|
Well considering the overall lack of response from the SoCal kids...
I still think you are focusing way too much on the reputation of each chapter. For the people that are alumni, chapters change, so any input they give you'll have to take with a grain of salt. For those at USC, their opinions are skewed too, focusing on their own experiences and points of contact.
This isn't meant to be critical of you, because I really do understand what you are trying to do, but when push comes to shove, it's not worth joining a chapter simply because of what someone else tells you...unless that person is a sibling and really looking out for your best interests. As far as the stability of a chapter, it's been my experience with campuses in the Midwest that you can pretty much tell from how a chapter operates. Even from the outside you can see which chapters are weak or seem to be having issues with the campus or police.
If you absolutely must focus on reputation, I'd say just keep track of what you hear - so long as you aren't listening to the same people over and over again. Talk to a variety of people - including sorority members, faculty and staff - about the greek system and watch the campus paper for any Greek related news. See which chapter has representatives on things your interested in, IFC executives, and student government. Those whose chapters are very involved likely have the type of reputation you are seeking.
All of that said, reputation and numbers (whether membership, GPA, intramurals, involvement, philanthropy, etc.) will only get you so far. I know you said that you feel equally comfortable with several chapters right now. Look for that chapter in which you feel the most comfortable, that chapter you can imagine just sitting around with the guys and not doing anything with but still having a great time, the guys you can do everything from playing video games with, to making it to a football game, to going to the rec center, to studying for a test together, to having a great theme party with. If there is one chapter that can fill all those roles better than the others, than that's where you belong. It's not going to be something you're able to put in to words per se. It's going to be a feeling of being wanted, a feeling of acceptance, and a feeling that those guys care about you as a person.
In sum, you know what you are looking for numbers wise, and being close to the situation is the best vantage point, you also know what you hope to find in terms of social, diversity and those less tangible elements like reputation. Cut down to a smaller group of chapters (like maybe 3 or 4 max) that meet your criteria. After that, focus on your feelings. Your chapters will be pretty much the same numberwise, so you can ignore all those things like reputation, and really focus on finding that place you know you were meant to be.
Let me give you an example: On my campus, my chapter of Beta Theta Pi is almost identicle to a chapter of Farmhouse Fraternity. The chapters are practically tied for the number of times being #1 in grades since Farmhouse was founded on our campus in about 1910, both having been in the top three for grades each of the last 16 semesters or so. Both chapters are extensively involved on campus, and produce some amazing leaders. When rush comes around, most guys who join either house end up choosing that house over the other, so we're in constant competition with them for new members. For those guys who are stuck between the two, they have nothing to really go on besides their gut feelings. When you ask them why they chose the house they did, the inevitable answer is usually "It just felt right when I got to Beta/Farmhouse, I looked at Farmhouse/Beta and they were so close, but once here - something clicked." What I'm trying to convey to you is that you need to get to that point in order to make the right decision. I'm sure youre saying that I don't get it, and being from Nebraska I may not relate to your situation, but believe me, I work with plenty of incoming freshmen who ask me this same sort of question, and I tell them the exact same thing, and of the few that I end up seeing again, they usually thank me.
Just remember, it's your decision and when it comes down to it, you have to make only yourself happy. Everyone else's opinion doesn't matter. Good luck
|