How prevalent are frats at Harvard?

I've always imagined Harvard as more of an academic-focused institution, but recently someone told me about their frats. Can anyone give insight on how big a role fraternities play at Harvard? Are they a big thing?

While Greek life does exist at Harvard, it's important to understand that it operates differently than at many other universities. At Harvard, formal recognition of fraternities and sororities by the university is infrequent, and this has had an impact on the presence of Greek life on campus.In 2017, Harvard actually instituted a policy penalising students who were in off-campus single-gender social clubs, including fraternities and sororities. This policy was ditched in 2020 following a series of legal challenges, but the culture at Harvard doesn't strongly revolve around Greek organizations.That’s not to say you can’t join a fraternity or sorority at Harvard; there are still several recognized chapters. But the percentage of undergraduates actively involved in these organizations is considerably lesser than you'd typically find at schools where Greek life is a large part of the social scene.

Instead, much of Harvard's social scene is built around their unique housing system. After freshman year, students are sorted into one of 12 residential Houses, where they live, eat, and often socialize for the remainder of their college years. Each House has its own community, traditions, and events, which can foster a similar sense of camaraderie and social interaction without the single-sex exclusivity of fraternities and sororities.

However, everyone's experience is different, and if Greek Life is something that interests you, don't let any generalizations discourage you. Explore all of your options and make the decision that you feel is best for you.