Engineering and Greek Life

[blondebutsmart]

Can someone in a sorority or fraternity please give me some info on the feasibility of being an engineering major and a member of a sorority? I am talking about this in reference to time commitment. I've heard that engineering majors have to spend an extraordinary amount of time studying, but I'd like to hear it from those who have been there (or know someone who's been there). Thanks!

[adpiucf]

We had a few members in my chapters who were engineers. It is a lot of work to be in that major, but these girls made it work. They were able to attend chapter meetings, and some even held smaller chapter offices. I think it is doable-- school must come first and you may not be able to attend as many of the social events as others might, but as with any major, you just need to prioritize.

The social element of membership is very tempting. It isn't mandatory to attend these events, but some members who lack maturity or time management skills can get caught up in it-- their grades will suffer. The sorority has academic programs to help members, but even those programs can only do so much!

[Cruise4fun]

I have a mechanial engineering degree. It depends on the campus. Also, more than likely most engineering majors are on the 5-year plan. You will need a great deal of time management and motivation. It worked for me.

I joined my sorority my first semester and had a program that required 5 years. My last three years I also worked at least 25 hours a week (on campus) with any where from 14-19 credit hours. I was able to hold an officer position my 4th year (and yes I lived in the house for 2 years). I usually had at least two chair positions. I did have to take one semester on inactive status (I had calc 2 and thermo the same semester...don't do that). Not every group will allow that. I became very good at using any spare time during the day to study (meaning you will have to avoid those wonderful mid afternoon college naps). My campus job allowed me to study.

You will need to discuss this with other students on your campus. Take a very good look at yourself and your limits.

[PeppyGPhiB]

If pre-med/biochem majors did it all the time at my school, I'm sure engineering students could, too. No offense, but it's more about how well YOU can handle it than it is about the major itself.

Also, my boyfriend was an aerospace engineering major at Michigan - one of the toughest majors at one of the very best engineering schools - and he is a proud member of Phi Kappa Psi.

[ISUKappa]

It really depends on a variety of factors: how you personally handle time management, the school, the engineering program and the chapters themselves.

We had quite a few engineering majors in my chapter and many of them were able to balance their engineering course load with being an active member in the chapter. A few even held chapter officer positions.

The husband went to a small, competitive, private engineering school and managed to be a two-sport varsity athlete, member of his fraternity and keep a decent GPA through his four years of college. That's because he knew [mostly] how to handle his time (and could survive off only 3-4 hours of sleep per night).

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

That's because he knew [mostly] how to handle his time (and could survive off only 3-4 hours of sleep per night).

A friend of mine was speaking with me at a highschool on a "college panel discussion" (where the highschool kids ge to ask the college people questions about what college is going to be like)...he had some very succinct wise words. STUDY.PARTY.SLEEP - Pick 2, and since your at college to get an education....

[AGDee]

Considering the fact that we have chapters at some schools which are primarily engineering majors, I'd say it's feasible... eg. Michigan Tech, Kettering, etc.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Considering the fact that we have chapters at some schools which are primarily engineering majors, I'd say it's feasible... eg. Michigan Tech, Kettering, etc.

Well, if the whole school is engineering major heavy, I'm sure the chapter events and calendar are set up accordingly. The thing I think the OP is worried about is being an engineering major in a sorority full of girls with less demanding majors* who have more time for sorority events.

*insert your own, I'm not going there.

[Faith4Keep]

I'm a senior in mechanical engineering and am a proud member of my sorority!!! I'm SO excited that you are thinking about going through rush!

I'm assuming you are a female, so I apologize in advance if you are a guy!

Firstly, I want you to stick with engineering!! Don't let anything- or anyone- discourge you! You will be putting in more work than your peers. You will also meet lots of people (especially in greek life, at my school) who have majors that don't require as much work. At times you will feel that life is unfair because other people don't have as much homework as you do! But don't worry- you'll get through it!

Secondly, my number 1 reason for joining a sorority was that women are hard to come by in engineering. Sure, you will have girls as roommates, but as life (in engineering) goes on, you will be spending more and more time with guys on group projects, study groups, and in class. When my boyfriend (also an engr major) suddenly broke up with my in sophomore year, I realized I had no girlfriends to go crying to!!! That's when I knew I had to rush.

I am very involved in the Society of Women Engineers (on a local and national level) but still, I am lucky if I have another SWE member in my classes! I def!! encourage getting involved with SWE, but they are generally more of a pre-professional organization than a 'friendship' organization.

I am the only engineering major in my chapter of about 140 girls. I have a small officer position. Being in a difficult major, and in a GLO, is a huge time balance. You need to work out a schedule and stick to it (i.e., you have to learn to NOT play on the internet for the 3 hrs you have between classes, but to do homework instead). That way, you will have time for your GLO's activities in the after hours. Going out, socials, and late night activities were always hard for me since most engineering classes are either early in the morning (7:30 AM) or late at night (6 PM or later) to cater to those of us who do internships and co-ops. Unfortunately, that usually doesn't change and it's hard to get around it. I've had to say no to going to socials that lasted until 2 AM (although I WOULD go if they came back at midnight or so).

It is definitely feasible, but you need to remember that you are in a much more demanding (not necessarily more difficult) major than your peers. ALL of your five (or however many) classes will require you to do lots of really hard homework ! There's no way you can slack off, even on one homework, and pass the class- at least at my university. There will be lots of fun, smaller, bonding activities such as banner painting, buying decorations for skits, etc that you will have to pass on.

