english girl needs help!

[londongirl]

Hello, I'm an English girl intending to come to the States to do my PhD, but you have so many universities that I'm finding it difficult to choose any specific one! Could anyone let me know the REAL STORY about American unis, i.e. what the Greek system is (sorry, but we don't have that over here - does it mean that you all go around smashing plates and eating moussaka?!), which universities are best for social life and which ones are best for English (subject and nationality!) graduates? I'm particularly interested in the East Coast ones, but haven't narrowed my field too much yet.

I'd be really grateful - please e-mail me or reply to this if anyone can help.

[Lil_G]

Who says you have to go to the states? Come to the University of Ottawa, we have a very large and diverse student body.

[Siobhan]

I was thinking the same thing myself. Why not come to Canada? It's Britain's home away from home. Plus we have an extensive Greek system in too.

[Allie_XO]

US universities are all different. What exactly are you trying to get your PhD in? I can help you more if I know that!

Allie

[ilovemyglo]

Greek organizations are groups of people with a common bond that have greek letters as a name for their organization.
Coming from another country I am sure it is hard to find the right place for you.. the right campus, the right groups, etc. The truth is no matter where you go you will find a very active social life, a very unique campus and a strong academic basis. Contact the campuses that interest you most and they will send you information.

[gphi2k]

Originally posted by Siobhan:
I was thinking the same thing myself. Why not come to Canada? It's Britain's home away from home. Plus we have an extensive Greek system in too.

I'm with Siobhan and Lil_G. Canada is definately the way to go. The Queen is on the back of our currency. You'd feel right at home . We also have great schools but not so many that you can't keep track and heck, we Canadians rock.

Leslie

[londongirl]

thanks for all the responses - even if half of them are suggesting I go to Canada! Not that I'm suggesting anything is wrong with Canada, merely that I've pretty much set my heart on the States...

To answer people's queries:

I want to do English, primarily late nineteenth, early twentieth century literature, especially the contrast between modernism and anti-modernism. Now that that has hopefully galvanised the subject-queriers to help me out, someone tell me about the social life at your unis over there! This has GOT to be important!

Also, if I was to join a sorority (do they take Brits or is it only Americans?), which is the best?

And, Dewgirl, whoever told you that we have some kind of weird dining societies over here, let me tell you that I haven't the faintest idea what you mean, so it can't have spread that far! Do enlighten me!

[Dewgirl]

Hmmm...I checked with a few of my English friends, and they said I should refer you to the Tuxedo Society at Oxford...it was the only one anyone could think of the name for offhand.

As far as whether you would be eligible since you are British, definitely! AmyCat has a point, though, generally only undergrads are eligible for membership, although you can pursue alumni membership!

[Billy Optimist]

Come to Virgina. Reclaim the colonines

[Dewgirl]

Londongirl -

As far as what the greek system is, well, from what I know you could kind of compare it to your dining/dinner societies over there. I don't know a whole lot about them, but I would say, take that idea, subtract the emphasis on dining and replace it with charity work, and you have fraternities and sororities!

For more information (and perhaps a better explanation) you might want to check out:
http://www.npcwomen.org

and I'm sure someone else could give you the website for the National Pan-Hellenic Conference and the IFC