The top collegiate secret societies are listed here, along with some interesting information about each.
1. Skull and Crossbones - Yale University
1832 was the year it was founded.
Skull and Crossbones, a secret society at Yale, is possibly the most prominent and well-known of all the Ivy League secret organizations. The society's historic past is steeped in secrecy and dates back to 1832, when it was founded.
Every year, the club selects 15 new members to join. Those chosen are known as Bonesmen and Boneswomen. All Bonesmen and Boneswomen are sworn to secrecy and barred from speaking about what happens behind closed doors. Members meet twice a week in the Tomb, a windowless structure.
The Tomb is based on a legend that a group of Bonesmen (supposedly included Prescott Bush, father of George H. W. Bush) dug up the skull of Apache chief Geronimo, who died in 1909, and carried it back to their headquarters as a trophy in 1918.
New members are allegedly given $15,000 and a grandfather clock, further enhancing the grandeur and exclusivity of Yale's secret organization.
Many of the members have gone on to become affluent and well-known business executives throughout the world. It's also speculated that Bonesman and Boneswoman are an Illuminati faction, owing to their prosperity and influence.
Is it true or false?
Skull and Crossbones were supposedly engaged in President John F. Kennedy's assassination and the development of the nuclear weapon. Some even suspect it was set up by the CIA to recruit Yale students for the spy agency.
2. Seven Society - University of Virginia
The year it was founded was 1905.
This secret organization is based on strange customs and beliefs. Members of the Seven Society are not made public until after their deaths due to the secrecy of the organization. Even the member reveal is enigmatic, with a massive wreath of black magnolias shaped like a "7" emerging on the deceased's gravestone.
The biggest mystery, though, is how one really becomes a member. No one knows if they're co-ed or even if you have to be a University of Virginia alumnus to join.
The number seven markings left across campus, as well as their great giving to the institution, are the most tangible proof of the society's existence. Their contributions arrive in letters addressed to Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, Uranus, and Venus, in the following order: Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, Uranus, and Venus. Donations and scholarships are distributed in seven-digit increments. $777 or $1,777, for example.
When it reaches seven past the hour, the college's bell tower in the chapel sounds at seven-second intervals at the seventh discordant chord. Despite the fact that there is a lot of evidence that this society existed, we still know very little about it.
Is it true or false?
A minor explosion disrupted the inauguration ceremony in 1947. A cheque for $177,777,77 fluttered to the ground when the smoke cleared. The money was utilized to create an interest-free loan for students and faculty members who were having financial difficulties.
3. Sphinx Society - Dartmouth College
1885 was the year it was founded.
Dartmouth has a plethora of student organizations. According to the organization's website, approximately 31% of seniors are members of a society, and there are at least 14 on campus, five of which maintain their membership a secret.
The all-male Sphinx Organization is the most well-known secret society at an Ivy League school. Each year, just 24 juniors are shoulder-tapped to join "the Krewe." The Egyptian Tomb, which serves as their headquarters, allows these select few to view behind its walls.
Sphinx headquarters, according to legend, gives members with access to underground passages around campus, as well as an indoor pool known as Cleopatra's Swimming Pool. The identity of Krewe members are kept disguised until graduation, when they expose themselves by strolling about campus with canes with Sphinx symbols.
Is it true or false?
In 1989, 16 members were punished for stealing paintings and pictures worth USD $12,000 from around campus.
4. The Cadaver Society - Washington and Lee University
The year it was founded was 1957.
This Cadaver Society is another group about which nothing is known. It's uncertain if it now exists (or ever did). Nonetheless, the allegations about this secret organization are enough to earn it a spot on our list.
Many people assume members of the Cadaver Society are pre-med students with leadership characteristics, strong academic scores, and a respect for university traditions, albeit this is merely speculation.
The society's symbol, a skull and the letter C scribbled over campus, is the most tangible proof of this group. They are reported to walk the campus late at night, clad in black and wearing skull masks to claim their territory.
They also appear to have a lot of money, as any good secret society should, and they frequently make philanthropic gifts to the college. The Cadavers are said to have given $150,000 to repair the frat homes in 1988.
