. personally i think fraternities are a worse environment because in general you have teenage/young adult males who are more competitive and easily "aroused" than females are. also they tend to have a larger store of "raw power" to tap into in a fight. alcohol fuels this and men also tend to be less controlled when they feel they've been slighted

yep and it was because alcohol was involved. personally i think fraternities are a worse environment because in general you have teenage/young adult males who are more competitive and easily "aroused" than females are. also they tend to have a larger store of "raw power" to tap into in a fight. alcohol fuels this and men also tend to be less controlled when they feel they've been slighted

Once again, I can only speak from what I know, which are the fraternities at UH, but fraternities are typically worse environments as far as fighting and hazing go. There are a few fraternities (A few being 2 or 3) that I think are disgusting wastes of space, and I solve that problem by avoiding them at all costs. The good fraternities at UH are all really involved on campus and really good guys.

yep hence my "in general" phrase lol

My school was small private and catholic and they werent allowed to have them, so i never even had the chance to join one, even if i wanted too..

His dad was in one, but since he went to the Citadel they didnt have them

My mom was in one for her year in college. :)

for me i would let my child join under several conditions that their grades didn't fall, among other things. i was going to join but after doing a ton of research it wasn't conducive to my relationship dh.

ETA: there is a great book called Pledged that made me really think twice about wanting my child to join without conditions

Pledged was a really really good book IMO. However, I myself would never join a sorority because I think it would hurt my relationship with chris and plus I dont really want to shell out a shitload of money to party. Idk I dont really see living with a bunch of girls as fun. Just not my thing,sorry. Eh if my children wanted to join it would depend on the sorotiy/frat they were thinking about pledging and set conditions if we're helping them pay for it.

No I never wanted to join one, never joined one. To me they seemed to be paid for friends and mostly trouble. I was happier being part of an honor society/academic club, service club or some other active club.

As far as my children, when they are in college I hope they are going to be making some of their own decisions. If they want to raise the money to join one then they can go right ahead. I'm sure I'd give my opinion on them though :lol

Nah, they weren't for me so I never joined. I still go to tons of the parties and stuff thought just because my friend's are in them, but they just weren't for me. My kids can do whatever they want...once they are in college, if they pay for it, it is their decision :grin:

Interesting fact of the day: In Lafayette, Louisiana it is illegal for sororities to have houses that are lived in, because if more than 15 women live in the same residence it is considered a brothel. :giggle Always thought that was a little funny.

That is the way it is in Auburn...no houses because of that rule. The girls use certain dorms on campus but they have to share them with the general population as well.

I worked for a company that took pictures at greek events and I saw alot of interesting stuff. I did it for about a year and a half and had the chance to go to quite a few colleges around the area and see differences between them and Auburn. Overall, I don't have the best opinion of the Greek system as a whole. I know there are a few exceptions and some great opportunities can come from being involved, but you really have to be a strong, motivated person, who is able to resist all of the other nonsense going on.

We do have a service sorority here and there whole purpose is community service. We also have music sorority and fraternities that are outside the Greek system. I think those are great organizations because they less focused on the social aspect but they do have alot of fun.

If my kids wanted to join that would be ok, as long as they weren't in one with a bad reputation. There would be rules about grades, of course, and we would work out some kind of money agreement.

Eh I think theyre overrated and not always quality people (no offense to anyone who is/was in one) , just at my school at least.

i was in a sorority. granted we didn't look like your stereotypical sorority...we had girls of different races, religions, sizes, etc. i loved it.

i would let the girls join one when they're in college if they want. i'd probably make them pay the dues and stuff themselves though instead of paying them like my mom did for me :giggle

i was in a sorority. granted we didn't look like your stereotypical sorority...we had girls of different races, religions, sizes, etc. i loved it.

i would let the girls join one when they're in college if they want. i'd probably make them pay the dues and stuff themselves though instead of paying them like my mom did for me :giggle

My sorority is the exact same way. If you don't mind my asking, what sorority were you in?

debated it freshman year of college. we hung out with a lot of frat guys so it seemed like a good idea at the time. then i realized how expensive it was and i didn't feel like paying for it or dealing with all the stuff you deal with in a sorority. looking back on things now, i am glad i didn't join one, i like the way my college years turned out.

if my kids want to join them, they can. if we have money to pay for it then i will. i think that they can be good for networking, esp. frats for guys, because you can get into companies that might be more difficult if you don't know the right people.