But- never forget your sisterhood. You will need to make sacrifices so that you CAN bond with your sisters. I have seen too many (okay, only 4) girls that are engineering majors in sororities that have pretty much abandoned their sisters in the name of academics. Don't forget that college is about having fun too! If you have any more Q's feel free to PM me, or I can continue answering them here for the benefit of others with the same question!

[Faith4Keep]

I also feel the need to comment that, while there are GLOs at all-or-mostly engineering schools, I would think that the GLO would cater to that lifestyle. I can't imagine how different my sorority would be if my entire chapter were engineering majors!! There would be a LOT more studying and a lot LESS late night activities And to be completely honest, I just think there would be less activities in general.

At my school, there is ALWAYS something going on (panhellenic meetings, philanthropy event, intramural game) but I think at a school where nearly everyone is an engineering major-- the entire Greek system would conform to their needs and capabilities as students. My chapter would definitely be left in the mud if we had all of our current activities and 140 engineering majors- my 'would-be sisters' would have such a hard time planning, participating, and keeping track of things..

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

A friend of mine was speaking with me at a highschool on a "college panel discussion" (where the highschool kids ge to ask the college people questions about what college is going to be like)...he had some very succinct wise words. STUDY.PARTY.SLEEP - Pick 2, and since your at college to get an education....

Shall we assume, then, that you picked partying and sleeping?

( Sorry. I tried to resist, but I just couldn't.)

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by blondebutsmart

Can someone in a sorority or fraternity please give me some info on the feasibility of being an engineering major and a member of a sorority? I am talking about this in reference to time commitment. I've heard that engineering majors have to spend an extraordinary amount of time studying, but I'd like to hear it from those who have been there (or know someone who's been there). Thanks!

There are two social fraternities that are members of The North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) that are specific to engineers.

Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity - The Premier International Fraternity of Engineers

Triangle Fraternity - a National Social Fraternity for Engineers, Architects, and Scientists

And there are at least two national social sororities for engineers. However, neither sorority is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC).

Phi Sigma Rho - National Engineering Sorority

Alpha Sigma Kappa - Women in Technical Studies

[flirt5721]

I am senior in Electrical Engineering and although I am an alum now (due to family reasons) being an engineer and in a sorority is not as hard as some might make it out to be. It all depends on how one can handle their time and their school life from your social life. I was one of 3 EE in my chapter so I had help with some of my homework. One thing that really helped me was living my the sorority house. I didn't have to drive far if I was going to stay in the lab or study hall late.


Studying is a big part in the success of school but sometimes you might want to take a break from always studying and hang out with your friends. However their are time in which some girls in the sorority might want to hang out but you will have to do homework and they do not understand that having like 5 problem can take a couple of hours. Also their will be some other engineers that might feel that being in a sorority is a waste of time. Its not. Its one of the best things I did. A lot of my engineering friend always like to give me a hard time about being in a sorority but I never really paid much attention to them.

Not sure how it works at the school you will be going to but at NMSU you could start your engineering classes once you had the math requirements (Calc I). I always like to mix my engineering classes with my gen. ed. classes or with my Spanish classes (with is my minor)

[deadbear80]

AngieWashU and I were in the same chapter in college (although I was a year behind her), and I think she stated well that while there is a balance between being an engineer and being a sorority woman, it's more than doable. I was not an engineering major, but there were many other women in our chapter besides Angie who were engineering majors who held larger leadership positions. Our director of new members one year was a civil engineer--she definitely made it work for her; still got good grades while not slacking in her leadership role.


I went to law school with a girl who went to Purdue undergrad and was a chemical engineering major and she was president of her chapter. It can be done.

I think it really depends on what you want to do with your college career. There may not be room for much else besides a sorority and your classes, but that goes for just about every major depending on what type of leadership role you take on (if you even choose to take one on--not taking a leadership role is okay too). You just need to find the right balance for yourself.

[Faith4Keep]

Okay, this is my last post on this thread, I swear! I'm just so excited to see so many sorority women who were engineering majors!! When I joined Theta I never thought that I would be able to 'advance my career' or 'network' because... well... a woman in engineering is rare, but one who is also a sorority member? I thought that was pretty far-fetched.

Anyhow, when I went through recruitment, one of those repeated quesitons is "So, what's your major?". When I said engineering, I got one of two responses: 1) The girl got really wide-eyed and nervous, and from that point on it was like it was impossible for us to have anything in common because I was in the sciences. 2) The girl is a little nervous, but pushes on and starts asking questions like "Really? Why did you choose engineering/what do you plan on doing with your degree?". The chapters I recieved option 2 at were eventually the ones I preffed. I think the best way you can help your self in this situation is giving as much information as possible. Instead of just saying "Oh yeah, I'm engineering" which may make you come off as a smarty-pants, you could respond with "I'm an engineering major- I took a real interest in roller coasters/space shuttles/other real-world experience in high school". This will probably lead onto other conversations.

And, on the flip side (which has already been mentioned), you will meet lots of engineering majors, guys and girls, who will resent you being in a sorority. Some will think that you are a straight-up party girl and will not want to study. This is your time to shine, though- show everyone that sorority girls CAN be smart and studious, and this will make a great name for your chapter. Same goes for doubting professors- don't be afraid to wear your letters to class.... just make sure you always get there on time.

Good luck!! I hope you share your recruitment with us on the boards!!