Colleges where it sucks if you’re not Greek or sporty - help us avoid them!

[Anonymous]

Surprised no one has mentioned Reed; it has neither frats nor varsity sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a whole bunch of "fratty" SLAC/Universities in Ohop, Pennsylvania and Indiana that fits this - Miami of Ohio/Dennison type places, and then the entire SEC (alabama, Vandy, Auburn) - and actually most southern schools, with Rice being the exception.

Vandy doesn't belong on this list. Sure there are a lot of greek and/or sporty kids but plenty that are not and there is so much to do in Nashville that has nothing to do with sports or frats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every time my introverted DD finds a school she is interested in in terms of location, campus, major, etc. she then reads some review like, “If you aren’t going Greek or on a team, you have nothing to do on the weekend.” Schools like Lafayette seem to have a jock or Greek divide with the rest of the students who then have a hard time socially.

It would be great to hear which schools have this issue so she can not waste her time on them.

(And - we’ve learned that relatively lower percentages in fraternities/sororities doesn’t mean that Greek life doesn’t dominate because often all of the parties on weekends are at frats.)

Try U of Chicago -- it sucks for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Is she interested in going to the West Coast? Greek is not so popular there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every time my introverted DD finds a school she is interested in in terms of location, campus, major, etc. she then reads some review like, “If you aren’t going Greek or on a team, you have nothing to do on the weekend.” Schools like Lafayette seem to have a jock or Greek divide with the rest of the students who then have a hard time socially.

It would be great to hear which schools have this issue so she can not waste her time on them.

(And - we’ve learned that relatively lower percentages in fraternities/sororities doesn’t mean that Greek life doesn’t dominate because often all of the parties on weekends are at frats.)

Duke can be lonely if not Greeky or sporty or party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NYU, BU, NEU

I think these schools are completely fine without greek or sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, this thread was from the High school class of '22 -- if you are around OP, where is your daughter now in her Sophomore year and how does she like it, reflecting back on this issue?

Bumping since no one seems to realize OP's kid is a college sophomore by now.

[Anonymous]

UVA…I wouldn’t call those guys playing on autumn Saturdays particularly “sporty.”

[Anonymous]

My DD is at CU Boulder, not in a sorority, and having a blast. Most of the girls in her dorm are also not in a sorority. She found plenty of friends and goes to a lot of frat parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I know this is over-simplifying but my daughter is looking a tier lower than from what maybe she could have a shot at because we can’t afford $70-80 thousand. This sounds whiney but it feels like this makes it hard to avoid party-schools, which she would like to do. The big state schools seem so Greek and overwhelming to her — we visited some.)

Though I went to an Ivy and frats ruled the weekends because the school was so isolated.)

The big state schools that have 15,000+ students might have large greek systems, but if 15% is greek, that means 85% isn't...that translates to thousands of non-greek kids for your kid to find her tribe.

+1 my kid is at UMD and most of their friends on not in frats/sororities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time my introverted DD finds a school she is interested in in terms of location, campus, major, etc. she then reads some review like, “If you aren’t going Greek or on a team, you have nothing to do on the weekend.” Schools like Lafayette seem to have a jock or Greek divide with the rest of the students who then have a hard time socially.

It would be great to hear which schools have this issue so she can not waste her time on them.

(And - we’ve learned that relatively lower percentages in fraternities/sororities doesn’t mean that Greek life doesn’t dominate because often all of the parties on weekends are at frats.)

Duke can be lonely if not Greeky or sporty or party.

Yea, I know a freshman there who is joining a frat simply because you feel left out if you don't.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry. I’m nearing retirement age and I’m not sure I understand what a “sporty” kid is. Anyone care to help me out?

My DD is at a small private school. No Greek life. But…college kids party and nature abhors a vacuum. So the sports teams take turns throwing.

[Anonymous]

Haven’t read the whole thing. My DS is somewhat similar. Have you looked at W&M? I saw you want merit so how about College of Wooster or Kalamazoo? Muhlenberg or Juniata in PA, UNC Asheville, University of Rochester (may not have enough merit), Clark University in MA

[Anonymous]

This is what my kids were looking for. Both are introverts who prefer to socialize in small groups and aren’t drinkers. They applied to such places as:

W&M
Kenyon
Wooster
Oberlin
CWRU
Macalaster
Carleton
St. Olaf
Vassar
Wesleyan
Grinnell
Bates

One is attending W&M. One is at a SLAC. Both kids love the college they chose and feel that they successfully avoided an environment where a lot of emphasis is out on Greek life and/or sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised no one has mentioned Reed; it has neither frats nor varsity sports.

Just drugs.