For sisters, studying just part of the package

From attending crush parties to throwing charity events, participating in Greek life can certainly take up a chunk of time.

But that's not stopping many participants from maintaining high grade-point averages - some even higher than non-Greek members.

More than half of the Greek organizations on campus maintain GPAs higher than the undergraduate average, said Scott Reikofski, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

Last semester, the average sorority GPA was 3.44, and the average non-Greek female student fell a bit below at 3.39.

For fraternities, the average GPA was roughly the same as the average non-Greek male's: 3.30.

But GPAs fluctuate significantly within the Greek world.

Reikofski would only disclose a list of 20 chapters - both fraternities and sororities - with the highest GPAs; he would not name those with the lower ones.

"I just don't want their names out there," he said. "They know who they are."

Within the top 20, there is a drop from 3.8 to 3.3. 18 fraternities are not accounted for.

InterFraternity Council president and Wharton junior Austin Pena pointed out that being in a fraternity does not guarantee academic success.

"It's a very individualized thing. [Being in a fraternity] can help, [or] it can hurt," Pena said. It "depends on how you focus yourself as a person."

Sororities and fraternities have individual minimum GPA requirements based on their national organization.

Reikofski added that when fraternity or sorority chapters are not doing well, OFSA helps provide mandatory tutoring services.

For those groups that do bring home good grades, however, it's easy to spot likely sources of their academic success.

Sigma Alpha Mu, for example, has a database that lists all the classes the upperclassmen have taken so that underclassmen can ask their brothers for help.

"Anyone at any time who needs help can get it from those who are good in that field," College sophomore and SAM member Aaron Werner said.

SAM also has required study hours each week for their brothers.

Sigma Delta Tau, the highest ranking sorority, with an average GPA of 3.5, has a similar system in place.

College junior Beth Newton, the president of SDT, said the sorority's success is due to the caliber of the sisters that it tends to recruit.

"The organization promotes scholarship, and it attracts people . who are interested in studying," said Newton.

She added that SDT pledges have mandatory study hours that the IFC requires all sororities and fraternities to do. Each chapter chooses the number of hours it wants to enforce.

Representatives from the 18 fraternities whose GPAs have not been disclosed were tight-lipped about their studying policies and academic priorities and would not add anything in addition to Reikofski's comments.

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