FAQs

At MIT, sororities are organizations composed of women-identifying (cis and trans) and non-binary individuals.

• They are supportive: members turn to one another if they’re having a bad day, if they need homework help, or if they need life advice

• They are empowering: members appreciate the opportunities granted to them via sorority networking

• They support the community: each chapter has at least one cause that they support through education and fundraising

• They are fun: members enjoy the different retreats, formals, athletic competitions, and talent shows their communities put on

Panhel, short for the Panhellenic Association, is the name of the largest women's+ community at MIT. Our members share commitments to philanthropy, sisterhood, and scholarship. Panhel is a supportive community, composed of 6 different sororities all united under the values of sisterhood, scholarship, service, leadership, integrity, and growth

Our members join for the sisterhood, the leadership, the service, the scholarship, the shared community, and the shared values. Here’s a list of just some of the things you can expect to gain through sorority membership:

• Sisterhood: A safe and supportive space away from home. A huge portion of membership is the sense of belonging and friendships gained. This is what encourages many individuals to join a sorority. For many students, college is their first experience being away from the support system they have known. Finding a supportive space on a new campus can be difficult. Sororities offer them this safe and supportive space and introduce their members to lifelong friends who empower them and encourage them to be themselves

• Leadership: How to communicate effectively and work on a team. Leadership is a huge portion of sorority membership in developing skills that employers will want to see in collegiate graduates. Members learn how to communicate effectively with others and handle conflict resolution. They also learn how to work on a team and manage their time wisely. These are just a few of the marketable skills members gain throughout their sorority experience.

• Service: Opportunities to get involved in philanthropy and community service. Participating as active citizens to improve their communities is a value sorority members possess. Organizations work to instill the understanding that good citizenship is important to care for others. Improving the community and volunteering teaches individuals of all ages compassion and understanding.

• Scholarship: Academic accountability, support, and mentorship. Collegiate sorority members are still developing who they are in the world. Having a group of supportive people keep you accountable is huge. This accountability includes a wide range of things in a young person's life, including academics. Organizations have a chapter member who is specifically charged with motivating members academically.

The MIT Panhellenic Association is inclusive of all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, age, ability, sexual orientation, marital status, religious affiliation, and socioeconomic status.

To be eligible, you must satisfy two requirements:

• You are a registered undergraduate student at MIT, in any year.

• You identify as a woman (cis or trans) or non-binary/agender person.

We encourage, accept, and support anyone who desires to go through recruitment and meets these requirements. You may read our inclusivity statement here. If you have questions about eligibility, please email panhel-exec@mit.edu.

Philanthropy refers to charitable fundraising conducted by the Panhellenic community. Each chapter champions a few causes and plans events throughout the year to fundraise and educate people on the topic. These philanthropic causes are very important to our members, so be sure to ask about them during recruitment! Last year, the community collectively raised over $30k

At the most fundamental level, sororities support your personal growth and empower you to be the best version of yourself. These experiences will benefit you for your entire life. Additionally, you become a member of one of the largest women’s+ communities at MIT and in the world. You can network with alumni from your chapter, from other MIT sororities, from your national sorority, and from Greek Life as a whole. This means that there are millions of individuals with whom you can utilize this common connection to gain job and mentorship opportunities. Moreover, being part of a sorority in college can help you with time management and leadership skills (and you can put your leadership positions on your resume!)

When you join a sorority, there is a financial obligation that comes along with membership. This financial commitment is often referred to as "dues." The cost of dues will look different for each chapter and varies from semester to semester. These dues go toward chapter expenses and activities such as social events, fundraising events, and sisterhood activities. They also cover fees to the inter/national organization to ensure they can provide educational and helpful resources to chapters.

You can find an estimate of what the dues are in last year's financial booklet. The dues change slightly year to year, but that is a good estimate of how much they are.

Recruitment is the perfect place to have your questions answered. Ask about what your financial responsibility would be. You can also ask about financial assistance a sorority provides. Currently, the MIT Panhellenic Association provides scholarships on a semester basis. Please email panhel-exec@mit.edu if you would like more information on financial obligations

There is no one-size-fits-all description of “sorority housing.” All sororities on MIT’s campus have a chapter facility. Each house at MIT offers different facility options, whether it be a brownstone on the Boston side of the Charles River or a house on dorm row. Chapters have different policies that may require members to live in the chapter facility for a certain period of time during their membership. These specific guidelines will be laid out during recruitment, so be sure to ask the people you meet about their chapter’s facility!

The short answer to this question is absolutely not! You might have an idea of what sororities are like from the media: news headlines, movies, TV, you name it. At MIT, sororities pride themselves on being a supportive group of innovative individuals, accepting and celebrating you for being yourself. Sororities are a support system, a networking and career opportunity, a celebration of the shared women’s+ experience at MIT, and so much more. Our members are athletes, researchers, artists, performers, scholars, philanthropists, ROTC members, EMTs, and more! Each chapter is home to a wide range of students and celebrates that diversity.

Every sorority at MIT expects its members to obey all local, state, and federal laws and to abide by the organization’s policies, guidelines, and standards. Each group allocates resources for alcohol and substance abuse education. The illegal use of alcohol and controlled substances is not tolerated by any of MIT’s sororities, and alcohol is not allowed in any of the chapter houses. Hazing is against the law, and all inter/national organizations have policies prohibiting hazing in all forms.

