Absolutely have to figure in the sorority costs. It will always be an added expense but the big time schools will be higher. We live 3 hours from Bama and the number we hear as far as straight dues goes is average of $5000/ semester and I’m not thinking that includes all the clothes and accessories which are absolutely a cost.
I had a dad from another SEC school telling me his daughter had a dress subscription that sent her a certain number of designer dresses on loan each month and he was complaining about that expense and the mom was countering with what a savings it was versus purchasing all those dresses. Now, the people that do it, do it by choice and find it worthwhile, so not knocking sorority life just know it is absolutely an expense far more than books or travel that should be accounted for in the budget.