Princeton Review: Most Intense Greek Life Scene

[1putt59]

Looking at the Princeton Review web site, Washington and Lee is not listed at all. It is like it vaporized. I suspect that the W&L administration asked/demanded to not be included. In past years the W&L administration's point was that one does not even have to prove that they are a student at a school to participate in the surveys that form the basis of that particular school's rankings. It is interesting that W&L has taken that approach with Princeton Review, and I am wondering if other schools are also left out.

In any event, around 80% of W&L undergrads are in fraternities and sororities, which I think is the second highest percentage in the country (behind DePauw). Since W&L is in a small town in the Virginia mountains, the fraternities and sororities serve as the primary housing/ eating/ social outlet for the student body. Since just about everyone is in a fraternity or sorority, there is a house that "fits" everyone. Also, just about all fraternity and sorority functions are open to the entire campus, which serves to make them the primary social outlet and reduces any "exclusivity" of being in a fraternity or sorority.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by 1putt59

Looking at the Princeton Review web site, Washington and Lee is not listed at all. It is like it vaporized. I suspect that the W&L administration asked/demanded to not be included. In past years the W&L administration's point was that one does not even have to prove that they are a student at a school to participate in the surveys that form the basis of that particular school's rankings. It is interesting that W&L has taken that approach with Princeton Review, and I am wondering if other schools are also left out.

In any event, around 80% of W&L undergrads are in fraternities and sororities, which I think is the second highest percentage in the country (behind DePauw). Since W&L is in a small town in the Virginia mountains, the fraternities and sororities serve as the primary housing/ eating/ social outlet for the student body. Since just about everyone is in a fraternity or sorority, there is a house that "fits" everyone. Also, just about all fraternity and sorority functions are open to the entire campus, which serves to make them the primary social outlet and reduces any "exclusivity" of being in a fraternity or sorority.

Uh, did you go to W&L? Wrong.

That said, I agree with you that the administration probably asked to be left out somehow. They were on a crazy campaign against the PR when I was there. They even emailed "model students" to have them write nice, non-party things. Uh, yeah, right. I was a model student but I'm not about to say that W&L isn't a crazy party school.

I believe at one time W&L was #1 in percentage of Greek students, but it's possible that DePauw is now. I haven't been following it.

[1putt59]

BreathesGelatin

I did go to W&L and that was my experience, at least that the parties were open. Also, it was not deemed to be "exclusive" or pretentious to be in a fraternity, at least the way it is in some other schools, although certainly within the fraternities and sororities there were "tiers" of relative social standing.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by 1putt59

BreathesGelatin

I did go to W&L and that was my experience, at least that the parties were open. Also, it was not deemed to be "exclusive" or pretentious to be in a fraternity, at least the way it is in some other schools, although certainly within the fraternities and sororities there were "tiers" of relative social standing.

LOL. Are you sure you went to W&L?

It's true that the administration tells you that the parties are all open. And that's mostly true. BUT

A) Most important exception: sorority parties are by no means open and often have a guest list, due to NPC risk management requirements. Also impossible for first-semester freshmen women to go to sorority parties, or for any sorority member to go to any other sorority's party, oftentimes even if it's a off-campus informal party (exception: extremely close friend of individual who is throwing the party).
B) Fraternity-sorority mixers are NOT open and others do not come, unless they want to make awkward butts of themselves.
C) Fraternity formals are NOT open and you would be very awkward showing up at one without at date.
D) Many smaller fraternity house parties, while technically open, would be awkward for someone who is not a close friend of the members to attend.
E) Fraternities often "ball" particular people and call them and ask them never to come to their house again

There are some other less flattering incidents I could recount of people being denied admission to fraternity parties at W&L. I have half a mind to recount them, but I'll hold back for now.

I agree with you that most parties are open, but I think things have changed over time (founding of sororities, fraternities moving most parties off campus and into the country to avoid administration/Lex police eyes) that have caused the "open party" thing to be less true. It just annoys me when people say this because it's not really totally accurate.

I agree with you that *Greek life in general* is not viewed as pretentious at W&L. That doesn't mean it isn't and that doesn't mean that there aren't men and women both who desperately want to be in GLOs that can't get in. Or that want to be in particular GLOs and can't get it. W&L is a very competitive recruitment school and I think it does have many pretentious/elitist aspects.

Basically you're spouting the stuff that the administration wants to believe and that I myself told potential students as a tourguide. But after four years of W&L and a lot of reflection afterward, I'm not so sure it's true or that W&L's Greek system is any more egalitarian than any other school's.

Glad to see you here - please PM me and introduce yourself further. I'm a Pi Beta Phi who graduated in 2005.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

There are some other less flattering incidents I could recount of people being denied admission to fraternity parties at W&L. I have half a mind to recount them, but I'll hold back for now.

I have some good ones.

Denying people at the door is perhaps one of the best things ever.

Arkansas fraternity parties are 100% closed if they're registered.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Denying people at the door is perhaps one of the best things ever.

Denying people at the door IS the best thing ever.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

A) Most important exception: sorority parties are by no means open and often have a guest list, due to NPC risk management requirements. Also impossible for first-semester freshmen women to go to sorority parties, or for any sorority member to go to any other sorority's party, oftentimes even if it's a off-campus informal party (exception: extremely close friend of individual who is throwing the party).
B) Fraternity-sorority mixers are NOT open and others do not come, unless they want to make awkward butts of themselves.
C) Fraternity formals are NOT open and you would be very awkward showing up at one without at date.
D) Many smaller fraternity house parties, while technically open, would be awkward for someone who is not a close friend of the members to attend.
E) Fraternities often "ball" particular people and call them and ask them never to come to their house again

You know, you pretty much just described what it was like to be Greek at Brown as well (at least not one of those crazy co-ed houses), and Brown's Greek scene was not intense at all, at least as of 2003.

At schools where 65-80% of the students are Greek, what do the other 20-35% do?