Should you join a "lower tier" sorority?

[Save Ferris]

Why don't we reverse the question? Should you join a "higher tier" sorority? Should that make a difference to you?

If your feelings are genuine about the sorority you hope to join, tiers aren't important. I understand that not all PNMs think like this and worry about what other people think of them.

Should you join a "lower tier" sorority? I would say yes, but only if you truly like them. If you don't like them because of lack of connection, you don't belong there and SHOULDN'T join them. If you connect with them and don't join because of worrying about what people think of you, that's stupid.


(And by "you", I'm just speaking in general)

[DubaiSis]

I think the point is moot about whether or not you should join a top tier chapter. Everyone wants to be one of the popular girls, so that's the easy decision. The tough decision is to bite the bullet and join the smaller or less impressive one. There are things that are great about joining a smaller house and as we all know joining a sorority is a great thing in general, so joining a smaller group may not get you that "top girl on campus" reputation, but you'll still get loving support, sisterhood, lifelong friendships, etc.

And I think that's where the rubber meets the road for a PNM. For some girls, like it or not, they are just never going to be comfortable being known as a member of a less than prestigious chapter. And I think that's a shame, but that's me. And I think the lightbulb comes on (am I mixing metaphors again?) when it's basically too late in their college careers to make it right.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

And I think the lightbulb comes on (am I mixing metaphors again?) when it's basically too late in their college careers to make it right.

But that's what AI is for, right?


[Running for cover]

[lyresandpearls4]

Here is my input on the tier situation. I attend a very competitive, greek-oriented SEC school and my sorority is considered "lower-tier". We have the same numbers and involvement as any other sorority, plenty of wonderful and beautiful girls, we are just not considered "top tier". As far as the sororities go, all of them pretty much have relatively the same numbers and involvement. I can tell you that the tiers are essentially made up by a few fraternity men as a "who would you rather f*ck" (excuse the inappropriateness but that really is the best way to put it). They put the sorority with the reputation for the hottest girls on top and then go down from there. They are also long-standing; they have been the same for many years and really aren't subject to change. Although the tiers do exist, many fraternity men at my school really do judge you based on you, your personality, and your appearance, and not by your sorority. The Panhellenic woman all have great relations with each other and don't care a bit about the tiers. I have friends in numerous sororities and fraternities of all tiers and which chapter I am in has never affected that. I am also part of an amazing sisterhood that I wouldn't be the same person without. Any advice I can give to PNM's is that just ignore tiers, reputations, stereotypes, etc. and just join where you fit. I am beyond happy with my chapter and couldn't see myself anywhere else. I am lucky to be a part of my sisterhood. If I had gone through rush only choosing by tiers I can guarantee you I would not be half as happy as I am today.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by lyresandpearls4

Any advice I can give to PNM's is that just ignore tiers, reputations, stereotypes, etc. and just join where you fit. I am beyond happy with my chapter and couldn't see myself anywhere else. I am lucky to be a part of my sisterhood. If I had gone through rush only choosing by tiers I can guarantee you I would not be half as happy as I am today.

Good advice for any PNM.

[BadCat25]

The constant complaint on GC is that many girls will not join a “bottom tier” chapter. I know many of you believe that GDIs are doomed to never have any friends, never have a date, never loved by any man and will end up as bag ladies destined to die alone with 50 cats. But GDIs are the big majority at almost all colleges. So why are these girls, facing impending doom, refusing to join “lower tier” chapters? The reason is, no matter what we all would like to think, is that 18 year old girls are very socially competitive and as soon as you put on those letters you are advertising your social status and these girls just don’t want to advertise they are at the bottom of the greek social pyramid. They would rather opt out of the greek system entirely. The ironic thing is if all these girls who would not join the “bottom tier” chapter all got together and actually joined it they would end up with a pretty decent sorority with a big improvement in social status, but that is just not how things work.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by BadCat25

The constant complaint on GC is that many girls will not join a “bottom tier” chapter. I know many of you believe that GDIs are doomed to never have any friends, never have a date, never loved by any man and will end up as bag ladies destined to die alone with 50 cats. But GDIs are the big majority at almost all colleges. So why are these girls, facing impending doom, refusing to join “lower tier” chapters? The reason is, no matter what we all would like to think, is that 18 year old girls are very socially competitive and as soon as you put on those letters you are advertising your social status and these girls just don’t want to advertise they are at the bottom of the greek social pyramid. They would rather opt out of the greek system entirely. The ironic thing is if all these girls who would not join the “bottom tier” chapter all got together and actually joined it they would end up with a pretty decent sorority with a big improvement in social status, but that is just not how things work.

BadCat25,

I think most independents are happy and go on to lead very satisfying lives both in and out of college. Greek life is not the ticket to life happiness except perhaps in the most narrow of locations and social circles. And if a woman is joining a sorority ***primarily*** for the social aspects and social prestige... then, no, she probably wouldn't join a "lower tier" sorority. On the other hand, women who are interested in the other opportunities offered in a sorority (sisterhood, lifelong friendships and involvement, leadership, networking, and belonging to something bigger than themselves) will find those in any sorority that is a relatively healthy chapter no matter the size or perceived status.

[lyrelyre]

Originally Posted by BadCat25

The constant complaint on GC is that many girls will not join a “bottom tier” chapter. I know many of you believe that GDIs are doomed to never have any friends, never have a date, never loved by any man and will end up as bag ladies destined to die alone with 50 cats. But GDIs are the big majority at almost all colleges. So why are these girls, facing impending doom, refusing to join “lower tier” chapters? The reason is, no matter what we all would like to think, is that 18 year old girls are very socially competitive and as soon as you put on those letters you are advertising your social status and these girls just don’t want to advertise they are at the bottom of the greek social pyramid. They would rather opt out of the greek system entirely. The ironic thing is if all these girls who would not join the “bottom tier” chapter all got together and actually joined it they would end up with a pretty decent sorority with a big improvement in social status, but that is just not how things work.

I don’t believe most people here have the attitude that being Greek is the only way to go. This thread seems, to me, to be in response to many threads in which a PNM expresses that she was “cut from recruitment” or “no chapter wanted me.” Upon further discussion and subsequent posts, we discover that the PNM meant she was released from any of the “upper tier” or “middle tier” chapters in which she was interested. There were “lower tier” chapters that she would not deign to join (I’m sorry, that she didn’t feel a connection with). So, this is really in response to people who want do be Greek and indicate they weren’t given the opportunity when, in fact, they were.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by BadCat25

The constant complaint on GC is that many girls will not join a “bottom tier” chapter. I know many of you believe that GDIs are doomed to never have any friends, never have a date, never loved by any man and will end up as bag ladies destined to die alone with 50 cats.

Honestly, who pissed in your Fruity Pebbles? Your posts have been crabbier and crabbier lately. If you think this board is so full of unenlightened rubes you could at least bring us some virtual potato salad and pork rinds so we have something to eat while we're dissing GDIs.

What most people are sick of is "didn't feel a connection" being used as a bullshit euphemism for "they are the lowest on the totem pole." The topper was the girl who cut the (low tier) sorority that was the nicest to her and kept the ones that she straight up said were bitches.