Rushing? Consider 'living in'

Living in a fraternity or sorority house is often the best way for Greek students to fuse the different benefits of living on- and off-campus.

It gives students the opportunity to live in a house, rather than a dorm, but still have the University take care of maintenance and repair.

Additionally, many Greek houses have a chef and weekly cleaning services. These are added benefits that have made my life and the lives of my sisters easier on a day-to-day basis.

But living with dozens of people has both benefits and drawbacks.

Finding someone to go to Copa with or stay in and watch Gossip Girl is a breeze with so many housemates.

On the other hand, it also means sharing the kitchen, living room and bathrooms with more than just a few girls.

Penn has 27 fraternity houses and eight sorority houses, according to Scott Reikofski, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

The occupancy ranges from 10 to 36 students in any given chapter house.

Most of those are sophomores, but “we try to make sure 30 to 40 percent are upperclassmen ... because it helps the sophomores grow up a little bit,” Reikofski said.

Twenty-four of the 36 Greek houses are managed by the University, six are managed by the chapter’s alumni and the rest are leased from a landlord like Campus Apartments.

Regardless of how the houses are operated, however, “all of the members have to live by the same rules,” Reikofski stressed.

The cost of living in a Greek house is comparable to that of living in a high-rise.

Students pay the University, which means they do not have to negotiate with a landlord.

Prices vary by room size, with triples ranging from $5,380 to $6,280, doubles from $6,000 to $6,400 and singles from $6,550 to $8,600 for the academic year, according to Reikofski.

Sometimes the chapter’s alumni help supplement that cost, Reikofski explained.

Additionally, all of the chapter’s members are required to pay a “parlor fee,” which goes toward communal housing costs.

Sororities benefit from this fee more than fraternities, as they tend to have more members.

Regardless of the occasional drawbacks, living in my sorority house sophomore year has made for a fun and fulfilling experience.

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