Tiers in The SEC

[UTLonghorn2012]

Arkansas gets a lot of private school/Highland Park kids from Dallas who can't get in everywhere else.

About 10 percent of my 250 member all-guys class will be Hogs next year, and I expect a lot of them to pledge.

I expect that besides the private school crowds from Tulsa and Dallas and Memphis, most of U of A's fraternity community is coming from the Little Rock old money.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by UTLonghorn2012

I expect that besides the private school crowds from Tulsa and Dallas and Memphis, most of U of A's fraternity community is coming from the Little Rock old money.

In terms of quality, it comes from the private schools in Dallas, Memphis and Little Rock aaaand the Delta. Which has no private schools, but has some old money (and some no money at all) schools like DeWitt, Stuttgart, Gillette, some Pine Bluff and mostly towns that are barely on the map.


But you're correct about the private schools in Little Rock. Little Rock Catholic, Episcopal, and Central tend to bring out the most of 'em.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by UTLonghorn2012

Arkansas gets a lot of private school/Highland Park kids from Dallas who can't get in everywhere else.

About 10 percent of my 250 member all-guys class will be Hogs next year, and I expect a lot of them to pledge.

I expect that besides the private school crowds from Tulsa and Dallas and Memphis, most of U of A's fraternity community is coming from the Little Rock old money.

Welcome to UT!

Can I ask y'all a question? How do guys from the SEC schools honestly view W&L? I saw one of you included it as in-between first and second tier. I'm very curious to see what you have to say.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

Welcome to UT!

Can I ask y'all a question? How do guys from the SEC schools honestly view W&L? I saw one of you included it as in-between first and second tier. I'm very curious to see what you have to say.

In my opinion....very, very close to 1st tier...if not there.

What a great school Greek wise (and academically, of course) I consider it similar to University of the South or Hampden-Sydney. The greek system's great, but since it's a small, private school the GDI's could be Greek at most schools.

[shinerbock]

Having Auburn in the same tier as LSU and UGA is laughable. So is having SC in the top tier.

I'd say Bama, Ole Miss and Texas at the top. Followed by an intermediate group of like Auburn and W&L, then probably UGA, Clemson, LSU, etc.

[Lucky SC]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Having Auburn in the same tier as LSU and UGA is laughable. So is having SC in the top tier.

I'd say Bama, Ole Miss and Texas at the top. Followed by an intermediate group of like Auburn and W&L, then probably UGA, Clemson, LSU, etc.

why is SC such a joke? i dont think its higher then UGA, but i think its on level with LSU or Auburn. have u been here or are u talking out of your ass based on the bias of a lack of football tradition?

[shinerbock]

Originally Posted by Lucky SC

why is SC such a joke? i dont think its higher then UGA, but i think its on level with LSU or Auburn. have u been here or are u talking out of your ass based on the bias of a lack of football tradition?

I've been there, I nearly went to grad school there. My family is from SC. South Carolina is a fine school, and a solid greek school. But I wouldn't rank it among the remaining greek powerhouses, at least using my criteria. If football was the only concern, Ole Miss wouldn't be the consensus #1 greek school in the country.

You guys are vastly overstating UGA greek life. I would put SC on par with UGA and LSU. I think a number of factors go into my tiering of schools, including greek tradition, financial success, prominence on campus, attitude of the school itself, etc. UGA simply doesn't compete with Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, etc...on those last two categories. A decade ago perhaps. Not now. It is in a town full of hippies at a school that is turning more and more to the left. That is fine, but I don't think it helps the greek system. The school feeds more and more from metro Atlanta, and though plenty of fraternities still draw from Augusta or Savannah, fraternities full of transplant students (via metro area) are having their impact. There are probably 3 schools in the SEC that are still traditional, conservative, SEC-of-old type, and they're Ole Miss, Auburn and Alabama. I think that factors in huge when retaining a traditional emphasis on greek life. You can actually see the same impact that UGA is experiencing at Auburn (drawing on ATL students), but the degree is fairly disparate.

LSU is a matter all to itself. I thoroughly enjoy the time I've spent hanging out with folks in BR, but it is pretty difficult to compare the atmosphere of BR to Tuscaloosa or Auburn or Oxford. LSU is completely different than the schools we talk about most.

