Debunking the Sorority Women Airhead Myth
 

There are stereotypes concerning sorority women. One stereotype is particularly disturbing in today's world. How many of us have heard only "airheads" would be in a Greek organization? Here are a few of the majors listed by members in two of our chapters. Greek sisters, please add on to this from your own chapters if you wish. MIT's list should be particularly interesting.


Architecture--- Univ. of Calif. at Berkeley
Molecular Toxicology
Integrative Biology
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Biology
Molecular and Cell Biology
Nuclear Engineering

Public Policy--- Stanford University
Biomedical Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Civil Engineering

I personally don't think that a particular major makes you airheaded or not. That is, unless your major is general studies or something.

I think the fact that greek women, on average, have higher GPAs says more than what majors greek women have.

^ True for my campus, in fact sorority women having higher GPAs than the other ladies on campus made the front page of my campus newspaper.

Ours don't sound like that, but then again our school isn't geared that way. I think the fact that the greek women's GPA is higher than the independent women's GPA is a better indication.

But just for ...and giggles...

Accounting, Acting/Directing, Art (BFA and BA), Biology, Business Management, Communication Studies, Elementary Education, English, Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, French, Graphic Design, Instrumental Music Education, Instrumental Performance, Interior Design Merchandising, Kinesiology, Marketing, Mass Communications, Mathematics, Musical Theater, Photography, Psychology, Retail Merchandising, Social Work, Sociology, Spanish, Vocal Performance

We like the arts. But I guarantee the old reputation of an easy arts degree isn't here...they take it real seriously. (I'm currently learning that the hard way...god it's a lot of work!)

When I was in school, there was one "cake" major. It was elementary education. Yes, a few girls in our chapter were El Ed majors, but we had others that were in very tough programs:
Pharmacy (not pre Pharm)
Zoology
Chemistry
Electrical Engineering
Finance
Accounting
Nursing

Those are just a few off the top of my head, but I saved the toughest for last. MINE! Economics with a concentration in Econometrics. Why? Because someone told me I wouldn't be able to hack it. I proved him wrong.

There was one major that was distinctly lacking in the Greek system at Otterbein: Nursing. There were maybe 2 or 3 TOTAL in the system when I was active. Lots of these girls would have made awesome sisters, but many felt they couldn't do it because of the crazy schedules and extremely stressful exams they took and the GPA they had to maintain.

My roomie during my senior year was a Nursing major. She was a junior, at the time, and her clinical schedules were awful. But, she was still our chapter president.
Where is she today? Director of Nursing for the Cleveland Clinic. She is one smart lady.

We had a ton of nurses in our chapter, quite a few pre-meds as well. I have no idea what our breakdown was but it was pretty spread out across colleges/majors.

Ask and ye shall receive. ;)

Amongst the active sisters from my chapter, we've got nuclear engineering, biology, architecture, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, brain and cognitive sciences, civil engineering, biological engineering, chemical engineering, and mathematics - and we're the smallest NPC chapter on campus. If you include alums, you'll also see computer science (my major), aero/astro, business, economics, and physics.

No airheads in this chapter. ;)

My chapter
 

Architecture Biological Sciences Biomedical Engineering Business Administration Chemical Engineering Chemistry Communication Design Economics ECE Engineering and Public Policy Hispanic Studies Industrial Design International Relations Material Science Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Modern Languages Voice Professional Writing Physics Psychology Public Policy & Management Statistics Flute　

Our girls represent every college within the university.

For what?

The best way to debunk myths is by continuing to be successful in what you do without needing to say "hey! I'm not a dumb sorority girl...I'm an engineering major." That screams airhead to me.

These attest to the fact that sorority women manage to excel academically as well as participate in a sisterhood. Also, it is great to see the diversity of interests in each chapter.

Perhaps Carnation can confirm this, but I think it was in a Panhellenic article the NPC average GPA across the nation was above the all women's average GPA.

The people who read this and think "sorority women aren't airheads" are the people who didn't really think sorority women are airheads.

I've managed to challenge a few stereotypes individuals had about sorority women (NPC mostly because we're most visible on my campus) by just being me and doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I don't hide my affiliation, but it isn't the first thing about me that I tell people about. Usually when they say "but you're so smart and not <insert insult here> (drunk, skanky, air headed, boy crazy)" they realize that was kind of an assy thing to say. It is really annoying when you work hard in school and the community, and all it takes to tarnish your good image is some idiot driving drunk, hitting a fire hydrant and flooding the local hospital (true story) or someone to come to class in letters, hungover and unprepared, and if they aren't sleeping talk incessantly about how trashed they got at the TriLambs.

Ouchie. It would be tough to be part of the Greek system that had that image. Do you think it's more of a problem on your campus or just a general problem with Greek life?

Is it mainly a question of how the negative things ellipse the positive in the public mind?

ETA: I think that what might contribute is that people see what they expect to see and ignore what they don't. If you expect to see Greeks in easy majors, looking for MRS degrees, then those are the ones you notice, even though there aren't that many of them. If there's an idiot kid in class, hungover and chatty, people notice the greek shirt and if there isn't one, just kind of assume the person is Greek anyway because they fit their idea of the type. Unless the aeronautical engineering majors advertise their groups, no one knows how different the reality is.

And I don't know if hyping the high average GPA is enough because so many of those doing the stereotyping just kind of assume it's because the women are in easier classes or have access to test files, etc, whatever else confirms the stereotype. Maybe CPCs should start hyping the accomplishments of the women in hard sciences, etc.

I was always amazed when people thought they were being complimentary when they said "You are in a sorority? Wow - I never would have guessed!", or worse "You're smart for a sorority girl". HUH?

