Leadership, community service, athletics, scholarship and a social life may sound like the credentials for student body president. It’s also a list of the main reasons students join fraternities and sororities at college.
Rachael Hersh-Burdick, senior member of Delta Delta Delta at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., felt it was beneficial to join because she says the Greek system provides a unique social option for university students of all interests and backgrounds.
“Students are provided with the opportunity to participate in philanthropy, social activities such as formals and mixers and the chance to be connected to an extensive alumni network,” she says. I knew before heading off to Illinois State University that I wanted to join a Greek organization, but I wasn’t completely familiar about their histories, what it meant to join or what the fuss was about.
Here’s what I learned. Rush “Rush” is the Greek system’s formal recruiting process. It usually occurs in the fall a couple of weeks into the semester or a few weeks prior to the semester’s start. “Rush gives students the opportunity to learn more about all the houses on campus first hand and dispel some of the stereotypes,” says Hersh-Burdick.
During rush, potential fraternity and sorority members visit Greek houses, talk to members, find out why they should join the system, attend events and tell members why they’re considering going Greek. At the end of the exploring process comes bid night, when rushees are extended invitations from houses to join. If you accept a bid, you’ll undergo an initiation period during which you’ll get to know the other “pledges” (new members) and active members of the house.
This new-member period can last from four weeks to an entire semester. After your pledge period is over, you’ll be initiated as an active member of the house.
Academics Academic achievement is a priority for members of Greek organizations. Many organizations enforce grade point average requirements and offer study sessions, tutoring and other such programs. Students who take advantage of the academic support available and properly balance their time between academic and extracurricular activities will find that belonging to a chapter may improve their academic performance.
Costs Each chapter’s cost to join and/or live in the house are different and are usually discussed openly during rush. For example, Hersh-Burdick says her chapter charges about $400 a semester to belong. Some chapters will be more expensive than this, others will be less.
Like most other extracurricular activities, how much you get out of your Greek membership is related to how much you put in. On average, expect to contribute four hours per week for meetings and mandatory activities. With good time management, your Greek activities can easily fit into your weekly schedule and allow plenty of time for classes, studying, work and participation in other campus activities.
Greek to you You may hear some lingo during your first days around the Greek system that sound like another language. Sure, the names of all the houses come from the Greek alphabet, but there are also a ton of different words that are involved with a Greek organization. Active: A fully initiated member who has completed pledging and initiation. Alumnus: An initiated member of a fraternity or sorority who is no longer an undergraduate. Associate: An individual who has not yet been initiated into a fraternity, but who has full active rights. Bid: An invitation for membership into a fraternity or sorority. Chapter: A branch of a local or national fraternity or sorority. Greeks: Another word for fraternity and sorority members. IFC: The governing body of the fraternity system. Stands for Interfraternity Council. PHC: The governing body for the entire Greek system. Stands for Panhellenic Council. Pledge: An individual who has accepted a bid into a fraternity or soroity but has not yet been initiated. Rush: The formal period in the fall when fraternities and sororities may offer a bid. Rushee: Someone who has registered with the Interfraternity Council or Panhellenic Council as being interested in becoming a member of a fraternity or sorority.
