How do parent feel about Greek Life?

MizzBee
Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:36:52 +0000

When I ask kids, I am not asking about drinking per se. I ask where most kids go on the weekends, out of all the parties every weekend, how many are put on by fraternity versus house parties, how hard is it to get invited to each party, etc. But generally, it is my DS asking, since no kid wants to talk to a parent about drinking.
As for how big Greek life is, I ask how visible the Greeks are on campus, I ask Greeks if they have a lot of friends outside their house, and I ask Independents if they have Greek friends. Small Greek numbers do not always equal small impact on campus, if the only parties in town are fraternity bashes. Lots of small LACs fall into this category. At very large state schools, the same percentage of greeks do not mean the same impact, since their parties are just one of many.
These questions can go a long way to determining. Also, for sororities, it is easy to find out if it is competetive to get in if you ask whether recs are needed for recruitment. If they say absolutely, or not required but recommended, then you know that you have a competitive recruitment (and it is time to help DD find Greek friends, family members, acquaintances for these letters). If they say that it doesn’t make a differences and that nobody gets them, then the sorority recruitment is very laid back.