When discussing Greek life with someone, and sharing which Greek organization I am proudly a member of, the question “Is that a good house?” is inevitable. Both those that are familiar and those unfamiliar with the Greek system tend to ask this question. It is as if my time within my Greek organization is defined by whether we are “good” in the eyes of the college campus rating system. Such labels often cloud the judgment of easily influential potential new members before they even step foot on their intended college campus.
I must admit that I was one of many PNMs who found myself entranced by the comments, ratings, and scorecards of websites such as “Greek Rank.” Weeks before recruitment even began, I would stalk these websites, reading the comments and making mental (and maybe even physical) notes of which houses were ranked highly and which were not ranked not so favorably.
It was during this time that I discovered the metaphorical concept of the “Greek tier system”. This intangible ranking method essentially grouped the houses on campus into three groups: top tier, middle tier, and the dreaded bottom tier. This caste system was terrifying to me, and I as walked into my first house on my first day of recruitment, I prayed to the “sorority gods” that I would not end up in a bottom tier house.
However, as I have found my home within the Greek system of Texas Christian University, I have realized how absolutely flawed and superficial this tier system is. A Greek organization should not be defined by its place on the imaginary tier system.
Having been a member of my sorority for a year, I now realize that the so-called ranking of my sorority, as described on social media websites, in no way affects the sisterhood that I experience. A top-notch ranking isn’t going to bring you ice cream when your boyfriend cheats on you. You can’t cry on the shoulder of an A+ ranking. I certainly will not remember whether we were bottom or top tier when I call up a sister in 20 years during a mid-life crisis.
Just as we, as college students, often look back and laugh about how important we foolishly thought the social hierarchy of high school was, we will look back and laugh at the ridiculousness of the Greek tier system after we have graduated from college.
If you are joining a sorority or fraternity to be considered “top house,” you are joining for the wrong reasons. If you are basing your choice of sisterhood or brotherhood on a few anonymous comments found on a public forum, perhaps you should reconsider your priorities.
In Alpha Delta Pi, our motto is “We live for each other.” This motto does not come with any stipulations. It is not “we live for each other if it makes us look good,” or “we live for each other because we’re top tier.” Our sisterhood and the bond that we share will not be affected by the superficial ranking system that too often defines Greek life. I am sure that many other organizations would agree, that sisterhood and brotherhood should not depend on where you lie within the imaginary ranking system, but rather on the bonds and connections that you make with those in your association.
So as the next season of recruitment lies ahead of us, let’s remember to not let our minds to be clouded by comments, rankings, and imaginary tiers that so often wrongly define who we are as members of the Greek community. We should not be recruiting to raise ourselves on the social totem pole, but to better our chapter holistically and add to the special bond that we share. During this time, we also should encourage our potential new members to ignore this superficial ranking system. We should promote the importance of sisterhood and brotherhood over the idea of popularity and rank. Their experience and decisions should not be defined by a shallow pecking order, but by where they feel that they truly belong within the Greek community.
