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Understanding Greek Life and Recruitment

by Betsy Chapman

Though formal Greek life recruitment for sororities and fraternities takes place in January, conversations and questions about the process often begin circulating around campus during the fall. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Engagement will offer specific advice about their processes closer to recruitment. Here are some general thoughts.

If your student is considering participating in recruitment, you can offer valuable, grounding perspective:

  • Keep an open mind: Encourage your student to consider every single chapter, rather than focusing on preconceived notions or slight high school familiarity with one group. The best fit is discovered during the process itself.

  • Trust the outcome: Recruitment is a highly structured and competitive process. Not everyone receives their first choice; some do not get placed at all. Remind your student to look for genuine connections rather than status.

  • Meet their peers: Urge your student to meet as many other students as they can, and build genuine friendships. Whether or not Greek life ends up being part of your student’s experience, it is always good to meet new people and explore friendships.

Social belonging comes in many different forms on a college campus. No matter what paths your student explores, remind them that their worth and identity are firmly anchored in the family who loves them.

Contact

To contact the Office of Family Engagement or Family Communications, please visit our contact page.

For mental health assistance: 336-758-CARE (2273) is a service that ensures someone will always be available (i.e., 24/7 M-F, weekends and university holidays) to provide caring and thoughtful consultation services for Wake Forest students in need of mental health assistance or support. You can also visit we.wfu.edu for resources.