Sorority and Fraternity Costs
 

I am thinking about rushing next semester, but I am not sure how much sororities and fraternities cost. I am a legacy for Delta Gamma, but I don't know if sororities are too expensive for my budget. Can someone help me out with this? Thanks!

The best way to find out about costs is to contact the Greek Life office on your campus. They will have average fees for the sororities on campus. A number of factors will apply: is there a chapter house or lodge and will you be required to live there and eat meals at the house (keep in mind, though, that this means you won't be paying for dorm food or lodging). The national fees vary from sorority to sorority, so that makes a difference as well.

My advice to you is to check out the costs before Rushing - even though they are required to disclose the costs during Rush, if you know up front that you and your parents can't afford it, you shouldn't go through Rush.

Also keep in mind that even if you are a legacy, that is not a guarantee that you will receive a bid from that sorority. Rush with an open mind and pledge where you heart feels most at home.



------------------
Fraternally,
Barbara

If you have to go around telling everyone you're in charge you're not
much of a leader.

The costs are different for each house at each campus. There are one that pay outrageous amounts, but I only pay $30 per month. Talk to the active Greeks o your campus to find out, or contact the Greek Life office, they should have that information.

CFB
Chi Phi
Psi Zeta '01

I just joined and our dues are some what expensive,i pay $60 a month for 6 monthes, but they are worth it. we do alot of things to help the community and the money helps do it. If you ask me i'd pay more if they raised the dues but check with the organization and see if they can put you on a payment plan that helps if you have a limited budget.

My chapter's dues were very small, mostly because we didn't reside in a house. However, we still made every effort to meet needs of members who couldn't afford them. (Working out payment plans or what-have-you).

Wow your dues are low! I'm a Delta Chi from Ohio State and my dues are $260 per month if you live in the house, $385 per month if you don't, and I know other greeks whose dues are higher.

Count yourselves all very lucky to be paying that little. The Real Estate prices in California are crazy espeically in the Bay Area where I go to school at UC Berkeley. I pay $680 a month for dues, rent, and food at our house. Which believe it or not is actually $2000 cheaper than living in the the dorms, but a lot more fun. Pricing is relative I am sure Pi Kapp's at other schools pay far less.

Wow I think everyone can count themslves lucky. My sorority is new on campus (one year) and we just got lucky enough to purchase a house for us instead of waiting for on campus housing (Special Purpose housing space for us would not taken place till 2008). But when the chapter found out how much it would be to have the house we all turned it down. It would have been $300 a semester even if you didn't live in the house on top of the $300 a semester that we pay in dues and if you had lived in the house it would have been $400 a month to live there plus the $300 a semester for housing and $300 a semester in dues. As much as we would like to stay a top house and stay there, there was just NO way for us to be able to pay that much...so we are still waiting....

My goodness, i had no idea some people's dues were that high. I never really knew, first-hand, the financial exclusiveness of joining some houses. We have a house (though we did't when I pledged) and our dues were small fractions of what I heard on this board. And I'm from a small chapter, too. I mean, if the house note is, say $1000/month, and you have a house of 50 members, how can it add up to so much (these figures are not the case in my house, let me say)? I just don't understand.

Mwedzi- If the house rent was $1000/month I wouldn't understand how it could get too high either. But you have to add on utilities, food, insurance, etc. etc.

But how you'd find a house for $1000/month for 50 members, that's what I'd like to see.

We don't have houses at my school. Part of the reason is that we'd want a house near school. That means La Jolla, CA. In La Jolla you can't get a 3 bedroom 2 bath for less than a couple million dollars. It's mostly beach front and all expensive as hell. We'd have to have a house that is no where near school to get the size we'd need. And we'd still be looking at millions of dollars.

Wow...and I thought $60 per semester was a lot! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

it costs $1400/yr to belong to my chapter, plus you have to purchase a 6-meal plan whether or not you live in the house. you pay about $2000/yr more in rent if you want to live in the house, plus you must pay for the full-board plan if you live in.

[This message has been edited by -sketchball- (edited July 05, 2000).]

I don't know anything about other sorority's or fraternity's situations, so I guess I can't be presumptous. We were less than 20, though, and managed to carry a house for relatively small dues. The house was only for 6 people to live in and they divied up the rent since they got the housing, though we all contributed to utilities and food. We were all pretty poor, so none of us would have been able to be in a sorority if it had been that expensive. i would have really missed out.

anyway, as others have said, all groups will let you know before during rush. It does take money at almost every place, though.

