W&M fraternities and sororities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any insight into which to choose or avoid? DC is mildly interested in fraternity at w&m due to the less intense reputation.

Would you seriously go to your kid and say hey, a bunch of anonymous random people on the internet said these are he frats to choose or avoid? Let your kid figure out what he wants, for goodness sake.

This is great advice. I learned the hard way.. stay out of it and let them figure it all out on their own. Best to your son, I am sure he will do great.

He isn’t even sure he wants to. I’m just clueless what the situation even is. I’m not driving this at all but just wanted to learn a little in case he asked any questions if he chooses to. Everyone on here seems to know so much about W&M so thought some perspectives might be good to know.

[Anonymous]

Sig Chi is touse at W&M.

[Anonymous]

I have two that joined fraternities at W&M. One had a great experience, the other a not great experience. I don't want to go into details, but what seemed like a great social fit as a freshman just landing on campus ended up being a very negative situation the spring of his sophomore year and my DS ended up leaving the fraternity.

From what my two sons have told me, hazing is not tolerated and most of the fraternities are very good about following the rules and not hazing their pledges. Also, because the official fraternity houses are in the middle of the main housing area on campus, parties at the houses are fairly tame. The frats don't want to get caught serving alcohol to underage students. The fraternities will have off campus houses - a house where several brothers live. That's where the more rowdy parties happen. However, my one son visited a friend at UVA and went to a fraternity party there. He said a W&M party was like a church party compared to the UVA one.

Because W&M has a requirement to live on campus for two years, the houses tend to be occupied by sophomores. They were the newest dorms until this year when they opened up the new dorms. And they don't have RAs like the other dorms.

I think the fraternities can be a very positive experience at W&M. I do wish they didn't allow freshmen to rush and pledge their fall semester and instead wait until the spring semester. There are other ways to be social and go to parties without joining a fraternity. Both of my sons are/were involved in other clubs that would have both dry events (no alcohol) and events with alcohol.

[Anonymous]

This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

FWIW, my daughter just finished her freshman year at W&M and had an amazing time, without even glancing at the sorority rush scene. She and friends she made in her dorm / classes had all sorts of adventures — going to Richmond for a musical, taking Amtrak to DC for the cherry blossom festival, going to parties, hanging out in the dorm eating pizza … all the normal college things. It was a great year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

Just FYI, this is going to be virtually every state/ public school. Except UVA, I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

I wouldn't say it's any different from any of W&M's peers. If the other schools being considered are other top publics or more social privates (Wake, Vandy, Richmond) you're going to see the same thing. But if the rest of the list is more like SLACs with little to no Greek life, I do think you'll find it to be pretty different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

This seems like a bit of an extreme response to a few anecdotal posts on an anonymous message board. Greek Life is still much more low key at W&M compared to many other colleges.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, this Greek Life rankings page gives W&M a C+ so it’s still a pretty weak system with minimal influence on campus culture (UVA gets an A- by comparison). More importantly, the narrative reviews paint a picture of a relaxed and low-key Greek Life.

https://www.greekrank.net/uni/388/reviews/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, this Greek Life rankings page gives W&M a C+ so it’s still a pretty weak system with minimal influence on campus culture (UVA gets an A- by comparison). More importantly, the narrative reviews paint a picture of a relaxed and low-key Greek Life.

https://www.greekrank.net/uni/388/reviews/

Its 18 anonymous reviews and almost all of them were made before 2023 - seems anecdotal at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

I was the person who posted about my daughter dropping. My daughter is still very happy there. You can definitely go there and not rush, and still have a great time/social life at the school.

Also, my own is very sensitive- full disclosure.

This is just from a mom's perspective, but I was disappointed at the whole process. There are ten houses (sorority), but it is very clear where the houses are ranked, and the group leaders my daughter was placed in did very little to stop the other rushees from bad mouthing the "bottom" two houses. Another girl dropped after being harassed on Yik Yak, and no one at Greek Life did anything about it.

As someone who had done Greek life myself, I felt terrible for talking it all up to her. It is not the fault of the girls who are in sororities at W&M, but the recruitment process for women and the way the system is set up is the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

FWIW, my daughter just finished her freshman year at W&M and had an amazing time, without even glancing at the sorority rush scene. She and friends she made in her dorm / classes had all sorts of adventures — going to Richmond for a musical, taking Amtrak to DC for the cherry blossom festival, going to parties, hanging out in the dorm eating pizza … all the normal college things. It was a great year.

This!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

I wouldn't say it's any different from any of W&M's peers. If the other schools being considered are other top publics or more social privates (Wake, Vandy, Richmond) you're going to see the same thing. But if the rest of the list is more like SLACs with little to no Greek life, I do think you'll find it to be pretty different.

Richmond doesn’t allow rush until spring semester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

I was the person who posted about my daughter dropping. My daughter is still very happy there. You can definitely go there and not rush, and still have a great time/social life at the school.

Also, my own is very sensitive- full disclosure.

This is just from a mom's perspective, but I was disappointed at the whole process. There are ten houses (sorority), but it is very clear where the houses are ranked, and the group leaders my daughter was placed in did very little to stop the other rushees from bad mouthing the "bottom" two houses. Another girl dropped after being harassed on Yik Yak, and no one at Greek Life did anything about it.

As someone who had done Greek life myself, I felt terrible for talking it all up to her. It is not the fault of the girls who are in sororities at W&M, but the recruitment process for women and the way the system is set up is the worst.

Probably the biggest issue is there aren't enough chapters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is making me inclined to take W&M off my daughter’s list of schools I want her to look at. I had no idea people were rushing fall of freshman year and that it was so many of the kids. What a terrible way to start college.

And the phrase “touse” makes me want to vomit. I have two sisters that were in sororities in the 80s — it sounds like it has gotten magnitudes worse since then.

Our daughter just graduated and didn't rush. Had a fantastic academic and social experience - clubs, parties, trivia, biking the area and going to the beach. And she had friends in fraternities and sororities. Went to date parties and such. Very welcoming.