Fraternity Involvement? I think it will look good.

[Franzliszt1]

Dear SDN,

Thank you for taking time to read this small dilemma.

I'm filling out the Work/Experiences section of the application. I had plenty of important experiences both while as a pledge and an active member of my fraternity. Especially under the category "leadership". However, I've heard it's not wise to write about Fraternity involvement on professional school applications.

• I was elected pledge class president, pcp, which is not an easy position at my school and honestly taught me a lot.
• Was on the health and safety board, which meant less.
• Helped organize and lead a team of volunteers at two JDRF one walks for diabetes.

Should I include this stuff? Seriously being pcp was huge for growth as a leader. Also, if you have any advice on how to include this JDRF stuff it would be appreciated. I was thinking I would separate it into a different experience listing.

Thanks for your help

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[Catalystik]

I'm filling out the Work/Experiences section of the application. I had plenty of important experiences both while as a pledge and an active member of my fraternity. Especially under the category "leadership". However, I've heard it's not wise to write about Fraternity involvement on professional school applications.

• I was elected pledge class president, pcp, which is not an easy position at my school and honestly taught me a lot.
• Was on the health and safety board, which meant less, I basically took drug tests for people.
• Helped organize and lead a team of volunteers at two JDRF one walks for diabetes.

Should I include this stuff? Seriously being pcp was huge for growth as a leader. Also, if you have any advice on how to include this JDRF stuff it would be appreciated. I was thinking I would separate it into a different experience listing.

Listing Leadership and Volunteer experiences that came through fraternity involvement are worthwhile.

As far as "I basically took drug tests for people", I hope I'm misunderstanding what that means. Perhaps you could rephrase? It sounds like you donated your urine specimens so frat brothers would pass screening tests.

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

I basically took drug tests for people

Unless this is just an issue of poor word choice, I really do not recommend including this or bringing it up during an interview

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

Listing Leadership and Volunteer experiences that came through fraternity involvement are worthwhile.

As far as "I basically took drug tests for people", I hope I'm misunderstanding what that means. Perhaps you could rephrase? It sounds like you donated your urine specimens so frat brothers would pass screening tests.

I think OP was looking for the word "administered" lol

 

[TheBiologist]

lol at "I basically took drug tests for people"

 

[ChymeofPassion]

A fellow fraternity member administering drug tests to their brothers? What could go wrong LOL

 

[thegrind33]

Dear SDN,

Thank you for taking time to read this small dilemma.

I'm filling out the Work/Experiences section of the application. I had plenty of important experiences both while as a pledge and an active member of my fraternity. Especially under the category "leadership". However, I've heard it's not wise to write about Fraternity involvement on professional school applications.

• I was elected pledge class president, pcp, which is not an easy position at my school and honestly taught me a lot.
• Was on the health and safety board, which meant less.
• Helped organize and lead a team of volunteers at two JDRF one walks for diabetes.

Should I include this stuff? Seriously being pcp was huge for growth as a leader. Also, if you have any advice on how to include this JDRF stuff it would be appreciated. I was thinking I would separate it into a different experience listing.

Thanks for your help

HAHAHAHAHA as a fellow fraternity guy I can assure you that what you did at PCP does not compare to what a member high up on the executive board does. You have very little liability as PCP compared to high up positions, and this position is just there so actives can laugh at your mistakes while you try to organize stuff. I am omitting my fraternity and the positions I had due to the stigma around it. I understood that I had to involve myself in other activities outside the fraternity because I was not going to include any fraternity info on my application. If any adcom that went greek in UG at the school you are applying to sees "pcp" they might laugh out loud. If you are going to list stuff from your fraternity, list the other "actual" positions you held such as organizing the volunteering events as you mentioned. You can also list things such as mentoring, and tutoring disadvantaged kids as leadership if you have done so.

 

[dr_kateb]

I have friends in frats. They used the analogy of if a pledge is a “b*tch,” then the PCP is the “bottom b*tch.” Just my experience though.

 

[Gilakend]

I have friends in frats. They used the analogy of if a pledge is a “b*tch,” then the PCP is the “bottom b*tch.” Just my experience though.

 

[icedude2010]

Lol I only put service related fraternity activities (I was chair for a couple things). I honestly wouldn’t put anything other than that. No one really cares that you led pledge class serenades, projects, parties, etc. The service can look good though.

 

[Goro]

Dear SDN,

Thank you for taking time to read this small dilemma.

I'm filling out the Work/Experiences section of the application. I had plenty of important experiences both while as a pledge and an active member of my fraternity. Especially under the category "leadership". However, I've heard it's not wise to write about Fraternity involvement on professional school applications.

• I was elected pledge class president, pcp, which is not an easy position at my school and honestly taught me a lot.
• Was on the health and safety board, which meant less.
• Helped organize and lead a team of volunteers at two JDRF one walks for diabetes.

Should I include this stuff? Seriously being pcp was huge for growth as a leader. Also, if you have any advice on how to include this JDRF stuff it would be appreciated. I was thinking I would separate it into a different experience listing.

Thanks for your help

I'm underwhelmed.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I wrote about my frat involvement. My 3 years on E-Board was one of my most meaningful activities. It can be useful if you talk about it well. But chose your words VERY carefully...you will be grilled on it in almost every interview you do.

I had an interview where the first 30 minutes were just the interviewer trying to get me to say something incriminating.

 

[Chibucks15]

HAHAHAHAHA as a fellow fraternity guy I can assure you that what you did at PCP does not compare to what a member high up on the executive board does. You have very little liability as PCP compared to high up positions, and this position is just there so actives can laugh at your mistakes while you try to organize stuff. I am omitting my fraternity and the positions I had due to the stigma around it. I understood that I had to involve myself in other activities outside the fraternity because I was not going to include any fraternity info on my application. If any adcom that went greek in UG at the school you are applying to sees "pcp" they might laugh out loud. If you are going to list stuff from your fraternity, list the other "actual" positions you held such as organizing the volunteering events as you mentioned. You can also list things such as mentoring, and tutoring disadvantaged kids as leadership if you have done so.

Eh I put PCP on my application...but I also had more leadership positions on top of that. Personally I feel like as long as they can't google your frat and see some crazy story online I don't think its an issue. It didn't even come up on my interview