The American Education System; Cause For Rebellion :: essays research papers fc

The American Education System; Cause for Rebellion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If America's Schools are to meet the needs of the twenty first century, they must be reinvented. It is not enough to try to fix the schools; they must be reconstructed in both fundamental and radical ways. The school system must be restructured. The future of the American public school system is significant because the maintenance of an informed and productive citizenry is vital to the future of this country. Historically Americans have strongly asserted the importance of public schools in a democracy and despite growing disdain for the perceived value of the school system, public schools remain central to democracy in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For more than a century, America's public schools have been an indispensable source of the country's strength. Public education has allowed citizens to become productive members of society by providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary for the labor force. Schools prepare students to be literate, informed and reasoning citizens. According to Philip Schlechty, author of Schools for the twenty-first century, â€Å"Public schools are the ties that bind this pluralistic society into a nation. Our Nation's thirty-sixth president, Lyndon B. Johnson, also believed that there is no institution more fundamental to American society and democracy than its public schools.†(36)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Public schools are the cornerstone of America's future. The development of youth's knowledge, skills and social dispositions has always been critical to the country's success. In the next century, America's youth will play an increasingly important role in the country's survival and well-being. By the year 2025, one out of five Americans will be 65 or older, and by the year 2040, one out of four Americans will be 65. In less than 15 years, the first baby boomers will reach the age of 65 (Peterson 64). It is clear that the economic success of America will be in the hands of youth to unprecedented extent. It is time to invest in education in order to maintain the American way of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the competitive knowledge-based world of the twenty-first century, the education of America's youth will be more important than ever. More responsibility will be placed on schools because of greater diversity in classrooms, languages, preparedness, motivation, and the dynamics of the future workplace. Schools also must assume more responsibility because of increasing enrollment. Entering the 1996-1997 school year, there is an all time high enrollment of 51.7 million students in public schools throughout the country (Good 6). Because of enhanced enrollment and technological advances, there is more material that needs to be taught if students are to be competitive and productive in the future job market.