My sorority is the exact same way. If you don't mind my asking, what sorority were you in?

pi beta phi at the university of ct. from what i've heard, after i graduated they DID veer more toward your "stereotypical sorority", but when i was there it was great. :D

i never did, but if my kids wanted to, sure. at that age, i would hope i had raised them to make smart decisions for themselves.

No, I wouldn't join. I considered it... but I just don't have the personality for it. I have friends in them, and that's cool, but I'd go crazy in one... and probably have to murder a few people, and that's just not good for the college career, KWIM?

If my children wanted to join one, that's their decision, just like my decision was mine. As long as they're happy, that's all that matters.

I'm in an honor society with a greek name and we eat chips and dip together every week and talk about homework and research. Does that count? :rofl

My school doesn't have sororities. But not all sororities are drinking ones and such. My friend is in one, and she needs to maintain a 3.8 and do a great deal of community service. There is no drinking allowed in the house she lives in. Some people actually join to stay out of trouble she said! She told me it helps her stay on track. So that one is one of the few that actually don't drink :giggle

As for my unborn children :giggle, I'd support them, hopefully they will make good decisions. If they kept their grades up, and were not being typical college idiots, I'd be okay with whatever they want to do.

I'm in an honor society with a greek name and we eat chips and dip together every week and talk about homework and research. Does that count? :rofl

My school doesn't have sororities. But not all sororities are drinking ones and such. My friend is in one, and she needs to maintain a 3.8 and do a great deal of community service. There is no drinking allowed in the house she lives in. Some people actually join to stay out of trouble she said! She told me it helps her stay on track. So that one is one of the few that actually don't drink :giggle

As for my unborn children :giggle, I'd support them, hopefully they will make good decisions. If they kept their grades up, and were not being typical college idiots, I'd be okay with whatever they want to do.

most sororities don't allow drinking in the house but it still happens ;)

I'm reading Pledged right now. :thumbsup

I wanted to join when I was at college, but I dropped out after my first semester anyways. Reading the book though, I see that its very expensive so there would of been no way for me to afford it. I also don't think I'd like the routines. I like doing what I want to do when I want to do it (besides going to class, which I didn't do eventually anyways :lol) so I would have had a hard time doing what some girl 2 yrs older than me, says.

most sororities don't allow drinking in the house but it still happens ;)

I think her sorority actually enforces it though. I don't know much about it, but I know that it's a better sorority then most. It's an honors one, I think

I think her sorority actually enforces it though. I don't know much about it, but I know that it's a better sorority then most. It's an honors one, I think

yeah they have a bunch like that now at schools to give the schools a "good name" kwim?

yeah they have a bunch like that now at schools to give the schools a "good name" kwim?

Interesting! I'm happy my school doesn't have them. We have some societies here and there, but no live-in shindigs

I was never in one. Yes I would let my child join one...its college life.

the GPA requirement for most sororities is so measly...it's like a 2.0 or something like that you have to have 3.0 or better to join but you have to maintain at 2.0. my friend is in a sorority and she didn't drink much prior to getting in but now she drinks at least 4 days a week and doesn't go to class kwim? plus sororities are EXPENSIVE lol

Some sororities have higher GPA requirements and on average, sorority GPAs are higher than regular undergrad women. They aren't that expensive at all schools, mostly at major schools...something to think about!

Pledged was a really really good book IMO. However, I myself would never join a sorority because I think it would hurt my relationship with chris and plus I dont really want to shell out a shitload of money to party. Idk I dont really see living with a bunch of girls as fun. Just not my thing,sorry. Eh if my children wanted to join it would depend on the sorotiy/frat they were thinking about pledging and set conditions if we're helping them pay for it.


As a sorority member, knowing what my sorority was about and what we stood for, Pledged was absolutely appalling to me. I don't doubt that there are groups like that, but it really sucks that it causes people to believe that we are all like that and/or turn them away from what could be an amazing experience for them.

As for living with girls...I lived in my sorority's house for a year and a half, and while there were times when we got on each other's nerves (what roommates don't?) it was great for me! Always someone to hang out with, study with, go places with, and talk to when you're down! :)

As a sorority member, knowing what my sorority was about and what we stood for, Pledged was absolutely appalling to me. I don't doubt that there are groups like that, but it really sucks that it causes people to believe that we are all like that and/or turn them away from what could be an amazing experience for them.

