The Value of Fraternities

Some may ask what the value of fraternities in today’s society is and we would respond:

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  • Fraternities are a flourishing part of the community on hundreds of campuses across the United States and stress the importance of civic engagement and academic excellence.

  • For first-year college students, fraternities provide friendship, a sense of community, and higher levels of academic and social involvement. On many campuses, the average GPA for fraternity men is above the all-men’s average.

  • Fraternities continue to lead in efforts to protect students by enforcing stricter health and safety guidelines than applied to non-fraternity students.

  • As college students deal with more anxiety, depression and feelings of social isolation, a new report from the Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, found fraternity-affiliated students report higher levels of positive mental health along with lower rates of depression and anxiety.

According to a study released last year by Gary R. Pike, a professor at Indiana University, fraternity and sorority members were:

  • Significantly more engaged than non-members

  • Reported greater gains in learning; and

  • More satisfied with their college experiences

More specifically:

  • Fraternity/sorority membership also indirectly improved learning gains, acting through higher levels of student engagement.

  • Despite being less diverse than students in general, fraternity/sorority members reported higher levels of interaction with people different from themselves than did other students.

  • Membership in a fraternity or sorority is associated with greater involvement in curricular and co-curricular activities, promotes student learning and development, and promotes satisfaction with the college experiences.

  • The largest positive effects were generally found for first-year students, arguing against deferring recruitment until the second semester or second year.

  • The findings of this study indicate that fraternities and sororities are not antithetical to the values of American higher education.

  • Problems found throughout higher education including alcohol use and abuse, hazing, sexual assault, and academic achievement (i.e., grades) remain in Greek-letter organizations as well. Effectively addressing these issues will better allow fraternities and sororities to contribute to the academic and social life of American colleges and universities.

Here are a few resources that further demonstrate the value of Greek life and Single-Sex Organizations. For more information, please reach out to Director of Communications & Education, Benjamin Turconi, at benjamin@acacia.org.