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Amherst College - Greek Life - Greek Life - College ProwlerCollege Prowler1.15

Greek Life

Quick Stats

Undergrad Men in Fraternities 0%
Undergrad Women in Sororities 0%
Number of Fraternities 0
Number of Sororities 0

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Formally speaking, Amherst abolished fraternities and sororities some two decades ago, and the College does not tolerate frats on campus. In reality, you can still find a few “underground” frats (but not sororities) that are very much alive and kicking. The general public of Amherst students doesn’t mind their existence, and in fact, these frats usually organize good parties, which are by no means exclusive to frat brothers and their entourages. Like frats at other colleges, being a member takes up considerable amounts of time and dedication, and in return will give you a social center to which other people will inevitably gravitate. Getting into one of the frats is not as grueling and humiliating as getting into a fraternity at a school where frats hold substantial social sway, like UMass, for example, although a few Amherst students have actually pledged UMass frats (ensuing with severe disciplinary repercussions from the College!).

Frat brothers at Amherst walk in the shadows in regards to publicizing their memberships and the goings on inside their frats. To illustrate how repudiating the College is toward frats, merely specifying the names of the existing frats is too perilous to do. The surest and only way to learn all the nitty-gritty details about the frats on campus is through word of mouth, and anyone who expresses interest is sure to be met with more than adequate response. The frats are always on the lookout for more members.

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Amherst Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Greek Life at Amherst College

AmhNF

Biological Sciences '12

There are a few "underground"...

There are a few "underground" frats, but they don't play a major part other than throwing the occasional event.

Feb 17, 2009

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Greek Life at Amherst College

AmhJF

'12

It's small, very self contained...

It's small, very self contained and completely underground. I have a few friends pledging, but I have never once been to a frat party, and that's typical. They have their own parties, but the ones most people go to are put together by other groups.

Feb 16, 2009

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Greek Life at Amherst College

AmhKD

Law '11

There are fraternities that are...

There are fraternities that are not recognized by the College, so they are all off campus. They throw a couple of big parties throughout the year but aren't a constant on the social scene. Sports teams take the place of frats as far as throwing parties and dominating the social scene.

Feb 16, 2009

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User rating for Amherst College - Greek Life is 0 out of 5 based on 13 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

What is Greek life’s role in the campus social scene?

What is the general attitude of non-Greeks toward Greeks?

What kind of housing is available for Greek students?

How difficult is it to get into a fraternity or sorority?

Facts

Did You Know? Amherst College followed suit with many Ivy League and other elite schools and abolished frats and sororities. All of these schools made the point that frats and sororities are a bad and ultimately divisive social influence on students and are major contributors to the phenomenon of binge drinking among students. However, some unofficial fraternities still exist.

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Lem Atanga McCormick
Hometown
Chicago, IL
Major
Pre-Med (Biology and French)

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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