<p>nyc, </p>
<p>Please allow me to clarify some concerns you may have about Furman. </p>
<p>"I commented on the Greeks because (1) my D isn’t religious or into theater (she’s an athlete), so frats/sororities will probably appeal to her, though she’s no party girl (at least not to my knowledge), and (2) the same race photos were striking. "</p>
<p>1) Furman is known better for its athletics than for its theater programs, though we have an outstanding musical program. One does not have to be religious to come to Furman. I am not religious and that was one of my concerns about Furman. This is no longer an issue for me because if one does not want to be involved with religious life at Furman one does not have to be. I am not a big “party girl” either and this is also not an issue.
2) As to your comments about Furman greek life being segregated by race, this is not entirely true. Tri-delt has several girls who are not “white”. Most of the sororities have memebers of different ethnic backgrounds. This includes the traditionally “black” sororities such as AKA. </p>
<p>It is true that Furman is a southern school. Its in the heart of the upstate of SC, but unlike other southern schools, races at Furman do mix and are not hostile to each other. Sororities are not exclusive and do NOT dominate social life. The sororities themselves mix and it is more uncommon to have friends only from your sorority than to have friends from all different organizations. Greek life is not the driving force behind Furman social life, nor are they religiously affiliated. Indepents and greeks work together to foster a better sense of community on and off campus. Just because a greek website shows only girls of one race in their pictures, does not mean that this is the case. Pictures are rotated often. If you seek a campus that stresses its diversity or even “shoves it down your throat” as one of my friends commented while visiting another southern school, Furman is not the place for your D. When you come visit Furman, please come with an open mind. Too often parents and perspective students visit a campus with preconceived notions, which are often untrue. These notions can bias their opinion of a school before they even set foot on campus. All this being said, Furman may not be the right place for your D, but I hope that you give it a fair and fighting chance. Good luck with your college search.</p>