British girl needing loads of info on Greek system!!

H0neymoon · #1 02-13-2004, 07:16 PM

huo

TSteven · #2 02-13-2004, 07:34 PM

University of Wisconsin-Madison
Greek Councils
http://www.uwgreek.com/

Indiana University
Indiana University Greek Life
http://www.indiana.edu/~sao/greek/

New York University
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/osa/greeklife/

National Panhellenic Conference
http://www.npcwomen.org/

National Panhellenic Conference, founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 inter/national women's fraternities and sororities. Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae. Members are represented on over 620 college and university campuses in the United States and Canada and in over 4,600 alumnae associations, making up over 3.6 million sorority women in the world.

dzandiloo · #3 02-13-2004, 08:34 PM

Hey Jennifer-congrats on your acceptances & good luck on getting your first choice!

GreekChat is a great place to get the scoop about what joining a GLO is all about. Here is a link to an older thread on Rush FAQ's that might be a good place to start (along w/the links that TSteven provided).

If you have specific questions, I'm sure you will get loads of answers & opinions. To address some of your already posed questions:

Quote:

are there costs? How are sorority girls seen my non-sorority girls at college? What's it like living in a sorority house, and is the party aspect as huge as i've heard?

Yes, there are costs which depend on whether the chapters at your school have houses or not. I've heard of monthly dues as low as $30, and semester dues as high as $3,000. You can probably get an idea of what you are looking at from the school web-sites or Greek Life offices.

I didn't live in a house-but I hear more positive stories about it than not. I think I would have loved it, even if for only one year.

Every school has a different Greek community/reputation. I personally had many great friends outside of the sorority-some thought it was nothing more than a "rent-a-friend" and others thought it was fine, just not their bag. I was not friends with anyone who looked down upon Greeks, but in my later life (I'm an alum) I have met many people who will start saying bad things about sorority women, and after they find out that I am Greek (and relatively normal), they often think twice about their preconceived notions of what a sorority woman is. There are those who think sorority women are nothing but the stereotypes--and some of the stereotypes do actually exist, but as with anything, don't believe everything you see in the movies. Same goes for the partying--some schools have big parties, others don't. Some chapters seem to thrive on it, others are more involved in sisterhood and other activities. You will get a better feel for this when you arrive at your new school!

Again, good luck to you & keep us posted on your adventures (we all love a good rush/recruitment story & one w/an international potential new member (PNM) would be extremely fun to read!).

H0neymoon · #4 02-13-2004, 08:47 PM

Thanks you guys! You've been a great help! You know, I was thinking about it earlier, and I suddenly thought "Hey, I don't even know if British girls CAN be accepted into a sorority!!" - it being a life-long 'committment' as such, and based in a country of which I am not a native!

But I think, or hope, that the fact that I'm from England will benefit the sorority in that I can add a little "British-flavour" (haha) and in return, I'll learn a lot about a different/new way of life and make life-long overseas friends and contacts. It truly is a fantastic idea!

Thanks again for your help,

You never know, we may be "sisters" in the making.

Take care

xxx

ADPiAkron · #5 02-13-2004, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by H0neymoon
Thanks you guys! You've been a great help! You know, I was thinking about it earlier, and I suddenly thought "Hey, I don't even know if British girls CAN be accepted into a sorority!!" - it being a life-long 'committment' as such, and based in a country of which I am not a native!

Oh honey- you can be accepted into a sorority...you are a lifetime member, that does not mean you are committed to doing everything for/with the sorority for the rest of your life (even though I see myself heading that way

). I think there are a few chapters that even have alumnae groups abroad...and if they do not have one in your region of the world...start one in England!!

thetalady · #6 02-13-2004, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by H0neymoon
Thanks you guys! You've been a great help! You know, I was thinking about it earlier, and I suddenly thought "Hey, I don't even know if British girls CAN be accepted into a sorority!!" - it being a life-long 'committment' as such, and based in a country of which I am not a native!

Of course, you can join a sorority! There is no requirement that you be American. Although your GLO is for a life time, that doesn't mean you have to reside in the US. There are Theta alums all over the world.

dzandiloo · #7 02-13-2004, 09:02 PM

Rest assured-nationality will not keep you from being able to join a sorority--if anything, it will make you more memorable during recruitment! Also, many NPC sororities have alum chapters overseas...so you may wind up joining a sorority that you spend 4+ years bonding with your collegiate sisters, and then go home to England & meet up with some great alum sisters who have moved over there! That's where your lifetime commitment can come in...it is what you choose to make of it! Plus, joining a sorority will give you an experience that is uniquely American--something that will stay with you, no matter where you go.

*One other thing-no matter what sorority you join, I like to think that we all consider ourselves sisters Panhellenically-speaking!

Happy V-Day!

TSteven · #8 02-13-2004, 09:12 PM

Here is a link to the Sigma Kappa European Alumnae Chapter.

http://sigmakappaeurope.home.netcom.com/

Perhaps you can contact one of the Sigma Kappa alumnae for more information.

FYI: For those of y'all who would like to know why I know about this group; my sister-in-law is a Sigma Kappa and told me about it. For some reason, it just now popped into my head.

MSKKG · #9 02-13-2004, 09:36 PM

Congratulations on being accepted at some awesome universities!

Kappa Kappa Gamma has alumnae groups in other countries as well. I know there is at least one in England. Getting in touch with some alumnae from the GLOs on your campus and securing recommendations would be a good idea.

Good luck and keep us posted!

TSteven · #10 02-13-2004, 09:56 PM

I did a quick search of all the NPC web sites and here is a list of GLOs with an European alumnae chapter. Note that not all GLOs had their alumnae chapters listed on their web site. (i.e. Kappa Kappa Gamma's was under construction.)

Alpha Phi - Overseas London (Colonizing Chapter)
Delta Delta Delta - United Kingdom
Delta Gamma - UK London Alumnae Association http://www.geocities.com/londondg/
Pi Beta Phi - London Pocket
Sigma Sigma Sigma - United Kingdom

astroAPhi · #11 02-13-2004, 10:12 PM

You can definitely join even though you're international. My chapter has girls from Honduras, Switzerland, Canada, and Suriname.

Good luck with getting into NYU! UW-Madison and IU-Bloomington are good schools as well though!

Not a Mezzo · #12 02-14-2004, 01:06 PM

My chapter just initiated a study-abroad student from England this fall! She's an awesome girl and brings quite a bit to the chapter.

Good luck on your first choice! I hope you have a fabulous study-abroad experience, whether or not you decide to go Greek (although I certainly hope you'll try it

).

erica812 · #13 02-14-2004, 01:48 PM

My sorority has online chapters, and one of my online sisters is from England. She has mentioned that sororities are a rather strange concept for her friends to grasp. She is trying to start a Beta Sigma Phi chapter in her area (Sheffield), but she says that most people don't quite "get it."

Good luck in your pursuit. Going Greek will certainly help you make wonderful memories while you are studying abroad.

Erica

Sister Havana · #14 02-14-2004, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by astroAPhi

Good luck with getting into NYU! UW-Madison and IU-Bloomington are good schools as well though!

IU-Bloomington is a wonderful school.

(I am not biased or anything!)

AlethiaSi · #15 02-15-2004, 10:45 AM

yea- i'm actually the other way around- a sorority girl studying in london- it is so funny for me to explain what a sorority/fraternity is to a lot of people- i've not met one native person here who has ever heard of these terms and organizations. good luck to you and i'm sure any sorority would be honored to have you as a member