Is Greek Life for You? Questions to Help You Decide

Tim McGraw is a Pi Kappa Alpha; Courtney Cox-Arquette is a Delta Zeta; Condoleezza Rice is an Alpha Chi Omega.

“Going Greek” is something that millions of college students have done, enjoying what sororities and fraternities have to offer. But millions choose not to join. Ask yourself these questions to help discover if going Greek is right for you.

What percentage of students are “Greek” at this school? It might be important to you to be in the majority—or not.

How important is a sense of belonging? “The number one reason why students join sororities and fraternities is for a sense of belonging,” reports Patty Disque, national chairman of the College Panhellenics Committee. “That’s why you select a sorority or fraternity the same way you choose your friends.”

Are you a social person? “I am outgoing and being in a sorority seemed like a way to broaden my friendships,” comments Rachel Armstrong, a Chi Omega at Miami University. “I loved meeting people during rush and the whole process taught me a lot about myself: what I valued in friendships and how I wanted to portray myself.”

Do Greek organizations at your campus allow opportunities for service and leadership? “Being in a sorority has provided me with opportunities to lead and to serve others and that is one of the most rewarding gifts college can give back to us,” says Ellie Stonecash of Wittenberg University.

Can you afford membership? Joining is usually not something a student on a tight budget can afford. Find out the fees and what they include. Ask about extras, such as gift-giving occasions.

Would I enjoy the rush process? Remember, you are evaluating Greek organizations as much as they are evaluating you.

Can I take some rejection? The truth is, you might like a particular group, and they might not like you. Can you handle that?

Are there reasons to rush, even if I don’t join? “I opted to rush and doing so was a great way to meet fellow freshmen and even upperclassmen,” comments Amrit Bhavinani, a junior at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “After I received bids, my parents advised me to wait until the following semester. By then, I had already formed my own social group and gotten involved in organizations so I didn’t join a fraternity. But I still was friends with many of the people I met in fraternities.”