April Thomas arrived at UCLA from London for a year abroad with no intention of rushing in a sorority.
Negative movie-generated stereotypes about American college students made the system seem unappealing, Thomas said.
But she decided the full college experience would not be complete without a Greek pin, said Thomas, a third-year English student and sister in Alpha Phi.
The rushing process is both expensive and time consuming ““ rushing lasts for a week, and pledging goes on for about a quarter.
On top of that, students have to pay $500 to $900 a quarter to be in the Greek system, said Troy Bartels, Greek adviser at UCLA.
Scholarships are not available for students in their first year in the Greek system and are therefore not offered to international students who are at UCLA for only a year, Bartels said.
But about 15 to 20 international students, such as Thomas, decide to rush anyway each year, Bartels said.
“The only requirement is that students are UCLA and not (UCLA) Extension students, and that they are here for a year at least,” he said. “Students who are here for only a quarter won’t pay the fees a majority of the time.”
Laura Hazell, a third-year English student from Scotland’s University of Edinburgh, said she did not believe the extra expense was worth paying for her one year at UCLA. She dropped winter quarter after rushing the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority in the fall.
“I liked the prestige and the social aspects,” Hazell said. “But financially it was too much.”
Studying abroad and being immersed in a different culture is an experience itself, Hazell said.
“I would rather spend money on travel while I’m here,” Hazell said.
But the money saved by living in the sorority house was an incentive to join Alpha Chi Omega, said Khushbu Khilani, a second-year physiological science student from Hong Kong.
“The fees equal what I would have paid for the dorms,” Khilani said. “Sororities allowed me to replace the sense of community I lost from moving overseas.”
While the cost can deter some international students who are only on campus for a year, Thomas’ parents were willing to pay for her involvement in the Greek system.
Thomas chose to rush fall quarter after her suitemate and family persuaded her to have an open mind to different experiences, she said.
“After the first day I loved it,” Thomas said. “I just didn’t understand what it was all about.”
It was the people she met and clicked with who encouraged her to continue with the pledging process.
She said she was originally afraid that the sorority leaders wouldn’t offer her a bid because she is leaving UCLA so soon. But they had no problem with her time constraints, Thomas said.
Being in a sorority is a quick, convenient way to connect with people, especially for international students who want to make the most out of their limited time at UCLA, Thomas said.
Thomas said her Alpha Phi sisters are already talking about visiting her in London over the summer. She even spent several weeks of winter break with a fellow sorority sister.
Omer Sami, a first-year psychology student from Farnham, England, plans to spend all four years at UCLA and rushed Beta Theta Pi in fall quarter.
“There is no system like this in England,” Sami said. “It’s a good way of getting the full experience of U.S. college life.”
Sami’s fraternity brothers do not view international students differently, said Michael Huseby, vice president of Beta Theta Pi and a third-year political science and philosophy student.
Huseby’s fraternity roommate for the 2010-2011 school year was also an international student from England. Huseby, who is an out-of-state student, bonded with his roommate because they both knew no one in the area and were eager to make friends through the Greek system.
“It was the worst day when he had to leave,” Huseby said. “We really bonded and still Skype.”