Are College Fraternities still relivent?

Are college fraternities a good place to make friends and future business contacts or just an outdated carry-over from a different era?

I am going to be honest here... As both a former and present College student.... I don't really see the validity of fraternities... To me, they are generally made up of a bunch of preppy rich kids who think, emphasis on the word think, that they are smarter, better looking, and generally just better than everyone else...

I have never belonged to one,nor will I ever.

It depends on what return you are expecting, how much you are willing to put in. Is it a place to make lifelong friends, potential business contacts, that depends as well on the strength of the bond of a particular organization. My college days I had rushed and became a member of a house, had fifty seven "insta-bro's" who vowed they would be there for my wedding. Vowed thier lifes to one another.

Today I talk to approximately four.


A more suitable question to ask in which the definative answer would be a "Yes" to is would be if you would "get laid". Yes. The quality of women may vary, but there is always an abundance of freshmen girls who have not experienced or become veterans of the college party circuit and are willing to share themselves to hang with the "in crowd". Will you get an STD in a fraternity? depnds on your judgement.

So to answer your question: I think the ethical values instituted in the original fraternities circa 1800's upon establishment, has long since gone out the door. If you would like to "pay dues" to have two-faced friends who pledge their allegiance and alliance to you and the fraternity. Then that my friend depends on you.

In Hoc.



[edit on 23-1-2007 by _DISAVOWED_]

Fraternities, as well as the whole collegiate experience in general, is not what it used to be. In the 1950's, only the brightest and most academically inclined people went to college. College meant something, and a college degree was a passport to success Many of these people joined fraternities, so fraternities were elite just because they were made up of only the brightest people, i.e those who could get into college, and their members were often successful because they were college educated.

While only the brightest go to good colleges like Ivy League schools, pretty much anybody can go to a college today. A college degree is no longer a passport to sucess because going to college is highly ordinary. Fraternities, who have always had typical college students in their ranks, are now largely made up people who are not particularly brilliant and who are not going to be highly successful.

I would agree with others that fraternity membership is not an automatic passport to success. If anything, they can be a detriment. First of all, being a member of a fraternity is not going to automatically get you into jobs or other positions. I had a friend who did not get a job after interviewing with an alumnus member of our fraternity. Being in a fraternity is at best, one of many organizations and groups you can be a part of that will help you network. Other groups include churches, professional societies, charities, sports teams, and civic organizations.

Fraternities can be a detriment, as they can be a distraction in college. I felt my collegiate experience was worsened by being in a fraternity. Fraternity life is not just distracting because of the alcohol and drugs that are rampant, but because of all the bickering and politics that occurr.

When you live in a fraternity, you have several room mates. Many of them will be good people, but all it takes is for a small handful of them to be a negative influence to ruin your experience. Every fraternity has a small handful of people that care too much about things you could care less about, and these people will stir up trouble that you really do not want. Fraternity members can be some of the most petty and duplicitous people, people you should not be living with.

So to anyone out there who is thinking of joining a fraternity, my advice to you is

1. keep good relationships with Greeks so you can go to their parties. After a while, you will get bored with that scene, and so will your Greek friends.

2. Use the time and energy you would have devoted to greek life and redirect it to other things. Study more, join other student groups, and maybe take up something that can better yourself like music or a sport.