Fraternity

 

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Deciding between joining a frat and not is going to be a very hard decision. On one side, I want to be part of the great social traditions of college but on the other side, there are many negatives about joining a frat. I have read an article by Chris Blake, a writer for the news source, Global Post. This article is reliable becauses he addresses both the positives and negatives of joining a frat and isn’t biased.

The first positive he states is friendships that last a lifetime. He says “Being a member of a Greek organization provides you the opportunity to maintain a steady group of friends who share similar interests throughout your time in college and afterward.” He is saying here that the people you meet from joining a frat become your friends for your whole college experience and often times after college too.  Another positive he mentions is successful alumni. He says “According to national statistics released by the University of Missouri - Kansas City, on average, 71% of all Greek organization members graduate, while only 50% of non-Greeks do. Greek members also have a higher average GPA.” He is saying here that although some people think that greek life distracts people from their schoolwork, research has shown that people in a frat earn good grades. One last positive he lists is tradition and connections. He says “Most fraternities and sororities have roots dating back a long way. While some students do join Greek organizations for the social benefits, others join to build networks and develop skills that will be useful when they graduate. Greek organizations are unique in that most have thousands of alumni members who value the tradition of their respective brother- or sisterhood. Students can benefit if business leaders, employers and others see a Greek organization on their resume.” Here he is saying that joining  a frat can help in the future with getting a job and it helps people’s social skills.

He also lists some negatives. The first one being limitations. He says “A stigma attached to Greek life is that members are doing nothing more than paying for friends. Most Greek organizations have put together strenuous and selective screening processes utilizing rush events and other tools to determine who they want to become a new member, so the process can seem limiting to those who aren't chosen.” He is saying that the frats can make people feel bad by not letting someone join their frat. It is a selective process and not everyone gets the answer they are hoping for. Another negative he says is fraternities and sororities are like drinking clubs. He says “Being in a fraternity or a sorority often comes with the stereotype of being a party animal who drinks too much. Underage and excessive drinking is a common theme on college campuses regardless of Greek affiliation, but peer pressure can seem more intense within the Greek system.” What he is saying is that there is a lot of partying in frats and you cannot give into peer pressure even though it’s kind of hard to avoid. Last he talks about hazing. He says “Hazing is against the law and is prohibited by national fraternity and sorority headquarters, which govern local chapters on college campuses. However, it is common knowledge that hazing does occur during the member-selection process.” He is saying sometimes the hazing can be a little over the top.