With an average of over 50% of the male undergraduate population being in a fraternity, it’s no secret that Greek life is popular. In fact, if you’re considering Greek life in college, you’ve probably seen all the stereotypes about sororities and fraternities from movies, TV shows, and social media.
While Greek life does have its fair share of matching outfits and parties, there are both benefits and struggles that you don’t usually think about. So before you commit to a sorority or fraternity, keep in mind the pros and cons:
Pros
Let’s start out with the good side of Greek life. As you’ll see, the main benefits of joining a sorority or fraternity are the social connections you’ll make.
⛓️Sense of Community
Greek life is all about feelings of sisterhood and brotherhood. When you’re living in a house full of your brothers or sisters, attending weekly activities, and doing community service alongside each other, you’re bound to feel like you belong.
When you’re new to college and need a college freshman guide, feelings of belonging can be the difference between surviving and thriving. Students who feel connected to their community on campus proved to be more successful academically and overall when they got to college.
👬Networking
Greek life is a great way to make friends in college: with current students and alumni alike. You never know what connections you’ll make that can help you in your classes or in securing an internship during your undergraduate years.
If you’re lucky, your alumni network might just be your ticket to a job after graduation. Don’t be afraid to reach out and find possible mentors in your undergraduate years. A key internship for a first-year college student, or internship for graduate students, or a summer job may just lead to your future career.
🔥Leadership
Greek life is a great opportunity to get involved in leadership for an organization. Sororities and fraternities have chairs of each committee, which range from philanthropy to outreach.
Once you’ve been a member for the designated amount of time, you’re eligible to run for leadership positions. This is the perfect setting to gain leadership experience. You’ll most likely coordinate events, have to abide by rules and statutes, and handle any conflicts that arise.
👩🏫Mentorship
While we mentioned mentorship in the context of networking, this pro deserves more attention. When you first join Greek life, you have a specific status (e.g., Potential New Member, New Member Class). And in that first term of joining, you’ll be picked up by a “Big,” who basically serves as your designated mentor.
Your Big will guide you through your transition into Greek life, from the social events to the ceremonies. Aside from your Big, there are all the older members who’ve been around for a while. You’ll find that most are more than happy to offer advice with classes, campus activities, or future career paths.
🗓️Social Calendar
And now for the biggest perk of joining Greek life—a full social calendar. When you join a sorority or fraternity, your life gets very busy very quickly. Between all the chapter meetings, formals, philanthropy events, and traditions, you’ll find that your weekends are full.
A booked social calendar is a great way to make sure you aren’t spending your days cooped up in the library studying. It’s also how you’ll build your sense of community and form relationships that last long after graduation.
Cons
But Greek life isn’t all butterflies and rainbows. Before taking the plunge, be aware of all that goes into the process, whether it’s the financial or social challenges:
💸Expensive fees
Fraternities and sororities aren’t cheap. In fact, some estimates quote dues and housing as anywhere between $1,000 and $7,000. These costs depend on the college you go to and what specific sorority or fraternity you’re in. However, if you’re trying to slash your expenses, read our article about free housing for college students and buy used textbooks.
The bottom line is dues for your sorority or fraternity could be hundreds or thousands of dollars per semester on top of your tuition and housing costs. Besides the official dues, you’ll also have the personal costs that come along with social events. For example, you’ll have to spend money on a dress or suit for a winter formal. And if you miss an event or don’t meet a requirement, you’ll be fined. Those fines, outfits, and dues can add up by the end of the year.
🚩Peer pressure
It’s no secret that there’s a dark side to fraternity and sorority life. College students who are peer pressured into drinking too much or getting into dangerous situations can find themselves in bad situations.
Not all this peer pressure happens at parties, either. Peer pressure can look like following your brothers or sisters to a sporting event when you should be studying for a big chemistry exam. Whatever the setting, you should be ready to face challenges in your responsibilities and take care of mental health in college.
⌚Time Management Obstacles
While a full social calendar is great for forming relationships and having a life outside of school, you can easily become overbooked. If you’re prioritizing your Greek events over studying or going to class, then your social calendar has officially gotten in the way of your studies.
Also, if your grades drop, you’ll be put on academic probation. Probation means you won’t be able to participate in Greek life activities for a set amount of time, usually a semester. So managing your time well will ultimately help keep you in good standing with your Greek organization.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, your college experience is what you make it. If you are interested in joining Greek life, go for it! Sororities and fraternities offer a unique opportunity to find your community when you first get to college. You might find a friend group you’ll have long after graduation. You might even make connections that lead to your future career.
But don’t overlook the challenges that come with joining Greek life. More than likely, you’ll be paying thousands of dollars to join your Greek organization, stay a member, attend the events, and live in your chapter’s house. Other than the financial side, you’ll also have to practice self-discipline in balancing your social obligations with your classes.
Now that you’re aware of both the pros and cons of joining Greek life organizations, you can make informed decisions about college life. Whatever organization you end up finding, don’t forget to make the most of your experience!
