I know this is very subjective, but my son is an incoming Freshman and is planning to rush a fraternity.
Ah yes, here it is week 1 at Penn State, and the recruitment process for frats has already started. There are information sessions this week, and then Zone Days next week.
IMHO, freshmen should hold off on pledging, as they know so little about the various frats, what's involved, etc., and are still learning the campus, how to live away from home, etc.
The flip side is that it's freshmen and sophs that have the most to gain from frats. For 99% of these classes, they are under 21, and frats are the best way they can get alcohol. Plus, there are the frequent socials with sororities, as well as parties. Once kids turn 21, the bars are available to them. Many of the over 21 frat members will go out to bars far more frequently than they'll go to frat parties, and a lot of seniors will move out of the frats and live in the frat's unofficial senior house.
Each frats has plusses and minuses. Things to consider include:
- where are they located (for factoring in how long it will take to get there for pledge activities, and in later years how long to get to classes)
- what's the house like
- can all pledges live in the house as sophs
- how long does pledging last
- what are the daily requirements for pledging
- what are the annual chapter dues
- are they open during the summer (most, but not all, are closed)
- are housing costs done on a semester basis or a yearly basis (important if your son elects to do a semester abroad as a junior)
- etc
I'd stress to your son that in many ways selecting a frat is like selecting a college. There are lots of options, and nobody knows which one is the right one for him, but if he checks a lot of them he'll know which one is the right fit for him.
Some frats put more emphasis on THON than do others. Some frats put more of an emphasis into the GPA competition than do others. Some frats put more of an emphasis into the inter-frat IM competitions (Bischoff Trophy) than do others. It's all a matter of what is more important to your son.
As for the best frats, that's far too subjective, and also changes over time. It's not the house that makes a frat -- it's the members in it, and since they change over time the frat also changes.
If your son knows any sophomore or junior girls at PSU, especially ones in sororities, they can probably provide more insight into the frats than anybody on this board. There are also online resources where frats are rated. There is a tier system of frats at PSU, though it's rather fluid, and also rather subjective, so I'll avoid offering any opinions on it.
Bids will be handed out this semester on Sep. 13th. If your son puts a good bit of time into researching the frats, and then spending time with the brothers at several frats he's interested in, he stands a good chance of getting a bid to a frat that interests him on that date.
I wish your son the best of luck