Perception of a Tragic Hero: “Hamlet” Essay

Perceptions and understanding of Shakespearean language evolve as time passes. It is reasonable to believe that Laertes is more of a tragic hero than Hamlet. In order for this to be seen effectively, a comparison must be made between Laertes and Hamlet. In the play Hamlet, Laertes is a character who grabs the audience’s attention. His devotion to succeed, despite disadvantages is both motivational and tragic situations, is inspirational to some extent. His portrayal as the antagonist is very effective in conveying the message that, the easy way may not always be the right path to pursue. In the end, people are accountable for their own actions. To Laertes, the urge to avenge a loved ones death was worth taking, and is understandable in all cultures. One must remember that Laertes is not only after revenge, but also after loyalty to avenge. If Laertes were to take revenge on Hamlet, this would show only that he is interested in satisfying his own needs. However, by performing t hese acts in the name of loyalty, Laertes is ensuring that his father Polonius does not die in vain. Laertes can be thought of as more of a tragic hero than Hamlet due to greater loss in his fall, the fact that he is optimistic, his nobility and him showing a tragic flaw. A tragic hero must show a considerable loss in their fall. Hamlet went through many hardships. He lost everyone close to him, but sustained his legacy. This differs from Laertes who simply died. Unlike Hamlet, who was carried out â€Å"like a soldier, to the stage; For he was likely, had he been put on, To have proved most royally,† (V, II, 390-392). Laertes was forgotten. There was no one to remember his legacy, and because of this, Laertes has more to loose in his fall than Hamlet. Hamlet on the other hand, shows little optimism, although this is crucial characteristic of a tragic hero. The audience understands the mourning of a loved one, but the time must come when people move on. In Hamlets case, the time of mourning must have past since he is the only one that continues this. Gertrude, his mother questions this behaviour. She does so by saying, â€Å"cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever with thy veiled lids Seek for thy noble father in the dust: Thou know’st ’tis common; all that lives must die, Passing through  nature to eternity,† (I, II, 68-73). On the other hand, Laertes, despite loosing his father by the hands of his friend Hamlet, still shows optimism. He had every reason to mourn, and would have the added feeling of betrayal, but even so, he is not as distraught as Hamlet. This goes to show that his optimism in justice will be served makes him a greater tragic hero than H amlet. However, another characteristic possessed by Laertes is that he is noble. He wins the admiration of the audience because of his bravery and non-hesitant behaviour. Not only does the audience admire this man, so do the characters of this play. We see that men follow Laertes to offer assistance where needed, â€Å"save yourself, my lord: The ocean, overpeering of his list, Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste Than young Laertes, in a riotous head,† (IV, V, 96-99). The devotion he has towards his cause can be shown with his self-sacrificial statement, â€Å"and like the kind life-rendering pelican, Repast them with my blood,† (IV, V, 143-144). Perhaps, the flaw that leads to Laertes’ detriment is that he is easily manipulated. Claudius, who is Hamlet’s uncle, uses Laertes for his own revenge on Hamlet. This begs the question if the first two blows encountered within the fencing match were intentional. Because of the death of his beloved sister, and the fact that his father was murdered, Laertes may have felt he no longer had anything to live for. His friend Hamlet can be linked to both deaths. Only towards the end is Hamlet able to rationalize his actions by saying, â€Å"this presence knows, And you must needs have heard, how I am punish’d with sore distraction. What I have done, that might your nature, honour and exception roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.† (V, II, 217-223). Another factor which would lead the audience to believe Laertes intentionally let Hamlet hit him, was that Hamlet was not confident in his own fencing skills. In this statement, Hamlet is quoted saying â€Å"I will win for him an I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits,† (V, II, 171-173). This gives circumstantial evidence that Laertes was better at the sport, and therefore let Hamlet hit him the first two times on purpose. This would go with the plan set by Claudius; the first hit, he would drink to Hamlets health and then put a poisonous gem in the  wine. The second hit, Hamlet would drink the poison. Because of this manipulation, and not seizing the appropriate opportunity, Laertes was killed by Hamlet. The flaws shown in Hamlet are that he is procrastinates and that he is indirect. Hamlet shows his procrastination with the delayed killing of Claudius. An example of when Hamlet was indirect is with his feelings towards Ophelia, Laertes sister. It is clear to see what is going through her mind, when making reference to Hamlet with this song she sings while presumed insane, â€Å"by Gis and by Saint Charity, Alack, and fie for shame! Young men will do’t, if they come to’t; By cock, they are to blame. Quoth she, before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed. So would I ha’ done, by yonder sun, An thou hadst not come to my bed,† (IV, V, 57-62). The irony in this is that Laertes warned Ophelia earlier to be cautious of Hamlet by saying:Perhaps he loves you now, And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch The virtue of his will: but you must fear, His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own; For he himself is subject to his birth†¦ Then if he says he loves you, It fits your wisdom so far to believe it As he in his particular act and place May give his saying deed; which is no further Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal. Then weigh what loss your honor may sustain, If with too credent ear you list his songs, Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open To his unmaster’d importunity. Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister, And keep you in the rear of your affection, Out of the shot and danger of desire (I, III, 14-35). In this statement, Laertes is warning Ophelia about Hamlet, he is telling her to watch out because of Hamlets status. He claims that Hamlet will never truly love her. Common characteristics of both Laertes and Hamlet are that they are obligated to commit murder. What is unique about this situation is that they both are compelled for the same reason, the murder of their father. Depending on the perspective of the audience, one of these two men can be looked at as a tragic hero. They both demonstrate the characteristics needed to be a tragic hero, but what separates Laertes from Hamlet is that he was optimistic from  the beginning and shows more ambition. He ventured into a journey in which he knew that he would never be successful. This did not stop him from attempting to achieve his objective. Laertes made it clear to Claudius that he would do anything in order to reach where he was going, he says:To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation. To this point I stand, That both the worlds I give to negligence, Let come what comes; only I’ll be revenged Most thoroughly for my father. (IV, V, 129-134). Hamlet on the other hand is contradictory to himself. In one scene, he talks about how he does not want to commit suicide because it is a sin, this is shown by saying, â€Å"to be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more,† (III, I, 57-62). Yet in another scene he comes up with a scheme to get Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed, and plots the same as Claudius. What divides our society on a literary level is the understanding of meanings and perspective on which we see them in. Because of our culture, the audience has the ability to analyze in a way impossible in Shakespearian time. It is understandable now that Laertes is an inspirational character that was destined on a path of failure. Despite all obstacles, he accomplished his task, which represents the ambition and virtue within all people. This inspiring struggle symbolizes similar hardships known to many. Due to this, Laertes can signify the life of a realistic character. He meets the criteria of a tragic hero and represents the eternal struggle. Laertes looses more in his fall, he showed optimism and nobility, while demonstrating a tragic flaw, and by understanding the information given above, one may conclude that the memory of Laertes will no longer be forgotten.

