"Best" Colleges and their Greek Systems

[AnotherKD]

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Originally Posted by agzg

Penn State and Pitt come to mind for Northeastern State schools that carry a huge alumni following and for many programs are considered "one of the best" in the Northeast.

Of course, I like to think Penn State alumni are also some of the most annoying college grads on the planet, but that's just because I went to Pitt.

The VP and one of the directors of my department have degrees from Ivy League colleges (Harvard and Yale). I don't feel like it carries that much weight, particularly not in my field.

Now that I'm in the midwest, University of Michigan and University of Illinois carry a lot of weight around here.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by Miriverite

Greek life at MIT is surprisingly huge for a technology-heavy and northern school. We have 6 sororities and 26 (last I checked) fraternities. According to statistics, about 50% of men and 40% of women will pledge a GLO during their time here. We only have NIC/NPC organizations here, along with a service fraternity (APO) and a professional fraternity (AKPsi). There are no Christian, music, or MCGO's... nor do I ever recall an interest being present for any of them.

Slight correction from a crusty old alum...

There are two local fraternities at MIT: Nu Delta and Phi Beta Epsilon. I'm not sure exactly how old they are (their web sites both appear to be down) but they were both well-established when I was at MIT (mid 90s). PBE has been around for at least 100 years, if memory serves. There are 24 national fraternities with active chapters, and Pike is recolonizing.

There are six NPC sororities.

There are also five Independent Living Groups: WILG (Women's Independent Living Group), Student House, Fenway, pika, and Epsilon Theta. Epsilon Theta used to be a chapter of Sigma Nu, but the chapter wanted to initiate women, Sigma Nu's nationals said no, so they went local and took their chapter designation as their new name. pika (note lowercase) similarly was a chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, and went local because their nationals wouldn't let them go coed. All the ILGs except WILG are coed.

The groups are collectively referred to by the acronym FSILG. Back in my day, all FSILG groups were members of IFC - in addition to Panhel or the Living Group Council where applicable. Now IFC governs just the fraternities.

As for NPHC, there was a pretty big Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha presence in my day. Alpha is still a recognized student organization, but AKA is not (but I'd be surprised if they're not still around).

Greeks are highly visible around campus, particularly during recruitment (naturally) but also throughout the year. Each NPC sorority chapter is known for its major annual fundraiser.

Balancing your course load with your GLO obligations and the rest of your life was made easier, I think, by the fact that everyone has a killer course load, so if you had to punt something because you had a problem set due the next day, your sisters/brothers tended to be understanding.

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Focus, people.

OK, I will take a stab.

My husband went to Rice, so that is where I have obtained my (admittedly general/basic) knowledge on their system. Rice is a private school in Houston with about 2000 undergrads known for its sciences and engineering programs, as well as more recently their baseball team.

They do not have fraternities or sororities there, instead every student is randomly assigned to one of ten co-ed residential colleges. On campus these colleges function in much the same way as our GLOs.

Each college has its own dorm and most of them differ widely in architecture. Some are super old, and others have been built/created in the past 10 years. For most colleges the members live-in freshman, junior and senior years. Those that live-out typically do so sophomore year due to space constraints. Priority of living-in is given to freshman to assimilate them to campus and then seniority. Therefore, it is the sophomores who get booted off campus for a year before returning. With the building of several new colleges in the past 10 years perhaps there is less need for sophomores to move out.

In addition, each college has its own cafeteria/eating area, so there is no campus wide cafeteria. You eat all your meals with your college, which may be served family style. Memory is failing me on that.

Campus wide activities/competitions always pit college against college, as your college is where your loyality lies first and foremost. These are huge events that draw pretty much the entire campus body. One of the most popular is Beer Bike, which is exactly what it sounds like. Its so popular that it has its own tab on the website home page! Student government represenation, intramurals, pretty much everything is based on the colleges.

Each college has its own colors, team cheer, personality, and crest. I can't remember if there are mascots/symbols or not. My husband graduated 15 years ago, but is still as loyal to "Weiss College" as I am to my GLO. All of his closest friends from Rice were also in Weiss.

I'll ask my husband tonight if there is anything that I have left out.

Hope that helps.

[Miriverite]

@aephi_alum: You are absolutely correct, my bad. Phi Beta Epsilon still holds a large presence on campus (their rooftop party is packed every single year). Nu Delta is across the river in Boston, so you don't see them much. I think traditionally they have consisted of minority students, much like our deactivated chapter of Theta Delta Chi (they went co-ed and split from nationals). PBE was founded in 1890; not sure about Nu Delta.

