Initiation Oath

• All pledges who have been invited to join a fraternity must undergo an initiation oath. As the president of the fraternity relays the oath, the pledges must respond with simple affirmative responses such as "I will" or "I do." General requirements in initiation oaths include vows to never join another fraternity, to promote the fraternity and keep its secrets, and to always obey superiors in the fraternity. These oaths are meant to be lifelong, as membership of a fraternity extends beyond the pledge's college years.
  
  

Tests

• Pledges are often required to take tests when trying to join a fraternity. These tests challenge pledges to learn about the fraternity's history in order to make themselves familiar with the traditions and values that they are pledging to uphold. If a pledge cannot past these informational tests, he cannot be given the pin that signifies his full inclusion into the fraternity.
  
  

Signs and Symbols

• Signs and symbols are some things that pledges are expected to learn that may not appear in written tests. Fraternities are well known for secret handshakes, passwords, mottoes and secret nicknames that all help to build a feeling of exclusivity and fellowship. Pledges should also learn the meanings behind the Greek letters and be able to decode the secret language of the fraternity. The true tests of a pledge's willingness and ability to learn this information will come through interactions with brothers or senior members of the fraternity.
  
  

Hazing

• Many fraternities participate in hazing rituals of pledges, and these rituals can vary from mild taunting to sometimes dangerous levels of harassment. For instance, some hazing rituals include locking pledges in a coffin with a blindfold and gag and no warning as to when they will be released, depriving pledges of food and sleep, or paddle whipping and dunking in ice water. Hazing rituals can also include misogynist insults and severe taunting to try and cleanse pledges of anything that the fraternity doesn't consider masculine, and this can lead to distorted and skewed views of women. These severe hazing rituals can be both physically and emotionally dangerous, and pledges should be wary of engaging in them.