Averages at Mizzou
 

Here are some averages I got from Mizzou.. Keep in mind these are probably a few years outdated...

The AVERAGE costs are:
Sorority First Year
In-house: $4,380
Out-of-house: $1,400

Sorority Second Year and Following
In-house: $3,955
Out-of-house: $1,055

Fraternity Costs
In-house: $4,395


And I doubt thats including others fees.. (national dues, initiation fee, etc)

At my school I think it ranges from about 250-600 a semester.
Obviously, as you can see from how different everyone's dues are, you should visit the Greek Life office at your school.

Good Luck :)

My first two semesters were almost $600, but now that I've been in it, they've dropped down to $370 or something like that and will be closer to $300 when I live in next year. Our dues are some of the cheaper ones on campus, as some have almost $1000 for their first semester dues. But to live in the house for a year I'll pay $6500, which I've heard is more expensive than some.

Wow.... big difference from chapter to chapter/ sorority to sorority...

I attend school at a mid-size campus...
I pay $73/month for dues...
PLUS various other fees...

My first semester, after initiation fees, dues, and other expenditures, set me back a little over $1200 (WELL WORTH IT)
My first semester was the most expensive...

If you live in house... you pay regular dues, other fees, and about $1900/semester for lodging.

-Lindsay
adpi

FAU sororities range from 315-550 i beleive. My chapter is the least expensive at the moment. We have no houses either.

Re: Sorority and Fraternity Costs
 

WonderWoman-I see you are from Austin. Does that mean you are thinking of rushing at UT? I don't know first hand, but I have a friend who is a UT-DG alum, and from what I gather, being a sorority woman at Texas isn't cheap, so you should count on them being on the higher end of the spectrum (my brother was in a fraternity there, but they were unhoused, so their dues were considerably lower than the other fraternities).

Definitely contact the office of Greek Life for more specific info. Also--if you do decide to rush at UT, exploit that DG legacy for everything it's worth b/c UT rush is extremely competitive. Good luck to you!

Y'all do realize this thread is from 1999, right?

LOL

-Rudey
--Nah

Dear lord! OK. Forget what I said...
note to self: always check date of first post in thread....

Old thread
 

It's old. That's okay. There can always be info to be learned or to add... Honestly I think that adding to an old post is much more useful that just starting a new one... *shrug*

-Matt

WOW. Thats all I can say. I know that my sisters dues where more expensive then mine, but I thought that I my dues were a lot already. We pay 200 a semester if you live out of the suite, 180 if you live in the suite. Granted, this doesnt include tshirts of formals and that kind of stuff, but this way, if you can not go to the formal, you are not forced to pay for it. Most everybody goes anyways.

I heard that in some places down south, the dues can get up to 3000 a semester. yikes. But its worth it!

Wow! :eek: Our Chapter, New Member dues are $250 and they only pay it once obviously and then active dues are between $150-200 depending on our chapter budet and how much fundraising we do. We don't have a house either just for those who are curious. But at my school, we the cheapest on campus :D

Sorry to dig out an old thread!
 

Ok, I know this is kind of a dated thread, but I don't want to start a new one and take up space...
I'll be rushing in the fall and I was wondering
For most sororities, are the dues usually due in one lump sum or broken down throughout the semester? I would be able to afford a little bit a month, but definitely not around $1000 at once, especially at the begininning of the semester!
**My school has the semester expenses listed on the greek life site, so I have a slight idea of what I'm getting myself (and my parents) into financially!
Thanks!

Re: Sorry to dig out an old thread!
 

Actually, a lot of us love it when our new users do a search! Usually if someone has a question, chances are someone else has asked it already...so your answer may already lie within these boards.

But to answer your question, I can't speak for all NPC chapters, but I'm pretty sure that each individual chapter has payment plans set up for their members. As a collegian I knew of a few girls who paid for their dues and fees in one big fat check (courtesy of mommy and daddy). I was on a payment plan as a new member and continued to pay for my dues monthly as an active member.

Your semester as a new member might seem overwhelming with all those new member and initiation fees, but keep in mind that you pay those fees only once.

Of course, you'll know for sure when you go through Recruitment. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions, that's what Recruitment's for!

Re: Re: Sorry to dig out an old thread!
 

