ACACIA: Lower tier. Considered to be one of the nerdier houses on campus (along with KDR and AEPi), these guys are always desperate for new members/party guests. Brothers can always be found handing out quarter cards (with maps on the back) on the steps of RPCC, advertising for Thursday night parties. To their credit, they do always have classier beer at their parties such as Sam Adams or Yeungling, even if the parties are a bit empty.
ALPHA DELT (Alpha Delta Phi): Upper tier. These guys look straight out of a Vineyard Vines/Brooks Brothers catalogue. If you don’t know what either of those brands are, you don’t even belong in the vicinity of Alpha Delt. Ridiculously wealthy, ridiculously preppy, but not in a down to earth or chill way. These guys are just mildly stuck up from my experience. Granted, they have one of the most beautiful houses, a real epitome of classy Ivy League architecture and one of the largest open parties of the year on Halloween (Thumpty’s party takes their runoff.) Zero diversity, everyone went to a New England Prep School (including the black guy who cut off his dreadlocks who DJ’s at most parties).
AEPI (Alpha Epsilon Pi): Lower tier. Rechartered at Cornell 5 years ago, AEPi is generally regarded to be at the bottom of the hierarchy of Jewish fraternities. Scarce parties, and the ones that actually happen resemble ghost towns. Highest average house GPA though!
AGR (Alpha Gamma Rho): Lower tier. Agricultural fraternity along with AZ, but considered more social than AZ. These guys are hardcore farmers, and regularly have mechanical bulls at their parties. They also have an outdoor volleyball court. Too bad it’s only for agricultural undergrads, by agricultural undergrads. No socializing with Arts and Science students here.
ROCKLEDGE (Alpha Sigma Phi): Lower tier. Really lowkey place, beautiful house perched on the gorge. Not really known for parties or being prominent on the social scene, but they did have one of the only open parties after Homecoming with a live band that was pretty decent.
ATO (Alpha Tau Omega): Upper tier. Known as the lacrosse house, these guys are on the up-and-up. Just got their house back and while somewhat remote for West campus fraternities, they did have the second largest pledge class last spring at 26. I’ve never heard of them throwing an open party though, although they do notorious tailgates for the lacrosse games.
ALPHA ZETA: Lower tier. Co-ed agricultural fraternity, no parties and no mixers. Largest pledge class yet, however.
BETA (Beta Theta Pi): Lower tier. Formerly a strong fraternity of North Campus, now somewhat extinct. Beta is known for a significant amount of gay brothers, Asians but they do have decent and frequent parties, often with hard alcohol such as Flaming Dr. Peppers or Jungle Juice (despite being prohibited by IFC).
CHI PHI: Upper tier. Known as a rugby/sprint football house, this house is somewhat more lowkey about open parties, but did have a few notable ones such as New Years in November. A lot of cool brothers. They also have the only thing that resembles a pool on West Campus. Longstanding feud with Lambda Chi next-door.
CHI PSI: Upper tier. Beautiful house that habitually seems to be under renovation, Alpha Phi had their crush party there. There are a lot of athletes in the house, which might contribute to the ridiculously intense pledging process. Chi Psi is probably the hardest hazing house, and I have no idea how they haven’t gotten in trouble yet. At any given time, you will hear heavy metal music blasting from their basement or see pledges mowing the lawn in suits covered with ketchup and mustard. Feud with SAE.
DELTA CHI: Upper tier. One of the only universally well-regarded houses on North campus (along with Sig Chi), their house on the knoll was just renovated. Brothers are very chill, and their Delta Cairo party is one of the year’s largest.
DKE (Delta Kappa Epsilon): Lower tier. Historic rep aside and although they live in a sweet castle next to Theta and threw a party almost every weekend last semester, these guys just don’t get that large of a pledge class…supposedly it was so small that each brother gets two rooms. To their credit, their parties were always packed and enjoyable, with their California themed pledge party being particularly notable. They also have a beer vending machine.
LLENROC (Delta Phi): Lower tier. Labeled as somewhat of a nerdy house, these guys live in Ezra Cornell’s former mansion, which is also a National Historic landmark. However, its remote location limits the intensity and enjoyment of their open parties, but they do usually have mixed drinks for girls.
DTD (Delta Tau Delta): Lower tier. Miniscule pledge classes, zero parties and zero mixers…DTD’s only presence in Cornell’s social life is hosting sorority’s crush parties.