The inter-collegiate Boston chapter of AKA (Lambda Upsilon) is still going strong, although most of the members now come from Harvard.

pika (note lowercase) similarly was a chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, and went local because their nationals wouldn't let them go coed.

Interestingly, Pi Kappa Alpha recolonized at MIT last semester and already has a good group of brothers. They will be doing formal rush with everyone else this September.

[agzg]

Uh, so, I may or may not have turned off my PMs then forgot how to turn them back on... working on it.

[irishpipes]

The NPC history at the US News Top 20:

1. Harvard University Cambridge, MA February 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
*************
Kappa Alpha Theta Zeta Xi 1993
Delta Gamma Zeta Phi 1994
Kappa Kappa Gamma Eta Theta 2003

2. Princeton University Princeton, NJ: September 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=
*************
Kappa Alpha Theta Gamma Mu 1983
Kappa Kappa Gamma Zeta Phi 1990
Pi Beta Phi New Jersey Alpha 1990
Delta Delta Delta Gamma Omicron 1996-2005

3. Yale University New Haven, CT September 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=
************
Kappa Alpha Theta Epsilon Tau 1986
Kappa Kappa Gamma Zeta Xi 1987
Pi Beta Phi Connecticut Beta 1989
Alpha Epsilon Phi Beta Delta 1995-?

4. California Institute of Technology

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA: September 4-7, 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota Last Year=35
***************
Alpha Phi Zeta Phi 1984
Alpha Chi Omega Theta Omicron 1986
Sigma Kappa Theta Lambda 1989
Kappa Alpha Theta Zeta Mu 1991
Alpha Epsilon Phi Beta Epsilon 1995
Pi Beta Phi Massachusetts Gamma 2008

6. Stanford University Palo Alto, CA: April 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
*************
Kappa Alpha Theta Phi Deuteron 1891-1944/1978
Kappa Kappa Gamma Beta Eta 1892-1944/1978
Pi Beta Phi California Alpha 1893-1897/1905-1944/1978
Delta Gamma Upsilon (3) 1897-1944/1979-1999
Alpha Phi Kappa 1899-1944/1978-?
Gamma Phi Beta Mu 1905-1944/?-1992
Delta Delta Delta Omega 1909-1944/1984
Alpha Omicron Pi Lambda 1910-1944
Sigma Kappa Pi 1915-1930
Chi Omega Nu Alpha 1915-1944/1990
Alpha Chi Omega Zeta Iota 1979-1982
Sigma Delta Tau Beta Upsilon 1983-?
Alpha Epsilon Phi Colony 2007

7. University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA: January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota last year=
***************
Kappa Kappa Gamma Beta Alpha 1890-1977
Delta Delta Delta Psi 1904
Alpha Epsilon Phi Theta 1917-1970
Alpha Omicron Pi Psi 1918-1958
Zeta Tau Alpha Alpha Beta 1918-1954
Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Epsilon 1919
Kappa Alpha Theta Beta Eta 1919-1970/1988
Chi Omega Beta Alpha 1919
Sigma Delta Tau Beta 1920
Kappa Delta 1921-?
Delta Phi Epsilon Nu 1926-1970
Phi Sigma Sigma Nu 1926-?/2004-2009
Alpha Xi Delta Alpha Phi 1927-1966
Delta Zeta Beta Epsilon 1928-1934
Delta Gamma Beta Phi 1946-1958
Alpha Phi Eta Iota 1988
Pi Beta Phi Pennsylvania Iota 1992-?
Sigma Kappa Kappa Iota 2002

8. Columbia University New York City, NY: February 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota last year=
***************
Alpha Epsilon Phi Gamma 1915-1917
Alpha Phi Zeta Chi 1984-?
Kappa Alpha Theta Epsilon Upsilon 1986
Delta Gamma Zeta Theta 1988
Alpha Chi Omega Theta Psi 1989
Sigma Delta Tau Gamma Tau 1992

9. University of Chicago Chicago, IL: October 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=55
Quota last year=19
**************
Alpha Omicron Pi Phi Chi 1986
Kappa Alpha Theta Epsilon Phi 1986
Delta Gamma Eta Zeta 2000

