Top 10 reasons to go Greek

A place to belong

That feeling of belonging, an identity. Sorority life is based on a family-type situation. it gives a firm basis to experiencing college life with sisters who are interested in helping you adjust to your new college experiences.

Inspires you

Sorority life inspires you to develop as a person by promoting high standards for scholarships, citizenship and social conduct.

Encourages commitment

Sorority life pushes you to meet your greatest potential according to your skills and talents. Sororities emphasize excellence.

Management skills

Sorority life teaches you to manage your time wisely in addition to organizational and decision making skills that will serve you well in the future.

Fun social events

Sororities provide fun events and activities with your sisters, fraternities, and other campus organizations.

Encourages loyalty

Sorority life encourages your loyalty and allegiance to your sisters, your sorority, your college and your nation.

Emphasizes academics

Sororities highly emphasize academics by providing the right atmosphere and encouraging good study habits.

Promotes leadership

Sororities promote leadership by encouraging your participation in chapter government and campus activities.

Fosters concern for others

Sorority life encourages you to participate in philanthropic projects that enable you to give of yourself to help others and the world around you.

Meet life-long friends

Sorority life develops and encourages lifelong friendships that grow strong with common experiences and remain true over years to come.

Sorority facts

WE’RE SMART. On average, the all-sorority and fraternity GPA consistently matches and often well exceeds the all-women’s, men’s and campus average.
WE’RE DIVERSE. Fraternities and sororities represent the diversity of most campus populations. Also, each group is unique, so you won’t find two that are identical.
WE’RE RESPONSIBLE. Members who make commitments to themselves, and their chapters prove to be among the university’s most well respected students and most loyal alumnae.
WE HELP OTHERS. Members participate in countless hours of community service and contribute annually to charitable organizations.
WE’RE LEADERS. Fraternity men and women are involved in an array of campus activities, are often the most visible campus leaders, and are the most enthusiastic supporters of university events such as homecoming, Panhellenic-wide functions, and intercollegiate and intramural sports.
WE DON’T HAZE. Hazing is prohibited; it’s against the law, and it is enforced -- plain and simple! Educational seminars, forums and presentations are given to members that outline the definition and consequences of this illegal activity.
WE’RE AFFORDABLE. Sorority life is an investment in your future. Chapters help members to plan, budget and afford to participate in activities.
WE’RE NOT ALL RICH. Most sorority members are not wealthy. Men and women in sororities and fraternities maintain jobs and internships, receive financial aid, and obtain in-chapter scholarships to afford their college education.
WE NETWORK. Fraternity men and sorority women are afforded networking opportunities through alumni for job assistance and advice, internships exposure and experience, and general direction when entering the work force.
WE HAVE FUN. Sorority and fraternity members maintain a balance between the classroom and personal time. Events such as exchanges, date parties, retreats, formals, and parent weekends are just a few of the activities offered.

Recruitment FAQs

My university says I don't need recommendation letters.

You do not need recommendations to participate in Formal Recruitment. But as this process continues to evolve, we know it would not HURT for you to find recruitment information forms (or as they are called RIFs) or letters of support from alumni you know personally. But these are NOT required.

We feel that if you are getting a RIF for a sorority, then it is best if it is done early, even before your college registration opens. So start to work on those now. These can be written throughout the summer as well, but we have found that once you have registered with your local college for recruitment, the information you have submitted there, is what the girls in the houses are using to prepare for your arrival at Recruitment.

It is to your advantage to make family and friends aware of your intention to participate in the recruitment process. If an alumna offers to write a recommendation for you, accept her offer!

Can I send my resume as a .pdf?

Yes. All documents should be a .pdf or .doc.

Do I need a RIF or recommendation for ALL 26 national sororities?

No! First of all, you are not required to have any recommendations to participate in formal recruitment. But as we have stated, we feel that it is in your best interest to try and secure recommendations from alumnae, but only from the sororities listed on your campus panhellenic website. The different sorority chapters and the number of sororities differ from campus to campus, so check out your college's panhellenic site for which sororities participate in formal recruitment.

Whom should I put as a reference on my registration forms and resumes?

Teachers, coaches, counselors, neighbors, people you have for whom you babysit/pet sit, employers, clergy. Any of these would be a good choice.

Anything else I should know about RIFs and recommendations?

Remember a letter of support or recommendation is a letter of introduction to a collegiate chapter on behalf of a potential new member (PNM). Membership selection is the privilege and responsibility of the collegiate chapter members. A reference or letter of recommendation does not guarantee an invitation to membership. Reference practices vary greatly by chapter and specific questions can be answered by an alumnae chairman in the university's area or by the collegiate chapter chairman or by the university's panhellenic.

Is Montgomery County Panhellenic going to write my recruitment information forms or recommendations?

Our goal is to assist all potential members in having the best recruitment possible, ending with the maximum number of girls becoming members of a sorority. We know that not all potential new members going through the recruitment process know sorority alumnae, so in an effort to connect potential new members with area alumnae, we have included emails on our registration page for you to use to connect with us! Recommendations are always best when they come from alumnae that know you or your family personally.

My university panhellenic website does not have a registration form available yet. If the registration form is not published on their yet. website until after April/May 1st, will I still be able to register after the deadline?

There are two different registrations needed--one with the university, and one with us (MCPAA):

The university registration notifies them that you are going through recruitment. Continue to check with them periodically until registration opens.
The MCPAA registration gets your information to our alumnae. We need your information by May 1. The earlier we have your information, the better positioned we are to help you.

My school does recruitment in spring--why do I have to register with MCPAA so early?

This is the time the universities expect to see your information and desire to go through recruitment. Therefore, we suggest you register with MCPAA along with Fall Recruitment participants.

Sorority parents frequently asked questions

What is a sorority, really?

Sororities are national and international Greek-letter organizations that have been in existence for more than 150 years on accredited college and university campuses. Chapters function as an extended family unit, providing a caring, safe environment that encourages individual development for a lifetime. Sorority programming develops leadership through involvement in chapter offices and committees, as well as involvement on campus. Other opportunities for Greeks include scholarships, philanthropy, and social service involvement. Many sorority chapters offer campus housing. Check with your specific university/sorority chapter for campus housing details.

What are the lifetime benefits of sorority membership?

As a collegiate member, she will have a support group that truly cares about her, leadership opportunities, academic support and encouragement, and a safe social outlet. The bonds of sisterhood she develops during college will remain with her after graduation. Wherever she goes, even to another country, she will have a support system and opportunity to form beneficial relationships.

To be a member, my daughter has to go through recruitment?

Membership recruitment is a period of mutual selection. It is a process during which your daughter gets to know about the sororities and members on her campus, and the sorority membership gets to know your daughter. Recruitment activities might include open houses, informal events, and/or formal events. Often the final activities of recruitment are called "Preferentials," and are formal events. The NPC on each campus determines the approximate dates and rules for recruitment on their campus.

I want my daughter to get a good education. Will being Greek promote that?

Yes. All NPC member sororities have scholastic standards for their members. As a new member, your daughter will be encouraged to achieve academic success. Sororities offer a variety of tools to support this effort, including group study hours, tutoring, and peer incentives. Additionally, NPC whole-heartedly promotes high academic achievement. Every year Greek women are awarded thousands of dollars for exceptional academic achievement from NPC and other Greek groups.

What kind of expenses are we talking about?

Financial expectations vary among sororities. There are one-time fees, as well as regular dues. Each sorority chapter determines dues based on factors including programming for its members. When housing is available, those costs are often competitive or less than campus options.