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From what I have seen they have some great parties, student success seems pretty as well (for some, not so much for others) and you can make lifelong friends. I did my first two years at a CC and then transferred to a 4 year so I did not have that typical college experience.
I am however in one of the older American faternities. We started in 1775 in Tavern in Philadelphia. We're a pretty exclusive group.
It pretty much is what you would think it would be. I know that sounds weird, but usually a person can tell right away if being in a Greek organization is right for them.
I loved my time in a fraternity. I still talk to many of my frat brothers to this day and I know that my fraternity affiliation has gotten me perks at various times.
Very briefly. I was fairly opposed to them, and voiced this to my head resident, when I was an RA in the dorms. He was also the Greek Organization advisor, and told me I was being small-minded and unless I was in one, I had no idea. So, I joined one. Didn't change my mind, didn't like it, quit.
I was active in lots of other college organizations that fulfilled that same role for me as far as friendships, socialization, networking, and staying part of a community that went on long after college, and were just of more interest to me.
Yes. I have lifelong friends from those years and am active in an alum group. As well as the friendship aspect, there is a large focus on philanthropy in the community. It's not just about partying, but as another poster said, it's also what you make of it.
I joined my chapter more or less on a whim with being socially bored at college. I've always been a "joiner and a do-er" so I found a niche quickly and made some great friends over the years among several generations of brothers (unbeknownst at the time my dad's coworker was in the same chapter and over the years various people with 2-3 degrees of separation from me have joined). My only caution is that if you want to effect change, you have to learn politics real fast and while fun to watch, it's not fun to play.
I dropped out the last day of pledging. The entire set-up was one of enforced friendship, lots of racial and anti-Semitic prejudice, and an attempt to create a rigid we-are-better-than you atmosphere and mentality. With the exception of only about two houses out of maybe fifteen or twenty, they all were the same. They were mini versions of pretentious country clubs.
It was a stifling atmosphere, and for a small town young man really contrary to some of the reasons for going to a large, urban university. Dropping out was one the best decisions I made in those four years.
Towards the end of my bachelors degree, I got a letter from Phi Beta Kappa asking me to join them. I was going to throw the letter away, I explained to my wife, I'm not about to run through the streets in my underwear to join any fraternity. My wife clued me in that it was actually an honor society and not at all what I was assuming. I was the first person in my family to get a college education and had never heard of them. I did join then and Phi Kappa Phi when I got my Master's.
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