Is it true or false?
The most intriguing of all the Cadavers' allegations is that they are an Illuminati branch! Cadavers are also said to roam about campus via a network of subterranean tunnels.
5. Order of Gimghoul - University of North Carolina
1889 was the year it was founded.
The Order of Gimghoul is one of the most terrifying secret organizations, owing to the fact that it is named after Peter Droomgole, a University of North Carolina student who inexplicably vanished from school in 1833. It was originally known as the Order of Droomgole, but it was renamed to sound more ominous.
Membership is by invitation only, and it is available to both students and professors. What happens behind the castle walls, on the other hand, is a mystery. Members of the club, however, appear to have a predilection for demonic symbolism, based on the scant photographic evidence. Almost every photo of Order of Gimghoul members contains a reference to Satan. Despite its terrible past, the Knights of the Round Table and Arthurian mythology serve as the club's roots.
Is it true or false?
According to rumors, A combat between Peter Droomgole and a love rival ended in a draw. The society's offices are housed in an on-campus castle built on the site where Peter vanished.
6. The Bullingdon Club - The University of Oxford
The Bullingdon Club, which was founded in 1780, is the most well-known academic club in the United Kingdom because to its status, exclusivity, and obsession with wrecking local eateries.
Originally, the Bullingdon was a cricket and horse-racing-focused sporting club. They're formally recognized as an all-male "dining club," a social gathering that gathers for dinners and discussions and typically needs membership.
Though the Bullingdon Club begins at restaurants, the evening quickly becomes more of a drinking club than a dining club. Drinking with the Bullingdon lads frequently devolves into chaos. Because of their terrible behavior, the University of Oxford has refused to formally recognize the group, and several local eateries have refused to host its activities.
Is it true or false?
They shattered 400 windows at Christ Church College in 1927, and 17 bottles of wine and china at the White Hart tavern in the 15th century in 2004.
7. Ivy Club - Princeton University
1879 was the year it was founded.
The Ivy Club functions totally above ground, despite the fact that secret organizations are prohibited at Princeton. It's on our list due of its stringent admittance requirements.
Candidates must sit for 10 interviews with members of the Ivy Club, Princeton University's oldest "eating club." Over the course of a few days, the interview process might take up to 7.5 hours. Their 130 existing men and women vote on whether to approve or reject the new candidate after the interviews. The candidate does not get in if one of the members rejects them.
Eating clubs have a long history at Princeton, dating back over a century. At Princeton, there are six selective and five open clubs, although none are more selective than the Ivy Club. The $9,550 membership fee provides full access to the club's three-story brick home, which is guarded by iron gates, as well as daily meals at the clubhouse.
The meal changes from day to day. Grilled chicken, a salad bar, bagels, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are all available 24 hours a day. The Ivy Club also encourages members to participate in community events and fundraisers.
Is it true or false?
During initiation week, new recruits are passed down a stairwell. The males are wearing nothing but their underwear, while the ladies are wearing nothing but their underwear.
8. Porcellian Club - Harvard University
1794 was the year it was founded.
The Porcellian Club was one of the first collegiate organizations in North America, having been formed in 1794. "Dum vivimus vivamus," which means "while we live, let us live," is the motto. Non-members are not allowed to attend Porcellian parties or get-togethers, therefore no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.
A pig serves as the club's mascot. Members of the club may be identified by the pigs or pig heads emblazoned on their apparel and accessories. The clubhouse, dubbed the "Old Barn," is a three-story home located right across the street from Harvard Yard.
Membership is by invitation only and is competitive. According to legend, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the sole non-member admitted into the Old Barn. However, when he attempted to re-enter after his presidency had finished, he was refused down.
Is it true or false?
There's a story that if Porcellian members haven't made their first million by the age of 40, the club will give it to them.
Last Thoughts
The intrigue surrounding college secret clubs looks like something that everyone enjoys. It's all part of the fun to figure out what's true and what's gossip. What about the tunnels? All of this adds to the mystery. Maybe all these secrets are satanic! Not the students inside but the leaders of the secret societies. Keep your eyes peeled if you're accepted to a university with hidden societies. You might be the next person to get shoulder-tapped!
