Essay About Greek Life

No Matter the Letter, Greeks Do It Better
In society today, Going Greek is a controversial topic. One of the main questions on every freshman's mind when he or she first arrives at school is "Should I rush a fraternity or a sorority?” This is a particularly tough decision for most people, and there are many determining factors to consider. While evaluating the Greek system as a whole, one must consider the reasons that make becoming part of the Greek system so worthwhile. Joining the Greek system is a unparalleled experience because it gives individuals a second family that helps to make a home away from home, it gives students an easy way to become a major part of campus life, and it provides young adults with a a good foundation as an individuals entering alumni status.

Joining a sorority or fraternity in college can prove to be the greatest decision one can make because it offers an unparalleled college experience through a higher probability of educational success, increased interactivity among the Greek society, preparation for the future, unrivaled personal growth experiences, and lifelong friendship with fellow chapter members.
Educational success increases when one is a a part of Greek life. Although Greek Life is often affiliated with poor grades due to partying, this is not the case. The majority of Greek chapters have set up tutors and study groups to help the younger members of the sorority or fraternity excel academically.“Membership in a sorority or fraternity is contingent on academic achievement. To join and stay in [one’s] desired chapter, [the members] are required to maintain a specific GPA” (Garber). Being surrounded with people who are committed to school work and academics makes the individual’s desire to succeed that much greater. As found in Sigma Kappa Beta Nu’s Sorority at Bradley University, the sorority has study groups for each major to work on current assignments and projects alongside classmates as well as a few sisters who have taken that class before. Each girl in Sigma Kappa is assigned to a mentor in her major. They serve as personal tutors and people the girls can look to for guidance within an students specific major.
In addition, many schools have GPA requirements that members must meet in order to be a part of a specific chapter. This creates an incentive to work harder in school. Even at one of the biggest party schools, University of Iowa, it was reported to “have 22 Consecutive Semesters of the All Fraternity & Sorority GPA Exceeding the all undergraduate GPA” (“Iowa Fraternity and Sorority Life: Scholarship”). Being in a sorority or fraternity means devoting extensive amounts of time to his or her organization. It allows individuals to learn how to manage time more efficiently. People who go Greek tend to have higher GPA’s than those who don't because they are able to manage a schedule with greater success. According to USA Today College, “college graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than non-Greeks” (Glass). This depicts that the Greek organizations do care about keeping members on track to graduate.
At Bradley University, if one enters the Collum Davis Library and locates the reserves desk, that individual will see a table full of fraternity and sorority binders. These are called study hour binders. Like the name depicts, the members in that sorority or fraternity must log the hours he or she spent in the library. Usually, the minimum amount of hours in every house is around 12 hours of studying per week. There are both prizes for those who go above and beyond the requirements, as well as punishments for those who fail to meet the required hours. For example, in Bradley University’s Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, there are gift cards raffled off for those who have meet the requirements for studying that week. If a fraternity member did not meet the hours, they are in charge of purchasing these gift cards. This puts an academic fine on the brothers who are not studying enough.
In addition, as a result of joining a sorority or fraternity, one’s network expands. Greek Life often is portrayed as cliquey, limited groups. However, this is incorrect. Being involved in Greek Life expands one’s social and professional networks. Alumni connections connect current members with the past members of each sorority or fraternity. Every chapter holds alumni meetings so the current members can meet with the alumni and create relationships with them. Alumni connections also aid with keeping the chapter informed about what their alumni are up to. This connection between graduated members and current members may take place in person, over the chapter’s newspaper, or over a website. Being a part of a Greek organization allows one to connect with alumni and can give a Greek individual more opportunities after they graduate. It can also open up the possibilities for internships or even jobs after college. Greek unity is also prevalent in the Greek community. As quoted from Duke University’s newspaper, The Chronicle, “Greek networking extends beyond boundaries between individual sororities and fraternities. Simply having participated in the Greek system could help establish a connection between alumni of different fraternities and sororities” (Zhang). The Greek community is dedicated to each other’s success. No matter what sorority or fraternity a group of people are involved in, being Greek instantly unites individuals.
