Incoming Students' Alcohol Use and Intent to Join Greek Organizations

Abstract

Incoming first-time, first-year students attending summer orientation (N = 1,710) at a large public university in the Southeast completed an instrument that assessed their use of alcohol and other drugs during the previous year, their perceptions of use by current students on campus, their intended alcohol use, and their intent to join a Greek organization. For most variables examined, results indicate statistically significant differences between those students who intend to join a Greek organization and those who do not plan to join or are undecided about joining. While Greek organizations are often blamed for high-risk alcohol use among their members, these results suggest that students opting to join a Greek organization have a higher use prior to attending the university. Implications for first-year programs and alternate means of alcohol education are discussed.