1. Skull and Crossbones - Yale University
1832 was the year it was founded.
Skull and Crossbones, a secret society at Yale, is possibly the most prominent and well-known of all the Ivy League secret organizations. The society's historic past is steeped in secrecy and dates back to 1832, when it was founded.
Every year, the club selects 15 new members to join. Those chosen are known as Bonesmen and Boneswomen. All Bonesmen and Boneswomen are sworn to secrecy and barred from speaking about what happens behind closed doors. Members meet twice a week in the Tomb, a windowless structure.
The Tomb is based on a legend that a group of Bonesmen (supposedly included Prescott Bush, father of George H. W. Bush) dug up the skull of Apache chief Geronimo, who died in 1909, and carried it back to their headquarters as a trophy in 1918.
New members are allegedly given $15,000 and a grandfather clock, further enhancing the grandeur and exclusivity of Yale's secret organization.
Many of the members have gone on to become affluent and well-known business executives throughout the world. It's also speculated that Bonesman and Boneswoman are an Illuminati faction, owing to their prosperity and influence.
Is it true or false?
Skull and Crossbones were supposedly engaged in President John F. Kennedy's assassination and the development of the nuclear weapon. Some even suspect it was set up by the CIA to recruit Yale students for the spy agency.
2. Seven Society - University of Virginia
The year it was founded was 1905.
This secret organization is based on strange customs and beliefs. Members of the Seven Society are not made public until after their deaths due to the secrecy of the organization. Even the member reveal is enigmatic, with a massive wreath of black magnolias shaped like a "7" emerging on the deceased's gravestone.
The biggest mystery, though, is how one really becomes a member. No one knows if they're co-ed or even if you have to be a University of Virginia alumnus to join.
The number seven markings left across campus, as well as their great giving to the institution, are the most tangible proof of the society's existence. Their contributions arrive in letters addressed to Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, Uranus, and Venus, in the following order: Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, Uranus, and Venus. Donations and scholarships are distributed in seven-digit increments. $777 or $1,777, for example.
When it reaches seven past the hour, the college's bell tower in the chapel sounds at seven-second intervals at the seventh discordant chord. Despite the fact that there is a lot of evidence that this society existed, we still know very little about it.
Is it true or false?
A minor explosion disrupted the inauguration ceremony in 1947. A cheque for $177,777,77 fluttered to the ground when the smoke cleared. The money was utilized to create an interest-free loan for students and faculty members who were having financial difficulties.
3. Sphinx Society - Dartmouth College
1885 was the year it was founded.
Dartmouth has a plethora of student organizations. According to the organization's website, approximately 31% of seniors are members of a society, and there are at least 14 on campus, five of which maintain their membership a secret.
The all-male Sphinx Organization is the most well-known secret society at an Ivy League school. Each year, just 24 juniors are shoulder-tapped to join "the Krewe." The Egyptian Tomb, which serves as their headquarters, allows these select few to view behind its walls.
Sphinx headquarters, according to legend, gives members with access to underground passages around campus, as well as an indoor pool known as Cleopatra's Swimming Pool. The identity of Krewe members are kept disguised until graduation, when they expose themselves by strolling about campus with canes with Sphinx symbols.
Is it true or false?
In 1989, 16 members were punished for stealing paintings and pictures worth USD $12,000 from around campus.
4. The Cadaver Society - Washington and Lee University
The year it was founded was 1957.
This Cadaver Society is another group about which nothing is known. It's uncertain if it now exists (or ever did). Nonetheless, the allegations about this secret organization are enough to earn it a spot on our list.
Many people assume members of the Cadaver Society are pre-med students with leadership characteristics, strong academic scores, and a respect for university traditions, albeit this is merely speculation.
The society's symbol, a skull and the letter C scribbled over campus, is the most tangible proof of this group. They are reported to walk the campus late at night, clad in black and wearing skull masks to claim their territory.
They also appear to have a lot of money, as any good secret society should, and they frequently make philanthropic gifts to the college. The Cadavers are said to have given $150,000 to repair the frat homes in 1988.
Is it true or false?
