College Central

What is Greek life? How does it affect your campus? Would it be a good fit for you?

Many college-bound students like you wonder what role they will play at their future schools, aside from their academic studies. It can be difficult to determine what activities you may want to devote yourself to during college. Some students turn to Greek life, which consists of different types of fraternities and sororities. But it can be difficult to determine whether Greek life is right for you without knowing much about it. Some basics about Greek letter organizations, or Greek life, will help you better understand what’s happening on your campus, and if it’s something you’d like to be a part of.

Names and letters

Have you ever seen names like ΑΞΔ, ΓΦΒ, ΠΚΦ, Alpha Kappa Psi, or Alpha Rho Chi? These are a few examples of names and letters of Greek organizations. If you haven’t already, you’ll most likely see them on campus on signs, posters, houses, t-shirts, and more.

Different types of Greek organizations

The largest portion of Greek life is made up of social sororities and fraternities. Social sororities are typically made up of female members, and social fraternities are typically made up of male members. Both are social organizations, and their focus is on meeting new people, being involved on campus, raising money and awareness through philanthropic efforts, and developing future professional contacts. Social Greek life is often portrayed in movies and is what you probably think about when someone mentions “Greek life”. These scenes may represent stereotypical Greek life behavior, such as binge-drinking and wild parties. Movies can misrepresent Greek life, and it’s important to go into college with an open mind, knowing that most organizations on your campus will be very different from what you may see portrayed on the movie screen. Besides social sororities and fraternities, there are 3 additional types of Greek life organizations you may have not heard much about – academic, service, and multicultural fraternities.

• Academic fraternities focus on your major or interests. For example, there are fraternities focused on business or architecture. These types of organizations are perfect for students who would like to be more immersed in their major and network for their future career.
• Service fraternities’ primary purpose is community service.
• Multicultural organizations work to bring people of similar cultural backgrounds together and embrace their heritage.

Note: It is possible that students are involved in multiple Greek organizations, but individuals may only be a part of one social fraternity or sorority. For example, someone may be a part of an academic fraternity and a social fraternity, but they could not be a part of two social fraternities. Also, social sororities and fraternities may be gender-specific, but most other Greek organizations are co-ed.

A part of something larger

Individual Greek life organizations on your campus may be part of the National Panhellenic Conference, National Pan-Hellenic Council, the North-American Interfraternity Council, or the Multicultural Greek Council, which are national councils that back up smaller organizations. They work to keep order in Greek Life and connect people from different chapters all over the United States.

Having nationwide, overarching Greek life organizations helps create and regulate rules and guidelines in individual chapters. As an individual with autism and a member of a Greek life organization, you may benefit from the structure provided, or you may find that the obligations and expectations of you are too high. For example, most Greek organizations have grade point average requirements that help keep members on track. If you fall below that requirement, your chapter may help find another member to tutor you, or may make you complete study hours. This GPA requirement may encourage you to keep your grades up, or you may hate that you are forced to complete study hours if your grades slip. Similarly, often times Greek organizations require members to be at a certain number of mandatory events, and you may get fined if you do not show up. As a member with ASD, you may benefit from these social interactions, or you may get overwhelmed by the environments. It all depends on what motivates you, and frustrates you, as an individual.

“Rush” or “recruitment”

Sororities and fraternities often have very different “rush” or “recruitment” processes, as do academic, multicultural, and service organizations. It’s important to understand that the rush/recruitment procedures, as well as the overall Greek life experience, vary for each different chapter at each university.

The most common recruitment process is “rush” or “recruitment,” which occurs during the fall or spring of one’s freshman year, depending on the university. Individuals going through rush are often referred to as “potential members”. Rush/recruitment can last anywhere from 3 days to a week, depending on your university. Those days are designed for potential members to meet current members and learn about the organizations. For social fraternities, the events held during these days may consist of games of soccer or other athletic activities. For social sororities, the events may be more like “parties,” where girls may be required to wear certain types of clothing and visit each chapter’s house or chapter meeting room. Potential members are usually put into small groups with a leader, sometimes called a “Rho Gamma” or a “Pi Chi”. These leaders are members of an organization, but have disaffiliated themselves so that they can help guide the potential members. At the end of the rush/recruitment time period, these organizations give out membership invitations, or “bids.”

