What should I do?

[Singer123]

Hi everyone!
I am new to GC. So, I rushed last fall at a small college with only four Panhel groups. I was cut right before prefs. But, getting cut actually turned out to be for the best because I have since found out who I am and am more secure with myself. Since the Fall, I have served on student senate (currently on exec board), the student newspaper, and on several university committees. I am actively involved with Alpha Phi Omega (a service fraternity) and Sigma Alpha Iota (a music fraternity). We have a historic house, so SAI has been great. But, I still want to try social rush in the Fall. What should I be doing to have the best chance for success? This summer I am taking extra classes and doing a campus research assistantship as well as volunteering at a local hospital. To pay for school expenses I work in Admissions, manage an orchestra, and am a leadership coordinator. I am a double music and history major (3.9 GPA last semester) and am looking at potential minors. I am also pre-med. My goal is to go on to a joint J.D./M.D./Ph.D. program and go into healthcare ethics while integrating advanced music study into my program. I feel like I have developed significantly since the Fall. I now have career goals, leadership experience, solid academics, community service experiences, and have met lots of new people. But, what else can I do?
Thanks!
Singer 123

[nauadpi]

My one suggestion would be to try to get to know some of the sisters before you go through recruitment... Try talking to them in your classes and other activities... it will help you in the fall if they really get to know you and not just who you are... My only other thought is to have fun...

[AXOhottie]

You sound like you could be my long-lost twin or something! I had a very similar situation at the small, private, midwestern college I attend. I would say there's definately no harm in giving it a try. If you feel like this is something that is missing from your life that you still really want to be involved in, the only way to know is to try!

It definately wouldn't hurt to talk with the Greeks you know in your classes and other activities. Get to know them besides just people you have class with or something.

If you ever wanna chat, PM me!

Good luck!!

[alphaalpha]

I have heard of people gettingcut cause they are involved with too many outside activities, which sounds like you are. I completly understand your desire to join a sorority, however maybe you should talk to someone to see if being too involved might hurt you.

Suggestion: I would suggest talking to women in your classes who are greek,

depending on your school maybe work on getting some recs for the sororities on your campus.

Work on public speaking and get use to talking to people. I know of a bunch of people (myself included) who are very nice but when they first meet people they can be shy and so if you say practice starting random conversations with people you don't know it might help you. So you don;t come off as shy (if that is/might be a problem that you face, as i can.

Might think of ways in which your major might turn people off, i mean some people hear pre-med and think that equates to too much work and not enough time for the sorority, this kinda of goes with the being too involved.

A lot of advise would really depend on your school, so i think that the best advise is to find people at your school, or recent alums at your school and talk to them about greek life and what could up your success.

Good Luck,
debbie

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally posted by alphaalpha
I completly understand your desire to join a sorority, however maybe you should talk to someone to see if being too involved might hurt you.

That's what popped into my mind when I read your post--I think you're doing enough right now! That's an amazing amount of activities, which is awesome if you can juggle it all, but just make sure you don't have too many irons in the fire or it might look like you simply don't have the time to devote to sorority membership.

[valkyrie]

It's too bad mshoole isn't still around -- she'd be quite helpful here.

[AXOhottie]

I guess it just depends on your school, but we wouldn't ride someone off just because they are involved in campus activities or because they are a double major. In my chapter, some of the most involved sisters are double majors and/or involved with many different organizations on campus.

It's been difficult for me this semester because I took the MCAT, but that doesn't mean that I'm not a productive member of my sorority.

You should get a feel for how things are on your campus though. It may or may not be an issue.

[JupiterTC]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
That's what popped into my mind when I read your post--I think you're doing enough right now! That's an amazing amount of activities, which is awesome if you can juggle it all, but just make sure you don't have too many irons in the fire or it might look like you simply don't have the time to devote to sorority membership.

