Comments on: Greek Life: Would you advise your teen to Rush?

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:49:36 +0000

Different strokes for different folks. I’m Greek, had a phenomenal experience, so much that I know work for the Fraternity’s international headquarters because I enjoy seeing the positive effects it can have on an individual. Do I dislike non-Greeks, no, it wasn’t their thing and they made a decision not to join for their own reasons. Just like anything in life, no matter what decisions you make you can have a good or bad experience. If you have kids (which I don’t yet) let them make their own decision. If they make a mistake and have a bad experience, they’ll learn from it and hopefully take things away from the experience. If they make a great decision, bonus. You’ll be able to tell.

By: Jean Bean

Jean Bean — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:50:58 +0000

I agree as adults we are judged everyday but more on what you can do, not what you look like unless your career is as a model or actor. I think rush is outdated and has not kept up with the times. Women no longer just have so much emphasis on looks alone, hopefully we have come a long way from that. This is where the negativity comes in, and the age old comparison that the boys frats don’t do that is proof. Rush is like putting women back in the 1950’s. The club itself has great rewards, the entry into them is a whole, different (sad) story. The negative comments isn’t due to jealousy at all but a distain on how young women continue to play the role we have all tried to change.

By: Sorority Girl

Sorority Girl — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:43:09 +0000

Goodness, so much commentary. I would just like to say that I am a multi-cultural student from a small mid-western, raised by a single mother (alongside 3 siblings). I am a Christian, I have never been drunk, I am getting ready to take my LSAT, and I am a sorority girl. I’m not saying all sorority girls are like me, but those who like to generalize greeks into a giant partying culture full of oversexed students should take someone like me into consideration. And by the way, 91% of college students drink, Greek or not. If your kid wants to try drinking, they are going to be able to do it, Greek or not. Unfortunate, but that’s the way it is.

As for the women with stories about being judged, or not fitting in, I am sorry that your experience was negative. I am not wealthy, nor exceptionally pretty. But, I am very social; I love to talk, laugh, and share stories. So did the sorority girl sitting across the table from me. If you have a great conversation with a girl, trust me, you will get an invite back. Unfortunately, each chapter really decides what it’s going to be like and who it wants to take. If a sorority really didn’t want you because you were 20 pounds overweight then shame on them. Unfortunately that’s the way life is. People judge on appearance. During recruitment, after each group of girls has left, my sorority rates the girls we talked to on conversation, academic goals, and interest level in our sorority. That’s it! We have NO idea what their financial status is. I am not niave enough to think that all sororities are like mine. But that doesn’t mean none are. There are great girls everywhere.

Like I said, any sorority that does or does not give a girl a bid based on a material issue (looks, money, clothes, etc.) isn’t a real sorority at all. A real sorority offers frienship, academic and emotional support, and a great way to be involved during the college years. Sororities/fraternities can be wonderful experiences. Don’t shoot your kids down about it based on some preconcieved generalization.

By: teeincsg

teeincsg — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:25:27 +0000

Wow.
to answer the question: I wouldn’t advise my children to “rush” a greek organization.
I’m a member of Delta Sigma Theta and I think that actions speak much louder than words when it comes to pledging, rushing, joining or whatever you want to call it.
For me, the history, the public service and the women who I watched in my community who were Deltas inspired me. No one pushed it down my throat. No one in my immediate family were members.
I guess in some way, I inspired my cousin who recently became a member of Delta Sigma Theta. I never tried to sell the organization to her or “advise” her to make that step, the members and the work we do sells the organization.
I would hope that my daughter will make the determination for herself. If she does decide to join and she meets the academic and public service component, then I’d be very happy.
If she decides greek life is not for her, then that’s fine too.
I guess it depends on experiences and why a person wishes to join an organization which happens to be greek.
For my Sorors and I, it’s not just a college thing. We actually go beyond that and extend public service to our communities long after leaving college.

All groups whether it’s a religious, political, greek, etc., have good points and bad points.
You have to search within yourself and figure out how the ideals of a particular organization align with your own.
If you so choose to affiliate with an organization.
Strength in numbers.

By: FCM

FCM — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:25:38 +0000

I would advise them to be careful, be responsible, to come home when they can, to know they have a home to come home too, to know I am there (even by phone) if they need to talk it out, and that college is just another experience in life. I did Rush, but declined my pledge at the last minute. What I do regret is living at home while going to school. If I had it to do over again I would be on campus.

By: BlondeHoney

BlondeHoney — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:57:41 +0000

My son just graduated from FSU in May and he was a Sig Ep (short for Sigma Phi Epsilon). Like Bluto, we are NOT rich, nowhere near that so maybe that elitist tag is more specifc to UGA. My son made lots of great friends, did LOTS of community service and generally had a great experience. Sig Ep demands that its members maintain a minimum GPA and its members have gone on to be leaders in all aspects of society. My son graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering and already has his career set as a nuclear engineer in the US Navy; he receievd his commission as Ensign last Friday. Yes, they had parties, etc but his fraternity experince was postive for the most part.

By: Blairbe

Blairbe — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:57:13 +0000

Greek Life is a great experience for a college student. Its fun to be a part of and exciting to look forward to as a high school student. When you pledge to a sorority or fraternity, you are well educated about the expectations that the organization holds you to. Yes, sometimes it may be seen as paying for your friends, but I can honestly say, that I had about the same amount of friends or more outside of the sorority. Its all about what you want to get out of the Greek Life experience. Yes, you can gain lots of leadership positions within the Greek Society, but its also important to join other campus organizations to interact with others and broaden your view of college life. Greek Life is great! :-)

By: JATL

JATL — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:37:43 +0000

Catlady -you’re not my mother are you? Hee hee -I don’t have any siblings, but one of your daughter’s experiences does sound similar to mine. I grew up in a very small town in GA with parents who did incredibly well for themselves but were not raised in upper middle class or high society. They put no value on brand names, drinking for pleasure or a number of other tenets of wealthier people. However, they were really into their daughter having a good education, so I went to private school and then to UGA for two years before transferring to a private women’s college. I don’t think they necessarily “got” the sorority thing, but they were actually glad for me to have a group to associate with because they didn’t want their little girl alone and drifting in Athens. Due to the private school and the two college experiences I had, I too learned to socially drink like a pro!

By: catlady

catlady — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:04:07 +0000

There is a GREAT book, an ethnography, about sorority life but I cannot recall its name. Well worth reading for those with students that age.

By: catlady

catlady — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:02:31 +0000

I did not rush, but I was totally focused on getting my degree and getting out (and did in less than 3 years, with no such thing as AP credit back then.) My elder daughter went to a small women’s college and they had no rush. The cohort of entering girls was each a “pledge class”, sort of. She was a Golden Heart. My son’s private, out of state college was too egalitarian (and hippy) to have fraternities. My younger daughter started out at a very chi chi middle sized private college where most of the students were from VERY wealthy homes. She rushed and got the sorority she wanted and was very happy. She ended up at a (different) small women’s college which had its pluses as well, but she still speaks very fondly of her experience. It sure taught her how to drink, and some of the other social mores of that class of people.