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  #1  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:03 AM
RedRover RedRover is offline
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College Freshmen

I just want to make sure that I got this right:

It is not uncommon for college freshmen to arrive on campus before the beginning the academic year to participate in rush. A few days later, most of these teenagers will be pledges of Greek Letter Organizations.

In short, Greek Letter Organizations are asking 17- and 18-year olds to make a lifetime commitment to their organizations based on a weeklong courtship. This commitment will be before a student has participated in freshman orientation, attended his/her first collegiate class, etc

Is that wise? After all, college students will change majors, roommates, dormitories for various reasons. But Greek Letter Organizations are asking for a commitment that will last longer than the future marriages of these students.

Maybe I just don't get it. There is so much from my first year of college that I would like to change.
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  #2  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:11 AM
kathykd2005 kathykd2005 is offline
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Although it is not uncommon for recruitment to occur before classes start, it is also not uncommon for recruitment to begin in late September, in January, and possibly even not until one's sophomore year. Remember, many organizations are SOCIAL organizations, and so they can help young people meet others, make friends, become acquainted with people on campus, and get involved in clubs/other organizations. You are also taking the "lifetime commitment" concept to mean that there is no fun involved, when there is a lot of it involved, but also an inculcation of loyalty and friendship into a young person's life that they might not have had before their membership. Just a few thoughts...
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  #3  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:23 AM
AChiOhSnap AChiOhSnap is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RedRover View Post
In short, Greek Letter Organizations are asking 17- and 18-year olds to make a lifetime commitment to their organizations based on a weeklong courtship. This commitment will be before a student has participated in freshman orientation, attended his/her first collegiate class, etc

Is that wise? After all, college students will change majors, roommates, dormitories for various reasons. But Greek Letter Organizations are asking for a commitment that will last longer than the future marriages of these students.
I don't think it's a big problem. After all, most NPC sororities don't vary TOO radically from one another when it all comes down to it, especially on a national level (and when you're out of school, the lifetime committment is really played out in a lot of ways on the national level).

Of course there's a special spot in my heart for everything AXO, from the symphony to the philanthropy and I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else. That said, a lifetime committment to Alpha Phi, Theta, Phi Mu, KKG, or whatever other NPC sorority would have it's own beautiful symphony/motto/creed, great philanthropy, network of wonderful women, etc. After all, it's not like a sorority woman would be like "Oh, the Breast Cancer philanthropy is awesome, but Children's Miracle Network totally sucks, I'd never want to be a part of a sorority with THAT philanthropy..."

If I rushed at a campus that didn't have AXO and I joined, say, AOII, I'd probably be just as happy and in love with AOII as I am with AXO. To use your example, husbands vary radically from one person to the next, but at the heart of it, NPC sororities are really all about the same thing.
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  #4  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:28 AM
AnchorAlumna AnchorAlumna is offline
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I can only speak from my knowledge about Alabama and Auburn, but yes, that's the way it's done there. Doesn't make it perfect, but it fits in those 2 places. Both schools have done it both after classes start and before. Right now, before works best. If you wait until after classes start, there are all sorts of issues involving girls (sorority members AND rushees) who can't get to parties because of classes. Sorority members generally have to stay up late and work very hard, and that is a big problem when you factor classes into the mix.
It's the best way NPC has found to match a huge number of potential members to groups. It's not perfect. It's always changing.
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  #5  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RedRover View Post

In short, Greek Letter Organizations are asking 17- and 18-year olds to make a lifetime commitment to their organizations based on a weeklong courtship. This commitment will be before a student has participated in freshman orientation, attended his/her first collegiate class, etc.
No, the lifetime commitment is based on the New Member period that takes place before Initiation. Depending on the organization, the New Member will have [x] number of weeks to decide whether or not this GLO's the right one and if a lifetime commitment is actually worth it.

