National Policy on Legacies

[cougar15]

My grandma is an AGD and I was wondering what the standard protocol would be if I were to go through rush. The reason I ask is that when I went through last year I found out later that she should have contacted the national organization to notify them that I was going through at the same university that she was a member at so I am wondering if they even knew that I was a legacy because I only indicated it on the registration forms. I ended up turning down a bid to another house so I am not in a sorority right now, but have been thinking of giving it another shot with a much improved attitude!!:)

Thanks!

[AGD4me]

Hey there! I'm new to Greek Chat, but I'll give answering this a shot. We had a lot of legacies in my chapter. Basically, there is a form your grandmother can get from International Headquarters called a Legacy Information Form (LIF). She can fill that out for you and send it into the chapter where you are going to go through recruitment. Just mention to the women in the chapter that you talk to that you are a legacy, and you are excited about learning more about AGD! You yourself shouldn't have to do anything!

Good luck to you - Alpha Gamma Delta is an incredible organization. I am so glad I pledged! :)

[AGD4me]

P.S. Your grandma can call IHQ at 317.872.2655 to request the form. Or it appears in the Summer issue of the Quarterly magazine - she can photocopy it out of there, fill it out, and send it directly to the chapter where you will be going through recruitment. Best of luck!

[cougar15]

Thanks so much for your reply! I would have to agree that with you about AGD being a great organization, I hope to maybe be a part of it if I go through rush again! I will keep an open mind if I do, but there is just something about wanting to be a part of the tradition my grandma was involved in, plus that is how she met my grandpa (an SAE.

They are a really strong house where I go so I am not sure if they would have room for a junior like me, I can't believe I am going to be a junior next year..scary!

[Lisa Fishman]

Cougar, Unfortunately being a legacy does not mean that you definately will receive a bid from AGD. I don't mean to burst your bubble, but I thought you should know. A Legacy Information Form does introuduce you to the chapter while going through rush, so your name will stick in their heads more than another rushee. Anway, by all means have your grandmother send the info in to your school's chapter.
The reason why I say these things is that my biological sister went through rush at another school. This school was very competitive with lots of legacies going through. As rush week went on i had learned that AGD had cut her. I still love AGD and felt horrible that this happened to her.
Anyway, keep a positive attitude and let the AGDs know who you are and get your name out to them. Take care and best wishes for a successful rush!!! Lisa

[AGDLynn]

Something else to consider for others that may read this. Each fraternity/sorority decides what is a legacy. For example, Alpha Gamma Delta says that (if I remember correctly), grandmother, mother/stepmother, sisters. Other sororities consider aunts, cousins, etc.

I don't know what college you are interested in, but something to consider is that informal recruitment usually isn't as stressful..

Best of luck to you! Say hi to your Grandmother. It's terrific to know that someone can be 100+ years old and still be my sister! (AGD was founded on May 30, 1904.)

Lynn
Gamma Tau 1974

[cougar15]

Unfortunately I am all too aware of the little importance legacy status can sometimes have on getting into that particular house. I was cut by all 3 houses that I am a legacy to right before pref day, sooo.. yeah, it is pretty rough and I learned the hard way how little influence it can have when there are lots of other legacies going through.

The informal route is something I considered doing, but since I will be a junior it might not be as much of an option unfortunately. We shall see if I am courageous enough to put myself through the rigors of formal rush when the time comes..haha..

That is pretty neat to think about in terms of having AGD sisters my grandma's age and older. It is fun to hear her talk about her undergrad days and to still refer to her old friends as, so and so who was an AGD, Theta or Kappa when they were in school together. I love the history behind all of the different organizations.

Thanks again for your input!

[Angels&Arrows]

I am not an AGD, nor do I know your situation.

However, when a PNM goes through recruitment, Pi Phi has a legacy introduction form that is filled out by the member to introduce her legacy. If a PNM wrote down on her recruitment application that she was a legacy to our house, we would make a mental note, but would wait for the Introduction form (and often a letter from the mother/sister/grandmother) to arrive. If one did not come in it would be the membership chair's responsibility to look into it (as our recs). Anyone could write down that they are a legacy to a GLO (hence the intro forms, Recs, etc.). However, being a legacy does not lock in a bid.

Good Luck... and if you really want to join a sorority, don't give up. There are many ladies who have gone through recruitment twice... Though, keep your options open, on some campuses being a Junior or rushing twice, might limit your choices.

[Katey Alpha Gam]

It's also sometimes the chapter's decision on who a legacy is. For example, Zeta Alpha isn't going to hem and haw over whether or not a girl who's aunt or step-sister is an AGD is a legacy or not. I am closer to my step-sister than most people in my family and I think that if the girl is a great girl and she can bring a lot to AGD and the fact that she is a legacy is going to get her in that much faster, than I say consider her a legacy. I personally don't understand why a legacy wouldn't be any other first generation family member. I am "grooming" my nieces to go greek and go Gam and I am not about to stop thinking that they are legacies, b/c they are!!! That, and it's really cute to give them squirrels and stuff!

[AGDZO Susan]

It's never too late to go through recruitment, even if you'll be a junior next year! I knew a senior who went through and pledged! Informal recruitment is less stressful and I know alot of upperclassmen who prefer to go through informal recruitment because it isn't so demanding on your school schedule as fall formal recruitment is.

Have your grandma fill the form out and send it to the house. Don't be afraid to call or send a letter to the house and let them know you're a legacy and that you're interested in learning more about Alpha Gam and their chapter. Bet ya they'll at least invite you over for a meal!

Loyally,

[UMgirl]

and everyone thought I was crazy. Its not that I decided to do it at that time because I had rushed previous years and received bids, but just didnt feel it from the house I was accepted into.
I say go for it no matter what year you are. Depending on the campus, sometimes being a legacy is a sure bid. I know that at UM, if you are one, you're 90% in the door, but your personality plays a factor too. Also some campuses count juniors and seniors as free bids (like UM) which means they dont count towards total, and you can take as many as you want. Some groups dont take them v/c they feel whats the use of having them around for a year or two. SHOW THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE JUST AS MUCH AS ANY FRESHMAN CAN! And that you'll continue to remain active as much as you can as an alumna. There is also Alum Initiation if , things dont work out during college.
I hope that you become an AGD, please keep us posted. :)

[cougar15]

All of your advice has been so helpful! I have definitely improved myself since my scared little freshman days where I was petrified/stressed to the max going through rush..haha.. I have gotten involved in a big way on-campus,president/officer in several clubs, 2 different honor societies, so I guess you can say that I have plenty to offer a house. See right this moment I am no longer on the same campus where I rushed and plan to rush anymore, but did do a lot on that campus while I was there..it is a weird story...haha.. After my freshman year I decided to change it up a bit and transferred to a college all the way across the country just for a different experience because I had always wanted to go to "school back East." Well this year has definitely been great, but I discovered that I need to be closer to home and can only afford one year out of state tuition so I am going back to my old school. It sounds kind of weird and silly, but I had really good grades my freshman year and was able to get into the "dream" school I couldn't get into out of high school so I thought that would be my way of doing a "foreign exchange experience" without leaving the country, weird I know... So anyway I am not sure whether this will reflect badly upon me if I am to go through rush, but I gues at least I can say, well I wasn't here last year to go through! Doubt that will go over well, but I guess at least I know this time that I have gotten rid of some my second thoughts about school choice that plagued me when I went through rush the first time and I feel a lot more confident/comfortable with myself.

I have some more questions for all of you. Would you reccommend me e-mailing the houses explaining my situation/introducing myself or would that be too much? A second thing, you mentioned Alumni initiation, can you tell me more about that?

Thanks! :)