The most intriguing of all the Cadavers' allegations is that they are an Illuminati branch! Cadavers are also said to roam about campus via a network of subterranean tunnels.
5. Order of Gimghoul - University of North Carolina
1889 was the year it was founded.
The Order of Gimghoul is one of the most terrifying secret organizations, owing to the fact that it is named after Peter Droomgole, a University of North Carolina student who inexplicably vanished from school in 1833. It was originally known as the Order of Droomgole, but it was renamed to sound more ominous.
Membership is by invitation only, and it is available to both students and professors. What happens behind the castle walls, on the other hand, is a mystery. Members of the club, however, appear to have a predilection for demonic symbolism, based on the scant photographic evidence. Almost every photo of Order of Gimghoul members contains a reference to Satan. Despite its terrible past, the Knights of the Round Table and Arthurian mythology serve as the club's roots.
Is it true or false?
According to rumors, A combat between Peter Droomgole and a love rival ended in a draw. The society's offices are housed in an on-campus castle built on the site where Peter vanished.
6. The Bullingdon Club - The University of Oxford
The Bullingdon Club, which was founded in 1780, is the most well-known academic club in the United Kingdom because to its status, exclusivity, and obsession with wrecking local eateries.
Originally, the Bullingdon was a cricket and horse-racing-focused sporting club. They're formally recognized as an all-male "dining club," a social gathering that gathers for dinners and discussions and typically needs membership.
Though the Bullingdon Club begins at restaurants, the evening quickly becomes more of a drinking club than a dining club. Drinking with the Bullingdon lads frequently devolves into chaos. Because of their terrible behavior, the University of Oxford has refused to formally recognize the group, and several local eateries have refused to host its activities.
Is it true or false?
They shattered 400 windows at Christ Church College in 1927, and 17 bottles of wine and china at the White Hart tavern in the 15th century in 2004.
7. Ivy Club - Princeton University
1879 was the year it was founded.
The Ivy Club functions totally above ground, despite the fact that secret organizations are prohibited at Princeton. It's on our list due of its stringent admittance requirements.
Candidates must sit for 10 interviews with members of the Ivy Club, Princeton University's oldest "eating club." Over the course of a few days, the interview process might take up to 7.5 hours. Their 130 existing men and women vote on whether to approve or reject the new candidate after the interviews. The candidate does not get in if one of the members rejects them.
Eating clubs have a long history at Princeton, dating back over a century. At Princeton, there are six selective and five open clubs, although none are more selective than the Ivy Club. The $9,550 membership fee provides full access to the club's three-story brick home, which is guarded by iron gates, as well as daily meals at the clubhouse.
The meal changes from day to day. Grilled chicken, a salad bar, bagels, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are all available 24 hours a day. The Ivy Club also encourages members to participate in community events and fundraisers.
Is it true or false?
During initiation week, new recruits are passed down a stairwell. The males are wearing nothing but their underwear, while the ladies are wearing nothing but their underwear.
8. Porcellian Club - Harvard University
1794 was the year it was founded.
The Porcellian Club was one of the first collegiate organizations in North America, having been formed in 1794. "Dum vivimus vivamus," which means "while we live, let us live," is the motto. Non-members are not allowed to attend Porcellian parties or get-togethers, therefore no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.
A pig serves as the club's mascot. Members of the club may be identified by the pigs or pig heads emblazoned on their apparel and accessories. The clubhouse, dubbed the "Old Barn," is a three-story home located right across the street from Harvard Yard.
Membership is by invitation only and is competitive. According to legend, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the sole non-member admitted into the Old Barn. However, when he attempted to re-enter after his presidency had finished, he was refused down.
Is it true or false?
There's a story that if Porcellian members haven't made their first million by the age of 40, the club will give it to them.
Last Thoughts
The intrigue surrounding college secret clubs looks like something that everyone enjoys. It's all part of the fun to figure out what's true and what's gossip. What about the tunnels? All of this adds to the mystery. Maybe all these secrets are satanic! Not the students inside but the leaders of the secret societies. Keep your eyes peeled if you're accepted to a university with hidden societies. You might be the next person to get shoulder-tapped!