Just going to answer the question in the title:

She should go through recruitment and find out for herself.

How can there be 4 pages of posts???????

Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again...Greatfulgramma has the cutest username/best signature here.

Echoing what others are saying about not selecting the college because of Greek Life, I also want to point out that there's no guarantee she will earn a spot on the dance team if she tries out. And she shouldn't change her major or minor to accommodate a hobby, IMHO. But that's none of my business.

So I would plan accordingly to choose the best school for her academically in furtherance of her career goals. I'm pretty sure you're already doing that if you're gathering all this intelligence about extracurriculars. She may end up loving a school without a dance team and/or Greek Life.

I wish her the best of luck. I think she's going to be fine.

I salute you. Those are tough words for a mom to say. I'm a mom too, and it's hard, isn't it? I didn't mean my words to be harsh and I apologise if they were a bit short.

Sorority life is very fulfilling, but it is very time consuming, if you are going to do it right and reap the benefits. I hope you will encourage her to explore and consider her options. Most of us on this board wouldn't trade our experiences in our sororities and fraternities for anything. But if we are honest, most of us will say there were trying and difficult times, too. And trying and difficult people. It's great life preparation!

I wish you and her the best, and thanks for hanging in for a tough conversation.

I will forever be grateful (and greatful, too, of course) that I didn't find GC until after my one-in-ten-bazillion granddaughter was firmly established in her sorority. I would have worried her batty with my obsession(s) on what she might need to be doing!

slight hijack

This, …

… is different than this.

In my opinion, a college education should not be limited to just what one gets from text books or learns in class.

I do agree that one should not select their college “because of Greek Life”. However, I feel a college’s extracurricular activities (and social climate) should be considered as a possible factor in one’s selection. Simply because extracurricular activities can/may help round out one's overall education.

end slight hijack

I'm glad this one didn't get deleted yet.

The OP should realize something. I think your daughter sounds amazing and wonderful. However, she is not going to be special or perceived that way by everyone else in college, professors included. She is a special snowflake to YOU. On a college campus, she is just another snowflake. College will become a humbling experience for her.

For what it's worth, my best friend in Theta was a Biology/Pre-Med major, played Varsity soccer, and served first as a VP and then later President of our chapter, in addition to clubs and other activities. She excelled at time management and today is a successful researcher who balances a demanding full time job with 3 children at home. It's done by a LOT of sorority women.

This is a perfect example of what you learn in college and especially in a sorority. You learn how to balance a busy schedule and to prioritize.

I echo all of the great advice that has been given on here. I also believe this mom is going through some very typical angst for a mom who is sending a daughter away to school - especially far away.

Skipping ahead to recruitment at an SEC school: you and your daughter really, really need to get your ducks in a row for this! Read, read, read on GC - google the recruitment threads, do a search for specific schools - because, and don't kid yourself about this, SEC recruitment will require as much prep as anything she has done to date.

Just to set the record straight 10 hours later...lol...I was not saying sorority life was not for the crafty and arty. I was using painting letters as a task that most have done, some better than others, but done in love and sisterhood. And if that is perceived as "silly tasks" then maybe it isn't right for OP's daughter. Of course the OP's daughter can volunteer for whatever her hearts desires, but when your heart is firmly planted in your sisterhood no task that promotes that sisterhood is ever looked at as silly.

Why not? I don't think they should be a DEFINING factor, but it's part of "campus life," and there is more to going to college than just being in classes.

I'll use myself as an example--I knew I wanted to go to a school where my joining an NPC sorority was an option. I had a list of schools I was interested in, not just because of their academics, but because they provided the campus life that I wanted...and part of that was a diverse Greek system. I got into my first-choice school, joined an NPC, and had a great time and a great education that opens doors to me to this very day.

Some people want to go to college in a small town, others in a big city. Some people want a big football school while others would be in hog heaven if there was an Ultimate Frisbee league. Why should Greek life be any different?

I think it's fine to include Greek Life as part of the college application criteria, but when my daughter was looking at colleges, my husband did say he didn't want her to select or eliminate based on whether her legacy chapters were on campus.

That is pretty much what I thought from the little that I have seen on this site today. I am not sure she is really interested enough to do all that work that is required for the SEC school sororities. Networking would be especially challenging because of the distance we are from these schools. So it looks like perhaps she can seek out other activities such as those offered through the honors programs/ dorms, dance team, and or performance related activities associated with a dance minor. Although I think she might just do a little research and then try to wing it at rush time. If she is not willing to put alot into it I think it is safe to say she probably would not be overly disappointed if she didn't get in. However it is good to have this info and it will, I am sure, help narrow down the college choices.

Tells me that she, dd, will not fare well in the SEC where the Tea Party is often seen as too liberal for polite company.

While it may be the exception to the rule, there are liberals who have had successful SEC recruitments.

Just saying.

Pointless. It doesn't matter who you are, you're not getting a bid without preparing. That means securing recs beforehand. You do not "wing" rush at an SEC school.