As for living with girls...I lived in my sorority's house for a year and a half, and while there were times when we got on each other's nerves (what roommates don't?) it was great for me! Always someone to hang out with, study with, go places with, and talk to when you're down! :)

I know people that have had good, and bad experiences with sororities/fraternities. i've expressed alot of my opinions in this thread already. I just think that though there are good experiences there are a ton of bad/poor experiences that i've heard from close friends.

Gamma Phi Beta Baby!!!!!!
omg lets just say that Pledged...didn't do sorority life justice in my experience...i was begging to be out after one year...it doesn't fit me, we all know how girls can be crazy and its definatly magnified thousands of times, when you put pmsy girls all together in one house...didn't much like the frat boys either...but i wouldn't hold my kid back, apparently it gives great future work oppurtunites and connections..

I wasn't in one and didn't want to be. If my child wanted to be in one, that is their choice, they are an adult by the time they go to college. If their grades started to fall because of it, i would stop paying for any semester where they got grades below a certain point (that is what my parents did to me and it was pretty effective).

i was never in one...nor was my husband. i don't know for sure if we would let our kids, it's not something we discussed...but i think i would try to discourage it...and encourage a sport or club of some sort more related to their educational goals.

Well, I was in one but I was kind of a different circumstance. I was on a full volleyball scholarship, and spent about 60-70 hours a week with that. I didn't have a lot of time to get involved a whole lot, but I did it to branch out from the team. Our sorority was extremely academic conscious. They kept a close eye on grades, weren't big partiers, and did a HUGE amount for the community. I loved the experience and would welcome the idea of our children being a part of this type of organization, as long as they held the members to the same type of standard as I was held to.

On the other hand, DH was part of a fraternity and his was a COMPLETELY different experience than mine; his was also banned from the campus for a year:arg

I was in one. Actually, prior to joining one, I had this horrible impression of sorority girls. I didn't join until my Sophomore year. One of my friends who was in one convinced me to go through "Rush" where you get to see all the houses and meet the women who are a part of them. She basically said that if the last day, I didn't want to join one, I didn't have to. By the end, I totally felt at home at one house. And I did join one.

To this day, I would never change my mind about my decision. Not only did I meet women that I would be friends with for the rest of my life, but it taught me how to manage my time, as well as making me a leader. I held an office nearly every year I was in college. And whenever I needed help academically or emotionally, there was always someone there to help me through it.

It is a decision that shouldn't be made lightly, though. Because it is time consuming. There are meetings and social events and community events that you will be required to attend and participate in. As for whether or not I'd let my children join one, I would say yes.

I was in one. Actually, prior to joining one, I had this horrible impression of sorority girls. I didn't join until my Sophomore year. One of my friends who was in one convinced me to go through "Rush" where you get to see all the houses and meet the women who are a part of them. She basically said that if the last day, I didn't want to join one, I didn't have to. By the end, I totally felt at home at one house. And I did join one.

To this day, I would never change my mind about my decision. Not only did I meet women that I would be friends with for the rest of my life, but it taught me how to manage my time, as well as making me a leader. I held an office nearly every year I was in college. And whenever I needed help academically or emotionally, there was always someone there to help me through it.

It is a decision that shouldn't be made lightly, though. Because it is time consuming. There are meetings and social events and community events that you will be required to attend and participate in. As for whether or not I'd let my children join one, I would say yes.

I was in one. Actually, prior to joining one, I had this horrible impression of sorority girls. I didn't join until my Sophomore year. One of my friends who was in one convinced me to go through "Rush" where you get to see all the houses and meet the women who are a part of them. She basically said that if the last day, I didn't want to join one, I didn't have to. By the end, I totally felt at home at one house. And I did join one.

To this day, I would never change my mind about my decision. Not only did I meet women that I would be friends with for the rest of my life, but it taught me how to manage my time, as well as making me a leader. I held an office nearly every year I was in college. And whenever I needed help academically or emotionally, there was always someone there to help me through it.

