Wow, I must say that men and women are very different in their approaches to membership.
Generally you have different levels of thinking in a chapter setting.
So for example, there are people who think of others in terms of fun, there are others that think in terms of leadership and quality of participation.
I am not sure that many male fraternities would disqualify on the basis of age. They might use it as an excuse if there were other more subtle reasons why they didn't like/approve the person.
Also, generally age is cosmetic, in general a chapter is more likely to accept someone who looks younger that is older than someone who is younger but looks older.
And even then, for a person to realistically expect a bid from a fraternity he must have shown interest or been shown interest in.
So with that in mind it is possible for even a much older personn to be initiated, in fact I can see some chapter members thinking it was a cool thing to do to share an experience they value with someone who didn't get the chance to participate at a younger age.
As far as not enjoying the mixer thing . . . women and alcohol . . . hmmm . .. we said they were older not dead right?
And if they find themselves to mature to show up and talk to people, that just means a better ratio of girls and alcohol to each individiual brother (in a legal third party vending setting of course with proper adherance to policies)
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This seems to be a recurring topic . . . I am not sure how your older friends are but mine are kind of people that still enjoy life, have fun, but have greater responsibilities, and are often better at things through practice.
Granted for most the end of college means the end of dreams and aspirations but some of these posts seem to condemn y'all into becoming your grandparents, because what would be true in your implications for those older would likely be true for yourselves in a few years.
So please stop assuming that Benjamin Franklin's quote (paraphrased) Most people die at 21 but wait till their 60's to be burried, is true.
But women do look at the world differently than men. Although disqualifying a women on the basis that she may get married because she is a few years older than you is the same type of discrimination that women have seen in the work place. why would women discriminate againbst women?
Oh well . . .
In the meantime please introduce me to your better looking fun loving alumnae that you believe are just to mature to hang out
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[This message has been edited by James (edited March 14, 2001).]