I remember my days as an undergraduate college student quite well.

Not surprisingly, considering that they were the best days of my life.

College was where I made friends that I remain close to, and memories that I still cherish to this day.

It was also where I recall seeing quite a few folks wearing T-shirts and sweatshirts with peculiar looking letters hanging around the quad and the student union, throwing parties and looking like they were having a rocking good time.

I knew that those people were in something that is a big staple of life at many institutions of higher learning: fraternities and sororities; the Greek system that has been a part of the college social fabric for over 100 years.

I also knew that at some schools you can take the Greeks or leave them, while at other schools, especially in the Southern states, you are seen as a social outcast, a – pardon the expression -  “God Damn Independent” – if you don’t get involved with a Greek organization.

After having known many students in fraternities and sororities, and after having tried to pledge a frat myself (and not having it work out), I’ve developed a list of pros and cons to “Going Greek” and being a part of that life.

First, the benefits…

Instant Friends 

There is a reason why members of fraternities and sororities are called brothers and sisters; the bonds you form with your fellow Greeks often last a lifetime.

Instant Social Life

What with all of the get-togethers, exchanges, road trips to other schools, retreats, and especially the parties, there’s never a dull moment in the Greek world.

Did I mention the parties?

Instant Dating Access 

Many fraternities and sororities partner up for parties, formals (the college version of high school proms), and exchanges, where many couples pair up, hook up, establish relationships, and oftentimes marry upon graduation.

Putting it another way: If you’re in the Greek system, dating opportunities will abound for you.

Community Philanthropy

Probably the best part of college Greek life is the way they go out into the community and do things like tutor and mentor underprivileged kids, serve meals for the homeless, and organize fundraisers for different charities.

Which is a very noble and worthwhile thing.

(Most Important) Instant Job Networking and Career Connections

If you are in a sorority or a frat, it’s generally easier to land a good-paying job after graduation that if you are not, because oftentimes alumni who were Greek during their undergraduate days are in high places in the work force; they can help you out with a reference or a recommendation, or even flat-out hire you, if they know that you were a Greek like them.

At certain schools a Greek is more or less guaranteed a job after the college days are over. With economic times being what they are, people in the Greek system often have a leg up in the job market.

Now that the pros of going Greek have been described, there are several cons of this system that must be discussed…

Cost

Becoming a sorority sister or a frat brother is not cheap.

Those organizations charge fairly steep fees for rushing – checking out the different groups to see what is a good fit – pledging and getting initiated, not to mention the regular annual dues.

Essentially speaking, the Greek system is not for the financially challenged.

Let us just say that many, if not most, of the sisters and brothers in the frats and sororities hail from families that live comfortably if not extravagantly, and from areas that are, to say the least, well to do.

Conformity

A large factor in getting accepted as a frat brother or a sorority sister and getting those cool greek letter shirts is how well you can conform to their values, beliefs, and culture. Students who revel in looking and acting differently from the norm and who like to “do their own thing” need not apply or rush.

Also, those “instant friends” that was previously mentioned are also conditional friends; they have your back as long as you toe the line and fit in. The minute you disagree on certain issues or grow disillusioned with the whole thing and quit – poof! Goodbye friends.

That does not sound like a true brotherhood or sisterhood to me.

Cultural and Ethnic Separation

Next to 11:00 on Sunday mornings, the collegiate Greek system is perhaps the most segregated part of American life, as it is almost completely separated among racial and ethnic lines.

Though there are a small number of “tokens” – members of color – in some of the fraternities, this segregation is particularly prevalent among their sorority counterparts. You will likely not find a woman of color in the predominant white sororities (maybe a few Asians, but that’s all), and vice-versa; the predominantly African American sororities rarely have non-black members.

This separation is so complete that even the Latino, Asian, and Jewish communities have their own Greek organizations on campuses across the country.

Clearly this is not what Dr. Martin Luther King had in mind as part of his dream.

If there is even one fraternity or sorority that is completely diverse, where no single ethnic group or race constitutes a majority, I would very much like to meet that group.

Hazing

The incidents of hazing – mistreating new members either physically or verbally – among the fraternities and sororities have been well documented over the years.

Though the Greek organizations will tell you that hazing is illegal and forbidden in their system, don’t be fooled. It still goes on, although behind closed doors; it has become their dirty little secret.

Incidents ranging from forced alcohol binging to paddling, beatings, and cattle-style brandings have occurred with a fair amount or regularity, often resulting in severe injuries, hospitalizations, and sometimes death.

Certain groups have even defended their hazing methods – and continue to do so. They have said that it builds character and unity among the new members and is a necessary step to endure in order to prove worthiness of being one of them.

I say that any organization that submits you to any kind of humiliation in order to become a part of such organization is not worth being a part of.

At all.

It is safe to say that there are reasons to be a part of the Greek system, and reasons not to be a part of it.

Ultimately, whether or not you should go Greek is up to one person – you.

If you do decide to rush and join something that will become a major part of your college days, remember this:

Becoming a frat brother or a sorority sister will have a significant effect on your college career, and likely beyond your undergraduate years as well.

I certainly wish you the best of luck.