It is a decision that shouldn't be made lightly, though. Because it is time consuming. There are meetings and social events and community events that you will be required to attend and participate in. As for whether or not I'd let my children join one, I would say yes.

i was in a high school sorority and it really was based around community service. i loved it except i was so tired of dealing with large masses of girls by the time i was a senior and an upper officer so i decided not to rush in college. i went to a very large southern state university. university of alabama.... fees for the sororities there were more than tuition and such a large percentage of that school was greek that i felt out of place and eventually transferred. it was awful. you had no hope of doing anything at that school unless you were greek. all the officers of every organization are greek and only allow greeks. literally every single homecoming queen is picked for the next 50+ years(president of which sorority). no one does anything about it because even the board members of the university have greek backgrounds.. it was actually mentioned in the book pledged and i think it was waaaaaay worse than it was depicted.

i would let my children join but i would make sure they had their priorities in order and knew of the negative side of it all. i would be super cautious especially if they went to a larger state school.

military so's are the only sorority i need! i only knew my neighbor a month before she moved away and that girl will be in my big wedding ceremony and her daughter will be the flower girl rather than people ive known for years.

i was in one & so was DH.

Well i will say that everyone is very much entitled to their opinions on Fraternity and sorority life, but not all Fraternities and sororities have wild parties, haze and have bad reps from a few knuckleheads.
I will say that i am in the procees of choosing a sorority to join, not only for reasons of community sevice, but for networking goals as well as making friendships with like minded women. of the Sororities that i am looking at have a lot women that are dedicated professionals that serve their orgs well.
and most importantly for me to start a legacy for my own family, i would never be opposed to any of my children wanting to join a GLO.
While pledged was a good book there are some other books that people can read such as In search of SisterHood by Paula Giddings, The Divine Nine by Andrew Lawrence, and many others. ;). I have been in my quest for this since 2005 and i am waiting for an opportunity to present itself, but i have made many friends in the Organization that i am wanting to join so i have begun to take the first of many steps towards greekdom. and for those who feel that they don't want to pay for people to be friends, you don't the money that you pay for some organizations goes to programs like the march of dimes storks nest , the american cancer society, breast cancer awareness, and even literacy programs. so in total just say if it's not for you then it's not but don't bash the greek system, or those who want to join, some get their letters and do stupid things that reflect badly on them and their chosen orgs and others do wonderfull things with theirs.:hehe

wow this is from july 2007!

anyway no one ever said that ALL sororities and fraternities are bad organizations but in many of our personal experiences we saw things that were not what we wanted. who bashed the greek system, i really can't remember since this is old.

no one bashed it personally but as a whole i was saying that there are many good things some GLO's contribute to, and yes this may be an old post but i am new here and felt like leaving my 2 cents

i know many people who have found great things from the greek organizations but i have seen far more negative things with my own eyes

I have heard some bad things but i myself personally have not let the few actions of some ill intentioned people mess up what could be a great experience. i have family members as well as close friends who are greek and i have heard mostly great things and will continue to let the good things influence me

I'm a Greek (hence the letters in my signature).

Best choice I ever made...LOVE my sorority. :D:cp

It's def. a personal choice triggered by personal circumstances.

I'm a Greek (hence the letters in my signature).

Best choice I ever made...LOVE my sorority. :D:cp

It's def. a personal choice triggered by personal circumstances.

I second this, everyone has had bad experiences, but it does not stop you from going on with life

I was never in one. I would never join one. Most of the people I know that have been in one change for the worst. Another thing, IMO, I dont need to pay $$ to make friends. No offense to anyone at all :) It's just my opinion and always has been.

It also depends on what kind of sorority and frat. Some of them are for a good cause and not just the crazy partying etc.

I rushed but never joined... just didn't have the money... It's great networking... something crazy like 80% of CEOs were in fraternities. I wouldn't try to talk my kid into it but would try to support them, but would make them pay all the fees. It's about $600/semester here.

I was in one in college. I had a very good experience and would give my child my blessing if they wanted to join one. Provided that their grades didn't suffer, of course.

To join mine wasn't expensive. I don't even recall there being any expense. Although, it might have been rolled into our housing expenses. At the campus where I graduated, the rule was that fraternities and sororities had to provide housing for all its members. So the houses were basically little dorms - we had about 80 some girls in our house.

I'm in one and I LOVE it :happy

No, No, and it would be up to him if he wanted to join one or not. I would prefer that he didn't though.