Most organizations have a period of “pledgeship” or an “initiation” period before students can become full members. This is the time when the members and organization can determine their compatibility. Once a pledge or new member has completed the requirements during this period, active members invite them to be initiated into the organization as full members. The initiations can often include secret ceremonies or rituals unknown by non-members.

Rush can be an important time for those who wish to join an organization but are unsure of which one. It gives you the opportunity to determine which organization you would best fit into, by learning about the individuals that are already in the organization, the philanthropy they work with, and what kinds of events they host. When determining which chapter potential members want to join, consideration should be given to which organization will best fit your personality and goals. It is not advised to change yourself to fit into a certain organization, but rather find an organization that accepts and celebrates who you are as a unique individual.

Living Situation

Members of Greek life organizations may live together in a chapter house or in a specific part of the college’s dorms, and the house or university “chapter room” is often the setting for chapter meetings, dinners, and other events. As an individual on the autism spectrum, you may want to consider if living in a sorority house, for example, would be a positive experience for you. You may find that having a large number of girls in one house is too overwhelming, or you may love being close to a tight-knit support system.

Philanthropies

Philanthropy is another word for charity. Philanthropies are private initiatives for the public good that focus on improving quality of life. Some Greek organizations support a national philanthropy and a local chapter philanthropy. For example, Tri Delta chapters nationwide support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the Tri Delta chapter at Auburn University supports Camp Smile-A-Mile locally, alongside St. Jude’s. Philanthropy plays a large role in Greek life, with members participating in numerous volunteer events each year. Because of its high importance in Greek life, it is not only present during membership, but also during the recruitment process. Current members may talk about their ties with a philanthropic organization and what they do to support them, so potential members can decided if it’s something they would like to be a part of. Throughout the year, Greek organizations hold events to raise money, such as competitions, barbeques, benefit nights at restaurants, and more.

Going Greek

Deciding whether to become involved in Greek life can be a tough decision, and you should never feel pressured to join an organization to fit in. Whether Greek life encompasses 50% of the population of your university or 5%, don’t worry – you will be able to make friends and partake in social activities whether you’re a part of a Greek organization or not. If you do decide you’d like to be a part of Greek life, there are many aspects to consider when making the decision, such as time, commitment, and money. Joining a Greek organization is time consuming and can require a significant amount of commitment and money. You may also want to take into consideration your ability to balance a Greek organization with other commitments, such as classes, jobs, and clubs. Greek life also has plenty of benefits – joining a Greek organization can help you stay on top of your grades, get involved in other organizations on campus, and even find a job out of college.

Whether you decide to join Greek life, other campus organizations, get an on-campus job, or even pursue other interests, it’s important to find your niche at the college you decide to attend. There are a variety of activities and sports that universities have to offer to their student body, and Greek life is only one part of it. Being involved in some aspect at your school is sure to enhance your college experience.

Kyleigh McGrail is a Summer 2017 Programs and Outreach Intern for OAR. She is a sophomore at Auburn University double majoring in Public Relations and Global Studies in Human Sciences with a minor in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Studies. Kyleigh has a background in working with students on the spectrum through a sensory garden Girl Scout Gold Award project, and is working with OAR because of her interest in continuing to help improve the lives of individuals with autism and their families.

Shazeen Quadri is a sophomore at Virginia Tech pursuing a B.S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Business. She hopes to further her education in one of these fields by attending PA (Physician’s Assistant) school or earning an MBA in graduate school. She is heavily involved in philanthropic work through her Alpha Phi Fraternity, as she firmly believes in her school’s motto “Ut Prosim” (That I May Serve). Shazeen currently holds two part-time jobs in retail, but hopes to land an internship next summer in her fields of interest.