Your lil sister- HELP ME

[Forito Baroulko]

Hey everyone! I'm going into 9th grade this year so it would be awesome if you could all consider me as your lil' sister. I just need a little help- I can speak/write/read greek but I'm still confused about college greek systems aka sororities. I plan to live in a sorority when I get to college so if you could give me as much info about YOUR sororties like what they stand for/support then any other info like the process of getting into a sorority, basically any information at all would help. Thanks big sisters for all your info

[AXWhoah]

Aww, how cute. Well I would be pleased to tell you about my sorority! I'm an Alpha Chi Omega, we go by Alpha Chi for short. Our national philanthropy is the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation and the aid to victims of domestic violence. We were founded in 1885 at Depauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Our colors are scarlet and olive and our badge is a lyre (a harp-like instrument). Umm if you want you should visit our national website at www.alphachiomega.org. It's pretty nice and you can link to specific chapter websites which I think is pretty neat. Hope I helped, PM me if you have any more questions! -AX

[CutiePie2000]

Well, to get started, here are some great links to some wonderful women's sororities.
http://www.npcwomen.org/memorg.htm

Just to let you know, some women's sororities are called "Women's Fraternities". No, this does not mean that men are allowed to join. For example, I am in a sorority but its correct name is "Delta Gamma Fraternity". Also, AXWhoah, who responded above me, is in a sorority called Alpha Chi Omega, but its correct name is Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity, not Sorority.
To explain.....
Why isn't Delta Gamma called a sorority officially? At the time of the founding of most of the older women's fraternities, the Greek derivative phratres of phratria, meaning tribes or groups of people with similar interests and backgrounds, was the basis for the title, fraternity. No doubt, because the women's organizations were modeled in many ways after the older men's groups, the women simply used the title fraternity, too.

To tell you a bit about Delta Gamma, we were founded in Oxford, MS in 1873, our colors are bronze, pink and blue, our symbol is the anchor and our philanthropy is Aid to the Blind. Many campuses put on a fundraising swim meet called "Anchor Splash" with fun relays and so on.
www.deltagamma.org

This is a very good link about Sorority Recruitment:
http://panhellenic.tripod.com/FAQ.html

I think it is great that you want to learn about sororities already...you will be so well versed in Greeks by the time you get to college.

I also wanted to let you know that generally speaking, sororities are a lot more similar than they are different. We have initiation vows that are different in word and ritual, but identical in spirit and ideal. All have similar characteristics like colors, badges (a badge is the sorority pin that the initiated members are permitted to wear), a Founding history, philanthropy work etc.

If you have an idea which colleges you are interested in, you could go to the university website. Often, there will be a link there for Current Students called "Campus Life" or "Student Life". You can usually find links to the sororities that have a chapter on that campus from there. If there is a SEARCH field, try keying in "Greek Life" or "Panhellenic". Good Luck!
-----------------
A few minutes later...
One of the first tasks that might help you out is the learn the Greek alphabet. It actually doesn't take that long. You would be surprised how many you know already, like A is Alpha, B is Beta and a triangle is Delta. (If you are taking chemistry, you might have seen it there). That way, when you see someone wearing a sorority or fraternity sweatshirt, you can understand what the letters are!

A Alpha
B Beta
G Gamma
D Delta
E Epsilon
Z Zeta
H Eta
Q Theta
I Iota
K Kappa
L Lambda
M Mu
N Nu
X Xi
O Omicron
P Pi
R Rho
S Sigma
T Tau
U Upsilon
F Phi
C Chi
Y Psi
W Omega

[babysquirrelnmc]

I am so excited to hear that you're interested in joining a sorority! The first thing to consider during recruitment, is that you should keep an open mind about all the sororities. Don't let someone influence your decision and you join the wrong sorority and then become unhappy. Go where you feel comfortable! I'm a proud member of the Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity. What we look for in a potential new member is whether or not they posess the high ideals that Alpha Gam strives for. We're looking for genuine, loyal, hardworking, beautiful (inside and out) well rounded person. We pride ourselves on our sisterhood so she must have a great personality and have that "special charm". Check out our international website at www.alphagammadelta.org or my chapters website at www.westga.edu/~agd/index1.htm . Since you're going to be entering high school, a couple tips are to get involved with clubs, sports, anything. Also, sororities look at GPA, so make sure to keep that up! I'm sure no matter where you go, you'll be very happy! Best of luck and lots of squirrel love!

[Peaches-n-Cream]

It's great that you are so interested in sororities. My only advice is to work very hard in high school and get the best grades that you can. That way you will have the most options possible in terms of colleges.

