fraternities...

I was in the greek system, so here's my 2 cents:

1) what did you have to do to get in?

Usually just hang out with the guys. They'll probably have parties and formal rush events like cards nights or dinners. The more people who know you, the better.

2) do you really have to do weird stuff to join like on tvs and movies?

Sometimes. I know some guys who were branded, like cattle, with frat letters.

3) is it worth it?

Depends. Many people make friends for life.

4) whats the point?

Same as above. Plus sense of belonging and exclusivity.

5) can you join during junior year?

It's difficult, but easier in smaller frats that need new members.

 

Ok, I'm not in a frat; however, my roommates are both in a fraternity and most of my friends at college are in a frat. So I've been around that atmosphere a lot and hopefully can provide some half-decent answers...

Question 1: Go to rush week, meet the brothers, and hopefully get a bid. If you do, you'll have to go through an eight to ten week process known as pledging. Each fraternity is different in how long the process lasts, what you've got to do, etc. It's hard to find a fraternity brother that will ever tell you exactly what they had to do while pledging. That's part of the mystery of the frat - you don't really know what you're going to get yourself into. Now, I know a couple of things that they did thanks to what I overheard from them, but out of respect for them and the fraternity, I'm not going to mention any specifics.

Question 2: Mostly no. There is a lot of partying, but a lot of things on TV and in movies are exaggerated. Basically, don't watch Animal House and think that's exactly what a frat's going to be like.

Question 3: My roommates would say definitely yes, and from what I've seen, yes, it's worth it. You gain a lot of new friends, you gain the brotherhood and comradery, and your social circle grows tremendously.

Question 4: See question 3, plus always having people to party with, tailgate with, go to clubs with, etc. Also handy for networking.

Question 5: Yes. Technically, you can rush anytime in your four years; however, that being said, your chances of getting a bid go down as each semester goes by. Remember, a fraternity gets its money mainly through dues, and if there's the choice between two equally great guys, but one's a junior and one's a freshman, chances are they are going to choose the freshman because that translates to an extra two years of dues. I don't want to seem like I'm breaking it down to a business, but in a way, it is. But I know a guy who got into a fraternity in his junior year, so it is possible. If you're serious about wanting to join, I would check out spring rush (if your school/fraternity holds that). There's usually less guys that come out during then, so your chances can go up (however there's also usually less bids to be handed out, so it's a double-edged sword).

Sorry if I rambled, I was just trying to be complete in my answers. Hope they helped some!

---------- Post added 12th Sep 2011 at 11:43 PM ----------

Now that you mentioned it, that happens at my school too (though not in my roommates' fraternity). Some were also forced to get tattoos of the frat letters.

 

1. Hang out, be friendly, etc.
2. Absolutely not. The only thing major we had to do was throw a big philanthropy event. Nothing weird, no hazing.
3. It really depends on the person and the fraternity. I'm rather introverted, don't drink/party at all, etc. yet I still fit in nicely.
4. To have a close group of friends and connections
5. I think it depends on the university but I'm pretty sure you can

 

I'm glad you found it helpful.

Nice try! Sorry, but I'm going to have stay honorable here, and not say a thing. To specify what I meant when I said I "overheard" them: we used to live in a dorm together, and when there's only one room, naturally I was going to hear what they were talking about. So they spoke about some things during their pledging that I was sworn to secrecy about. My apologies!

You have to pay to be in a fraternity or a sorority. The money you pay goes to paying for the frat house, socials, etc. Each fraternity charges a different amount.

Taking a pass is not a likely option. When you pledge, you're pledging yourself to the fraternity, and therefore pretty much have to do what they tell you. Technically forcing pledges to get tattoos or be branded would be hazing, but most pledges never report it. So yes, you could say no, I'm not going to do it, but chances are you wouldn't become a brother. Not all fraternities do that though; in fact, if I had to guess (and this is only a guess), I'd say most don't, because the risk of being caught hazing is pretty severe. Colleges have gotten really serious about that lately.