Advice Needed
 

Hello there everyone. Couple things. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm a junior considering pledging a fraternity. Long story short, i received a bid last semester as a sophomore and turned it down. Few months later, i regret it. If i were a year younger, i wouldn't hesitate, but for obvious reasons I'm wondering if it's even worth it. I've considered that it would still be an advantage after i graduate. Things like scholarship, brotherhood, intramurals etc are also things that keep me interested, but i debate whether having those things for a year and a half would be worth the hell of pledgeship. I may, however, still be at school for another semester and possibly a 5th year altogether. But that's something that i still do not know.
Now, i still have very little knowledge of how the greek system works, so bear with me. My first question is: is there any way i can begin pledge right now by myself at a fraternity? Since fraternities at our school normally don't start until October, and i am now a junior? If i started that late, i wouldn't get initiated until probably Feb. Or is this something that just does not happen in greek pledgeship? Finally, this leads into my second question, which is a little bit simpler. If this doesn't work out, and i would have to wait until October, would it be worth it? and by the way if you're still reading, thank you. I need honest thoughts...

Whether or not a junior will get a bid depends on your school. Is your recruitment competitive? Are there clear 'top houses?' Generally, upper classmen will not be considered by the top houses unless they have some serious personal connections to the group.

Generally, for IFC-related fraternities, they won't pledge you by yourself early (unless the group really needs to get their numbers up). It may happen some places, but I've never seen it.

While the pledge period length varies, several schools have guidelines that your pledge process can't be more than one semester. Don't quote me on that, though. (So if you got a bid this fall, you'd be a member before Spring Semester, provided you pass all requirements. Pledge periods, generally take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks.)

Is it worth it? That's up for you to decide.

Okay, I don't know where you are, but I have a few guesses based on your statement that fraternities don't start until October. I really doubt any chapter is going to let you have your own pledge class. That said, I'm not certain what makes you think you wouldn't be initiated until February. Many fraternities have national restrictions on how long pledgeship can be. In fact, many have done away with pledging entirely.

I'm guessing that, being a junior who rushed before, you have some idea of which chapters interest you. You should spend some time on their national websites and get an idea of how they educate their new members. Of course, none of them allow pledgeship to be hell, but I think you will find some differences among them.

Is it worth it for a year and a half? Well, a website full of Greeks is probably going to tell you yes.

Tell the fraternity you got a bid from that you're still interested in pledging. Proceed from there.

Thanks guys, i appreciate it. And to respond to what lucgreek was saying, the fraternity that i am interested in joining is the one that i received a bid from last February. My friend started pledging there in march and is still going until the beginning of October, granted he had the summer off. But he tells me that generally the pledgeship at that fraternity is 3 months, so that is why i say that i may not be initiated until Feb. Also, that same Fraternity's fall pledge class from last year didn't get initiated until that time as well. So that is the reason it is such a tough choice, along with the risk of being embarrassed to pledge with mostly freshman. Also the reason i wanted to start as soon as possible in order to get initiated this semester.

The bolded sets off my 'risk management' alarm. Is this fraternity a national or local group?

This is the sentence that *really* set it off for me. According to this, men who pledged in the Fall, initiated the *following* October? Does any National group allow for pledging to last essentially an entire year? (note, this is apparently for an existing chapter, there may be fraternities where someone who started a Colony might not actually become a brother until the charter is given)

I highly doubt any national allows this, but fraternities have been doing their own thing since time began. I know a chapter at a school (not my fraternity nor my alma mater) that has the pledges begin their pledgeship in the spring and then force them to move into the house the next fall (still pledges) only to be initiated at the end of the fall...I am 99.9% positive their nationals would be appalled but frankly few are successful at a) finding these things out, at least in full detail and b) getting the chapter to change however many years of tradition.

To the OP, no way in hell you are getting your own pledge class no matter what the school. Do contact the fraternity that gave you a bid before and make up something that sounds plausible for why you denied the bid (finances or whatever), and then see what they say. They'll probably discuss it, and the silver lining is that even if they are offended, they'll probably cut you at the first chance so you'll still have time to look at other options. If they still like you then you'll probably get more indication you'll get a bid than you would at other chapters. There's really no reason not to go for it.

If it helps, in my fraternity we had pledges who denied bids and re-rushed go both ways...some we cut, some we invited back. It depended on their attitude, how much we liked them to begin with (a top rushee or a guy that barely made the cut), and how much we believed their excuse/story. Some check out, some are dubious at best.

Focus on chapters that are not the "big dogs" on campus. Like others have said, they'll be more resistant to juniors unless you are buddies (and I mean close friends, not acquaintances) with several members.

To all who responded (many months ago) and replied to my thread, thank you. I ended up pursuing the fraternity i wanted and it was the best decision I've made in college.

Congratulations.

That's great to hear. Congrats?

Want to share any information, like which fraternity?