Ditto. Being a music major is time consuming as it is. I'm a music major and I'm in a Christian sorority and a social sorority, and for awhile I was in an interest group to bring SAI to my campus. You're in two awesome organizations already, and being in a social sorority takes a lot of commitment, as does SAI and APO.

[Singer123]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Keep it up! I did want to add that at the end of next semester I will vacate my senate exec board seat and university committees (term=1 year). If I am accepted to a sorority, I will not reapply for another term. That will significantly reduce my extracurricular load. Also, I am on my Hall Council in my dorm which I would not be on if I went greek. Lastly, I am taking my pre-med classes during the summer through a special program. My gen-eds are done, and I am only a freshman, so that gives me plenty of time to do my double major! Thanks for your help everyone!
Singer 123
P.S. Part of the reason I got involved with other greek organizations was because I was so devastated when I was cut. I felt like sororities were looking for leaders, so I've really tried to show that I have academic and leadership potential.

[alphaalpha]

Sororities do look for academics and leadership. Like it has been said it would really depend on your school and the sororities there. I think that it is good to take into account that it might hurt you and during rush you would need to work it into the conversation that you did these leadership things and after your term is over you will not be reapplying. Or work it into the conversation some how. Again, it really depends on your school. I can really understand your choices for wanting to get involved with other stuff on campus. My first school there was no greek life and I got really invovled with everything else i could. Aven after i transfered and joined a sorority i still got invovled with Alpha Phi Omega cause i was sooo use to being in leadership that i could not do as a pledge in my social sorority. I think you should stress how the stuff you are doing outside of the sorority will not interfere with you new member activities.


Really, find someone at your school, or a recent alum. They would be the best place to learn about the ins and outs of rush at your school.
debbie

[LouisaMay]

Yep...definitely sounds familiar!

I would suggest highlighting the activities that tell the most about you and your abilities. It sounds like you are doing very well at managing your time effectively, but you don't want to sound like a walking resume In my experience, the people who have enormous lists like yours are also enormously enthusiastic, and the sororities will appreciate that. Just be sure that they understand that you can have the same enthusiasm for your sorority experience without burning out. Balance is so important!

LM

[blueangel]

I didn't find being busy a problem in my sorority.

Here's the story:

I went to a big university in the south. Being from the north, I knew NOTHING about sororities, and didn't have an interest in them. I was so deeply involved in athletics, that I really couldn't care less about them. I went through rush with my dorm pal because she begged me to keep her company.

Much to my surprise, I was VERY impressed with what I saw. The more I learned about the Greek system, the more I realized it was something really special.

I was super open and honest with my busy schedule to everyone I spoke with at the rush parties. I explained my training schedule, and told them of my athletic goals, and even expressed my reservations over whether it would be fair to the sorority for me to pledge.

It didn't seem to be a problem at all at any of the sororities I visited. When I pledged ZTA, I often had to miss pledge meetings, and I did miss ALL of the date nights and mixers. I ended up accepting a scholarship to another university out west to pursue my athletic dreams, and unfortunately, they didn't have a ZTA chapter there. I ended up being initiated in ZTA through AI more than two decades later!

What I'm trying to say is that I have found sororities encourage us to pursue our dreams and be the best we can. However, if you want to get everything out of the Greek experience, you need to make choices. I would advise you to drop one or two of the activities you are now involved in if you rush and are offered a bid.

You only have this opportunity one time in your life, and I would make the most of it. You don't want to be doing the "What if's" later on in your life.

[Rudey]

If you don't get in, don't worry. You can always do alumni initiation like many of the women on this board.

-Rudey

[blueangel]

Rudy:

You can't "always do alumnae initiation"--- it's VERY difficult. It took me three years, and I had already pledged ZTA in college. Women without any ties have an even more difficult time of it. It's still quite rare, and extremely hard to do.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by valkyrie
It's too bad mshoole isn't still around -- she'd be quite helpful here.

I cannot wait to do 15 years of professional school.