What are the top 5 national Fraternities according to size?

[SAEalumnus]

According to membership data submitted by the (inter-)national offices of each fraternity to the NIC in 1997, the top ten fraternities by initiated membership are:

1. Sigma Alpha Epsilon 246632
2. Sigma Chi 232403
3. Lambda Chi Alpha 225000
4. Sigma Phi Epsilon 214970
5. Tau Kappa Epsilon 208600
6. Phi Delta Theta 201000
7. Kappa Sigma 200000
8. Sigma Nu 195963
9. Pi Kappa Alpha 180000
10. Alpha Tau Omega 170500

Granted this data is four years old now, but other than the possibility of a slight change in relative ranking, these are probably still the top 10 fraternities nationally.

[Demon Knight]

Hey Preppie are you Phi Tau, please let me know I was looking for another Phi Tau I didn't think I found any. This is Beta Psi chapter of Long Beach State talking.


Ricky

------------------
The Power of one
The Force of Many
HOO RAH!!

[SilverTurtle]

Originally posted by Consul_2k:
...Fourtanitaly i know and have seen some other fraternal ritual books or know secrets. they all have a meaning, some just logically better.

What is that supposed to mean? Fortunately you know other fraternity's secrects? I'm not interested in why or how, but if you do, I hope you have the respect for those organizations & members to keep them to yourself.


------------------
SilverTurtle

Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative & Performing Arts

[SAEalumnus]

SilverTurtle,

I wouldn't place too much stock in what Consul_2k claims to know. I have two reasons for making this assertion:

1. Back in 1979 there was a doctoral dissertation written about fraternity rituals. I bought a copy of it while I was Pledge Educator of my chapter in order to try to better explain ritual without discussing ours. The student, Bobby McMinn, wrote to all 67 national and international fraternities and asked for copies of their ritual books to anonymously compare their content. Of those 67, 22 ACTUALLY sent him their book if you can believe that. He never states which fraternities did it, nor do I have any idea, but he does say the following: "Twenty fraternities do not print in their ritual manuals the meaning of their mottoes or passwords. Those devices are transmitted orally to the neophyte. (p. 121)" This strongly suggests that if 20/22 fraternities don't print some of their secrets, then probably almost all of the 67 fraternities follow the same pattern. This forces me to conclude that whatever Consul_2k may THINK he knows, it's probably not correct.

2. The title of Consul, as far as I know, is associated only with Sigma Chi. At least I've never heard of any other fraternity using that title in place of president, but I could very well be wrong in this. We have a chapter of Sigma Chi at my school and there are other chapters in the area as well. I'm certainly not going to make generalizations about the entire fraternity; I do have good friends who are Sigs. What does trouble me, though, is that the overwhelming majority of all Sigma Chis I've ever met have been arrogant and assumed themselves and their fraternity to be better than everyone else. From the mouth of a Sig himself, I was told that Sigma Chi pledges are taught that since their badge is the "white cross of sigma chi," that it is more glorious and meaningful than any insignia any other fraternity may adopt because of "him of whom our badge reminds us." Just because Sigma Chi is the only fraternity with a cross-shaped badge does not make them the only fraternity with ideals of that calibre. Between this tendency for many (NOT ALL!) people to let statements like this get to their heads and the obvious bias of any Greek to the ritual of their own glo over another, I'm not a bit surprised that Consul_2k thinks "some [are] just logically better."

[Siggy_lxvi]

Originally Posted by SAEalumnus

Just because Sigma Chi is the only fraternity with a cross-shaped badge does not make them the only fraternity with ideals of that calibre.

For accuracy: Sigma Pi's badge is also in the shape of a cross:



Oh, and where did you dig up this old fossil of a thread?

[honeychile]

Gentlemen, gentlemen! Don't you know that size doesn't matter?

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Gentlemen, gentlemen! Don't you know that size doesn't matter?

You know you like them big you dirty hooker.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by macallan25

You know you like them big you dirty hooker.

I love it when you talk dirty to me!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Siggy_lxvi

For accuracy: Sigma Pi's badge is also in the shape of a cross

So is ATO's.

[lifesaver]

Someone open a window before it gets REALLY warm in here.

[SilverTurtle]

Originally posted by SAEactive:
SilverTurtle,

I wouldn't place too much stock in what Consul_2k claims to know...

Don't worry, I'm not placing any real value in his statements...I'm just not sure what it had to do with anything in this thread in the first place. I also just realized that he posted in November of 2000.. had I noticed that before, I wouldn't have even posted anything!

I really wasn't trying to start any flame wars, and I'm still not trying to do that.

There have been lots of studies on rituals, and you'll find that most of them are actually quite similar (since most have the same or similar roots).

As for the Sigma Chi's... I've only known a few, but none of those have acted any better than anyone else, or said anything along the lines you posted. You can't generalize an entire fraterntiy based on your personal experience at one campus. (If that were the case, my opinion of SAE would be horrible, based on one story a friend told me years ago. Instead, I met some SAE's, have seen their purpose (on web pages, etc.) and have as much respect for them as any other GLO).

------------------
SilverTurtle

Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative & Performing Arts

[This message has been edited by SilverTurtle (edited June 06, 2001).]

[Consul_2k]

sorry, its been a while since i've been to this page and I didn't notice what attention i've recieved from SAEactive and Silverturtle. First off, No, As a gentleman I will not reveal any ritualalistic material of those 2 fraternities. Secondly, Consul is used by my Fraternity (Sigma Chi). It is also used by at least 2 other orgs, check your chaapters list of NIC orgs it will tell you. As for my credibility and your so called knowledge of what I know......your wrong. I have both rituals and ritualistic paraphenalia with me, as a matter of fact i'm thumbing thorugh it right now. but thats irrelevent. As a the past prez of my sig chapter, we do not tell our pledges were better, they make that decision themselves, just like you do with your org. My interactions with SAE is what we call "rocky" I can't stand a shit load of the ones on my campus. NOT ALL, i don't know them all, on the other hand, I actually like some. sorry if I made any hasty generalizations on any certain org. But when you read the garbage that a suposed "TOP NATIONAL FRATERNITY" prints for the greatest night in a members life...........you laugh too! by the way one of the orgs that i have in my possesion rhymes with BIKE. so repectively, have a coke.......a smile.....and shut the F**k up.

[MaMaBuddha]

i thought the question was what are the largest fraternity and sorority?? can we get some accurate answers?

------------------
Delta Alpha
Spring 94
_________________________

Imaginer un métro rempli avec les anges tombés...

Evil knows where evil sleeps~~Nigerian Proverb

[Demon Knight]

The top 3 Sororities and Fraternities on Long Beach Campus is Delta Zeta, Tri Deltas, and Gamma Phi Betas. Also Phi Tau, Sigma Pi, and Kappa Sigma. All the fraternities and sororities on long beach campus are cool, some interact more with others, and get there names out, others are still trying to get established, but for the most part they all have their good points. Of course Phi Kappa Tau is #1

------------------
The Power of one
The Force of Many
HOO RAH!!

[filabeaner]

i've been told that nationwide, the largest according to number of chapters, is sigma chi and that nationally the only fraternity to grow in membership numbers is sigma phi epsilon and so it is the largest nationwide. this would justify it going from 2nd nationally in '97, according to Lil_G's post, to first in the nation now.