A fraternity/sorority is an organization for undergraduate students, typically found in colleges and universities, centered around common interests, values, and activities.Fraternities and sororities are focused on making men better men and women better women, respectively. All fraternities and sororities at UNC Charlotte have (inter)national governing organizations, connecting them with undergraduate students and alumni from numerous universities around the world.
Encourage your student to thoroughly research the fraternity/sorority they are interested in, attend informational sessions, and consider their personal values and goals before making a decision. A great place to start is our chapter scorecards - the scorecards include philanthropy dollars raised, service hours completed, chapter GPAs, and any student conduct violations the chapter has had in the past eight years. We hope that this will help you make an informed decision about chapter values and identity at UNC Charlotte. All organizations also have national websites that can provide further insight into organizational values and resources. We also encourage students to attend as many events as possible to get to know chapters on campus. We share all events on our office instagram, @CLTGoGreek, so give us a follow to see the many happenings in fraternity and sorority life.
The financial obligation of a fraternity/sorority includes a one-time application fee/recruitment registration fee and membership dues, which can vary depending on the organization and chapter. Membership dues typically cover chapter activities and events, fees to the national organization, and support chapter operations. Additional expenses may include housing fees, social events, and apparel. Many of our organizations offer payment plans and scholarships.
Fraternity/sorority members typically have higher GPAs and graduation rates compared to non-members, as they benefit from academic support programs, study groups, and leadership opportunities within the Greek community. At UNC Charlotte, 70% of fraternity and sorority members graduate in 4.0 years, compared to 54% of the general student population. The average fraternity/sorority member GPA since 2012 is 3.08 in comparison to the 2.84 average for unaffiliated students.
Academic support is a common pillar across all chapters at UNC Charlotte. One student shared, “Last year I was struggling in Calculus and my president helped me. He took 3 hours to tutor me.Another guy was in the chorus, and he had to perform, and we all came, like 30 guys showed up to his chorus. It’s like that.”
Joining a fraternity/sorority can provide your student with a sense of belonging, leadership development, networking opportunities, and lifelong friendships. Students often cite increased sense of belonging on campus in comparison to unaffiliated students.
One student said “Growing up I was a military kid constantly moving around. I didn’t know anything about Greek Life until I got to North Carolina. When I transferred to Charlotte, I knew I wanted to be part of a sorority. I just didn’t know which one I wanted to be a part of and worried about fitting in because you know moving around, but I definitely do not regret it. Getting to be a part of something that’s greater than I am.”
Hazing is not condoned or accepted within fraternity/sorority life at Charlotte, and organizations have strict anti-hazing policies enforced by university regulations and national/international headquarters. Our office requires every fraternity and sorority's new members to complete anti-hazing education within the first two weeks of membership and host an annual Harm Reduction Symposium focused on risk prevention. If you are concerned about hazing, please contact the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Resolution. To see a chapter’s conduct record for violations of our hazing policy, please see our Chapter Scorecards page.
As a parent, your role is to support and guide your student in making informed decisions, encouraging responsible behavior, and staying connected with the university resources available for fraternity/sorority members. Ask your students about what organizations they are interested in, what values those organizations hold, what the time commitment and financial commitment looks like, and what opportunities they will gain in their experience. Our office is always here to answer questions as well.