MIT sororities provide extensive guidelines for hosting social events, and chapters are expected to provide a safe environment for their members. If an incident occurs where policies are violated, the organization intervenes with disciplinary measures and further education to achieve a heightened level of safety at events.

Absolutely! Most of our members are involved in some combination of research, athletics, performance groups, ROTC, activism, clubs, or other community groups on campus. Additionally, many of our members cite the academic support system of their chapter as a key factor to their academic success. Our community GPA is a 4.6 (on a 5.0 scale), while the campus average is a 4.2

To join a sorority, you can go through either Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR) or Continuous Open Bidding (COB). Our next recruitment opportunity is FSR in the fall. Check out our recruitment tab to sign up for recruitment once the link is live!

Recruitment is the process that individuals interested in joining a sorority participate in before being extended an invitation for membership. It provides an opportunity to meet the sorority community, learn about each chapter, and ask about things you value. At MIT, we provide options for both Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR) and Continuous Open Bidding (COB).

Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR) is the main process of joining a sorority at MIT. It takes place right before Fall semester starts, and provides an opportunity to meet members of the six Panhellenic sororities on campus to figure out which one is the best fit for you. 

It is four days long –each day, you'll get to learn about different aspects of sorority life (Friendship, Philantropy, Housing, Finances, etc).

Don't hesitate to ask questions! The more you know about each sorority, the more confident you'll be about your choice.

Continuous Open Bidding (COB) occurs after Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR) in the fall and in the spring – the process for joining is slightly different for each chapter that participates. It may include some combination of coffee chats and events for you to get to know the chapter and for the chapter to get to know you.

Once you register for Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR), your Panhellenic Recruitment Counselor (PRC) will reach out to you! Your PRC is an undergraduate member of MIT Panhellenic, and they will guide you through the FSR process. They are your support system and your first point of contact for any questions you might have. During FSR, your PRC is temporarily disaffiliated (meaning not part of their sorority), so don't be afraid to speak your mind about your conversations: they won't be offended, they're there to help you find your best fit!

Here is a list of things you need to go through recruitment:

Clothing that makes you feel good.

• • This can be your favorite sweatpants and hoodie

  • This can be your favorite graphic tee

  • This can be your favorite scarf and sweater combo

  • This can be your favorite formal wear

  • This can be whatever clothes you want to wear

Here is a list of things you do NOT need to go through recruitment:

• Money for a registration fee

• A specific uniform

• Recommendation letters

• To know someone in a sorority

Yes! MIT Panhellenic community has designed Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR) this year to be spread across 4 days to allow for shorter days. Your recruitment counselor will also be available to answer any questions to help you with anything recruitment related. Feel free to reach out to them to talk at any time; they will help you and make this process the best possible experience.

There is very little you need to do to prepare for both Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR) and Continuous Open Bidding (COB) events. We are excited to meet the authentic you! Recruitment is an opportunity for members to meet you and for you to meet members. There is no preparation necessary other than to come on time, be engaged, and be ready to be yourself!

1. Keep an open mind: When you participate in recruitment, you will have the chance to meet with the entire sorority community. That can be overwhelming, and you will have a lot of things running through your head. Keep in mind that every sorority provides great experiences to their members. Go into recruitment knowing that can take a huge weight off your shoulders. The decisions you make during recruitment should focus on your opinions. Did the organization’s values align with yours? Do they have what you were looking for in a sorority experience? Maybe you wanted to make a lot of friends. Do they provide those opportunities? Maybe you wanted to be a leader. What opportunities do they offer? Let your choices be based on your own opinion and not others around you. Each person will be different and have different experiences, trust in what you believe.

2. Ask questions: When you go through recruitment, it is easy to fall into the routine of letting the sorority members you talk to lead the conversation. They want to get to know you because you could become a member of their organization. But doesn’t that mean you probably want to know more about them, too? If in a few days you could be their sorority sister, now might be the perfect time to learn about them. Sorority women want to answer your questions. They live the sorority experience day in and day out. Ask them about it. What events do they have? How much are dues? What is the time commitment? They know all of it, and they are hoping you’ll ask them. Knowing what you are getting yourself into will help you make a more informed decision later on.

3. Be yourself: Recruitment can be stressful, no one denies that. You talk to people you don’t know all day long. You answer the same questions. You might think sorority members want to see a specific type of person come through recruitment. A little insider secret: we just want you. As you are. We want to know what makes you who you are. What are your hobbies? What do you love? What are your goals? Be open and ready to talk about the amazing individual you are, and you will find the sorority that is right for you.

Welcome to recruitment! This is what the process is all about. It’s designed for you to get to know each chapter better by developing real connections with other MIT students.

Recruitment is structured so that you find your "home under the dome." In Fully Structured Recruitment (FSR), your recruitment counselors will facilitate conversations with you to help reflect on your values and the chapters’ values. All sororities participating in Continuous Open Bidding (COB) will be promoted on our socials (Instagram @mitpanhel & Facebook @MITpanhellenic) and each chapter’s website.

Recruitment is all about meeting new friends and finding a smaller community within greater MIT. We are excited to welcome new members into our community this year!

MIT Panhellenic is committed to fostering an inclusive environment and lowering barriers to access. As a result, there is NO cost associated with recruitment.