An honest guide to the frats at USC

USC seems to have an infinite number of frats, but your time is limited. To help you figure out which are worthy your time, we’ve compiled a handy guide explaining what to expect from each frat, so you can plan your nights/days (because tailgates and daygers exist) accordingly.

Phi Kappa Psi (Phi Psi)

Phi Psis are hot, so if you’re looking for eye candy, this is a good place to go. They didn’t have parties super frequently last year, but their fall register (Phi Psi Frost) is one of the biggest parties of the year, and I definitely recommend going if you can get in (it fills up fast/gets shut down fast).

Their motto is “Live ever die never Phi Kappa Psi” which tells you everything you need to know.

Lambda Chi Alpha (Lambda)

Lambdas are also hot but have a different vibe from Phi Psi. Their parties are really crowded and their house is always at least 15 degrees hotter than it is outside, so if you’re into sweating uncontrollably while pressed up against strangers, this may be the place for you.

Their fall register, Lambda Academy, is super big and the school girl theme is a popular one among parties so you know you can re-wear that outfit again.

Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE)

TKEs are your typical Vineyard Vines/Ralph Lauren/Sperry-wearing frat guys. Their parties usually have pretty good music but the layout of the house is pretty inconvenient (the bathrooms/usually the bar are upstairs on the deck, which is not accessible unless a brother of the house brings you up). They have two houses – twice the fun.

Sigma Chi (Sig Chi)

I feel like Sig Chi is pretty much always on social probation, so they don’t have typical parties too often, only small kickback-style events once in a while. The plus side: athletes on athletes on athletes who spend a good amount of time shirtless.

Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi)

AEPi was on social probation pretty much all of last semester because they featured Soulja Boy at their spring register, something they were forbidden from doing by USC because of all the trouble Soulja Boy has been in with the law. Though I can admire their rebellious spirit, this is kind of a stupid rebellion to be on social probation over – is Soulja Boy really even relevant anymore?

Sigma Nu (Sig Nu)

If you can get past the fact that their house looks like a creepy abandoned warehouse, the guys in Sig Nu are pretty cool. Also they have a snake. And free hot chocolate at Sig Nu Bonfires in December (if you come on the right night, you may even get to see them burn an old couch – you should skip that night).

They were put on social probation a couple years ago because a couple pledges got arrested for stealing plants for a register, something I think should never be forgotten because it is quite possibly the most idiotic reason for social probation I’ve ever heard (trumping even AEPi).

Luckily, the members responsible for this are on their way out and the intelligence level of the house as a whole appears to have gone up since then.

Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT)

ZBTs are cool.  They’re sometimes labeled as “try-hards” by other frats but honestly if you’re in a frat you’re already a try-hard so never fear ZBT, you’re just like the others. Their parties usually have really good music and you aren’t usually limited to just one place, you’re allowed to roam through the garage/courtyard/actual house, which isn’t the typical pit of despair that embodies most frat houses – it actually used to be a sorority house (a.k.a it actually makes sense and isn’t just a hallway with doors coming off of it, looking at you Lambda).

Pi Kappa Phi (Pi Kapp)

Pi Kapp parties are fun: it’s dark enough to do things anonymously but not too dark that you can’t find people if that’s what you’re trying to do (also the light is usually blue which is fun),  You can dance on the bar which has been my personal dream since 27 Dresses, and they play a lot of throwbacks. However, the real gem of any Pi Kapp party is the play-on-words name (Pi Camo Phi, Pineapple Phi, etc) and the party description. The guys in the frat are chill and fun to hang out with and pro tip: they tend to serve hot dogs at their tailgates on game days so take full advantage because they’re magical.

Also they have animals in some of their composite photos, enough said.

Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI)

RIP to the house that had historically great parties and even better behavior, you will be missed.

Phi Sigma Kappa (Phi Sig)

Phi Sigs are typically really nice, and their spring register is Phi Sig Pillow Fight so if you’ve ever wanted to go to a party in your PJs then this is house for you to befriend (you may even be able to steal a stuffed bear or two if you’re lucky).