Another benefit of going greek is the personal skills one may gain. Being involved in the Greek community results in personal development. It is often thought that the Greek community takes away individuality in hopes of creating a more unified chapter. Yet, this is a false assumption. Confidence is proven to increase when one is involved in the Greek community. “According to the data, 52% of Greek-affiliated graduates consider themselves to be thriving in community well-being, as compared with less than half, or 46%, of other graduates” (Reid). Proving that Greek Life aids in an individuals confidence about what impact they can make on society.
Entering college is a huge transition for many teens. However, if he or she decides to join a sorority or fraternity, feelings of loneliness may be prevented. Leaving home to go to college can be one of the most emotionally taxing events for a young adult. This is due to the fact that individuals are leaving their support systems for the first time. However, when one joins a Greek organization, these feelings may decrease. Studies proved that "students that entered the Greek system had larger support systems and more friends than students that chose not to. This can impact a student by preventing feelings of loneliness” (Jacobs).
In addition, the Greek community thrives on giving back to others. As seen in an 2015 article, published on the Fraternity Advisor Blog, recent statistics depicted that “the Greek system is the largest network of volunteers in the United States. It is estimated that as a whole, Greeks volunteer approximately ten million hours a year” (“Greeks through Community Service”). Being a part of a Greek organization gives people the opportunity to serve surrounding communities, thus creating a higher meaning in life. Whether it be raising money or serving through donating time, it will not only better that individual, but also society at large. By volunteering time, Greek Life members learn responsibility,  a sense of community, and the importance of giving back. It allows a person to grow and appreciate the simplest things in life.“According to the most recent National Panhellenic Council 2013-2014 annual report, sorority women from across the nation raised over $5.7 million for philanthropies and reported nearly one million hours of community service in the last academic year alone” (Muslin). Leadership skills are broadened during the time spent being involved in Greek Life. Joining a sorority or fraternity gives an individual hands on experience to lead a group or organization. There are many leadership positions one can run for in his or her sorority or fraternity.
Success after graduation is more common when an individual is involved in a sorority or fraternity. Society incorrectly portrays Greeks to be behind in academics and in life.
“Statistics show that 85% of Supreme Court justices since 1910 have been members of Greek organizations at their respective schools. Since 1825, every president except for two has donned a fraternity letter, and since 1900, 70% of the presidential cabinet has donned fraternity or sorority letters. Further, 85% of Fortune 500 lead executives were members of the Greek system, and 43 of the 50 largest corporations are headed by former fraternity or sorority members.” (Blake)
Many important members of our society have accredited enormous amounts of success to Greek Life. The skills instilled in these members have aided them in becoming successful individuals. “When asked about whether or not they felt prepared for life after college, fraternity and sorority members reported that they felt prepared at a 10% higher rate than their non-Greek peers” (Reid). Greek Life prepares individuals for successful college careers and beyond.
A misconception about Greek organizations is that individuals buy their friends. This is not the case. The dues are to support the organization and to have the opportunity to hold social events.
“Being a member of a Greek organization provides [students] the opportunity to maintain a steady group of friends who share similar interests throughout [ones] time in college and afterward. The membership education process is designed to allow incoming members to learn about the organization they are pledging and to meet the current brothers or sisters. Because Greek members spend a majority of their time together, these bonds often become stronger than friendships made by other means.” (Blake)
People who belong to a sorority or fraternity do not only want to be friends with those also involved in the same chapter. However, a mass amount of time is spent with fellow chapter members. As a result, friendships are formed. The people involved in a specific fraternity or sorority often have similar interests or personalities that bond them together with ease.
Hazing also a perceived issue when it comes to Greek Life.

However, “Hazing is against the law and is prohibited by national fraternity and sorority headquarters, which govern local
chapters on college campuses” (Blake). At Bradley University, a slogan was created to promote anti-hazing: “These hands don’t haze”. Each new member in the chapters across the campus were required to attend a presentation about the consequences of hazing, as well as how to report a hazing incident. This protects the individuals involved in Greek Life because it sets national standards and punishments for those chapters who do choose to haze new members.
In conclusion, Greek Life has many positive aspects to offer to a young adult. Through a combination of higher probability of educational success, increased interactivity among the Greek society, preparation for the future, unrivaled personal growth experiences, and lifelong friendship with fellow chapter members, Greek Life positively affects lives. Each student entering college should give rushing a chance due to its many rewarding opportunities it provides. As reported by many individuals, Going Greek contributed to a better experience in college and

beyond.