UVA Greek System

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a Tri Delt at a different school and back in the day a rushee had to have a letter of recommendation from an alumna in order to be considered for membership. I think that requirement has loosened (if not gone away altogether) but I'm still asked to write references from time to time. Your DD will likely need a resume and a good photo/head shot. When I complete references now they ask for social media handles so be away and advise your kids to clean them up if need be.


"Tier" is a loose term to describe the strength and popularity of a chapter.

My understanding is that at UVA the stronger sororities have parties with the stronger fraternities and that all the frat parties are run with strict guest lists and wrist bands.

They don’t use recommendation letters and no resume/headshot is needed at UVA.

Yes the top tier sororities mix with the top tier fraternities but I would not call them “stronger”. Almost all the sororities are the same size so there is only one that struggles with rush and getting good numbers. There are 30+ active frats and most of them do great and get large pledge classes, so again just because one is “top tier” doesn’t mean it’s any more quality than another except it’s probably populated by rich kids who do alot of drugs.

Top tier according to my DD is KKG, DDD and Theta and unless you know someone, your kid is not getting in.

Know someone as in an alum of the sorority? Does that help even if not from that college? Or must they know girls already at that sorority?

At UVA recommendation letters are not needed. Ignore the PPs comment as it is not applicable.

What are the top tier fraternities at UVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a Tri Delt at a different school and back in the day a rushee had to have a letter of recommendation from an alumna in order to be considered for membership. I think that requirement has loosened (if not gone away altogether) but I'm still asked to write references from time to time. Your DD will likely need a resume and a good photo/head shot. When I complete references now they ask for social media handles so be away and advise your kids to clean them up if need be.


"Tier" is a loose term to describe the strength and popularity of a chapter.

My understanding is that at UVA the stronger sororities have parties with the stronger fraternities and that all the frat parties are run with strict guest lists and wrist bands.

They don’t use recommendation letters and no resume/headshot is needed at UVA.

Yes the top tier sororities mix with the top tier fraternities but I would not call them “stronger”. Almost all the sororities are the same size so there is only one that struggles with rush and getting good numbers. There are 30+ active frats and most of them do great and get large pledge classes, so again just because one is “top tier” doesn’t mean it’s any more quality than another except it’s probably populated by rich kids who do alot of drugs.


Top tier according to my DD is KKG, DDD and Theta and unless you know someone, your kid is not getting in.

Know someone as in an alum of the sorority? Does that help even if not from that college? Or must they know girls already at that sorority?

At UVA recommendation letters are not needed. Ignore the PPs comment as it is not applicable.

Whoops totally misread your question. Knowing someone means knowing someone in that sorority. The top sororities only want people who they already know. Alumni recommendation means absolutely nothing. My kid knows a legacy from a top house at UVA and that girl didn’t even get into the sorority her mom had been in. Legacy status means nothing and recommendation means nothing. Getting to know the actual girls in the sorority is the only way and again that is usually because your kid went to HS with them or is on a sports team with them etc.

Again this is only the three top tier houses and most of us normal people wouldn’t want their kids to join those sororities anyway. For everyone else, no prior connections are necessary and family wealth does not matter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two at UVA both in Greek system, both in houses considered “middle tier” meaning not the super rich people. Most of the sororities are pretty low key, there are 15 of them so really a good range. Going through rush she’ll get to meet all of them and then both sides whittle down the list as rush goes on. As long as she doesn’t have hopes for any particular house, she will be fine. Dies for mine are about $800-1000 per semester, more the first semester. There are wide variances on dues FYI depending on the house.

immigrant here who is totally clueless on Greek life... can you explain more what "tier" means... are these fraternities/sororities sorted out by economic status?

It is just part of the grossness.

My kid chose schools that ban organizations which are not open to all students.

Please don’t think that Greek life is embraced by most Americans.

"Most Americans" don't go to four year colleges. The Greek experience is a college one for those who choose to participate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But it is not “normal” to join an official organization that excludes other students because they are not pretty enough.

Really, if that is true I am not sure how you can defend it.

It's called life, PP. Welcome to it.

[Anonymous]

Very positive experience for my fourth year DD. She made wonderful friends and enjoyed living in the sorority house last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC was admitted ED to UVA and is interested in joining the Greek system. At my college, the Greek presence was pretty non-existent. Do any of you have kids in frats or sororities at UVA? I hear they are not as crazy as the SEC schools, thank God, but are they elitist, expensive, exclusive? My kid is a URM as well. I see some of the members posting about their summer vacations to destinations we could never afford. DC is very outgoing, social, team sports player and has held different leadership positions. We will support her decision to rush, but also want to give her a heads up on what this all entails.

There is no difference in sororities at an SEC school or any other school you are an idiot if you think that.

Drinking and drugs are at every college. Risky behavior is at every college. Every sorority in the US fits this period.

Of course you support her decision to rush, big whoop she's and adult you don't get a say in whether you pay for it or not. Or you are raising a nonadult?

Seriously your post is absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread helps to emphasize why some students, genuinely (and not because they didn't get in) ... genuinely do not want to attend UVA.

Just saying'. Not to take away from the hope, Op, that your DD has a good experience.

Comments like your, PP, get so tiresome. Year after year UVA receives more and more applications from extremely bright, talented students from across the country and the globe so no one really cares that some kids don’t apply because about a third of the undergraduates at UVA join a sorority or fraternity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on wealth? How do they know how wealthy your family is? Besides, this is UVA, a state public school. Most people I know who are genuinely wealthy opt to go to private colleges. Most people I know who are gunning for UVA, WM, VA Tech are donut hole families (so not uber wealthy).

Well you are probably one of those people who think that UVA only appeals to Va residents. Most of the “wealthy” kids at UVA come from out of state and those top tier sororities are almost exclusively populated with OOS kids from NYC, New England, CA, IL etc.

+1

Ivy league safety school for OOS boarding school kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two at UVA both in Greek system, both in houses considered “middle tier” meaning not the super rich people. Most of the sororities are pretty low key, there are 15 of them so really a good range. Going through rush she’ll get to meet all of them and then both sides whittle down the list as rush goes on. As long as she doesn’t have hopes for any particular house, she will be fine. Dies for mine are about $800-1000 per semester, more the first semester. There are wide variances on dues FYI depending on the house.

immigrant here who is totally clueless on Greek life... can you explain more what "tier" means... are these fraternities/sororities sorted out by economic status?

It is just part of the grossness.

My kid chose schools that ban organizations which are not open to all students.

Please don’t think that Greek life is embraced by most Americans.

"Most Americans" don't go to four year colleges. The Greek experience is a college one for those who choose to participate.

Obviously, yes. But I did not want this immigrant to think of this choice as American, or even chosen by most American college students (and to understand that many progressive families avoid schools that still allow Greek organizations on campus).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two at UVA both in Greek system, both in houses considered “middle tier” meaning not the super rich people. Most of the sororities are pretty low key, there are 15 of them so really a good range. Going through rush she’ll get to meet all of them and then both sides whittle down the list as rush goes on. As long as she doesn’t have hopes for any particular house, she will be fine. Dies for mine are about $800-1000 per semester, more the first semester. There are wide variances on dues FYI depending on the house.

immigrant here who is totally clueless on Greek life... can you explain more what "tier" means... are these fraternities/sororities sorted out by economic status?

It is just part of the grossness.

My kid chose schools that ban organizations which are not open to all students.

Please don’t think that Greek life is embraced by most Americans.

"Most Americans" don't go to four year colleges. The Greek experience is a college one for those who choose to participate.

Obviously, yes. But I did not want this immigrant to think of this choice as American, or even chosen by most American college students (and to understand that many progressive families avoid schools that still allow Greek organizations on campus).

You sure are high and mighty aren’t you? So good of you to educate everyone.

[Anonymous]

They know you’re rich based on your high school usually. You don’t want to be the one who can’t afford to do stuff and they don’t want to be limited by someone who can’t afford that lifestyle. UVA is built on traditions, some good some bad. The Greek system has a continuity of traditions passed down year to year and an aversion to systemic change. You can have a great experience if the house is a good match.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on wealth? How do they know how wealthy your family is? Besides, this is UVA, a state public school. Most people I know who are genuinely wealthy opt to go to private colleges. Most people I know who are gunning for UVA, WM, VA Tech are donut hole families (so not uber wealthy).

Well you are probably one of those people who think that UVA only appeals to Va residents. Most of the “wealthy” kids at UVA come from out of state and those top tier sororities are almost exclusively populated with OOS kids from NYC, New England, CA, IL etc.

+1

Ivy league safety school for OOS boarding school kids.

Lots of Euros in the Greek system, too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do they choose based on looks? I am genuinely asking what kind of person would choose that?

A human person? You realize that people select for “looks” all the time? Whether friends, dating, employment, or pretty much anything. It’s hard-wired in our DNA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do they choose based on looks? I am genuinely asking what kind of person would choose that?

A human person? You realize that people select for “looks” all the time? Whether friends, dating, employment, or pretty much anything. It’s hard-wired in our DNA.

UVA sororities are def not looks oriented in the way that the SEC Southern schools are. UVA top sororities are a mixed bag looks wise but they are all rich - not that it makes it better but it’s more of a pedigree thing than a looks or knows how to dress thing at UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread helps to emphasize why some students, genuinely (and not because they didn't get in) ... genuinely do not want to attend UVA.

Just saying'. Not to take away from the hope, Op, that your DD has a good experience.

Considering UVA has a 97% first year retention rate, I think OP’s DD will be just fine, as are the majority of UVA students who don’t join fraternities or sororities.