-- Posted by jamestown at 12:02 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 So if I join a fraternity which I really want to do I would have to take out loans. The rest of my college expenses are basically paid for, so  would this be a good investment or a waste of money? It would be costing me about $15k by the end of my senior year but I'm not that big on money anywayz. What are your opinions, is it worth it? P.S. Anti-greek people please don't answer. -- Posted by Corpse Gran at 12:03 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 do it -- Posted by kdc824 at 12:03 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Where would you live if you weren't in the frat?  And wouldn't you have to pay for that housing as well? -- Posted by White Ninja at 12:04 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Hell no. Don't do it. Half of the freshmen I've talked to hate their frat anyway. Plus, you're not exempt from frat parties by any means if you don't join one, so it's really just a waste of money. -- Posted by Seidell at 12:04 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Do whatever you want to do. If you want to join then join, you might regret it later in life that you didn't join. -- Posted by MiNNiCK at 12:06 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from White Ninja at 3:04 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Hell no. Don't do it. Half of the freshmen I've talked to hate their frat anyway. Plus, you're not exempt from frat parties by any means if you don't join one, so it's really just a waste of money. Exactly. People join Frats and Sorority houses for all the wrong reasons. It's just a huge waste of money in the end. They're the type of boys and girls that love to flaunt egos and drinking abilities. Go to the parties anyways without joining. All you'd be doing by joining is selling yourself to something you may not be deep down. The "frats and sororities" I support generally are the honor society ones that are purely academic and community serviced based...at least those ones are proving some sort of care or purpose. -- Posted by chynadoll at 12:07 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 NO THEY JUS WANNA RIP YOU OFF!! -- Posted by jamestown at 12:08 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 If I wasn't living in a frat house I would have to move off-campus. And that could cost me 300/month and that's not including food. With the frat board and food is covered. -- Posted by OverTheAir at 12:08 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 No, that is insane. You'll be able to make friends without a frat, and you'll still be able to have a good time. Nobody is actually in frats for the community service or whatever. Guys do it for girls, beer, and friends. You can get that without spending that much money. -- Posted by jamestown at 12:09 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from Minnick at 12:06 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from White Ninja at 3:04 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Hell no. Don't do it.    Half of the freshmen I've talked to hate their frat anyway. Plus, you're not exempt from frat parties by any means if you don't join one, so it's really just a waste of money.   Exactly. People join Frats and Sorority houses for all the wrong reasons. It's just a huge waste of money in the end. They're the type of boys and girls that love to flaunt egos and drinking abilities. Go to the parties anyways without joining. All you'd be doing by joining is selling yourself to something you may not be deep down. The "frats and sororities" I support generally are the honor society ones that are purely academic and community serviced based...at least those ones are proving some sort of care or purpose. But I actually want to join a frat to make life-long brothers and all that morally good bullshit. Plus the Greek System plays a huge role in Student Government.   My motives in joining a fraternity is good I just wanna know if it's worth it at the price of taking out and repaying the loans. -- Posted by MiNNiCK at 12:12 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from jamestown at 3:09 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from Minnick at 12:06 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from White Ninja at 3:04 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Hell no. Don't do it.     Half of the freshmen I've talked to hate their frat anyway. Plus, you're not exempt from frat parties by any means if you don't join one, so it's really just a waste of money.    Exactly. People join Frats and Sorority houses for all the wrong reasons. It's just a huge waste of money in the end. They're the type of boys and girls that love to flaunt egos and drinking abilities. Go to the parties anyways without joining. All you'd be doing by joining is selling yourself to something you may not be deep down. The "frats and sororities" I support generally are the honor society ones that are purely academic and community serviced based...at least those ones are proving some sort of care or purpose. But I actually want to join a frat to make life-long brothers and all that morally good bullshit. Plus the Greek System plays a huge role in Student Government.   My motives in joining a fraternity is good I just wanna know if it's worth it. No. If you want to do something as drastic enough to pay for this "brotherly love" go right ahead. There's just other ways of doing it rather than feeling the need to "belong to the Greek system" -- Posted by White Ninja at 12:28 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from jamestown at 1:09 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from Minnick at 12:06 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Quote: from White Ninja at 3:04 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 Hell no. Don't do it.    Half of the freshmen I've talked to hate their frat anyway. Plus, you're not exempt from frat parties by any means if you don't join one, so it's really just a waste of money.   Exactly. People join Frats and Sorority houses for all the wrong reasons. It's just a huge waste of money in the end. They're the type of boys and girls that love to flaunt egos and drinking abilities. Go to the parties anyways without joining. All you'd be doing by joining is selling yourself to something you may not be deep down. The "frats and sororities" I support generally are the honor society ones that are purely academic and community serviced based...at least those ones are proving some sort of care or purpose. But I actually want to join a frat to make life-long brothers and all that morally good bullshit. Plus the Greek System plays a huge role in Student Government.   My motives in joining a fraternity is good I just wanna know if it's worth it at the price of taking out and repaying the loans. Ah, then I suggest finding a "non-party" frat, like one that is dedicated specifically to something. I know there's houses out there that are for academics, sports, etc. -- Posted by gprime at 5:03 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 I assume you are a freshman? If so, you're talking about spending around $5k a year. Now, if housing is ~$2700 for nine months, and food is ~2000, I would imagine dues cover the rest of the $300 or so left owed. So it doesn't sound like it is costing you all that much extra. But you do have the potential to gain quite a bit from it, ranging from network, to testbank access, to retreats and conferences, to easy access to alcohol (dry frats excluded). If you like the local chapter and its members, and the policies/values of the national organization, and are willing to meet the expectations that go along with Greek life (dues, meetings, responsibility, collective punishment, community service), then it is worth it. I think the biggest question is the way Greek life is handled where you go. I rushed a frat at my college, and would have joined, had I not elected to withdraw two days prior to initiations. Why did I make that decision? The Greek Life Office was generally tyrannical and unfair, and had a particular issue with the fraternity I was joining. Never mind that we were one of the most responsible, most academically powerful, and least wild fraternities on campus. We were still subject to relentless harassment, with massive punishment for even the smallest infraction. And no matter what it was, everybody was punished. For me the final straw was when they made all brothers and pledges attend a three hour sensitivity seminar as punishment, because one of the 27 people used the word "retarded" within earshot of a GLO staffer. If that isn't the situation on your campus, and everything else looks good, then join up. But, if your school is anti-Greek, it may be worth depledging before you've got to come up with your first set of dues. -- Posted by andrewcool at 5:05 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 How will this frat benefit you? -- Posted by smartlake at 7:38 pm on Nov. 29, 2007 It depends on the house. Some fraternities are gross, I am not going to lie.  But if yours is one with a decent academic standing and reputation on campus, go for it.  Everyone I know in the greek system loves it. -- Posted by collegecolosseum at 10:46 pm on Dec. 2, 2007 one word answer.... "no"