<p>While many guys bash Tech for having a guys-girls ratio of 3-7 and then the girls say, “Well, the odds are good, but the goods are odd,” an outsider might think that attending Tech means sacrificing an element of your social life.</p>
<p>However, I’m a first year pledge at Kappa Alpha (KA) and I have found the social atmosphere extremely rewarding. Most fraternities and sororities are within a half mile of Tech’s football stadium, creating the ultimate tail-gating opportunity. Additionally, Tech’s athletics are competitive for the ACC, but not competitive to the point that students cannot get into the games. This year I got season tickets for $65, and my fraternity’s block holds the first four in the North end zone (just an extra reason to rush KA).</p>
<p>Finally, the Greek scene at Tech is elite, but inclusive. Greeks fill 90% of leadership positions at Tech, although they make up about 1/3 of the student body. Their average GPA is higher than the non-Greek. Living/eating in the house is significantly cheaper than not doing so. For all the benefits and high standards of being Greek, GT Greek life is inclusive to independents.
KA is never one to hold a “brother’s only” party, and even the ones that hold “brother’s only” parties will almost always let you in if a brother comes and gets you. When Beta Theta Pi (Beta) has an awesome band party, everybody crowds their front lawn, no matter their affiliation. People go where the party is.</p>
<p>In conclusion, many of the social benefits that I find are through my beloved fraternity, and I’m glad that I’m not independent. Yet, as I’ve mentioned, independents aren’t excluded from the social scene, and they find their own fraternities that just don’t have Greek names. For example, my Peer Leader (residential adviser) plays saxophone in the band and all the saxophones make fake Greek letter jersey shirts that say “SAX” on the front, of Sigma Alpha Chi. Then, the back shows some nerdy joke for a last name like “Saxual Assault.” Only at Tech.
Indeed, only at Tech will you find this happy balance.</p>