Should I Join A Fraternity Or Sorority?

By Danielle Wirsansky on September 10, 2018

There is an age-old question that college students must ask themselves that seems simple but is not: should they or should they not join a fraternity or a sorority? Getting involved in Greek life is a big decision to make. Joining is right for some people and not right for others. But how do you know? How do you know what is right for you? Everyone is different and has to make their own decision regarding it.

A timeless trick in situations like this is to make a pros and cons list, and luckily, I’ve made one for you! So, read on to learn to pros and cons of joining a fraternity or sorority so you can make the best, most informed decision for yourself!

Photo by Dennis Magati from Pexels

Pros

There are several pros to joining a fraternity or sorority. Here are just a few that can help you make your decision!

Community

One of the best aspects of joining a fraternity or sorority is the community that it creates for you. All of a sudden, once you are in, you’re in. You now have hundreds of brothers or sisters on your college campus that you have a direct connection with. And you are likely going to get to know the majority of them as you participate in your fraternity or sorority’s events.

And then, beyond your own fraternity or sorority, you will also have a network of upwards of a thousand people all on your campus who are all involved in Greek life. You have connections to them, things to talk about with them, and will most likely be getting to know a lot of these people through Greek life activities. You will always be able to find people involved on your campus that you can find common ground with through membership in Greek life.

Networking

This next pro springboards off of community. More than having people to lean on and support you, you can also meet people who can be helpful to you in your career. The friendships and bonds you create through Greek life in a fraternity or sorority do not have to end when you graduate from college. You still know all those same people, who can now help you get ahead.

And even more than that, they will want to help you get ahead. Beyond that, you will have camaraderie with anyone who ever belonged to your fraternity or sorority, even if they did not go to school at the same time as you or even attend the same school as you. Fraternities and sororities are pretty old institutions so you will find members across all generations that will want to support you because of your connection through Greek life.

Cons

While there are many pros to joining a fraternity or sorority, there are also some serious cons that you should consider before making a final decision.

Cost

The first thing you need to consider before deciding to join Greek life is whether or not you can even afford it. A lot of people do not realize how expensive it actually is to be involved in Greek life. Forbes reported that participating in Greek life can cost students annually up three to five-figures in fees. That is kind of a lot! And college is already expensive with tuition, housing, books, and more.

There are fees associated with almost everything in Greek life, from rushing, to meal plans (many require you to have a meal plan at your fraternity or sorority house even if you do not live there), to housing. Make sure it is a feasible financial commitment for you to make before you make it.

Toxic Culture

Another con to be aware of is some of the toxicity that is a big and current issue with Greek life. Greek life has built up a reputation for hazing, underage drinking or over-consumption of alcohol, and drug use. There is often a lot of pressure, on new recruits especially, to do certain things and behave in certain ways.

You have to decide if you want to put yourself at risk of being in a toxic culture or if you are capable of handling being in one. This is not to say that all fraternities or sororities have a toxic culture, but it is definitely something you need to be aware of so that you can make a smart decision as to what you personally can handle or want to deal with.

pexels.com

Ultimately, the choice that you make has to be for you and what you feel is right. If you do not join Greek life at first, you can always decide to another year. If you do join and discover it is not what you thought it would be, you can always stop. You hold the reins to your own future, so be responsible and make good choices!

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format