Is anybody on this forum in both ROTC and a fraternity? I received a 3 yr AD to UW Seattle and am considering rushing. Pros/cons/thoughts?
Just got back from visiting both sons and wanted to weigh in on your question.
I think I'm the one Kinnem was referencing regarding having two son's in the same Fraternity.
In my view, it is very much school dependent, there were some schools where neither son would have joined a fraternity and some where they would have based on the reputations of the Greek system at each school. As it turned out the Greek System was well regarded (For the most part) at the school they both chose. The older son did a lot of research on each house and ended up at the house that in my opinion was the best he could have selected, the younger son followed into the same house. Both son's had there period of adjustment, 95% of the men in the house didn't have the same issues as a ROTC cadet, no need to get up early for PT. Both had to get used to being able to just say no to late nights and get some sleep. Of course we did hear stories of them both sometimes getting just a couple hours sleep before PT, but they learned to manage what they could handle.
My younger son was very involved in school outside of ROTC, student government, Fraternity leadership positions and sports. He has often said that he learned more about organizational leadership and conflict resolution during his term as the University's Inter Fraternal Council (IFC) President then he did in his ROTC classes.
The house they both selected had the best GPA average on campus for all 7 years our sons were there, the average stayed right around 3.4 each semester, the house was heavy with Business and Engineering majors so it was no easy task. The House took grades seriously and if they dipped below a 3.0 they had to move out of the house. This made them work harder and together to help each other succeed. The house was big into university leadership, at one point the School President, Vice President, IFC President, and about 45% of the school senators were all from their House.
My point comes back to the fact that not all Greek systems or Houses are created equal. Just make sure you do some research into the system and each house in that system. Make sure you ask a lot of questions during rush, what is the average GPA in the house, what is the alcohol restrictions, have they had any major violations in the past 3 years, and how will they receive a ROTC cadet and will they understand the limits ROTC will put on your son as far as early mornings, missing some events due to ROTC. If it's the right house a fraternity can be a very rewarding experience. One thing to remember is that for most houses, to remain a member in good standing you only have to live in the house for two years, many move out off campus after two years, which is just about the time ROTC becomes more demanding. This way you don't have to deal with the late nights or parties while they are trying to prepare for summer training and the demands of leadership positions in ROTC. It all comes down to time management and how well you can handle multiple situations.....training comes in all forms, and it's not all from ROTC.
I noticed you're going to the UW, great school, I live in Seattle....Go Huskies!!! The UW has a great Greek system, just make sure you check out a lot of houses and pick one that is well respected and has not had a bunch of violations and you'll be good. Oh and one more thing, a MIP can really ruin your day so make sure you don't go crazy if you join a Fraternity, I am not naive, just keep it in the house and use your head.