Black Rights †Struggle for Racial Equality in Post War America Essay

Write a full account on the struggle for racial equality in post war America. During World War II, around one million black men served in the army. They were in different units to the white men. Riots and fights occurred when black men from northern America had to face the discrimination in the south during training. This lessoned peoples opinion of them, in a prejudice way. They were never allowed to join the Marines or the Air Corps, but this changed for the first time during the war due to the military needs. After the war, blacks began to challenge their status as second-class citizens. After their country fighting Nazi Germany, who killed six million Jews, and a fascist Italy, the people of America began to question the racism and many white people felt their main priority as a country should be dealing with their racial problems . More and more black people began moving from the south up to the more urban areas of the north after the war. It was easier to set up pressure groups against discrimination, some peaceful and some violent, thanks to the large numbers in the cities. When the blacks moved to the cities, a lot of whites moved out to suburbs, leaving the blacks in the inner city. Due to overcrowding black ghettoes emerged, houses were in poor conditions, which also helped to highlight the unfair racial injustice. More blacks started attending universities , improving their skills and raising the chance of jobs. When better roads and train lines were built or improved, the move from the south to cities became easier. The economy in American affected blacks greatly. During the economic boom, more blacks were employed and earned better pay. Now that blacks could earn more money their living standards increased. This led to a demand for blacks and whites to be treated more equally. The media helped. They wou ld highlight the disadvantages for the blacks. Television was expanding, exposing discrimination as it grew. It helped greatly to win over the support of the whites in the north. There was huge hypocrisy in the US during the cold war. The US were trying to prevent the spread of communism and disagreed with it completely. They thought the communists were treating their people badly and denying them their human rights. Blacks saw the hypocrisy. They were being treated horribly while their country and government fight for rights around the world. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was a black rights group. Their aim was to defend black civil rights. It became the main opponent of the Klu Klux Klan, a white supremacist group. For decades they had been campaigning for for an end to segregation in schools. They brought cases to court so black students were allowed into colleges. Linda Brown was a young black girl from Topeka, Kansas. She wanted to attend a local school but wasn’t allowed. Because of this she had to go to an all black school further away. The law said segregation was legal as long as facilities were equal. The lawyer for the NAACP, Thurgood Marshall, said that segregation like this denied these black children their rights and that separate schools caused psychological damage. Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP won their case. Segregation was now ruled, by the Supreme Court, unconstitutional and therefore illegal. The schools were declared by the Court, the next year, to become desegregated. This didn’t stop racism or the racist acts. A fourteen year old boy was murdered by the KKK and an all white jury found the murderers not guilty. People said it was a plot by the NAACP. In 1957 the governor of Arkansas tried to prevent nine black students from attending a white school in Little Rock, even though the Supreme Courts had ruled it legal. Federal troops were sent in to protect the nine students so they could attend school safely and to make sure the new laws were upheld. President Eisenhower ordered the troops to remain present at the school for the remainder of the school year. The percentage of black children who attended school with white students had raised from one to twenty per cent in around ten years. A similar incident happened when a young man tried to enrol for the University of Mississippi, an all white university. An angry mob and the governor of Mississippi tried to stop him. The case was brought to court by the NAACP and won the right for him to enrol. President Kennedy also sent troops in to protect the young man when he was enrolling but riots broke out ending in 375 people injured and two dead. The rest of the state universities in the south were slowly desegregated. In the north, blacks and whites attended different schools because they lived in different parts of the city or state. The laws to desegregate the schools were not just for the south. So they brought in bussing. This meant that black children could get the bus to white schools that had been desegregated so there was a racial balance in the schools. A lot of northern cities resisted this court order, and some cities even fire-bombed the buses. To get around these laws, many white people sent their children to private schools. Most black children stayed in public schools due to lack of money. There wasn’t just racial segregation in schools. Restaurants and buses are just a couple of the other places where racial segregation occurred. Racial segregation on public transport was enforced by the Jim Crow laws. This meant that blacks had to sit at the back of the bus, whites at the front. A black person had to give up his seat if there was no room for a white person or if a white person sat beside them. In 1955, Rosa Parks, a seamstress, from Montgomery refused to give up her seat for a white person. She politely told the bus driver she wouldn’t get up. The driver called the police who then arrested her. When Rosa was due in court, the black community decided they would boycott the buses on the day of the court case. The buses in Montgomery made most of their money from black people travelling to and from work. Word of the boycott was spread in black churches, the organisers hoped 60 per cent would boycott the buses but on the day almost 100 per cent avoided the buses. Many drove, car-pooled or walked. The boycott went on for a year, costing the bus company a lot of money. The boycott ended when the blacks made a deal to desegregate the buses. There were three parts to the deal: Bus drivers must treat black passengers with courtesy; Segregation must end on the buses; Black drivers must be employed. This began a new phase of peaceful protests. Four black students in North Carolina sat at the white only counter in a diner. They refused, politely and peacefully, to move until they were served. This was called a ‘sit-in’. When word of the sit-in got out, more and more young black students around the south started doing the same. By the end of the year more than 50,000 young people had succeeded in desegregating public facilities in over 100 cities in the south. When black and white civil rights activists wanted to test the desegregation laws, they decided they would travel through the south on a bus together. They were attacked, threatened and intimidated by white mobs. Robert F. Kennedy, the Attorney General, was appealed to by the activists for protection. He sent in federal marshals to enforce the law and to protect the activists. The bus journeys went on for another year, receiving national media attention. Voting for black people was very difficult and involved a lot of obstacles. There was a poll tax that if you didn’t pay you couldn’t vote. Many black people couldn’t afford the tax leaving the majority of the voters white. This and the literacy test were both legal as it, technically, applied to both races. The literacy test was mainly to prevent blacks from voting also. They would be given a piece to read and if they struggled in the slightest they couldn’t vote. This was unfair for the blacks as the majority of them weren’t as educated as the majority of the whites. Even the whites who were more illiterate than the blacks had a better chance of passing as they would be given easier pieces to read. White employers also tried to prevent blacks from voting by threatening to fire them if they voted. Only four per cent of blacks in the south were registered to vote in 1955. In the 1960’s, Martin Luther King lead peaceful protests to get black voting rights. White’s in the north were impressed by King’s peaceful approach. In 1963 King organised a march in Birmingham, Alabama. The blacks marched the streets day after day. Others replaced them when the marchers were arrested. Martin Luther King was even arrested. He wrote a letter from Birmingham jail which is one of the most important documents of the civil rights movement. There was widespread white support for King on the north after the marches were televised showing the police using hoses, cattle prods and dogs against the peaceful marchers. The president got involved, then the violence ended and the protesters were given their demands. King delivered his famous â€Å"I have a dream†¦Ã¢â‚¬  speech at the Lincoln memorial in Washington DC, in front of over 200,000 black and white civil right supporters. A year later a new Civil Rights Act was passed. Discrimination in public facilities was banned, job discrimination was outlawed and the power of the local voter registration board was reduced, no longer preventing blacks from voting. The same year, using non-payment of the poll tax to prevent blacks from voting was outlawed. When a campaign began to get black voters to register in the south, two civil rights volunteers, one white one black, were murdered in Alabama. The governor and local police still tried to prevent black voters registering and the KKK burned down several black churches. By 1965 most of the legal barriers for black equality were gone, but a lot of people remained prejudice. Blacks were the poorest and undereducated racial group in America. A group of black rights activists didn’t agree with King’s approach. Their attitude was to fight back. They wanted black supremacy and wanted to use violence to get it. They were called the black panthers. They were a paramilitary force. Their leader was Huey Newton who called on them to collect weapons for protection against the white police. They’re campaign frightened many whites but was sending the wrong idea of the black community and was probably making matters, regarding their rights and acceptance, worse. After riots had broken out in cities such as New York and L.A between black youths and the police, King decided to move his SCLC headquarters to Chicago to focus on the northern ghettoes. Violence levels were huge in 1966 and 1967 with 164 riots taking place in cities across northern America, leaving 84 people dead and costing over 100 million dollars in damages. In April 1968, King was assassinated in Memphis. His death destroyed the hope for many, and the hope for resolving the racism. After his death, riots broke out in 125 cities out of grief and anger. A week after King’s death a Civil Rights Act was passed outlawing racial discrimination in housing.

