I just need a general run through about greek life.
 

I am a sophomore in high school, and my dream school is University of Southern California. If you are a part of greek life there, your help is greatly appreciated, but if you're not, your help is still greatly appreciated. I just have a couple of questions.

1. I am of a mixed race, my mom is hispanic, and my dad is caribbean and white. Does race really come into play in terms of being in a sorority? In other words, do they tend to be very prejudice? I know there are the NPHC sororities, but does that mean that only african-amercians can be in those and not any other one?
2. What is rush week truly like?
3. How long can you be in a sorority? Like, is it by semester or by the school year?
4. Do you need recommendations, and if so, from who?
5. What are frat parties truly like?
6. If you are a part of greek life, to you, what is the greatest thing about being in a fraternity/sorority?
7. Is being in a sorority very time consuming? Will it be easy for me to be friends with other people outside of greek life, and can i easily participate in other "non-greek" activities?
8. Are girls from different sororities friends with each other, or is it very cliquey?


Even if you can only answer one of these questions, your input is very much appreciated.

A "general run through"? Uh huh.... seriously?

How about reading some of the THOUSANDS of posts on this site that are devoted to discussing and answering the questions that you ask for a "run through" about. There is NOT quick run through answer. :rolleyes:

You are a high school sophomore. Concentrate on graduating first.

Oh trust me I have read a lot of them. I just joined this site today, so pardon me for not seeing EVERYTHING. :rolleyes: And yeah I know I need to concentrate on graduating, the only reason I even joined this site was because today at my school we had a meeting with the faculty and they told us that we need to start looking at information about colleges and what our top colleges have to offer...so that's all i was doing. I'm apart of several other college forums gathering info too. Even though I've read a lot of the posts, doesn't mean they answered all my questions and it definitely doesn't mean that they are new and up to date either. A lot of the things I read were from months and even years ago... I feel like things can always change.

You have 2 years to read the posts on this site. And with what you said about not wanting to read the posts that are several years old, you have 2 years till you graduate. Anything we tell you today will change, at least according to your logic.

I guess you're right. I just never thought about any of this stuff in depth until today when my class had that meeting at my school. I will constantly be reading this forum, all I really wanted was personal opinions and experiences from someone who is part of greek life right now, that's all. Sorry for making repeated posts... :o

It's good that you're taking initiative, but if things were constantly changing, what good would it do for you to get information from folks now if you aren't starting for another 2 years? ;)

Again, focus on doing the best you can in high school and read through the forums, as suggested before. Most of the basic information is still very relevant.

Okay, I'll bite.
 

Here you go:

I give her props for using "a part" correctly. She's only 15/16 and she's using the term hella better than people older than her.

LOL-That gave her a plus in my book right off the bat!

No, they really don't.

This "instant nostalgia" thing is getting ridic.

Anyway, the world is going to end this year (thank you Mayans and Dick Clark) so all this is kind of a moot point.

For those keeping track, she really DOESN'T seem to know the correct use of "a part" vs. "apart".

No points. :p

I guess...if we're grading on %ages. She missed one that I saw.

It makes me really cranky, all this misuse of "a part of" and "apart".

eta: thetalady - jinx! buy me a coke!!!:D

What? Somebody made "caribbean" a race and didn't tell me?
This forum is - what? 10 years old? - so you can't have read that many of them. If you had, you would have had the answer to most of your questions.
Things are not going to change just because you're now in the picture, snowflake.

(Sheesh, I am in a bitchy mood today!)

She did choose the correct version of "click" vs. "clique" in her post, thank you.

totally missed "apart" in the 2nd post :-(

it isn't a race, i meant to say caribbean black... he's from jamaica. anyways, i really just wanted answers, but i see i'm not welcomed here because i am still in high school. sorry for somehow pissing everyone off with my questions, and typos, that wasn't the point of my post at all.. i got all the answers i needed so thanks for anyone who helped. :o

I didn't think they were, it was simply just a question. I just don't understand why I am being attacked. I got the hint the first time that I should read old posts... I get it.

Darlin', it's not that you're in high school.
It's that you could find the answers to just about every question by reading the threads already there.
We have a big aversion to people who want the answers handed to them on a silver platter.;)

Partly because I'm procrastinating writing this paper and partly because I sympathize with planning far, far in advance, here are some answer from a greek Trojan :)


1. I am of a mixed race, my mom is hispanic, and my dad is caribbean and white. Does race really come into play in terms of being in a sorority? In other words, do they tend to be very prejudice? I know there are the NPHC sororities, but does that mean that only african-amercians can be in those and not any other one?
In all honesty, appearances will play more into it more than race. SC is pretty diverse, but a large majority of girls that rush are white so obviously the pledge classes are going to reflect that, but it won't hurt your chances.

2. What is rush week truly like?
Craziness. One of the most tiring, amazing, gruesome, and fun experiences you will have. (read any rush story on here, it's basically the same set up, just longer/shorter depending on the school)

3. How long can you be in a sorority? Like, is it by semester or by the school year?
As long as you pay dues, you're in it all four years (plus alum status if you don't deactivate)

4. Do you need recommendations, and if so, from who?
Not necessary, but helpful if possible. Won't make a HUGE difference, but could make you stand out. Preferably from an alum of the sorority that knows you very well.

5. What are frat parties truly like?
Some epic, crazy fun nights, some boring ones. I'm sure you have an idea of what college parties are like? A lot like that.

6. If you are a part of greek life, to you, what is the greatest thing about being in a fraternity/sorority?
All of my best friends are in my sorority and I literally can't imagine where I would be without them. So definitely the people.

7. Is being in a sorority very time consuming? Will it be easy for me to be friends with other people outside of greek life, and can i easily participate in other "non-greek" activities?
You can be as involved or uninvolved as you want. The more involved you are, though, the less involved you will be with "non-greek" activities. Not that it's a bad thing, but your best friends will become greek and that will take up a lot of what you WANT to be involved in. Greek life can become a little bubble that's sometimes obnoxious, but for the most part great.

8. Are girls from different sororities friends with each other, or is it very cliquey?
Both. In groups, houses can be very catty toward each other especially during rush/when it comes to the top houses battling for PNMs, reputation, etc. But on an individual basis, I have friends in just about every house!


Hope this helps somewhat. Above all, FOCUS on your grades. USC has become so competitive and you have to get in before you can rush :) Fight on!