I hear this all the time, and I suppose it must be like that at some of the bigger, national organizations on campuses. Not really possible for my fraternity, since we don't ask anyone to join who we are not already friends with. And it's not like we avoid every other person who wants to hang out. We enforce a 1 - 1 ratio at our parties (for everyone, greek or non-greek), because well who likes a sausagefest ? We have bands play parties with a projector playing skate vids behind them (once had Teddybear Crisis playing in the back, very epic). I don't know what it's like at the bigger national organizations, but my local fraternity has def introduced me to some of my best friends (both members and non). Yes I paid dues (I'm alumni now), but it goes directly to maintaining our house, paying for parties for everyone (we generally don't charge anyone), and some gets stockpiled in case of emergency (one of my brothers died last year skydiving at Lake Tahoe, and we gave his pregnant wife a bunch of money to try and help with everything). Generalize all you want, just know there are exceptions to the stereotype.