Improve Counselling Skills Essay

For this assignment you need to keep a journal for the first few weeks of the module. The aim of the journal is to reflect on various aspects of professional practice, study challenges, or any other feature of counselling work or study. You do not hand in the journal. Using the information gathered during this process you will write the practice task reflecting on your professional practice that includes three professional practice goals. It is recommended that you make a brief entry in your journal everyday in which you record events, situations, information and your insights related to counselling. Ensure that identities are protected and the focus is ultimately on you and not on others. Journal Writing Guidelines: Each daily entry should cover: the events that occurred on that day which relate, whether directly or indirectly, to your professional practice and study of counselling how you felt about these events what skills you observed that you demonstrated what skills do you think require further attention and growth the element of professional practice or study that you most struggled with on that day the element of professional practice or study that you felt most comfortable with on that day Your Reflective Practice Task requires you to examine the following aspects of your professional development: 1. Overview of 3 events from your journal 2. Your current knowledge base (this does not necessarily have to be in the counselling field. Most of you will be tapping into volunteer experience, work experience, lived experience – like relationship / parenting, or prior study experience in which your skills are transferrable to counselling). 3. Your breadth of experience to date and what you have learned from these experiences 4. Your professional practice strengths and weaknesses 5. Your professional aspirations 6. You will need to set three professional practice goals for yourself, with each goal statement demonstrating an adherence to the SMART process. You MUST apply the SMART MODEL when setting your goals. 7. How do your goals align with your values in relation to your practice 8. Lastly describe a goal for self-care protection in relation to counselling Lecture notes, articles and other reference materials will be beneficial to this process, and your ability to build on and reflect on your professional practice. Referencing In academic writing referencing is critical. Referencing is about ensuring that the sources you have used (authors, journal editors) are honoured. The ACAP manual or the Educator cannot be used as references as we are merely conveying information that others have published. It is NOT compulsory to reference and you will not be penalised for not referencing. I am just suggesting that it is an excellent study habit to get into. Although ACAP and other universities use the APA6 referencing style – I do not care what style you use – even if you put the author in brackets that’s great. See the VET 2012 Referencing Guide Link : http://my.acap.edu.au/moodle/pluginfile.php/27484/mod_resource/content/1/Reference%20Guide%20%20for%20VET%20students%20%20v2.pdf Structuring Your Reflective Practice Task This task allows you to use 1st person writing – that is using pronouns like I, We, They, Us, Them etc. I suggest that you use the following headings or use the question numbers to help you focus and stay within the word limit: Current knowledge base This does not necessarily relate to direct counsellor experience. Reflect on the other ACAP subjects you have studied to date, other courses you have completed in the past, work experience, personal experiences (parenting, your own counselling experiences as a client, relationship, volunteer work, previous studies, etc). You are wise and bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to the module and field. Breadth of experience to date and what you have learned from these experiences I expect that many of you will not be currently working in the counselling field so your professional breadth of experience may be fairly limited. It is important to honour all the work and lived experience you bring to the course and field. It is okay to acknowledge that your experience to date may be professionally limited but identify areas in your current work environment or personal life where counselling experiences are present. Remembering that skilled conversations with others involve using counselling skills like active listening, empathy, unconditional positive regard, attending, etc.

Bretton Woods and the World Debt Crisis essays

Bretton Woods and the World Debt Crisis essays 1. The Bretton Woods institutions were developed near the end of W.W. II to help countries that were greatly affected by the war. The three institutions that were created in New Hampshire by the economic leaders of various countries were: The International Monetary Fund, The World Bank, and The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which later developed into the World Trade Organization. The I.M.F was created so that countries could exchange their currency for other currencies with little restriction on the trade. This organization also helps countries that are facing high debts by giving them loans. The World Bank was established to help European countries destroyed by the war. The only country to receive any money for the war however was Holland. After that, The World Bank focused mainly on giving out loans similar to the I.M.F. The GATT was created with the idea that countries could negotiate their policy on trade. They wanted to create an institution that would regulate free tr ade between countries. Some countries did not like the idea that an organization could control what they do with other countries. Consequently in 1995 the World Trade Organization was established. The organization can judge if member countries are not getting fair trade policies by other Countries. 2. The three major factors that created the debt crisis were; the change in what we call money, the amount of money given to poor countries by the organizations like the I.M.F and World Bank, and the oil boom of the 1970s which pressured financial organizations to invest the money created from that boom. The Bretton Woods meeting established the idea that countries would exchange their currency for U.S dollars at a fixed rate. In return, the Americans would exchange money for gold that they at Fort Knox again at a fixed rate. For various reasons however, in the 1960s the United States was creating an amount of money that they did not have in gold. C...