10. Duke University (Trinity College) Durham, NC: January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota last year=
***************
Alpha Delta Pi Omicron 1911
Kappa Delta Sigma Delta 1912-1967/1976-1990
Zeta Tau Alpha Phi 1915-1987/2005
Kappa Alpha Theta Beta Rho 1928
Kappa Kappa Gamma Delta Beta 1930
Delta Delta Delta Alpha Omicron 1931
Sigma Kappa Alpha Psi 1931-1967
Pi Beta Phi North Carolina Beta 1933
Alpha Epsilon Phi Alpha Epsilon 1934-2004
Phi Mu 1934-1987
Alpha Phi Beta Nu 1935-1970/2003
Delta Gamma Beta Theta 1939-1974/1986
Alpha Chi Omega Beta Upsilon 1942-1976
Chi Omega Mu Kappa 1976
Alpha Omicron Pi Delta Upsilon 1979-2008

11. Dartmouth College Hanover, NH: October 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota Last Year=29
****************
Sigma Kappa Zeta Lambda 1977-1986
Kappa Kappa Gamma Epsilon Chi 1978
Alpha Chi Omega Zeta Mu 1980-1990
Kappa Alpha Theta Epsilon Kappa 1982-1992
Delta Delta Delta Gamma Gamma 1984
Delta Phi Epsilon Epsilon Alpha 1984-1990
Delta Gamma Zeta Beta 1987-1997
Alpha Xi Delta Theta Psi 1998
Alpha Phi Iota Kappa 2006
Kappa Delta Colony Fall 2009

12. Northwestern University Evanston, IL: January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota last year=
***************
Alpha Phi Beta 1881
Delta Gamma Sigma 1882
Kappa Kappa Gamma Upsilon 1882
Kappa Alpha Theta Tau 1887
Gamma Phi Beta Epsilon 1888
Alpha Chi Omega Gamma 1890
Pi Beta Phi Illinois Epsilon 1894
Delta Delta Delta Upsilon 1895
Chi Omega Xi 1901
Kappa Delta Lambda 1907
Alpha Omicron Pi Rho 1909-1973
Phi Omega Pi Epsilon 1913-1943
Alpha Gamma Delta Lambda 1913-1995
Delta Zeta Alpha Alpha 1920
Zeta Tau Alpha Alpha Phi 1920-1969/2007
Alpha Epsilon Phi Omicron 1921-1988
Alpha Xi Delta Alpha Theta 1921-1972
Theta Upsilon Epsilon Alpha 1933-1940
Sigma Delta Tau Sigma 1938-1970
Alpha Delta Pi Gamma Beta 1945-1971/2002-2006

13. Washington University St. Louis, MO: January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=115
Quota last year=
***************
Kappa Alpha Theta Alpha Iota 1906-1973/1987-2000
Pi Beta Phi Missouri Beta 1907
Delta Gamma Alpha Epsilon 1914-1973/1990
Gamma Phi Beta Phi 1917-1988
Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Zeta 1920-1989
Kappa Kappa Gamma Gamma Iota 1921
Phi Mu 1923-1966
Alpha Epsilon Phi Psi 1925
Delta Delta Delta Delta Phi 1926-1954
Alpha Xi Delta Beta Beta 1929-1963
Zeta Tau Alpha Beta Chi 1931-1967
Sigma Delta Tau Alpha Eta 1951-1973
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Tau 1963-1971
Alpha Phi Zeta Upsilon 1983
Chi Omega Tau Mu 2003
Alpha Omicron Pi Delta Kappa 2009

14. Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD: January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=96
Quota Last Year=
***************
Alpha Phi Zeta Omicron 1981
Phi Mu Gamma Tau 1982
Delta Gamma Zeta Kappa 1990-1995
Kappa Alpha Theta Zeta Chi 1997-2009
Kappa Kappa Gamma Eta Epsilon 1999
Pi Beta Phi Colony Fall 2010

15. Cornell University Ithaca, NY Informal September 2010/Formal January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota last year=
**************
Kappa Alpha Theta Iota 1881-1965/1980
Kappa Kappa Gamma Psi 1883-1969/1977
Delta Gamma Chi (2) 1885
Alpha Phi Delta 1889-?/1990s?
Alpha Omicron Pi Epsilon 1908-1962/1989-2008
Delta Zeta Beta 1908-1932
Delta Delta Delta Alpha Beta 1913
Kappa Delta Omega Chi 1917-1969/1975
Sigma Delta Tau Alpha (Founding Chapter) 1917
Chi Omega Theta Alpha 1917-2003
Alpha Xi Delta Alpha Beta 1918-1964/2005
Pi Beta Phi New York Delta 1919
Alpha Epsilon Phi Kappa 1920
Sigma Kappa Alpha Zeta 1921-1955
Phi Sigma Sigma Beta Xi 1954-1969
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Rho 1960-2003
Iota Alpha Pi Beta Delta 1966-1971
Alpha Chi Omega Zeta Phi 1984
Alpha Gamma Delta Zeta Xi 1985-1990