But you already knew that.
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  #6  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:35 AM
AnchorAlumna AnchorAlumna is offline
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Originally Posted by OTW View Post
No, the lifetime commitment is based on the New Member period that takes place before Initiation. Depending on the organization, the New Member will have [x] number of weeks to decide whether or not this GLO's the right one and if a lifetime commitment is actually worth it. But you already knew that.
Well said!
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  #7  
Old 08-13-2007, 11:18 AM
OSU Maman OSU Maman is offline
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I also wondered why some schools go through the recruitment process so early. There is so much a freshman is dealing with that is almost seems unfair to add recruitment into the adjustment to (a whole new life in)college process.

You could wait but, from what I have read on here, if you aren't a freshman your chances of being accepted are not as good. (I don't understand this one so maybe someone could explain?)

What happens if you become a member of a sorority or fraternity and then decide you don't like the school you are attending? If you've been at the school for at least a sememster you have a better feel for whether or not the school is a good fit. If you transfer to another school and have already joined, then what happens?

Please understand these are questions from a mom who has no Greek experience (obviously ), and I am just trying to figure things out. I know there are usually reasons for everything (but not always).
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  #8  
Old 08-13-2007, 11:30 AM
AlphaFrog AlphaFrog is offline
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Originally Posted by OSU Maman View Post
If you transfer to another school and have already joined, then what happens?
If there is a chapter of that sorority on the campus you transfer to, there is a process to become a member of that chapter, although it is not guaranteed.

If there is not a chapter of that sorority on campus, your options are to join a service or academic/professional GLO, local GLO, or just be an independent XYZ on that campus. And, I have heard of campuses with a large amount of transfer students having a "Chapterless Greeks" type org for people to join who don't have a chapter on campus. In any case, unless you deactivate, you remain an Alum of your sorority, and are not eligible to rush another NPC. If you deactivate, you are done forever with NPC GLOs (unless your GLO has some sort of reactivation policy).
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  #9  
Old 08-13-2007, 11:40 AM
SNUIGC SNUIGC is offline
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For us at Mississippi State, our sororities started their rush today... however, for our fraternities we don't start our rush until Sept. the 9th. ...and, I must agree, it is a big deal and is asking alot of them... however, as we tell our candidates they shouldn't join if they don't think they're ready for all of it.

However, these are people you'll be friends with for a long time to come, brothers/sisters for life and you have a connection with thousands of others from across the nation and from other countries (if you're an international GLO yet). ...also helps save you money on hotels, "Hey, I'm traveling over to XYZ place, mind if I crash at y'alls house for the night?" hahaha
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  #10  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:00 PM
mckimjm mckimjm is offline
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mamasue it really depends on the rush practices on that campus. My advice is ask your daughter if she really believes the sorority girls that told her that everyone loved her. if she does, I would postpone becoming a pledge/new member until the next semester or quarter. The reason behind that is if your daughter can get in a better known institution its definately worth it and She should pick her sorority based on the girls in it and if she doesnt like the two shes rushing for and she isnt really interested in them dont allow her to become a new member with them. Shell regret it over the next 4 years. I actually know some sorority girls that wish they would have gone to a diffrent sorority everyday. It's all about finding that right fit for you but dont force it~
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  #11  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:10 PM
SnuKnight172 SnuKnight172 is offline
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My wife was dropped by her first choice because of a numbers game that goes on within the Sororities. (It is not that the organizations she was dropped from necesarily dropped her the system as a whole may have dropped her from those choices if that makes sense.) She was told under the table to drop from recruitment by a friend in the chapter. She dropped waited until the winter quarter and rushed into the chapter she wanted during open recruitment when there were some spaces open. She has not regreted it since.

Sororities are much different from Fraternities when it comes to recruitment (on my campus) there are ceilings/caps that get put on the chapters and if XY chapter only has three spots to fill because they are that close to ceiling then the legacies baring any drama would get the spots and that is what happened to my wife. Fraternities for the most part don't play the numbers game we have always recruited as many people as we can and then we bid the best of the best.