I am in one, and it is definitely not the typical "movie" sorority. Our dues are only about $80 per year. We are basically a bunch of nerds. We do a ton of community service for breast cancer, and are starting to expand out to other women's services. Our groups emphasis is on academia, and we have a dry rule (no coming to events drunk or hung over, even though you can party all you want on your free, and no alcohol served at sorority sponsored events). Our "hell week" wasn't that intense because we all had midterms that week, lol. It was more of a Hell Day. :D It is a great way to find like-minded people, I will admit that I used to be judgmental of ladies in sororities until I realized what a great opportunity they are. I am significantly happier with these ladies this year than I was without them last year. I totally admit that some of these groups are bad influences on great girls, but I also think people judge them too quickly.

would you ever join one? were you in one? would you let your children join one?

Yes. Yes. Yes, if he wanted to.... I wouldn't encourage him to though, and I might even advise him against it. I'm kinda beginning to get the idea that my kid could network in Manhattan from Siberia (he's a very social and charming little guy! :lol). Seeing as he probably won't need to make connections that way I would rather him avoid rest.... it would depend on what school, and what frat too though I guess.... plus there's always Masons.

first i just have to say...alot of these debates are being bumped up from 07 :puzz

but i wasn't around so i'm going to answer anyway...

i thought about joining in college and i decided not to...because i hate the fact that they pick and choose...and if you don't get picked that could really upset people...if someone is willing to pay and be a part of a group that "helps" people i don't see why they can't...just because some of their other ideas or looks don't fit with that sorority...it's the cause that matters...

i also didn't want to have to pay for friends...if i wanted to help the community and make contacts...there are multiple volunteer programs in every area that you can help with for free...and make friends...

DH was in a fraternity and to be honest he was a complete and utter ass when he joined and thought he was the best cause he had a fraternity...when really all his fraternity was known for was drinking and partying and only helping out like once a year..it was lame...
I also had roomates that joined sororities and honestly as soon as they joined i never saw them...unless she came back to the apartment to drink my alcohol...so i've just never had a good experience with them...

but those are just my experiences and opinions...i'm sure not all are like that...and it's an absolutely wonderful organization for some...just not for me..

Let your child join?? Won't they be of age to make that decision for themselves by the time they get into college?

First, I can only speak for my sorority alone, but we have a GPA requirement of a 2.5. If you fall below a 2.5 you are put on strict academic probation. We always require every member (Even if you have a 4.0) to do study hours every week, and if you do fall below a 2.5 you are required to do 5 study hours a week (All watched by me (The Academic Chair) or President or Vice President) and if you're GPA does not raise after that you are put in front of a discipline committee and social priviledges are taken away. If our sororities cumulative GPA falls below a 2.6 we are placed on social probation by our National Committee and are not allowed to hold any social functions. Also, I know that it is a fact at the University of Houston that the Sorority combined GPA is higher than the all around women's GPA.

Secondly, sororities are not for everyone, and it depends on the sorority. My sorority is comprised of many different girls from all walks of life, we aren't all cookie cutter blondes (Obviously, since I'm not even blonde.) We do a lot of volunteer work for Children's Miracle Network, attend a ton of sporting events around campus, and do a lot of other functions that involve no alcohol at all. In my personal experience joining a sorority has introduced me to a lot of lovely young women that are now some of my best friends and has given me a place on campus (I go to a commuter college) that feels like home.

For me, and I can only speak for myself, my grades have gone up since I have joined a sorority because I constantly have girls to study with, and the amount of alcohol I consume has neither risen nor fell.

Now, on the EXPENSIVE part of it, that it is. But I had a pretty much full ride to college and I pay my sorority dues myself, so my parents really had no way to complain about it. Also, DB has met all my sorority sisters and the fraternities I hang out with and is 100% comfortable with me hanging around them because he, himself has gotten a chance to know them.

:)


this is pretty much my experience. Honestly I don't think there was any hazing at my college. There was in fraternities I can tell you that, but the things we did weren't bad and you could definitely opt out of anything if you wanted to.

We did alot of work with Mott's Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor and in a retirement home. I really enjoyed being in my sorority. It was an invaluable experience. I am still running into other Alpha Phi's to this day and there is an instant bond......

