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Colleges Where Frats and Sororities Rule
The Princeton Review
1. DePauw University
How students feel about social life at DePauw depends primarily on how they feel about the Greek system, which "definitely dominates the social scene." Warns one student, "If you're not into Greek life, don't come here! That's where everything is at here!"
2. Washington and Lee University
The W&L social universe revolves around the Greek scene. Comments one student, "We have the greatest fraternity scene in the country. Period." Because "fraternity parties are open to everyone, except for special functions," W&L suffers less from Greek/independent antagonism than do many other Greek-dominated campuses.
3. Indiana University - Bloomington
Students note that the Greek system has a very strong presence at Indiana, perhaps even as strong as the famous IU basketball team. While some students crow about the wonderfully diverse student body, others complain that while "the majority of people here are very friendly," the population "is very divided [by] race, Greeks/non-Greeks, and majors."
4. University of Colorado, Boulder
While the frat and sorority scene is huge at Colorado, students report that the CU student body consists of "a combination of rich kids and hippies, kids who don't care about classwork, and kids who are super-competitive, studying hard during the week and letting loose on the weekends." Students come to CU for the peerless quality of life, and by nearly all accounts, that's exactly what they get. The city of Boulder offers "an endless amount of things to do." Those willing to travel a little can harvest what most consider the area's pearl: some of the best skiing and snowboarding to be found anywhere.
5. Southern Methodist University
Social life equals Greek life at SMU, so much so that one student advises prospective freshmen to "be Greek, or don't go at all." In the sea of fraternity and sorority jerseys, many students point out the positive aspects of the robust Greek system, including "a strong sense of campus community." This community is also known as a "socialite breeding ground" where "you've never seen so many BMWs in [your] life," and "'Your father is a CEO of what?' " is a well-worn pick-up line.
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Diversity, student activism, and a college town with "piles to do"--one has the sense that things are all good in Ann Arbor. Of course, a thriving fraternity and sorority scene is just part of that diversity. A junior describes the situation this way: "The amount and quality of extracurricular activities here are phenomenal. It almost makes me want to take one class per term so I can use all my time for these activities." And that's just at the university!
7. University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
The "overwhelmingly conservative" students of 'Bama admit to a wide, well-defined divide running between the Greek and independent communities. Writes one GDI, "The Greeks can be nice individually, but as a group they can be somewhat snobbish." Independents especially resent the sense that "the Greek system here at the university, referred to by many simply as 'The Machine,' basically runs the school. They control the SGA and nearly every campus group. For non-Greek students, it's hard to escape from under their umbrella."
8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Many Illini tell us that they "did not know it before coming here, but the U of I is a huge party school." The campus is "very Greek; it seems like everyone is in a fraternity or sorority." One typical student writes, "There's not much to do in the cornfields of Champaign-Urbana [sic], but...[m]ost people go out on weekends, to the bars, house/apartment parties, and after-hours parties at fraternities. During the week, many people go out as well. The weekend definitely starts on Thursday, though."
9. Wake Forest University
The lively party scene here revolves around the Greeks and area bars and clubs. Frat parties "are completely open and welcoming to all students and provide dancing and free beer," but upperclassmen eventually "tire of the frat scene. Even so, we are comfortable with the social options at Wake." Many complain about the university's restrictive regulations, especially those concerning alcohol. Beyond the party scene, "opportunities to get involved on campus abound: there are a ton of clubs, teams, and organizations to join."
10. Dartmouth College
The Greek life dominates at Dartmouth, where "frats are the entire social scene," as one student claims. But while fraternities play a big role in having fun, there are many other weekend options. Outdoor activities are a popular recreational alternative in this "beautiful, intimate, and friendly environment."
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