Good luck to your daughter!!!
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  #12  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:22 PM
33girl 33girl is offline
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Originally Posted by mamasue View Post
My daughter has been told for weeks that she is the best potential new member for several sororities. Recs are glowing... resume reflects a very well rounded student with a high GPA and many activities and honors. She is beautiful outside and in... She started RUSH last week, had invitations to revisit the maximum number of houses and then... devastation. All of the houses she chose cut her, and she is still rushing 2 groups that she really has no interest in. Her self esteem is shot, feels worthless and "a loser"... all due to a few minutes spent in 6 sorority rush parties. I wish I had told her not to participate in RUSH, spend some time getting acclimated on campus and then decide. Young women have a hard enough time in this society without this added insult. For the record, I support the system, but am now on the side of living with what happens when good people get cut. My daughter is certainly not alone... but she sure feels that way. BTW-- she heard back from some girls who are members of one of her top choices... they expected to see her and when she did not appear at any of the day 3 parties, assumed she had cut them. Go figure. At least she has heard the words "I don't get it- everyone loved you." Advice?
I would tell her NOT to listen to what the girls from the sorority who "loved her" are saying. They shouldn't be talking to girls who are still in the rush process!!

Other than that, we weren't in member selection for those groups, so we really can't tell you why your daughter was cut.
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  #13  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:36 PM
OSU Maman OSU Maman is offline
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Thanks, AlphaFrog, to the answer to my transfer question. That's another reason why I believe it would be beneficial to wait until second semester to have recruitment.

Does anyone have answers to my other questions:

"I also wondered why some schools go through the recruitment process so early."


"You could wait but, from what I have read on here, if you aren't a freshman your chances of being accepted are not as good. (I don't understand this one so maybe someone could explain?)"

Thanks for the help.
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  #14  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:36 PM
AChiOhSnap AChiOhSnap is offline
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Originally Posted by 33girl View Post
I would tell her NOT to listen to what the girls from the sorority who "loved her" are saying. They shouldn't be talking to girls who are still in the rush process!!

Other than that, we weren't in member selection for those groups, so we really can't tell you why your daughter was cut.
To be perfectly blunt, I've heard more than a few sorority women say that "Ohh we loved you, we wondered why you weren't back to our next party!" line to disappointed PNMs when they felt "put on the spot" or to make the PNM feel better without really thinking about the ramifications of saying that.

Most of the time, it wasn't true. It wasn't that the sorority disliked the PNM, usually, but I've found that they never had any intention of inviting her back for whatever reason and they just didn't know what to say. It was their poor attempt to avoid an awkward situation or to spare her feelings.

The gentle honesty approach (i.e. "I'm sorry you're disappointed, but we really can't talk about what happened. I'm so sorry.") is obviously the better option here, but I'm sure you can imagine how hard it would be for a non-confrontational 19 y.o. to go there. It's not right, but I'm sure that's why it happens.

Mamasue, the best advice I can give you and your daughter is for her to speak with her recruitment counselor, let the disappointment settle, explore her other options (COB, joining a professional/honorary/volunteer GLO, playing sports, joining clubs, whatever), and to NOT listen to what anyone in a sorority says about her being the "best PNM" or that "everyone loved her." I'm sure your daughter's a really lovely girl, but if sorority women are saying that to a PNM during recruitment, it's probably a whole lot of hot air.
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  #15  
Old 08-13-2007, 12:38 PM
AChiOhSnap AChiOhSnap is offline
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Originally Posted by OSU Maman View Post
Does anyone have answers to my other questions:

"I also wondered why some schools go through the recruitment process so early.".
I don't know if this is true for ALL early recruitments, but I'm sure it has a lot to do with living arrangments/logistics (you can immediately move into the sorority house/dorm floor/suites). Also, it gets it out of the way so it's not a huge distraction with school (imagine being at a recruitment party until midnight and then having to get up for your 8AM the next day.) I'd imagine a really intensive recruitment during schooldays could really hurt people academically, at least temporarily.
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