What Exactly Are Fraternities and Sororities in Colleges?

[jackson6612]

I understand a fraternity is for male students and a sorority is for female students. What is this fraternity and sorority thing, anyway? Are these student unions? Are they sponsored or encouraged by universities? Where do they get their financial assistance from?

I found these names of fraternities under the list of forms of MIT on this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_MIT_dormitories: Theta Delta Chi (fraternity), Phi Beta Epsilon (fraternity), Delta Kappa Epsilon (fraternity),
Alpha Tau Omega (fraternity), Kappa Sigma (fraternity), The Number Six Club (Delta Psi) (fraternity). What do fraternities have to do with dorms?

What would you call such a fraternity which has both male and female students as its members?

Please help me.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Just clubs. The one I like the best is Alpha Kappa Alpha, a.k.a. AKA.

 

[Danger]

The one I like the best is Alpha Kappa Alpha, a.k.a. AKA.

 

[jtbell]

I understand a fraternity is for male students and a sorority is for female students. What is this fraternity and sorority thing, anyway? Are these student unions? Are they sponsored or encouraged by universities? Where do they get their financial assistance from?

They are basically residential social clubs. They provide housing for their members, as an alternative to university dormitories or private apartments. They organize parties and other social activities. Alumni (members who have finished their degrees and left university) help newly-graduated members find jobs. Fraternities and sororities are usually subject to university regulations; they are "recognized" by the university and may receive some services from the university, but they are not really "sponsored" by the university. They get their money (for maintaining houses etc.) from the members themselves, via membership fees.