PROS and CONS ...

[Dubb]

I imagine it's different at different schools, but where I am the stereotypes tend to be pretty spot on. A couple of my friends started rushing but quit when they just couldn't get over how completely base and pointless the whole thing was. One of them told me that it seemed like a bunch of pampered knuckle-draggers manifesting their social insecurities through a need to belong to a group. like it validates their existence or something.

I get the impression that the greek system in general is a dying animal, kicking and moaning with its' last breath.

I do like it for one thing though, before I met my current girlfriend, the ass-letters were a clear indication of which girls I didn't want to talk to.

But like I said, it's probably different at different schools, I'd talk to some older students and see what they have to say.

 

[MikeMike]

i should have gone to more rush functions, i may start going to a few more at other frats here at PU. I will prolly do a lot more next semester when im more comfortable. it seems like its a good time but they have limits too.

MIKE

 

[clicknext]

There should be an ATOT frat.

 

[csyberblue]

Originally posted by: loki8481
I was president of a frat in college.

for me, it was a really great experience. my brothers (and sisters... it was coed) were all really great people, and at the very least, it gives you a group of people to party with if you're bored and there's nothing else going on.

on the other hand, a lot of the other greeks on campus were total douchebags. I lucked out when I chose to join a frat that focused more on community service and academics, as opposed to keg parties.

my university has a co-ed fraternity as well. I was thinking about joining it. If you could, would you mind PM'ing me with more of your thoughts on the fraternity?

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: clicknext
There should be an ATOT frat.

Alpha Tri Omega Theta

 

[xchangx]

popper, the phrase i've heard commonly is "you don't call you country a wise and beautiful woman, so dont call your fraternity a frat"...whatever that means...but basically, the term "frat" is associated with all the negative stereotypes. In soceity, being called a "frat boy" is a bad thing...girls who go to "frat parties" are gonna get raped...and so on.

so wouldn't country be "count" or "co". Where does "wise and beautiful woman" come from?

Here at Alabama, the greek system is a joke. All conform to the stereotypes (kacky shorts, polo shirt tucked in (pink seems to be the "in" color), 80's sunglasses with the "holder" that wraps around your head incase your sunglasses fall off)

During football games they have their own section in formal clothes (blazer and kacky pants) in 90 degree heat.

All that for what? Apparently to feel accepted. One frat house actually covers the from of their house with a rebel flag, along with the cannons in the front yard. They're the ones you hear saying that "The south will rise again!".

Anyway, finished ranting...

 

[DrPizza]

Depends on the college... Yes, fraternities are big at Cornell... Generally, I'd say no to fraternities, but in Cornell's case, :thumbsup:

I'm another A-Phi-Oer... it really really really depends on the school as to whether A phi O is worth it or not... At Alfred U, (epsilon gamma chapter), we were pretty much the party chapter of the state. We did some activities with the chapter at St Bonas and eventually turned that group into a bunch of alcoholics as well. But, some of the chapters take it wayyyy to seriously. We were kinda like "okay, lets go build the picnic tables for the scout camp... and then come back and have a party."

For you high school youngsters out there... A Phi O is a COED service fraternity... That means guys AND girls Some chapters partied... some didn't... we partied, and we partied well When I was pledgemaster though, one of the pledges was thrown out... and I was reprimanded by our officers... She was super-hot.. I still say that not sleeping with the pledgemaster isn't in the rulebook!

 

[ABitTooSpicy]

Join a Frat, you get to pay to hang out with your friends... and you aren't allowed to hang out with anyone else...

I hate on frats.... I'm a hater, I don't deny it =)

I hate you I hate you and I don't even know you and I hate you!

 

[hdeck]

pros - hookups when you graduate

cons - paying thousands of dollars a years for friends
getting humiliated and made to act like a fool just to get in
paying money to say you have friends
frat beer sucks
paying for friends
frat parties are overrated
having to pay money to fit in

 

[SinNisTeR]

i dont believe in frats, the whole concept of buying friends isnt my thing.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: ABitTooSpicy
Join a Frat, you get to pay to hang out with your friends... and you aren't allowed to hang out with anyone else...

I hate on frats.... I'm a hater, I don't deny it =)

I hate you I hate you and I don't even know you and I hate you!

Uhhh....I was friends with most of the pike guys before I joined, and being that I pledged as a sophmore, I already had a solid group of friends, whom I still hang out with all the time. Next?

As to people claiming ridiculous costs...dues vary greatly depending on school and fraternity. I pay $200/term...we have 4 terms at Drexel. That's $800/year...not too bad.

 

[xEDIT409]

I'm currently thinking of joining a Frat too. (Kappa Sigma)

But i'm doing engineering, and I dont know how well that will go with frat life.

 

[Ns1]

I'm currently a pledge for Gamma Epsilon Omega @USC

It definately seems like a good time, and the fees aren't that bad...

But rushing as many fraternities as possible is definately important, because some of the other org's I was definately not down with.

Here around SoCal most fraternities are either part of the IFC or the AGC. IFC org's weren't my thing because it was usually 100++ actives, 30+ pledge classes, and then all they do is drink and...well yeah that's about it.

AGC at my school was divided between Beta's and Gamma's. Gamma's ended up being my thing because they were really small, 25ish actives, pledge class this year of 6. It just worked for me.

Our pledge process also lasts until Feb, which generally gets us alot closer to each other than any other fraternity.