[Lucky SC]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I've been there, I nearly went to grad school there. My family is from SC. South Carolina is a fine school, and a solid greek school. But I wouldn't rank it among the remaining greek powerhouses, at least using my criteria. If football was the only concern, Ole Miss wouldn't be the consensus #1 greek school in the country.

You guys are vastly overstating UGA greek life. I would put SC on par with UGA and LSU. I think a number of factors go into my tiering of schools, including greek tradition, financial success, prominence on campus, attitude of the school itself, etc. UGA simply doesn't compete with Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, etc...on those last two categories. A decade ago perhaps. Not now. It is in a town full of hippies at a school that is turning more and more to the left. That is fine, but I don't think it helps the greek system. The school feeds more and more from metro Atlanta, and though plenty of fraternities still draw from Augusta or Savannah, fraternities full transplant students (via metro area) is having its impact. There are probably 3 schools in the SEC that are still traditional, conservative, SEC-of-old type, and they're Ole Miss, Auburn and Alabama. I think that factors in huge when retaining a traditional emphasis on greek life. You can actually see the same impact that UGA is experiencing at Auburn (drawing on ATL students), but the degree is fairly disparate.

LSU is a matter all to itself. I thoroughly enjoy the time I've spent hanging out with folks in BR, but it is pretty difficult to compare the atmosphere of BR to Tuscaloosa or Auburn or Oxford. School is completely different than the schools we talk about most,

I understand your argument. But i think to completely think that your standards will hold true for the next 2 or 3 decades is a false hope. With the competitiveness of the job market these days you are going to be seeing influxes of students from places like atlanta and bigger cities, not to mention places like augusta and savannah in a few years won't be the more conservative places that you think they will be. (conservative probably still but not in the same sense as today).

Schools are going to be harder and harder to get into and you are going to see more numbers going to schools like UGA. i think you underestimate them as well, i think you'll be surprised at the number of "fraternity men" going there next year, national title here we come.

[Lucky SC]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I've been there, I nearly went to grad school there. My family is from SC. South Carolina is a fine school, and a solid greek school. But I wouldn't rank it among the remaining greek powerhouses, at least using my criteria. If football was the only concern, Ole Miss wouldn't be the consensus #1 greek school in the country.

You guys are vastly overstating UGA greek life. I would put SC on par with UGA and LSU. I think a number of factors go into my tiering of schools, including greek tradition, financial success, prominence on campus, attitude of the school itself, etc. UGA simply doesn't compete with Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, etc...on those last two categories. A decade ago perhaps. Not now. It is in a town full of hippies at a school that is turning more and more to the left. That is fine, but I don't think it helps the greek system. The school feeds more and more from metro Atlanta, and though plenty of fraternities still draw from Augusta or Savannah, fraternities full of transplant students (via metro area) are having their impact. There are probably 3 schools in the SEC that are still traditional, conservative, SEC-of-old type, and they're Ole Miss, Auburn and Alabama. I think that factors in huge when retaining a traditional emphasis on greek life. You can actually see the same impact that UGA is experiencing at Auburn (drawing on ATL students), but the degree is fairly disparate.

LSU is a matter all to itself. I thoroughly enjoy the time I've spent hanging out with folks in BR, but it is pretty difficult to compare the atmosphere of BR to Tuscaloosa or Auburn or Oxford. LSU is completely different than the schools we talk about most.

Oh and also, where did u go to undergrad?

[shinerbock]

Originally Posted by SECdomination

I agree. LSU students are just plain wild. Maybe it's because the only time I've been there was for the No.2 LSU v No.9 Florida game, but the whole town was insane- ALL weekend.
I think you'd need some true cajun roots to make it there.

I think I'd love LSU greek life if I went there, but it is different. The traditional roots are still present, but yeah, just a whole other ballgame.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

In my opinion....very, very close to 1st tier...if not there.

What a great school Greek wise (and academically, of course) I consider it similar to University of the South or Hampden-Sydney. The greek system's great, but since it's a small, private school the GDI's could be Greek at most schools.

Not that there are many independents... last numbers I saw, 90% of men are Greek. I think that number has been boosted that high finally by the addition of two NPHC fraternities, which were included in the total count. I'd have to go back and find the page again.

Thanks for the response. I was just curious--I went there, just to clarify. I wasn't sure how it was viewed from the outside.

Hampden-Sydney... LOL. That place is so insane.