Recently, Smart College Visit posted an article from The Real College Guide about going Greek from a student’s perspective, listing the Pros and Cons of Greek life. After reading it, I thought it might be interesting to look at Greek life from a parent’s perspective. Since I have personal experience in this area of college life, I wanted to share my thoughts and advice to help other parents who might be headed down that road in the future.
When my daughter began her college search process, Greek life was at the top of her MUST HAVE list. Her grandmother was a Zeta and she had always wanted to follow in her footsteps so to speak. I had my concerns (most of them related to the social aspect of Greek life), but I supported her dream and her college choice based on this criteria.
Just a month into her freshman year, rush began. Many of her new friends were interested in pledging sororities and they all attended recruitment events. When the bids arrived, my daughter was invited to pledge two sororities and picked the one that she felt fit her personality best–she felt comfortable and at ease with the members. When the months of pledging and “hell week” were over, my daughter became a member of Alpha Phi–Zeta Rho Chapter at Bentley College.
Here is my PARENT list of the pros and cons of Greek life:
Cons
- Her grades suffered-The two months that my daughter was pledging had a devastating affect on her GPA. While the sorority claimed they required their members to study, those study sessions were late at night and unproductive. Freshman year sets the tone for your entire college career and she had to work hard to get her GPA back up after that first semester.
- Hazing-Whether they fess up to it or not, it happens. All colleges post rules and regulations against it, but it happens. I had many arguments with my daughter about reporting the infractions, but she assured me the hazing wasn’t that bad. I never liked it and could not see the need for that type of initiation.
- Drinking-Greek life does mean parties. And those Greek parties ALWAYS have alcohol. Drinking is encouraged and it’s a right of passage during pledging. They don’t care that your freshman is underage. The alcohol is freely distributed.
- The clique mentality-Greek life encourages snobbery. If you’re a member of a sorority or a fraternity, you’re taught (whether directly or indirectly) that you’re better than everyone else. I never liked that attitude and it contradicted some of the values that I taught my daughter growing up.
- The cost-Greek life will add hundreds of dollars a semester to your college expenses. The obvious costs are dues. But add to that t-shirts, out of town trips, and additional event fees that may not be included in the semester dues. If you have a daughter, you should plan to purchase dresses for numerous semi-formal and formal events throughout the year.
Pros
- Lifetime friendships-My daughter made some great friends during college, not all in her sorority, but many were. Her “big sister” became her best friend and that relationship is still strong today. Her big sister helped her through some difficult times in college (deaths of friends and grandparents) and helped her navigate the ins and outs of Greek life.
- Social expertise-Greek life does force you to become socially active. The events and activities enable you to become comfortable in social situations and help you learn how to meet and make new friends. You’re part of a family and this helps, especially if your family is miles away (as we were) and you need a “home” to go to.
- Networking-Going Greek affords you tremendous networking connections during college and after graduation. Since you’re part of an alumni group, you have outside contacts that can help with your job search and give you an upper hand in the post graduation job search.
- Leadership skills-My daughter served in numerous leadership capacities within her sorority and as part of the on-campus Greek council. She learned how to delegate, organize events, and manage finances, all while being a part of a Greek organization.
- Charity work-All Greek organizations adopt a charity. Their members work hard to support that charity and participate in fund-raising events throughout the year. This teaches them to give back to others and it promotes a mindset that they take with them after graduation.
So here’s the big question–Am I glad that my daughter went Greek? Yes. In the long run, it was a positive experience for her. During the short term, I was frustrated with some of the negative influences and attitudes I witnessed. It was right for her, but it’s not right for everyone. If your teen has his/her heart set on Greek life, ask questions and be prepared to have some of the same mixed emotions I had.
Additional resources: