Fraternity life:
A Cornell fraternity house – originally owned by Ezra Cornell himself
Living in a fraternity house can be an incredibly rewarding experience and an amazing time for growth. In an environment that is self-governed and self-maintained by the brotherhood, each person is responsible or the wellbeing of the entire chapter. Many houses boast decades of history as well as beautiful architecture and great living environments. Take a look at our alumni page and see some of the famous people that have lived in the very houses that you can join, that you will be a part of.
“Fraternity life has allowed me to develop stronger bonds than dorm-life did. I feel much closer with the people I live with this year than I did in previous years.” -Peter Finocchiaro
Costs:
Many chapters also have chefs to cook two meals a day so that the entire brotherhood can enjoy dinners together – often one of the most social moments within any brotherhood. You might be saying to yourself, “With all these frills of living in a mansion with my best friends and a chef to cook for me, there’s no way I can afford to live in a fraternity.”
You might be surprised.
For many fraternity brothers, the cost of living in the house and having a full meal plan is significantly less than living in a campus dorm and using a campus meal plan. This is due to the generous donations of many alumni, who enjoyed their experience living in the fraternity and want to make it possible for future generations. If you are concerned about the cost of living in a fraternity, make sure to ask at individual chapters during rush week.
In addition to the higher cost of living elsewhere, make sure to consider opportunities you might forego by living in campus dorms.
"Living in-house, not having to worry about living next door to the RA or dealing with random people who won’t leave your room, is a million times better." -Anonymous