Being in a fraternity or sorority is about making friendships that will last far beyond your college years while enhancing your personal development by committing to ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service. It is being respected for your individuality while being part of a brotherhood or sisterhood with individuals who share the same goals and values. Your brothers or sisters are there to support you, making your transition to college easier and fun.
Benefits of Joining
Our fraternity and sorority communities offer a variety of leadership opportunities to prepare you for future careers.
Fraternity and sorority chapters are run by their own executive boards, chairpersons, and committees composed of the undergraduate membership.
Each international/national fraternity and sorority also sponsors leadership conferences that are held regionally and nationally for its membership.
Members may choose to become involved in the leadership of one of the governing councils, Greek honorary organizations, enroll in a Greek leadership class, or become involved in many other ways within the Greek community.
Fraternity and sorority members may be found in all parts of campus life: Student Government Association, intramural sports, resident assistants, honor societies, orientation leaders, residence hall councils, as student staff in many offices and departments, varsity sports, the band and throughout the 350+ students organizations found on campus.
Fraternity and sorority members play an important role in many of the events and initiatives on the campus, either through their chapter or through involvement with other associations.
Academic achievement is a core value of the Ball State fraternity and sorority community.
Members are encouraged to strive for scholarly excellence through a variety of programs including study partners, mentors, workshops, study hours, incentives and international/national recognition programs. Each fraternity and sorority maintain internal academic standards that all members are expected to achieve.
Members are rewarded for their academic achievements by their individual chapter and membership in Greek honorary organizations. Many organizations also offer scholarships and recognition awards for academic excellence.
As a result of these efforts, Greeks tend to have a higher grade point average than non-Greek students.
The fraternity and sorority community is committed to participating in community service and philanthropic efforts.
Chapters strive each semester to give their time and support to many different organizations in Muncie and beyond.
Many international/national organizations have a specific service or philanthropy, such as Adopt-A-School, ALS Foundation, American Red Cross, Arrowmont School for the Arts & Crafts, arthritis research, Children’s Miracle Network, diabetes research, Girl Scouts USA, Habitat for Humanity, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Riley Hospital for Children, Special Olympics, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and YouthAIDS.
As a fraternity or sorority member, you will have the opportunity to support the local and campus community by being involved in volunteer activities such as reading to children, serving in a soup kitchen, sponsoring a blood drive, or doing cleanup at a local park.
At a university of about 22,000 students, it is important to find a network of friends to provide the support to be successful.
For undergraduates, the fraternity or sorority experience provides opportunities to meet students from other campus chapters. Members are encouraged to participate in other campus life programs and to join other student organizations. Intramural sports and special campus events provide even more opportunities to meet students, faculty, and staff from various agencies and departments.
The fraternity and sorority experience is not limited to the college years, as it continues through adulthood. Alumni associations are available across the country and the potential for career connections are endless. Alumni and national volunteers provide advice and guidance for the chapter and its members as well as serve on alumni corporations.
The result of fraternity and sorority membership: a bond that transcends your time at Ball State and will always be with you wherever your career after college may take you. It is a friendship that lasts a lifetime. A fundamental principle of every fraternity and sorority chapter is friendship: a brotherhood or sisterhood that one shares through the good times and provides support during the difficult challenges that come with being a college student.
The fraternity or sorority chapter provides opportunities for members to periodically assemble and renew those bonds of friendship: Homecoming, alumni weekends, newsletters, a chapter webpage and athletic events. Many international/national organizations have alumni chapters in major urban areas, where alumni from various chapters can continue to create new bonds of friendship.
Throughout the year, fraternities and sororities will participate in many social events such as Homecoming, Greek Week, Greek night at Cardinal football and basketball games, mixers, cookouts, and spring formals. These events not only allow you to spend time with your chapter members, but also gives you the opportunity to socialize with other Greeks.
Recruitment and Intake
IFC Fraternities
Ball State has 12 chapters that make up the Interfraternity Council.
Fraternities recruit year-round, but we encourage you to begin the recruitment process during the summer if you are interested in joining in the fall. Most people join during the first month of the semester.
The IFC fraternity recruitment process at Ball State is designed to give both you and chapter members a fair and equal opportunity to become acquainted as friends. The recruitment process is designed to allow you to get to know the men in the different chapters.
We recommend contacting the chapters that interest you. The recruitment process works best when you take the initiative.
Tips
- find organizations that share your personal values
- ask a lot of questions
- explore your options
NPHC Fraternities & Sororities
Ball State is home to seven traditionally African-American fraternities and sororities (four fraternities and three sororities). These chapters recruit through a process known as “intake.”
Although these organizations consist primarily of minority students, they are open to all students at Ball State.
Intake Process
The intake process for every chapter is defined by its national organization. Membership intake consists of:
- attending a meeting
- completing an application directly to the fraternity or sorority of interest
- gaining approval by the organization
- learning the group’s history and traditions
- initiation
The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) intake process at Ball State is designed to give both you and chapter members a fair and equal opportunity to become acquainted as friends.
When conducting membership intake, chapters hold interest meetings to provide you information and membership forms. Membership intake is held at various times during the year. Please check out the Greek life calendar for dates of informational sessions.
Week of Events
The NPHC hosts a week of events each Fall to welcome students back to Ball State. The week of events allows you to meet members from the chapters and learn more about their events.
During NPHC's week of events, there is an NPHC Meet the Greeks that allows you to learn more about their member chapters.
Other Events
Throughout the year, chapters hold social, informational, and educational events, which provide you with the opportunity to meet the members of each organization.
PHA Sororities
The Panhellenic Association sponsors primary recruitment each year during the fall semester for the council’s 11 sororities at Ball State.
