Greek systems vary widely among Ivies

All eight schools have fraternities and sororities. But only Cornell's Greek system has much in common with Penn's. Although the Greek organizations at Penn are all part of nationally recognized organizations, fraternity and sorority practices across the Ivy League are somewhat disparate. And rush is one of the areas where these differences are most apparent. Of the seven other Ivy League schools, the rush process at Cornell University is most similar to the way things work at Penn. Cornell freshman Sunil Alexander characterized sorority rush as "hell" and fraternity rush as "heaven." Students interested in participating in rush events return from their winter vacations a week early. Fraternity rushees meet brothers at houses during the day and bars at night, Cornell freshman Evan Berk said. They may receive an unlimited number of bids, and they can rush as many houses as they like. Those rushing sororities, however, are required to visit all 13 houses. They narrow their choice to one house after successive visits. The timing of rush events varies by school. Both fraternities and sororities at Penn conduct rush during the spring semester, so incoming freshmen can get an idea of what each chapter is like in the fall. But the Greek organizations at Princeton University don't allow potential members this luxury, and start their rush period during the first week of October. "It was a little hectic at first because I didn't know a lot about the different fraternities," Princeton freshman Matt Ladra said. But chapters hold parties and distribute fliers to let freshmen learn more about the different houses. Ladra added that athletes recruit their younger teammates to join their social organizations. The rush process at Princeton is similar to Penn's -- interested freshmen meet current members in a series of four or five meetings. But while at Penn, about one-third of the student body belongs to Greek organizations, only ten percent of Princeton undergraduates belong to fraternities or sororities, Ladra said. Instead, he explained, most students who want to join social organizations become members of "eating clubs" during their junior years. These clubs provide members with a place to have their meals and to throw parties. Most eating clubs are open to anyone to join, but some use a process called "bicker" that resembles rush to select their members. Harvard University's Greek life is even more limited than Princeton's, where fraternity and sorority membership constitutes an "almost negligible part of the population," Harvard sophomore Caleb Gibson said. He explained that the one or two Greek organizations that Harvard students join are not affiliated with the university, since Harvard stopped recognizing fraternities in the 1800s. As an alternative, students may seek admission into "finals clubs" by going through a "punch" process. "Punch" differs from Penn's rush in that students may not choose which clubs they'd like to join. Rather, Gibson explained, during the fall, current members may invite sophomores to participate in club events. A prospective member must be invited back to a certain number of events during "punch." "Basically you put on a coat and tie and you go kiss butt," Gibson said. A few days after a final dinner -- which Gibson likened to a "last call for auditions" -- club members extend invitations to new members during the middle of the night. In between invitation distribution and initiation, some clubs require future members to partake in "crazy antics." "[But] once you're in the club you're as full-fledged a member as anyone else," Gibson added. Rush at Columbia University takes place during both semesters, although more recruiting takes place in the fall, Columbia freshman Tom Russell said. At the beginning of the year, fraternities throw parties and cover freshmen dormitories with posters to attract other members, he explained. And despite the fact that hazing is outlawed nationally, "some nasty hazing goes on," he added. Yale University students may also rush twice a year. Most freshmen, however, show interest in joining the Greek system during the spring, Yale junior and Sigma Chi brother Andrew Diamond said. "Yale's not a big fraternity campus," Diamond added. Only eight to ten percent of its student body becomes Greek and most of the rushees are friends of current members, he said. But to introduce freshmen to their organizations, the Greeks throw parties at their off-campus houses and local establishments. Greeks at Dartmouth College conduct a rush period during each of their trimesters. Dartmouth sophomore Michael Ferchak explained that after each rush -- which allows students to look at houses and meet current Greeks -- certain rushees are invited to pledge at an event called "Sink Night." Prior to initiation, some Greek organizations subject prospective members to hazing, despite the fact that this practice is outlawed by the school. And at Brown University, the "official rush kickoff" -- which allows Greeks to showcase their chapters for interested freshman on their main green -- has yet to begin. Starting in February, houses will hold alcohol-free open house parties for students who may want to join, Press added. Additionally, fraternities and sororities give freshmen a rush booklet to learn about the different houses. And many freshmen learn about Greek life from individual members' recruitment initiatives, Brown senior and Sigma Chi brother Dan Press said. Greek organizations at Brown threw fewer parties this year, since the university's dean of student life suspended the right to charge door admission, he added. As a result, Press said he thought freshmen did not have much of an opportunity to become familiar with the Greek system.