So yeah, we'll see how the year goes

 

[SuperTool]

I was at Cornell, and I joined Eta Kappa Nu
Frat parties at Cornell are pretty good though. Not much else to do in Ithaca. But then again house parties are also pretty good, so you don't have to be in a frat.

 

[KnickNut3]

Pros:
close-knit group of friends
(possibly) social status (if that's what you want)
housing (varying by school, whether it's off campus or on campus--may be a good or bad thing)
apparently it may help you later in life if you're part of an exclusive one, one that's more than just a drinking club

Cons:
dues--we have to pay ~$400 a year in "insurance" which goes to nationals and is just to make sure that some dumb chick that falls out of a window drunk during a party doesn't decide to sue the fraternity on the national level. We actually pay upwards of $500 a year, and we have a $500 or so social fund (among the 25 of us... do the math).
negative stereotypes (cast upon you, reinforcing them is optional)
hazing/pledging -- always a bitch

My suggestion is to go to rush events, see if you feel comfortable. If you really think you'd want to live with every one of them (and pay for the privelage) for 2+ years, go for it. Otherwise, consider your other options (which may send you back to possible fraternities, who knows).

HTH

 

[SuperTool]

Are you transfer, meaning you'll only be there 2 years?

 

[GreasyBurger]

Do what I did. Join the military and you get to have some of the best friends in life, and Uncle Sam pay you and let you shoot automatic rifles on top of that. Who the hell spend their money just to have friends anyway?

ps: chicks dig guys in uniform more than some rich college boys get his BMW from his daddy.

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: GreasyBurger
Do what I did. Join the military and you get to have some of the best friends in life, and Uncle Sam pay you and let you shoot automatic rifles on top of that. Who the hell spend their money just to have friends anyway?

ps: chicks dig guys in uniform more than some rich college boys get his BMW from his daddy.

His logic is undeniable.

 

[Rob9874]

Originally posted by: gotensan01
I'm in a frat at U of I, which hosts the largest greek system.

Which fraternity are you in? I went to the U of I, and was in Delta Chi (which coincidentally was founded at Cornell).

To OP, definitely join. Pros: it gives you instant credibility with chicks. I know, it sounds shallow, but it's true. When all the hot chicks are at greek parties, and you're playing Halo with your "independent" friends, you'll never forgive yourself. When you meet a hot chick at a bar or party, and she asks, "What house are you in?", if you say you're not, it tells tham that there's a high possibility that you're not "cool".

Believe me, I don't agree with that mentality, but when you're in college and want to party with chicks, you don't even care. You have so many opportunity to meet girls, and have so much fun. I ended up dropping out of the U of I (graduated later at Arizona State), and it may have had something to do with the fraternity. But I wouldn't change it for anything. Best years of my life!

Do you know Kimball?

 

[esun]

I faced a similar choice not too long ago. There are a lot of pros to joining a fraternity. However, you also have to want to join, be willing to join, and like the people of that fraternity. I really didn't have the time this semester to go through the recruitment process, so I may look into it later but for now I'm sticking it out in the dorms. If you're at all interested, you should go through recruitment. For us, it was free, and basically you go to various activities in which you get free food and get to hang out with people. If you decide not to join, then so be it, there's no obligation, and you just walk away with all of the free goodies you got that week.

There's no reason not to check it out, but also weigh other advantages and disadvantages of a fraternity as well before deciding.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: GreasyBurger
Do what I did. Join the military and you get to have some of the best friends in life, and Uncle Sam pay you and let you shoot automatic rifles on top of that. Who the hell spend their money just to have friends anyway?

ps: chicks dig guys in uniform more than some rich college boys get his BMW from his daddy.

At least he'll get some writing skills in college.

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: GreasyBurger
Do what I did. Join the military and you get to have some of the best friends in life, and Uncle Sam pay you and let you shoot automatic rifles on top of that. Who the hell spend their money just to have friends anyway?

ps: chicks dig guys in uniform more than some rich college boys get his BMW from his daddy.

At least he'll get some writing skills in college.

So you're saying you can never go to college if you join the military? And I thought the topic was about fraternities?

 

[warriorfan23]

do it! i was in a fraternity and joining was my best decision in college. my grades sucked, but i had a sh!tload of fun. and those who say u its paying to have friends u have no idea about fraternities or you were too much of a dork to get a bid. o yeah and if u dont wanna pay dues u dont have to, but be prepared for the treasurer to get on your ass

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: GreasyBurger
Do what I did. Join the military and you get to have some of the best friends in life, and Uncle Sam pay you and let you shoot automatic rifles on top of that. Who the hell spend their money just to have friends anyway?

ps: chicks dig guys in uniform more than some rich college boys get his BMW from his daddy.

At least he'll get some writing skills in college.

So you're saying you can never go to college if you join the military? And I thought the topic was about fraternities?

no i'm saying greasyburger can't write for sht

and i already made a post about fraternities

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: GreasyBurger
Do what I did. Join the military and you get to have some of the best friends in life, and Uncle Sam pay you and let you shoot automatic rifles on top of that. Who the hell spend their money just to have friends anyway?

ps: chicks dig guys in uniform more than some rich college boys get his BMW from his daddy.

At least he'll get some writing skills in college.

So you're saying you can never go to college if you join the military? And I thought the topic was about fraternities?

no i'm saying greasyburger can't write for sht

Fair enough.