How to Register
To participate in primary recruitment, women must be undergraduate students enrolled at Ball State.
You will also need to meet our GPA requirement to be fully considered for recruitment into a PHA sorority.
To formally register, you will need to complete our online form.
Register
Grade Point Average
- Incoming freshmen – high school GPA of 2.6
- Current Ball State students – cumulative GPA of 2.6
- Transfer students – cumulative GPA of 2.6
Academic information is verified, and is an important factor in the selection process. If your academic performance is below these levels, you are making an informed decision to participate in the recruitment process and are aware that your deficient academic records may substantially limit or in some cases eliminate your opportunities for membership in a Panhellenic sorority.
Academic Record Release
When registering for recruitment, you will be asked to authorize Ball State’s Office of the Registrar to disclose the following information contained in your educational records:
- high school scholastic information
- total semester report (schedule, grades, hours, etc.)
- semester and cumulative grade point average
- hours completed
This information is released to the Office of Greek Life to inform Panhellenic sororities of individual academic performance, recognition, and educational needs.
A $45 registration fee is charged to all women taking part in the primary recruitment process. You can pay online with a credit or debit card.
This fee covers a bag, refreshments and snacks during the last day of recruitment, and the administrative needs (i.e., booklets, copying, facility costs, etc.) associated with the recruitment process.
Primary recruitment is always planned during the beginning weeks of the fall semester, so it does not interfere with your schoolwork.
Recruitment involves a few days of open houses that allow you to preview PHA sorority life at Ball State.
Through different recruitment activities such as philanthropic projects, lots of conversation, and a short presentation by the sorority women themselves, you can get an idea of what sisterhood means to each individual chapter.
The last day of recruitment is what we call “Bid Day,” where, if you choose to participate, may receive your formal invitation of membership to join a Panhellenic sorority.
Recruitment Groups and Guides
Recruitment is an exciting and fun experience that allows you to make new friends with both your recruitment group and the chapters you visit. The Panhellenic Association executive board and recruitment guides (or Pi Chis) lead you through the recruitment process.
Each Pi Chi has a “recruitment group” and you stick together throughout the entire week. We urge you to consider the recruitment process as a way of becoming a member of the Panhellenic Association and the Greek community as a whole.
More Information
We hope you keep an open mind about all of the chapters. Look at what each sorority has to offer and what makes it stand apart from the others. After all, together we share a common goal!
Remember, going through recruitment does not obligate you to join a chapter. However, by participating in formal recruitment you can gain a better idea of what sorority life is all about.
For more information, download our booklet.
Download Booklet (PDF)
Costs
Financial obligations vary by chapter, although annual expenses in the first year of membership average approximately:
First Year:
- fraternities – $800
- sororities – $900
After First Year:
- fraternities – $475
- sororities – $500
The financial obligations do not include cost of living in a chapter house or suite.
Note: Financial statistics are for Interfraternity Council (IFC) fraternities and Panhellenic Association (PHA) sororities. National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities and sororities are not included in the figures above. For more information about costs for NPHC fraternities and sororities, please contact the individual NPHC fraternities and sororities. You can find their contact information within their chapter profiles on our website.
Cost of Living in a House or Suite
The cost of living in a fraternity house tends to be more cost-efficient compared to living in a residence hall. Monthly rates average $500 per month, although some organizations include a separate meal plan.
You should inquire about individual fee structures and housing costs during the recruitment process or contact the individual organizations for more information.
Rights of New Members
As a potential new member or new member you have the right to:
- Be treated as an individual.
- Be yourself. Don't try to impress fraternities or sororities by being someone you're not; you will wind up with a fraternity or sorority that's not quite the right fit for you.
- Be fully informed about the recruitment process.
- Ask lots of questions! Active members of an organization are always willing to answer questions and tell you what you want to know. You shouldn't join a fraternity or sorority blindly.
- Be treated with respect.
- Make informed decisions without undue pressure from others.
- Keep an open mind! Just because your friend or someone told you one fraternity or sorority is the best, doesn't mean that it is for you.
- Be fully informed about any binding agreements implicit in the preference card signing.
- Have and express opinions to recruitment guides.
- Have inviolable confidentiality when sharing information with recruitment counselors.
- Use your own judgment. A fraternity or sorority that you may love may not be the best for your best friend; just like one that your best friend loves may not be the best for you. It's OK!
- Make your own decision and accept full responsibility for the results of that decision.
- Visit Meet the Greeks at the beginning of the semester.
- Have a positive, safe, and enriching recruitment and new member experience.
As a potential new member, you have the right to ask:
- What is expected of fraternity or sorority members?
- How will membership affect my academics?
- What leadership opportunities are available to students as both new members and initiated members?
- Does the chapter perform hands-on community service? If so, how often? Does the fraternity or sorority require members to live in the facility (if housing is available)? If so, for how long?
- What are the expenses associated with membership? How does this vary?
- What type of member is the chapter looking for?
- What values does this organization promote?
- Is the organization officially recognized by the university? If not, why is this the case?
- What is the time commitment?
- Describe the new member orientation process. What are the expectations of new members?
- Why should I join your fraternity or sorority?
- How well do you know the members in your chapter?
- What benefits can your chapter offer me now and after I graduate?
- How involved are your alumni members?
- How is your chapter different than the others?
- Why did you join your chapter?
Questions? Want to Learn More?
Are you thinking about joining a fraternity or sorority and want to learn more about what it’s like to be one of our members? Please feel free to reach out to the organization you’re interested in, or you’re welcome to call or email us in the Office of Greek Life. Also, take a minute to review some of our frequently asked questions.