At first glance, the price tag can be daunting: The typical cost of sorority membership at the University of Central Florida, for example, is $1,280 per semester, according to USA Today.
Cost nearly made me back out. Then I dug deeper and realized how much value I would get — and how joining a sorority could actually help me keep money in my pocket.
Apart from tuition, the largest expenses for students are housing, food and leisure. As a recent graduate of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Florida State University, here’s how I trimmed costs in all three categories by becoming part of a sorority.
Spend Less Money on Rent
Room and board on campus (which usually includes a meal plan) for four years, in-state, runs approximately $9,804 per year, or $4,902 per semester. It’s hard to separate how much goes to the room and how much goes to the meal plan, but it’s clear that sorority housing tends to cost less.
Sorority housing fees typically hover around $1,000-$1,500 per semester, based on conversations with friends in other chapters. My rent was just $975.
That amount was in addition to sorority dues for the semester. Broken down, I paid between $300 and $400 a month for housing, which covered cable, water and electricity.
Greek houses are usually located on campus or within walking distance. They often look like stately homes. While securing a room in the house can sometimes be competitive, juniors and seniors are almost always able to get spots, and a couple years of savings is better than none.
If your chapter doesn’t own a house, consider yourself lucky — dues will likely be much lower since there’s no large residence to maintain. Some chapters also provide alternative housing arrangements, such as reserving an entire dorm floor.
Save on Food
The next major item in a college budget is food. Students frequently blow a lot on groceries, takeout and extra guacamole.
Undergraduates spend an average of $380 per semester on off-campus food if they have a meal plan, according to The Huffington Post. Those without meal plans often budget around $750-$800 per semester, based on what my classmates said.
By comparison, sorority dues commonly cover about 15 meals per week, plus study snacks. My chapter (as did most at my university) allocated roughly 45% of dues ($576 per semester, using the national average) to feed members — meals prepared by a professional chef, not just instant noodles.
Have Fun For Less
The last big drain for many college students is entertainment, which includes concerts, festivals, movies and more.
More than half of students spend $25 or more each week on these activities. That adds up to $400 per semester or higher.
Sororities charge what are commonly called “chapter fees,” which essentially cover entertainment. My chapter dedicated almost 30% of my dues ($384, based on the national average) to these outings.
During one semester my entertainment included a weekend trip to Universal Orlando, two NHL hockey tickets (with transport), two formal events (complete with dinner and drinks), weekly socials and monthly sisterhood gatherings like movie nights and private yoga classes. Twenty-five dollars a week wouldn’t have gone nearly as far.
Extra Tips
Use these strategies to save even more as a sorority member:
- Ask your sisters if you can buy or borrow their used textbooks. They’ll often sell them cheap because #sisterhood, or let you borrow them for free.
- Look in your house’s study room for textbooks left behind. My house stored hundreds of old books, and I frequently found older editions that worked perfectly well.
- Confirm your chapter’s policy on fines for tardiness or missed events so you can avoid extra charges.
- Borrow formal wear from sisters. You don’t need to buy a new dress when your “Big Sister” has one she only wore once and won’t wear again.
- Check whether your dues include T-shirts. Many sorority wardrobes are built around T-shirts and shorts, so you won’t need much new clothing.
- Ask alumni chapters in your hometown about scholarships. Most alumni groups provide scholarships that can significantly offset college costs.
- Tap your network. You’ll likely be connected to tens of thousands of sisters worldwide. Those relationships can help you secure internships or jobs.
From my vantage point, joining a sorority is a worthwhile investment. Beyond the unforgettable experiences, you can actually save a substantial amount of money.
