Upperclassman Quota (for PNMs and parents to read.)
 

^^^Like

Double Like.

Upperclass quota or not, recruitment remains a mutual selection process and there are no guarantees on either side.

There's quite a few good threads like this one that should become Stickied to the top.

So, I had previously assumed that UC quota was determined like regular quota: number of UC PNM's signing bid cards/number of chapters. I found out this year that is far from true. So, not only does a chapter not have to use its UC quota, but even if every chapter does, there are very often fewer spots than UC PNM's.

Is this new or campus-specific? In previous years at UCLA, upperclassmen quota was determined just like freshman quota. Last year, freshman quota was 27, upperclassmen quota was 16.
Although, upperclassmen was both sophomores and juniors, so juniors are still at a disadvantage to sophomores.

As far as I know, upperclassman quota is mentioned nowhere in the MOI. Therefore, campuses are free to set it as they wish.

This is my understanding as well (although I am certainly open to being proven wrong, as I've never actually looked for it myself!). I do know of at least one school that arbitrarily (for lack of a better word) selects upperclassmen quota- it has no bearing on the number of UC PNMs, as it is voted on with the recruitment rules the semester prior to FR.

That's kind of the impression I got from here - that it was just a random number.

At USC, for example, there is a set number of juniors that a sorority can take in addition to quota...used to be 2, but apparently now it is 4. Few, if any, chapters take more than their number even though many more juniors may be rushing, so juniors are still at a huge disadvantage and are heavily cut even with the junior quota. At this campus sophomores are not prejudiced against nearly as much as others because SC is heavy on spring admits and transfers.

ohh! this is useful! this kind of seemed like a fitting place to ask this but how does it work if seniors don't count as part of the quota? Are they not counted in the pledge class or in the entire chapter?

They're not counted in the pledge class so the chapter doesn't have to choose between them and a freshman. I'm sure when chapter numbers are counted (for national purposes or whatever) they are included.

oh! i take it that means recruitment might be a teeny tiny bit easier for a senior then?

Can we sticky it?

I thought chapter's wanted to fill their quotas? Hence, if a chapter doesn't fill their regular quota they would use COB or something of that sort. So wouldn't they want to fill their upperclassman quota and take advantage of it?

Quality over quantity. Just because they've got available spots doesn't mean they're obligated to hand them over to juniors they feel might not be a good fit for their chapter.

They don't need to extend bids to upperclassmen if they don't want to. That's their prerogative.

Exactly, it was explained to me by someone who advises on a competitive campus with upperclass quota that it was meant to catch the the 1 or 2 girls who fell through the cracks and now have several friends in the chapter or the exceptional girl who transferred in as an upperclassmen. For example, Patty PNM who spent two years at a regional or junior college campus, but transferred in with a stellar GPA, campus leadership at her former campus and good social/conversation skills. It is not an easier path for a PNM who just didn't maximize her options in previous recruitments.

This is the only reference to upperclass quota I find in the current edition of the MOI in the section on Membership:

"If a campus utilizes an upperclass quota during formal recruitment, they may pledge up to quota with candidates from this classification only."

Okay, I see. I didn't think it would be something that would save me or give me an upperhand but I figured it might kind of put me on a more level playing ground with freshman PNMs. I didn't rush as a freshman so I'm kind of just now learning about things having to do with recruitment. Thanks for your help!

Need help!!
 

Hello,
I am a CAP student at UT Tyler, so I will be transferring to Austin next fall and really want to join a sorority. My only dilemma is I don't know if I should rush here and affiliate with the same sorority in Austin so I don't miss out on friendships and a fun year or wait and rush at UT Austin as a sophomore. I heard it is really hard rushing as a sophomore, but getting the option of multiple sororities over just two at UT Tyler seems to make more sense to me. Is it a bad idea to rush at Tyler and try to transfer to the same sorority in Austin?:confused:

It's not a bad idea just because you have limited options, but because chapters are often VERY different from school to school. You could feel very comfortable and at home with the XYZs at Tyler, but the XYZs at Austin may not be women that you want to hang out with at all.

I am not sure anyone can answer this for you straight out. You are making an assumption that if you receive a bid at either Detla Gamma or Alpha Chi Omega that one of those chapters will let you affiliate at UT Austin. And that is a huge assumption. You may want to email the presidents of each chapter and ask them what their policy on affiliation is before you make this decision.

Thank you for the info, it really helps :)
Does anyone know of a CAP student and what they decided to do for rushing?

Upperclassman quota at FSU
 

I am an incoming sophomore at FSU, how do I know if their upperclassman quota includes both sophomores and juniors or if they are separate? Would anyone happen to know the answer to this one?

^^^did you ask the Greek Life office at FSU?

It says on their website that FSU's upperclassmen quota is for both sophomores & juniors :) I'm rushing as a sophomore too!

I can definitely attest to this. I got cut yesterday from all but two sororities, and they were the two I didn't like. But I went back and gave them a try and they were actually better today. Sometimes it's a matter of getting the right person. No matter what, you should keep an open mind. I don't know why the other ones cut me. It could have been my GPA, how I looked, my interests, or they could have just not needed Juniors or wanted to take on the risk of a junior. It really just depends. At the end of the day, it's nothing personal. Often times you end up on the bottom of the list, and you just receive the big cut along with a lot of other girls who were above and below you. What matters are the ones who invited you back. They obviously saw something of interest in you. They know best what fits their sorority and if they can see you as a sister, maybe you should give them a chance and see them as sisters

Why are UC quotas created if sororities do not even have to use them?

Technically they don't have to take quota either. They could elect to submit a bid list that is shorter.

UNT
 

Does anyone happen to know if the University of North Texas greek system has an 'upperclassmen quota'?
Recently decided on transferring and don't know much about their greek system just yet!