The Pros and Cons of Greek Life in College

In the United States, there are an estimated 750,000 fraternity and sorority members spread out over multiple organizations across the country. Add to this an impressive roster of more than 9 million alumni from these groups. Greek life can be an important part of the college experience.

However, if you only know about Greek life from what you've seen in movies and TV shows, you're not getting the full picture. It can cloud your judgment about whether joining a fraternity or sorority is truly right for you. You need to know both the advantages and possible drawbacks of Greek life before you make your final decision.

This guide can help you examine the pros and cons of Greek life. In it, we'll explore the types of fraternities, sorority and fraternity culture, and the overall drawbacks and benefits of Greek life. Keep reading to find out more information about Greek life organizations below.

What Is Greek Life?

Before we dive into the nitty gritty, you may be asking yourself the question "What is Greek life?" In the simplest terms, Greek life refers to groups of students who belong to and participate in certain on-campus organizations. These organizations are often split into gender subsets with fraternities for men and sororities for women.

Each organization, also called a house, receives a name comprised of three letters of the Greek alphabet. There may be several different chapters of these Greek life organizations across the country at different colleges. Greek life sorority and fraternity organizations also adhere to their own sets of traditions and rules that they expect their members to follow.

Potential members must "pledge" to these houses or have a sponsor before they can become full members. They may also require a legacy, like a parent or sibling, as previous members to be eligible to join.

What Are the Different Types of Fraternities and Sororities?

You may also be interested to know that there are different types and sororities you can join.  Selecting the right fraternity or sorority organization can help you further enhance your Greek life experience. Remember that most fraternities only admit and serve men while sorority organizations tend to focus exclusively on females. 

Types of Fraternities and Sororities

There are 6 different types of fraternities you can choose from. Each one focuses on a different aspect of Greek life. They are: 

• Social
• Service
• Professional
• Honors
• Religion/Ethnic based 
• Cultural sororities

Social-based fraternity and sorority organizations exist to help you strengthen your social skills. They provide a way for you to experience personal growth. You can also build character and connect with like-minded people who share common interests.

Service-based fraternities and sororities focus on giving back to the community. They engage in regular outreach events and participate in charitable projects. They are a great outlet for those who want to make a difference.

Professional Greek life organizations focus on networking. You can use them to build up and achieve your career goals. You will be able to get help with resumes and interviews and make connections in your chosen field of study.

Honors Greek life organizations admit members solely on your GPA by invitation only. You must meet and maintain certain grade-point stipulations in order to qualify for membership. They may not have a physical on-campus house but membership can be a great resume booster.

Faith and Ethnic-based Greek life organizations follow strict cultural or spiritual guidelines. For example, all African-American fraternities or Jewish-based sororities were created as a way to bridge the gap of exclusionary Greek practices. Some may still admit members outside of their set beliefs or race as a way to broaden their cultural horizons.

Cultural sororities arose to meet the need of offering minority women representation and community. These Greek life organizations uplift and empower minority women and give them the necessary tools for success.

Pros of Greek Life

Greek life can offer students many opportunities for enrichment and growth on the college campus and off. Here are some of the best benefits of Greek life to consider.

Improves Leadership Skills

76% of members of Congress, along with 85% of Fortune 500 company executives, have belonged to fraternities. This shows an impressive link to Greek life organizations and improved interpersonal leadership skills.

Students engaging in a fraternity or sorority organization have the opportunity to be in good company and learn essential leadership skills for post-college life. They will see firsthand what it means to be a leader and how to cooperate and collaborate with others.

Fosters a Sense of Community and Connectedness

Greek life organizations also help students feel an increased sense of belonging within their chosen institution. Many fraternity and sorority members forge lifelong friendships with one another. This creates an environment of feeling more connected to their "brothers" and "sisters".

Having a dedicated and supportive community can help alleviate mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Even when they're far away from home, Greek life can offer a sort of supportive family system.

Offers Opportunities for Outreach

Greek life can help you step outside of your usual "me-centered" college bubble. Many fraternities and sororities work with charitable organizations. They also organize drives and events for community efforts. 

For example, a Greek life chapter might volunteer to help feed the homeless or collect warm coats as part of a Winter drive. They could also set up toy drives and throw charity functions to raise money for the communities they're in. This gives members a greater sense of purpose in their lives.

Provides Social Experiences and Involvement 

Greek life gives you many different and terrific ways to interact and enrich your social life. You'll have loads of fun activities and great bonding opportunities to choose from like formal dances, retreats, special outings, fraternity/sorority meet-ups, and more. There is also the possibility of joining sorority or fraternity sports teams.

Facilitates Networking with Alumni

One of the top benefits of Greek life is networking. These organizations connect you specifically to a robust roster of past alumni members. This way you can have mentoring and shadowing opportunities within your field.

Having the right network connections can also help you land a job out of college. It's all about who you know and Greek life can give you a much-needed leg up. 

Enables Support for Better Academic Achievement

When you join a Greek life organization, you'll have access to the tools you need to succeed in your academic life. This could include areas of financial support such as scholarships and grants. You can also take advantage of study skills workshops, tutoring groups, and study sessions.

Cons of Greek Life

As with anything in life, there is a potential upside as well as a downside. Greek life may not be for every student for a number of different reasons. With that in mind, let's explore some possible cons here. 

Possible Dangers in Pledging and Hazing Practices

Although schools and administrators are stepping in and enforcing safety policies at universities across the nation, hazing may still be a concern for some. Hazing is the process some Greek life organizations may use to test and initiate prospective members. These practices could be dangerous and result in injury or death.

In a YouGov 2021 study, 14% of Americans polled reported being in a fraternity or sorority. Of those individuals, around 10% of Americans experienced severe hazing, while 43% only experienced minor hazing.

Many Greek life organizations engage in binge drinking as a part of hazing, which can cause severe health impairments. This can vary based on the history of Greek life organizations you may be considering.

Requires Large Time Commitments

Greek life and the process leading up to joining a fraternity or sorority can be very time-consuming. You will have to manage going to all of your classes as well as attending any Greek life events. This can be the equivalent time commitment of up to two additional classes to your already packed schedule.

The "rush" period requires freshmen looking to join a Greek life chapter to engage in a number of different events on campus. During the pledging process, you'll be expected to show up at all requested hours of the day and night to the Greek life house or else forfeit your place.

Involves Hefty Greek Life Dues and Membership Fees

College is expensive enough as it is, even with grants, scholarships, and jobs in the mix. Greek life can add even more to this list of growing expenses. You will have to factor in dues and house memberships at the local and national levels.

Special events like the Winter formal dance will easily run $200 per ticket, not including your date or your own outfit expenses. You will also need to add in costs such as apparel and branded insignia like hats, t-shirts, and pins to represent your chapter.

Find Out More About Greek Life and Other Great Resources for Students at Honor Society

The choice to join a Greek life organization is not one that should be made lightly. You must carefully weigh both the disadvantages and the benefits of Greek life before you make your final decision. Ultimately, it will come down to you. 

Honor Society believes in giving students the resources and help they need to make the best decisions regarding their college life. That's why we offer scholarship resources and career board postings. You can also take advantage of dining and health plan discounts. 

Fill out an online application on our website to become a member of Honor Society today.