It was a good experience for me. The one thing I enjoyed most about it was the sisterhood......you met so many people that you just bonded with. I had alot of friends in and out of my sorority and the greek system in general...I also liked how when we pledged we visited ALL the sorority houses so you could get a feel for them instead of just going for perhaps the most well known ones on campus.

I'd support my kids rushing.......it's a great way to network and get involved.

Let your child join?? Won't they be of age to make that decision for themselves by the time they get into college?
Would you pay dues for them if they wanted to?

I was in one in college (well, I should stay I still am in one - once a sister, always a sister!) I was definitely not your stereotypical sorority girl - which was great, because I didn't join a stereotypical sorority!

We did a lot of community service, for one thing. That was really the main focus - that and recruitment. We had strict guidelines for grades - study hours every week, incentives for good grades (like Strive for Pi - if the chapter's GPA was at least 3.14 at the end of the semester, the alumnnae would have a dinner for us), scholarship awards, etc. Absolutely no smoking/drinking/bad behavior while wearing your letters. Yes, some girls partied hard - because that's how they were, it had nothing to do with being in a sorority. We also had awesome advisors who supported us and were always there for us.

Greek life was practically non-existent at my college - we were the only national sorority - a couple more were local, and the frat boys were always getting their chapters suspended :teehee So it was always very important to our chapter to 1) Let people know that we were there, and 2) Show people that we were NOT the stereotype.

Our national sorority has very strict rules against hazing. We actually did the opposite - we treated our new members wonderfully. There were always surprised about it! I always thought hazing was dumb - why would I want to join a group of girls who made my life miserable??

As for whether I'd let my child(ren) join - it's their decision. When I joined, it never occured to me to ask my parents. They gave me an allowance (they didn't want me to work), and it was up to me what to spend it on.

was never in one. never wanted to be. i wouldn't encourage my children to be, but i would never tell them they couldn't be.

well i am in one at my college..
it works for some people and it doesnt work for some..
and the thing i hate most, is hearing people who have no idea what it means to be in a sorority/fraternity is that you pay for friends. that is not the case at all. and the whole drinking thing, no one is forcing you to do anything.
ab dif my daughter wanted to join one, i am completely for it..
its a bond no one can ever break, its a second family ans almost a first one for some.

nope, i wasn't in one, and had absolutely no desire to be in one. i had enough of social hierarchies in high school, i wasn't about to put myself back in that position willingly in college. not saying all sororities are the stereotypical hollywood type, but the ones i've had experience with were. and, just, bleh. no thanks.

when my (future) kid is college-aged, they can do whatever they want. but they're paying for it themselves.

i didn't think i was the type of girl for a typical social sorority. but i joined a professional one and i love it! we still do socials like typical ones, but with a stronger focus on what will help you once you're out of school...

by the time my girls get into college they will be adults and i will be telling to be careful what they get into. but i would never tell them not to be in a sorority. it was not for me being an older student but if it is what they want then more power to them. the sorority girls that i have met at my school, all seem really nice and do a lot community service and have to have good grades. i do not know a lot about them but it cannot be all that bad, at my school at least.

No - never joined one and personally I just don't know enough about them to have an opinion.
Let my kids join one? If fraternities/sororities are like what you see in the movies then hell no.
But if the movies are an exaggeration then *shrug*

And i always thought they were a college-thing so I feel that I'd have no say, anyway.

I am SOOOOOOOOOO tired of the "I dont need to pay $$ to make friends"...Good LORD! :duh:duh

Do you pay dues to any professional associations/networking groups, donate to your church, pay for membership to a gym? It's not about the MONEY you spend, it's about the experiences and memories. ANY organization needs money to run. Instead of paying $$$ to the school for your room and board, you can choose to spend it on your sorority housing fees. I gained study partners, partners in crime, and found out more about myself than I would have in any other way...College is a time when some can feel lost and alone. My sorority was my rescue ship!

It's a very judgemental statement...I would gladly pay to belong to a wonderful organization. The money is SUCH a small part of it all! Since college, I've been a national officer, president of my alumni chapter, etc. The experiences and skills gained from those positions are worth the nominal fee I consider a donation!

Oh wow - newsflash to unexperienced me - you have to pay to join.
I see your point but that does sound odd if all you do is hang out - so I'm presuming it's more than just a clique of chum-around friends, then?