16. Brown University Providence, RI: Spring 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
**********
Kappa Alpha Theta Alpha Epsilon 1897-1912/1984
Alpha Omicron Pi Beta 1908-1908
Sigma Kappa Kappa 1908-1912
Alpha Chi Omega Zeta Theta 1979

17. Emory University Atlanta, GA, January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
*************
Alpha Delta Pi Delta Alpha 1959
Alpha Epsilon Phi Epsilon Eta 1959
Alpha Chi Omega Delta Iota 1959-1988
Delta Gamma Gamma Psi 1959-?
Delta Delta Delta Alpha Omega 1959
Kappa Alpha Theta Delta Zeta 1959
Kappa Delta Gamma Pi 1959-1985
Kappa Kappa Gamma Epsilon Epsilon 1959
Phi Mu 1959-1973
Chi Omega Tau Zeta 1959-?
Delta Phi Epsilon Phi Lambda 1977
Alpha Phi Theta Pi 1993-?
Sigma Delta Tau Delta Epsilon 2001
Gamma Phi Beta Zeta Tau 2006

18. Rice University

19. Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN: January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota last year=
***************
Kappa Alpha Theta Alpha Eta 1904
Delta Delta Delta Delta Gamma 1911
Alpha Omicron Pi Nu Omicron 1917
Gamma Phi Beta Alpha Theta 1924-1998
Alpha Epsilon Phi Chi 1925-1965
Sigma Kappa Alpha Rho 1926-1940
Pi Beta Phi Tennessee Beta 1940
Kappa Delta Beta Tau 1949
Chi Omega Sigma Epsilon 1954
Alpha Delta Pi Zeta Rho 1978
Kappa Kappa Gamma Epsilon Nu 1978
Alpha Chi Omega Zeta Omicron 1982
Delta Gamma Eta Epsilon 2000

20. University of Notre Dame

21. University of California Berkeley, CA: August 27 - September 2, 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=110
Quota last year=28
***************
Kappa Kappa Gamma Pi 1880-1885/1897
Kappa Alpha Theta Omega 1890
Gamma Phi Beta Eta 1896
Delta Delta Delta Pi 1900
Pi Beta Phi California Beta 1900
Alpha Phi Lambda 1901
Chi Omega Mu 1902
Alpha Omicron Pi Sigma 1907
Delta Gamma Gamma 1907
Alpha Xi Delta Omicron 1909-1969
Alpha Chi Omega Pi 1909
Sigma Kappa Lambda 1910
Alpha Delta Pi Psi 1913
Theta Upsilon Alpha (Founding chapter) 1914-1961
Zeta Tau Alpha Upsilon 1914-1969
Alpha Gamma Delta Omicron 1915-?
Delta Zeta Mu 1915-1969
Phi Mu Eta Alpha 1916-1971/1980-1990
Kappa Delta Phi 1917-1969
Phi Omega Pi California Alpha 1919-?
Beta Phi Alpha Alpha (founding chapter) 1919-1941 National absorbed by Delta Zeta 1941
Alpha Epsilon Phi Tau 1923-?
Alpha Delta Theta Iota 1924-1934 national merger with Phi Mu
Phi Sigma Sigma Mu 1926-1966
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Zeta 1948-1969

22. Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA: September 21-27, 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=
Quota last year=25
***************
Alpha Epsilon Phi Alpha Nu 1943-1971
Delta Gamma Beta Nu 1944
Delta Delta Delta Alpha Tau 1944
Kappa Alpha Theta Gamma Theta 1944
Kappa Kappa Gamma Delta Xi 1944
Chi Omega Omicron Delta 1944-1992
Sigma Kappa Beta Iota 1945-1967
Alpha Chi Omega Kappa Nu 2006

