Question for SEC greeks
 

Hi, everyone!

I'm hoping to apply to a couple of SEC schools and rush there. I was wondering how the housing arrangements work at the "big greek" schools. My mom (the only greek in my family) went to an urban school, so only a few people (officers, upperclassmen, etc.) lived in her sorority suite. About how many sisters/brothers live in the house? Obviously, it will vary from school to school, but any answer you can give me would help! Sorry if this is a totally stupid question.

Thanks! :)
CeCe

not from a SEC school, but very familiar with several. house capacity does vary from chapter to chapter, as are the ways that the chapters decide who will be living in. sometimes it is fashioned after a lottery, other times it might be based on a point system. there could be a requirement that the executive officers must live in. living in could be based on seniority or it could be a given that juniors and seniors prefer to live off campus, so sophomores are expected to live in. it just varies.

i can tell you this: i was lucky enough to get to live in all 3 years at the ZTA house at FSU, and i wouldn't trade those days for anything! it was such a great experience, and is one of those "once in a lifetime opportunities"!

BTW, the DZ house at FSU is lovely, and houses the most members(72, i think). Check out FSU!!!

Hi CeCe - FSUZeta is correct about SEC schools, and living in the house is a privilege and a once in a lifetime opportunity; but it is also sometimes a responsibility for membership. I, like FSUZeta, was fortunate to live in the KD house at Arkansas for 3 years, and had an AMAZING time that in many ways molded me into the woman I am today. I believe that currently the KD house at Arkansas sleeps 71. If you get the opportunity take it!

I would check out the Greek Life website at each specific school you are interested (just google search them) and the answer might be there, and if the answer isn't on there, that is a GREAT question to ask the Greek Life office either in person on a campus visit or through a phone call.

Good luck with finding your college home and getting more information about Greek Life! And, if Arkansas isn't on your SEC list, give it a second look :)

When you physically go check out the schools, you'll have a pretty good idea. These houses are going to hold A LOT of girls, but with pledge class sizes being what they are, they might not even hold a whole pledge class from the year before. Which is a shame because I loved living in. Well, right until about last semester of my senior year, but I really don't think there would have been anywhere on earth that I would have been happy. But that's senioritis, not the chapter house.

I can't say about the SEC schools in particular, but it's common to have either the sophomores or juniors live in, as well as the chapter officers, and then others as space allows/dictates. I really don't know what you do when you have a pledge class of 100 and the house holds 70. Except beg for more sororities to come to campus to ease the burden.

I believe all SEC schools except for Auburn have actual houses, they have beautiful new residents halls just for the sororities. Each sorority at AU has a floor in the hall and their own suite. UT-Knoxville sororities are building their houses as I type. I'm sure each sorority on each campus will vary on what they require.

I lived in the AOII house at Ole Miss for 3 years. I loved every second of it. It was required back then (not sure what the policy is now as the chapter is so big there is no way every single member could live in the house.) I would say it is pretty standard that officers live in the house at some point. I know some sororities at Ole Miss require sophomores and others require upperclassmen. Some houses on some campuses can house large numbers (i.e. Tri Delta at Ole Miss can house some crazy number and so can AOII at Arkansas). Then I know AOII at Vanderbilt has a smaller "dorm" section of their house so only a small number can live in the house. If it is required please take advantage of it!

I'm about to move into my house for the third year in a row! Chapters at UF house anywhere from the mid thirties up to the forties (to the best of my knowledge). Living in house is getting more and more popular as time goes on - esp if its super affordable like ours is. I love living in house! Its a big part of sorority life to me, but there are plenty of women who never live in house and don't feel its necessary. Its up to you what you want to get out of it. Mostly its a lottery system, to make it fair. I my chapter, if you live in house and want to continue to live in house, its almost 98% guaranteed.

Hope that helps!

Thanks so much, everyone!

According to the Vanderbilt website, each house holds only 6 people! I was so surprised by that, based on all of your answers. I may have read it wrong, so I'm going to do a little more research and check out the houses when I go on my college visits.

Vanderbilt is a rare bird among SEC schools. I live in Nashville, and the 6 people per house wouldn't surprise me - the houses are a good bit smaller than the ones I experienced at UGA.

Vanderbilt does a deferred rush - right after Winter Break.

Lots of great chapters - but more to the point, it's an excellent education, and you'd be in a fun, fun town.

But it's a different animal that UGA or Alabama...

please correct me if i have it wrong, but i always thought that the "houses" at vanderbilt were more on the line of lodges, a lodge being more a meeting place that also has a few bedrooms for a small number of members.

Yes, I would say that 6 per house at Vandy is about right. The houses are decent sized though, given that so few people live there. I know that for Theta just the exec lives-in. I suspect that it is the same for other groups too, but I will let them chime in.

AOII's house at Vandy is a good sized house. It only sleeps officers as well. They have a beautiful chapter room, TV room, great kitchen, and even a water fountain inside of their house!!!

i was likening it to the lodges at texas tech-beautiful buildings with meeting rooms and a few rooms for officers to sleep in. i believe they also have lodges at emory(and probably more schools that i am not familiar with).

While Vandy may technically be in the SEC, it's not really an SEC school with respect to Greek Life.

...or football.

:D

When it comes to SEC football, we UK Alumni more often than I like to admit, give thanks for Vandy being in the SEC! :cool: