If I join a sorority will I be hazed?

Lafayette College,  the Panhellenic community, and our five individual chapters are all non-hazing.  We continually educate chapter members about hazing and how to ensure it does not occur within one of our groups. Any allegations brought up are treated very seriously and are investigated by Sorority  National  Headquarters as well as the Lafayette College  Administration.

What sort of time commitment is membership in a sorority?

As with any club membership, you will have greater rewards with greater time input. Your three-week new member period is a busy time of learning about the chapter and its individual members. After initiation, your time commitment can vary between a couple of hours per week to more than 10, depending on how much you wish to make of the experience and how much each individual chapter expects of you.

If I join a sorority will  I have to live in the chapter house?

Every sorority is required to fill the chapter house each semester, and each chapter has a different method of selecting who lives in the house. Many utilize point systems based on academics and participation, but again each is different. Ideally, you would be required to live in the house for one year, however, if the chapter house is not full you may be required to live in the house longer. Some chapters offer exceptions for members who wish to serve the Lafayette Community working as an RA.

Do all sorority women drink, and would I have to if I joined a sorority?

It is a misnomer that all sorority women drink. Similar to the make-up of the Lafayette population, some students choose to drink while others do not. Willingness to consume alcohol is not a requirement of membership.  The majority of chapter activities do not surround alcohol and all of our sorority chapter houses are 100% alcohol-free.

What role does philanthropy and community service play within each chapter?

Civic engagement is a value of all of our chapters. Each chapter will conduct various hands-on community service events as well as philanthropy events where they raise money for the charities and organizations of their choosing.

How true are the stereotypes?

It’s cliché to say this, but the stereotypes are not very accurate. The easiest way to realize this fact is to keep in mind that most people who speak of stereotypes – whether stereotypes about fraternities in general or about specific chapters – are not usually in fraternities. We know that you will hear people talk about the stereotypical nicknames of each chapter on campus, but keep in mind (whether you like it or hate it), that fraternity life is not this simple. You can’t label it in a single sentence. Our sorority members are so much more than a stereotype. They are involved in varsity athletics, musical groups, academic societies, student government, The Lafayette and they are also resident advisors, orientation leaders, peer mentors, and the list goes on and on. We don’t want your sorority experience to define you, but rather to enhance your time at Lafayette College and to ultimately make you a better woman.

I’ve heard sorority life can be expensive, what can I expect it to cost?

In general, the first semester dues for new members are the most expensive payment, and dues will decrease for many of the chapters after your new member period is over. Based on our data from 2017, the first semester dues range between $560.00 – $816.00. In each semester following, dues can be between about $350.00 and $584.00. Please refer to “Chapters on Campus” in our menu to see the breakdown for each sorority. Each chapter is equipped with payment plans and scholarship opportunities and many chapters can work with members who have concerns surrounding finances. They do not want your reason for not joining to be about money problems, so make sure to ask about your different financial options when joining a chapter.

How does the recruitment process work?

The recruitment process begins Sunday, August 29th with an orientation for those going through the process. Monday and Tuesday are set aside for PNMs and chapter members to adjust to their courses. The following 4 days (Wednesday, September 2nd – Sunday, September 5th) are the times when you will actually be traveling to the different sorority chapter houses to meet the sorority women and learn about the different chapters. The first night when you travel to the different chapters’ houses, you will visit all 5 chapters, and be introduced to what they are all about. The following nights you will visit fewer houses until the final night when you will visit a maximum of 2 chapter houses. The narrowing down process is achieved both through your rankings of the chapters each night, as well as the chapters ranking of the girls they have met based on how well they feel they fit with their values. The process ends Sunday afternoon when bids are given out and you begin your new member period with your chapter house.