Here's a chance to pass your first pop quiz of the semester.

Define fraternity: (a) A group of guys who like to "hang around" poles. (b) A place where the University course "Intolerance 101: Racism and Sexism," is offered. (c) A place where women can hear more lines than there are at Shields Building. If you envision any of these when thinking about the Greek system, maybe you ought to look closer.

Anti-social or immature behavior has occurred at some fraternities. But these few incidents have created an unjustified stereotype, perpetuated by those who usually have no inside knowledge about what it means to be Greek.

Fraternities are not evil by nature. When a brotherhood works the way it should, a unique and special group exists. Believe me, they're out there.

The main advantage to joining a fraternity is meeting people. Attending this large University sometimes leaves Joe Freshman alone and lost in the crowd. If he becomes Brother Joe, he will have a large number of close friends who have had common experiences.

He will become part of a family that goes through college together, that can provide support and advice, as well as knowledge of which professors assign term papers and those that should inspire Vivarin commercials.

Incredibly close relationships develop between brothers -- relationships that make sitting around just singing fraternity songs a thrilling experience, equal in magnitude to a semester without drop/add.

And if Joe has brains, he'll select a diverse fraternity. Contrary to popular belief, most chapters do not only consist of Biff, Muffy and L.L. Bean. Nor are they made up entirely of party animals like Moose, Kegger and Half-pint.

Although some do, you will also find houses containing people from a variety of different backgrounds, interests, majors and ethnicities.

A fraternity would add to Joe's Penn State Experience. He could work with his group toward the Homecoming competition, fully participate in Spring Week, enjoy formals and have socials.

True, these are not essential parts of life, but without them you may miss out on a fun part of your college days.

On a more practical side, a fraternity can develop skills necessary for success in life. Weekly chapter meetings encourage organized, thought- out speaking before a large group.

These meetings also demonstrate how parliamentary procedure and small- scale politics really work. There's nothing like the feeling that results when an issue you worked on and fought for is defeated just because you didn't lobby for support.

Now, decisive in wanting to be a fraternity brother after reading this column, Joe attends rush functions at the Pi Sigma Upsilon house (PSU), and succeeds in getting a bid. What next?

Oh no, he thinks -- PLEDGING. Having to run around campus naked. Being forced to drink his weight in beer. Learning the true meaning of Animal Husbandry.

Unfortunately, many people equate the "P" word with hazing, and consider the former just as risky as buying Panamanian savings bonds.

Well, some fraternities do haze. But this is no reason to condemn all fraternities, or outlaw pledging. What it does warrant is depledging a group if it hazes you, and exposing it to the Interfraternity Council, University and public.

There is nothing wrong with pledging if it excludes hazing. How can you immediately accept someone into your family without getting to know him and teaching him the history, traditions and nuances of your chapter?

If an action is intended to demean or humiliate a pledge, it is hazing. That does not mean that demanding effort is hazing. Having pledges help in cleaning the house, or "can" for a philanthropy is not demeaning. Brothers do these things, so why shouldn't those training to be brothers do them as well?

Another frequent accusation toward fraternities is intolerance and insensitivity. True, some evidence of these problems exist: the past semester's Fiji Rosh Hashanah party on this campus, as well as an earlier stripper party at a University of Pennsylvania fraternity chapter.

With all of the different chapters on campus and around the country, there are bound to be people who just don't think. You can't blame the Greek system for this. The problem is that some chapters are not diverse or liberally educated enough.

Diversity in chapters will reduce the number of intolerant acts - - how can you insult a racial or ethnic group when your own brother is a part of it? But the ultimate solution rests in education. If brothers and pledges are taught what offends people of a different race, religion, and sex, they probably will be more thoughtful in the future.

So, while we still are in the midst of rush, I would like to urge all independents to explore the fraternity system, take a close look at the individual chapters, and ask a few questions.

Maybe fraternity or sorority life will be right for you, maybe it won't. At least your attitudes toward the system won't be based on Greek Mythology.