My student just heard from a friend that joining a fraternity at SMU is outrageously expensive. Apparently, this boy we know, who started SMU Fall ‘24, said he spent $4000 during rush and dues are $9000/year.
IS THIS POSSIBLE?!?!
Do those dues include room and board?
No, he’s a freshman
Have you seen the fraternity & sorority houses at SMU? Do you follow the chapters on Instagram?
EVERYTHING at SMU is over-the-top, outrageously expensive. I don’t doubt those dues could be fairly accurate.
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1/3 of kids get need aid - very low - so lots of wealth there.
Don’t know the fees but if you can afford to go there, what’s another several thousand dollars ??
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I don’t have direct knowledge but have heard similar numbers from friends with daughters in sororities. On top of the dues, these students spent a lot on dresses and such for various functions and other related event costs, such as tickets, etc. One dad told me all in sorority costs were $2K per month for all of college.
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My son’s fall dues were $1200. He’s a junior and doesn’t live in the house this year. Hardy breaks the bank. He’s now with three others in a three BR condo a block from campus. He shares a room and bought furniture from the previous frat guys who had the place for two years.
My daughter attended SMU Greek as well. She says her high school friends are richer than college friends. And her work friends, at a research facility, are getting by and paying off student loans.
My son graduated 8 years ago, and I don’t remember what his dues were, but they were nothing like what you mentioned! If they were he wouldn’t have joined, and I would have remembered that.
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I buy dresses every semester. Semi formal. Formal.
I’m a guy so I don’t get it but I wear the same suit 100 times.
Why can’t a girl wear the same dress more than once ??
Then there’s the family - the little, the grand littles, etc.
It’s - to me stupid - but forgetting all that - every generation comes with a cost.
It’s sort of crazy. Fortunately my daughter is in a low cost one - dues are $18 a month and I know there’s an annual but maybe in the hundreds.
But these schools with the huge houses - I hear it’s nuts. It’s also typically homogenous in many ways.
DEI it’s not.
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My daughter got some dresses at consignment stores.
The chef at their huge house was fabulous. Good mix of actives.
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I have 3 daughters, 2 in sororities, I have yet to buy a single dress, they borrow among themselves. My girls figured it out in HS during sweet 16 seasons, switch them out (those were harder because if you were in a court you had to wear a certain color). As for dues, I have no idea, that’s on their dime (same with my son’s fraternity).
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If it is a concern perhaps your student can contact the Office of Greek Life at SMU and pose the question.
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I’m not so lucky - although mine is a thrifter too (a habit i don’t like but to each her own). As she gets free tuition and a refund beyond, I don’t fret to her - but I just think it’s dumb they can’t wear something twice.
Yesterday her little was in town and they went to downtown Nashville. I picked them up at midnight and my daughter’s little has 4 littles - so my daughter is a grandmother 4 times over - I mean, for real? This is what they do?
And there’s 4 biological boyfriends with the 4 littles…and I didn’t even know what to think 
It’s just bonkers - but that’s just because I’m not the cool guy!!
Please keep the discussion on topic to the OP’s question about fraternities at SMU. Thank you for your understanding.
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Is your son at SMu? Which frat?
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