How Fraternities Work

Fraternity recruitment differs by campus. Typically, recruitment takes place at the beginning of the fall semester. But some colleges require that the process begin at the middle or the end of the summer so students have time to settle in and get their classes in order. Many fraternities also rush in the spring, especially if they didn't meet the quota for their fall pledge class.

Rushing a fraternity is generally much more informal than rushing a sorority. Fraternities often have a formal rush like sororities, but during rush, they also have informal events. During formal rush events, a potential new member would meet with all the fraternities, and depending on the university's guidelines, visit their houses as well. Informal rush events are usually parties.

If someone's father, grandfather or other male relative was part of a certain fraternity, he may also want to join that fraternity and will be given special consideration during rush.

What are fraternities looking for? It depends on the fraternity. Recruitment is a time for a potential new member to get to know the brothers and see if the organization is something he might like to join. In turn, it's a time for the brothers to get to know the rushees and see if they'd fit in.

If the brothers decide a potential new member is fraternity material, they'll extend a formal bid. Once the new member accepts the bid, he becomes a pledge.

In some fraternities, pledging is a process with multiple stages that can take up to a year and a half. In other fraternities, pledging takes place over a matter of weeks.

A big part of pledging is becoming familiar with the fraternity: learning about every single member, bonding with pledges, and learning about the founding members, the history of the fraternity and the Greek system as a whole.

The other big part of pledging is proving oneself worthy of being made a brother. Will the pledge uphold the ideals of the fraternity? Will he be someone they're proud to call a brother?

Pledges in black fraternities and some other fraternities spend much of their pledge period learning how to step. Stepping is a highly choreographed dance that involves stomping, clapping and chanting. The tradition rose out of the white fraternities' history of singing in glee club-style competitions. Each fraternity has a unique way of stepping, and many sororities now step as well. An initiated member's first step show is called a probate show.

Fraternity brothers often involve pledges in exercises of loyalty and trust. Pledges and brothers may also have a pledge project they work on together (building something for the house, for example) and be in charge of tasks like cleaning up after house parties. Pledges may do things for brothers, like serve as a designated driver on weekends.

If the brothers feel a pledge has completed his pledge education to their satisfaction, he can be initiated into the brotherhood. The actual initiation ceremony is shrouded in mystery. It may take several hours and involve chanting, robes, blindfolds and candlelight. The pledge will be initiated into the secrets of the fraternity, from secret mottoes and grips (handshakes) to passwords and the meanings behind rituals. He will be sworn to secrecy.

In the next section, we'll look at the dark side of fraternities -- hazing.

Unfortunately, sometimes the pledge process can get out of control and turn into something else entirely: hazing. StopHazing.org divides hazing into three different categories: subtle, harassing and violent.

Subtle hazing leaves pledges feeling ridiculed, embarrassed and humiliated. Some examples include social isolation and drills on nonsense information. Harassment hazing causes "emotional anguish or physical discomfort." Not letting pledges take showers, depriving pledges of sleep, and forcing pledges to perform sexually degrading skits would all be examples of harassment hazing. Violent hazing is the kind you usually hear about in the media -- forced binge drinking, abductions, beatings and brandings, for example. [source: StopHazing.org]

Every national fraternity and every university with a Greek system prohibits hazing. The stated purpose of a fraternity is to make a pledge into a better man. Kappa Alpha, the oldest social fraternity, even calls hazing "the fratricide of brotherhood" on its Web site [source: Kappa Alpha]. But in many fraternities, hazing still happens. The rationale is that a pledge should prove he's loyal and worthy to be a brother. But the process is dangerous and sometimes fatal.

A Seattle Times reporter investigated the suicide of a young man pledging Delta Kappa Epsilon (known as the "Dekes") at the University of Washington after Hell Week, the week before initiation when fraternities that haze subject their pledges to torment. After a week of forced exercise with little water and food, sleep deprivation, beatings, and various humiliations -- from bobbing for apples in a toilet to simulating sex acts -- a new brother hanged himself. The Dekes aren't some fringe organization -- they have a long and illustrious history that claims both George Bushes as members. [source: The Seattle Times]. Unfortunately, this is just one example -- there are many others like it.

Are all fraternities like this? Absolutely not. But they can be, and there are enough fatalities to prove it, often from forced binge drinking or accidents related to alcohol.

In the next section, we'll look at life inside and outside of the frat house.

The stereotypical idea of a frat boy is a shaggy-haired drunken buffoon in a pink Polo shirt. To be sure, there are plenty of fraternity men who embody this stereotype. But the ideal fraternity man, according to most fraternities' stated goals, is a gentleman -- a leader in the community who excels in his academic studies and earns the respect of his brothers. Fraternity members are often campus leaders, involved in student government, honor societies and other organizations.

Some fraternities have houses and some do not. A fraternity house can either be a filthy party den or a place that someone actually might want to live in.

More and more fraternities are declaring themselves dry houses, which means that no alcohol can be served or consumed in the house -- not even for  parties. Some fraternities have chosen to do so because of insurance liability, while others do so in order to avoid raucous behavior that might result in property damage. Sororities are usually dry houses.

Social networking is an important part of fraternity life. Fraternities often have themed socials with sororities, as well as semi-formal and formal dances. They throw parties and other events where fraternity men can meet women. Philanthropy events tend to be social as well.

Most fraternities also hold brotherhood events throughout the year -- times when all the brothers have a retreat and bond with each another. They may take a camping trip or go rafting, for example.

Another perk of being a fraternity member is the chance to network. Fraternity connections can be very beneficial in the business world. Forbes magazine even put out a list of the best fraternities for future CEOs.

Many alumni stay active and involved with their fraternity chapters, returning for football games, initiation and rush events. Some continue to donate money for house repairs and other fraternity needs.

For more information on fraternities and related topics, check out the links on the next page.