First, You should be proud of your son for his acceptance into UC Irvine, and interest in becoming involved during his undergraduate career.

Coming to UCI was the first in a long line of good decisions that he made. He attends one of the finest colleges in the nation. Joining a fraternity is the second.  In a fraternity, your son has the opportunity to network with professional alumni, make many friends, develop his leadership skills, and help the community. There is no better way to experience college than being in a fraternity.

This conversation for him may be difficult, and while we're being honest, it will be for you too. Let's begin by confronting some of your fears before we go into what you may want to ask your son.

- Animal House is a satirical movie. The entire movie is one giant stereotype that Greeks have been working on eliminating over the past many years. In fact, new greeks must attend an assembly called Being A New Greek (B.A.N.G.) where they learn about alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and the great values that Greeks at UCI live by.

- His grades will suffer. Most students excel when they join the fraternity. The latest Greek grade report can be found here and you can see which fraternities have been doing their homework.

- It's expensive. Some fraternities offer payment plans, others discounts to individuals that excel at certain activities (sports, grades, etc.). Additionally, there are many fraternity connections that help their brothers gain employment which can help them afford it, and gain experience on their resume. There are also some chapters whose national headquarters offer merit based scholarships of up to $2,000.

While you probably have other questions, you should never feel alone during this process. The Presidents of the IFC chapters are always open to speaking to parents to help them learn about the type of activities fraternities take part in, and for more information you can turn to the local chapter's websites.