DU (Delta Upsilon): Upper tier.
Solid and well-liked house, similar to FIJI and Chi Phi in the type of guys it attracts. It's "no-secrets" status hurts it a little. Decent amount of athletes, although the quality of their parties has diminished significantly last year. However, their Clam Bake on Slope Day is always packed and out of control.
KDR (Kappa Delta Rho): Lower tier. Along with Acacia and AEPi, KDR is generally regarded as one of the nerdier fraternities. Instead of the tacky quartercarding which Acacia does though, they have an email listserve to advertise their Thursday night parties. The guys I know in KDR are chill, if not a bit socially awkward, but hey, there’s a fraternity for everyone, even introverted engineers.
KAPPA SIG (Kappa Sigma): Lower tier. Very lowkey house, not particularly notable for parties or exceptionally chill brothers. Big classes dominated by white kids in engineering, IR and the odd hotelie and Middle Eastern studies major. Studious, middle brow and haze hard; got in trouble recently for hazing violations.
LAMBDA CHI (Lamda Chi Alpha): Lower tier. Although not officially known as one of the Jewish houses, there’s a lot of Jewish guys in Lambda Chi. Pretty active in throwing parties, at least once a month last year that attract less attractive, younger female attendees. They also supposedly don’t haze during their pledging process. Huge feud with neighbors Chi Phi.
PHI DRY (Phi Delta Theta): Lower tier. The only dry fraternity at Cornell, they compensate by having parties at their annex at 210 Thurston, as well as renting it out to clubs for parties. Brotherhood quality and variety of mixers is definitely hurt by being an alcohol-free house.
FIJI (Phi Gamma Delta): Upper tier. FIJI is known for two things: 1) Diversity, there’s no particular label. FIJI has a lot of rugby and sailing guys, but also a decent number of minorities. They also had the largest pledge class last year, and the 2nd largest physical house on campus (after Sig Chi). 2) Parties, always packed and out of control, they also have girl drinks in addition to the standard beer. Most notable party is FIJI Island, the week before Slope Day which goes from noon until the wee hours of morning…it was also apparently featured in Playboy’s Parties of the Ivy League a couple of years ago. Feud with Alpha Delt nextdoor.
PHI TAU (Phi Kappa Tau): Lower tier. Incredibly lowkey house, have never met a brother from there or even attended a party.
PHI PSI (Phi Kappa Psi): Upper tier. Phi Psi is the premier football house with other players at Sigma Nu. Phi Psi got a larger pledge class last year than Sig Nu though. Big, buff guys.
PHI SIG (Phi Sigma Kappa): Lower tier. Also a very lowkey house, and have never met a brother from there or attended a party.
PIKE (Pi Kappa Alpha)L Upper tier. Generally regarded to be at the top of the Jewish hierarchy, composed of guys from New Jersey, Westchester and Long Island. These guys also are said to haze hard, although less so than Chi Psi…they were on probation last year for cross hazing with AEPhi. Their pledge party, Pikes of the Round Table was pretty good.
PI KAP (Pi Kappa Phi): Lower tier. Another low-key house, very much so under the radar. They are adamantly opposed to hazing during pledging.
PSI U (Psi Upsilon): Upper tier. Generally considered top of top. This is known as the rich guy house. Very wealthy and preppy. A lot of rich kids from Massachusetts and Connecticut and a few from elsewhere that still went to prep school in New England. One of the nicest and best-looking houses on campus. Most guys get single rooms in the house. They throw very few open parties and prefer low-key events. They keep their pledge classes very small at bout 12-14 guys. They don’t even have to do rush week and they will still get a full pledge class. Some pretentious and cocky guys and some chill ones as well. Strong alumni base.
Uh, just go in trouble with some of the alumni but still recognized by Cornell. Some alumni and probationary (or kicked out) actives on one side; others that control the house and charter on the other. Pretty unfortunate scene. Members can't go into their house but they appear to be remaining active even while formally shut down. Stay tuned.
SEAL AND SERPENT: Lower tier. No one knows much about this house, except that they had a pledge class of 1 last year. Rumored to be the gay house, although there are probably more gay men in Beta.