Now here's Delta Phi Epsilon International Sorority's information from www.dphie.org

History of Delta Phi Epsilon

Collegiate fraternities are an American institution. Since 1776 when Phi Beta Kappa - originally a social fraternity - was founded, the Greek Letter Societies have existed to serve the student and the host college or university. The first sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, a fraternity for women, was founded in 1851.

On March 17, 1917, five women at New York University Law School took a pledge of sisterhood and loyalty and so founded the Alpha Chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon, the first non-sectarian, social sorority and the only one founded at a professional school. Five years later on March 17, 1922, Delta Phi Epsilon was formally incorporated under laws of the State of New York. On December 5, 1922, stretching out to international boundaries, the first Canadian chapter was installed at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Growth has been steady, but expansion in numbers has never been favored over strengthening within. From this small group making up the first chapter, there are now more than 25,000 members with chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Our chapters, both undergraduate and alumnae, enjoy a distinguished reputation for scholarship, service, and leadership.

Delta Phi Epsilon has worked to develop a social conscience and a willingness to think in terms of the common good in order to assure for its members continuous development and achievement in the collegiate and fraternity world. With a continuing philosphy of faith in the inherent good judgement of the undergraduate membership, Delta Phi Epsilon has remained steadfast throughout its history, forward to the continued growth of a sisterhood which keeps pace with the ever changing nature of the collegiate world.

Each year on March 17, undergraduates and alumnae celebrate Founders Day, honoring the women to whom each chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon is directly indebted for the establishment of our sisterhood. We honor them for the fine ideals and purposes which inspired them. Over three quarters of a century after Delta Phi Epsilon began, there are women who still embrace the beliefs of our founders by sharing sisterhood in their hearts and lives.

Minna Goldsmith Mahler*, Eva Effron Robin*, Ida Bienstock Landau*, Sylvia Steireman Cohn* and Dorothy Cohen Schwartzman*, five young law students saw Delta Phi Epsilon as a society to "promote good fellowship among the women students among the various colleges in the country...to create a secret society composed of these women based upon their good moral character, regardless of nationality or creed...to have distinct chapters at various colleges..." with the motto Esse Quam Videri: to be rather than to seem to be. (* deceased)

[pbpck]

Here's a link for you!

www.pibetaphi.org

[GPhiSweetiePie]

Good idea, it's never too early to start thinking about greek life! I am a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority (yes, the formal name is sorority, not fraternity...the word "sorority" was actually coined for Gamma Phi Beta.) We are sometimes nicknamed Gamma Phi, G-Phi, or G-Phi-B. Gamma Phi is an international sorority, we have chapters all over the U.S. as well as a few in Canada. The founding of my sorority was November 11, 1874 at Syracuse University (NY), which means that in a couple of years all of the Gamma Phi chapters will be able to celebrate 130 years of sisterhood. (I am soooo excited that I can be a part of that!) Anyway, if you'd like some more detailed info, visit Gamma Phi Beta Website and keep on reading the posts on GC, there are some really smart and helpful people here!

[Corbin Dallas]

Originally posted by CutiePie2000
One of the first tasks that might help you out is the learn the Greek alphabet. It actually doesn't take that long. You would be surprised how many you know already, like A is Alpha, B is Beta and a triangle is Delta. (If you are taking chemistry, you might have seen it there). That way, when you see someone wearing a sorority or fraternity sweatshirt, you can understand what the letters are!

A Alpha
B Beta
G Gamma
D Delta
E Epsilon
Z Zeta
H Eta
Q Theta
I Iota
K Kappa
L Lambda
M Mu
N Nu
X Xi
O Omicron
P Pi
R Rho
S Sigma
T Tau
U Upsilon
F Phi
C Chi
Y Psi
W Omega

Sorry, just thought this was kind of funny since earlier in this thread she said she could read, write and speak greek

[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by Corbin Dallas
Sorry, just thought this was kind of funny since earlier in this thread she said she could read, write and speak greek

Oh my goodness! You are right!
Don't I feel silly now!

Well, Forito, if you already know the Greek alphabet, you are miles ahead already!

[mmcat]

the internet is a wonderful source for lots of information....
you are doing the right thing starting early...
study hard, enjoy your activities, get some good grades and in four years be ready to hit the ground running.
you'll have a ball.
mmcat

[Cheque10]

That's awesome you're interested in going greek already! I didn't even think about it until I got to college! For sure you need to be involved and keep your grades up. When you go through recruitment, be yourself! By the end, you'll know which sorority you belong in. I don't know where you plan on going to college, but here is a link to my chapter's page. It has lots of helpful information on recruitment, and Alpha Gamma Delta. Remember, every school is different on their approach to recruitment. Good luck in school! http://www.bgsu.edu/studentlife/gree...a-gamma-delta/ Most college web pages have links to each chapters web page, so when you decide where you are going to school in a few years, check out their pages.