Instead of being insulted I revel in the person making the statement coming to terms with their own stereotyping issues.

Oh, I did - I'd ask them "What exactly do you think a sorority girl is like?" :rolleyes:

I like the way you handled that.

They probably learned more too.

Well let's be honest, there are members of the Greek system who behave in ways that taint all of us. I'm not saying that these people are 100% wrong, because there are obviously students who behave in a way we're not thrilled about, but they aren't 100% right either.

I wonder who will have their stereotypes challenged when I wear my badge to class and work tomorrow?

Elementary Education is CAKE major??

I have a professor that says "You must be in a sorority" every time a girl says something airheaded. I should point out here that the class is all about stereotypes, so he's just trying to push buttons.

I will also mention here that he has NEVER said that to me. :)

I think we sorority women probably don't do enough to publicize how much sorority membership can do for average students at all campuses. It's important what we are doing to help "C" students become "B" students and "B" students to become "A" students. Is there any other activity a college woman can get involved in that can offer a college woman so much in terms of scholastic support and leadership training? or opportunities to personally connect with women who share their career or academic interests? Putting more emphasis on what we're doing to impact scholastic improvement amongst all our members could go a long way to "debunking" the airhead stereotype.

Yes.

This is why not everyone wants to be in a sorority or will successfully pursue a sorority. They can find these and other things elsewhere on most campuses.

For instance, there are many women who want NPHC membership but don't want all the rights and responsibilities that go along with being a member and a "soror." To those people, we often say "there's a great academic support club around the corner" or "the university has a minorities in medicine program where you can meet and mingle with other med students and people in your career of choice." The NPHC is not necessarily for them.

Be informed, be articulate, be a part of something larger than yourself. All are the hallmarks of sorority woman.

I always like to point out...I know some remarkable HIGHLY educated people who lack a single BRAINCELL of common sense. To me that defines "air head".

Living well is the best response to "you are a sorority girl"?

[quote=DSTCHAOS;1611543]Yes.
They can find these and other things elsewhere on most campuses. /quote]

True, hey can find some of these things in other activities, but sorority membership IMO does a very good job of providing a comprehensive lifetime experience...that will expose you to women from other areas of academic life, different socio-economic backgrounds, different ages, different geographic areas...and it's not something that's limited to your college years but can grow and change with you for the rest of your life.

It's not for everyone, nothing is, but I do think we are headed in the right direction generally in terms of breaking down barriers to membership and really offering quality membership experiences for a very broad group of students.

I have the same types of reactions from people (in the legal profession, mostly) when I tell them I advise a sorority chapter. The problem I get frustrated with is that there are male lawyers I know in the area who even put their affiliation/advising info on their webpages and resumes and it gets perceived as a positive "giving back to the community" kind of thing. It is rare that I am able to mention this to people and (without giving a 2-3 minute explanation of what I do and why) have people respect this part of my life. I constantly hear in non-greek's voices that they consider it a trivial thing to be spending time doing.

I remember I told someone at work last fall during recruitment that I was driving to the campus after work to help my chapter. She gave me a confused face and asked, "what would sorority girls need help with." I was kind of thrown back by her attitude and told her that recruitment was really stressful and it takes a lot of work and cooperation with others. It helps to have someone older and more mature there to keep things positive and going smoothly.

She just looked back at me like "whatever" and shrugged. It is really sad that I don't really feel like it is something I can list as a volunteer activity on my resume or webpage-bio, even though it is in so many ways my most rewarding "volunteer work" because of the close mentoring relationships that I really do think make a difference. My own theory is that it is the airhead stereotype that makes it different for male versus female advisers.

Uh huh and women who don't want to be in a sorority (or were denied membership) can find all of this elsewhere if they really want it.

Women are smart, men are dumb. Greek women are smarter than non-Greek women. None of the stereotypes are true, except the good ones.

Next thread!

You rock.

well, back awhile ago it wasn't nearly as difficult. now ya'll have to deal with PRAXIS or comparable exams, student teaching, and final portfolios that you can't re-do. my fiance is secondary math ed and a lot of his friends are elementary, so i'm saying all this from the outside. let me know if i've got misinformation :)

<3

Thank you. No, it's not. Okay, maybe it isn't Rocket Science or Nuclear Physics, but it's not a 'cakewalk', either. You have to have a minimum 3.0 to student teach (some schools higher). And, how many people could go and face 22 6-year-olds or 6 classes of 30-35 7th Graders?

That's more of what I was thinking. I was a poli sci major (one of the more intense majors at my school because of the department's prestige) but in the Honors College at my University there were always STRESSED out education majors...and their coursework was so varying...which led to more stress over having to know a little of everything...

Depends on the campus, but what you mention is often true; for instance, see the latest figures from the U. of Delaware at

http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2008/m...eks030408.html

A quote or two from the U. of Delaware story:

Sorority sisters' GPAs averaged 3.31 for the fall semester while their nonsorority counterparts earned an average of 3.10. Fraternity brothers earned an average 3.04 GPA for the fall semester compared to the nonfraternity male average of 2.86. The all-Greek GPA rose to an all-time high of 3.2.

The Greeks saw a 92 percent New Member Retention rate, showing that more people are completing the new member programming. . . .

CAP is an evaluation system created by the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council, in coordination with the Student Centers and the Faculty Senate, to improve the management and the quality of sorority and fraternity chapters.

Scores are based on four standards--academics, chapter management, membership development and community involvement. This year's scores are on the CAP Web site at [http://www.udel.edu/student-centers/...fall2007.html]. . . .