SAE (Sigma Alpha Epsilon): Upper tier, SAE has always been known as a preppy house, which can definitely be seen in their seniors and juniors. However, their last two pledge classes have been a complete change of pace. Some skateboards and lots of rich white kids who listen to hip-hop. Most of the guys in the house are pretty chill and some are stuck-up cocky *******s. This is another house known for its parties. Each fall they throw the White Party and freshmen flock there in herds wearing white. They also throw the Green Party, which is the exact same thing just with people wearing green and trees inside. Feud with Chi Psi.
SAMMY (Sigma Alpha Mu): Lower tier, Another Jewish house. You would think that with their location (right next to RPCC) that every single on their parties would be packed to the max with freshmen but that never happens. A lot of nerdy guys though.
SIG CHI (Sigma Chi): Upper tier. One of the only universally respected houses on North Campus (along with Delta Chi). This house is so far from everything which keeps them kind of low-key. Almost the entire soccer team pledged here last semester. They are chill and down-to-earth unlike some of the other wealthy and upper-tier houses. Throw pretty good parties as well. One of the only fraternities that has an outdoor pool. Each spring they hold Derby Days which is a competition between all twelve sororities at their house. Each night of Derby Days ends with crazy drinking and some sort of party
SIG NU (Sigma Nu): Upper tier. Football house along with Phi Psi, although last year’s pledge class had a bunch of small non-athlete type kids which isn't doing them any favors. The house itself is physically run down, but they are notable for always having great after-hours.
SIG PHI (Sigma Phi): Upper tier. I’m pretty sure many freshmen do not know about this house unless they are being rushed there already. This is a very low-key and under-the-radar house because they don’t do very many open parties. It is located right next to Psi U on West. They keep their pledge classes small, usually 12 or 13. They got in trouble one year with their alumni for have 15 pledges. Having a small pledge class keeps them exclusive and under-the-radar, which they like, and allows them to have small events frequently. This is a very wealthy house. People in Sig Phi have buildings on campus named after their families (i.e.- Bartels).
SIG EP (Sigma Phi Epsilon): Lower tier. No/low reputation. They just got back on campus last year. They were kicked off campus about three years ago for an incident. They went on a wine tour (I’ve also heard it was an open party) and some girl got really really really drunk and sick. They called the ambulance to get help for this girl. However, they didn’t want to get in trouble so they hid the sick girl in a closet and called back and told the ambulance that they were no longer needed. To make a long story short, the ambulance showed up and they found a super sick, passed-out girl in the closet.
TEP (Tau Epsilon Phi): Lower tier. Another Jewish house. Parties such as Tepaslovakia and Tepademic. Poorly attended as their house is located really far on North campus.
TKE (Tau Kappa Epsilon): Lower tier. Very lowkey, don’t know anyone in this house and have also not been to any parties.
THUMPTY (Theta Delta Chi): Lower tier. Formerly known as Theta Drug, this house might or might not have a lot of brothers who are very into hallucinogens and marijuana. Beautiful mansion, with a small and close brotherhood. The house is rented out quite often to MGLC fraternities/sororities, but when it’s not there’s always a party going on. Epic parties last year at Thumpty included an alternative to Alpha Delta’s Halloween party and a 4/20 party.
ZBT (Zeta Beta Tau): Lower tier. Another Jewish house. Better than AEPi, but worse than Sammy and TEP. They have a fair amount of non-Jewish guys in the house. They managed to get "Yung Joc" to do a concert at their house last year, but most people said it was horrible. Highly dependent on second round rush, because their original pledge class was so small.
ZETA PSI: Lower tier. Right across from Risley, which you would think would always make their parties packed but fairly empty. They usually have Blue Moon beer which is pretty classy however, they also have 6 week pledging and no hazing which is far shorter than the standard 10 week pledging.
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This was actually passed around in email lists far outside of Hanover.
Fraternities
- Alpha Chi (Athletic affiliation: none): A solid enough bunch of guys who throw the occasional well-attended pig roast but mostly keep to themselves. Not a major party destination, but not a bad place to have a beer, either. Local formerly with several nationals.
- Alpha Delta (Athletic affiliation: Rugby, soccer, squash): An absolutly filthy sty of a place, as one might expect from the frat that inspired Animal House. Pissing and projectile vomiting are standard practice in the basement (even during crowded parties), which pretty much doubles as an open sewer. An ecletic bunch, the house has shifted in character in recent years from rugby meatheads who went to prep school to scrawny hipsters who think they're cooler than they actually are, which is why Heorots and Theta Delts (see below) now consistently get hotter women. National Alpha Delta Phi.
