Tiers in The SEC

[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 Lucky SC

Oh and also, where did u go to undergrad?

Auburn. But in an effort to show that I view this somewhat objectively, note that I admit Alabama is a better greek school. Also, I do have pretty strong connections to most of the SEC schools I've mentioned.

I agree with you though about my criteria not holding up in the long term, and I think that is unfortunate.

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Auburn. But in an effort to show that I view this somewhat objectively, note that I admit Alabama is a better greek school. Also, I do have pretty strong connections to most of the SEC schools I've mentioned.

I agree with you though about my criteria not holding up in the long term, and I think that is unfortunate.

Haha, man...I skipped the Texas - OU game for the first time in 15 years to go to LSU - Florida and it was one of the most wild weekends I have ever had. Baton Rouge is 100% insane.

I agree with Elephant Walk's assessment. The greek life there seemed to be great. The guys I met, mostly Sigma Chi's (top tier there) were all very legit......but there was something about the whole system that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by macallan25

Haha, man...I skipped the Texas - OU game for the first time in 15 years to go to LSU - Florida and it was one of the most wild weekends I have ever had. Baton Rouge is 100% insane.

OU this year was fun. I had second row seats! You've gone for 15 years? Crazy. I've gone for the last 3.

I agree with Elephant Walk's assessment. The greek life there seemed to be great. The guys I met, mostly Sigma Chi's (top tier there) were all very legit......but there was something about the whole system that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

You and I have discussed this before. I'll refrain from commenting on it further here... although I sort of want to. LOL.

One thing about W&L is that because so many people are Greek there are all different kinds of chapters, with all different kinds of people. A good portion of them are traditionally southern (probably the majority), with various levels of "tierness" and various types of "southerness." I think I've commented about that elsewhere. But because like 85% of students are Greek there are also chapters that draw all kinds of other students. Yet everyone hangs together to a large degree. Which is actually one of the things I like about W&L (there are a lot of things about the school that make me roll my eyes in retrospect). Maybe that's "the thing you can't put your finger on."

[Lucky SC]

[quote=shinerbock;1620258]Auburn. But in an effort to show that I view this somewhat objectively, note that I admit Alabama is a better greek school. Also, I do have pretty strong connections to most of the SEC schools I've mentioned.

I agree with you though about my criteria not holding up in the long term, and I think that is unfortunate.[/quote]


yea i got a friend who is an SAE and a FIJI at Auburn, as i hear it is similar to my school. Bama is just on a different level and i would agree that it is a tier above, its good to hear atleast someone else can admit that about their school, because i have a hard time even though i know its true in some aspects lol.


And yea i feel you, it is unfortunate. My family doesn't come from wealth or anything, but the general attitude or culture that comes with the type of guys in a fraternity has grown on me since getting here and since befriending the people i did later in high school. But i can't complain because its bringing a lot of opportunity to my home state, atlanta being the fastest growing city in the country right now.

With an internationalizing country though and the fact that we are going to no longer be the world power we once were soon, it won't ever be like that again. Its not white suburbia now in control, its one big melting pot. Which i dont necessarily have a problem with i'm not racist, its just different.

In other words, areas like Bama and Ole Miss won't have the same image 15 years down the road if they want to retain the same power they do now in a social aspect.

Change in times calls for change in action, you can't stop it.

[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.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

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.

That's what made my rankings so tough.

Louisiana in itself is an odd state and very different from the rest of the South. Throw in a top school and it's another world I think. It has an excellent Greek system but there's somethin unexplainable about it in my opinion.

I had Auburn ranked lower because of my own admitted bias. I've visited there and found it very good for greek life, but last year I met some fraternity guys that I believed to have been top tier at another fraternity house pre-gaming for the Arkansas-Auburn game. They weren't dressed for the occasion for the game and had some odd people that weren't respectful. They were definitely not 3rd tier guys, but not 1st tier at Arkansas either. Of course, that is just one anecdote and there are perhaps thousands that contradict it.

[lsu_rosewhite]

I am enjoying this thread very much. It is an interesting topic and I love reading the informative responses.

Although it's been MANY years since I was on campus, I wouldn't trade my Greek experience at LSU for anything in the world!

One thing I wanted to point out is that the campus is (was) made up of primarily three distinct groups from Louisiana...the North Louisiana students, New Orleans students, and the South Louisiana students...each group has a different "flavor" from these vastly different regions of the state. Now, the out-of-state students, especially from Texas, are gaining in numbers, too.

Louisiana a "different" state...absolutely!
A little wild...yes!

But, oh how we love LSU!

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by lsu_rosewhite

I am enjoying this thread very much. It is an interesting topic and I love reading the informative responses.

Although it's been MANY years since I was on campus, I wouldn't trade my Greek experience at LSU for anything in the world!

One thing I wanted to point out is that the campus is (was) made up of primarily three distinct groups from Louisiana...the North Louisiana students, New Orleans students, and the South Louisiana students...each group has a different "flavor" from these vastly different regions of the state. Now, the out-of-state students, especially from Texas, are gaining in numbers, too.

Louisiana a "different" state...absolutely!
A little wild...yes!

But, oh how we love LSU!

Baton Rouge is a drinking town, with a football problem.