23. Georgetown University

24. University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA: September 2010
Quota=
Campus Total=115
Quota last year=
***************
Phi Sigma Sigma Zeta 1921-?
Delta Gamma Alpha Sigma 1923
Chi Omega Gamma Beta 1923
Alpha Epsilon Phi Phi 1924
Alpha Xi Delta Alpha Xi 1924-1980
Alpha Phi Beta Delta 1924
Gamma Phi Beta Alpha Iota 1924-?/2000
Phi Omega Pi Sigma 1925-?
Alpha Gamma Delta Delta Epsilon 1925-1982
Alpha Delta Pi Alpha Chi 1925
Alpha Omicron Pi Kappa Theta 1925-1973
Delta Delta Delta Theta Pi 1925
Delta Zeta Alpha Chi 1925-?
Kappa Alpha Theta Beta Xi 1925
Kappa Kappa Gamma Gamma Xi 1925
Sigma Kappa Alpha Omicron 1925-1993
Alpha Delta Theta Mu 1926-1939 National merger with Phi Mu
Beta Phi Alpha Lambda 1926-1941 National absorbed by Delta Zeta
Pi Kappa Sigma Phi 1926-1939
Alpha Sigma Alpha Xi Xi 1926-1951
Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Psi 1926-?/2009
Zeta Tau Alpha Beta Epsilon 1926-1986
Theta Phi Alpha Pi 1926-1954
Kappa Delta Alpha Iota 1926
Pi Beta Phi California Delta 1927
Theta Upsilon Omicron 1927-1930
Sigma Delta Tau Lambda 1927-1987
Phi Mu 1927-1987
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Lambda 1956-1971

25. University of Virginia Charlotte, VA: January 2011
Quota=
Campus Total=107
Quota last year=
***************
Chi Omega Lambda Gamma 1927
Kappa Delta Beta Alpha 1932
Zeta Tau Alpha Gamma Nu 1952
Delta Delta Delta Beta Sigma 1975
Pi Beta Phi Virginia Epsilon 1975
Alpha Delta Pi Zeta Xi 1976
Kappa Alpha Theta Delta Chi 1976
Kappa Kappa Gamma Epsilon Sigma 1976
Delta Zeta Lambda Delta 1977
Alpha Phi Zeta Iota 1978-?/?
Delta Gamma Epsilon Gamma 1978
Alpha Chi Omega Zeta Lambda 1980
Sigma Delta Tau Beta Rho 1981-1988/Colony 2010-2011
Sigma Sigma Sigma Delta Chi 1981
Phi Mu Gamma Omega 1981
Alpha Omicron Pi Chi Beta 1982-200?
Alpha Xi Delta Zeta Psi 1987-199?
Sigma Kappa Theta Zeta 1987
Alpha Gamma Delta Theta Kappa 1990-1992
Gamma Phi Beta Zeta Beta 1993

[Miriverite]

A lot of deactivated chapters =(

[Shellfish]

Some more info on Penn:
The KD chapter closed in 1994, Pi Phi in 2000.
The Tri Delta, Theta, AXO, SDT, and Phi Sig chapters were all part of the wave of Vietnam-era closures, but I don't know the dates when they closed. Tri Delta returned in 1985, Theta in 1988, AXO in 1990, and SDT in 1980. Phi Sig initially returned in 1977 and closed in 2002 before returning in 2004 and closing again in 2010.

[Pingyang]

There's a PDF with some historical information about the Berkeley Greek system here.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Blondie93

My husband went to Rice,...

My sister and our dad went there. My sister was in Lovett College and got her BS. Our dad was in architecture and got his MS.


Kinda back on topic. Sorry Sen!!!

In Texas (and the South maybe?) state schools are considered land grant institutions. Something about them being established after the Civil War.

As far as my alma mater, Texas A&M, the greek scene is not very popular. It has become a bit more popular over the last few years though. From 1876 - ~1965, A&M was all male, all white, all military. So, for a loooonngg time only the Corps of Cadets (the military unit of A&M) was considered the only 'fraternity' on campus. So, I think the greek system at A&M is getting stronger, but probably compared to other campuses, it is not that strong and/or has a strong influence on campus.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

As far as my alma mater, Texas A&M, the greek scene is not very popular. It has become a bit more popular over the last few years though. From 1876 - ~1965, A&M was all male, all white, all military. So, for a loooonngg time only the Corps of Cadets (the military unit of A&M) was considered the only 'fraternity' on campus. So, I think the greek system at A&M is getting stronger, but probably compared to other campuses, it is not that strong and/or has a strong influence on campus.

Really? My experience has been the exact opposite (granted, I didn't attend, but from observations and from interactions with Aggie Greeks, it seems like it's very strong).