Theta Xi

Tbh idk who Theta Xi is, I know their house is between Pikapp and Lambda but that’s about it. They don’t throw parties frequently and they just kind of exist in a strange frat limbo of technically being a thing but not really being a thing (except for when they threw a joint party with Lambda last year, which shocked us all).

Theta Chi

Not to be confused with Theta Xi, Theta Chi doesn’t have a house on the row (they’re usually the ones standing with a table by GPhi on Monday nights to collect deliveries).

They don’t have parties that often, but the boys in the house are very nice and super chill/easy to hang out with (unlike these other houses with their cheap beer/wine, do better guys this is USC).

Delta Tau Delta (DTD)

DTD had big drama last year when they advertised that they would have Tyga at their spring register and he never showed up. The reason? Apparently, the person with whom they were in contact about Tyga was a scam artist who stole their money ($13,500) and fled, so they’re currently working with the LAPD to rectify the situation (aka if you ever were/remain into Emmett Forest from Legally Blonde, this could be the frat for you).

Additionally, one of their date dashes last year was a day trip to Universal Studios during Dead Week, so if you like to do things that are fun with nice people I would recommend making the effort to get to know DTD.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE)

The SAE chapter at USC got kicked out of the National SAE Chapter, so technically they aren’t SAE anymore, but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to throw down at several houses off campus, most notably Sev. Their parties are super laid back and they don’t have the same regulations that typical frat parties have because they aren’t part of IFC, but they can also be a little creepy because you have to venture off the row to get there. There are usually a ton of guys there from other frats as well, so that’s a bonus if you want to hang out with friends who aren’t in SAE.

Sigma Alpha Mu (Sammy)

Known to all as “the Jewish Frat,” Sammys are usually really nice and fun to hang out with, and their parties/invites/events are great because 9.5 times out of 10 you can go without any pressure to hook up with anyone (even your date).  It’s a nice change from literally every other fraternity event on campus. There are always people at Sammy, both in the house and not, just hanging out because these boys are ACTUALLY your friends (again, a nice change).

Bottom line, befriend them they’re cool.

Phi Delta Theta (Phi Delt)

Their spring philanthropy is Phi Delt Puppies where they actually bring real puppies (I repeat, REAL puppies – not just small dogs) to campus for you to play with.

I don’t think anything else needs to be said about them because if the promise of real puppies doesn’t excite you then you probably don’t have a soul.

Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike)

Pike is usually pretty low-key, but last year they threw what was arguably the biggest Halloween party in Los Angeles. Because most other frats were up at Berkeley for the Weekender, Pike had a party monopoly for the night. And not just on the Row. Even students from the public school across town showed up to throw down. Pike was probably three or four times over capacity before DPS brought in a helicopter to shut it down after 2 a.m.

Beta Theta Pi (Beta)

Their house is off the row so it can be a bit tricky to find, and they don’t have parties that often, but when they do they’re usually pretty fun. As an added bonus, their big atrium where the majority of dancing takes place is a courtyard without a ceiling, so the room never gets unbearably hot.

Alpha Gamma Omega (AGO)

The Christian frat, the boys in AGO are really nice and fun to hang out with. They don’t have typical parties but they do have really fun alcohol-free events (AGO Mocktails first semester is one of them), as well as unique mixer activities, such as board game nights. They also sometimes barbecue late on Thursday nights since parties are shut down by midnight, so if you walk by their house early enough you may be able to snag a cheeseburger.

Delta Chi

The only thing I know about this house is that I befriended a member once while we were both jaywalking across Jefferson (because waiting at the crosswalk is inconvenient) and he sent me a delivery the next week. Based on this one encounter they’re great, 10/10 would recommend.

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USC has way too many fraternities for it to be possible to get to know them all well, or even semi-well. Bottom line: go where you want to go and where you feel comfortable, because if you get a bad feeling at a particular house odds are there’s one right next door that you’ll like better.

Frat parties are a right of passage, and as someone who’s aged out of the frat party scene I implore you to enjoy it while you can (looking at you, freshmen) because you’ll know when your time’s up and it’s a bittersweet moment, to say the least.