weird situation
 

had a general question that is kind of weird...

is it possible for someone who is in "fraternity a" to join another fraternity? say fraternity a wasn't what he was expecting and wanted to rush somewhere else in the spring...if he drops is it possible to rush somewhere else?

No major national IFC fraternities as far as I know will initiate someone who is or has been a member of another IFC fraternity. Although I have heard of chapters being absorbed, but I'm not sure how that works.

Did you "drop" while pledging or were you initiated as a brother and now you want to leave?

If its the first then it's possible, depending on your campus, to pledge another fraternity. If it's the latter than I'm pretty sure no IFC fraternity will allow you to pledge them.

thanks for the input but to make it more clear i did initiate but wish to drop. was seeing if i am able to go anywhere else...but i hear from some of the people on head tablet that i can...then i hear i can't. anyone have a definite answer?

Here's the quickest answer I know to give:

If the fraternity that you joined is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference, and if any other fraternity you want to join is also an NIC member, then you need to know that NIC by-laws require that member fraternities:

Be mutually exclusive of and in competition with other general fraternities, meaning that no member fraternity shall initiate a member of another fraternity until such time as the second fraternity shall have been formally notified in writing by the national office of the first fraternity that a candidate for membership in the second fraternity is no longer regarded as a member of the fraternity.

So, under NIC rules, you would have to have something in writing from "Fraternity A" (nationally) saying that you are no longer a member.

If you've jumped that hurdle, know that it is still possible that a fraternity in which you are interested will have its own policies that prohibit the initiation of anyone who has ever been a member of another fraternity, even if the guy in question is no longer a member of that other fraternity. Just because NIC by-laws say they can doesn't mean they have to, and many NIC fraternities choose not to.

If you've jumped that hurdle as well, then know that many if not most chapters on your campus very well may not be interested in you. They will always view you as a member of "Fraternity A" (or they will always view you as a quitter, or both).

True statement. You've been INITIATED into another fraternity. You know all of their secrets and you now want to join another fraternity. If fraternity A wasn't what you were expecting, you should have left when you were pledging (and even then, fraternity B would probably look down upon you attempting to rush them).

Personally, if I was fraternity B, I'd be wary about letting someone into my organization who just went and found out every secret about another fraternity. Who's to say you wouldn't join fraternity B, drop, and then tell all of their secrets to other people, as you'd no longer have any loyalty to them, similar to your situation with fraternity A?

I'd say stick it out if you can. If not, you might have to consider not being a part of Greek life at all.

^^^ Ditto. Also, on my campus, fraternity B would not likely extend a bid to someone who dropped (especially post initiation) from fraternity A. I cannot say what the chances would be on your campus but you may want to consider dropping Greek life altogether.

Agreed. By way of example, SAE's national laws do allow for someone who was once a member of another national social fraternity to be initiated into SAE, but the requirements are so restrictive as to make it almost impossible to be approved - only in truly exceptional circumstances - and never while the person in question is still an undergraduate.

If the fraternity into which you've already been initiated is a local only, and if another fraternity's laws permit you to join theirs after you resign your membership in the prior organization, and if the other fraternity decides to offer you a bid in the first place, maybe then you'll be able to join 'Fraternity B'. Otherwise I'm afraid you're completely out of luck where social fraternities are concerned. Maybe you should give some thought to service and/or professional organizations instead?

ETA: Whether you're talking about a social, service, professional, or other organization, you're only going to get out of it what you put into it. It sounds like you've only just recently joined 'Fraternity A.' Have you tried getting involved in a committee, or holding some appointed or elected office? Have you tried being involved on any sports teams your chapter might have? Have you tried organizing any sort of social or brotherhood events? If your chapter is lacking in those opportunities, create them yourself. Be the change you want to see in your chapter.

Seems pretty silly to have not realized it wasn't the place for you until after initiation. I know this isn't helpful but stuff like this annoys me.

If you've already been initiated; you're in Fraternity A for life. Unless you officially resign, there is no getting out. I have to agree with whoever said you should just not be in Greek life at all. No other chapter on your campus is going to take you if you've rushed; even been initiated into a different house. Hard lesson to learn this way, sorry man.