What Is the Price of Sororities and Fraternities?

The cost of sororities and fraternities is much higher than many newly initiated sisters and brothers realize. From rushing registration fees and social fees to chapter dues and room and board charges, the cost of going Greek typically ranges from $600 to $6,000 per semester, plus rush and alumni fees.

Cost of Sororities and Fraternities: Rush Registration Fee

For prospective sorority sisters or fraternity brothers, the costs of sororities and fraternities begin before you've even pledged your chosen house. That's because virtually every Greek house charges what'southward known as a rush fee, which enables potential members to participate in recruiting events during rush flavor.

Registration fees can vary significantly amid houses, just they typically cost $50 to $150. Considering this corporeality doesn't become toward dues, it's similar to paying for a ticket that allows yous to nourish a serial of events. Students who don't receive an invitation to pledge won't have to pay whatever additional fees. For new recruits, nevertheless, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Cost of Sororities and Fraternities: New Member Dues

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When you receive an invitation from a Greek house, you'll have to consider your decision to pledge carefully. Assess whether the chapter truly meets your social and community needs and whether the organization is i to which you'll want to commit to long-term.

In one case you've decided to pledge, you'll be responsible for paying new member ante. At many universities, this kickoff round of ante equals two to iii times what y'all'd pay equally an active member during a typical semester. New member dues generally cost around $600 to $900, and they cover the basics of maintaining your membership with your Greek organization. Most new members are likewise responsible for social expenses and numerous extra fees, too.

Cost of Sororities and Fraternities: Active Member Dues

After the newness has worn off, sisters and brothers are responsible for paying active member ante every semester. These fees include regular dues to the local chapter, along with ante to the national affiliate and National Pan-Hellenic Council dues. At most universities, active member dues include essentials, such as liability insurance and basic Greek house upkeep. These fees typically range from $300 to $600 per semester, and members must go on to pay them every semester of their college career.

Some chapters offering scholarships and grants to help members pay their regular ante since they tin can add up to several grand dollars over the course of college. Still, this blazon of financial help is relatively rare and tends to be extremely competitive.

Cost of Sororities and Fraternities: Social Expenses

While active member dues cover the bones costs related to your sorority or fraternity, these fees don't usually include social expenses, which tin can add together hundreds or thousands of dollars to the total cost. Many Greek organizations charge members a social fee per semester, which includes the cost of attention the chapter's social functions and participating in most activities. These tin price anywhere from $100 to $1,000 per semester.

In add-on to the required costs, you should too consider the optional costs of enjoying your social life at your sorority or fraternity. Ownership new formal clothing is often encouraged and can add hundreds of dollars in an average academic twelvemonth. Joining your Greek brothers and sisters for dinners out and other optional entertainment can also get expensive rapidly.

Cost of Sororities and Fraternities: Room and Board Charges

Non every member of a fraternity or sorority opts to live in the organization'south on-campus house, but for many brothers and sisters, this is a significant function of the Greek experience. Keep in listen that room and board charges vary widely, fifty-fifty amidst chapters on the aforementioned higher campus. While some fraternities and sororities are based in run-of-the-manufactory buildings, some are located in celebrated houses that take been beautifully preserved. The toll of room and board generally ranges from $i,000 to $vii,000 per semester.

For some chapters, the cost of room and board isn't much more than what you'd pay to live in on-campus housing. If you're comparing the cost of living in your Greek house to living at habitation with your family unit, however, the cost difference can be staggering.

Actress fees vary widely from chapter to chapter and university to university, simply no matter where y'all pledge, these costs tin add together up rapidly. For instance, some chapters enforce meeting attendance by charging members for absences. You may only pay $v or $10 for missing a meeting , simply these fees add to the total cost of joining.

In addition, about sororities and fraternities encourage members to wear T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other official wearable emblazoned with the appropriate Greek letters. Many sisters and brothers also own official java mugs, water bottles, moving picture frames, and other merchandise. All these costs come out of your ain pocket and can starting time at around $15 per coffee mug or $25 per shirt. Many capacity encourage members to buy official gear for their sisters and brothers or for new recruits, which tin can cause costs to climb.

Alumni Dues

For many people, lifelong membership in a meaningful organization is a major role of the attraction of going Greek. To maintain your membership and sustain your involvement in an alumni chapter, you'll need to pay dues that boilerplate about $50 to $100 per year.

Keep in mind that this is optional, though, and many alums choose not to continue paying membership fees afterwards graduation. Subsequently all, for many brothers and sisters, maintaining potent friendships after graduation is natural and not something they'll need to factor into their budget.

Embracing Greek life in college tin mean priceless, lifelong bonds with your sorority sisters or fraternity brothers and support and esprit in your university years and beyond. Information technology can too hateful expensive chapter dues, social expenses, and lifelong alumni fees. Joining a fraternity or sorority isn't free, but with careful budgeting, it may exist easier than you lot retrieve to afford going Greek. Beginning by completing the FAFSA® class and getting the fiscal aid y'all need for college, so you tin can design the university experience that you lot notice most rewarding.