GreekChat.com Forums  

Go Back   GreekChat.com Forums > Recruitment > Sorority Recruitment

Sorority Recruitment Recruitment event and bid day ideas, membership retention, publicity, recruitment policies, etc.


Register Now for FREE!
Join GreekChat.com, The Fraternity & Sorority Greek Chat Network. To sign up for your FREE account INSTANTLY fill out the form below!

Username: Password: Confirm Password: E-Mail: Confirm E-Mail:
 
Image Verification
Please enter the six letters or digits that appear in the image opposite.

  I agree to forum rules 

» GC Stats
Members: 325,124
Threads: 115,503
Posts: 2,196,042
Welcome to our newest member, znathanhulzeo24
» Online Users: 1,244
1 members and 1,243 guests
No Members online
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-19-2019, 08:26 PM
IdahoGirl11 IdahoGirl11 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 2
Red face Need answers...

Hello,

I'm seriously considering rushing this upcoming Fall. I have always secretly wanted to be in a sorority, but never thought it was a real possibility for me. I am an older student, (25 this summer) and entering my Senior year this fall. I have 1-2 years left in school as a double-major at a school in Idaho. I've been thinking to myself that I've only got one chance to do this, and better late than never!

I deeply believe in the kind of sisterhood and community I have seen in the women I have known that have gone greek, and I am absolutely kicking myself for not just taking the plunge and rushing freshman year. I wish I could wind back the clock and do it right!

I am very petite, and have a young appearance and girlish nature (people always seem to think I’m 17) so I really think I’d be able to blend in and get along well with the other potential pledges.

My main questions are:

1- Do I even have a chance? Being 25 with Senior standing?

2- Providing I can successfully rush and get a pledge card, what would the requirements/costs look like for a new house member?

3- Would I be able to live in my current housing (apartment right by Greek row) and eat meals and study at the sorority house with the other girls? Or would I have to move in?

The housing question is mostly because my housing is very affordable, and if it were a possibility, it would be easier to pay dues and membership costs and meal plans and such if I could keep my cost of living around where it is already at.

Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you all!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-19-2019, 08:43 PM
KSUViolet06 KSUViolet06 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,142
Quote:
Originally Posted by IdahoGirl11 View Post
Hello,

I'm seriously considering rushing this upcoming Fall. I have always secretly wanted to be in a sorority, but never thought it was a real possibility for me. I am an older student, (25 this summer) and entering my Senior year this fall. I have 1-2 years left in school as a double-major at a school in Idaho. I've been thinking to myself that I've only got one chance to do this, and better late than never!

I deeply believe in the kind of sisterhood and community I have seen in the women I have known that have gone greek, and I am absolutely kicking myself for not just taking the plunge and rushing freshman year. I wish I could wind back the clock and do it right!

I am very petite, and have a young appearance and girlish nature (people always seem to think I’m 17) so I really think I’d be able to blend in and get along well with the other potential pledges.

My main questions are:

1- Do I even have a chance? Being 25 with Senior standing?

2- Providing I can successfully rush and get a pledge card, what would the requirements/costs look like for a new house member?

3- Would I be able to live in my current housing (apartment right by Greek row) and eat meals and study at the sorority house with the other girls? Or would I have to move in?

The housing question is mostly because my housing is very affordable, and if it were a possibility, it would be easier to pay dues and membership costs and meal plans and such if I could keep my cost of living around where it is already at.

Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you all!

We can't really say for sure what your chances are as every school's culture is kind of different with regard to older and nontraditional students, but what I CAN tell you:

1. Like I said before, we don't know what your chances are because we do not know how receptive sorority members at your school are to nontraditional students. Certain universities are transfer and nontraditional student friendly but the GREEK system at those schools can still very much be an 18-22 year old experience.

2. This VERY much depends on the school and chapter. If you are on a campus with housed chapters, costs are going to be higher than if the chapters are not.

3. I always tell PNMs to plan on living in. Most chapters do have some sort of expectation as far as living in and it's best to go in assuming that it is an expectation. Ex: My school's chapters generally did not exempt girls from living in unless they were abroad or lived with parents in the area.

__________________
"Remember that apathy has no place in our Sorority." - Kelly Jo Karnes, Pi

Lakers Nation.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-19-2019, 08:49 PM
KSUViolet06 KSUViolet06 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,142
Also, ask yourself if you are going to have time with a double major and working. At 25, I was a graduate student and I can tell you that I could SO NOT HAVE handled any other organized activities like being a new member in sorority. Your program may vary.

__________________
"Remember that apathy has no place in our Sorority." - Kelly Jo Karnes, Pi

Lakers Nation.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-19-2019, 10:38 PM
GreekOne GreekOne is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 270
As has been said, every campus is different. Your campus may be open to transfer and non-traditional students. My campus is very open to military men who have had tours of active duty and then pledge at 20+ years old when they arrive on campus.

You may look 17, but do you connect to 18 year olds? Would you enjoy being part of a new member class with 17-19 year olds? If you think it would be a fit, give it a try.

Typically women have a harder time beyond their sophomore year but, at least you won't have any regrets.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-20-2019, 04:05 AM
SigmaCat SigmaCat is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 80
Yeah, it depends. Some chapters will care about age, others won't. After meeting the chapters, YOU may decide that the age difference is a bar. Either way, you'll never know unless you try.

Our chapter skewed pretty young, but we did have older new members who fit in well. One of my best friends in my chapter pledged at 27. She was a returning student earning a second bachelors. A girl in my pledge class was a 22 year old senior who would be returning the following term for a fifth year. Our main concerns were achievements and personality. If you were smart, accomplished, and nice, age wasn't a huge concern.

Panhellenic (or the chapters themselves, sometime during rush) will normally make cost estimates for each chapter available to PNMs. At our school, it ended up being cheaper than most dorms and off-campus apartments to eat and live in the sorority house, dues included.

My chapter didn't require anyone to move in until their first fall semester as an initiate, though it was expected that most students without housing contracts or obligations at home would move in before then, space permitting. Members with high chapter seniority in their last year of college would be allowed to live out on a case-by-case basis, so long as the house was full or close to it.
__________________
@>----'---,---- Alpha Omicron Pi -----Phi Beta Kappa ------

Last edited by SigmaCat; 03-20-2019 at 04:11 AM. Reason: Carriage returnz, dropped wurds.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-20-2019, 08:34 AM
33girl 33girl is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Hotel Oceanview
Posts: 34,489
When you say “Greek row” are you referring to a block full of large mansion type houses that have eat-in kitchens and housemothers? Or do you mean a block full of individual apartments or made-over single family houses that Greeks live in?

Because if it’s the former, your chances are most likely slim to none.

ETA: this is a generalization, but it’s one that for Greek systems as a whole (not necessarily individual chapters) is generally correct.
__________________
It is all 33girl's fault. ~DrPhil

Last edited by 33girl; 03-20-2019 at 08:51 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
need answers please Biggerdreams Alumnae Initiation 0 07-13-2018 02:23 PM
i need answers!! OKsoonergirl Greek Life 7 04-22-2009 01:39 PM
What Do You Notice/Answers CrimsonTide4 Delta Sigma Theta 14 08-07-2002 04:09 PM
Let's hear your answers to the HOW COMES! Ideal08 Alpha Kappa Alpha 6 06-29-2001 02:37 PM
What to do?!? Need answers! Tiara98 Greek Life 5 09-24-2000 11:55 PM



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:41 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.