costs of sororities at university of alabama

[margretlee]

Thank you, Bear, for your insights! That is the kind of info I was interested in.

Munchkin03, I never said anything about ANYBODY being shunted aside at all. I did not realize that this was a place for critiquing other people's grammar. You have just reminded me why I seldom ever participate in forums of this nature - why must people insist on trying to stir things up by misreading and misinterpreting things??? I try to give everyone the same respect. It is unfortunate that you would purposely misdirect my point in this manner. If it is in the slightest bit offensive to anyone, then I apologize, as that wa not my intent. But I cannot but wonder how many people would have actually taken it that way without your inflammatory suggestion.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by margretlee

Thank you, Bear, for your insights! That is the kind of info I was interested in.

Munchkin03, I never said anything about ANYBODY being shunted aside at all. I did not realize that this was a place for critiquing other people's grammar. You have just reminded me why I seldom ever participate in forums of this nature - why must people insist on trying to stir things up by misreading and misinterpreting things??? I try to give everyone the same respect. It is unfortunate that you would purposely misdirect my point in this manner. If it is in the slightest bit offensive to anyone, then I apologize, as that wa not my intent. But I cannot but wonder how many people would have actually taken it that way without your inflammatory suggestion.

Stand down!

I wasn't offended, since I can't be bothered to be offended by something a nameless, faceless person has to say, but you have to be aware that Greek Life is socioeconomically diverse. People, regardless of their backgrounds, make a way to pay for what they really want to do. For some young women, it was getting a job, or forgoing a ski holiday, if they wanted to be in a sorority.

The fact that you are, or perceive yourself to be, upper-middle class, has absolutely nothing to do with the point at hand. Right now, a lot of families thought they'd be able to take care of dues--but scholarships and loans are much harder to come by, so family budgets and college funds are stretched to the limit. Even families of modest means, who expected to be able to take care of something like Greek Life because their kids got Bright Futures or HOPE scholarships, can't do it for myriad reasons.

Each year, I write recs for girls from my hometown--some of whom are rushing right now with your daughter at Bama. Since I don't live near my hometown anymore, I talk to them on the phone. Several of them noted the exact same thing I said above--even though their families might not be "upper middle class," their parents wanted their daughters to take full advantage of what college had to offer. But, as you know, home values plummeted, college funds tanked, and credit lines were slashed (not that I'm condoning using credit cards to pay sorority dues, but you get my point). Suddenly, that money that a family was thinking could pay for sorority dues ends up having to pay for insurance. So, yeah--it's not just the "upper middle class" that's feeling the pinch of this here Great Recession!

[littleowl33]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Right now, a lot of families thought they'd be able to take care of dues--but scholarships and loans are much harder to come by, so family budgets and college funds are stretched to the limit. Even families of modest means, who expected to be able to take care of something like Greek Life because their kids got Bright Futures or HOPE scholarships, can't do it for myriad reasons.

OP, I definitely understand where you're coming from, and I think it's great how supportive you are of your daughter going greek despite the cost. When I entered college in 2006, my parents had enough money in stocks to pay for 4 years of college and few years of grad school for both my sister and I. Even though I received some financial aid, Hopkins is a pretty pricey school. Today, their financial situation is at a point where they can only pay for less than one year of college tuition for one of us. We're taking out loans, getting a bit more financial aid and making it work, but it's not easy.

As for being Greek - they were never terribly supportive of my going greek. But while they were happy to help me out with dues for the first few semesters, dues are now entirely my responsibility because they have become a luxury. We have had a few girls leave the chapter or depledge because of financial issues, and it breaks my heart. But these are the times we live in - and our dues are FAR less than Alabama's. We don't have houses, and at their highest (as a new member) my dues were ~$550. So, I work 40 hours a week in the summer and 20 hours a week during the year to afford my dues and the optional extras like t-shirt orders, dresses for formals, gifts for Littles and Little-Littles, etc.

My point is, I don't think it's at all unreasonable to expect your daughter to work a part-time job to help cover her dues, especially if she ends up in one of the more expensive sororities. At least, I would expect her to cover extra sorority-related expenses. Obviously it's your family's decision, but if I were you I would tell her that you'll be happy to pay the average cost listed on the website (since that's what you budgeted for), and have her make up the difference if it's going to be more expensive. It probably would have been better to have this discussion earlier, but if you didn't have that information until now, that's not really your fault.

[UGAalum94]

I think that your comment just may have seemed to be a sweeping one, rather than one that referred to your own circumstances, which is what I think you intended.

Don't fret about it.

ETA: in a somewhat related note, I really do hope that girls and their families thing about what the financial obligations are before they get initiated. I've known a couple of girls who dropped out because they decided in the hierarchy of expenses, it wasn't "worth it." The chapter will budget based on the number of members, and when you drop from active status before you graduate in all but the most dire circumstances, you are hurting the chapter and bailing on what you should see as an obligation. Sorority membership isn't designed to be the equivalent of a gym membership or something.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Sorority membership isn't designed to be the equivalent of a gym membership or something.

Yes. It's a big financial commitment.