To expand on OTW's post, many Greek offices on campuses have the financial information for each chapter, or at least an average, on file and/or in the recruitment book so you'll have somewhat of an idea what to expect.

Additionally, some campuses also use one of the days of recruitment to have each chapter hand out financial sheets with a breakdown of all chapter costs to all PMNs and encourage asking questions at that time. We had ours the same day we gave house tours but, of course, each campus is going to be different.

I, too, was on a payment plan with my chapter. If you're upfront and willing to work with the chapter, they're usually willing to work with you. :)

Sorority Dues at Stetson range from $300 - $500 per semester. If you want to live in the house, it's only $500 more per semester than living in the dorms.

Dues usually include all of your normal fees (housing, insurance...ets.) shirts for rush, socials, and sister hood events.
The only things you have to pay for out of pocket (after dues) are formals (sometimes they will be covered), tshirts for socials (again, sometimes they will be covered) and other little misc. stuff.
Usually, everything is covered except for formal which usually runs about $45 per couple. :)

Sorority dues at NCSU range from $400 a semester to $1200 a semester. The average is around $700. Those DO NOT include rent for houses. Our houses are all owned by the University so we pay housing costs to University Housing. We vote on dues each semester so they go up and down a little each semester.

New member dues are always more expensive...but it's only for a year and it's SOOO worth it.

Good luck in making your decisons.

I have a quick question about dues:

Will each chapter specify if everything is included in dues or do some say their dues are less and then forget to tell you that's because it doesn't include shirts and formals?

Thanks!

Dues should be spelled out during Recruitment - they are required to disclose all costs. T-shirts, etc. are usually extras and not part of dues. When in doubt - ask!

Just a word of warning: The above advice may be good at some schools, but not at Alabama. An "average" cost is given out with the recruitment information that Panhellenic sends out to all PNM's. I don't think that any chapter gives out specifics during the recruitment process. Furthermore, a PNM who inquires too much about financial aspects during recruitment--unless the chapter is well aware of her family's financial background-- is more likely to be cut because the chapter may fear that she would drop out due to financial reasons. It might not be fair, but it is true. I think that most actives reason that PNMs have been given estimates from Panhellenic and that if you know you can afford those numbers, you can afford any house. So, if you are going to Bama or a similar school, look CAREFULLY at those numbers you get from Panhellenic and use those as a guide. And don't bring up finances unless the actives bring it up first!

For the new member semester, our dues are $600 and every semester afterwards is about $400.

I'm not saying you are going to attend CSUS, but here's what our Panhellenic website says:

"How much does it cost to be a member of a social fraternity or sorority?
Given the benefits provided, Greek membership is a bargain. However, students should consider the costs in planning their personal budgets. Chapter dues can range between $100 and $400 a semester. Every organization has their own budget and believe that members should not be excluded for financial reasons. First, you should ask each sorority about costs and then work with the organization to work our a payment plan. In most cases, the sorority can hold a fundraiser or help you find a job to help alleviate these costs. Bottom line- money should not be an issue in your decision to join."

I'm in a local, but our new member dues are a little over $200. Basically it pays for shirts, some of the gifts, pins, budgets for events, etc. Members pay around $150. HOWEVER, we can pay an arm and a leg for formal, which isn't covered in dues. But formal is optional so whether you pay that is up to you. Other misc. fees include t-shirts not already covered by dues, IM sport fees (I don't know if there are any, but just in case), costumes/outfits for recruitment/Greek Week/Skits/etc... and so on.

ZTA at Stetson will tell you exactly what gets paid out of your dues and what is considered extra costs during formal recruitment. :)

I probably need to check the Green Book, but I believe that NPC regs state that actual costs must be disclosed during Recruitment, prior to Preference. At FSU, this usually happens during the first or second invitational round. Actual costs are also published on the FSU Greek Life site.

Simple breakdown...I payed around 700/yr to be a pike at my school...Got a $80,000yr job out of school cause of a pike hookup, now thats a pay off...

Ours are about the same at Akron. I think that I paid about $340 a year after my first year.

The benefits definately outweigh any negatives. I know from my experience, I recieved a scholarship from our local fund every year after I pledged (one year in which I had a full ride) and also recieved a national scholarship for my last 2 years. So basically everything that I paid to be in DG has come right back to me and then some.

So if cost ever becomes an issue.....make sure you check into all of our resources before giving up on being a member of an organization.