Auburn. But in an effort to show that I view this somewhat objectively, note that I admit Alabama is a better greek school. Also, I do have pretty strong connections to most of the SEC schools I've mentioned.

I agree with you though about my criteria not holding up in the long term, and I think that is unfortunate.

I think I'd love LSU greek life if I went there, but it is different. The traditional roots are still present, but yeah, just a whole other ballgame.

That's what made my rankings so tough.

Louisiana in itself is an odd state and very different from the rest of the South. Throw in a top school and it's another world I think. It has an excellent Greek system but there's somethin unexplainable about it in my opinion.

I had Auburn ranked lower because of my own admitted bias. I've visited there and found it very good for greek life, but last year I met some fraternity guys that I believed to have been top tier at another fraternity house pre-gaming for the Arkansas-Auburn game. They weren't dressed for the occasion for the game and had some odd people that weren't respectful. They were definitely not 3rd tier guys, but not 1st tier at Arkansas either. Of course, that is just one anecdote and there are perhaps thousands that contradict it.

I am enjoying this thread very much. It is an interesting topic and I love reading the informative responses.

Although it's been MANY years since I was on campus, I wouldn't trade my Greek experience at LSU for anything in the world!

One thing I wanted to point out is that the campus is (was) made up of primarily three distinct groups from Louisiana...the North Louisiana students, New Orleans students, and the South Louisiana students...each group has a different "flavor" from these vastly different regions of the state. Now, the out-of-state students, especially from Texas, are gaining in numbers, too.

Louisiana a "different" state...absolutely!
A little wild...yes!

But, oh how we love LSU!

Haha, man...I skipped the Texas - OU game for the first time in 15 years to go to LSU - Florida and it was one of the most wild weekends I have ever had. Baton Rouge is 100% insane.

I agree with Elephant Walk's assessment. The greek life there seemed to be great. The guys I met, mostly Sigma Chi's (top tier there) were all very legit......but there was something about the whole system that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

OU this year was fun. I had second row seats! You've gone for 15 years? Crazy. I've gone for the last 3.

You and I have discussed this before. I'll refrain from commenting on it further here... although I sort of want to. LOL.

One thing about W&L is that because so many people are Greek there are all different kinds of chapters, with all different kinds of people. A good portion of them are traditionally southern (probably the majority), with various levels of "tierness" and various types of "southerness." I think I've commented about that elsewhere. But because like 85% of students are Greek there are also chapters that draw all kinds of other students. Yet everyone hangs together to a large degree. Which is actually one of the things I like about W&L (there are a lot of things about the school that make me roll my eyes in retrospect). Maybe that's "the thing you can't put your finger on."

Baton Rouge is a drinking town, with a football problem.

Interesting. Thanks for your candid response. I actually think your list of "the good" is somewhat inaccurate. Except, not the second one. A good majority (60-70%?) are indeed from money or a decent family (using the sense of the terms that I know you mean. But there are a LOT who are not. At the same time, as you mention most of those who are not conform to the model of those who are.

As for the conservative thing, I think you underestimate the number of liberals at W&L. There are a significant number. Also, a lot of the supposed conservative students are really moderates who just lean a bit conservative. But, again, most of them dress & look like conservatives.

As for the Real World, rap music, and pot-smoking.... LOL. It definitely depends on where you hang out. I don't remember anyone watching the Real World! Rap music is a weird thing definitely, because even the guys in the very "top" groups or whatever definitely listened to rap music. Not sure why that was. Everyone at W&L just seemed to like rap music. I like it too. Everyone seemed to like jam music too (which I can't stand and think is just.... ugh, trashy and awful). Pot-smoking... there were definitely fraternities that had strong reputations for that. It was pretty common I guess, but not as common as rap music. It's another thing I can't stand and think is just 100% trashy (no matter what class you are).

The other big thing about W&L was open parties, so all members of all groups could show up at every other house's parties. Or non-Greeks, for that matter. Which on one level is nice and on the other level created a LOT of security problems.

[quote=shinerbock;1620258]Auburn. But in an effort to show that I view this somewhat objectively, note that I admit Alabama is a better greek school. Also, I do have pretty strong connections to most of the SEC schools I've mentioned.

I agree with you though about my criteria not holding up in the long term, and I think that is unfortunate.[/quote]


yea i got a friend who is an SAE and a FIJI at Auburn, as i hear it is similar to my school. Bama is just on a different level and i would agree that it is a tier above, its good to hear atleast someone else can admit that about their school, because i have a hard time even though i know its true in some aspects lol.


And yea i feel you, it is unfortunate. My family doesn't come from wealth or anything, but the general attitude or culture that comes with the type of guys in a fraternity has grown on me since getting here and since befriending the people i did later in high school. But i can't complain because its bringing a lot of opportunity to my home state, atlanta being the fastest growing city in the country right now.

With an internationalizing country though and the fact that we are going to no longer be the world power we once were soon, it won't ever be like that again. Its not white suburbia now in control, its one big melting pot. Which i dont necessarily have a problem with i'm not racist, its just different.

In other words, areas like Bama and Ole Miss won't have the same image 15 years down the road if they want to retain the same power they do now in a social aspect.

Change in times calls for change in action, you can't stop it.

What is it with Tyler? Tyler does not strike me as the sort of place that is the breeding ground for good fraternity men. There are some really nice parts (like most towns), but it's really a redneck capital.

And what's wrong with North Dallas? Have you ever seen Preston Hollow? Or west Plano? I know the folks haven't been rich since before the War like a lot of fraternity men, but there are a lot of quality people in Dallas and its northern suburbs.

Tyler is pretty much where 'the South' ends (I'd say 'the West' begins in Ft Worth, Dallas is just in limbo). As such, it's one of the few places in Texas that holds onto any kind of Southern charm. Dallas and Houston also have their share of ghettos but that doesn't mean that other parts of the town aren't nice.

And west Plano (Plano in general really) is the definition of new money. And most people don't have a really feel from the boundaries of Preston Hollow. What most people consider authentic Preston Hollow is Royal lane to the North, NW Hwy to the South, Hillcrest to the East, and Midway to the West. Suburbs like Plano, Frisco, and Allen are nice for stocking the middle tiers at schools like OU, Tech, and Arkansas.

I use to live in Dallas. There are quality people in Dallas of course. Some of the top recruits in Arkansas rush come from there. However, the majority of the Plano kids go into the third tier here. There are lots of exceptions, but it seems to be the rule.

Often times, I'd rather rush a guy who was middle-class instead of someone from new money as such in Plano and so forth. I have alot of great friends in Plano and it's a mostly fine town.

I would assume that in Texas all of the top tier guys would be from oil money. I plan to make a trip out there and visit our chapter there, I've heard that they are one of the top chapters of any fraternity in the nation.

Seriously?

Agreed that most, if not all, of the areas surrounding Tyler are rather redneck. But most of south Tyler has the qualities of what those on this thread seem to hold so dear. Talk about "Old Money..." um, oil anyone?

Also, does the term "Rose Festival" mean anything to you? Talk about an old Southern Tradition that is just reeks of Old Money. Everyone knows the title of Rose Queen is bought and not won. And the Queen's coronation dress costs more than most people spend on new cars.

ETA: Rose Festival Website for those who are curious: http://www.texasrosefestival.com/

There's still some but a lot of Dallas really benefited from the technology boom, going all the way back to the 50's and 60's when TI was founded here.