[sigmadiva]

^^^^ That is what I said - it has gotten stronger over the years, but I still don't think it is that strong. NPC orgs did not get recognized by the University until ~1990 / 1991, even though NPC groups were 'there' since about the early 80's. Yes, there are some strong fraternities on campus. When I was there I remember some of the NIC/IFC groups - SAE, SX and SPE. But, there is still this mindset at A&M that the only "true" fraternity on campus is the Corps.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

^^^^ That is what I said - it has gotten stronger over the years, but I still don't think it is that strong. NPC orgs did not get recognized by the University until ~1990 / 1991, even though NPC groups were 'there' since about the early 80's. Yes, there are some strong fraternities on campus. When I was there I remember some of the NIC/IFC groups - SAE, SX and SPE. But, there is still this mindset at A&M that the only "true" fraternity on campus is the Corps.

Yea, the Corps is still huge, but I was under the impression that the Greek system was strong period. Learn something new every day

[Low C Sharp]

They function pretty much the same as any sorority anywhere else; all recruitment, parties, etc. are done in the dorms or on other common areas on campus.

This is not correct with regard to Harvard -- the sororities are not allowed to use any college facilities to hold rush, meetings, etc. In fact they are not even allowed to put posters up on university bulletin boards to advertise their events. They have all their events either in rented public spaces like restaurants or space in the all-male final clubs (also unrecognized), which have private houses around the campus.

Sometimes a sorority event will happen on campus because a member reserved the space in her own name or the name of a philanthropy project. So it can happen, but it's against the rules.

At Yale, the sororities have their own off-campus meeting spaces (a house or an apartment). Several fraternities do as well. People party there, but it is not seen as a big deal on campus, and no one is impressed because you're an XYZ. The singing group recruitment process, called "Rush," is way more visible and prestigious around campus than the Greek rush.

We've discussed Princeton's Greek life heavily in past threads. Suffice it to say that the administration is hostile, and the eating clubs are way more important to college life than GLOs. 75%+ of Princeton students join an eating club, and many of the non-members still socialize there.

At all these schools, there are more interested women than the chapters can accommodate, but there's also a very strong anti-Greek sentiment among the student body. Sorority membership is sometimes confessed to with embarrassment. Yale and Harvard have residential colleges/houses with strong identity and loyalty that serve the students' social and residential needs. Yale's secret societies and Harvard's final clubs, which involve less than 10% of the eligible students, still retain some old-money cachet.

At all of HYP, it is almost unthinkable to be involved in a GLO and classes and nothing else. Students are near-universally involved in some deep, serious extracurricular commitment, and the GLO is their second, third, or fourth-ranked activity. You would invite ridicule if you said you had to miss a newspaper editorial meeting/play rehearsal/political activity/sports practice for a GLO commitment. You would not advance to the leadership of your organization if you did that...and at HYP, that's an extremely big deal on campus and for your future. Being the president of an ethnic organization, dramatic group, or political/debate group is way more prestigious than being president of Theta. The Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper will generally go directly to the New York Times, etc.

NPHC groups are not very visible on any of these campuses; city-wide chapters are the rule.

It may be surprising at colleges so elite and so selective, but there's a strong egalitarian vibe to the social scene at Harvard and Yale. The dominant ethos holds that everybody's a nerd of some flavor or another, so we should put the competition down when it comes to our social lives. Social exclusion/ranking is seen as very high school. It's also true that at HYP, as with pretty much every campus I've ever seen, you can tell the NPC groups apart by their members' hotness, even if you've been away from campus for four years. That alone is enough reason for the majority of female students to refuse to even consider joining. They think, I made it all the way to Harvard/Yale, just to be judged on my looks? No, thanks.
________
ass Webcams

[Miriverite]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

This is not correct with regard to Harvard -- the sororities are not allowed to use any college facilities to hold rush, meetings, etc. In fact they are not even allowed to put posters up on university bulletin boards to advertise their events. They have all their events either in rented public spaces like restaurants or space in the all-male final clubs (also unrecognized), which have private houses around the campus.

I stand corrected; I was given the information by an alum of the Delta Gamma chapter there in passing, and I might have interpreted or extrapolated incorrectly.

It's really interesting to hear about the sentiment towards GLOs at the Ivy Trinity. I would have figured it would be slightly more prominent. I suppose the "prestige" that comes with being in some of the more selective clubs (finals, secret societies, etc.) far outweighs the appeal of a GLO.