Sadomasochism essays

Sadomasochism essays Sex plays a major role in today's society. It seems that all forms of media use sex to help sell their products. From television, radio, music, and advertisements, to video games, the Internet, and even art and pictures, sex rules our society. In addition, many newspapers have recognized the attractiveness of sexual aggression as crime news, and therefore as prime news, lately. Some of these sexual acts are said to promote criminal behavior subconsciously among certain individuals. As rape and sexual assault became a more serious social problem in the 80's, this prime news story helped many papers to sell more copies in the competitive news market, while creating an impression of responsive and responsible reporting. In the 90's, sexual acts started to become more relaxed and doors were opening to the public eye. The public was soon seeing variations of sexual activities that seemed to be a little dark and mysterious to the everyday normal human being. Now in the year 2000 and the years to come, some sexual acts might in fact become normal to our everyday living. Everywhere you look nowadays sex is there slapping you in the face, however sexual activities have changed dramatically from that of the past. In this day and age, sex is a much more talked about topic then it used to be. With all this openness about sex, we have also seen a rise in some of the not so popular sexual activities. However, let's face it, the perpetuation of life all falls down to one act, the act of sex. There are many different meanings to sex. Sexual intercourse can be exercised through intercourse as a means of procreation, emotionally or for the simple pleasure of the act itself. However, sex can also be performed with different techniques or variations. Sadomasochism is just one of these variations of techniques that a person can use to reach their sexual peak. Sadomasochism is a term that combines two words, Sadism and Masochism. Sadis...

The Benefits of Going Greek in College

The Benefits of Going Greek in College Weve all seen the movies and stereotypes in the media about students who join fraternities or sororities during their time in college. But given the millions of students who have gone Greek over the years, there must be some benefits, right? Despite the negative images of college Greek life, many Greek organizations have quite a lot to offer, both during and after your time in school. If youre thinking of joining a fraternity or sorority, consider the following benefits as you decide if going Greek is right for you: 10 Benefits of Going Greek in College 1. The high level of camaraderie with fellow members: The friendships you build through a fraternity or sorority often have a different feel to them than other friendships you make during your time in school. Perhaps its because of your shared values or your shared experience as members of your Greek organization. Regardless, youre likely to make strong, personal friendships that can last well past graduation day. 2. Lots of community service opportunities: Many Greek organizations are heavily involved in community service. Your Greek house may require a certain amount of volunteering each semester or may have an annual event that raises funds for a community non-profit. If youre interested in giving back during your time in school, a fraternity or sorority can offer you a lot of different options for doing so. 3. An academic support network: Even the newest college student knows to ask around when it comes to getting the skinny on classes, professors, and majors. And with the wide range of students that are members of a fraternity or sorority, you instantly have access to all kinds of knowledge about which professors, classes, and departments are the best. Additionally, if youre struggling in a class, your fraternity brothers or sorority sisters can be a great resource for tutoring and other academic advice. 4. A professional network after graduation: Many, if not most, Greek organizations offer networking opportunities to their members long after their college years. You can tap into alumni networks and make professional connections that might not have been available otherwise. 5. A wide range of leadership opportunities: Fraternities and sororities require a lot of work given their high levels of involvement and programs. Because of this, there are often multiple leadership opportunities available each year. Even if youve never held a leadership position before, testing out your leadership skills within your Greek house can be a great way to develop some skills and give back. 6. An endless stream of learning opportunities: One of the best benefits of going Greek is the wide range of learning opportunities youll be presented with. Youll meet all kinds of new people; youll participate in all kinds of new experiences; youll be presented with all kinds of new ideas. From formal, structured events to casual conversations in the house kitchen, fraternities and sororities are always challenging their members to do, learn, and act more. 7. An additional housing option: Not sure if you should live on or off campus next year? If your fraternity or sorority has a house on or near campus, the housing benefits alone might be one of the main reasons to join. You can have all of the benefits of being close to campus without all the chaos of living in a residence hall. Additionally, youll be able to build even stronger connections with your fellow sisters or brothers if you choose to live in your Greek house. Whats ​not to like? 8. There are often scholarships available: If youre a member of certain Greek organizations, you may be eligible for scholarships or other financial aid. Additionally, if youre worried about the cost of joining a fraternity or sorority, many have scholarships available to members who have trouble paying annual dues. 9. Becoming a part of a long-standing tradition: If youre on an older campus, your membership in a historic Greek fraternity or sorority might make you part of a very old, long-standing tradition. And if youre on a new campus or joining a new(er) fraternity or sorority, youre lucky enough to be at the start of something great. Either way, theres something to be said for having a role in a tradition that has stood the test of time. 10. The chance to prove stereotypes wrong: The way fraternity and sorority members are portrayed in society is unfortunate, especially given the amazing things these students do each and every day. Your role as a fraternity or sorority member gives you a great opportunity to prove these stereotypes wrong. The friendships you make, the community you build, volunteer work you do, and programs you put on can be part of a great college experience that embodies all that going Greek has to offer.