A few main tid bits on what you should know about Greek Life. Jun 22 '00 (Updated Mar 30 '06)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet The Bottom Line I'm not an expert, and shared my limited experience, and yes although I'm out of school, I'm still an active alumni. A few FAQ’s on Greek life. What Should I know About Greek Life in College? Wow, this is a loaded question and varies depending upon which college are universities you attend. It can also be a conflicting question, based upon whom you ask. Sometimes when you mention fraternity, the images of "Animal House" are ingrained in our psyche, just like the movie. But such images do not encompass my experience, sure I had fun, but I also graduated, made good grades and met a lot of wonderful people. There are some people that are pro-Greek life, while others have had negative experiences with certain organizations. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you are on, there are a lot of things to know about Greek life. My advice to any college student interested in Greek Life is to visit There are a lot of different Greek organizations to choose from. I can’t speak on all university and can only share my experience at my college. I joined a fraternity many, many years ago during my sophomore year. There was a brief intake and pledging process and a lot of community service activities and events. Naturally we had our fair share of parties, but most importantly we all valued the friendships we made and continue to correspond even till this day. What to look for? Often when going to college, Greek life represents an entire different group of choices, activities, friends, opportunities and questions. Probably the best recommendations I can give anyone wanting to learn about Greek Life are some of the basics. Make sure the organization is registered with the university. Depending upon your age, it also makes sense to consult your parents or legal guardians. Most important regardless of which organization you choose; it is important to remember the reason why you are going to college in the first place, and that’s to get an education. A good Greek organization will have some sort of study or mentoring program to help you meet your academic goals. Your organization should serve as a resource to help you weave through campus life. Next you want to find out how much of your free time your organizations requires. Joining a Greek organization will require some investment of one's time. While research continues to show being involved in campus activities leads to graduation, you don’t want to over commit yourself. Time management is key as you learn how to balance, your organization, with your academic life. Fraternities and sororities offer a lot of different activities. There are various community and service projects, and of course dances, step shows and dinners. What do I have to do to join? Will they hit me? Do I have to drink? Attend on campus icebreakers, informationals and visit the office of campus life or its equivalent. There will probably be a fee associated with membership to join the Greek organization of your choice. The fee can range anywhere from $100.00 to $2000.00. So be prepared to pay out of pocket or engage in a lot of fundraisers. Never pay cash! The cost of joining a sorority or fraternity is very similar to joining any other organization. There is some sort of initiation fee to be considered active in that organization. Next, for your own safety make sure that the organization does not engage in any hazing. This is illegal! Finally, check into your schools policies. Alcohol abuse or use its use should never be a requirement for membership into a Greek organization. Most university has strict policies about alcohol use so check with your school. Check out the organization you are interested in joining. After hopefully getting a handbook or pamphlet from you school about the potential organization you are interested in, make sure you read it. Membership requirements vary. In most cases the school acts more as a support structure to guide the organization. Usually faculty and staff from your school assist and monitor your organizations activities. However, its on campus members run the day-to-day operations of your organization. The majority of schools have one are all of the following governing bodies: Inter-Greek Council, The National Pan Hellenic Council and Interfraternity Council. These governing bodies serve in an executive capacity. They ensure that Greek membership is open to all fully enrolled students and help uphold the standards of their organization and its members. My final thoughts: Bottom line, there are a lot of options, with most Greek organizations, offering a variety of different chapters on various college and university campuses. Greek organizations are always seeking new members so read the banners, and flyers and go to the next recruitment event if you are interested. Fraternities and sororities have both positive and negative reputations, so it’s important to shop around and do some research. Greek life can offer lots of networking opportunities and campus fun and can impress your future employer. Within these organizations you can find a variety of religions, cultures, ethnicities, and orientations. Greek Life in College can be an excellent way to meet new people and practice your leadership skills. In the end, it’s all up to you……..

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