Is Joining Greek Life Worth It?

One unforgettable college experience is rushing for a sorority or fraternity. To rush or not to rush is a major decision of many college students, especially at schools where Greek Life is prevalent. Some people might think they want to skip the rushing season, but joining Greek Life might be worthwhile for several reasons. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before choosing to rush or focus on other aspects of your college experience.

1. How Does It Look on Your Resume?

During your time in college, you should brush up on preparing a resume that will catch eyes. As you’re graduating from college, you may not have much work experience in the field you’re going into — so having organizations you were active in on your resume can give potential employers a better picture of who you are as a person. 

Putting your Greek Life experience on your resume is a great way to showcase your talents. For example, if you’ve ever worked in a leadership role during a philanthropic effort, you can turn that into a way to spotlight your abilities in working as a team. Be specific with your achievements or how much money you raised during a fundraiser. Doing so will prove that joining Greek Life is worth it, as you’ll make the most of your time being active in the organization.

Your organizations show where your priorities lie and what you value most. Since each sorority and fraternity contributes to a non-profit, you should make sure you join an organization that reflects your personal beliefs. Potential employers may also look into your organization to see what values you support, which could influence whether they choose to hire you over another candidate.

2. What New Opportunities Will You Have?

Joining Greek Life can make you feel like you’re part of an exclusive club with endless benefits. If you can keep up with the price of joining a sorority or fraternity, both in dues and in the social aspect, you could be sitting on a gold mine of opportunities that could help you achieve the future you want. Connecting to people nationwide will benefit you in several ways, especially in your professional life.

One of the biggest drawbacks of joining Greek Life is the price, and you need to know what you’ll be paying before going in. Many organizations have registration and membership fees, as well as alumni dues after you graduate to keep gaining benefits. Nearly everything in college comes with a price tag, but that doesn’t mean the experience is worth missing out on. Be aware that you’ll have to pay dues every semester, which can carry a pretty heavy impact on your finances if you don’t budget accordingly or have someone to help you cover it.

One great benefit of joining a sorority or fraternity involves academic support. Many organizations have a baseline GPA you have to meet to continue being an active member, but to help you, they will offer you academic support. Your organization wants to see you succeed in your academics and social life, now and forever.

The great thing about sororities and fraternities is that they can stick with you long after college. You join an organization where all alums can connect, allowing you to access job opportunities and other aspects of life you may not have even thought possible. Having access to a network of people nationwide can help you reach your goals faster than you would without those connections. 

3. How Do You Feel About the Social Aspect?

Greek Life tends to be very outgoing, which can pose a problem for introverts who don’t want to involve themselves in all the group activities. Some fraternities or sororities even require that you live in the organization’s house for a semester or a whole year, which can be challenging for someone who values their privacy or wants to move out of dorm life.

The sorority or fraternity house might require you to live there, so you should know what the living situation is like. You might have several dozens of people living in the house, which could give you more roommates than you expected. If you don’t mind being in the same house as tens of other people, you should be fine.

One of the great parts of Greek Life is that organizations typically have get-togethers and events. If you love the social aspect and getting to network with other people at events, you’ll enjoy being a part of Greek Life. Your chapter’s philanthropy will give you opportunities to give back to a community that means something to you, and you’ll make friends in the process.

Some organizations have a problem with hazing, which is the difficult or humiliating process that some chapters put their pledges through to “initiate” them into that chapter. Universities don’t allow hazing, but unfortunately, it still happened on campuses over the last 200 years, threatening and taking people’s lives. To avoid joining an organization with a history of hazing, make sure to do your research on your university’s specific chapter.

You must ask yourself if joining Greek Life is worth it when rushing a sorority or fraternity. Once you’ve measured all the pros and cons of joining a chapter, you should know whether you want to participate in all the social aspects of the organization. 

So, Is Joining Greek Life Worth It?

On some campuses, Greek Life is a major draw and part of the college experience. For others, you may not even realize that sororities and fraternities are there. Is joining Greek Life worth it? The answer depends on your personal preferences. If you want to include a sorority or fraternity into your college experience, you should — it will feature benefits that can follow you throughout life. However, you should learn everything you can about the organization you plan to rush before committing to it. It might just change the experience for you.