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10 Colleges That Get Greek Life Right

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    1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA): As you might expect, Greek life at MIT doesn't follow many of the TV stereotypes. In fact, it is not uncommon for students who report having little interest in joining a fraternity or sorority changing their minds upon seeing what Greek life is like at MIT. Instead of being focused on socializing (though there is plenty of that, too), Greek life at MIT is more about academics, building leadership skills, and creating lasting friendships. Alcohol is not allowed in any sorority houses and heavy drinking is reported at much lower levels at fraternities than the national average (28% vs. 75%). . . .
  • 2. Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL): IIT is another school where Greek life is different than that of many other schools and doesn't follow the party-centric stereotype presented by TV and movies. Students at IIT do enjoy socializing, but groups are also highly focused on scholastic achievement, community service projects, and intramural sports. . . .
  • 3. University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (Champaign, IL): UIUC has the largest Greek system in the world by membership, and as a result, a significant portion of students on campus belong to some kind of fraternity or sorority. While the stereotypical Greek life does exist on campus, along with many of the problems associated with it (UIUC has been ranked among the top 20 party schools, so parties, drinking, and socializing aren't hard to come by), UIUC's incredibly large Greek system offers a much wider spectrum of organizations and opportunities for students than other schools. . . .
  • 4. Union University (Jackson, TN): Greek life at Union College blends fun and socialization with a focus on academics and philanthropic work. Greek organizations offer academic support to members through scholarships, incentives, awards, study skills workshops, tutoring, study sessions, and motivation to meet or exceed GPA minimums. Members of Union's Greek community also participate in and provide philanthropic and social activities for the campus community, which are open to members and non-members alike. . . .
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  • 5. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA): There are plenty of opportunities for students at this science and tech-focused school to get involved in Greek life. There are 18 fraternities and sororities that put on events both for members and for the campus at large. Parties and social events are a part of Greek life at WPI, but Greek organizations are often just as focused on community service, building study skills, and helping to better the WPI campus and surrounding community. . . .
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  • 6. Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN): Students at Gustavus can't join a fraternity or a sorority until their sophomore year, giving them time to get to know the campus and their classmates outside of the Greek system. Additionally, Greek groups on campus have no designated houses, so members are integrated in housing throughout the campus, giving the school's Greek system a very inclusive feel. Since students don't live together in a house on campus, Greek events mainly revolve around volunteering and philanthropic work as well as partying and socializing with other students. . . .
  • 7. Coe College (Cedar Rapids, IA): Students who are interested in joining a Greek system where academics are valued highly should consider Coe College. At this school, Greek organizations teach time management skills, organize study hours, and help members boost their GPAs. As a result, Greek members at the school have higher average GPAs than non-members. In addition to grades, members of Greek organizations also get help building leadership skills, networking, and even looking for jobs. . . .
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  • 8. University of Wisconsin — Madison (Madison, WI): The University of Wisconsin, Madison has a reputation for being a bit of a party school (it was ranked the #1 party school by The Princeton Review in 2010), so drinking, partying, and a lot of other negative Greek stereotypes aren't exactly strangers to the school. Yet the school also has an incredibly strong academic and political atmosphere and as a result has spawned some pretty great and interesting Greek organizations. One of particular note is Alpha Chi Sigma, a national co-ed professional chemistry fraternity that was founded at the school. Numerous members have gone on to be Nobel laureates and esteemed scientists, including Linus Pauling and Willard Libby. . . .
  • 9. Wake Forest University (Winston Salem, NC): At Wake Forest, 50% of the undergraduate student body is Greek, so it's almost impossible to avoid attending Greek events or making friends who are in the Greek system. Also expanding the presence of Greek life on campus is the fact that there are no houses on campus (some groups do set up unofficial satellite houses off campus, however). Students in Greek organizations live together within the residence halls, where blocks of rooms and lounges are set aside for the groups. . . .
  • 10. The College of Wooster (Wooster, OH): Greek organizations at The College of Wooster aren't nationwide; each exists solely at the school. That helps to foster a sense of allegiance not only to the group but to the campus in general. While many students belong to Greek organizations, Greek life on campus isn't especially high profile. Often, that can be a good thing as students have a chance to form many relationships outside of their fraternities and sororities. While there are plenty of parties to be had at Wooster, Greek groups focus heavily on community service and developing leadership, and students will find ample opportunity to learn useful job, networking, and interpersonal skills.

Source: BestCollegesOnline.com (shared with permission)

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About This List

Greek life doesn't have to be all binge drinking, scary hazing, and please-don't-let-that-video-end-up-on-YouTube shenanigans. Of course, a lot of students get involved in Greek life because of the shenanigans, but if you're looking for something more, check out these 10 schools BestCollegesOnline.com claim do Greek life right.

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