[DrPhil]

I strongly recommend not putting your fraternity on your graduate school application for 3 reasons:

1. You are deactivating. Quitter. Regardless of the reason.

2. I don't think anyone should put GLO membership on graduate school applications. If they do, that's fine, but I would never recommend it unless you did something that directly relates to the graduate degree.

3. Your accomplishments while in that fraternity are at the collegiate chapter-level (unless you did something that was beyond the chapter-level). For many people, such accomplishments are expected, so some people (such as myself) do not find them noteworthy for an application unless (again) they directly relate to the graduate degree.

Therefore, save that space on your application for accomplishments that are more academic and community-based without CONVENIENTLY trying to use your deactivated fraternity membership as social capital.

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When committees read through graduate school applications, they are often rushed and are looking for the applications that really stand out. An application that references Greekdom may only standout to fellow Greeks--and particularly those who aren't just "Greek when I was in college." WOMP WOMP, if someone was to put your application on top because you have a good application that includes Greek affiliation, only to find out (you'll be surprised) that you deactivated.

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We aren't talking about a professional organization that you can put "presented at conference" or "2009 committee chair" on your application even if you didn't pay dues for the current fiscal year. Even then, there are instances where people are called out for not being currently active (if their name isn't on the fiscal year roster) if the people reading your application or resume` care so much.