- Bones Gate (Athletic affiliation: none): Was founded in 1806 as a secret pugilist society. A vaguely secretive house that always seems to be at odds with the administration, which is why they're usually on probation. No more fight clubbing (or so we think), now a bit more "alternative" (read: more experimental drug use) than the mainstream houses, Bones Gate is perhaps best known for serving "Cutters" during major party weekends, a drink of dubious origin but of definitive effect (euphoric inebriation). Local.
- Chi Gam (Athletic affiliation: formerly Baseball, tennis, date rapists): The sleaziest house on campus. Has tried to clean up its roofies-laden reputation of late, but that hasn't stopped the brotherhood from throwing parties specifically tailored to freshman girls. A disproportionate percentage of the house Jewish hailing from Long Island and New Jersey, essentially rendering Chi Gam the Meatpacking District of frat row. In the 80's and 90's was known as Kappa Sigma and a baseball fraternity with some notable members. Now definitely local after some heated disputes with a national and alum that apparently hates what they have become.
- Chi Phi/Heorot (Athletic affiliation: hockey, skiing, crew): Fun fact #1: Heorot derives its name from the mead halls (described in Anglo Saxon epic Beowulf.) Fun fact #2: No one in Heorot is smart enough to have ever read Beowulf. Boasting the highest percentage of athletes of any of the houses, Heorot is where intelligent discourse goes to die. It's also where most attractive freshman girls and sorority sluts go to get rummaged by large hockey defensemen from Saskatchewan. Heorot parties are perhaps best known for turning into Top 40-fueled raves at 3 a.m., which is awesome or awful, depending on whether you are one of the aforementioned females. Chi Phi national / local off and on.
- Gamma Delt (Athletic affiliation: football): Big steaky meatheads, and the sort of girls who are attracted to a bunch of guys who haven't been competitive in the Ivy League in almost a decade. Local.
- Phi Delt (Athletic affiliation: none contrary to the national stereotype): "You don't like us...We don't care," proclaimed an old Phi Delt shirt. Amen. Phi Delt returned to campus in '03 after being derecognized for attempting to burn down Chi Gam. The vast majority of campus wishes sleeping dogs had stayed down. The cultish, socially inept brothers of Phi Delt strive to embody the "Good Old Boy" Dartmouth mentality -- that is to say, loud, obnoxious and entirely loathsome. Phi Delts do have a loyal coterie of groupies from the dregs of near-by sororities, though you'd be hard-pressed to find an attractive (even for Dartmouth) one in the bunch. Memo to anyone forced to suffer the terrible fate of attending a Phi Delt party: they piss in their punch and thus never drink it themselves. Phi Delta Theta national.
- Psi U (Athletic affiliation: sailing, squash, gay bashing, ex prep school athletes); SAE (Athletic affiliation: ex prep school athletes): Two seperate houses joined by one common bond: extrodinary douchebaggery. Psi U and SAE embody every abhorrent stereotype you can conjure up about an Ivy League fraternity: elitist, WASPY, rich and preppy. Thus they are popular with women and they get together for some bigger events. National.
- Sig Ep (Athletic affiliation: none): The house for those that don't want to be in a real house. Big, gay-friendly, and an all-around bunch of nice guys. Not exactly bedding the hottest girls on campus, but they're not trying to bang your girlfriend, either. National.
- Sigma Nu (Athletic affiliation: Dungeons and Dragons aficionados): The nerdiest house on campus, bar none they fall below the middle brow, also ran image nationally. No one really knows anything about the house 'cuz no one actually goes there. National.
- Theta Delt (Athletic affiliation: Lacrossse, basketball, football): Conservative jocks/ex-jocks and the girls who love them (Stepford Wife hot, emotionally and intellectually vacant). Dude, bump that Van Morrison and O.A.R. a little louder, dude? For shizzle. Robert Frost was a brother, and he didn't graduate. Go figure. Theta Delta Chi national.
- Tri Kap (Athletic affiliation: none): The only "diverse" house on campus (lots of Asians, increasing number of blacks). Double Asian stereotype alert: hypercompetitive about beer pong. Local.
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